Chapter 685: The Wang Mansion

The sun had risen, and the spring breeze carried a faint warmth.

Yet Luo Mingzi felt a chill all over his body.

He turned his head and watched the palace gate slowly close, recalling his first arrival in the capital.

Back then, because of his friendship with Li Yan, he had learned of Zhao Changsheng's affairs, reported it, and drawn serious attention; the Xuan Priestess had sent orders, the Emperor himself summoned him, entrusted him with a major task, and specially assigned elite forces to investigate Zhao Changsheng.

At that time, he had been full of ambition and vigor.

Chang'an was not a capital, and in the Pure Yang Palace, he could not compete with those direct disciples.

If he could capture Zhao Changsheng, he would safeguard the Shenzhou realm and not waste years of diligent cultivation.

Who could have imagined he had merely glimpsed the tip of the iceberg?

The deeper he dug, the more horrifying the revelations became.

Now, even beneath the capital's very eyes, it had become a den of demons, leaving him with a sense of helplessness.

Pushing aside his turbulent thoughts, Luo Mingzi quickened his pace.

After passing through the Wu Men gate, Luo Mingzi was led by palace guards to the front of the Fengtian Gate.

The square before this gate was vast, with the Tiren Pavilion on the east and the Hongyi Pavilion on the west; each pavilion's eaves hung twelve bronze sword bells, totaling twenty-four, matching the number of solar terms. Whenever the bell from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau rang, the bell corresponding to the current solar term would vibrate, purging the palace of ill fortune.

The imperial authority of Great Xuan surpassed divine power, and the palace's arrangements were far more ingenious than those of any major Xuan sect.

The court had long ended; the vast square held only Luo Mingzi standing alone.

After waiting a long time, a eunuch holding a fly-whisk hurried over and announced loudly:

"Master Luo, His Majesty summons you to the Jianshen Hall."

"Thank you, Your Excellency."

Luo Mingzi bowed his head in response, then followed the eunuch through the side of the Huagai Hall.

Finally, they arrived at the Jianshen Hall.

The palace layout strictly followed ritual norms: front court, rear quarters, ancestral temple on the left, altar of soil and grain on the right, symmetrical along the central axis.

The front court was the administrative zone; the Fengtian Gate he had just passed through was where the Emperor held court to hear state affairs. Before it, the Golden Water River curved like a bow, symbolizing "Imperial Arrow Subduing Evil," and the five white marble bridges represented "Benevolence, Righteousness, Propriety, Wisdom, and Trustworthiness."

Along the central axis lay three great halls.

The Fengtian Hall, meaning "Upholding Heaven's Mandate," was where the Emperor was crowned and held grand assemblies.

The central Huagai Hall represented the Jade Emperor's protective canopy.

The Jianshen Hall before him symbolized the Emperor's self-cultivation and moral virtue, serving as the venue for imperial examinations and banquets for vassal kings.

Atop the hall's roof, a chi-wen beast clutched a sword—the True Wu Sword of Demon-Slaying, offered by Mount Wudang. As the core of the array, combined with the incense offerings of Shenzhou's realm, even ordinary cultivators would be suppressed, let alone a Earth Immortal.

As Luo Mingzi was about to ascend the steps, a white-bearded Daoist emerged from the palace gate.

The white-bearded Daoist wore splendid robes, exuded an ethereal aura, and wore tortoiseshell spectacles on his nose—it was Bai Chenshan, the Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.

"Greetings, Elder."

Seeing him, Luo Mingzi immediately bowed and saluted.

Bai Chenshan was among the top two fengshui masters in Shenzhou, his status equal to that of the heads of major sects.

"Oh, it's Master Luo, my junior."

Bai Chenshan's face showed clear fatigue; he shook his head and said, "I've just returned from Yuzhou, reporting to His Majesty on the calendar revisions."

He lowered his voice: "His Majesty seems to be in a foul mood. Be careful."

"Thank you, Elder."

Luo Mingzi bowed again in gratitude.

After Bai Chenshan left, he stepped into the hall.

