"Temper grace with terror, and bring them to heel like dogs."
Boundless clouds, black as spilled ink, stained the distant sea until it resembled an abyss waiting to devour all who drew near.
Ever since Li Junqing had arrived in this port city, the rain had hardly ceased. A light drizzle every two days, a torrential downpour every five. When he had first arrived, the seaside winter rain had seemed poetic, but watching it day after day inevitably bred weariness. By now, he had grown used to it. After all, what choice did he have beneath another man's roof?
Tossing the secret missive into the charcoal brazier beside him, he turned to look at the emissary sent by the lord of this land, sighing softly.
"The methods handed down by our forebears truly never lose their touch. They work in romance, they work on servants, and not even a behemoth like the Sword Sect can escape them. But Mr. Qi, this prince is already preparing to leave. Why must you still report these wretched affairs to me?"
Though what had transpired at the Tianyuan Grand Gathering was meant to be secret, it could never be concealed from those who paid close attention. As a former overseer of the Imperial Shadow Guard, Li Junqing had the fortune of being one of them—through one of his former subordinates, a commander of ten thousand in the Imperial Shadow Guard.
The man known as Mr. Qi, Xiao Mochen, appeared around thirty years of age. Tall and upright, with handsome features, a touch of cool gravity and depth lingered between his brows. He wore a dark black robe embroidered with the dull-gold cloud patterns of the Imperial Shadow Guard along the collar and cuffs, cinched with a black-jade belt that lent him a steady, enigmatic air. Seated upright and composed, his voice was respectful and solemn.
"Great Yan is the cradle of the realm. Whatever occurs within its borders radiates across the surrounding lands in a thousand ways. Thus, this subordinate believed the news would be of use to Your Highness."
"The truth, please."
"There are matters I do not comprehend, so I came to seek Your Highness's counsel."
"I knew it."
Li Junqing tapped his fingertips against the wooden table, the light thuds echoing in the room. Murmuring softly, he fell into silence, offering no immediate reply.
He could roughly guess what the man wished to ask.
He was asking where the world was heading.
Across this vast earth, who would rule supreme?
Save for the two or three who truly steered the helm, every soul—from commoners in the streets to scions of the imperial bloodline—was searching for a way out of the brewing chaos. This high-ranking officer of the Imperial Shadow Guard was no exception.
Li Junqing's former station, the people he had encountered, and the intelligence he possessed gave him the insight to offer guidance, yet he had no desire to answer the question.
He was no longer the master this man served, nor did he bear any duty to lead him through the encroaching storm.
Yet, looking upon this once unswervingly loyal subordinate, he ultimately sighed.
"Ask."
"......"
Mr. Qi knelt upright and bowed low. "From the latest reports of the Tianyuan Grand Gathering, the hidden sects' actions are exceedingly strange. They clearly held the power to deal the Sword Sect a crippling blow, yet at the critical moment, they stayed their hand. Not only did they refrain from pressing their advantage, but they even began safeguarding the Sword Sect's interests to a degree, faintly hinting at partitioning the Sect Alliance between them."
The charcoal crackled in the brazier.
Li Junqing composed himself and smiled, countering, "Do you find that strange?"
"Yes."
"I do not find it strange in the slightest."
"I await Your Highness's instruction."
"Because Prime Minister Xu and Imperial Father pushed the hidden sects to the brink of collapse, forcing them to hedge their bets. They must suppress the Sword Sect to seize control of the Sect Alliance, yet they cannot stomach the losses that would come if the Sword Sect fought back with suicidal desperation. And so, they can only leave things hanging in midair, just as they are now."
"......" Mr. Qi fell silent.
"......"
In the quiet, Li Junqing rose and walked toward the terrace, looking out the window.
The pavilion was built atop a coastal peak, isolated from the rest of the world. Standing there and gazing down offered a commanding view of the magnificent coastal metropolis below, as well as the boundless expanse of the ocean.
