Volume One: The Superintendent and the Student Chapter Six: Into the Trap

The Embroidered Uniform Guard—Northern Zhenfu Office.

The Ming Dynasty had stood for over a century, with hundreds of government offices at every level, yet none were as renowned as this place. Especially in the past decade, the Northern Zhenfu Office had become a veritable dragon’s den. Officials and commoners alike turned pale at its mere mention. To step inside was akin to entering the Hall of Yama himself.

But the times had changed...

Thus, even in the dead of night, there were still those bold enough to come knocking, demanding the return of a person from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and brazenly insisting that the Commandant himself appear.

This infuriated Liu Botao, the night’s Duty Centurion and Chief of Punishments, but he dared not show it. He forced a smile and patiently explained, “Gentlemen, it truly isn’t our intention to conceal a wanted criminal. The man simply isn’t in our custody.”

“Why should I believe you?” Fang Yanping, an official from the Ministry of Justice, spoke with unshakable confidence, as though he had them completely at his mercy. “Best let your Commandant come and guarantee it.”

“There’s no need to trouble the Inspector-General over such a trivial matter...”

“In that case, let us search the premises ourselves,” suggested Zhou Huang, the City Inspector, his tone deceptively genial. “That way, we can all be sure.”

But his proposal was even less acceptable. Liu’s face darkened at once. “Are you trying to make things difficult for us here at the Zhenfu Office?”

“It’s not about making things difficult. This is a matter of grave importance,” Fang replied. “You know as well as I do that anything involving the White Lotus rebels must be treated with utmost seriousness—especially a case where a White Lotus rebel was broken free in the capital itself. It’s not an exaggeration to call this an act of high treason!”

“Indeed, Liu Centurion, your obstruction is highly suspicious. Or are you truly intent on sheltering this criminal?”

The two echoed each other seamlessly, piling the pressure on Liu Botao, who could only seethe inwardly yet also feel a certain satisfaction. For years, officials like them had been cowed by the Embroidered Uniform Guard; now, finally, they had their chance to turn the tables, and they were determined to savor it.

Liu’s face shifted through several shades before he replied in a low voice, “The Embroidered Uniform Guard serves as the Emperor’s own, and the Zhenfu Office is a place of utmost importance. Do you really think you can act so wantonly here? If you insist on searching and find nothing, will you bear the consequences of deceiving the throne?”

At this invocation of the Emperor, Zhou and Fang exchanged a quick glance and eased their stance. They had never truly expected to find the man here; their purpose was only to exert pressure, to make the Guard more pliable in future dealings. Now, they prepared to shift their tack.

“And let me say again,” Liu continued, “this Huang Ming you speak of has nothing to do with the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Even if Huang Bingkun did come here for someone, he acted solely on his own accord...”

At that moment, several young men entered the brightly-lit hall. Huang Bingkun had just opened his mouth when the two guests on the hall’s guest seats turned to look—and their gazes fixed instantly on Huang Ming beside him.

“That’s him...”

“You still claim he has nothing to do with the Guard?”

Only then did Huang Bingkun recognize one of them as Zhou, the City Inspector he had previously crossed swords with in the Southern City Command. His eyelids twitched involuntarily. At the same time, he felt the burning gaze of his superior, Liu Botao, and a chill ran down his spine. Whatever he meant to say died on his lips, coming out only as, “Centurion sir...”

It was hard to blame Huang Bingkun for being caught off guard—the times had changed too quickly for him to adapt. Half a year ago, no one would have dared cause a scene at the Zhenfu Office, not even in broad daylight, let alone at night. The Guard’s members, no matter what they had done, would relax completely once inside, reporting any dubious matters directly to their superiors without fear.

Who could have predicted that tonight, two outsiders would be here, waiting to make trouble for him and Huang Ming?

As the situation took a turn, Huang Ming showed no sign of panic. He took a steadying breath, nodded slightly toward the gathered officials in greeting, and resigned himself to the inevitable.

“So be it—let’s get this over with.”

“Seize this major criminal who colluded with the White Lotus rebels to throw the capital into chaos!” Fang Yanping, long a Ministry of Justice official, was first to react, barking the command.

Only two attendants stood outside the hall, but at Fang’s order they sprang into action, lunging for Huang Ming.

Huang Ming quickly dodged behind Huang Bingkun, shouting, “Do you dare seize someone in the Zhenfu Office? Have you no respect for the Embroidered Uniform Guard?”

His words were less a rebuke and more a reminder to his fellow guards.

Liu Botao indeed snapped to attention, barking, “Who dares act so rashly!”

Without need for further orders, several Embroidered Uniform Guardsmen rushed in from the corridor, easily restraining the two Ministry attendants before they could reach Huang Ming.

“Liu Centurion, you’re clearly intent on shielding this criminal. Do you understand the consequences?” Zhou Huang shouted furiously. “Or was I right all along—your Guard is already in league with the White Lotus rebels, plotting treason?”

“Nonsense! I do this only to uncover the truth of the matter. Men, detain them as well!” Liu Botao, now composed, acted swiftly.

He had realized that letting Huang Ming fall into the hands of these officials would spell disaster—not only for himself, but for the Embroidered Uniform Guard as a whole. Their current disgrace was the least of his concerns; the real danger was giving their enemies leverage to manipulate or frame the Guard. Such tactics were all too familiar to him.

As a mere Centurion, he could never bear the weight of such a crime. His only option was to keep Huang Ming in his custody.

Huang Ming cooperated fully, neither resisting nor struggling as several officers restrained him. Only then did he cry urgently, “Please, sirs, let me state my case—I am innocent! I came to the Zhenfu Office with Centurion Huang precisely to explain everything to the court!”

“Innocent? That’s what you said at the Southern City Command, claiming we had no proof. But the facts are plain—many saw with their own eyes as your carriage lost control and rammed the prison wagon, sending it into the river and allowing a major criminal to escape.

“Yet you still claim you’ve been wronged? Such glibness! How shameless!”

Inspector Zhou thundered, eyes blazing as he stared down Huang Ming. He was truly incensed—the man had been taken from under his nose, and his own arguments had been rendered powerless by Huang’s quick tongue. It was an intolerable humiliation.

Fang Yanping added, “Indeed, the Ministry has already gathered ample evidence tying you to the prison break. I would dearly like to hear how you’ll talk your way out of this!”