Chapter Seventy-Four: Truly Stirring Up a Hornet’s Nest

Over the next two days, the entire Imperial Capital was thrown into absolute chaos by the Murong family. Regardless of one's background or connections, anyone deemed suspicious by the Murong household's private soldiers was apprehended on the spot. Those who resisted were ruthlessly stripped of their cultivation, and those who dared to kill a private soldier were executed immediately.

Within the Imperial Study of the Purple Gold Royal Court, Emperor Zi Qiankun's desk was piled high with memorials, all denouncing Murong Quan’s tyranny and brutality. The grievances were endless: whose family members had suffered misfortune, who had been arrested by Murong soldiers without cause; which noble scion had been crippled in front of witnesses; which disciple from a sect had accidentally killed a soldier during resistance and been executed then and there. Even more outrageous, reports told of young maidens and newly wedded brides being abducted by Murong soldiers under the pretense of suspicious identity, with no sign of their return.

Some memorials listed over a hundred major crimes committed by the Murong clan, many of which warranted the extermination of their entire lineage and confiscation of their property.

Even Gu Xiaopang, the instigator, was slow to realize how things had spiraled so absurdly from what he thought was merely the killing of a wanton youth. In truth, almost everyone in the capital was unaware that the emperor, though seemingly powerless, was exceptionally shrewd, and had secretly sent his confidants to fan the flames behind the scenes.

Of course, Song Wuji, the governor of Nanyan County, was not among them.

As the saying goes, crisis breeds opportunity. Not only Emperor Zi Qiankun, but many others found their chance amid the turmoil and began to act.

“Attend me! Prepare my sedan, I must enter the palace and seek audience with His Majesty.”

“Lord Xun, I shall accompany you.”

“Inform the household troops drilling outside the city to withdraw and prepare for defense.”

“Send a jade slip to Zhi’er: the capital may be in upheaval, gather his men and stand ready.”

“Lord Li, the Red Seal letter from the Hidden Tiger Sect, present it to His Majesty at once!”

“Lord Li, the Blood Sword message from the Ten Thousand Sword Sect, quickly—”

“Imperial decree!”

“Murong Quan, Grand Tutor and Right Inspector of the Imperial Censorate, receive the edict!”

“By the mandate of Heaven, the emperor commands: Murong, do you wish to die?!”

To be rooted in the tiger’s den of the capital was no feat for ordinary men.

To venture alone into the capital at a young age was not something any common soul could do.

The tens of thousands of Murong household troops, long seen as mere symbols of power for their inactivity, now unleashed themselves like wolves descending from the mountains. In just a day or two, their brutal actions drew blood everywhere, leaving Murong the old villain with a mess he could not hope to clean up.

The following day, at court—

“Murong Quan, how dare you! Look for yourself what these are!” The emperor Zi Qiankun, feigning rage but somewhat genuinely infuriated, hurled a stack of letters and missives from various sects and nations onto Murong Quan.

Murong Quan knelt on one knee, trembling as he picked them up one by one, leafed through them, reading word by word. His body shook like a lone skiff tossed amid stormy waves.

“Your Majesty, save me! Save the Murong family!” Before he could finish reading, Murong Quan, his heart utterly desolate, collapsed onto both knees, prostrating himself in anguish and pleading heavily before the emperor.

“Save? How?!” retorted the emperor. “Any sect could easily wipe your clan out ten times over! Any nation could destroy your thousand-year foundation in the blink of an eye! Tell me, tell me how to save you! How to save the Murong family!”

“Your Majesty, for the sake of my years of loyal service, my tireless devotion—please, you must save my family!”

Within the court, some gloated, some pressed their advantage, others watched coldly.

Within the kingdom, the four great families stood united against the power of the royal family. Yet now, with Murong facing the wrath of sects, nations, and countless noble houses, the other three families feared being implicated and wished only to sever all ties. How could they step forward for Murong at such a time?

The four great families could contend with the royal court within their nation, but before greater powers, they were no more than slightly larger ants—nothing more.

“Murong Quan, if you wish me to save you, it is not impossible. The price will be steep, but you are, after all, a pillar of the state and a veteran minister.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing my family. Whatever you ask, I and my clan will comply with all our strength.”

“Very well. As I said before, the matter of reinforcing the borders is urgent. Now, hand over the fifty thousand private soldiers who rampaged through the city these past days, and surrender at least half your family’s assets.”

“This… this… Your servant thanks Your Majesty for your great mercy!”

“Xuanyuan Ba, Yuwen Lie, Duanmu Zheng—each of your families must surrender thirty thousand private soldiers within two days, no mistakes permitted!”

“Court is dismissed!”

Ignoring all objections, Emperor Zi Qiankun felt a rush of satisfaction. He could not recall how many years it had been since he commanded such authority at court.

Murong Quan, still kneeling and unable to rise, seemed to age decades in an instant. With a bitter snort, he forcefully brushed aside the false support offered by his ‘old friends’ from the other three families.

For once, Murong Quan was genuinely grateful to the emperor, whom he had never regarded highly.

In Murong Quan’s mind, even if the emperor demanded all one hundred thousand soldiers and all his family's assets, he would agree if it meant keeping his lineage safe. Yet Emperor Zi Qiankun only asked for half the troops and half the assets.

For the vast Murong clan, though their strength was wounded, their bones remained unbroken, leaving them enough power for self-preservation within the kingdom.

He could not help but feel heartfelt gratitude for the emperor.

“Your Majesty, how did it go?” Upon returning to his study, Emperor Zi Qiankun was promptly greeted by the anxious Song Wuji, who had been waiting.

“Ha ha ha ha! Wonderful! Song, how many years has it been? I cannot remember… Today, I finally feel like a worthy emperor…”

During these two days, while Murong’s soldiers suppressed so-called suspicious persons, the emperor also activated long-buried agents within the Murong troops, deliberately provoking incidents and crippling or killing sons of various nations, sects, and noble houses—though fortunately, all were of mediocre talent and not highly valued.

As for compensation, the emperor had already settled those matters secretly.

To those who wield power, it is as the saying goes: set the tiger against the wolf! Lives are merely pieces on the board.

Such is the tragedy of the cultivation world.

If Murong Quan knew that today’s events, today’s scheme, today’s trap—all were orchestrated by the emperor he now felt grateful to, one wonders what thoughts or reactions he might have.