Chapter 616

After the first lunar month, the weather remained cold.

A thin layer of ice floated on the river outside Wanzhou City.

Crack!

The boat captain, Chen Tuizi, poked the ice seven or eight times with his pole, shattering it enough for the black-canopied boat to barely squeeze into the dock.

The copper bell hanging at the bow had frozen into a solid lump of ice, but the cargo peddler Lao Zhao's curses rang even sharper inside the cabin:

"Damn it, damn heaven—Jingzhe passed three days ago, and my carrying ropes are still frozen stiff as iron!"

At the stern, a herb gatherer huddled, his bamboo basket filled with angelica roots coated in frost; he pulled his tattered cotton robe tighter and chimed in:

"Ain't that the truth? It's been snowing since New Year's, and it's still this cold afterward—never happened before. Feels… unnatural."

At these words, the cabin fell silent.

Lao Zhao narrowed his eyes and muttered, "You think this has something to do with what happened in Chengdu?"

"Could be. I heard it got wild there—people went mad, the snow fell in terrifying patterns, and the earth shook."

"Hey hey hey, folks, we've arrived—stop talking!"

Hearing this, Captain Chen Tuizi quickly cut them off.

The Chengdu incident had passed a month ago; even though common folk traveled less, rumors had spread through merchants across the land.

Rumors now swarmed everywhere.

Some merchants exploited the chaos, claiming a military uprising was coming to Shu, urging people to hoard grain and salt—causing prices to skyrocket…

Others, Jianghu tricksters, spread tales of demons arriving in Shu, selling peach charms everywhere and swindling countless civilians…

The court had strictly forbidden discussion of the matter, arresting many on charges of spreading heretical rumors.

Chen Tuizi had no desire to invite trouble.

Everyone knew the danger; they fell silent, and upon reaching the Wanzhou ferry, they all disembarked and left.

At the stern of the boat sat two men.

One tall, one short; one fat, one thin; their faces darkened by sun and wind, wearing wide-brimmed hats, their backs laden with large cloth bundles.

Since boarding, they had kept their hats low, ignored everyone, closed their eyes to rest—only their ears twitched slightly when Chengdu was mentioned.

Once the others had departed, the two slowly rose.

"Captain."

The taller man spoke with a Xiangxi accent: "Is there a teahouse in Wanzhou called 'Drunk with River Breeze'?"

"Yes, yes."

Captain Chen Tuizi beamed, "It's in the southern part of town—the Luzhou Lu family's aged liquor there is excellent."

He instantly recognized them as Jianghu men.

The Yang family rebellion in Bozhou had just been crushed; many outlaws roamed the southwest—he didn't want to provoke dangerous men and lose his life.

"Lu family's aged liquor?"

The short, stout man, his face covered in beard, licked his lips and asked, "Aren't the Du family's aged liquors the best in Luzhou?"

Chen Tuizi smiled apologetically and shook his head: "You're unaware—the Du family has fallen; the court seized their assets. I don't know the details."

He'd heard rumors, of course, but not knowing their background, he dared not speak too much—it would only invite trouble.

Fortunately, these two had no interest in the Lu-Du feud; after learning the teahouse's location, they disembarked and headed straight into town.

Wanzhou was not large; they found the place quickly.

There, in the southern district, stood a teahouse with a faded banner reading "Drunk with River Breeze"—its wooden beams blackened by age, yet meticulously clean.

"Are you the two Mr. Tangs?"

A man stepped out from the teahouse—tall, with streaks of gray at his temples, clad in a green robe, radiating an unmistakable aura.

It was Zou Shaohai, head of the Sichuan Divine Fist Association.

"Greetings, Master Zou."

The two bowed respectfully, not daring to be careless.

Not only was Zou Shaohai a newly risen Gangjing expert in Sichuan, but his political acumen was formidable.

After associating with Li Yan and others, he had used the suppression of the Worship Dragon Cult as pretext to unite many Sichuan sects—including several from the Eight Leaves of Emei—into the Divine Fist Association.

