Chapter Sixty-Eight: Unfounded

Huang Yunchang turned pale with fury at Yang Sheng’s words.

How was he supposed to prove he never said such a thing? How could anyone prove a negative for something they had never uttered in the first place?

Seeing his teacher subjected to such humiliation, a young man dressed in opulent brocade robes stepped forward, pointed directly at Yang Sheng, and cursed vehemently, "Eunuch dog! This is Qinghu Academy; it is not your place to distort black and white here!"

Yang Sheng turned his head to look at the young man, fixing his gaze squarely on him, which immediately caused a jolt of anxiety in the youth's heart.

Yet, recalling the illustrious deeds of his esteemed teacher, the young man immediately puffed out his chest.

Men of letters of our generation die for righteousness and integrity—and that day was today!

"You are a disciple of Huang Yunchang? Then you must have heard him slander and revile the Grand Empress Dowager! Are you willing to destroy your relative for the sake of greater righteousness and step forward to testify against Huang Yunchang?"

The young man instantly flared up, shouting, "Eunuch dog! You..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the imperial guard sabre in Yang Sheng’s hand flashed as it cleared its scabbard. A head instantly flew into the air, and a fountain of blood erupted from the headless torso.

Huang Yunchang and all the surrounding disciples of Qinghu Academy were utterly stunned.

Their faces mirrored expressions of disbelief, panic, and deep terror.

This eunuch dog actually dared to kill someone!

They truly dared to commit murder right here within Qinghu Academy!

"Unwilling to step forward to testify against Huang Yunchang—he must undoubtedly be a member of his faction. Deserving of death!"

Yang Sheng swept his gaze across the crowd, pulled out another individual who had been shouting the loudest just moments before, and demanded, "What about you? Are you willing to testify against Huang Yunchang?"

That man was already scared out of his wits, stammering hesitantly, "I... I..."

The next moment, another head soared through the air.

By the time Yang Sheng dragged out the third person, the disciples of Qinghu Academy in the rear had already begun to panic, some even stealthily attempting to slip away and flee.

Before Yang Sheng could even pose the question, the third person began to wail and shriek hysterically, "Don't kill me! I am willing to sacrifice my teacher for the greater good!

I testify that Huang Yunchang reviled and slandered the Grand Empress Dowager, showing no regard for father or sovereign, utterly devoid of virtue and morality!"

Huang Yunchang looked on at all of this in sheer terror, while the surrounding disciples of Qinghu Academy scattered in absolute panic, fleeing for their lives in all directions.

A trace of disappointment flashed in Yang Sheng’s eyes as he gently shook his head.

It seemed he had somewhat overestimated these scholars of the Great Zhou Dynasty, or rather, the scholars of Qinghu Academy.

He had merely executed two men, and this pack of cowards had seemingly had their spines snapped, losing all backbone and courage.

Yet it was precisely these spineless wretches who had managed to hound a frontier soldier—who had survived a hundred battles—to his death with mere words, and anger to the grave a general who had never once been defeated by enemy nations. It was truly a profound irony.

If the capital of the Great Zhou was steeped in such an atmosphere, one could well imagine just how thoroughly rotten the entire Great Zhou had become.

Yang Sheng turned his head, looking at Huang Yunchang with a smile that was not quite a smile. "Academy Director Huang, take a look. Even your own personal disciple has stepped forward to sacrifice you for the greater good and testify against you. One can only imagine just how outrageous your daily conduct truly has been.

You slandered and reviled the Grand Empress Dowager, showing utter disregard for your sovereign—that is disloyalty.

His Majesty is benevolent and filial, holding his grandmother in the utmost respect, yet you claimed this act was like a hen crowing at dawn—that is naturally unfilial.

Even your own disciples can no longer endure such vicious deeds from you; it is clear you must be a person utterly devoid of benevolence and righteousness!

Does a man who is disloyal, unfilial, unbenevolent, and unrighteous still have the shameless face to occupy the position of Director of Qinghu Academy?"

Huang Yunchang pointed at Yang Sheng, trembling with rage, his face flushing deep crimson, yet not a single syllable could pass his lips.

