448 The Remnants of the Crabapple Blossoms Are Like Blood

(TN:  I usually don't translate author's notes, but the topic of what happenedto all the treasure Chen Changsheng found in the Garden of Zhou has been askedquite often, and this author's note answers this question. For the first errormentioned in this author's note, I have already corrected it so that it says'three and a half' in the translation.) (Author's note: Forgetting one of the four and a half people the Tang OldMaster feared, and also just where did all the riches that Chen Changhsheng andXu Yourong plundered from the Garden of Zhou? I truly did forget. I'm reallynot sensitive enough to these sorts of things. I admit my mistake. In thefuture, I will be even more conscientious. In a few days when Xu Yourongreturns to the capital, I will try and find them again. Believe that they willbe found in an exceptionally beautiful manner. As I said a few days ago, theupdates have been slower these past few days. This will continue until I thinkit's enough or I return to Daqing.)   The Department for Purging Officials was in the principal alley of theNorthern Military Department. Although it was called an alley, it was actually a very spacious and straightstreet, able to accommodate two carriages side by side. At this time, there were two carriages in the alley, one in front and onebehind. The carriages were already empty of people but there were quite a fewpeople outside the alley. Moreover, as the news spread through the capital, itwas certain that even more people would appear. The people currently outside this alley were the spies and informants of thevarious powers of the capital. They only dared to stand at the opening of thealley and watch that mansion from a distance, lacking the courage to get anycloser. The mansion was very unremarkable and didn't give off any sort of sinisterfeeling. However, the alley before the stone steps of the mansion was devoid ofpedestrians. Chen Changsheng stood before the gate of that mansion. He handed his name cardover to an official, his expression and actions clearly somewhat stiff. This was the first time he had offered his name card on a formal visit. He had never done this sort of thing before, so it was inevitable for him tobe a little nervous. Of course, the fundamental reason for this anxiety wasbecause of the mansion itself. Not only was he breathing heavily, Xuanyuan Powas too. Even the normally heaven-defying Tang Thirty-Six was abnormally silentnow—in fact, when the carriage had passed through the stone arch on the mainstreet and entered the Northern Military Department's principal alley, finallyconfirming Chen Changsheng's destination, Tang Thirty-Six had ceased to speak. This mansion was the office of the Department for Purging Officials and alsoZhou Tong's residence, as well as the legendary Zhou Prison. To many people, especially the subjects of the Great Zhou Dynasty, thismansion was the most sinister location in the continent, even more terrifyingthan Xuelao City in the land of demons. Because Xuelao City was too far away, while Zhou Prison was close by. The reason for this mansion’s sinister and terrifying aura was naturally thepowerful figure that resided within. The name of Zhou Tong could silence the cries of a child in the night. Thiswas not merely some literary allegory, but something that had really happened. Besides this, there were still many similar stories. It was said that severaldecades ago, a certain son of an official of the Ministry of Rites had taken intoo much wine at some brothel and wished to forcefully press himself upon afamous hostess. Just as he was about to accomplish the deed, he heard a personoutside the door yell "Zhou Tong is coming!" That official's son was so scaredthat he wet himself on the spot. From that point on, he never appeared publiclyagain. Of course, this did not mean that Zhou Tong was willing to help the commonpeople of the capital educate their children, nor did it mean that he was somegood person that was willing to run to the rescue of damsels in distress. Itonly indicated just to what degree the fear of his name had reached in thehearts of the people. It was known throughout the world that Zhou Tong was a cruel official ofbrutal methods, a vile man with a sinister and wicked character. It could notbe counted how many innocent commoners and firm, upright officials he hadslaughtered. If it could be said that many people wanted to kill Su Li because he hadkilled too many people with his sword, then it could be said that all thepeople of the world wanted to kill Zhou Tong. Even officials in the samefactions would occasionally wish that he would just go and die. There were eventimes when some people thought that since the heavens had allowed someone likeZhou Tong to appear, it must be some sort of punishment against mankind. Based on how these stories normally developed, a person like Zhou Tong wouldonly be able to hold power for a short time. He should have long since beensentenced to death by a