Chapter 012: Five Hundred Armored Soldiers

Wu Zetian looked down from on high at Yuchi Zhenjin, who knelt on the ground. While reviewing memorials, she asked casually, “A courtesan and a tavern owner—what strange things could there be? Tell me, what strange things happened to these two? If you cannot give a full account, then your position as Chief Justice of the Court of Judicature and Revision will be given to someone else.”

Upon hearing these words, Yuchi Zhenjin broke out in a cold sweat.

Though he had long understood the adage that accompanying the sovereign is like accompanying a tiger, upon hearing these words from Wu Zetian, he still felt lingering fear and quickly said, 'Reporting to the Empress, your subordinate will begin with this Yin Ruiji.'

Wu Zetian neither approved nor disapproved.

Yuchi Zhenjin said, “This Yin Ruiji is a woman from the Fuyu Kingdom, born with peerless grace. Ever since she arrived in Luoyang, she immediately won the title of the city's top courtesan, drawing the sidelong glances of countless nobles and aristocrats, all eager to taste her beauty.”

Wu Zetian gave an impatient, cold snort. "Yuchi Zhenjin, are you here to tell me just how beautiful this Luoyang courtesan is?"

“I dare not.” Yuchi Zhenjin hastily knocked his head against the ground.

"Get to the point."

"Yes." Yuchi Zhenjin knelt on the ground, slowly straightening his waist, but his gaze remained fixed on the ground, as if there were a flower on it. He said slowly, "Your Majesty, the strange matter I speak of occurred after Yin Ruiji won the title of Luoyang's top courtesan."

This Yin Ruiji was originally a weak woman unskilled in martial arts, but after winning the title of Flower Queen, she suddenly displayed peerless swordsmanship, and was even called by busybodies the number one female swordswoman under heaven—or even the number one swordswoman under heaven.

And I, too, am a practitioner of martial arts. Upon hearing of this, I once paid a visit to seek instruction.

"But I am ashamed to say that Yin Ruiji's swordsmanship is indeed peerless; even I am somewhat inferior."

Wu Zetian paused her brush, raised her head to look at Yuchi Zhenjin, and said, "You mean that courtesan named Yin Ruiji suddenly displayed peerless swordsmanship."

“Exactly.”

"Merely a courtesan, yet even you, Yuchi Zhenjin, are no match for her."

"Your subject..." Yuchi Zhenjin hesitated, then spoke the truth: "is indeed no match for that Yin Ruiji."

"So, this woman harbors ill intentions, possesses supreme martial skills, yet keeps them hidden, only revealing them after winning the title of Flower Queen. What do you think she is plotting?"

Wu Zetian was also quite surprised.

Yuchi Zhenjin said, "Your Majesty, the strange matter I speak of is strange precisely in this regard."

Wu Zetian could not help but utter a sound of surprise.

Yuchi Zhenjin said, "Before Yin Ruiji won the title of top courtesan, she had already captivated Luoyang, and countless people had come into contact with her. But according to what these people said, at that time Yin Ruiji was indeed an ordinary, delicate woman."

Wu Zetian found it amusing and said, "A weak woman, a weak woman whom even you are no match for?"

Yuchi Zhenjin said, “Otherwise, how could this be a strange matter? I once investigated Yin Ruiji’s background and found that her origins are innocent; she has never studied martial arts, nor has she ever taken anyone as a teacher.”

Yet now, she has inexplicably become the foremost swordswoman under heaven, which is truly baffling.

Wu Zetian was no fool; hearing Yuchi Zhenjin's explanation, she couldn't help but nod. "If what you say is true, it is indeed a strange matter. What about the other person?"

Yuchi Zhenjin said, "The proprietor of Tai'an Tavern, Wang Bo, is a native of our divine capital Luoyang, born and bred. Having lost his parents early and lacked discipline, he became a notorious libertine within Luoyang city. Yet just last night, he displayed supreme martial skills."

This morning, I dispatched several clerks from the Court of Judicial Review to test him, and found that his martial prowess is astonishingly high—even my weapon was shattered by a single punch from him. His mastery of external martial arts has reached the pinnacle of perfection.

"I have investigated him as well. This man likewise has no history of studying martial arts. Last year, he even got into a feud with the sons of some lowly merchants over a woman in the pleasure quarters and had his head cracked open. But now, he is unfathomably deep."

"Your Majesty, both of these individuals seem to have acquired peerless martial prowess overnight. One is a courtesan, the other a libertine who frequented the pleasure quarters. I suspect there may be some connection between them."

"I even suspect that their acquisition of supreme martial prowess is related to that matter."

Wu Zetian had been somewhat dismissive at first, but upon hearing it might be connected to that matter, her expression immediately turned grave.

Yuchi Zhenjin, do you know what you are saying?

Yuchi Zhenjin abruptly lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty, I certainly know what I am saying, but martial skill is not achieved in a single day. I have practiced martial arts for over thirty years to attain my current level of ability."

Yet those two seemed to have gained supreme martial prowess overnight, which is truly inconceivable.

Therefore, I have reason to suspect that the two of them are inextricably linked to that thing.

I even suspect that the two of them may very well have found that thing.

Wu Zetian's face darkened, and she slowly closed her eyes, as if pondering something.

Yuchi Zhenjin pressed his forehead tightly to the ground, not daring to raise his head, but his eyeballs were darting about restlessly, the anxiety in his heart growing more intense with each passing moment.

After a long while, he heard Wu Zetian's voice.

“You may rise.”

Yuchi Zhenjin breathed a sigh of relief and slowly straightened up.

Wu Zetian said, “Someone, bring a seat.”

A eunuch brought over a crescent-shaped stool and placed it on the ground.

Yuchi Zhenjin first thanked the Empress, then rose and seated himself on this crescent stool.

The crescent stool, also called a waist stool, was conceived as a groundbreaking leap beyond the Buddhist seating tradition—the round stool and waist-drum stool—completely breaking away from that model. Its seat surface is neither square nor round but crescent-shaped, and the legs, while retaining the humen (arched cutouts) and hooked feet, are further varied and adorned with carved decorations, embodying an air of sumptuous elegance.

Yuchi Zhenjin.

"Your servant is here." Yuchi Zhenjin hastily cupped his hands and said.

Wu Zetian asked coldly, "How many men do you need to capture these two and bring them back to me?"

Yuchi Zhenjin hesitated for a moment, then said, "In reply to Your Majesty, of these two men, one possesses unsurpassed swordsmanship, and the other has astonishingly tough physical skills. I am not confident I can capture them. If we alert them and they flee, given their abilities, catching them would be harder than reaching the heavens."

Wu Zetian gave a cold snort, clearly displeased. “You are the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, yet you cannot even capture two people. Yuchi Zhenjin, do you still want to keep your position?”

Yuchi Zhenjin had no choice but to say, “In response to Your Majesty, to capture these two, we must cast a wide net. I need five hundred armored soldiers to ensure nothing goes wrong.”

Wu Zetian said without a second thought, "Then I shall grant you five hundred armored soldiers. If you fail to capture these two, come see me with your own head in hand."

Yuchi Zhenjin knew he had no way out, hastily rose and knelt, "Your subject accepts the decree!"