After staring at the vista for a dozen breaths, Li Junqing suddenly murmured to himself, "Ah, no. That fellow should also receive some of the credit."
"That fellow?" Mr. Qi prompted.
"Xu Changtian, of course."
Li Junqing narrowed his eyes. "Sometimes, I truly wonder where this world would be heading had he not burst onto the scene out of nowhere."
A trace of astonishment colored Mr. Qi's voice. "Are you placing the Third Young Master on equal footing with... those two?"
Li Junqing looked out at the rain-drenched metropolis, his eyes dark as an abyss.
"I used to think just as you do now. In demeanor, speech, and the way he handled crises, Xu Changtian seemed nothing more than a successor—a capable man standing on the shoulders of giants, nowhere near the level of those two. But those involved are often blinded, while onlookers see clearly. Since stepping beyond the borders of Great Yan and looking back from a fresh vantage point, some things have begun to look far too coincidental."
Mr. Qi assumed a solemn expression, listening in silence.
After a long pause, Li Junqing spoke a year.
"The forty-fourth year of Jiajing.
"As a commander of the Imperial Shadow Guard, you ought to know how drastically the intelligence regarding the hidden sects shifted around that time.
"Before then, our imperial clan and the hidden sects stayed well out of each other's way. Not a single report of sedition ever reached us.
"After that, first came the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion's revelation that the hidden sects intended to reenter the mortal realm, followed by the incident at Zhenxi Manor exposing their ambitions to seize the empire, and now, this open power grab at Tianyuan.
"And coincidentally enough...
"Xu Changtian began to show his brilliance in that very same forty-fourth year of Jiajing."
Hearing this, the threads of intelligence in Mr. Qi's mind aligned one by one, and a wave of shock silently surged within his chest.
Intelligence was like grass snakes in the dust or veins of gray chalk stretching across a thousand li; even if the hidden sects lurking in the shadows of Great Yan were to expose themselves, it should have been a gradual process. Yet around the forty-fourth year of Jiajing, the intelligence regarding them had exploded tenfold and more.
Steeling his composure, Mr. Qi chose his words carefully. "Was it Xu Changtian who forced those hidden sects to show their hand and move their pieces ahead of time?"
Li Junqing let out a soft chuckle, breaking the heavy tension. "Loath as I am to admit that fellow possessed such ability, there seems to be no other explanation. In any case, where Xu Changtian is concerned, no matter how trivial the detail, you must pay close heed."
Mr. Qi bowed his head with grave sincerity. "This subordinate shall keep it firmly in mind."
"......"
Li Junqing exhaled a long breath and lamented softly, "Hurry and make your preparations. In my personal view, this looming war between the dynasty and the Sect Alliance is unlikely to drag into a protracted struggle that leaves nine out of ten homes empty. In as few as several months, or two years at most, the outcome will be decided."
"......" Mr. Qi remained silent.
As if anticipating this reaction, Li Junqing sat back down in the lounge chair, his fingers lightly tapping its back as he spoke in an unhurried cadence.
"You seem to disagree? Naturally. Affairs of the state and military are no laughing matter. Throughout history, wars of dynastic transition have been measured in decades, even whole sexagenary cycles. One would preserve their own strength while whittling down the opponent bit by bit, seeking the decisive opportunity only after securing every advantage.
"Yet Mr. Qi, times have changed.
"The hidden sects used the Tianyuan Grand Gathering to display their might to the world, but in doing so, they also exposed how severely their resources are stretched.
"Before this, they could place their pieces steadily and silently, evading the notice of both the imperial clan and the Prime Minister. But look at the methods they are resorting to now.
"Ran Jianli's death was indeed a brilliant stroke that cleared away many obstacles, but the means they subsequently used to consolidate power are vulgar enough to sicken anyone—money."
At this, Li Junqing involuntarily grinned and chuckled softly, as if telling a grand joke.
"What they did has turned the Sect Alliance from an originally stable behemoth into a grotesque monstrosity—far more twisted than the current standoff between the Emperor and the Prime Minister at court.