Having always been sharp-tongued—to the point of driving a Northern Zhou general to his grave—he now found himself entirely at a loss for how to retort against Yang Sheng’s fabricated charges.

Just like that Northern military general before him, when faced with completely fabricated accusations, how was he supposed to refute them? The moment he attempted a defense, the falsehood would instantly be treated as truth!

Yang Sheng lightly flicked away the droplets of blood clinging to his imperial guard sabre and said indifferently, "Huang Yunchang, your crimes warrant execution. However, considering that you are, after all, a man of letters, I shall spare you the trouble of being sent to the imperial prison for harsh interrogation. Today, I will grant you a swift and clean end."

Huang Yunchang’s expression instantly turned ashen.

He wanted to scream that he was willing to go to the imperial prison! He was willing to endure the harshest interrogations!

As long as he remained alive, Grand Academician Zhang Xiren would certainly come to his rescue.

Not just Zhang Xiren; over the many years, Huang Yunchang had cultivated numerous friendships within the literary circles, some of whom had already attained high office in the imperial court. Once the matter blew up, assistance would undoubtedly arrive.

If he were hacked to death by Yang Sheng's blade right here and now, it would be too late for anything!

Just as Yang Sheng raised his imperial guard sabre, a stern shout echoed from afar.

"Stop!"

Hearing that voice, a sharp glint instantly flashed in Yang Sheng’s eyes, and the momentum of his blade accelerated abruptly.

"Damn it! I told you to stop!"

Over a dozen pugilists leaped into the courtyard of Qinghu Academy.

At the forefront was a youth in his early twenties, dressed in white brocade robes, wearing a white jade crown, and gripping a longsword. Following closely beside him was a young woman in aquamarine gauze robes, possessing a strikingly pure and delicate beauty.

Seeing that Yang Sheng’s imperial guard sabre was already on the verge of severing Huang Yunchang’s neck, the young woman flicked her hand, and a small, aquamarine jade sword shot forward like a streak of light, heading straight for Yang Sheng!

Yin Wuxie stepped forward in a flash, his swift sword striking out with pinpoint accuracy, the tip precisely hitting the small aquamarine sword and shattering the jade into a spray of sparkling fragments.

Yet, hidden amidst the shattering jade shards was an even finer silver needle, propelled by surging internal energy to pierce straight toward Yang Sheng’s back!

Yang Sheng abruptly withdrew his blade and slashed backward in a counter-strike, colliding with the silver needle to produce a sharp, metallic explosion akin to clashing iron and steel.

"External projection of internal energy? Interesting, very interesting."

Seeing that his junior sister had finally intercepted the lackey from the Imperial Guard Bureau, the young man hurriedly produced a token and shouted sternly:

"We have come under the orders of Grand Academician Zhang to protect Academy Director Huang!

Even if Academy Director Huang is truly guilty, he should be handed over to the Censorate and the Three Judicial Offices for a joint trial, rather than being handled by you lackeys of the Imperial Guard Bureau..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Yang Sheng suddenly lashed out, grabbing Huang Yunchang by the throat, and with a sharp *crunch*, snapped the neck of the director—who still wore an expression of having narrowly escaped death—killing him right there on the spot before everyone's eyes!

Turning back around, Yang Sheng dug his finger into his ear and asked, "What was it you were saying just now?"

The youth in white and his companions all wore expressions of shock and fury.

These lackeys of the Imperial Guard Bureau were utterly lawless!

They had already invoked the name of Grand Academician Zhang and even presented the official token, yet this fellow still dared to slaughter Huang Yunchang right in front of them. This was a complete disregard for their presence!

Yin Wuxie edged closer to Yang Sheng and lowered his voice. "Boss, this is a bit troublesome.

Zhang Xiren holds immense prestige in both the martial arts world and the imperial court. He is known for his incorruptibility and unyielding integrity.

Many disciples of major martial sects have willingly apprenticed themselves to Zhang Xiren, proclaiming their intent to assist him in upholding the imperial administration and purging corrupt officials.

The two who just arrived come from prominent backgrounds. The young man is Yue Zhongli, the senior disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect, known as the 'Wind-Chasing Sword', and his junior sister is Jiang Xuerou, the 'Jade Sword'.

