The Blood Crown - Chapter 170

At the dawn of day, officials from the capital had already dressed in their ceremonial robes, leaving their homes to attend the morning court at the palace.

The sky was still dim and hazy, and most of the capital was still asleep. Officials who lived farther from the palace had to set out in the middle of the night. Carriage wheels clattered over the stone-paved roads, creating a dull, repetitive sound. Occasionally, small stones would bounce and hit the carriage, startling the drowsy officials inside.

The morning court was a mandatory duty for all officials of the fourth rank and above in the capital, enduring through the changing seasons, day after day. The time, rituals, rules, people, and ceremonial robes were all uniform. Unless there was a major event, the morning court was generally the same each day.

But today, many things would be different.

The first sign of this difference started with the ceremonial robes prepared by the Yan residence for its master.

The ceremonial robes were primarily black, with red accents. Depending on rank and duties, the feathers on the hat, the belt, and the embroidered patterns on the robe were all subject to strict regulations, with no room for error. The style of the robes was a wide-sleeved, grand robe, symbolizing “the beauty of attire is called splendid, and the grandeur of rituals is called summer.”

The ceremonial robes needed to be clean and proper; no one was allowed to defile them.

However, there was one situation in which one could attend the morning court without wearing the ceremonial robes.

At this moment, Yan Sikong, under the service of Ah Li, was dressed in a crimson judicial robe with a white interior. Instead of the usual black cap, he wore a Xie Zhi crown. In the past, this crown could only be worn by censors. The Xie Zhi, a mythical beast of ancient times, was said to be loyal and upright, able to discern right from wrong, which is why it was worn by law enforcement officers to symbolize their commitment to impartial justice.

This crown had long been abolished, and officials were required to wear standardized black caps. However, there was one extreme situation where it could still be worn, along with the bright red judicial robe. This symbolized that the official was about to undertake a grand, world-shaking task—an “Execution of Death.”

An “Execution of Death” involved risking one’s own life and reputation to make a genuine accusation. Any falsehood would be punishable. When an official appeared in a red judicial robe with a Xie Zhi crown, all the accused, as long as they were in the capital and alive, had to appear before the emperor and the court for questioning.

Such a severe and formal execution of death was rarely seen, and Yan Sikong’s actions today would undoubtedly go down in history—whether as praise or condemnation.

When Wan Yang arrived and saw Yan Sikong already dressed and prepared, she was stunned: “You…”

Yan Sikong turned around, the fierce visage of the Xie Zhi on his crown seeming to devour evil and darkness with each breath, but his expression was calm as still water. Only his dark eyes were plotting a storm that would engulf everything.

In his judicial robe, Yan Sikong looked tall and imposing. The large swathes of blood-red fabric highlighted his flawless, cold, and solemn features, giving him an air of reverence that made one want to kneel at his feet, not daring to defile him.

From the first moment Wan Yang saw Yan Sikong, she knew the rumors were true. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen aside from her cousin. Yet he… yet he was a heartless, shameless man.

Her heart sank: “Who are you going to impeach?”

Yan Sikong enunciated clearly: “Xie Zhongren.”

Wan Yang was struck as if by lightning. The person before her seemed so unfamiliar, as if they were meeting for the first time. How absurd that this was her husband of three years! “You… you’re going to impeach Xie Zhongren?”

“And many eunuchs,” Yan Sikong paused, “as many as one hundred and thirty-eight.”

“… Why?”

Seeming to find the question laughable, Yan Sikong smirked slightly: “The eunuchs have committed numerous crimes and deserve to be punished. Why do you ask ‘why’?”

Wan Yang bit her lip: “Aren’t you one of them?”

“You’re right, so I will also impeach myself.” Yan Sikong took a step aside to reveal what was behind him.

It was a set of shackles.

Ah Li picked up the shackles, hesitating as he looked at Yan Sikong.

Yan Sikong solemnly raised a thick document: “Come, put these on me.”

Wan Yang rushed forward, glaring at him: “Yan Sikong, what exactly are you trying to do?!”

Yan Sikong said softly: “Don’t worry, Your Highness. Be careful not to disturb the baby.”

Reminded by Yan Sikong, Wan Yang realized that she had rushed over in haste and forgotten to wear the fake pregnancy belly. Fortunately, her slim and graceful figure made it inconspicuous. She instinctively covered her stomach. Suddenly, it dawned on her, and she pointed at Yan Sikong in disbelief: “You… so you were doing this for…”

Yan Sikong patted her back reassuringly: “Will you plead for me?”

His deep eyes gazed into Wan Yang’s, making her shiver. She trembled and said: “Yan Sikong, are you human or a ghost…”

At the break of dawn, officials in the capital had already donned their ceremonial robes, leaving their homes to attend the morning court at the palace.

