A Pawn's Passage

Zhang Yuelu asked, “How do you feel now?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “I think I’ve refined the remaining medicinal power. If the Yuxu stage had been divided into ten equal parts, I feel like my cultivation level would have increased by two parts. It really saves me at least a year’s worth of hard work! Are you really not going to try it?”

“No.” Zhang Yuelu shook her head and refused. “Your 20% and my 20% aren’t the same. When you were a child, you’d feel full by eating half a bowl of rice. Do you only eat half a bowl of rice now?”

Qi Xuansu smacked his lips and thought it made sense.

After the passenger ship docked, Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu disembarked. Although Jiangling Prefecture was the capital of Huzhou, the Huzhou Daoist Mansion was not located there.

Huzhou Daoist Mansion was located on Taihe Mountain in Taihe County, Xunyang Prefecture. According to legend, this was where the ancient god Xuanwu attained enlightenment and ascended to the heavens.

Thus, this place was a Daoist sacred land and was considered a paradise. There were 72 peaks, 36 rocks, 24 streams, 11 pools, 10 pools, 12 caves, 11 springs, 10 platforms, and 3 waterfalls. The main peak was Tianzhu Peak, which stood tall like a golden pillar that held up the sky. Tianzhu Peak was surrounded by 72 peaks that bent toward the main summit, creating a spectacular sight.

During the former Wei Dynasty, Taihe Mountain was named the Great Mountain that ruled above all mountains because all four famous mountains bowed in deference to it.

Judging from the map, the Huzhou Daoist Mansion was far from Jiangling Prefecture and was closer to Shuzhou, Qinzhou. It was actually closer to Difei Mountain, which was the center of Quanzhen Sect. If Jade Capital was the center of the Daoist Order, then Yunjin Mountain, Difei Mountain, and Penglai Island were the cores of the Zhengyi Sect, Quanzhen Sect, and Taiping Sect, respectively.

Qi Xuansu had never been to Difei Mountain or Penglai Island, but he was about to travel to Yunjin Mountain. Although Zhang Yuelu’s home was not in the Dazhen Mansion, it was still halfway up Yunjin Mountain.

Thinking of this, Qi Xuansu felt inexplicably nervous because he was about to meet Zhang Yuelu’s mother, Madam Tantai, who had a strong character.

Zhang Yuelu began to count the days. Although she said that it was ideal to return home on New Year’s Eve, she did not dare to push her luck. If she really arrived home on New Year’s Eve and left on New Year’s Day, her mother would take the flying ship to the Jade Capital and pester her. Zhang Yuelu would not be able to avoid her mother then because she still had to return to the Jade Capital for work.

That was why Zhang Yuelu thought it would be best to arrive home around mid-December and leave by flying ship on January 6th. She would be at home for about half a month, which was not too short. It was also not too long for her family to notice something wrong about her relationship with Qi Xuansu.

It was mid-November, so she had one month before she had to be home. That was ample time to get from Huzhou to Wuzhou and from Jiangling Prefecture to Shangqing Prefecture. Thus, they could take their time.

However, Zhang Yuelu had no plans to go to Jiangling City. She decided to go straight to Wuzhou. The incident in Baidi City had probably made her more cautious, so she did not want to cause trouble for nothing.

......

Compared to the great reputation of the Green Phoenix Guard, the Imperial Guard’s Office was not so well known by the general public. That was because the Imperial Guard’s Office was under the direct orders of the emperor.

On the contrary, the Green Phoenix Guard was a third-rank government office, so no matter how powerful they were, they could not show it openly.

However, because the Green Phoenix Guard was the emperor’s personal army, they had a special status. They were not scattered in the inner city like other government officials. Instead, they were stationed close to the main Chengtian Gate of the Imperial City. It was located on the west side of the Thousand-Step Corridor and adjacent to the deposed Army Commander’s Office.

It was located in the center, second only to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

There were armored Green Phoenix Guards guarding the entrance to the Imperial Guard’s Office. Anyone who approached would be detained and interrogated, let alone given entry. Even a court official was not allowed to enter without permission.

The Imperial Guard’s Office was divided into a Northern and Southern Office, which were the famous Northern and Southern Chief Military Commissions, respectively.

In a dark duty room in the Southern Chief Military Commission, there was nothing but a heated bed, a table, and a cabinet. A woman wearing a third-rank military official robe with an embroidered leopard emblem was sitting cross-legged on the heated bed. Her face was in the shadows, so it was hard to make out her expression.