Originally, the Sichuan Divine Fist Association had been dismissed by all.

But under his leadership, its influence had grown steadily, now showing signs of becoming the third major power in Sichuan after Emei and Qingcheng.

"Hahaha…"

Zou Shaohai laughed heartily and gestured: "Gentlemen, please."

He led them upstairs to a private room; after the tea boy filled their cups, he smiled: "I was nearby on business, received your message, and came straight here to wait."

With his current stature, for him to personally come out to greet them meant their identities were far more significant than they appeared.

These two were from the Meishan Sect.

At present, the Meishan Sect was making waves across the Jianghu, having pioneered firearm techniques.

The power of these new firearms had already reshaped the Jianghu order; Meishan's emergence now proved its fortune.

Thus, Zou Shaohai treated them with great seriousness.

"Master Zou, you're too kind."

The tall, thin middle-aged man bowed solemnly: "My brother and I have come to handle affairs concerning Tang Ling, and we require your assistance."

Tang Ling of the Meishan Sect was their generation's most outstanding disciple, even called the First Demon Hunter of Xiangxi.

To avenge his sister's death, he publicly shot dead the third son of the Prince of Shu, then joined the Wuxiang Young Master.

In Chengdu, the Prince ordered a citywide manhunt; the Wuxiang Young Master, to escape capture, betrayed everyone.

Though the Wuxiang Young Master ultimately met a gruesome end—his body destroyed, soul scattered—Tang Ling and others were imprisoned; after the battle at the Prince's palace, they were transferred to the Chongqing Prefectural Yamen.

Hearing their inquiry, Zou Shaohai sighed and shook his head: "This matter is difficult."

He lowered his voice: "This was a demon's scheme. No matter how deeply the Prince of Shu was involved, he is dead, his debts cleared; the Emperor, remembering old ties, did not label it treason and granted him an honorable burial."

"The Prince of Shu did not rebel. Tang brother publicly killed an imperial prince—evidence is clear—and he used new firearms…"

The short, stout man sipped tea and smiled: "Master Zou, if this were easy, we wouldn't trouble you."

"Since you're willing to meet us, this matter can be resolved!"

Zou Shaohai paused, then smiled: "You must be Brother Tang Hai—I've heard you're clever. Your reputation is well-deserved."

"Correct. This can be done—but you must find the right person."

He dipped his finger in tea and wrote two characters on the wooden table.

"Li Yan?"

The short, stout elder glanced and frowned: "We heard rumors on the road—this Li Yan is a rising young master of the Xuanmen Jianghu, and he was deeply involved in the Chengdu chaos."

"But he's still young—can he influence the court?"

"You don't understand," Zou Shaohai said, sipping tea and sighing. "Qingcheng Mountain has sent out invitations for the Opening Cellar Ceremony—he is one of the honored guests."

Zou Shaohai sipped tea and sighed, "Mount Qingcheng has sent out numerous invitations for the Grand Jiao Opening Ceremony; he is one of the honored guests."

The short, stout elder froze, his expression turning grave.

Qingcheng Mountain in Sichuan was renowned throughout the Xuanmen Jianghu; even now, with Meishan Sect's rising fame, it remained a Fa Sect—still inferior to true Xuanmen orthodox schools.

To become a true Xuanmen orthodox school required meticulous planning; this trip was not only to rescue Tang Ling, but also to attend the Opening Cellar Ceremony.

They had no interest in any treasures.

The key was to seize this opportunity to forge alliances with several factions, sending disciples into the military to gain court support.

The essence of a true Xuanmen orthodox school was participation in state rituals.

This was Meishan Sect's greatest chance in a thousand years.

Not only them—the Deputy Sect Master had already arrived at Qingcheng ahead of time.

Rumor had it that every major faction had sent important figures; it would be a grand Xuanmen event, and being an honored guest was no small thing.

Before he could ask, Zou Shaohai spoke:

"Watch—after the Opening Cellar Ceremony, Li Yan will become famous across the land. Crucially, every court official who benefits from this affair will owe him favors!"

