The candles in the back hall of the Xuan'an Bureau flickered as a draft swept through. Li Zhengqing, Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, slammed his fingers against the blood-red text of the Reincarnation Correction Record, making the teacups on his desk rattle. "When I served at the Court of Judicial Review, the old master once said this volume was the soul-locking chain of a bloody case from the previous dynasty," he said, scanning the seven heads of the bureaus seated around him. "Now that the chain is broken, are we to be the ones to pick the lock, or are we just grave-guarding ghosts?"
Zhang Jiugao, the head of the left bureau, moved his Adam’s apple, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the black iron tiger tally at his waist—the "Evil-Suppressing Command" personally bestowed by the Holy Monarch. "My Lord, the Holy Monarch Cult now occupies seven prefectures in the south. Last month, our scouts in Chuzhou even saw..." He suddenly fell silent, his gaze sweeping toward the bamboo curtain hanging at the entrance.
Slow, dragging footsteps sounded from beyond the curtain, accompanied by the crisp clinking of a teacup.
Chapter 157