One of He Zhizhang's sons was inventorying medicinal materials . This was a wooden middle-aged man named He Dong . He was not He Zhizhang's natural son but an adopted one, who was merely a councillor in the Ministry of Mining . But He Dong had a very good reputation . After He Zhizhang's natural son, He Zeng, enlisted, he stayed in He Mansion, devotedly serving his adoptive father . Everybody praised him as a dutiful son .

He Dong recognized Li Bi . Unaware of the discord between his father and Li Bi, he walked forward and welcomed the visitor with hospitality . With a faintly embarra.s.sed look on his face, Li Bi asked He Dong about his father's condition . He Dong's face slightly changed, showing concern . He said that his father was basically conscious but still suffered from dizziness, that he was confined to bed and had difficulty speaking . Judging from He Dong's att.i.tude, He Zhizhang probably didn't tell his family members what happened in Jing'an Department .

"I have some pressing business . May I have an audience with Supervisor He?" After saying this, Li Bi added, "It's concerned with the Imperial Court . "

After hesitating briefly, He Dong nodded and led the way . They walked to the doorway of He Zhizhang's bedroom . He Dong went inside first and asked his father . Then he walked out and invited Li Bi in .

Li Bi stepped into the bedroom, collected himself and then cupped his hands before his chest, bowing deeply, "Li Bi is honored to bow before Supervisor He . " He was that the old man was leaning on a round gold-edged leather pillow, white eyebrows drooping . A sense of guilt involuntarily surged through him .

Eyes glazed, He Zhizhang feebly raised his hand and made a gesture . He Dong bowed and took his leave . Before leaving, he closed the inner door . When there were only two people in the room, He Zhizhang opened his mouth and uttered a string of vague sounds from his throat . Li Bi managed to distinguish his words:

"How's Changyuan?"

Suffering from dizziness, He Zhizhang had to make his remark as concise as possible . Li Bi hurriedly sketched out the situation . He Zhizhang quietly listened, making no comments . Li Bi didn't know what he was thinking about, so he walked to the bedside, "Supervisor He, the current situation is very disadvantageous . I'm afraid you'll have to go to negotiate with the Praetorian Guards Department to get Zhang Xiaojing out of prison, though you're probably not in the condition to do so . Otherwise there will be a disaster in Chang'an, and the Crown Prince won't be able to sleep at night . "

He Zhizhang's eyes were concealed under layers of creases . Li Bi didn't even know whether he fell asleep or not . After quite a while, there was still no response . Li Bi stretched out his hand and shook his body . He Zhizhang slightly moved his lips and faintly uttered a couple of words, "Don't . The Right Prime Minister . " Then he pressed his hand onto the edge of the bed .

Li Bi went anxious . This answer of He Zhizhang's was still in accordance with the strategy for partisan wrangles . He Zhizhang was afraid that saving Zhang Xiaojing would offer Li Linfu more pretext to launch attack, so he wanted the Jing'an Department to sever its relations.h.i.+p with this convict condemned to death . They turned full circle and came back to the original contradiction between them: Li Bi preferred to overcome all obstacles to get the job done, by hook or by crook, while He Zhizhang regarded defending against the enemies as the priority, always trying to formulate a perfect plan .

Outside the room, water was falling down into a barrel drop by drop . Li Bi involuntarily raised his voice, emphasizing that there was not much time left, that there were still a large number of Fierceflame Bombs unaccounted for, which meant Chang'an was at stake . However, He Zhizhang was indifferent and just kept tapping his palm on the edge of the bed again and again .

His opinion was very explicit: the job had to be done, but Zhang Xiaojing was not an option .

Li Bi had antic.i.p.ated that this issue wouldn't be easy to solve before he came . Without any hesitation, he held the lower front of his robe up and knelt down on one knee, "If that issue still rankles with Supervisor He, I'm willing to . . . bear the rod and take any punishment you mete out to me . But there's not much time left . I hope Supervisor He can . . . put the interests of the whole above everything else . "

Taking advantage of the death of Jiao Sui, he had angered He Zhizhang into leaving the department . That was indeed his fault . In order to have He Zhizhang come back and offer help, Li Bi was willing to swallow his pride . He maintained a humble gesture of admitting his guilt, eyebrows furrowed, white face flus.h.i.+ng light red . Li Bi could barely breathe under the intense sense of humiliation, but he clenched his teeth and persisted .