"Just watch—after the Grand Jiao Opening Ceremony, Li Yan will become famous throughout the land; the key is, the court officials who profit from this will all owe him favors!"

The Tang brothers instantly understood…

Upon hearing this, the two Tangs immediately understood…

Night deepened at the Chongqing Commandant's Office.

"Bang bang, third watch—mind the candles!"

The night watchman's voice drew near, then faded, startling the night crows on the eaves, who flapped away into the cold wind.

At his desk, Zhao Xianda, illuminated by a tallow candle, carefully examined several letters, sometimes marking them, sometimes frowning in thought.

Not just him—the entire Commandant's Office burned with light.

The Chengdu affair had ignited a storm in the capital.

Though he had risked his life in Chengdu and performed admirably in battle, securing glory for the Sichuan Commandant's Office, the court offered no reward—clearly, the Emperor was deeply displeased.

All within the Commandant's Office now fretted in silence.

For they knew: no news was often the worst news.

They were the Emperor's hounds, tasked with surveillance across the realm; such a massive scandal could easily lead to their entire office being purged.

Thinking of this, Zhao Xianda returned to his letters.

"On the twentieth day of the first month, the imperial army that had just left Bozhou changed course and headed to Chengdu to suppress rebellion and pacify refugees—hundreds of garrison officers were arrested and sent to the capital for judgment…"

On the twentieth day of the first month, the imperial army that had just left Bozhou changed course and headed for Chengdu to suppress the rebellion and pacify the disaster victims; hundreds of garrison officers were arrested and sent to the capital for processing…

The troops from garrisons near Chengdu have all received orders to be dispatched to Minnan; the Shaizhou garrison has expanded its forces, with some troops transferred into Shu Province…

It seems the court has seized this opportunity to curb the Shu Prince's authority.

Prince Xiao Jinghong, for aiding in quelling the rebellion, has been formally enfeoffed as Prince of Chengdu, his domain reduced to a single city.

Even so, the court no longer trusts the Shu Prince's lineage.

All of this was expected.

The emperor in the capital may even use this incident as an excuse to further weaken the powers of regional princes.

But why send Shu's troops to Minnan?

Zhao Xianda, lost in thought, recalled the briefings he had read earlier.

The Eastern Isles have invaded the Three Han territories, unified internally, and coastal Japanese pirates run rampant, joined by roaming red-haired pirate bands that frequently raid the coasts.

Could it be they're being sent to fight?

Zhao Xianda shook his head slightly and continued analyzing the remaining letters.

After this incident, military command in Shu will surely pass to outsiders—and it won't be weakened, since they still need to suppress and guard against Tibet and the southwest.

What he cared about was another matter.

The affairs in Chengdu are far from over.

The appearance of the Nine Tripods has triggered unrest; the court has already ordered silence on the matter, forbidding any disclosure of the news.

But some things cannot be stopped.

The common folk may not care, but those with ill intentions will pay even closer attention.

It concerns the destiny of Shenzhou, the foundation of the dynasty.

This is their chance to escape blame.

And his own hope for advancement…

Recalling what Li Yan had told him, Zhao Xianda took out more documents from the side and piled them on his desk.

Some of these documents had turned yellow and brittle, chewed by insects and rodents—they were records from the Great Song and previous dynasties regarding the Ghost Sect…

Others were brand new, detailing unusual incidents from various regions.

Logically, such matters should fall under the Enforcement Hall's jurisdiction, but Zhao Xianda doubted their competence.

The Enforcement Hall is staffed by Xuanmen adherents; they may understand occult arts and possess greater combat strength, but in investigation, they are far inferior.

Recalling Li Yan's account, Zhao Xianda felt a chill in his heart.

People like Lu Sheng are not alone!

Zhao Changsheng may be their intermediary.

The saying goes: "Don't enter Shu in youth, don't leave Sichuan in old age."

Shu is too tranquil, its information too isolated.

Zhao Xianda had no intention of being trapped here for life…

…………

Chengdu Prefecture, Shu Prince's Palace.

