Chapter 560: The Strange Affairs of the Xu Mansion

Found out!

Li Yan's heart skipped a beat; he gripped his blade's hilt.

He carried the Dragon-Snake Token—how could they have detected it? Their cultivation must be extraordinary.

Just as Li Yan tensed, ready to strike, a woman's voice came from inside: "It's so late, husband, go to sleep. The New Year's coming—can't we have a few quiet days?"

Her tone was plaintive, full of resentment.

Then the man's voice spoke again.

But this time, his calm was gone—his voice trembled with terror: "Wife, shh, listen—there's a ghost outside!"

"Sigh~ Go to sleep, husband, don't be afraid."

The candle inside went out; faint rustling sounds followed.

It was just a fool…

Li Yan was momentarily speechless.

He'd nearly been frightened by a fool—if this got out, he'd be laughed to death.

He shook his head and continued on, vanishing into the shadows…

Not long after he left, voices came again from inside.

"Husband, what exactly did you see that day?"

"Tangyuan… hehe… tangyuan…"

…………

The Ministry of Rites of the Great Xuan Dynasty had strict rules for house construction.

Though wealthy merchants had recently built lavish mansions, and the court no longer enforced these rules strictly, most officials still dared not overstep.

The Chief Clerk of a Prince's Mansion held the rank of Grade 5.

According to protocol, the residence must be a three-hall sihe courtyard, built with blue bricks and gray tiles; use of glazed tiles and vermilion lacquer was forbidden; the main hall must be three bays wide and five rafters deep.

"The numbers three and five" symbolized the Doctrine of the Mean.

Moreover, the roof ridge could not bear beast finials; beams and pillars must be carved with bamboo-joint patterns, implying moral integrity; floor tiles were often laid in tortoise-back brocade, symbolizing longevity and secrecy.

The Xu Mansion followed these rules exactly.

Li Yan dared not use his spiritual powers to probe freely, fearing he'd alert the guardian stone lions outside, but he knew the house's layout perfectly.

He moved silently, hiding in shadows, leaping over guard posts, evading the sentries' eyes.

No one knew what had happened in the Xu Mansion.

Yet they'd hired over a dozen martial instructors to guard it.

One of them had even reached Hidden Force.

Don't underestimate this—though Hidden Force meant nothing to Li Yan, who could crush it effortlessly, it still placed the man beyond ordinary human limits.

Hidden Force unleashed was brutally powerful.

Ordinary people couldn't withstand it.

With skillful technique, a single palm strike could damage internal organs, causing the victim to bleed out only after returning home.

One who mastered Hidden Force could lead small organizations or become a head guard in a escort company.

Hiring so many men required a great deal of silver.

And this was precisely what puzzled Li Yan.

The Chief Clerk was the Prince's chief steward—why spend extra silver hiring outside martial experts when the Shu Prince had already gathered many martial talents?

Some were willing to flatter and serve.

Moreover, the atmosphere in the Xu Mansion felt off.

Tomorrow was the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month—the day folk sent off the Kitchen God. In Sichuan, people didn't just offer sacrifices to the Kitchen God—they also made tangyuan.

The wealthier the family, the more elaborate their rituals.

Since servants did all the work, they could go as wild as they liked.

But the Xu Mansion showed no festive spirit at all—from top to bottom, it radiated oppression.

Intrigued, Li Yan soon slipped into the back courtyard.

This was where Chief Clerk Xu Yongqing lived.

Usually, the Chief Clerk resided within the Prince's Mansion—convenient for duties and immediate summons.

Especially now, with the Shu Prince gravely ill and the Mansion in chaos, the Chief Clerk was indispensable.

Li Yan had come merely hoping for luck.

But from the guards' words, Xu Yongqing was inside.

The back courtyard had five guards.

The Hidden Force expert even held a sword, sitting cross-legged on the steps, eyes closed, as if guarding the place with his life.

Silent infiltration was nearly impossible.

Li Yan didn't rush—he observed his surroundings.

The back courtyard resembled any official's residence, except for a gilded plaque above the study door: "Guanwei Xuan."

The study's candle glowed dimly, casting a faint shadow of a figure seated at the desk, seemingly reading by lamplight.

Unnoticed, the snowstorm grew fiercer.

Seeing the guards showed no sign of leaving, Li Yan finally grew impatient—he didn't intend to freeze here all night.

With a thought, he no longer hesitated. He pulled down the black cloth from his hat, covering his face, then surged forward.

Shhh!

A dark shadow shot into the courtyard.

The guards were instantly startled.

Some drew blades; others prepared to shout.

But they were too slow.

Whoosh!

An invisible soul-reaping cord lashed out.

The Hidden Force expert had no time to react—he was crushed spiritually, his body stiffening, frozen in place.

Another guard was likewise immobilized.

Li Yan moved at the same moment.

He had trained in Red Fist since childhood—his body was naturally agile. Later, he learned the Northern Emperor's Divine Step, weaving the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams into his movements, making him as spectral as a ghost.

The remaining two guards saw only a blur—then their necks burned with pain, and darkness swallowed their vision.

