Early the next morning, the envoy for the conferment arrived at the Ding'an's residence to announce the decree. Along with the conferment of Fang Linyuan as the commander of the Sixteenth Guard, the decree was proclaimed throughout the realm.

After keeping the envoy for a while in the front hall with a cup of tea, Song Zhaojin sent him off. Holding the decree in her hands, her expression was mixed with joy and concern.

"It's a good thing that His Majesty wishes to keep you in the capital," she said. "But yesterday, the flower market was unexpectedly dangerous. It's my fault for encouraging you all to join in the excitement."

Fang Linyuan quickly replied, "What are you saying, Sister-in-law? No one expected the situation last night, and besides, neither the princess nor I were injured. It can be regarded as a thrill."

"Was it really the barbarians who caused trouble in the city last night?" Song Zhaojin continued. "Didn't they just sign a treaty with the court? If that's the case, the border might not be peaceful."

At this, Fang Linyuan fell silent for a moment, then smiled and replied, "Don't worry, Sister-in-law. It might just be a few Hu merchants causing trouble in the capital. If the Turks really didn't want to negotiate, they wouldn't have travelled all the way to the capital."

Although his words sounded casual, his expression didn't match the light tone of his voice.

The bloody incident from last night had already spread throughout the capital, and now the streets were filled with discussions. People speculated that the actions of the barbarians were a provocation, perhaps signalling a large-scale invasion of Daxuan. Merchants and vendors in the market were also on edge, and this morning, the Yan Pavilion reported that most of the shops on Rongchang Street dared not open their doors.

The capital, which should have been the most prosperous and stable place, was now filled with fear among the people.

But his sister-in-law was always prone to worry, and she often cried. With her delicate health, there was no need for her to worry about these things.

"But His Majesty has decided to keep you here after all..." Song Zhaojin's worried expression faded slightly, but she still couldn't help but feel concerned.

Fang Linyuan fidgeted with his hands, quickly thinking of an excuse, not noticing that Zhao Chu was watching him from across the table.

It was then that he heard Zhao Chu's voice.

"Don't worry, Sister-in-law," he said. "It was my idea, along with Father's."

Fang Linyuan was taken aback and turned to look at Zhao Chu.

But Zhao Chu's expression was calm, and although his gaze passed over him to Song Zhaojin, his voice sounded lighter than usual.

"Princess?" Song Zhaojin looked puzzled.

Zhao Chu lowered his eyes and continued, "Now that the four seas are pacified, there is currently no war at Yumen Pass. I spoke to Father and suggested that the marquis stay in the capital for a while longer."

Song Zhaojin's expression became clear, and the last trace of worry vanished.

"That makes sense," she finally smiled. "His Majesty does care for the princess."

"Yes," Zhao Chu echoed.

His tone remained light, but there was little expression on his face as he lifted the tea cup by his side and took a sip.

Others might not know, but Fang Linyuan was well aware of the tense relationship between Zhao Chu and the Emperor. Zhao Chu was always aloof and gloomy, so his rare attempt to comfort Song Zhaojin today was truly remarkable.

Fang Linyuan knew well enough that human hearts were not made of stone.

Seeing how caring Song Zhaojin was towards Zhao Chu, even though he rarely visited the inner courtyard, how could Zhao Chu not feel it?

This gesture from Zhao Chu must be his response to his sister-in-law's concern!

Acts of kindness always had an effect.

Fang Linyuan felt a sense of relief, and just then, Zhao Chu, who had set down the tea cup, raised his eyelashes and met his smiling eyes.

Fang Linyuan gave Zhao Chu a knowing look and winked at him.

In their brotherly friendship, this gesture meant "thanks!"

Even though Zhao Chu's reassurance was just a slight response to his sister-in-law, Fang Linyuan considered it a favour. If Zhao Chu encountered any trouble in the future, he would do his best to repay it.

As long as Zhao Chu continued to care for his family!

