BXBX NOVEL Chapter 166 - 165: Forbidden to Say ‘Ming
At this moment, Jiang Li was unaware of the unrest brewing among the monks. He was in conversation with Commander Liu.
Jiang Li hovered above Kyushu, while Commander Liu stayed at the Imperial
Palace, their connection maintained by the Remote Communication Talisman. “The situation is dire. Of the six commanders in the Imperial Palace, three are now in prison. I think, my lord, you may need to consider appointing new commanders.”
“What? I can’t believe it. Could you repeat what you just said?” Jiang Li was shocked.
“The Great Yong Dynasty has implemented a literary inquisition, forbidding people from uttering the character ‘Ming’. Zhang Konghu was put in prison by the government officer just for saying ‘see you tomorrow’. In the case of Ma Zhuo and his wife, they were caught selling pornographic books, and were also thrown into prison, right next to Zhang Konghu.”
“The cells in the Yong Dynasty don’t segregate men and women, which is really problematic. Hall Master, you can suggest improvements to them.”
“…Is that really the main issue?” Jiang Li stared. “Can’t Zhang Konghu get himself out?”
“Of course, the jail can’t confine those in the Body Integration Realm. But Zhang Konghu insists that he has done nothing wrong and he refuses to escape. He is determined to let the Yong Dynasty serve him justice.” “Can Zhang Konghu actually think about such intricate matters?” Jiang Li was taken aback.
For Zhang Konghu, pondering over such matters was indeed unusual. “I introduced him to a few books recently.”
“What about the couple Ma Zhuo? How were they captured if they are in the Body Integration Realm? Are all government officers of the Yong Dynasty in the Body Integration Realm?”
“The Minister of Officials of the Great Yong Dynasty noticed his son’s listlessness lately, found out it was due to book reading, and then personally arrested them. Coincidentally, Ma Zhuo and his wife were still selling books in
Yong.”
“Why didn’t they run away?”
“The couple didn’t disguise themselves while selling books, they showed their true faces. Fortunately, they usually work lazily and don’t make frequent appearances in Kyushu, so the Minister didn’t recognize them. If they had run, there would be a wanted notice throughout Yong, revealing their faces to everyone.”
“…Are you sure they’re all in the Body Integration Realm?”
“The embarrassment of the Body Integration Realm, the disgrace of the commanders of the Imperial Palace.” Commander Liu nodded solemnly.
“Should I replace the three commanders?” suggested Commander Liu. After hearing this news, he couldn’t help but feel speechless. Could those three be any more embarrassing?
As a senior commander, he had his hands full, always busy with work and not able to return home, and the junior commanders below were all unreliable, leaving him exhausted.
Jiang Li looked up at the sky. Was this karma? Scarcely had he resolved the trouble caused by Ji Zhi, things got messed up on his side.
“I will pay a visit to Yong,” said Jiang Li helplessly.
“Thank you for your efforts, Hall Master.” Commander Liu bowed. Naturally, he didn’t really intend to find a new commander when he broached the subject with Jiang Li. After all, Zhang Konghu was the one he had watched grow up. How could he abandon him?
He just wanted Jiang Li to think of a way to pull those three out of their disgrace.
A year ago, the Great Yong Dynasty got a new emperor.
Ruling with Luo Zheng’s inefficiency was a complete failure at the Kyushu Council. He was miserly, incompetent, and lacked creativity. Despite constantly changing ancient laws and rules, he still led Yong into chaos.
Luo Zheng had an elder brother named Luo Xuan, who was much more competent than Luo Zheng and always thought that he should be the one on the throne.
However, Luo Zheng was proficient in political maneuvers and framed Luo Xuan during the struggle for the throne, accusing him of inappropriate affairs with royal concubines. The old emperor, in his fury, stripped Luo Xuan of his status as Crown Prince and sent him to live in isolation.
Eventually, Luo Zheng got what he wanted and became the new emperor of Yong.