The sky was still dim and hazy, and much of the capital remained asleep. Officials living farther from the palace had to set out in the middle of the night. The wheels of carriages clattered over the stone-paved roads, producing a dull, repetitive sound. Occasionally, small stones would bounce and hit the carriages, startling the drowsy officials inside.

Attending the morning court was a mandatory duty for all officials of the fourth rank and above in the capital, regardless of the season, day after day. The time, rituals, rules, people, and ceremonial robes were all uniform. Unless there was a significant event, the morning court was generally the same each day.

But today, many things would be different.

The first sign of this difference started with the ceremonial robes prepared by the Yan residence for its master.

The ceremonial robes were primarily black with red accents. Depending on rank and duties, the feathers on the hat, the belt, and the embroidered patterns on the robe were all subject to strict regulations, with no room for error. The style of the robes was a wide-sleeved, grand robe, symbolizing “the beauty of attire is called splendid, and the grandeur of rituals is called summer.”

The ceremonial robes needed to be clean and proper; no one was allowed to defile them.

However, there was one situation in which one could attend the morning court without wearing the ceremonial robes.

At this moment, Yan Sikong, under the service of Ah Li, was dressed in a crimson judicial robe with a white interior. Instead of the usual black cap, he wore a Xie Zhi crown. In the past, this crown could only be worn by censors. The Xie Zhi, a mythical beast of ancient times, was said to be loyal and upright, able to discern right from wrong, which is why it was worn by law enforcement officers to symbolize their commitment to impartial justice.

This crown had long been abolished, and officials were required to wear standardized black caps. However, there was one extreme situation where it could still be worn, along with the bright red judicial robe. This symbolized that the official was about to undertake a grand, world-shaking task—an “Execution of Death.”

An “Execution of Death” involved risking one’s own life and reputation to make a genuine accusation. Any falsehood would be punishable. When an official appeared in a red judicial robe with a Xie Zhi crown, all the accused, as long as they were in the capital and alive, had to appear before the emperor and the court for questioning.

Such a severe and formal execution of death was rarely seen, and Yan Sikong’s actions today would undoubtedly go down in history—whether as praise or condemnation.

When Wan Yang arrived and saw Yan Sikong already dressed and prepared, she was stunned: “You…”

Yan Sikong turned around, the fierce visage of the Xie Zhi on his crown seeming to devour evil and darkness with each breath, but his expression was calm as still water. Only his dark eyes were plotting a storm that would engulf everything.

In his judicial robe, Yan Sikong looked tall and imposing. The large swathes of blood-red fabric highlighted his flawless, cold, and solemn features, giving him an air of reverence that made one want to kneel at his feet, not daring to defile him.

From the first moment Wan Yang saw Yan Sikong, she knew the rumors were true. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen aside from her cousin. Yet he… yet he was a heartless, shameless man.

Her heart sank: “Who are you going to impeach?”

Yan Sikong enunciated clearly: “Xie Zhongren.”

Wan Yang was struck as if by lightning. The person before her seemed so unfamiliar, as if they were meeting for the first time. How absurd that this was her husband of three years! “You… you’re going to impeach Xie Zhongren?”

“And many eunuchs,” Yan Sikong paused, “as many as one hundred and thirty-eight.”

“… Why?”

Seeming to find the question laughable, Yan Sikong smirked slightly: “The eunuchs have committed numerous crimes and deserve to be punished. Why do you ask ‘why’?”

Wan Yang bit her lip: “Aren’t you one of them?”

“You’re right, so I will also impeach myself.” Yan Sikong took a step aside to reveal what was behind him.

It was a set of shackles.

Ah Li picked up the shackles, hesitating as he looked at Yan Sikong.

Yan Sikong solemnly raised a thick document: “Come, put these on me.”

Wan Yang rushed forward, glaring at him: “Yan Sikong, what exactly are you trying to do?!”

Yan Sikong said softly: “Don’t worry, Your Highness. Be careful not to disturb the baby.”

Reminded by Yan Sikong, Wan Yang realized that she had rushed over in haste and forgotten to wear the fake pregnancy belly. Fortunately, her slim and graceful figure made it inconspicuous. She instinctively covered her stomach. Suddenly, it dawned on her, and she pointed at Yan Sikong in disbelief: “You… so you were doing this for…”

Yan Sikong patted her back reassuringly: “Will you plead for me?”