However, Zhao Chu's gaze paused for a moment, then he looked away as if he hadn't seen Fang Linyuan's gesture of goodwill. He remained as indifferent as ever, awkwardly adjusting his meticulously groomed hair that didn't need any fixing.

That habit of ignoring people probably would never change.

Fang Linyuan quietly complained to himself.

*

Although Zhao Chu said the Sixteenth Guard was useless, Fang Linyuan knew that it was only the people who were useless. But for investigating such a large case, the Sixteenth Guard was the most suitable.

The Sixteenth Guard in the capital was large in number, responsible for overseeing the imperial guard, preventing theft and fires, maintaining order and security, and patrolling the city. Apart from the imperial guards directly managed by the imperial palace, the rest of the Sixteenth Guard in the capital fell under Fang Linyuan's jurisdiction.

With such troops, if commanded properly, they could cast a net over the capital. However, with peace in the capital for over a hundred years, various offices managed different areas, and the city defence troops were stationed. These soldiers became more lax, and now, they had become a place where the imperial disciples could both show off and enjoy a dignified lifestyle.

A blunt knife needs sharpening before it can be used.

So, before noon that day, Fang Linyuan rushed to the headquarters of the Sixteenth Guard.

The headquarters of the Sixteenth Guard was located on Funing Street, built with funds from the renowned general Lou Mu. The tall gate tower was made of white marble, with a large bronze plaque hanging above it, inscribed with large characters "Serve the Country with Loyalty".

Inside the gate tower, the floor was paved with shining blue bricks, and the spacious courtyard was dozens of yards wide and long, with tall buildings and blue tiles, giving it a solemn and dignified appearance. Behind the three-story main building was a training ground, but at this hour, with the sun already high in the sky, there was no sound coming from it.

It was the main building that faintly echoed with conversation and laughter.

Today was sunny, and nearing noon, the bright sun made it difficult for Fang Linyuan to open his eyes. He stopped in front of the gate tower and raised his hand to create a shade in front of his eyes, looking around.

Just then, someone nearby questioned, "Who are you? This is the restricted area of the guard, idle people should not linger here!"

Fang Linyuan glanced over and saw several guards on duty.

He asked aloud, "How many people are on duty today?"

The guard on duty arrogantly replied, "Who's making noise here? If you're drunk, go sober up on the side!"

Fang Linyuan couldn't be bothered with their nonsense. He raised his hand and tossed the imperial decree lazily, saying, "Take it."

The guards quickly reached out to catch the golden embroidered silk scroll that was thrown to them.

"Are... Are you the General of the Sixteenth Guard?!"

As soon as they opened the scroll, they were scared to see the word "Imperial Decree" and didn't dare to look further. The leader among them, more astute, quickly closed the decree with both hands and led the others to bow to Fang Linyuan.

"We pay our respects to the General!"

Fang Linyuan walked up to them and extended his hand.

The guard quickly respectfully handed the imperial decree back to him.

"Can you answer my question now?" Fang Linyuan asked. "How many people are on duty today?"

The guard was sweating.

"There should be a total of one hundred and eighty people on duty in the guard today," he said.

"It looks rather deserted here, not like there are one hundred and eighty people," Fang Linyuan remarked.

"Actually, if you count, there should be... around one hundred and twenty or thirty..."

Fang Linyuan gave him a faint glance.

"Inform everyone to gather at the training ground," he ordered.

"Yes!"

"And those who haven't come yet," Fang Linyuan continued. "Send people to fetch them one by one according to today's duty roster."

"At your command!"

"After bringing them, take them to the training ground, and each of them will receive twenty strokes of the cane."

*

Fang Linyuan brought a chair and sat down in front of the training ground.

In front of him stood about a hundred people, and he simply waited quietly, holding a roll of orders for the Sixteenth Guard.

The guard order clearly delineated the distribution of personnel, rotation schedule, and regulations of the Sixteenth Guard. Currently, there were over three hundred people in the guard, most of whom were ordinary guards responsible for patrolling and guarding the streets.