Both are rising stars on the Jianghu Heroes Roll, ranked ninety-seventh and one hundred and seventeenth respectively."

The top martial sects of the Great Zhou pugilist world were well-established. In terms of overall strength and heritage, the strongest were classified as: One Way, Two Temples, Three Sects, Four Factions, Five Families, and Six Gangs.

Of course, this ranking was somewhat inflated, as most of them were major sects and factions originating from the Central Plains. The only major sect belonging to another nation was the Vajra Turning-Wheel Temple located in the Golden Tent Khanate.

Nonetheless, this was sufficient to prove that these major sects held considerable strength and prestige throughout the Central Plains, and the Heavenly Sword Sect was indeed one of the Three Sects.

As for the Jianghu Heroes Roll, it was a registry compiled by martial intelligence brokers, cataloging experts, powerhouses, and young prodigies.

For someone of the younger generation to break into the top hundred already marked them as a distinguished talent. Yue Zhongli’s ranking at ninety-seventh meant his reputation in the martial world was by no means weak.

Yang Sheng said indifferently, "This is the capital. No matter how wildly one behaves in the martial world, one must still abide by the rules here."

With that, Yang Sheng turned his gaze to Yue Zhongli and Jiang Xuerou, sneering coldly, "What positions do the two of you hold, that you are qualified to shout and issue commands here?

Huang Yunchang slandered and reviled the Grand Empress Dowager, an offense touching upon the dignity of the imperial house, which naturally falls under the jurisdiction of my Imperial Guard Bureau.

Leaving aside you two, even if Zhang Xiren himself came here today, Huang Yunchang would still have to die just the same!"

"You bunch of eunuch dog lackeys truly deserve to die!"

Yue Zhongli was the premier expert of the younger generation within the Heavenly Sword Sect and a celebrated talent on the Jianghu Heroes Roll. Wherever he went, who didn't treat him with utmost respect and deference?

Seeing Yang Sheng act with such arrogance, Yue Zhongli’s fury instantly peaked, his hair standing on end as his longsword cleared its scabbard.

"Senior Brother, calm yourself!

Academy Director Huang is already dead; fighting with these lackeys of the Imperial Guard Bureau serves no purpose."

Jiang Xuerou held Yue Zhongli back, fixed her gaze firmly on Yang Sheng, and said in a deep voice, "Leaving aside the matter of Academy Director Huang for the moment, surely the disciple of Qinghu Academy in your hands never slandered the Grand Empress Dowager?

Hand him over to be taken back for trial by the Three Judicial Offices!"

Yang Sheng glanced at Jiang Xuerou with a hint of surprise.

Compared to Yue Zhongli, this woman still possessed some wits, instantly seeing through his intentions.

Executing Huang Yunchang was originally based on a fabricated charge, but a crime like slandering the Grand Empress Dowager was impossible to investigate thoroughly anyway.

Could the Emperor truly dispatch the Three Judicial Offices to carefully examine whether Huang Yunchang had cursed his grandmother, what grammar he used, or how many generations of ancestors he had greeted?

Therefore, as long as the charge was established, Huang Yunchang’s death would be in vain.

Much like the Northern military general he had driven to his doom previously—indefensible, and leaving no room for defense.

The two words *fabricated charges* were truly venomous.

Yet the premise of such fabricated charges was that the crime had to be pinned down. No matter how absurd, the charge had to be made to stick.

Huang Yunchang’s own personal disciples had stepped forward to testify against him; there could be no better human witnesses than that.

Therefore, this disciple could neither be killed nor allowed to be taken away by them.

Yang Sheng stared intently at Jiang Xuerou, speaking coldly, "I said it before: outsiders have no business interfering in the affairs of the Imperial Guard Bureau!

You lot run around shouting 'lackeys' at every turn, yet you act on behalf of the great figures of the court—are you not lackeys yourselves?

Self-deception is truly laughable!"

This time, Yue Zhongli could hold back no longer.

With the ringing cry of a sword clearing its scabbard, accompanied by a sharp whistling of wind, a blade of sword qi was already upon him!