chsdbacks Chapter 99: Undercurrents of Intrigue
Chapter 99: Undercurrents of Intrigue
In late autumn in Qingzhou Prefecture, the weather grew colder day by day.
The sycamore trees in the rear garden of the garrison had lost most of their leaves, leaving only a few withered yellow and brown remnants hanging on the branches, shivering in the bleak autumn wind. Occasionally, one or two leaves would twirl and fall, landing on the clean, mirror-like bluestone path, where they would be trodden over by the boots of passing servants, making a soft, sigh-like sound.
In the study, Liu Wenhuan sat upright in the large rosewood armchair. His dark brown silk robe, adorned with floral patterns, gleamed with a dull luster in the morning light, making his already round face appear even more somber. In his hand, he clutched a secret report, just untied from a carrier pigeon's leg. The paper was of fine Xue Tao stationery, the handwriting hasty and hurried, with several ink blots from the force of the writing. The letter was delivered by an informant he had planted within the Demon Suppression Division's branch. Its contents were simple yet alarming: Deputy Commander Zhao Kun had been missing for several days; Commander Liu Xiong and his trusted confidants had met with misfortune while on a mission at Qixing'ao and their whereabouts were unknown. Chief Clerk Zhou Yan had been promoted to Criminal Officer Zheng Tong, who was temporarily acting as Commander, and Clerk Sun Wenyuan was temporarily acting as Deputy Commander.
"Snapped!"
Liu Wenhuan slammed the secret report onto the smooth rosewood desk with a dull thud. A few drops of ink from the inkstone on the desk splashed out, staining the white Xuan paper. His chest heaved violently, his breathing heavy. His usually affable, slightly smiling face was now contorted with rage, and his narrow eyes blazed with a terrifying fury.
"What a Zhou Yan! What a Lin Yan!" Liu Wenhuan spat out the words through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse. "Zhao Kun disappeared, Liu Xiong got into trouble, and then his men took over... What a coincidence!!"
He abruptly stood up and paced back and forth in the study, his wide robe sleeves whipping up a gust of wind that knocked several official documents piled on his desk to the ground, yet he remained oblivious. Zhao Kun was a pawn he had secretly cultivated to counterbalance Zhou Yan, and Liu Xiong was a crucial ally in controlling the cultivation forces in Qingzhou Prefecture and maintaining his connection with Liu Ba in the capital! Now, with one of them missing and the other "in danger," almost half of his plans in Qingzhou Prefecture over the years had been rendered useless! What alarmed him even more was the speed and decisiveness of Zhou Yan's actions, promoting the stubborn and inflexible Zheng Tong and the clerical Sun Wenyuan, who was only good at paperwork! This was clearly an attempt to thoroughly purge the branch and firmly seize control of the Demon Suppression Division!
"Investigate! Investigate for me! I want him alive or dead!" Liu Wenhuan abruptly stopped and roared at his trusted steward, who stood silently outside the door, "Send men to Qixing'ao! Find the last place Zhao Kun was seen before he disappeared! Take plenty of men; even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, find a clue for me!"
The steward hurriedly bowed and accepted the order, but hesitated and said, "Master, Qixing'ao... that's a dangerous place that the Demon Suppression Division is responsible for clearing out. Our manor's private soldiers... I'm afraid they can't get in, and... it's not in accordance with the rules."
"Rules?!" Liu Wenhuan laughed angrily, his fat face trembling. "The person is dead, and you still want to talk to me about rules?! Zhou Yan dared to touch my people, isn't he afraid I'll accuse him of abusing his power and eliminating dissidents?!"
His words were fierce, but his heart felt as if it had been doused with ice water, instantly calming him down. He wasn't unaware of the Demon Suppression Division's special status. Zhou Yan, as the branch leader, was nominally under his control, but in reality, he possessed independent power to deal with local demons and monitor officials. In certain emergencies, he could even "act first and report later." Zhao Kun and Liu Xiong knew far too much about his shady dealings. If Zhou Yan truly caught him red-handed…
A chill ran down his spine. Liu Wenhuan slumped back into his chair, the fury from before seemingly drained, leaving only a visibly weak and deeply apprehensive feeling. He realized he had no effective means to immediately subdue Zhou Yan. Force his way into the Demon Suppression Division to demand the release of Zhou Yan? No evidence. Impeach him? Zhou Yan had a good reputation in Qingzhou Prefecture, and the personnel changes were justified (Liu Xiong "encountered danger," Zhao Kun disappeared). A hasty attack would only make him appear guilty. Deploy the city's garrison? Those were the imperial army; without concrete evidence of treason, he, as the garrison commander, had no authority to mobilize them against a colleague. Besides, the Demon Suppression Division itself was responsible for supervising local military affairs…
After much thought, he realized he couldn't do anything to Zhou Yan. This feeling of frustration was even more oppressive than direct anger, making his chest feel heavy.
