Mu Qing

Slanted sunlight filtered through the window lattice into the dim, quiet hall. Zhou Chen sat behind a sandalwood desk, chin propped in one hand, an official dispatch in the other. His eyelids drooped as he skimmed through it half-heartedly, every inch of him exuding sheer indolence. The dispatch in his hand was a message from neighboring Nanlong Province. The chief over there hoped their Xize Province could offer some financial aid or dispatch some personnel to assist as appropriate. When he had first received this sort of letter, he couldn't have taken it more seriously. After all, the situation described in the dispatch was dire in the extreme; without reinforcements, the overall situation would likely fall apart at the final hurdle. Yet when he had gathered the men and supplies and rushed overnight to give Mr. Mu a lengthy report, the reply he received was a curt seven words: "No money, no men. Tell him to get lost." Only after asking did Zhou Chen discover that the plea for help was entirely laced with sophisticated, veiled rhetoric. Their friendly forces next door were merely mooching off them. Xize Province wasn't valued, so every so often, the Black Scale Guard chiefs from neighboring provinces would eye their meager scraps. *Your Black Scale branch in Xize Province is practically superfluous anyway, so why not hand your limited resources over to the rest of us?* Having read the last word and confirmed it was yet another masterclass in evasive double-talk, Zhou Chen treated the appeal like scrap paper and burned it. Reaching casually into a wooden box on the desk, he pulled out a rolled cigarette, lit it with a fire striker, leaned back against his chair, and half-closed his eyes as he puffed away. The mellow tobacco swirled through his lungs, soothing his mind before being exhaled into the air. Zhou Chen had actually been quite conflicted lately. Presumably, the higher-ups were preparing for major moves. Since the start of spring, the Black Scale Guards throughout Great Yan had been operating at peak capacity, with mid- and high-level officers across the realm practically working around the clock, all twelve two-hour periods of the day. As for Xize Province? It wasn't completely devoid of duties, but one could wrap up the day's work in two two-hour intervals and call it a day. Had the Third Young Master not arrived in Xize Province on inspection, Zhou Chen would have happily clocked out to visit a brothel with a clear conscience. The bronzed, dark-skinned courtesans out here in the Western Desert had a unique charm of their own. But now, even when his desk was cleared, Zhou Chen had to bide his time and stay put at his post. Last time, his utter ignorance when questioned by the Third Young Master had already cost him plenty of favor. If the young master came to inspect again and caught him frolicking in a brothel, he probably wouldn't have a job left to do. "Whew..." Exhaling another puff of smoke, Zhou Chen tapped his finger, flicking the ash into an incense burner, and grumbled helplessly in his thoughts: *Even the cleverest housewife can't make a meal without rice, let alone build an intelligence network.* Among the fourteen provinces of Great Yan, Xize was likely the only one where the Black Scale Guards had yet to establish a comprehensive intelligence network. There were many reasons: a late start, meager funding, and the fact that newly promoted talents were consistently snatched up by Black Scale Guard chiefs from other provinces during the year-end banquets. But beyond all that, Zhou Chen had also picked up on other clues. His direct superior, Mr. Mu, seemed to have simply checked out and given up. The provincial directors of the Black Scale Guards possessed immense autonomy. As the Third Young Master put it, directors could fully exercise their own subjective initiative. So long as the mission was accomplished and didn't compromise the Prime Minister's Manor's core interests, any means were fair game. In other words, you could resort to the sleaziest underhanded tactics to procure money and manpower. If you had the ability, you could even plant your own people into the seat of Prefectural Governor; far from stopping you, the Prime Minister's Manor would drum up support for you in the imperial court. And what about this Mr. Mu? From what Zhou Chen knew, Although Mr. Mu dutifully carried out the missions assigned from Di'an, once the allocated funds and rations ran out, he would simply wait until next year to continue. He showed virtually zero initiative. Over more than a decade, to say nothing of the Western Desert's lucrative Dachao slave markets, Mr. Mu had let even the Black Scale Guards' own intelligence brokerage fall into near abandonment, netting barely more than a hundred thousand taels of patterned silver in extra revenue each year. When he first realized this, Zhou Chen had been happy to coast along in leisure. Because the Third Young Master was dead, Zhou Chen had little prospect of climbing higher along that line of patronage anyway, so having an undemanding, unpretentious boss who looked the other way was as cushy as it got. But upon learning that the Third Young Master was alive, Zhou Chen had begun to harbor grievances toward his slacking