A fifth-rank Green Phoenix Guard stood in front of the heated bed, presenting a perfectly sealed envelope to her with both hands.

The woman was none other than Yun Luo, the Deputy Commander of the Southern Chief Military Commission. She was the only woman among the three top officials of the Green Phoenix Guard.

The fifth-rank Green Phoenix Guard in front of her was Lieutenant Colonel Zhao Guangji from the Luzhou Lieutenant Colonel’s Office.

Yun Luo took the envelope and did not open it in a hurry. She used her index finger to tap lightly on the table, then raised her head and asked, “What else did Jiang Bieyun say?”

As she raised her head, her face emerged from the darkness. It turned out to be a stunning face, with a coldness resembling winter. She was exuding a murderous chill that made people stay away from her.

Zhao Guangji was a seasoned military general on the battlefield with a burly figure, but he did not look aggressive. Instead, he exuded an air of authority, and his expression was calm. After all, as someone who had climbed up to the position of Lieutenant Colonel in the Green Phoenix Guard, he would unlikely be a violent brute.

He replied in a deep voice, “Deputy Commander, Mage Jiang just told me to hand this over to you.”

Only then did Yun Luo open the sealed envelope, which had two pages filled with densely written small characters.

After carefully reading the contents of the letter with an expressionless face, Yun Luo still showed no emotion, as if she were undecided about how to react.

Yun Luo put the letter on the heated table and asked, “Have you read it?”

Zhao Guangji shook his head. “Since it was addressed to you, I dared not open it without permission.”

Yun Luo picked up the letter sent by Jiang Bieyun and handed it over to Zhao Guangji. “It’s regarding Li Hongwen’s case. You and Jiang Bieyun decided on the plan and sent people to execute it, so read it yourself.”

Zhao Guangji took the letter and immediately lowered his head to read it.

Yun Luo added, “You were afraid of attracting attention, so you didn’t take action personally. But in the end, the news leaked out before you took action. Both the Quanzhen Sect and the Zhengyi Sect were involved, and someone took the cake.”

After reading the letter, Zhao Guangji raised his head and said, “Since the Quanzhen Sect and the Zhengyi Sect were involved, it should have nothing to do with the Green Phoenix Guard. The Taiping Sect was at fault, but Jiang Bieyun avoided mentioning it.”

“That’s not surprising.” Yun Luo’s tone remained calm. “If one messes up an errand, one will try to shirk responsibility before taking the initiative to plead guilty. Otherwise, will Sage Qingwei spare him?”

Zhao Guangji put the letter back on the table in front of Yun Luo. He was silent for a moment before he asked, “Deputy Commander, do you have any orders for me?”

Yun Luo stared at him closely. “Li Hongwen is dead. He’s just a small county magistrate, so it’s not a big deal to close the case. The more important question is whether this matter is really related to Sage Donghua.

“If it is related to Sage Donghua, then we will be able to explain it to Sage Qingwei. After all, if Sage Donghua intervened, minions like us wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. We can only let those two Omniscient Sages fight each other head-on.

“All we need to know is who killed Zhuge Yongming. Why would Sage Donghua kill a Quanzhen Sect disciple? If it has nothing to do with Sage Donghua, then who is the person who took the Xuan Jade?”

Zhao Guangji kept quiet. After a long time, he spoke. “I have been to Fengtai County in person. The murderer is very experienced, leaving no trace or witnesses. Zhuge Yongming died from the Yin Slaughter Technique, and the people from The Inn died from the Entwining Silk Technique. I think that they are both done by the same person.”

Yun Luo picked up the two pieces of paper, brought them to the oil lamp, and lit them. When the fire was about to burn her fingers, she threw the burned letter onto the brick floor.

She looked at Zhao Guangji and reminded him. “Sage Qingwei is coming to the Imperial Capital on behalf of Taiping Sect this time, so he has a grand entourage and will take some time to get here. But he should arrive in the Imperial Capital soon.

“Based on past practice, he will be staying at the Taiping Temple. You should know how close Taiping Temple is to our Imperial Guard’s Office, so Sage Qingwei will probably drop by our place after meeting the Emperor. You’d better think about how we should respond.”

Zhao Guangji answered, “Understood. Please rest assured, Deputy Commander.”

Yun Luo waved her hand, dismissing Zhao Guangji.

After Zhao Guangji left the room, Yun Luo stood up from the heated bed and crushed the ashes of the letter on the ground with her feet, her face gloomy.