His deep eyes gazed into Wan Yang’s, making her shiver. She trembled and said: “Yan Sikong, are you human or a ghost…”

—

Yan Sikong smiled faintly: “Walking among the living is being human; walking among the dead is being a ghost.” He leaned in close to her ear and whispered with a chilling tone, “Guess, when I pass through the capital, cross the Meridian Gate, tread over the Golden Water Bridge, and enter that ornate, magnificent palace, will it be in the realm of the living or the domain of the dead?”

Wan Yang staggered back a few steps, her eyes filled with fear as she looked at Yan Sikong.

“Since my fate is uncertain, I hope, as a favor to our past bond, you will plead for me.” Yan Sikong raised his hand once more and commanded, “Ah Li.”

Ah Li put the heavy shackles on Yan Sikong. The sharp clinking of metal echoed through the room, making the already oppressive atmosphere even more suffocating.

“It’s heavier than I imagined…” Yan Sikong murmured. This device had been worn by Yuan Mao when he went to the execution ground, by Feng Ye when he was imprisoned, and even by Yuan Nanyu at the age of thirteen, as he carried it through a thousand miles of exile.

What he had endured and suffered was nothing compared to that.

For seventeen long years, he had dreamed of putting this thing around his enemies’ necks, and now he was about to achieve it.

Nothing could stop him.

Wan Yang watched in stunned silence as Yan Sikong, shackled and holding the Execution of Death documents, walked out step by step.

Yan Sikong did not use a carriage, as he was now a condemned man. He walked on foot toward the palace.

On the way, he encountered early-rising commoners and officials heading to court, all staring at him with shocked expressions. The closer he got to the palace, the more people recognized him. The solemn and menacing aura of his attire left everyone in awe, and no one dared to approach him.

The sound of the Jingyang Bell resonated through the palace, its solemn tone like thunder. For centuries, through the changes of dynasties and shifts of power, this bell, symbolizing the empire’s authority, had never ceased.

As usual, officials filed through the Meridian Gate and gathered in front of the Taiji Hall. The palace eunuchs waved their whips, the sharp cracks echoing as the soldiers stood in perfect formation, their spears planted firmly. The officials split into two lines and crossed the Golden Water Bridge to enter the hall.

Among them, Yan Sikong, dressed in red and shackled, was particularly conspicuous. His appearance caused a stir, with whispers and anxious glances among the officials.

When Yan Sikong crossed the high threshold of the Taiji Hall, he suddenly stopped.

The officials behind him halted in their tracks, and the officials on the other side, to maintain order, also had to stop. Yan Sikong tilted his head slightly and cautiously urged, “Lord Yan?”

“Such a sea of blades.” Yan Sikong gazed blankly at the luxurious palace, murmuring softly.

The official was puzzled: “… Where?”

“Underfoot.”

After speaking, Yan Sikong crossed the threshold, stood upright, and walked inside step by step.

When Emperor Zhao Wu saw Yan Sikong, his expression changed dramatically. It seemed he had guessed what Yan Sikong intended to do. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he felt a sudden urge to escape.

He stared blankly at the officials bowing and paying their respects, and after a long pause, he finally asked Yan Sikong with a trembling voice, “Yan Qing, what do you want… to do?”

Yan Sikong stepped forward, kneeling with both knees on the ground, holding up the thick document high. The pages of black text on white paper bore the weight of the world’s bloodiest and ugliest crimes. He declared loudly: “I, Yan Sikong, impeach the treacherous eunuch Xie Zhongren and his one hundred and thirty-eight accomplices for three hundred and seventy-four major crimes.” He paused slightly, “Including myself.”

The court was in shock!

Emperor Zhao Wu slumped on the dragon throne, his eyes wide with disbelief, unable to speak for a long time.

Yan Sikong continued: “

The impeachment documents are here, and I have a cart full of evidence waiting outside the Meridian Gate, ready to be submitted to the Three Judicial Departments at any time.”

The evidence was meticulously gathered by him and She Zhun over more than a decade, detailing the crimes committed by the eunuchs across various regions over twenty years. The evidence was clear and shocking.

A collective gasp arose from the court. The officials, each with their own concerns, trembled in fear, some with their legs shaking uncontrollably.

At this moment, Meng Duo stepped forward and said solemnly: “Your Majesty, since Lord Yan is wearing the Xie Zhi crown and the red judicial robe to show his determination for this death impeachment, according to the ancestral system, Your Majesty should summon Xie Zhongren from prison to the Taiji Hall to hear the impeachment against him.” He looked around, “As for the other officials, except for those who are far away or of insufficient rank to attend the court, they are probably all here.”

Emperor Zhao Wu opened his mouth, his facial flesh twitching. He raised his hand and issued the order: “Summon… the guilty Xie Zhongren to the Taiji Hall.”

A/N: This chapter took me a day to write _（：3」∠）_(End of Chapter)