Inside, towering vermilion pillars rose, their beams and rafters painted with golden dragons and imperial seals; the floor was paved with "golden bricks." Deep within the hall stood a coiled-dragon throne carved from golden sandalwood, behind it a purple sandalwood screen, and on either side, bronze crane incense burners and enamel crane candlesticks.

Behind the dragon throne, the painting "Illustrated Sayings of the Emperors" had once hung, recounting the governance tales of past enlightened monarchs.

Now, it had been replaced by a massive "Map of the World's Seas."

A man in yellow robes stood with his back turned, studying the map.

He was tall, but beneath his crown, his hair was entirely white.

"Your Majesty!"

Luo Mingzi did not dare delay; he bowed deeply and respectfully.

The current Emperor of Great Xuan was Xiao Qixuan, who since childhood had been wise and martial. After coming of age, he eliminated the dominance of imperial in-laws, endured royal internal strife, and after great hardship ascended the throne, then waged campaigns north and south, reorganizing the court.

He revived Great Xuan, which had begun to decline, restoring its golden age.

He was, without doubt, a true enlightened monarch.

Of course, his temper was not good; countless court officials had died at his hands.

"Master Luo, why the urgent palace visit? What have you uncovered?"

The Emperor still did not turn, merely examining the sea map with a magnifying glass.

Luo Mingzi knew the Emperor's nature and dared not delay; he quickly recounted the matter.

The Emperor paused, then slowly turned.

His face was gaunt, as if carved by axe and chisel; his cheekbones rose like two suspended blades; his brow ridges bulged like a coiled dragon, his eyebrows slanting sharply into his temples; his pupils were black as ink, gazing like a precipice—no one dared meet his eyes.

Luo Mingzi glanced once, then immediately lowered his head.

Emperor Xiao Qixuan was stern and domineering; though not a cultivator, he had once been a martial master, having endured bloodshed on the battlefield, and after years ruling the empire, his aura was extraordinary.

Only his complexion was slightly pale and bluish—a sign of long-standing illness.

"Peach Banquet…"

Xiao Qixuan slowly set down the magnifying glass and said coldly: "Throughout history, many emperors sought immortality, none without leaving a vile reputation. The poor seek wealth; once wealthy, they crave immortality—and unscrupulous sorcerers exploit this."

"I dare not even contemplate such things. Yet they? They feast on living flesh—what difference is there from demons?"

"You must uncover this clearly. In my reign, I cannot afford such disgrace…"

His voice was calm, yet murderous intent surged.

Hearing this, Luo Mingzi immediately felt relieved.

This Emperor, besides his temper, cared deeply for his reputation.

Afraid of being accused of intolerance toward meritorious ministers and brothers, he had treated Prince Ying and Prince Shu with leniency.

After opening the seas and realizing the world's vastness, he had stirred with ambition.

Clearly, this matter had ignited his desire to kill.

After all, the "Peach" affair was horrifying; it could not be erased from official history, and among the people, rumors would run wild.

"There is one more matter…"

Luo Mingzi hesitated, then revealed the killings of the Living Yin Officials, suspecting the involvement of a Grand Master.

He knew that with this Emperor's nature, once spoken, the Xuan sects would inevitably erupt into chaos.

But if he did not speak, how could he honor Li Yan's painstaking investigation?

"Earth Immortal…"

Emperor Xiao Qixuan's face darkened. "Hmm. I am already aware of this."

"Did this also come from Li Yan's investigation?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"He's a blessed general. Ask him if he wishes to join the Xuan Priesthood."

"This…"

Luo Mingzi hesitated. "I have mentioned it. Li Shaoxia said he is a man of the rivers and lakes, unaccustomed to court life."

"Hmph. Still just a rustic of the rivers and lakes—unfit for the court!"

Xiao Qixuan waved his hand. "Uncover this matter thoroughly. I will make my own arrangements."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Luo Mingzi bowed quickly and withdrew. Outside the hall, his back was drenched in sweat.

