In Another Life

Chapter 18: File the Complaint to the Emperor

Translator: Lu Yidan

Proofread by Yin Jing

Rows of soldiers draw bow-strings against the inn. Whoever dares to disobey will be immediately shot like a hedgehog.

“How dare you shout outside, Heaven Li, the governor-general of Chaodu and God’s Messenger are here, anyone cannot be rude.” Guo Jing’s voice is not loud enough, but with internal force, which makes the soldiers outside hear clearly.

“Governor-general Li? And the God’s Messenger?” The commander is a little puzzled. Is this true or false? A report came to him that someone here intended to murder Childe Qian Xiaocang , which frightened him extremely. The childe is the son of the minister of Ministry of Rites, and the nephew of their top boss!

The tricker comes out with a serious and inviolable face. Heaven follows him and looks around at the solders. The tricker opens his hands and says, “Children of God, put down your bows and arrows. In the light of love, God will bless you best, Alasika.’’

Soldiers have never seen the governor-general Li, but they are more than familiar with the God’s Messenger. They all gather up their bows and arrows and kneel down on the ground to salute him.

The commander comes down from his horse, steps forward, kneels down on one leg, and says, “Zhang Liang, the chief inspector of the city, pays respects.”

‘’The great Sun God, your light will drive away the darkness. Stand up, children of God.”

“Zhang, just now I was talking about the Crown Prince with His Eminence, I didn’t expect that someone should assassinate His Eminence. At present, the ceremony is about to begin, so I think the assassin wants to destroy the ceremony. Without blessing from the Sun God, the prince will not become the Crown Prince. Such an event is related to the rise and fall of the country. Such an assassination is serious enough to invite the execution of the assassin’s whole clan. You must carry out a thorough investigation. I will report everything to His Majesty. You can take the dead body away now and must find out who he is.” Heaven overstates the case lest anyone dares to intercede.

The commander is so scared that he sweats. Assassinating God’s Messenger is a really big crime. He even doesn’t need to check it out—who could fail to know the Childe Qian? He’d better report back first. This is not his business.

After Zhang leaves with the dead body, Guo Jing immediately asks people to clean the inside and outside of the inn, and it becomes clean again.

“Tricker, you also should return, and I will let someone send you back.”

“Wait, you haven’t given me your diamond yet.”

“We’ve agreed that you are not allowed to reveal your identity tonight. You don’t keep your promise, so …After shooting Qian Xiaocang, the diamond is naturally returned to Heaven.”

“Fuck, don’t do that. You used me and then you want to abandon me? I’m neither a fool nor your ‘Doggie’! If you don’t give me the diamond, you’re screwed.” It seems that the tricker is not stupid.

“Hey, I can see it. All right, here you are.” With that, Heaven takes out the diamond. The tricker grabsit, hides it in his arms, and then breathes a sigh of relief.

“Don’t you want to know who the sucker is?”

“I don’t care who he is. Inside the capital, I don’t fear anyone.”

“Well, that’s good. I have been afraid that when Qian Gui asks you about that, you can’t even know how to explain.”

“Bah! I haven’t feared anyone! …Wait, who are you talking about? Qian Gui? ”

“Well, that boy is his son.”

“Fuck, you are killing me this time. I have had a good relationship with Qian Gui. What can I say to him then? Why do you bother to mess with his family? His brother-in-law is the Commander in chief of the nine cities, while his eldest brother, Qian Fu, is the military marshal of the northwestern frontier!” The tricker scratches his bald head anxiously.

“Ah! Listen, it is you that gave the order. I invited people to dinner with me out of kindness. You were kicked and you asked my men to kill him. how can this be my business?” Heaven says with a very wronged tone.

“Me? When did I call your men to kill him? ” When it comes to the incident just now, the tricker also forgets whether he said “beating” or “killing”.

“You can ask my men, why, are you afraid?” Heaven smiles, looking at him.

“Bah! I am the God’s Messenger and I am not afraid.” What a typical rogue!

“Then all right. When the time comes, we will be on the throne of the palace. We insist that he kill you. No one dares to offend us any more.”

The tricker stares at Heaven with his small eyes. After a long time, he said: “It is despicable, too despicable and shameless, all right. Don’t change our story. Great God, forgive Heaven. It’s time for me to leave.” In their plot, murder is nothing but an easy thing.

Early next morning, in the imperial hall, Qian Gui and the commander-in-chief of the nine cities are crying like bitches who have been gang-raped.