superior over the past few days. If you're short on cash to get things done, go make cash! With an apparatus of violence like the Black Scale Guards at your disposal, there were countless ways to rake in silver. If you won't do it, hand it over to Zhou Chen—across an entire province, he could easily bring in two to three million taels of patterned silver a year! But unfortunately, when Mr. Mu returned to the prefectural city three days ago, Zhou Chen went to voice this ambition, only to be flatly turned down. Son of a bitch. If you don't want to advance your career, I still want to advance mine! Snuffing out the dying cigarette butt against the incense burner, Zhou Chen rubbed the bridge of his brow, his low voice tinged with contemplation: "The authority of the Zhenxi Manor Directorate is quite substantial. Perhaps through the Third Young Master's connections, I could act first and report later—just take over the reins directly?" "Whose reins are you thinking of taking over?" "..." The sudden, gentle male voice from outside the door made Zhou Chen reach instinctively for the sword on his desk. But recognizing that familiar cadence, he flashed forward in an instant, swung the door open, and swept the smoke from the room with a spell. The afternoon sunlight poured through the open doorway. As Zhou Chen's eyes adjusted to the light to take in the person standing outside, he cleared his throat and smiled. "The young master is indeed a peerless prodigy—to penetrate a sound-dampening formation without Zhou noticing..." Flattering in subdued tones, Zhou Chen carefully observed the young man's expression. Catching the gloom between his brows, his heart sank involuntarily. In the midst of his thoughts, a fragrant breeze brushed past him. The diminutive woman beside the Third Young Master, wearing a white silk veiled hat, had already strolled into the room on her own. At the sight, Zhou Chen hastily stepped aside. "Young Master, please, come inside." "..." Without a word, Xu Yuan glanced at the room's layout and walked straight to the head seat to sit down. This branch of the Black Scale Guards was established in an inconspicuous residential area, inside a modest siheyuan courtyard. Removing the veiled hat from his head and setting it on the desk, Xu Yuan looked at the somewhat uneasy Grandmaster Zhou before him. Recalling the man's cynical, irreverent air when they had first met, Xu Yuan gave a slight shake of his head. "Mr. Zhou, what was it you were hoping to do just now using my connections?" "..." The moment Zhou Chen heard the question, he groaned inwardly. His words had been overheard by the Third Young Master, of all times. If he didn't report truthfully, the Third Young Master would likely be displeased; if he did, he would offend his direct superior, and Mr. Mu wasn't going to be dismissed over something like this. Yet after brief deliberation, Zhou Chen immediately reached a conclusion. Everything he had right now was built upon his ties to the Third Young Master. He had to distinguish primary from secondary, making the Third Young Master's interests his baseline for everything. Choosing his words carefully, Zhou Chen gave a brief overview of his recent thoughts, then waited gingerly for the Third Young Master's orders. After sorting through his thoughts, Xu Yuan looked at Zhou Chen, sighed softly, and uttered four words: "It is too late." Hearing this, Zhou Chen froze for a moment, instinctively opening his mouth to speak, but Xu Yuan cut him off with a raised hand. Piecing the information together, Xu Yuan looked at Zhou Chen, a tinge of pity in his eyes. "Mr. Zhou, such a simple test, and you only figured it out just now? "Di'an is well aware of Mr. Mu's conduct. Did Lou Ji transfer you here, as one of my trusted confidants, really just so you could retire in peace?" "..." *I'm done for...* Zhou Chen's mind went blank for a heartbeat, but soon kicked back into gear. No, it wasn't over. If the Third Young Master intended to abandon him, he wouldn't have said this to him. Promptly bowing in a solemn salute, Zhou Chen said in a deep voice, "Zhou Chen has failed the young master's grace. I beg the young master to punish me." "Drop the act." Leaning back in his chair with a touch of weariness, Xu Yuan said evenly, "Being able to change your tune immediately upon seeing me barely qualifies as passing. But remember, this is the last time." "Understood." Zhou Chen bowed even lower. Xu Yuan didn't tell him to rise, letting him stand there awkwardly for a moment before suddenly asking in a quiet voice, "You said earlier that Mr. Mu returned to Zhenxi Manor?" Zhou Chen cautiously raised his eyes to peek at Xu Yuan's expression. Seeing his face, his heart trembled, and he answered honestly, "Yes, Mr. Mu returned to the prefectural city three days ago." Tapping his slender index finger against the desk, Xu Yuan said, "Go prepare a communication crystal room, then have Mr. Mu come see me." "A communication Source Crystal can be arranged right away," Zhou Chen said, hesitating slightly before reminding in a low voice, "but as for Mr. Mu... given your current identity, Young Master..." *Clang.