Volume Two: Inheriting the Legacy, Embroidered Uniforms Stained with Blood Chapter 109: The Six Envoys of Ksitigarbha

Yang Ning was taken aback. Just then, a man stepped forward from behind. Upon seeing Yang Ning, he was startled and exclaimed with joy, "Your Highness!" He hurried forward, knelt, and said, "Your Highness, you have returned at last! We have all been searching for you."

Yang Ning glanced at him; the man was one of the guards who had accompanied him from the capital. When the other soldiers saw this, they exchanged looks and immediately knelt in unison, shouting, "Your humble servants pay respects to Your Highness!"

Yang Ning raised a hand and said, "Rise, all of you." He then asked, "What has happened here?"

The attendant rose and replied, "Reporting to Your Highness, we have secured the ancestral residence and apprehended the entire group. We were just waiting to find Your Highness before deciding on their fate."

Yang Ning’s brow relaxed as he asked, "You have captured that lot? Tell me, has the man impersonating Qi Cheng been taken?"

"Rest assured, Your Highness, he has," the attendant said excitedly. "Everyone has been very worried. Prefect Mao is also here; I shall go and report this to him immediately."

Yang Ning shook his head. "No need, I will go myself." He flicked the reins and rode straight toward the ancestral residence. Upon arriving, he saw soldiers stationed every few paces, numbering at least a hundred. Guards at the entrance were both surprised and delighted to see him. As Yang Ning entered the residence, he found the main hall brightly lit, with several people gathered in discussion. Hearing his footsteps, they turned around. One man cried out joyfully, "Your Highness! You... you have returned!" It was Qi Feng, who had already rushed forward to meet him.

Others followed, and a middle-aged man in official robes stepped forward and cupped his hands in a salute. "Your humble servant, Mao Wenshou, Prefect of Jiangling, pays respects to Your Highness!"

Although Yang Ning was the heir to the Prince of Jinyi, he held no official rank and had not yet inherited his title. Prefect Mao was not strictly required to kneel, but he remained deeply respectful.

Yang Ning returned the salute and said, "Prefect Mao, you have worked hard."

"It is a relief to see Your Highness safe and sound," Mao Wenshou said with a long sigh of relief. He smiled, adding, "We were just discussing whether to post notices offering a heavy reward for information on your whereabouts. However, we feared that doing so would reveal your presence in Jiangling and perhaps invite further trouble, so we were deliberating."

"Please, everyone, be seated," Yang Ning said. The other officers present also saluted him, and Yang Ning gestured for them to sit. He turned to Qi Feng and asked, "Qi Feng, what is this about Prefect Mao and the others...?"

Qi Feng explained immediately, "Your Highness, I went to Jingzhou City and found the old steward, Qi Hong. At the time, there was only one person 'caring' for him." He shook his head. "Not caring, but guarding him."

"Guarding him?"

"Indeed. The old steward did not have a stroke; he was poisoned. He lay in bed unable to move or speak, as they had drugged his throat to render him mute." Qi Feng sneered, "At first, we were nearly deceived, but when I looked at the old steward, his eyes seemed wrong."

"His eyes were wrong?"

Qi Feng laughed. "Ginger is spicier when it is old. Though he could not move, the old steward used his eyes to warn me that something was amiss. Your Highness knows how sharp I am; I understood his meaning immediately and acted decisively. We captured the man guarding him on the spot. That fellow was a coward; once interrogated, he confessed everything. He admitted the steward had not suffered a stroke, but he lacked the antidote." He paused, "Since it wasn't a stroke, there had to be a conspiracy. I consulted with Prefect Mao, and we secretly mobilized troops. When our brothers returned from Jiangxia and confirmed that Qi Cheng had gone missing years ago, it became clear that the 'Qi Cheng' at the ancestral residence was a fraud."

Yang Ning nodded. "If the Qi Cheng at the ancestral residence were real, those in Jiangxia would have known he was here, and there would be no talk of him being missing."

Qi Feng continued, "That is why Prefect Mao made preparations. We brought men to the residence, but to ensure everything was foolproof, I went ahead. Upon learning that both Your Highness and the Third Lady were missing, I knew foul play was involved. I contacted Prefect Mao, and three days ago, under the cover of night, we surrounded the residence and captured the fake Qi Cheng, along with several of his accomplices who happened to be there. I was concerned that the others in the residence might be linked to this, so I had everyone, regardless of age or gender, detained for the time being."

"The people in the residence were unaware of the truth; they were misled and controlled by that gang," Yang Ning said. "The Third Lady is perfectly safe, so do not worry."

"That is a relief, a great relief," Mao Wenshou said, his mind at ease. "When we learned you and the Third Lady were missing, we sent people everywhere. From the fake Qi Cheng’s interrogation, we gathered you might have gone to Xiashan, so we sent many men to search the mountains. Many are still there."

Yang Ning cupped his hands. "I am indebted to you all." He added, "Did you extract any other information from Qi Cheng?"