A squad of officials in black boots, carrying lanterns, walked across the empty palace square, each with uneasy eyes.

Many guards, eunuchs, and palace maids in the palace had participated in the rebellion—some dead, others wounded.

When the imperial army arrived to take control, regardless of whether they had been bewitched by demons, all were suppressed and executed; together with the fallen soldiers, the corpses piled up like mountains.

Now, the palace's damaged areas remain unrepaired.

Though the bodies have been cleared and the masters of Qingcheng Mountain performed rituals, the emptiness and silence still sent shivers down their spines as they walked through.

The only place in the palace still lit was the Eastern Palace.

Yet after patrolling officials passed by, they instinctively kept their distance.

That was where Prince Xiao Jinghong, now Prince of Chengdu, resided.

Though sealed off, everyone—from commoners to officials—knew what had happened in Chengdu.

This Prince of Chengdu had become utterly alone.

In Chengdu, nearly every household had lost someone; white silk hung in almost every home, countless people cursed daily.

Outside the Shu Prince's Palace, garbage piled up constantly, and people urinated and dumped excrement; after the prefecture sent men to clean it, it reappeared the next day.

Gradually, they stopped bothering.

Chengdu's officials avoided him at all costs.

Everyone knew that drawing closer to the Shu Prince's lineage meant certain death—even Xiao Jinghong's master, the great scholar of Shu Yang Duo, had abandoned him.

Of course, no one dared go too far.

Xiao Jinghong's maternal family was the Cheng family.

Cheng Jianxian had suppressed Shu for decades and was revered by the people as a deity; before his death, he had slashed to subdue evil spirits, his glory and deeds spreading far and wide.

Many in Chengdu had erected longevity plaques in his honor.

His tomb beside the Wu Hou Temple was piled high with offerings, its incense never ceasing since burial.

Xiao Jinghong became Prince of Chengdu precisely because of this.

But only up to this point.

With the Sword Immortal dead, the Cheng family, too, was displeased with him…

Inside the Eastern Palace hall, candles flickered dimly.

With no palace maids to clean, dust coated many areas; cracks from the earthquake remained unrepaired.

Cold wind howled through, making the candle flames sway erratically.

In the hall, only Xiao Jinghong sat alone.

His face was grim; he held the bloodstained robe of his princess consort, seated on the throne, silently gazing at the bright moon outside.

The candlelight flickered, casting his face in shifting shadows…

…………

Also gazing at the moon was Li Yan.

By the Jinjiang River, a Dragon Girl Temple had been built.

Li Yan had once promised to help the Dragon Girl gather incense and erect a temple.

These past days, he had been busy with this task.

Normally, building a temple was no simple matter—it required approval from the court and orthodox Xuanmen sects, and the local people's faith.

But after the palace battle, none of these were problems.

Lingyunzi of Qingcheng Sect personally handled Cishi, wielding the sect master's token to perform a grand ritual; the prefecture obtained an imperial edict, enfeoffing her as "Bi Bo Zhao Ling Yuan Jun."

Chengdu's reputation for lifting curses had spread widely.

In a short time, the Dragon Girl Temple became thronged with worshippers.

The people were not foolish; they knew a true deity dwelled within, and offered devout worship, hoping the Dragon Girl Lady would bless Chengdu with favorable rains and harvests, sparing them calamities.

It was deep night; the Dragon Girl Temple was silent and empty.

Wang Daoxuan and the others stepped out, standing beside Li Yan.

"Can we really get in?"

Sha Lifei's face flushed with excitement, his voice trembling.

This time, they weren't doing this for free.

The Dragon Girl's promised reward was the treasure of the Dragon Palace's Water Mansion.

"Of course we can."

Li Yan chuckled, "I just worry you won't be able to carry it…"

Splash!

Before he finished speaking, the Jinjiang surged violently.

Thick white mist spread from the water's center, quickly engulfing the shore and surrounding everyone.

Li Yan and the others immediately sat cross-legged and soon fell asleep…

(End of Chapter)