In addition, the various duty officers, sergeants, and even commanding officers were mostly scions of aristocratic families who inherited their positions. Most of those who were absent from duty according to the roster were these individuals.

Fang Linyuan leisurely flipped through the guard order.

By noon, the entire training ground was quiet. The guards standing at attention below quietly assessed the general standing above.

"Is the general planning to make an example of someone today?" a guard at the back quietly asked.

"Haven't you heard? He's already sent people to the residences of the gentlemen to fetch them," someone replied.

"...Can they actually bring them back?" someone immediately questioned.

"This is Lord Anping, the hero who recovered Longxi, and a general personally appointed by His Majesty."

"But... you know the capability of our commanding officer."

"Yeah. He's driven away the bandits of Shangfeng, not just one or two of them..."

"But the general doesn't seem to be joking..."

As they spoke, several people couldn't help but glance to the side.

They saw several guards from the punishment department lined up beside the training ground, with rows of five-foot-long military rods placed beside them.

Just then, there was a commotion outside the training ground.

Fang Linyuan raised his eyes with the document in hand and saw several young gentlemen in civilian clothes, followed by about twenty or thirty people. The guards he had sent to fetch them were cautiously trailing behind them, looking hesitant to speak.

The leading arrogant ones didn't even spare Fang Linyuan a glance as they casually said to the people behind them, "Get in line."

"Stand there."

Before those people could react, Fang Linyuan stood up from his chair.

The leading ones squinted their eyes provocatively at him.

Fang Linyuan looked them up and down and smiled.

"How many of you are not wearing armour?" he noted. "Taking punishment in civilian clothes takes some skill."

The leader flashed a challenging smile.

"Punishment?" he said. "Let it go, General. We're here on duty today. Let's not make things difficult for each other and work together later."

Fang Linyuan sized him up.

He vaguely remembered this person, named Lou Shuo, a branch of the family behind General Lou Mu back in the day. His father guarded the northern border, making him from a family of military officers.

"The punishment department," Fang Linyuan said lightly. "Twenty strokes each."

But Lou Shuo just looked pleased with himself.

Indeed, the soldiers of the punishment department exchanged glances and stood in place with their military rods, none daring to step forward.

It was clear that Lou Shuo held considerable authority in the Sixteenth Guard.

Fang Linyuan looked at him and smiled.

He loved it when someone took the initiative, as it saved him a lot of effort.

He walked forward, took a military rod from the nearest soldier, and tucked the guard order into his chest.

"In that case, let me give you a demonstration first," he said.

The guards present didn't believe Fang Linyuan would actually dare to move him.

Most of the previous military officials of the Sixteenth Guard were ordinary generals with little influence in the capital, and serving in the Sixteenth Guard was merely a stepping stone for them. However, the aristocratic offspring entrenched in the Sixteenth Guard came from families with intricate roots, and no one dared to provoke them easily.

Although this person was a renowned general in the northwest, he was still a temporary garrison commander who would eventually return to the border. If he offended these aristocrats in the capital, it would undoubtedly add considerable trouble to his career.

The capital was like a tangled vine around a large tree; even the sharpest sword dared not wield freely.

Everyone had their own speculations, but they saw this Sixteenth Guard general lifting a military rod and heading straight for the leader, Lou Shuo.

Lou Shuo's smug expression was momentarily tinged with panic.

"What are you doing?" he stepped back.

But Fang Linyuan had just stopped in front of him, said nothing, and the military rod in his hand swept up a fierce gust of wind, directly attacking him.

Lou Shuo, born into a family of military officers, also had some martial arts skills. Seeing this, he quickly dodged to the side and tried to snatch the stick from Fang Linyuan's hand.

However, Fang Linyuan flipped his wrist, and the ten-pound military rod danced in his hand, easily evading Lou Shuo's grab. At the same time, his other hand grabbed Lou Shuo's wrist and twisted it forcefully.