"Wait," Liu Wenhuan suddenly called out to the butler who was about to leave, a sinister glint in his eyes. "The people sent to investigate need to be quick-witted and discreet. The key is... to find out what Lin Yan has been up to lately. Also, after Zhou Yan promoted Zheng Tong and Sun Wenyuan, have there been any unusual personnel changes within the branch?"
He had a vague feeling that Zhou Yan's actions this time might be more than just an internal purge. That Lin Yan always made him uneasy.
"Yes, sir." The butler quickly replied, quietly slipped out, and gently closed the door behind him.
Silence returned to the study, broken only by the occasional crackling of the burning silver charcoal in the brazier. Liu Wenhuan sat alone in the dim light, gazing at the desolate courtyard outside the window, his fingers unconsciously tapping the smooth armrest, his expression shifting constantly. He knew he had to swallow his anger, at least for now. But he also knew that Liu Ba would not stand idly by. This connection being severed would affect not only Qingzhou Prefecture, but also the plans of certain "nobles" in the capital.
He needs to wait, wait for the right opportunity, or... wait for the thunder from the capital.
***
Almost at the same moment, thousands of miles away in the capital city of Tianqi, at the headquarters of the Demon Suppression Division.
The Minister's Office, located at the deepest part of the headquarters complex, is an independent three-courtyard compound with flying eaves and bracket sets, exuding an imposing aura. Several ancient pine trees with gnarled branches grow in the courtyard, remaining verdant even in late autumn, though their green hue carries a somber, dark hue. The air is filled with a faint, high-quality scent of agarwood, yet it cannot suppress the pervasive, cold, and chilling atmosphere inherent to the core of power.
Inside the duty room, the windows were bright and the tables spotless. A thick, dark blue Western Region velvet carpet covered the floor, making no sound underfoot. Against the north wall stood a large rosewood desk, behind which sat an elderly man dressed in a crimson official robe embroidered with cranes and auspicious clouds. The old man was about sixty years old, with a lean face and a meticulously trimmed three-strand beard. His complexion was ruddy, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp and deep, like the cold water of an ancient pool. When his gaze swept over someone, it seemed as if he could see into the most hidden corners of their heart. He was none other than Zhao Yuankui, the Grand Secretary of the Demon Suppression Division.
At this moment, he held in his hands a copy of a routine official document from Qingzhou Prefecture, and another confidential report with even smaller handwriting, written with a special solution and requiring a lamp to develop. The document was submitted by Zhou Yan, and its content was almost identical to that received by Liu Wenhuan: Liu Xiong had encountered danger at Qixing'ao, Zhao Kun had gone missing while investigating a case, and Zheng Tong and Sun Wenyuan were temporarily appointed to act in his place. The wording was precise, logical, and without any faults.
But the secret report made Zhao Yuankui frown slightly. The report came from another, deeper, hidden contact in Qingzhou Prefecture. It not only confirmed the matter of Liu Xiong and Zhao Kun, but also mentioned Zhou Yan's recent unusual behavior—frequently reviewing old files, secretly contacting veteran officials, and... that recently prominent inspector Lin Yan, who seemed to be in close contact with Zhou Yan, and had recently shown signs of secretly going out and mobilizing craftsmen and materials.
Liu Xiong... Zhao Kun...
He was familiar with these two names. Liu Xiong was an important pawn he had secretly cultivated and placed in Qingzhou Prefecture, responsible for the clandestine "blood crystal" transportation route. Zhao Kun was Liu Xiong's capable assistant, and also someone who knew a great deal about the inside story. Now, the two of them had almost simultaneously run into trouble, and their disappearances were so "clean"—neither alive nor dead…
What a coincidence!
What alarmed him even more was the sudden breakdown of his connection with Liu Xiong. Although Liu Xiong was merely the head constable of Qingzhou Prefecture, Liu Ba, behind him, was his capable deputy envoy and a crucial link to "the other side." Liu Xiong had cultivated his influence in Qingzhou Prefecture for many years, providing considerable convenience and resources to "the other side." His sudden disappearance, along with Zhao Kun's vanishing without a trace, was no accident.
Did Zhou Yan discover something? Or was it Lin Yan's doing? Or perhaps... something unexpected happened in Qingzhou Prefecture that he was unaware of?
Zhao Yuankui put down the secret report, leaned back in the cool, comfortable armchair, and closed his eyes in deep thought. His fingertips tapped lightly on the smooth armrest, producing a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound that echoed in the quiet duty room.
After a long while, he opened his eyes, which were now filled with a resolute and cold light.
