Chapter 582: Turmoil

After the old tortoise disappeared, the Xiao family members stared blankly at the river in the midst of thunder and the violent storm for a long time. It was only Du Changsheng's reminder that brought them back to their senses.

"Lord Xiao, Young Master Xiao, Taoist Wu has already left. You should hurry back!"

The father and son were both somewhat dazed at this moment. Du Changsheng swept some of the rainwater away for them, briefly sheltering them from the downpour, and then shouted the message again.

"Please hurry back. You don't need to worry about the sacrifice; I will have my disciples prepare it!"

"Ah, yes, alright..."

Xiao Du replied in a daze, while Xiao Ling quickly helped his father to a carriage on the other side. Both of them were soaked to the bone, and it wasn't until they stumbled into one of the carriages that they felt alive again.

"Master, are we heading back?"

"Hurry back, hurry back!"

"Yes, sir!"

The coachman led the horses, turned the carriage around, and the carriage swayed as it set off on the road back.

Inside the carriage, the disheveled father and son were severely chilled. Xiao Ling was somewhat better, being younger and possessing martial arts skills, but Xiao Du's lips were purple and his body was trembling.

"Hoo... h-huh..."

"Dad, quickly take off your wet outer coat, wrap yourself in the fleece blanket, and warm up by the stove! Oh, and have some wine!"

With his internal energy circulating, Xiao Ling's hands and feet remained agile, and he managed everything.

Fortunately, the carriage's rain protection was quite good, the charcoal stove inside was still burning, and there were warm fleece blankets. The father and son removed some of their wet clothes, wrapped themselves in the blankets, and shivered in front of the stove. As for the servants driving outside, they could only endure the cold by drinking strong liquor.

After a few sips of wine, wrapped in blankets and warming by the charcoal stove, Xiao Du finally felt alive again. The father and son looked at each other, a mix of worry and relief on their faces. Comparatively, Xiao Du felt more worry, while Xiao Ling felt more relief.

They remained silent for a long time. Perhaps it was an illusion, but after the carriage left the riverside and turned onto the official road heading towards the capital, the violent storm also seemed to weaken.

"Dad, as long as we gather a hundred lamps from benevolent families, our Xiao family's grievance with that old tortoise will be settled!"

Xiao Du nodded, then shook his head.

"But it also demanded that no one from the Xiao clan ever serve as an official again... This career path seems to be cut off for us. And judging by National Preceptor Du's demeanor, it seems he won't be helping us with this..."

"If we don't serve as officials, then we don't. Our Xiao family isn't short on money; wouldn't it be great to simply live as wealthy commoners? With the current turmoil in the court and among the public, withdrawing early might not be a bad thing. Dad, things have come to this point, why cling to it?"

After Xiao Ling's words of persuasion, Xiao Du also smiled.

"You're right. What's the point of being an official if one loses their life? I just don't know if the Emperor and certain others will be willing to let me retreat safely..."

Xiao Ling, who was not ignorant of political affairs, felt a slight jolt in his heart upon hearing this.

"Are you worried that Prime Minister Yin will kick us while we're down?"

Xiao Du shook his head.

"I'm not worried about Prime Minister Yin... Never mind. Regardless, this must be done."

After personally witnessing the monster's horror, the Xiao family no longer harbored any wishful thinking, focusing solely on how to withdraw completely and safely.

By the riverside, the carriage laden with sacrificial items remained. Du Changsheng and his three disciples stood in the rain, watching the two Xiao family carriages disappear into the distant curtain of rain.

"You three, prepare the sacrificial items."

After saying this, Du Changsheng quickly walked to one side and bowed with cupped hands to Ji Yuan and the Dragon Girl.

"Mister Ji, River Goddess, what do you two think of this matter being concluded like this?"

Ji Yuan stood up and looked towards the Tongtian River.

"You don't need to ask me if it's appropriate."

The Dragon Girl also stood up, and with a flick of her long sleeves towards the sky, the torrential rain gradually subsided. Within moments, it became a gentle drizzle, and the flashing lightning vanished completely.

"Nor do you need to ask me."

