Chapter 311

Peace and Stability Bureau

On the surface, this place is no different from an ordinary wealthy household's residence, with blue-gray bricks and tiles, and a low-key entrance.

Only the constant flow of people of all sorts coming and going, and the gatekeeper's eyes that look murky but are actually as sharp as a hawk's, faintly reveal that this place is out of the ordinary.

Underground, in the vast space that had been excavated and reinforced, lights blazed, as bright as daytime.

Qian Gui sat upright in the innermost room, a chamber filled with maps and clue boards, his face shifting between light and dark in the flickering candlelight.

Before him lay several reports from different channels, his fingers unconsciously tapping the hardwood table, emitting a muffled tat-tat sound.

"Fair weather and timely rain…" he murmured, repeating the phrase sent back from within the False Song realm, his brows furrowed.

His Majesty summoned him urgently in the night, specially establishing the "Wind Hearings Bureau" to demand collection and comparison of trivial information from the two states; behind this there must be profound consideration.

And as His Majesty's sharpest hidden blade, he must detect danger more swiftly and accurately.

"Commander," a subordinate in brown rugged attire, sharp-featured, entered the soundless chamber and reported in a low voice, "Gui-character Seven has reported: three days ago, a caravan from the west arrived in Bian Liang and lodged at the 'Yuelai' inn in the southern city."

Longyou Circuit Minzhou

"The west? Have you checked the travel permits and goods?"

"Checked; the travel permit was issued by Long Right Circuit Min Prefecture, the goods mainly furs and medicinal herbs, appearing problem-free."

Iron Crow Army

"But Gui-character Seven noticed that this caravan's guards had steady steps and sharp eyes, unlike ordinary caravan guards, resembling… veteran soldiers."

"Moreover, among the medicinal herbs they carried, several were not produced in Long Right but are commonly found in the Taihang Mountains area, rare herbs."

Imperial Court

That area is where remnants of the Iron Crow Army are most active.

the foolish ruler

"Find out whom they contacted and what message they conveyed!"

imperial villa

"Understood!" the subordinate received the order and swiftly withdrew.

Qian Gui rose to his feet, walked to the huge map of Bianliangcheng's wards and markets on the wall, and his gaze fell on the location of the southern city's 'Yuelai' inn.

A faint yet persistent intuition told him that behind this seemingly insignificant clue, something might be hidden.

Minzhou Caravan

"Go, retrieve all recent information about caravans from the west, wandering monks, and even refugees, and cross‑check them."

"Focus on those that seem normal but always have one or two tiny details that defy common sense!"

(maybe) South City? Exclude.

Over the next two days, the Jing'an Bureau's massive apparatus, centered on this "Minzhou Merchant Caravan" and all related western personnel, began to operate silently and at high speed.

More clues were salvaged from the tangled mass of information.

A city gate guard recalled that, when the caravan entered the city, the wheel ruts of its cargo wagons seemed slightly deeper than those of wagons carrying comparable goods;

A dockworker, chatting idly, mentioned having once seen members of the caravan briefly conversing with a few men who looked like canal laborers at a tea stall;

Furthermore, an informant hidden among the various sects and schools reported that, recently on the black market, someone seemed to be secretly inquiring about the Imperial Court's new military equipment, and… news of the Emperor's whereabouts.

One clue after another, like scattered pearls, were slowly linked together by Qian Gui in his mind and on his evidence board with invisible threads.

A vague outline gradually became clear.

This is definitely not an ordinary merchant caravan!

What they carry may be more than just furs and medicinal herbs!

What is this extra weight?

Military equipment? Blueprints? Or… Nether Energy Crystal Ore?

Why are they inquiring about military equipment and the Emperor's movements?

Espionage? Sabotage? Or… assassination?

Qian Gui felt a chill rise from his soles.

He dared not delay; he immediately wrote these findings and his deductions into a memorial, personally delivering it to the Imperial City and presenting it before the throne.