"Of course, talk is cheap when one stands on the sidelines. If the hidden sects wished to accelerate the consolidation of power in the Sect Alliance, throwing money was undoubtedly the most practical and efficient way. But by doing so, they cannot afford any delay. Authority gathered by conceding profits cannot endure; give it a little time, and they will tear themselves apart."
The chilly wind brushed his temples, leaving a brief silence in the room.
A strange light flickered in Mr. Qi's eyes as he whispered, "In that case, so long as we drag things out, the Sect Alliance will collapse on its own—"
"Stop daydreaming."
Li Junqing's gaze sharpened, and he shook his head with a faint smile. "If an outsider like me can see through this, how could the decision-makers among the hidden sects fail to notice? When I spoke of great upheavals, I was not merely referring to the Sect Alliance. After all, the one in our palace truly does not have much time left."
Mr. Qi drew a sharp breath, his eyes filled with shock and doubt. "Is the Sect Alliance gambling that His Majesty will move against the Prime Minister's Manor?"
"It is not a gamble. It is an inevitability."
"......"
"......"
Calming his thoughts, Li Junqing broke the silence. "I have spoken all I can regarding the future. It may not unfold as I foresee. Which path you choose to walk will ultimately depend on yourselves."
Mr. Qi asked abruptly, "Is Your Highness truly preparing to leave?"
Li Junqing gave a soft laugh. "Asking that... are you reluctant to see this prince go?"
Mr. Qi stroked the dark embroidery along his cuff. "I merely feel that with Your Highness's talents, you should not—"
"A minister does not serve two lords."
Li Junqing cut him off, a mix of nostalgia and regret welling in his heart, yet his tone remained sharp in admonition. "You are crossing the line with talk like this. If my Second Brother heard of it, a rift would inevitably form in his heart."
Mr. Qi fell quiet for a moment before replying, "A man ought to know gratitude; how does one who knows no gratitude differ from a beast? Even on the eve of your departure, Your Highness did not forget us. We ought to repay you with our lives—"
"A minister does not serve two lords!"
Li Junqing cut him off once more, repeating the words as he waved a hand, his eyes half-lidded. "You were merely part of a transaction between my Second Brother and me."
Unmoved, Mr. Qi kept his voice flat and reverent. "How those above maneuver is Your Highness's affair, but to us, your actions granted us a way to live. Had Your Highness not acted as the bridge, we, as your personal retainers, would most likely have sunk into the abyss alongside the Crown Prince."
As an intelligence network directly answering to the imperial house, the Imperial Shadow Guard had rarely been given many chances to choose sides.
They could either dutifully serve the Emperor, treating the imperial prince parachuted in over them as a mere puppet,
or they could throw their full weight behind that managing prince to gamble on the merits of elevating a sovereign to the throne.
And this generation of the Imperial Shadow Guard had chosen the latter.
They had placed their wagers on Li Junqing.
Recalling this, Li Junqing sighed with a self-deprecating smile. "Even if my Second Brother ascends the dragon throne, he would not execute you. He stepped up in a time of crisis; much of what he does must be anchored in maintaining stability."
"That would only be a temporary reprieve. You gave the Second Prince a reason to trust us."
"......"
Silence fell.
Li Junqing drew a deep breath and said faintly, "An opportunity to win trust is not so easily found. It seems some major events have occurred in Di'an City recently... Stop. There is no need to report on that. Having gone through so much trouble to step out of it all, I naturally have no intention of stepping back in."
A glimmer of regret flickered beneath Mr. Qi's cowl. Lowering his head, he cupped his hands. "Understood."
"......"
After gazing at him for several breaths, Li Junqing leaned back against the rocking chair behind him, glancing out the window. His voice sank low.
"My apologies, Mr. Qi."
The drizzle fell softly. Dark clouds roiled unceasingly along the horizon as the cold wind bore down upon the withered trees.
The Imperial Shadow Guard had staked their wagers on him long ago when he possessed nothing, yet as their leader, he had let that trust down.
