Chapter 222: Challenge of Authority
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
When they heard about the arrival of the Divine Order, all of the soldiers armed with bows instantly knelt down. This didn't mean that they didn't know about the severity of the situation. Instead, it meant that they knew about the severity of the situation too well…
Because, the person running out of the room was Fang Zhengzhi.
Ping Yang's scream was bloodcurdling. That evidently came from receiving a huge shock. If it was any other person running out of the room, they didn't mind treating him as an assassin and killing him on the spot.
However, if it was Fang Zhengzhi…
Then that would be somewhat normal.
Which soldier in the Ping Yang Residence didn't know that Fang Zhengzhi and Princess Ping Yang were definitely sworn, jealous enemies? However, no matter how much animosity there was between them, it wasn't something that they could interfere with.
Hence, they decided to kneel down and hastily stay out of the situation.
Fang Zhengzhi's initially despondent eyes instantly felt as if they had seen a ray of light. The soldiers that blocked his way actually knelt down? Without further ado, and without caring about the thing called a Divine Order which he felt wasn't very much relevant to him, he decided that running for his life was the priority.
In a flash, he manoeuvred around the kneeling soldiers and the small eunuch, wind billowing around his feet.
"Young… Young Master Fang, Divine… Divine Order!" Just as he prepared to announce the Divine Order, the small eunuch noticed that Fang Zhengzhi was actually running away. He was evidently unable to react to this.
The Divine Order had arrived, why did this guy suddenly run away?
He couldn't understand. However, to be able to locate Fang Zhengzhi in this Ping Yang Residence required quite a lot of effort. If he really allowed Fang Zhengzhi to run away, where was he supposed to find him again?
"Quick, catch him, don't let him run!" When Ping Yang saw that Fang Zhengzhi intended to run away, she similarly didn't bother about the Divine Order anymore. Instead, she barked orders to the soldiers.
"Woosh!"
The soldiers who were initially kneeling on the ground instantly stood up. However, all of them understood. She said catch, not kill. Hence, the problem would be simple.
A few leaders leapt up and blocked off Fang Zhengzhi's path of escape. The soldiers behind flanked from the left and right.
The pitiful Fang Zhengzhi didn't even manage to run fifty metres before being surrounded once again. This dealt quite a heavy blow to his pride. No matter what, am I not someone who had passed the Imperial Examination?
The Heavenly Reflection State! I have actually been blocked off by these generals in the Ping Yang Residence? Shouldn't I be the kind of person that blatantly dances among thousands of soldiers?
What is wrong here?
"Young Master Fang, Young Master Fang, don't run! Divine Order!" The small eunuch didn't notice Fang Zhengzhi's expression. When he saw Fang Zhengzhi being blocked off, he instantly ran over.
"For me?" Fang Zhengzhi was somewhat doubtful.
He always thought that this Divine Order was for Ping Yang. He had never imagined that it would actually be for him. Divine Order? What Divine Order? Don't tell me I'm about to be promoted to an official?
That's too fast.
I had just passed the Imperial Examination. The rankings aren't even out yet, how can I receive the Divine Order now? But, I haven't prepared myself completely for this yet!
At this moment, Ping Yang also came to Fang Zhengzhi's side. After she heard the small eunuch's words, she seemed to have understood. She could guess the gist of this Divine Order's content. However, this caused her to raise a new suspicion.
She believed that Fang Zhengzhi came to seek her help today.
Hence, she malingered and pretended to be sick. However, it seems that Fang Zhengzhi hadn't received the Divine Order? Then, why is he here?
"The Emperor invites Fang Zhengzhi to bring the sword tomorrow to the Throne Room during morning assembly!" The small eunuch didn't care about what happened between Fang Zhengzhi and Ping Yang. Instead, he hurriedly announced the contents of the order.
Then, he threw down the Divine Order and swiftly ran away, disappearing from sight.
This was the Ping Yang Residence…
If there was one place in the Yan Capital that eunuchs were most unwilling to go to, it would definitely be the Ping Yang Residence without a doubt. If it wasn't for the Divine Order, he would never be willing to even take half a step into the Ping Yang Residence.
Furthermore, the current situation seemed like there was a fight going on.
If I don't run now, when else?
The small eunuch ran, leaving Fang Zhengzhi standing alone in the middle of the army holding the Divine Order written on a golden cloth and looking at the archers in front of him that carried arrows yet didn't draw their bows.
Bring the sword into the Throne Room?
Fang Zhengzhi naturally didn't think that it would be as simple as bringing in the sword. Very evidently, this was a daylight robbery. Don't tell me I really have to give the sword to the country?
In reality, Fang Zhengzhi had also thought that the sword in his hand would be an object of jealousy for some people. However, it was just jealousy.
His reasoning was that since the sword was obtained by him, it naturally belonged to himself.
This was reasoning from his past world.
As the saying went, kill monsters, level up and win treasures…
He had killed the monster, and passed the level. Hence, the treasure obtained naturally belonged to himself. This was something very logical and reasonable. However, in reality, this world didn't seem to be like that.
Under the rule of the Emperor, all of the treasures in the world belonged to the Royal Family.
"Looks like my thinking was too naïve!" A faint smile formed on Fang Zhengzhi's lips. All along, he was someone who preferred to go with the flow, without much interest in things like power.