Inside the hall, Xiao Qixuan looked up at the sky beyond and murmured:

"Earth Immortal… is it because the human way is changing that they can no longer hold back?"

"Men do not understand Heaven's deeds; how can Heaven know men's actions?"

"Send for the State Masters."

…………After returning to his estate, Luo Mingzi immediately recounted the situation.

"That's good."

Li Yan said gravely: "It seems the Emperor is not foolish."

Luo Mingzi sighed and shook his head. "I think His Majesty's intent is to prevent panic and rumors. As long as we catch them, the nobles will handle the rest ourselves—we proceed as planned."

"Mm."

Li Yan nodded. "We just discussed and found a good opportunity."

Luo Mingzi hurriedly said: "Oh? Tell me."

Li Yan brought out a map of the capital and placed it on the table. "The Maitreya Sect's capital representative is Hu Yuanyuan of the Five Immortals Hall. I accepted her commission to eliminate the Yin criminal Wuleji, hidden in Prince Ying's mansion."

"Due to the Jinmen dock incident, Prince Ying's mansion seeks to calm public sentiment by hosting a grand celebration for the old Princess Dowager's eightieth birthday. Many capital nobles will attend. Prince Ying's mansion is entangled with the Peach Banquet—certainly someone will come. This is the perfect chance for Long Yan to identify them."

"I will proceed as usual, with Hu Yuanyuan arranging my infiltration. The rest, Master, is your responsibility."

"No problem. This is simple."

Luo Mingzi agreed immediately.

He now commanded elite forces from the Commandant Office and the Xuan Priesthood—this task was trivial.

The group settled their plan, and Li Yan went ahead to return to the capital, checking into the inn arranged by Hu Yuanyuan.

As dusk deepened outside the window, smoke from cooking fires and hawker calls drifted through the alleys.

Li Yan leaned against the window, his gaze sweeping over the pedestrians below, when suddenly a green-clothed carriage rolled over the blue stone slabs and halted at the inn's entrance.

The curtain parted, and Hu Yuanyuan stepped out wrapped in a plain cloak, her silver hairpin glinting, the rouge at her eyes curling like a fox's tail.

Behind her followed a short, stout man in brocade robes and a jade belt, his face beaming with a careful smile.

"Young Master Li, you've waited long."

After ascending the stairs, Hu Yuanyuan pushed open the door and hung a peach talisman above it, then introduced:

"This is Liu Sanhuai, manager of Qing'an Hall, and a brother of our sect."

Qing'an Hall?

Li Yan gave a slight nod. "Thank you."

He had heard of Qing'an Hall—it was a famous opera troupe in the capital.

"Greetings, Young Master Li."

Liu Sanhuai bowed deeply, hands clasped, grinning: "I've long heard of Young Master Li's glory on the Xianyang arena! Our Qing'an Hall is desperate for a martial actor like you to anchor the performance—this birthday play for the Ying Prince's household will surely earn a full house of applause!"

Li Yan frowned slightly. "I don't know how to sing opera."

"Don't worry."

Liu Sanhuai chuckled. "You're here as Wang Jianmei, the great martial actor from Cangzhou. The Ying Prince's household is strict—having an identity makes entry easier. Later, we'll claim you're ill, and that'll suffice."

Hu Yuanyuan nodded. "Young Master Li, rest assured—Sanhuai has arranged everything. The false bottom of the trunk can hide weapons."

She lowered her voice. "Wuleji's cultivation method requires the blood of young girls every new moon—the birthday banquet tonight is the perfect time!"

…………

Two days later, the Ying Prince's mansion was lit with lanterns and banners, its vermilion gates swarming with carriages like a dragon's tail.

The banquet for the Princess Dowager's eightieth birthday was held at dusk—these were the carriages arriving early to deliver gifts.

Mansion stewards, accompanied by servants, inspected each one, tallying the offerings.

The Qing'an Hall's trunks and carriages slowly approached the side gate.

The side gate was guarded by Ying Prince's soldiers.