Ji Yuan turned back, collected the table, chessboard, and other items, and then said to the Dragon Girl and Du Changsheng,

"I shall take my leave now."

Having said that, Ji Yuan walked leisurely away in the direction of the capital city. The Dragon Girl glanced at Du Changsheng and his three disciples, who had noticed their master's movements but hadn't seen anything significant. After nodding, she stepped into the river, walked away on the waves, and then sank from sight in the middle of the river.

"Master, who were you talking to over there just now?"

Seeing Du Changsheng return, Wang Xiao and his two fellow disciples, who were in the midst of unloading the sacrificial items from the carriage, still couldn't help but ask.

"Nothing much. The River Goddess was just watching over there. Be more efficient with your work. Once the sacrifice is done, we can go back to sleep."

"Yes, Master!"

Except for Wang Xiao, who was slightly better, the other two disciples had shallow cultivation. However, having proper cultivation methods meant they could still easily repel water, so they were not bothered by the current drizzle.

Unsurprisingly, Xiao Du caught a cold, and two of the accompanying servants also fell ill. Only Xiao Ling and two other servants, thanks to their excellent physical condition, remained healthy.

Even while sick, Xiao Du, dragging his ailing body, finished writing his resignation letter the very next day and sent someone to deliver it to the palace. He dared not gamble with this matter; the sooner it was done, the better, as resigning from office was not something that happened simply by wishing for it.

In the Imperial Study, Emperor Hongwu still found it somewhat unbelievable when he actually read Xiao Du's resignation letter.

"This Xiao Du actually wants to resign!"

Yang Hao, holding the resignation letter, looked at the old eunuch Li Jingchun standing beside him.

"Is that monster truly so terrifying?"

"To Your Majesty, that giant tortoise was as massive as a small building, its demonic eyes gleaming with a fierce light. Even that rain was extremely ominous, most likely caused by a monster. This old servant, with my congenital realm cultivation, didn't even have the courage to approach it."

Yang Hao narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the resignation letter in his hand. Every word and sentence offered excuses of an aging and weak minister with insufficient energy; not a single word hinted at the underlying grievance.

"By doing this, is the Xiao clan deceiving the Emperor?"

Hearing the Emperor whisper this, the old eunuch Li Jingchun, standing nearby, felt a slight prickle of heat on his back. Fortunately, it seemed the Emperor wasn't asking him directly; it was merely a thought muttered to himself. Then, the Emperor smiled and said,

"Since beloved Minister Xiao feels his strength is failing, I shall approve his request to retire from office."

Emperor Hongwu did not send Xiao Du's resignation back, nor did he summon him after his recovery to discuss the matter of the Imperial Censor's retirement repeatedly, as Xiao Du himself had anticipated. Instead, he directly approved it with his imperial brush.

A few days later, the news that Imperial Censor Xiao Du had resigned, and that the Emperor had approved it, spread rapidly throughout the capital's bureaucracy, causing a major sensation among several factions.

It's no exaggeration to say that at this moment, the Imperial Censor's resignation was as sensational as, if not more so than, the resignation of an ordinary prime minister. After all, Da Zhen had a system with multiple prime ministers, and some might not hold as much importance as the Imperial Censor. Xiao Du's resignation was like throwing a large stone into the lake during this sensitive period, causing the political situation in the court and among the public to continuously escalate in the days that followed.

First, the capital witnessed phenomena like day and night being reversed and the Milky Way appearing to fall;Then, Yin Zhaoxian's condition improved, and he was on the road to recovery;Followed by Imperial Censor Xiao Du retiring from office;And then, the current Emperor unexpectedly approved the Imperial Censor's resignation request directly.

Officials from various factions within the court frequently moved about, with some court officials even meeting privately with external ones. Even though Xiao Du had resigned, he found no peace; covertly or openly, people visited the Xiao family mansion day and night.

A month later, at the Yin mansion, in Ji Yuan's guest courtyard, Yin Zhaoxian, who had removed his fox mask, sat opposite Ji Yuan, playing chess with him.