His white eyebrows drooping, He Zhizhang seemed to haven't heard his words at all . He just tapped his palm on the bed repeatedly, the sound of which resounded through the room . This was a gesture of forgiveness, but it was also a gesture of refusal . The old man wouldn't retaliate against him due to private grudge, but he didn't think Li Bi's suggestion was good enough, so he rejected it .

The corner of Li Bi's lips twitched as he saw this reply, his heart sinking . If it was about interests, he was willing to make compromises; if it was about private grudge, he was willing to give way . But He Zhizhang was making this decision purely for the greater good . It was just that they had different ideas . How was he supposed to make concessions under this circ.u.mstance?

"Slap!" He Zhizhang heavily slapped his palm on the wooden bed . This slap was very hard, suggesting that the old man had made up his mind, and that there was no room for maneuver .

Li Bi turned his head aside, took a glance at the darkening sky, and started panting . The path was right in front of him, but the stubbornness of this old man stood solidly in Li Bi's way like a giant rock .

He abruptly stood up . This issue mustn't be delayed for a single moment longer . He had to take decisive action right now!

There had always been only one path leading to the top of the Hua Mountain(A famous mountain in China . ) Even if he might fall off and have his body smashed to pieces, he still had to keep walking uphill .

The office complex of the Praetorian Guards Department was located between Chengtian Gate and Rosefinch Gate in the imperial city, consisting of eighteen houses with overhanging gable roofs . The outer gates of the office complexes of other agencies in the imperial city were open to the public, but the Praetorian Guards Department was different . There was a circle of grayish red, pointy-ridged wall around the complex . Looking from outside, people could barely see the roofs and a couple of flags, which made this department rather mysterious .

This was because the Praetorian Guards Department was responsible for guarding all the south gates of the imperial city, so there were large numbers of Leopard Cavalrymen(The name of a kind of cavalry in feudal China) . Soldiers were related with ferocity, so there had to be a wall to stop the killing aura from spreading outwards, lest it affect the harmonious atmosphere of the imperial city .

Tanqi stood beside the railings for tying horses in front of the gate of the Praetorian Guards Department, maintaining a graceful stance . She was wearing a hat with a curtain-hat with drooping silken veil around the brim, which covered her face . Yao Runeng, who was beside her, was very anxious, occasionally turning his head aside to look in the direction of somewhere outside the imperial city .

The had been here for a long time but had no intention of going inside, as if they were waiting for something .

The sun was setting . In two hours, the lantern show held during the Lantern Festival, which was the most uproarious event in Chang'an, would kick off . More than half of the staff members of many departments had come off work . Every now and then, a couple of officials, who had just handed over the duty to the next s.h.i.+ft, hurriedly walked out of the complex, worrying that they might miss the fun . Standing idly on the street, these two people looked very obtrusive .

Suddenly, a string of drumbeats came from the distance . Yao Runeng hastily bucked his spirit up and started reading the flag signal by afterglow . This time, the flag signal was short, conveying only one word . With a solemn look, Yao Runeng turned around and said to Tanqi, "B!"

The curtain-hat briefly quivered . This word meant that her master had failed in the Joy Plain, and that they had to resort to the backup plan .

Tanqi silently reviewed every detail of the plan and took a deep breath, her heart still pounding heavily . This was an audacious and dangerous plan with an endless flow of disastrous aftermath . Only when they were at the end of their rope would they choose to do so . If any of them made one mistake, they would all be doomed . But she didn't regret agreeing to do so, because this was her Master's request .

If her Master was willing to do anything for the Crown Prince, then she was willing to do anything for her Master, including sacrificing her own life .

"Miss Tanqi, shall we stick to the plan?" asked Yao Runeng .

"Think about it carefully again . Are you sure there's no omission?" Tanqi was a little uncertain . Li Bi was the one who agreed to this plan, but Yao Runeng was the one who formulated it in detail . Tanqi didn't have as much confidence in this reckless man as her Master did .

Yao Runeng slapped himself on the chest, indicating that there was nothing to worry about .

"Okay . Let's go," Tanqi subdued her restlessness and walked into the second gate of the Praetorian Guards Department, accompanied by Yao Runeng .

Having not expected that there would still be visitors coming at this time, the guard vigilantly tilted his spear . Yao Runeng took a step forward and raised his waist seal, "We're here for business . " And then he tried to walk inside . The guard hurriedly stopped him with his spear, "The security regulation of our department is rigorous . Anybody without a fish-bag is not allowed to enter . Please pardon me . " That waist seal was s.h.i.+ny . The guard didn't know the true ident.i.ty of its owner, so his tone was very polite .

