Feng Qizheng asked curiously, "How is it we've never heard of the Moon-Shadow Army?"

Pan Yucheng said, "It's a state secret. Men of your standing aren't cleared to read those files."

Feng Qizheng objected. "I'm a gold coat now too, aren't I?"

Ning Chen had no words for him. "Old Feng, stop interrupting. How many days have you been a gold coat? Old Pan, go on."

Pan Yucheng gave a slight nod and went on. "The Moon-Shadow Army's methods got crueler and crueler. His Majesty was only a prince in those days, and His Majesty is a merciful man. He could not stand to watch the Moon-Shadow Army's cruelty."

"He risked his life to advise the late emperor to break up the Moon-Shadow Army."

"But the late emperor was very old by then, and up here..."

Pan Yucheng pointed at his own head, meaning that the late emperor had grown muddled by that time.

"Later, with no proof at all, the Moon-Shadow Army slaughtered the whole household of the Duke of Wen on a charge of treason. His Majesty was betrothed to the Duke of Wen's daughter at the time, and His Majesty was in the Duke of Wen's residence when it happened."

"The Moon-Shadow Army had the killing madness on them, and they wounded the present emperor so badly that he was nearly past saving."

"Even after that, the late emperor did not break up the Moon-Shadow Army. Not until the crown prince of that day joined with the Moon-Shadow Army in rebellion... His Majesty and Prince Cheng led troops to come to the throne's aid and guard the sovereign, and that night the palace was heaped with bodies and the blood ran like a river."

The corner of Ning Chen's mouth twitched. So a crown prince plotting rebellion ran in the family.

Pan Yucheng went on. "Afterward the late emperor was in a towering rage and sent down the poisoned cup for the crown prince of that day and for the Moon-Shadow Army."

"It stands to reason that the Moon-Shadow Army should have been destroyed to the last…