Thud! Thud!

Li Yan struck the two pinned by the soul-reaping thunder cord with casual blows, knocking them unconscious, then strode toward the study.

Creak~

He pushed the door open—the study's interior came into view.

The study was not lavish, but elegantly arranged. Especially the two rows of multi-compartment bookshelves, densely packed with books meticulously sorted by Classics, Histories, Philosophers, and Collections.

At the desk sat a middle-aged man in blue robes.

His features were thin, with a goatee, wearing a square scholar's cap, a blue robe embroidered with cloud patterns, and a jade pendant at his waist—his attire was refined.

Hearing Li Yan's approach, he didn't turn. He sighed, closed his eyes, and said calmly: "Do it."

Li Yan was surprised. He growled: "No wonder you're dressed so neatly—you're waiting to die?"

The middle-aged man was Chief Clerk Xu Yongqing.

Hearing Li Yan, Xu Yongqing seemed unwilling to respond. He merely kept his eyes shut, stretching his neck.

Interesting…

Li Yan thoughtfully scanned the room.

Everything within became clear to him.

He sneered: "You've hung 'General Yue Fei's Imperial Order to Return' on your wall—so, loyalty and righteousness cannot both be served?"

He stepped to the desk. On the paper lay eight large characters: "My heart is bright as the moon; I die to illuminate the crimson steps."

Xu Yongqing seemed to snap back to awareness. He opened his eyes, turned to Li Yan, and said gravely: "You're not here to kill me? Who sent you?"

Li Yan didn't answer. He asked directly: "The gold and silver shop in the east city—you went there. Do you know who struck?"

Xu Yongqing suddenly understood. "So you're from the Cheng family."

He sighed, shook his head: "This matter does involve me, but I don't know the identity of the attacker."

Li Yan frowned. "What exactly happened?"

Xu Yongqing fell silent for a moment, then spoke: "Senior Cheng Yuanhai and I were old friends. Someone asked me to buy tea and take a few men to visit him."

"Unexpectedly, they attacked during the banquet…"

"That's strange."

Li Yan sneered: "The Shu Prince is gravely ill. Few can command you. Which Commandery Prince is behind this?"

Xu Yongqing clenched his teeth and said nothing.

Li Yan grew displeased. He looked again at the painting of Yue Fei, then suddenly glared: "Is it the Shu Prince? He's faking illness!"

Xu Yongqing trembled, lowering his head. Seeing this, Li Yan felt inexplicable anger. He sneered: "Why are you so slow to act? The one who wants you dead is the Shu Prince, isn't he? What the hell is he playing at?"

Seeing Xu Yongqing still silent, Li Yan's eyes flickered. "You're loyal to them—but they plan to exterminate your entire family. Are you just going to die like this, meekly?"

At these words, Xu Yongqing burst into tears. "Even ants cling to life—who wants to die?"

"Yet I cannot fathom why the Prince has decided to kill me..."

At the same time, commotion arose outside the courtyard.

It was the other guards who had discovered the men knocked unconscious.

"My lord, are you unharmed?!"

Those men were startled and rushed to burst inside.

Li Yan gave a glance; Xu Yongqing sighed faintly, rose, opened the door, and said, "It's nothing—old friends have come calling; it's all a misunderstanding. Everyone, disperse."

Having spoken, he closed the door and returned to the desk.

Li Yan picked up a brush, playing with it as he said, "You hung 'General Yue Fei's Imperial Order to Return,' surely because you disapprove of the Shu Prince's conduct—but out of gratitude, you could only advise him."

Every word, every line, every detail is correct!

"You're clearly waiting to die, yet you hired guards—meaning you still don't want to die. Tell me what's happened."

Xu Yongqing gritted his teeth: "Can you represent the Cheng family?"

Li Yan replied coolly, "Why think so much? Whoever I am, are you truly willing to die without knowing why?"

Those words shattered Xu Yongqing's psychological defenses.

He gripped the desk, trembling all over, veins bulging on his forehead: "What exactly happened? I still don't understand."

"Over the years, the Shu Prince's nature changed drastically. He once trusted me deeply, but later, he stopped letting me handle many matters."

"Recently, the Third Prince died. The Prince flew into a rage, stormed out of the mansion, and caused a riot at the Chengdu Prefectural Office. After returning, he fell ill and never rose again."

"But on that day, he suddenly regained consciousness and ordered me to lead a party to visit Cheng Yuanhai. The guards accompanying us suddenly attacked. Afterwards, they told me to return home."

"The next evening, strange things happened at my home. My third brother got up at night, was terrified by something, and became mad. The next day, we found a dead cat placed at our front gate."

"I know now—the Prince has decided to kill me..."

Li Yan pondered, "Because of the feigned illness?"

"No."

Xu Yongqing swallowed hard, his voice trembling, eyes filled with terror: "The Prince... he spoke to me, and suddenly his white hair turned black—he grew young again!"

As he spoke, as if recalling something, he added in a quavering voice: "Over the years, the Prince has gathered many strange and extraordinary people, searching everywhere for the elixir of immortality."