Of course, he still wasn't interested in these. This was his personality, one that didn't like being bounded or restricted. The paths of entering the Imperial Government as an official or entering the army comprised too many restrictions of freedom. This wasn't something he strove for.
However, not striving for these didn't mean that he could be bullied.
"Hey, Fang Zhengzhi, does this thing belong to you?" Ping Yang's voice interrupted Fang Zhengzhi's thoughts.
"Huh? Why would my jade-coloured golden hairpin be with you? Never mind, I initially already intended to give it to you. You can have it, I have something on and will have to leave first!" Once he finished speaking, Fang Zhengzhi prepared to leave.
"You are going to leave just like that?" Ping Yang looked at Fang Zhengzhi in somewhat of a disbelief.
The previous time in the room, after Fang Zhengzhi had held her hostage, Chi Guyan used a jade-coloured golden hairpin as an excuse to dissolve the tense situation between Fang Zhengzhi and Ping Yang.
At that time, even though Fang Zhengzhi had made the promise, Ping Yang didn't believe that Fang Zhengzhi would really carry it out.
Why would a shameless person keep his words?
This was the first thing Ping Yang thought. The second thing she thought was that even if Fang Zhengzhi really gave it to her, he would definitely do so with an intention.
But now…
She felt that she had thought wrongly. The previous scene demonstrated to her that before he came, Fang Zhengzhi didn't know that the Emperor would ask him to enter the palace. More importantly, now that Fang Zhengzhi had evidently knew of this, why did he choose to leave?
Doesn't he know that I am the great princess? Or, he had simply never seen me as the princess?
"Don't tell me you still wish to extort from me? This jade-coloured golden hairpin cost me two hundred silver taels, it is very expensive!" Fang Zhengzhi naturally didn't know what Ping Yang was thinking. He wondered if Ping Yang wasn't very satisfied.
But, he had already spent two hundred silver taels on this. It was indeed extremely painful.
However, compared to the blow that Ping Yang had blocked for him in the World of the Sage, it was naturally too little. If Ping Yang wasn't satisfied, he could actually consider adding another fifty taels to buy a pearl flower, or something similar.
"Hmph! Only two hundred silver taels…" When Ping Yang heard Fang Zhengzhi's explanation, she knew that Fang Zhengzhi had misunderstood her intentions. However, this also made even clearer the fact that Fang Zhengzhi wasn't here to seek her help, causing her to unconsciously pout her lips. Then, she looked at Fang Zhengzhi. "Shouldn't you help me put this on after giving it to me?"
"I still have to put it on for you? How troublesome…" Fang Zhengzhi twitched his mouth very helplessly. However, in order to escape as fast as possible, he decided to bear with it.
Hence, he quickly walked in front of Ping Yang, held the jade-coloured golden hairpin, chose a modern and pretty angle and inserted the golden hairpin diagonally.
"Hmm, not bad!" Fang Zhengzhi felt that his taste in choosing things was rather impressive.
"Hmph… only not bad? It is clearly very beautiful, alright?" Ping Yang pouted her lips highly, an arrogant expression filling her face.
This scene undoubtedly didn't quite match the previous tense atmosphere. Most importantly, around the two of them, there were a few hundred armoured soldiers wielding bows.
What happened to catching him?
Each of the soldiers stared blankly at Ping Yang and Fang Zhengzhi, heaving a sigh inwardly. Indeed, if the other party was Fang Zhengzhi, no matter how loudly the princess cried out, there was actually nothing wrong…
But, what happened between the two of them in the room?
…
The second day, in the early morning, the sky of the Yan Capital seemed constantly somewhat dark under the billowing wind. It was slightly cold. On the other hand, in the Throne Room within the Imperial Palace, this coldness was intensified.
As the meeting room of the Great Xia Dynasty, the glory of the Throne Room couldn't be described in words. Bright red paint caused the entrance to glow with unparalleled brightness. Within the room, a huge golden pillar held up the entire structure of the room. On top of the golden pillar, eight lifelike golden dragons twisted their bodies around it from the bottom of the pillar to the top. The forms of the eight golden dragons were all different, arranged in the formation of The Golden Dragon and Pearl.
One golden pillar with the golden dragon carved on it. This was the one and only symbol of the imperial power.
Among those there were able to stand within the Throne Room, who among them didn't represent the greatest authorities in the Great Xia Dynasty? They held meetings in the room, but controlled the countless number of lives in the world.
This, was the highest level of authority in the world.
But today…
This authority seemed to be facing a challenge, a challenge that had never been faced before. They were waiting for a person. A person who wasn't an official, didn't hold any appointment, and didn't come from any prestigious family background.
All the officials stood silently within the Throne Room. However, there was an air of coldness on everybody's faces. They really didn't understand how could an ordinary citizen dare to make them wait?
Don't tell me he didn't know what a great glory it was for an ordinary citizen to receive the Divine Order?
Who among those who were invited to the room didn't kneel for a few hours before the time they were expected outside the room, awaiting the start of the morning assembly and waiting to meet the Emperor?
But today…
The time for the morning assembly had already exceeded by half an hour. What could be discussed and what couldn't be discussed were all not negotiable.
Yet, this guy who should be kneeling outside waiting to enter the room actually hadn't arrived?
Most importantly, the eunuch in charge of reporting actually claimed that that guy had overslept. Furthermore, he was currently taking his time in a restaurant within the Yan Capital eating bread and drinking chicken soup...