"Ah!"

Lou Shuo screamed in pain as Fang Linyuan twisted his arm behind his back.

But Fang Linyuan remained calm, his eyelids drooping slightly. With just one hand, he restrained Lou Shuo, rendering him unable to move. With a sudden twist, he forced Lou Shuo to kneel on the ground like picking up a chick.

The next moment, the military rod carried a powerful force as it heavily struck Lou Shuo's back.

"One."

Fang Linyuan calmly counted.

Lou Shuo let out a miserable cry.

"Let go of me... Ah!"

"Two."

He struggled, but clearly couldn't move. As soon as his shoulder was twisted, another military rod fell on his back.

After three strikes, the entire training ground fell silent. Everyone stood up straight involuntarily, not daring to move.

Only Lou Shuo's screams, now tinged with a sobbing tone, echoed.

"I know I was wrong, please let me go... Ah!"

"Four."

Regarding his plea for mercy, Fang Linyuan remained unmoved, restraining him with one hand while wielding the military rod with a fierce wind.

After ten strikes, he stopped.

Lou Shuo, who was pressed to kneel on the ground by him, was now in tears, his cries becoming hoarse.

Fang Linyuan lowered his eyes.

"I didn't hear you clearly just now," he said. "What did you say?"

"I know I was wrong, General Fang, I know..." Lou Shuo cried in humiliation, but dared not resist anymore.

Even his father had never beaten him like this! He had never been beaten like this in his life!

"What did you do wrong?" Fang Linyuan asked.

"I shouldn't... I shouldn't have left my post..."

"Will there be a next time?"

"No... I won't dare..."

"Hmm." Fang Linyuan nodded in satisfaction, then looked up, scanning the people on the training ground.

They stood straight, especially those who hadn't shown up for duty earlier, silent like quails in the cold wind.

"Twenty military rod strikes," Fang Linyuan repeated. "Any objections? If so, I'll personally handle each one."

This time, the order was much easier to give.

The twenty or so individuals obediently knelt in a row in front of the training ground, and execution was carried out by the guards from the Punishment Department.

At first, there were a few who were not honest, glaring at the guards behind them. The guards, who never dared to offend these young masters, raised their military rods high and struck lightly, afraid of hurting them.

Fang Linyuan had grown tired of these tricks since he was fifteen.

He didn't waste time with them, taking the military rods himself and delivering three to five heavy strikes each. After the young masters wailed in pain, he stopped and asked, "Do you need further instruction?"

After dealing with two of them like this, the group dared not be dishonest anymore.

Some guards even went easier on them, and amidst their painful cries, they could be heard scolding loudly out of fear, "Are you not eating?!"

In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, their punishment was complete.

Fang Linyuan returned to his chair and retrieved the Sixteenth Guard order from his pocket.

"You may return to your posts," he said.

The guards from the Punishment Department promptly put away their instruments of punishment, while the twenty or so individuals limped back to their respective positions.

This time, the hundred or so people in front of Fang Linyuan stood straight, completely different from their previous demeanour.

"I've been in the military for ten years, and it's the first time I've had to go through so much trouble over attendance," Fang Linyuan noted. "It's better not to have a next time."

"Yes!"

The voices of the guards in the training ground echoed like thunder.

"Now, let's address the events from last night," Fang Linyuan looked up. "The guards from the night patrol last night, step forward."

Ten or so guards stepped out of the formation.

"The market patrol team from Rongchang Street, step forward," Fang Linyuan continued.

To his surprise, the group of guards that came forward was led by Lou Shuo.

Lou Shuo was now barely able to stand due to his injuries. Fang Linyuan glanced at him and saw his brows furrowed, looking like he was about to cry again.

"The fire suppression team on duty, as well as the guards on duty in the surrounding three streets, step forward," Fang Linyuan shifted his gaze.

About forty to fifty people stepped forward, thinning out the original formation.