Chen Wen read the memorial, fell silent for a moment, and only replied with four characters:

【Investigate thoroughly, close the net.】

Having received the Emperor's clear order, Qian Gui had no further scruples.

An invisible great net silently tightened in the shadows of Bianliangcheng.

On the third day, deep at night.

The southern city's "Yuelai" inn appeared as usual, its lamps already extinguished, sunk into slumber.

Only a guest room beside the rear stable still showed a faint candlelight.

Several men dressed as caravan guards sat around the table, whispering about something.

On the table lay a crude map of Bianliangcheng's defenses, with several points marked in charcoal.

"The message has already been sent; they will send someone to meet us over there."

The leader, a sturdy man, spoke in a low voice.

"Our mission is to confirm the exact route and time by which that foolish sovereign goes to the southern suburbs' imperial villa on the first of each month, and… to try to obtain the schematics of that new crossbow."

"Boss, I hear the fool's personal guards are strict; we…" another person hesitated.

"What's there to fear!" the sturdy man snorted coldly. "As long as we figure out the pattern, there will always be a loophole! Don't forget our lord's deep hatred! And… the masters' promises!"

At the mention of 'lord' and 'masters,' a glint of fervor and resolve flashed in everyone's eyes.

Just then.

Bang!

The latch on the guest room door, like rotten wood, was violently smashed open from outside by a tremendous force!

Amid flying wood shavings, several black shadows surged in like ghosts!

These people moved with incredible speed, silent, and lunged straight at the few people by the table.

An ambush!

The sturdy man reacted extremely quickly, roaring in anger, he snatched up the short blade at hand and charged forward.

The others also drew their concealed weapons.

However, the intruders' skills far exceeded their imagination.

They worked in perfect unison, their moves vicious, targeting joints and vital points—clearly they were experts in grappling who had undergone extremely harsh training.

A brief but fierce struggle erupted in the cramped room, tables and chairs overturned, candle stands fell, and the firelight flickered.

But the fight ended even faster.

Within just a few breaths, those few "caravan guards" had all been joint-locked, pinned hard to the ground, and their mouths quickly stuffed with hemp seeds to prevent them from biting poison to commit suicide.

The sturdy man's eyes nearly burst as he stared fixedly at the expressionless black-clad figures.

Qian Gui stepped slowly in from outside, his boots crushing the shattered wood shavings, making a faint sound.

He didn't even glance at the subdued scouts, walking straight to the table, picking up the city defense map marked with locations, glancing at it, then rummaging through the scattered luggage.

In a hidden compartment, he found several letters written in cipher, and… a small crystal fragment wrapped in oilcloth, emitting a faint bluish glow.

Nether Energy Crystal Ore!

Qian Gui's eyes turned stern.

The evidence is solid!

He crouched down, looking at the sturdy man pinned hard to the ground, his voice terrifyingly calm:

"Speak up, then—your lord… Zhao Kuangyin, and your master… the Iron Crow Army, what scheme are you cooking up this time?"

The man suddenly lifted his head, his eyes filled with hatred and madness, he strained and whimpered, yet could not utter a word.

Qian Gui rose to his feet, brushing off nonexistent dust from his robe.

"Take them back, separate them for detention, and interrogate them thoroughly."

"Prize open their mouths—I… and His Majesty… need to know everything they know."

"Yes!"

The black-clad men, just as silently as they had come, dragged the captives away, leaving the room in utter disarray.

Qian Gui stood in the center of the room, watching the swaying candle flame about to gutter out.

The first spy network sent by the False Song, directly linked to the remnants of the Iron Crow Army, was successfully dismantled.

But this certainly will not be the last.

He seemed to already see that, beyond that veil of light, more dark shadows were stirring, trying to infiltrate the body of Great Chen.

This war without smoke has already opened its curtain.

And his Jing'an Bureau is the first line of defense guarding the dynasty's peace—and also its darkest.