“Your Majesty, please do me justice! My poor child! Woo! ”

“Your Majesty, my nephew died wrongfully. Please do me justice!!”

The two men burst into tears.

Civil and military officials feel confused. They all look at the two and quietly talk about them.

“How dare you as ministers cry in the imperial hall!” Liu Dong looks at them.

“You two ministers, what happened? Why both of you cry like this?” The emperor asks in puzzle.

Qian Gui has been crying for a long time and could not say a word. It is his brother-in-law who told the story again.

“Your majesty, there is something you don’t know. Last night, my nephew was killed when he was out for drinking. Only one of his guards escaped, who also suffers serious injuries. All the others were killed. Your majesty, please do me justice.” Saying that , Qian Gui kneels down.

“What? How daring they are! Have you ever caught them?” Hearing this, even the emperor is shocked, let alone the civil and military officials.

Last night, He Bishi, the Ironhand was injured and escaped. But his injury was not serious. Heaven let him go deliberately so as to let him call the officials to come over and make the tricker get involved. He Bishi knew that the situation was serious, and fearing that Heaven would escape, he reported it to the official first and followed him secretly to the inn. After seeing things clearly, he felt that it was a matter of great importance and went to the office to report to Qian Gui. When he was reporting, Qian Gui passed out on the spot. As a veteran, He Bishi immediately sent someone to ask the commander-in-chief of the nine cities. Hardly had the messenger set out, the Tidu came in a hurry.

Assassinating God’s Messenger and disrupting the ceremony are serious enough to destroy the whole clan. He does not want his clan to be executed because of this nephew.

Qian Gui wakes up with great difficulty. Angrily, he is going to take someone to catch the murderer. But hearing that his son not only intended to assassinate the God’s Messenger, but also disrupted the grand ceremony on purpose, he faints again with a clash. The angry commander-in-chief pours a bucket of cold water directly on Qian Gui’s head, finally stimulating his brother-in-law to consciousness again.

“Brother, how can you faint now! Our whole clan is likely to be executed!”

The commander-in-chief of nine cities, Zhou Zhong, has only one sister. If something happens to Qian Gui, his future will be finished and he himself will be implicated. Qian Gui is anxious, angry and distressed. Qian Xiaocang is the apple of his eye. Now this only son suddenly passed away, and he feels extremely miserable, as if a knife were stabbed in his heart.

After hearing He Bishi’s description, Qian Gui clenches his teeth bitterly. “Heaven Li, I’m going to

break you into ten thousand pieces to relieve my hatred!”

The two old immediately know that Qian Xiaocang has been tricked. However, if this trick is not solved, the whole family would suffer. “Brother, I have suspended the news, but we have to come up with a perfect solution.”

Qian Gui also slowly calms down, “Hum, Heaven wants to win, that is impossible. God’s Messenger, I used to treat you well, how did you treat me like that? Don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

“Men, send a pigeon mail to my eldest brother of the border, telling him to be prepared in case of any accident. Zhou Zhong, you should send someone to closely monitor Heaven. Don’t let him escape. The Ironhand, you call up soldiers secretly trained by us and prepare everything. I will go to court with Zhou Zhong early tomorrow morning. Let’s report him first. Hum, how could he describe it as assassination? His Eminence seems to be hoodwinked by Heaven. There is no witness to prove who is right. His Eminence has got along well with me for many years, and he wouldn’t strike me when I am down.” In this way, they discusses a plan. That’s why they file the complaint to the emperor in the imperial hall.

Zhou Zhong kneels down in the hall. Hearing the emperor’s question, he cries and says: “Your Majesty, the assailant has not been caught yet. Fortunately, he is being monitored by my men. But I cannot act without authorization.”

According to the law of the Great An, officials above the governor need the emperor’s approval to be punished, so Zhou Zhong also dare not arrest him without permission.

“Oh? Why not? ” The emperor asks doubtfully.

“Because he is a court official.”

“What? Is the murderer is here right now?” The emperor is surprised.

“No, no, Your Majesty, he is an local minister. He is Heaven Li, the governor-general of Chaodu!”

His words are really astonishing. It is indeed a problem that a local official killed the son of a court minister. However, Heaven is different. From the perspective of court-ministers, Chaodu is a dispensable place and Heaven is a nominal governor-general. None of them will offend Qian Gui because of him. Therefore, civil and military officials unanimously demand that the murderer be severely punished and the law be strictly enforced.

The emperor shouts, “Someone goes and announces Heaven to enter the palace.”