"Someone come here."
The attendants standing outside the duty room immediately bowed and went inside.
"Go and invite Vice Envoy Liu Ba over." Zhao Yuankui's voice was calm and even.
"Yes."
A short while later, a series of steady yet slightly hurried footsteps approached. The curtain was lifted, and a tall, middle-aged man with a face that bore a five or six-point resemblance to Liu Xiong, but was even more imposing and aloof, strode in. He too wore the high-ranking official robes of the Demon Suppression Division, the dark green background embroidered with more intricate python patterns. His aura was deep and heavy, and his movements carried the subtle force of wind and thunder, clearly indicating that he was a cultivator at the late stage of the Core Formation realm. He was none other than Liu Xiong's elder brother, Liu Ba, the Deputy Envoy of the Headquarters.
"Your Excellency, Minister." Liu Ba clasped his hands in a salute, his voice booming, yet tinged with barely suppressed anxiety. He had clearly already caught wind of what was happening.
"Sit." Zhao Yuankui gestured to the chair below him. After Liu Ba sat down, he pushed the secret report in front of him. "You probably know about the situation in Qingzhou Prefecture. This is the detailed information that just arrived."
Liu Ba took the secret report and quickly scanned it, his face growing increasingly grim, especially when he saw phrases like "Liu Xiong's whereabouts unknown" and "Zhou Yan promotes his cronies," causing veins on his forehead to bulge slightly. He suddenly looked up, his eyes burning with rage: "My lord! This is no accident! That old scoundrel Zhou Yan must have discovered that my brother was investigating him and plotted to frame him! And that Lin Yan, a mere inspector, has repeatedly ruined my brother's plans; he must be implicated this time! I request permission to immediately go to Qingzhou Prefecture to investigate the truth, seek justice for my brother, and purge the branch!"
Zhao Yuankui watched him quietly, and only after he had vented did he slowly say, "I am also saddened by Liu Xiong's matter. However, Zhou Yan's official report is well-founded, and there has been no large-scale disturbance reported in Qingzhou Prefecture. If you rashly go to question him as the Deputy Chief of the General Headquarters, without solid evidence, it will be difficult to convince the public and will only give them ammunition to criticize you."
Liu Ba exclaimed anxiously, "Are we just going to let Zhou Yan run rampant in Qingzhou Prefecture, harming his colleagues?!"
"Of course not." A glint flashed in Zhao Yuankui's eyes. "I summoned you here precisely for this reason." He picked up a prepared warrant from the table and handed it to Liu Ba. "In Qingzhou Prefecture, important officials have been missing or encountered danger one after another, and there have also been major personnel changes at the branch headquarters. To prevent any loss of territory, the headquarters has the authority to dispatch an inspector to inspect and assist in the affairs, ensuring that the Demon Suppression Division maintains strict discipline and that the region remains stable."
Liu Ba took the warrant, unfolded it, and saw that it not only granted him the title of "Inspector", but also gave him the authority to "act expediently and deal with emergency or suspicious situations first and then report." The warrant was stamped with the bright red seal of the Minister of the Demon Suppression Division.
"Take this edict to Qingzhou Prefecture," Zhao Yuankui's voice was deep and powerful. "On the surface, it's to inspect branch affairs, rectify discipline, and investigate Liu Xiong and Zhao Kun. But secretly..." He paused, his gaze sharp as a blade falling on Liu Ba's face, "I want you to find out a few things: First, whether the real reason for Liu Xiong and Zhao Kun's disappearance is related to Zhou Yan and Lin Yan; second, the purpose of Zhou Yan's recent unusual behavior; third, whether there are any unknown changes or... ulterior motives within Qingzhou Prefecture."
He leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming more serious: "Liu Ba, you must avenge your brother, but even more important is ensuring that the Qingzhou Prefecture connection remains intact and doesn't fall into the wrong hands, lest it ruin the important matters 'over there'! Do you understand?"
Liu Ba gripped the imperial edict tightly, his knuckles turning white. His eyes flashed with hatred and murderous intent. He clasped his hands heavily in a fist salute: "Your subordinate understands! Please rest assured, sir! Your subordinate will investigate Qingzhou Prefecture thoroughly! If it truly was Zhou Yan and Lin Yan who caused this, your subordinate will make them pay the price!"
"Very good." Zhao Yuankui nodded. "Remember, proceed with caution and plan carefully before acting. Zhou Yan is not someone to be trifled with, and that Lin Yan... also requires caution. If necessary, use all available means. I am in the capital, awaiting your news."
"Yes!" Liu Ba solemnly accepted the order, turned around and strode away, his back carrying an uncontrollable, fierce aura as if he were about to draw his sword and drink blood.