"Alas, Mister Ji's chess skill is already far beyond my match. How about letting me start with ten pieces next game?"

Ji Yuan grinned. "That's quite a lot more concessions."

"That won't do. My chess skill is indeed a bit stronger than yours, Master Yin, but what's the point of playing if I give you ten pieces? We might as well just count it as your win. Six pieces at most."

"Alright then, six pieces it is. Let's play another game!"

Yin Zhaoxian actively began tidying the chessboard. Ji Yuan could only shake his head and comply. This Master Yin, full of noble righteousness, only haggled when it came to playing chess with him. But this was the true Master Yin, not the mythical Yin Wenqu glorified by the outside world.

At this moment, the two brothers, Yin Qing and Yin Zhong, walked into the courtyard one after another.

"Dad, Mister Ji," said Yin Qing. "Dad, Master," said Yin Zhong.

The two brothers greeted the elders one after another. Upon approaching, Yin Qing first glanced at the chessboard. Seeing that the game hadn't started yet and his father had already placed six pieces, he understood the situation. However, he wasn't there to watch them play chess.

"Dad, it looks like the Xiao family is preparing to leave the capital."

During this time, Yin Qing had also been preoccupied with keeping an eye on the Xiao family. Initially, he feared that the Xiao family's seemingly decisive actions were a strategic retreat, aiming for an advance. Such an abrupt and complete withdrawal, especially with the Emperor's immediate approval, was bound to invite speculation. However, after hearing some things from Ji Yuan, both Yin Zhaoxian and Yin Qing finally believed that the Xiao family truly wished to withdraw.

Originally, the Xiao family must have committed corrupt and illegal acts and gained significant benefits over the years. Or, to put it another way, very few court officials truly had clean hands. With the Xiao family withdrawing on their own, the Yin family was spared much trouble and was therefore willing to forgive them, letting bygones be bygones.

However, the unofficial rumors circulating within the court came in various versions, causing officials from several factions to feel vulnerable. There were even whispers that the Emperor's decisive approval of Xiao Du's resignation, coupled with Prime Minister Yin's recovery, hinted at a major conspiracy. These conspiracy theories reached their peak after Yin Zhaoxian's first day back at morning court.

In such an environment, a large number of officials still sought to contact the Xiao family daily, placing them in a precarious position.

Hearing Yin Qing's words, Yin Zhaoxian glanced at Ji Yuan, who was about to make a move, then sighed and said,

"Alas, Xiao Du truly had no choice but to do this."

Yin Zhong pondered briefly and said,

"Dad, while the Xiao family leaving the capital to return to their ancestral home in Qizhou certainly makes it easier for them to fulfill their agreement, wouldn't it be very dangerous for them if they truly leave the capital?"

Yin Qing smiled and patted Yin Zhong's shoulder.

"It's progress that you can think this way. However, Xiao Du has thought one layer deeper than you. While it's true that many now view the Xiao family as a thorn in their side, if they remain in the capital, with court officials and even external figures constantly paying secret visits to the Xiao clan — who have clearly resigned — it will cause trouble. The Emperor used to be benevolent, but now he is shrewd. He might, out of old sentiment, allow the Xiao clan to retreat safely, but shrewd people are also prone to overthinking. Xiao Du understands this. He is no longer the Imperial Censor, and with people stirring things up behind the scenes, he can only worry fruitlessly and cannot bring himself to ask my father for help. Leaving the capital is a win-win situation; although there are risks, it's worth taking them, especially since the Xiao family still has significant resources."

Yin Qing's explanation was so clear that even Ji Yuan, who wasn't deeply involved in court politics, understood it and could imagine the intricate relationships at play. Yin Zhong, of course, understood even better.

Having explained all this, he said to Yin Zhong,

"Tiger, you should secretly follow the Xiao clan. Should anything happen, intervene at the crucial moment to help them return safely to Qizhou."

Yin Zhong pondered briefly and then understood why he needed to help this former adversary.

"Understood. Father, Mister Ji, Elder Brother, I shall take my leave now."

Yin Zhong bowed slightly towards the three elders in the courtyard, then turned and strode away with powerful steps.