thousand cuts by some heroic lord, or else some capableexpert that shunned the secular world should have turned him into a wisp ofsmoke. But none of this occurred. Because he was a grand minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty with an extremelylofty position, guarded by countless soldiers and experts. Moreover, he washimself a Star Condensation expert. Crucially, he was the Divine Empress's mostloyal dog. The world held countless people who opposed the Tianhai Divine Empress's graspof the government. Amongst them, roughly seventy percent did so because she wasa woman. The remaining thirty percent opposed her fundamentally because ZhouTong's actions were too evil. Because no one was a fool. Even the most idiotcommoner, after so many years, could tell that Zhou Tong's wickedness andbrutality was in fact the embodiment of the Divine Empress's will. The Divine Empress’s reign over the continent had actually already spanned twohundred years. Her methods of rule could be described as perfect, but therewere still countless people who opposed her. She was keenly aware that as a sovereign, it was impossible to appeaseeveryone. Thus, she required a vicious dog, a sharp knife, to tear and chop atthose who opposed her in the dark. To speak on a deeper level, she required a person to implement her evil will. This person was Zhou Tong. He perfectly handled the Divine Empress's requests. He was not shadowed by his childhood, and he wasn't interested in profit, nordid he ever do things unwillingly. He just loved to punish and imprison, totorture and abuse, in the name of the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty! From a certain point of view, Zhou Tong was actually a very pure person. He was a purely evil person. Today, Chen Changsheng had come to the office of the Department for PurgingOfficials to meet with Zhou Tong. From Xining Village to the capital, he had heard far too many things aboutZhou Tong. It couldn't be helped that he was somewhat nervous. Only afterholding that object in his sleeve was he able to calm down a little. He was escorted into the mansion by an official of the Department for PurgingOfficials. He had not imagined that this incomparably terrifying mansion ofrumor was actually so quiet and beautiful. They were brought to the deepest courtyard. The courtyard was not large, and planted in it were two crabapple trees. Thetrees were most likely rather old, since their branches already extended overthe courtyard's wall. The remnants of pink blossoms could still be seen on them. Xuanyuan Po turned his head, nervously taking the measure of his surroundings. Tang Thirty-Six raised his eyebrows, thinking about something. On the other hand, Chen Changsheng was recalling the buildings and environmenthe had seen on their way here, attempting to calculate where Zhexiu might beimprisoned. He was currently at the peak of Ethereal Opening. If he were placed in theordinary sects and monasteries of the world, he could be considered an expert.Although he hadn't developed a connection with the heavens and the earth, hestill had some intuition in this aspect, especially after he had followed Su Liin learning the Intellectual Sword. However, it was obvious that this seeminglyordinary mansion had a sort of spell array that far surpassed his cultivation.The more he thought, the more he realized that he couldn't even completelyrecall the route they took in, let alone the location where Zhexiu wasimprisoned. At this moment, a voice rang out. ”An Ethereal Opening surpassing cultivation levels to defeat a StarCondensation…this is the first time this has occurred in the past decade, andso will inevitably shock the entire continent. For you at this time, full ofspirit and brimming with sword intent, to take a carriage and drive directly tothe Northern Military Department's principal alley, according to the art ofwar, is truly excellent. To take a single horse and crash it through abarrier—isn't that one of the strategies of troop movement? Only, I have neverheard that you were skilled in these sorts of things. Now that I think of it,it must be Su Li that taught you." That voice was very serene and very ordinary, but for some reason, the momentthey heard this voice, Chen Changsheng and the others suddenly felt like a seaof blood had appeared before them. There were countless women and children within the sea of blood, wailing indespair as they slowly sank into oblivion. Chen Changsheng knew that this was a fantasy and so was not nervous, eventhough he didn't understand why Zhou Tong had created this scene for them tosee. With the slightest movement of his spiritual sense, like a wisp of coolbreeze, he woke up. He directed his gaze to the middle-aged man that hadsuddenly appeared in the courtyard. Naturally, the middle-aged man was Zhou Tong. His face was pale, as if he had not seen the sun for many years. Hisexpression was calm, like that of some teacher of a country house. His two lipswere extremely thin, making him seem exceptionally callous.