Fang Linyuan smiled faintly and waved the Sixteenth Guard order in his hand at them.

"The guard order clearly stipulates that those who cause internal disturbances and casualties due to negligence of duty will be punished with twenty military rod strikes. Those who are responsible will be punished with forty."

The faces of those people turned pale. Lou Shuo, who was at the forefront, almost collapsed, but was quickly supported by the guards behind him.

Forty military rod strikes, the Marquis of Anping must have planned to beat him to death today.

Lou Shuo's face turned ashen.

He only hoped that his elder brother and relatives in the city could receive this news sooner and come to his rescue, so he wouldn't die under the Marquis of Anping's rod.

Fang Linyuan noticed their reactions.

According to the law, these people should be punished.

But he also knew that the neglect of duty by these dozens of people was a long-standing problem of the Sixteenth Guard. If they were really held accountable, including the three hundred people on duty, none of them would be able to escape.

A knife needs to be sharpened, but if it's sharpened too harshly and breaks, it will become useless.

Fang Linyuan withdrew his gaze faintly.

"I'll give you an option to make amends and reduce your punishment. If you can do well, you'll receive half the punishment in three days," Fang Linyuan said.

Hopeful expressions appeared on the faces of the crowd as they looked at Fang Linyuan.

"Within three days, repair all the damaged shops on Rongchang Street caused by the fire," Fang Linyuan continued.

"Calculate all property losses and casualties, and the leader of the team, as well as the squad leader, will compensate. After compensation, ten military rod strikes can be deducted."

*

After the Flower Festival, the flowers and trees in the Marquis of Anping's mansion gradually flourished. The dozen or so peach trees in the courtyard had all blossomed, presenting a beautiful scene of soft pink clouds from afar.

Zhao Chu had just come out of the Jiyue Hall and was walking along the path towards the Huaiyu Pavilion.

"There's news from outside that the Marquis has beaten several young masters from the families of the Sixteenth Guard today," Wu Shunhai whispered, who was walking beside him. "Two families are causing a scene and insisting on going to the palace to see the Emperor."

Recently, there had been increasingly frequent reports about the Marquis from the Fifth Prince, but they were all trivial matters.

Wu Shunhai didn't know what the Prince was up to. However, considering their current alliance with the Marquis's mansion, Wu Shunhai assumed that the Fifth Prince was just being cautious, so he paid attention to even the smallest details.

Zhao Chu lowered his eyes.

"However, they are all military families, so it shouldn't cause any major issues," Wu Shunhai added.

Zhao Chu slowly twirled the beads on his wrist.

It was normal for these people to cause trouble, and the Emperor wouldn't make things difficult for Fang Linyuan just because of this.

But...

Rumours were always powerful. Even a slight stain on the wings of the young general could hold him back and tarnish his reputation.

"Let Shi Shen handle it," Zhao Chu said indifferently. "Don't let them enter the palace."

Wu Shunhai was taken aback.

For such a minor matter, the Prince not only wanted to intervene but also wanted to involve Shi Shen?

He couldn't understand the intricacies of it. Could a rumour that reached the Emperor's ears have such a significant impact?

At that moment, he saw the Fifth Prince stop in his tracks and turn around.

"Tell Shi Shen to just block them, no need to resort to violence," the Prince said unexpectedly.

Even the Fifth Prince... was being so cautious.

Wu Shunhai couldn't understand what warranted such carefulness from the Prince, as if deliberately protecting something soft and fragile, afraid of causing him harm.

But Zhao Chu's cold and unquestionable gaze left him with no chance to figure it out.

"...Yes, I'll go handle it right away."

 

--

The author has something to say:

Wu Shunhai: Even if my CPU overheats, I still can't figure out what the Princess is up to.

Zhao Chu: You're thinking in the wrong direction.

Wu Shunhai: Please, Princess, enlighten me!

Zhao Chu (proudly pointing to himself): I have... love brain.

 

Translator : DarNan