Yao Runeng said, "We had an appointment with Staff Officer Zhao . It's about an urgent issue . "

"May I have your name?"

"Ju Pingkang . "

The guard turned around to check those pieces of bamboo recording scheduled appointments, which hung under the eaves of the porch . After going through all those appointment plates, he responded, "There's no information of your appointment here, my honored guest . " Yao Runeng appeared confused, "That can't be true . I did make an appointment with Staff Officer Zhao . Would you mind checking again?" The guard patiently ran through them again but found nothing .

Yao Runeng's face went sullen, "This issue is very important . How could you not prepare an appointment plate in advance? You're such an incompetent!" The guard was somewhat nervous, "We're only responsible for security . The Provisions Division is charge of appointment plates . " Yao Runeng thundered, "I don't care how Praetorian Guards Department divides your work . Stop wasting my time!" After saying this, he tried to intrude in .

The several guards instantly went nervous, trying to stop him with their spears and sabers . Tanqi suddenly said, "Don't be so impulsive . " Yao Runeng reluctantly stopped, drew back out of the gateway and threw a name plate to them, "Okay, okay . We won't get in . Ask Staff Officer Zhao to come here . "

Those guards were secretly relieved . They definitely didn't want to take the blame for a mistake of the Provisions Division . The visitor's willingness to compromise was the best they could hope for . They believed that they should deliver the message as soon as possible to spare themselves any potential trouble . So a guard picked up the name plate and ran inside to report . After a while, a fat official in cyan hurried out .

His face full of perplexity, this official had no idea where these two visitors came from, but after sizing them up at the second gate, he hurriedly made a bow with hands folded in front, looking very courteous .

This young bodyguard was common, but the woman behind him was wearing a curtain-hat with drooping veil and a broad, black brocade robe . Given the current weather, it was somewhat weird to wear such a thick brocade robe, but this outfit must have cost a fortune .

Staff Officer Zhao knew very well that people who were eligible to set foot in the imperial city were either rich or n.o.ble; one who dared to stand at the gateway of the Praetorian Guards Department requesting a Staff Officer to come out was definitely to be reckoned with . As merely a eighth-grade official, he certainly couldn't afford to offend any dignitaries .

"The lantern show is about to start . May I ask what I can do for you, my honored guests?"

Tanqi didn't open the veil but directly pa.s.sed a jade plate over . At first Staff Officer Zhao was stunned, and then he hurriedly took it . The jade plate was about the size of a palm, carved into the shape of a cl.u.s.ter of plum blossom . The white of plum blossom and the transparency of white jade was combined together in a utterly natural way, displaying exceptional craftsmans.h.i.+p and beauty .

The jade was premium, but the workmans.h.i.+p was of a more exceptional rarity . Holding the plum-blossom jade plate, Staff Officer Zhao was at a nonplus . Tanqi said, "The Seventh Son of Zhao Family, my master sent me here to pick up a person . "

Surprised that this young woman knew the birth order information in his family, Staff Officer Zhao lowered his head and looked at the plum-blossom jade plate as well as the name plate carved "Ju Pingkang" . Suddenly, the look in his eyes became excited, "Your Excellency . . . is from Pingkang Fang?" the thin veil of the curtain-hat quivered, but the one behind it said nothing . Staff Officer Zhao immediately took the hint . He returned the jade and then welcomed the two people into the department in a highly respectful manner .

A guard was just about to pa.s.s over an appointment plate to register when Staff Officer Zhao gave a wide wave of his arm to have the guard draw back .

They went through a long corridor and arrived at a quiet guest room . Staff Officer Zhao closed the door carefully, turned around and smiled, "I never expected that my cheap name would have the honor to be remembered by His Lords.h.i.+p . "

"Heh-heh, master once said that your book Shadbush displayed strength of character, that what made it precious was the author's modesty . "

Staff Officer Zhao was overwhelmed with joy . As an attempt to pose as a lover of culture, he once arranged his poems into a collection, but only sent copies to some of his relatives . Unexpectedly, that dignitary had read it . Feeling both honored and flattered, he hurriedly gathered himself, "May I ask what the Right Prime Minister–"

"Um?"

Behind the veil, Tanqi gave a discontented nasal sound . Staff Officer Zhao hastily changed the form of address, "I mean your n.o.ble master . . . May I ask whom your n.o.ble master sent Your Excellency here to pick up?" Tanqi answered, "Zhang Xiaojing . " Staff Officer Zhao was stunned . Yao Runeng added, "The man you caught an hour ago . "