Hearing this, Mr. Qi looked up at Li Junqing and suddenly asked, "Does Your Highness still recall that debate between us all those years ago regarding 'the times and the hero'?"
Li Junqing searched his memory, recalling the man he used to be, and smiled. "Why bring up old, rotten grain from years past?"
Mr. Qi murmured, "On that day, this subordinate insisted that in this world, 'the times make the hero.' Yet looking at it now, it seems I was the one who lost."
Li Junqing froze for a moment, asking with a strange expression, "Why bring that up so suddenly?"
Choosing his words with care, Mr. Qi said gravely, "The passing of the Imperial Preceptor has shaken the Sword Sect far more than I anticipated. The Sword Sect should count itself fortunate for the solidarity among its leadership; had even one or two of those six sword masters harbored impure intentions, the sect's ruin might well have already begun.
"Yet even with the upper echelon holding firm, clans among the middle and lower tiers of the Sword Sect have already begun making contact with us, looking to sell themselves to the highest bidder. If this is happening on our imperial side, one can only imagine how many more within the Sword Sect are reaching out to the hidden sects to defect."
Here, Mr. Qi paused, a sigh of derision escaping him.
"Furthermore, Your Highness, these are only the ripples within the Sword Sect caused by the Preceptor's death. Looking across the entire Sect Alliance, many of the Sword Sect's former adherents have begun questioning whether the sect can still protect their interests."
Li Junqing caught his drift, a flash of disdain passing through his eyes. "You mean to say that had the Imperial Preceptor still lived, none of this would have happened?"
"At least it would not have grown so rampant."
"And that makes you believe 'the hero makes the times'?"
"Yes."
"......"
They huddled around the brazier, the fine rain whispering outside.
After a brief pause, Li Junqing suddenly laughed.
"Ran Jianli was not enough."
Glancing at the blackened ash inside the brazier where the secret missive had burned away, Li Junqing reached out to feel the scorching heat, listening to the crackle of firewood.
"Mr. Qi, whether the Imperial Preceptor lives or dies is not actually important. Even if he were still in this world, he could at most delay the speed of the Sword Sect's decline; he could never reverse the tide.
"I have always disliked grand narratives because they reduce immensely intricate affairs to something simple, attributing the countless reasons leading to an outcome to merely two or three triggers. Yet in this matter, the Preceptor's death was indeed merely bait—bait to lure the Prime Minister's Manor into the water.
"And the hero who makes the times, of whom I spoke back then, is someone whose single thought can bring prosperity to the realm or doom to myriad souls—never someone who ends up as another's bait."
Watching the fiery glow reflected in the Third Prince's deep, dark pupils, Mr. Qi suddenly smiled softly, a mix of lament and fond amusement in his gaze.
"Your Highness has not changed at all."
"......"
Li Junqing was taken aback. After a few breaths of silence, he laughed and scolded, "You bastard, you dared to bait words out of this prince?"
Most capable figures in this world were arrogant, proud of their own talents. When he had first met this imperial prince parachuted in from above, Mr. Qi had felt nothing but disdain for him.
Most high-ranking officers of the Imperial Shadow Guard disliked Li Junqing's cynical flippancy, and disliked his casual, irreverent attitude even more, dismissing him as nothing more than useless dead weight riding on noble blood.
Until that debate over the times and the hero.
On that day,
he had seen in the prince's eyes an absolute determination.
A determination to become the very 'hero' he spoke of.
Their allegiance had begun with ambition, and settled upon talent.
Mr. Qi bowed silently, his voice grave and solemn.
"Your Highness, our willingness to pledge our loyalty to you was a matter of fine birds choosing the right tree to nest in. That circumstances have reached this pass is merely the whim of fate. Yet just as you said, a minister does not serve two lords. We of the Imperial Shadow Guard shall wait under the Second Prince for your return."
"Once I depart, I will likely never return."
"If there is no date of return, this minister shall await my lord for a lifetime."
Chapter 756