* With a crisp metallic ring, a token was tossed at Zhou Chen's feet. Waving a hand impatiently, Xu Yuan said in a low voice, "The token of the Chief of the Black Scales. Seeing the token is like seeing her in person. Go and return quickly." "Yes, sir." Picking up the token, Zhou Chen vanished from the room in a flash. Before departing, he glanced back into the room and met the Third Young Master's cool, indifferent gaze. "..." Shivering involuntarily, Zhou Chen hurried off to where Mu Qing was. *Over the past few years, the Third Young Master has truly changed so much...* Once Zhou Chen was gone, Tianye sat right down onto the desk, crossed her legs, and idly traced circles in the air with her tender toes. "Is someone with so little ambition really worth protecting?" "He is capable, and loyal." "If he were truly loyal, he wouldn't have waited until you appeared to change his ways." "Loyalty to self-interest is still loyalty." Xu Yuan glanced at her and said casually, "If he can survive this ordeal, he may yet prove useful." Hearing this, the red lips concealed beneath Tianye's white silk veil curved slightly. "Sounds like you've figured out what to do?" Xu Yuan gave a slight nod, his voice calm and low. "Your earlier joke reminded me of a few things I'd overlooked before..." "Which joke?" "That mongrel." "Oh?" Tianye's eyes twinkled with amusement. Turning around with a soft laugh, she pressed her bare foot gently against Xu Yuan's thigh, her voice smiling: "You think that dog is really a Linlang?" "Of course not." Xu Yuan casually gripped the girl's ankle, intending to push it aside. Finding he couldn't budge it, he gave up and said quietly, "If a Great Desert Linlang could enter the city, Zhenxi Prefectural City would have fallen long ago." The girl crossed her arms out of habit, tapping her chin with an index finger as she tilted her head. "If not that, then what exactly did I remind you of?" Xu Yuan took a deep breath and murmured, "The possibility of three Saints attacking the city." "Oh?" "Before, I didn't believe Mu Xingyi's family would attack the city because they had no reason to. But if Li Junwu and the Great Desert Divine Maiden are hiding inside Zhenxi Prefectural City, then they have a reason." "Li Junwu is the Marquis of Zhenxi's legitimate daughter. Why would she hide the fact that she returned to the city?" "That woman isn't an idiot. Putting together what she and the Great Desert Divine Maiden experienced along with their intelligence, she must realize Zhenxi Manor has already been infiltrated by the Mu Family Chamber of Commerce. Unsure of who is friend or foe, the only person she would trust is her own father, the Marquis of Zhenxi." "Fair point... but as I recall, that deranged couple doesn't have any feud with the Great Desert Divine Maiden, do they?" "They don't." Xu Yuan nodded gently, casting his eyes down at his palm. "However, that Saint Tier yin ghost likely has some kind of deal with the Qin family. Back in Di'an City, I was once bewitched by it." "Oho~" Drawing out her tone, Tianye smiled enchantingly. "Are you sure this connection is enough to make that family risk universal condemnation to raid the city?" "I'm not sure, but it's a possibility. Besides, who says the attackers will only be the three of them?" "You mean the Lord of Guyuan?" "Afterward, the fall of Zhenxi Prefectural City can be pinned on Guyuan. Right now, Great Yan doesn't have the bandwidth to cross the Wanxing Mountain Range and launch an expedition against Guyuan anyway." "..." After a moment of earnest thought, Tianye pressed Tianyan's bare foot against the top of Xu Yuan's thigh, her lovely eyes curving as she chuckled softly, "So you're planning to notify the Zhenxi garrison in the name of the Prime Minister's Manor?" "I still need to confirm whether Li Junwu is actually in the city first." Xu Yuan glanced down at her bare foot, a faint smile finally breaking through his gloomy countenance. "The method is simple enough. In a moment, I'll have Zhou Chen, Grandmaster that he is, bellow out something only she and I know. If she is in Zhenxi, she'll naturally come find me." Tianye curled her lip and teased, "You look quite pleased with yourself." "As long as that can be confirmed, the path to breaking this deadlock has already appeared. Why shouldn't I be pleased?" "Is that so?" Tianye murmured noncommittally. Ignoring the playful mockery in her eyes, Xu Yuan asked softly, "You should be able to sense the willow ghost blade, right?" "I can." "Has everything inside it been completely devoured? We're too far away for me to sense it clearly." "I'm just a witness. I can't tell you, Brother~" "Tch." Xu Yuan clicked his tongue, not having truly expected her to divulge anything anyway. With those words, the two fell silent. The time it took an incense stick to burn drifted by. Suddenly, Tianye hopped down from the desk, cast an intrigued glance toward the door, and with a light chuckle stepped quietly behind the desk. The next moment, a knock sounded at the door. Immediately following, A handsome, middle-aged man wearing a black hooded robe walked slowly into the hall. Mu Qing had arrived. And the instant Xu Yuan laid eyes on him, he suddenly understood why the man had been slacking off. The man was wounded, And coiled atop that wound, Was the ominous, maddening aura of the willow ghost blade.