A year ago, Luo Zheng died, and his son Luo Ming ascended the throne.
Luo Ming was equally incompetent, indulging in pleasure, and neglected state affairs.
Seeing his nephew as an incapable ruler, Luo Xuan plotted a rebellion, secretly connecting with the factions within the Yong Dynasty to rise against the throne.
In the end, Luo Xuan succeeded and became the new emperor of Yong.
Luo Xuan was indeed competent, but he was also deeply suspicious. Having usurped the throne, he was always paranoid that people were slandering him.
So Emperor Luo Xuan issued an order to ban the usage of the character “Ming” within the Yong Dynasty. Violators would be imprisoned and at the mercy of the Emperor’s justice.
Because of this, Zhang Konghu was thrown into prison, joining Ma Zhuo and his wife.
Upon arriving in Yong, Jiang Li observed an unusually tense atmosphere. Everyone moved hurriedly, heading home immediately after making their purchases, as if they didn’t want to linger on the streets.
“Shopkeeper, how’s business recently?” Jiang Li landed and asked an owner of a pancake stand on the roadside.
“Are you a stranger from out of town?” the street food stall owner sighed in distress. “Look at this sight, who has the heart to eat snacks? If this continues, I won’t be able to keep my pancake stall open for long.”
“Give me two pancakes.”
“Alright.” The pancake stall owner smiled slightly. Today, he finally managed to sell two pancakes. Despite the harsh conditions, he still had to strive to live on.
Next to the pancake stand was a fruit stall. As Jiang Li enjoyed the pancakes, he turned and asked, “Shopkeeper, how’s your business doing?
The fruit stall owner dared not say a word. He pointed to his mouth, shook his head vigorously, and then pointed to items like bananas, apples, and other fruits to indicate their prices.
The pancake stall owner sighed, “He’s got a small bladder, got scared, he doesn’t dare to talk anymore.”
Jiang Li stood up, the situation in Yong was entirely beyond his expectation. No wonder Zhang Konghu claimed he had not done anything wrong.
Just as he was about to leave and explore other parts of the city, a group of government officers approached aggressively.
“Gentlemen, what’s the matter?” The pancake stall owner looked worried and anxious. The fruit stall owner was equally scared, shrinking into a corner.
“You sell pancakes?” ‘Yes.”
“You sell fruits?”
The fruit stall owner nodded vigorously.
“Speak when you’re asked!” The officer glared, scaring the fruit stall owner into confirming verbally.
“Have you two been selling here for more than a decade?”
“Sixteen years.” The pancake stall owner didn’t dare to hide anything. He couldn’t understand why the officers were questioning them.
“Pancakes are round, resembling the sun; bananas are curved, resembling the moon. The sun stands for ‘daylight’, the moon means ‘moonlight’. Combine them, and it’s ‘Ming!!” the officer exclaimed, “You two must be privately discussing against His Majesty. Take them away!”
The pancake stall owner stammered, “Official, this… this might be an unreasonable stretch. We’re just commoners trying to earn a living by selling food, how… how could we dare to talk about His Majesty.”
The officer snorted, “Dare not to discuss His Majesty? Although both of you could sell individually, you still sell pancakes and bananas together after His Majesty banned the word ‘Ming’. Besides, plotting against His Majesty, you must be even planning a rebellion! Intent on deposing ‘Xuan’ and restoring
‘Ming’. Take them away!”
Both the pancake stall owner and the fruit stall owner were ordinary people at the Qi Cultivation level three. They dared not go against the officers and were left speechless by the officer’s unreasonable accusations.
Then, the officer turned his gaze onto Jiang Li, who frowned while eating his pancake. He waved his hand.
“By biting into the round pancake and turning it into a crescent shape, he is also forming the phrase ‘daylight and moonlight combined is Ming’. Moreover, he’s frowning as if deep in thought. This person must be discontented with His Majesty and is expressing his resistance in this silent way.. Take him away too!”