Mao Wenshou and Qi Feng exchanged a look. "We subjected him to harsh interrogation," Mao said, "but he only claimed that everything was ordered by the 'Judge,' and spouted nonsense about 'immortality'."

"Did he mention the 'Nine Nether Ksitigarbha'?" Yang Ning asked, frowning.

"Nine Nether Ksitigarbha?" Mao Wenshou looked puzzled and shook his head. "He did not mention that. Your Highness, what is this 'Nine Nether Ksitigarbha'?"

"'As patient and immovable as the earth; as deep and secret as a hidden treasury.' Have you heard this saying?"

Mao Wenshou nodded. "That refers to the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha. It is said that Ksitigarbha promised Shakyamuni Buddha that he would remain in this world between the passing of Shakyamuni and the birth of Maitreya to guide all beings out of the hell, hungry ghost, animal, Asura, human, and heavenly realms. He vowed that he would not attain Buddhahood until the hells were empty."

"Prefect Mao is truly a man of vast learning," Yang Ning praised.

Mao Wenshou smiled humbly. "I dare not claim such a thing; I only read Buddhist scriptures occasionally. As far as I know, Ksitigarbha has six messengers..." He seemed to feel he was showing off too much, and waved his hand, saying, "I hope Your Highness will forgive my indulgence."

Yang Ning said solemnly, "Prefect Mao, we know nothing of this, and I truly wish to understand more. What of these six messengers you mentioned?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, the six messengers assist the Bodhisattva in guiding beings of the six realms," Mao Wenshou explained. "One is the Yama Messenger, who guides those in hell; the Treasure-Holding Boy guides the hungry ghosts; the Great Strength Messenger guides the animals; the Great Compassion Heavenly Lady guides the Asuras; the Treasure-Treasury Heavenly Lady guides the human realm; and finally, the Angelic Messenger guides the heavenly realm. These are the six messengers of Ksitigarbha."

Yang Ning nodded slightly. "I see." He added, "The fake Qi Cheng was indeed taking orders from Zhao Yuan. This Zhao Yuan is the 'Judge' the fake Qi Cheng spoke of."

Qi Feng asked, "Your Highness has met Zhao Yuan?"

"He is dead. I killed him myself," Yang Ning said calmly. "He claimed to be acting on the orders of the Nine Nether Ksitigarbha, but since the Bodhisattva is a figure of worship, this 'Nine Nether Ksitigarbha' must be a living person." He asked, "Qi Feng, have you heard of any martial arts organization related to this?"

Qi Feng pondered for a moment and shook his head. "I have never heard of anyone in the pugilistic world by that name." He leaned forward and whispered, "Your Highness, there is another major piece of news that you may not be aware of."

"Major news?" Yang Ning asked. "What is it?"

Qi Feng looked at Mao Wenshou. "Prefect Mao, perhaps you should tell him."

Mao Wenshou nodded slightly, his expression turning grave. He gestured to the other officials, "You may all withdraw for now." Once they had left, Mao Wenshou asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, are you aware that His Majesty has passed away?"

"Passed away?" Yang Ning was momentarily stunned. "What do you mean? His Majesty?" A sudden realization struck him, and he gasped, "Are you saying the Emperor is dead?"

Both Mao Wenshou and Qi Feng turned pale. Yang Ning realized he had spoken too loudly. Mao Wenshou signaled for him to lower his voice and walked to the door to check outside before returning to say in a hushed tone, "Your Highness, I only received the news early yesterday morning. The Emperor has indeed passed away."

Yang Ning’s mind raced. After the Prince of Jinyi passed away, the Imperial Palace remained eerily silent. It was not until the day of the funeral that a decree was hastily dispatched. The Prince’s manor had hoped for some token of imperial favor to help them through their crisis, given the Prince’s immense contributions to the Empire. Surely, they thought, the Emperor could not be indifferent.

Yet, to this day, not a single copper coin had been bestowed. Yang Ning had once thought the Emperor was merely stingy, but he realized now that even a foolish ruler would know the importance of a public show of mourning for a pillar of the state. Not only was there no reward, but no envoy had been sent to mourn. It was entirely contrary to custom.

The movement of guards in the capital—the Imperial Feathered Forest Guard being pulled out and the Black Blade Battalion moving in—along with the state of martial law, all signaled a crisis. While Yang Ning had sensed something was wrong, he never imagined the Emperor himself had died.

Now, all the pieces fell into place. The Emperor likely died just as the Black Blade Battalion entered the city, or perhaps even earlier. The security shifts were meant to prevent a coup during the transition. With the Emperor dead, the palace had no time for the affairs of the Prince of Jinyi.

In a short span, the Empire had lost both its greatest military pillar and its sovereign. The blow was fatal. The days ahead would surely be tempestuous, and Yang Ning feared the capital was already descending into chaos.

"His Majesty was a wise ruler, passing in his prime..." Mao Wenshou’s eyes reddened. He sighed deeply, "The future of our Great Chu is truly a matter of grave concern."