Chapter 31
With the exception of the Jinyi Guards and the Shangzhi Guards, which were directly under the emperor's control, all other guards in the capital and local guards fell under the jurisdiction of the Fifth Army Governor's Office. Cao Xun, the Central Army Governor, held the most power among the Five Army Governors.
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[ ] 上直卫 (shàng zhí wèi), In imperial settings, 上直卫 specifically refers to the innermost circle of elite guards who performed night watch duties within the emperor's palace or immediate vicinity. These guards were highly trained and responsible for the emperor's personal safety.
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After parting ways with his father-in-law Li Yong, Cao Xun headed to the Shence Guard, which was overseen by the Imperial Army Governor's Mansion, to enlist one hundred elite soldiers for temporary exercises.
In the early morning, only a faint wisp of smoke rose from the roofs of early-rising households.
As Cao Xun's horse picked up speed, he pulled back the reins when he was still fifty feet away from "Chang Garden", a courtyard notorious for its clandestine activities.
Cao Xun instructed eight archers to quietly take up positions in the southeast, northwest, and informed them to immediately shoot anyone who appeared to ensure they couldn't alert others.
Once the archers were in place, the remaining elite soldiers of the Shence Guard dismounted their horses and swiftly surrounded the area from four different directions.
Riding at the head of a group of twenty, Cao Xun made straight for the main gate.
The sound of a lone horse's hooves was barely discernible. Upon reaching the main gate of Chang Garden, the centurion in front of Cao Xun exchanged glances with the governor, imitated three bird calls as a signal, and then led nineteen of his men over the wall to open the gate from the inside and search each house.
The document Li Yong had given to his son-in-law not only detailed the location of Chang Garden, but also included a map illustrating the layout and uses of the various buildings inside.
Cao Xun proceeded directly to the courtyard of Ji Weifang, the owner of Chang Garden.
Upon arrival, Ji Weifang had already been subdued by the elite soldiers of the Shence Guard and restrained. What Cao Xun encountered was a trembling figure, clad only in a silk robe, with disheveled hair and a pallid complexion. He appeared almost inhuman, and yet bore the air of a sophisticated scholar. Two young girls, aged between seven and eight, were cowering in fear on his bed, embracing each other, evidently bewildered by the unfolding events.
Cao Xun spared Ji Weifang scarcely a glance before delivering a powerful kick to his chest.
Ji Weifang crumpled to the ground, blood swiftly trickling from the corner of his mouth. His jaws were tightly bound, rendering him only capable of emitting muffled groans.
Within half an hour, all the inhabitants of Changyuan were congregated in the central courtyard. Over fifty young girls, ranging from six to twelve years old, were temporarily relocated to the rear premises, while the rest were tightly bound and gagged to prevent any attempts at self-harm.
After a thorough search, the Shence Guard brought forth all letters, account books, documents, and other findings to Cao Xun.
He scarcely bothered to peruse them.
His sole task was to seal off Chang Garden, leaving the Emperor to dispatch relevant officials to conduct an inquiry.
As the confiscation neared its conclusion, Li Yong arrived with the imperial decree.
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