Manager Liu Sanhuai bowed and presented a name card:

"Your lordship's ordered birthday performance—kindly grant us passage, sir."

"Stand still!"

A scar-faced Captain barked, ordering his men to open the trunks and inspect them thoroughly.

Li Yan, disguised as a green-clad martial actor, leaned against the trunk with arms crossed.

His peripheral vision caught the brick screen wall, carved with the "Ying Prince's Victory Over Barbarians."

Common households might carve the Eight Immortals crossing the sea—this showed the Ying Prince's power.

As expected, the mansion's inspection was exceptionally strict.

The soldiers opened the boxes and rummaged through every item.

Seeing this, Li Yan narrowed his eyes.

They would search their bodies next—he had hidden his artifacts in the trunk's secret compartment, unsure if they'd pass.

Liu Sanhuai, alarmed, hastily slipped out some silver coins.

"These are unsharpened props for martial scenes—look at the wooden handles, if you mess them up, we won't be able to reassemble them…"

"Get out of the way!"

The Captain growled, shoving him aside.

Just as he was about to continue, a feminine laugh came from within the gate:

"Commander Wang, Grandmother's waiting for 'Magu Offering Longevity!'"

A young woman in lavish robes leaned against the doorway, her golden dangling hairpin swaying, her face impatient.

The Captain immediately sheathed his blade and bowed apologetically: "Forgive me, Ninth Miss—I'll let them through!"

Still, he searched every person before allowing them entry.

"Hurry up!"

The girl urged. "It'll be crowded tonight—I begged Grandmother to let you perform early."

"Your Ladyship, rest assured—we'll please you."

Liu Sanhuai bowed and smiled until the girl departed.

The opera troupe passed through three ceremonial gates and reached the central courtyard.

The Ying Prince's courtyard was equally vast—nearby were flowerbeds and ponds, with a brick-and-wood stage standing behind the pond.

"Behave yourselves—don't offend the master's taboos!"

Liu Sanhuai scolded, then picked up a bundle of straw and scattered it along the stage.

It was the troupe's custom.

Opera troupes were considered lowly, labeled "bottom nine," and many held taboos.

For instance, when performing in a village, they couldn't enter casually, nor enter private homes—they usually lived in ruined temples or cellars, known as "stage built before the temple, actors lodged inside, buried behind it."

If the opera trunk had pressed upon someone's land, they must set off firecrackers upon leaving; some even used a black ox to plow the land, turning it over entirely—called "cleansing the land."

For palace performances, they must scatter straw in a circle around the stage, signifying that actors were lowly, lest they trample the earth and doom descendants from becoming officials—then burn the straw before departing.

Though Qing'an Hall was renowned in the capital, within the prince's mansion, they had to obey every rule to avoid disaster.

Li Yan helped others carry trunks, but when they reached the rockery, he flicked his finger, sending a straw effigy into a crevice.

Later, the straw effigy would be used to scout.

No sooner had they finished setting up the stage than women from the opposite wing emerged.

They were the mansion's ladies, eager to preview the performance.

Technically, this broke protocol—the troupe hadn't even eaten.

But who dared complain? Liu Sanhuai whispered, "All of you, please perform now."

Soon, drums and gongs sounded, and the waterside stage burst into life.

"The Jade Pool opens its feast—"

With a clear, ringing vocal line, the Dan role portraying Magu stepped onto the stage with cloud-like steps.

She wore a phoenix crown inlaid with kingfisher feathers, draped in a five-colored cloud-silk shawl, her water sleeves swirling like falling clouds, her fingertips delicately curled like orchids—she looked as if stepped from a painting.

"I offer the Pantao to celebrate the birthday, wishing the Queen Mother boundless fortune and longevity—"

The ladies upstairs watched with delight, while Li Yan crouched in the dark shadows behind the stage.

His gaze was cold, occasionally flicking toward the second floor.

Beside the ladies stood a middle-aged scholar.

It was Yu Wenhai, the Third Master of the Jinmen Jinghai Gang who had escaped!

(End of Chapter)