THE MAGIC "CANON"

However, it was not an easy matter to arrange the meeting of Zhu Su and Kaifeng people. They were so scared that they did not dare to go out of their houses. Chen Xinyi had to persuade them so many times to make the scared people be willing to follow them. Besides, they must do it very carefully so as not to be caught by the enemy. If the enemy found them then a clash emerged, and the rioters managed to kill the people, it would make their supporters who remained alive became very few and they would even be more afraid to support the government.

After a series of long, tough arguments, and after they sneaked through narrow alleys to avoid the main roads full of rioters so many times, finally, at night Chen Xinyi and his men managed to bring about a hundred Kaifeng people to Dragon Pavilion. All of them were young, strong and hefty men. It must be. Let alone women, even the elderly men were scared to death to attend this kind of "meeting".

In the middle of the palace yard lit by many torches, Zhu Su was now observing thoroughly the hundreds of young men who were saluting to him right now.

"You may rise. I want to discuss something important with you."

All young men immediately followed Zhu Su's order. They stood up, but their heads were still bowed.

"You are all Kaifeng people, right?"

A young man standing at the frontest line answered, "Yes, Your Highness."

"When the riot broke up, what were you doing?"

"We are... too scared, Your Highness.. we are at home, protecting our wives, children, and parents... we are afraid that the rioters would hurt them..."

"The rioters claim that they come from the people. How come the people attack you since you are part of them?"

"They once kidnapped our headman and killed whoever dared to oppose them. So cruel... so traumatic... we are scared..."

"You shouldn't be afraid of the rioters. You are Ming people, should only be afraid of state regulations. If you are afraid of them, it means that you support them."

The youths replied hastily, "Of course not, Your Highness! We will only submit to our country!"

"Very well!" Zhu Su said. "Then, please support us!"

"We are willing to support you... but how to do it? We are just ordinary people, just threatening us with the swords and we will soon run away!"

"Spread out the news that zouyu really exists. Then show them that you are unafraid, go out of your hideouts, and do the routine activity as usual. At the same time, exclaim that you support the government and hate the rioters!"

"But, the rioters screw up everywhere. How can we go out?"

"Oh, don't worry about that. I have prepared a magic cannon to destroy them. Just shoot them with it, and they'll meet their ends. You will be able to move freely in no fear as before. But... to detonate the cannon, we need your help. You'll be the important determinant of Kaifeng's future."

***

What Zhu Su meant by the magic cannon was not a real cannon. Instead, it was by stopping the distribution of funds to the rioters.

"If they are paid, then where do they get the funds? They can even build such a comfortable village and live in peace!" Wu Qi asked curiously.

"From corrupt officials, as well as from a wealthy merchant surnamed Zhao."

"Merchant Zhao... is he the man who used to have a meeting with Huan Shikang at his headquarters?"

"Yes. Merchant Zhao sells medicine to rich people at a very high price, yet its basic ingredients are very cheap, thence he gains high profit and he uses it to fund the rioters. Those rich people are willing to believe in Merchant Zhao because they heard that Merchant Zhao cooperates with Huan Shikang who is a genius in Wushu Xuanxue. For that reason, Huan Shikang manages to form tough mutual cooperation. But it's all over, now we are pursuing the merchant."

"And, you said that there are corrupt officials who give them donation." Zhu Su was highly curious about this part.

"I don't believe that the officials sent to help the victims are the honest ones. I exert my every effort to investigate them, I even collaborate with Dong Chang and Xi Chang. The subordinates of those corrupt officials saw by their owns that their chiefs put state donations into their own pockets. However, the corruptors threatened them by saying, once they dare to reveal this problem, they will be cursed by the heretic Daoist Priest. Frightened of being cursed by black magic, but don't dare to lie to their consciences, those poor honest officials thus resign and live anonymously in the remote area. That's why finding them is so difficult. We even have to go deep into the forest."

Zhu Su clicked his fingers. "It's different from before, we've got the proof right now! We can arrest those corruptors! And they will be punished according to the rules!"

Everyone bowed deeply. "Your grace is immeasurable, Your Highness!"

Getting the proof, Zhu Su did not hesitate to punish the corrupt officials. The law enforcement forces marched straight to the corruptors' residence and arrested them.

"Have we told you that we are innocent? We are being slandered!" Still, the thick-skinned corruptors did not admit their mistakes.

Chen Xinyi growled. "This is the order of His Highness! Nobody is allowed to oppose!"

"His Highness?! How come!" Another corruptor shouted. "His Highness has released us before, how come he changes his mind?!"

"Because we had no proof before, but now, we've got it!" Chen Xinyi held up a stack of paper containing records of the corruption recorded by their men.

The corruptors glared furiously. "I get it! A bastard has betrayed us and revealed it!"

"No need for you to know that matter."

"I'll find that bastard and punch him hard!"

"Bad news for you; you'll never realize it. Because all of you will be executed in City Hall tomorrow."

The corruptors began to scream hysterically.

"No!..."

"Sir... You may punish someone after the trial has been carried out, right?!..."

"Allow us to face His Highness! Let us beg him to have mercy!"

"You can't!" Chen Xinyi curtly refused. "You are unforgivable because not only you do corruption, but also cooperate with the enemy and betray your country!"

"Don't make such arbitrary accusation! How can we cooperate with the enemy?!"

"You're doing corruption because of someone's suggestion, right? And you also give a percentage of corruption funds in return for his help, right?"

"Eh?... Errr..." Not expecting Chen Xinyi to ask such a question, their minds went blank for a moment and were unable to devise a lie head-on.

"Don't say you don't know that he is the mastermind of the Kaifeng rioters. You know it very well that you are joining forces with the enemy of the state, but you still do it anyway! Well then, still unwilling to plead your guilt?! No problem, whether you plead or not is unimportant, the proof is in our hands! Tomorrow at Wu (noon) time! So enjoy your life as you can today. Or you can introspect to reduce the sins you must bear in the Hereafter."