"I paid it no mind. After all, who wants to die? Even Qin Shi Huang and Han Wu Di failed. I thought the Prince merely resented his fate."

"I never imagined he actually succeeded!"

"Over the years, the Shu Prince's power has grown steadily. He has seized many gunpowder mines—each act a capital crime."

"I grew afraid, felt I had betrayed the court. I tried to advise him several times, but he ignored me—and took away my official seal..."

The more he spoke, the more terrified he became, his body shaking uncontrollably.

Seeing his state, Li Yan was not surprised.

The position of Chief Secretary may seem prestigious, but it is in fact awkward.

Though a fifth-rank official, he ranks below local Prefects, and holds little authority before a Prince. He often endures pressure from both sides.

Those appointed as Chief Secretary are all genuine imperial examination graduates, yet because of this post, senior court officials regard it as a "useless, idle post," with virtually no chance of promotion.

The worst part is their duties.

According to Da Xuan Dynasty regulations, the Chief Secretary is responsible for advising the Prince, acting as the court's eyes and ears, and must submit secret reports to the Emperor regularly—the "chain" by which the central court monitors the Princes.

Yet the Chief Secretary holds no real authority before the Prince.

If the Prince rebels, the Chief Secretary may be implicated for "negligence";

if he reports the Prince's misdeeds, he risks retaliation.

In short, he lives in unbearable misery.

Seeing the Shu Prince's suspicion of rebellion—and his inexplicable reversal of aging—this old scholar had long since broken down.

Thinking of this, Li Yan asked sternly: "Why didn't you report it?"

"I can't leave!"

Xu Yongqing leapt to his feet, eyes wide with terror: "I sent men during the day to meet the Censor in Chengdu—but no matter how far they walked, they inexplicably returned home..."

"At night, I tried to flee—but as soon as I stepped beyond the courtyard gate, I heard a voice in my ears."

Li Yan frowned. "What voice?"

Before he finished speaking, a faint, hoarse voice drifted from the darkness outside the window.

"Selling tangyuan~ selling tangyuan~"

"That's it! That's it!"

Xu Yongqing went mad, clutching Li Yan's sleeve desperately, eyes bloodshot: "Did you hear it? Did you hear it?!"

"Hmph!"

Li Yan shoved Xu Yongqing away and called coldly toward the window: "Who are you? Playing tricks on me?"

Saying this, he dragged Xu Yongqing straight out of the study.

As soon as they stepped outside, they realized something was wrong.

Everyone in the courtyard stood motionless—including the guards—heads bowed, like wooden puppets.

Though snow and wind howled, the air was utterly silent.

Crack!

The sound of stone shattering came from afar.

Faintly, the wail of some beast faded into the distance.

The guardian stone lions were destroyed!

Li Yan instantly understood.

He narrowed his eyes, formed a hand seal, and drew a deep breath.

Now that trouble had come, there was no need to conceal himself—he could unleash his full spiritual power to probe the surroundings.

He immediately detected the anomaly.

A sweet fragrance permeated the courtyard.

His sense of smell could easily distinguish red sugar, walnuts, peanuts, sesame, lard...

It was tangyuan filling!

When he left, the Prince's mansion had been preparing for the festival; many elderly maids had made plenty—he remembered clearly.

But this scent was strange.

It carried a faint stench of blood.

It clung thickly to everyone's bodies.

Only Xu Yongqing was untouched.

As soon as he stepped out, the "selling tangyuan" voice ceased—and his spiritual senses found no trace of the source.

What kind of dark art is this?

Li Yan frowned and asked: "Has anyone in the mansion eaten tangyuan these past days?"

Xu Yongqing looked fearfully around: "The kitchen maids made some—they all ate it. I dislike sweets, so I didn't touch any."

"Let's go to the kitchen!"

Without hesitation, Li Yan dragged Xu Yongqing forward.

"Roar!"

The guards suddenly raised their heads, eyes wild, faces turned ashen, drool streaming, lunging wildly at them.

Li Yan ignored them entirely, striding forward.

The Soul-Stealing Thunder Chain rattled—and before the guards could reach them, they collapsed with a thud, motionless.

These men had all been poisoned by some curse, driven mad, stripped of will. Li Yan had no desire to kill them.

He dragged Xu Yongqing along simply to protect him from being silenced.

After all, this man was key to exposing the Shu Prince.

Arriving at the kitchen, it was empty. Beyond, the servants' quarters stood wide open; a maid lay dead on the ground, blood streaming from all seven orifices, her skull crushed.

"Go!"

Li Yan said nothing more, dragging Xu Yongqing out of the Xu mansion.

Those still alive inside the compound were now in greater danger.

It was deep night. Snow and wind howled through the streets; red lanterns swayed faintly; all was silent.

Xu Yongqing, dragged along by Li Yan, was in utter disarray, trembling: "Where are we going?"

Li Yan pondered: "To find that Censor!"

No sooner had he spoken than, from afar down the street, the old, hoarse voice drifted again: "Selling tangyuan~ selling tangyuan~"

(End of Chapter)