Chapter 689: Dark Currents in the Zi Chen Palace

At the third watch of the third hour, the Forbidden City lay shrouded in the grayish hue before dawn.

On the white marble steps outside the Fengtian Hall, night dew had not yet faded; inside, silence was so profound one could hear the drip of the bronze water clock.

Boom boom boom~

The fifth watch drum sounded, and the spear-bearing guards pushed open the heavy vermilion-painted palace doors.

The ministers entered in order of rank, their black silk caps hiding faces shadowed with unease.

The court's morning assembly protocol required officials to gather outside the palace gates at the hour of Chou, dressed in formal robes and carrying their ivory tally tablets.

After the bell rang from the Wu Men tower, they lined up by rank—civil officials on the left, military on the right—and proceeded across the Golden Water Bridge to the Fengtian Gate plaza.

Then, eunuchs of the Office of Ritual would lead with their fly whisks as the emperor arrived in his palanquin at the Fengtian Gate.

At that moment, bells and drums would sound together, palace guards would strike the silence whip three times—its crack like thunder—and all present would stand at attention. The officials of the Honglu Temple would cry, "Take your places!" Senior officials of fourth rank and above entered the hall; those below fifth rank stood on the marble steps of the plaza…

In short, the rules were strict.

Any petition had to be read aloud clearly; private appeals or lengthy speeches would be impeached by the censors.

Any official who breached decorum would be impeached and fined the next day.

The ministers had long grown accustomed to this, yet today's atmosphere felt strange.

Zheng Shian, Right Vice Minister of Revenue, gripped his ivory tally so tightly his knuckles turned white, his forehead slick with cold sweat.

He knew that the Left Vice Minister, Zhou Mingyuan, had died last night—and his family was already under interrogation.

Logically, this man had been his political rival, always towering over him.

With his death, Zheng Shian now had a chance to rise further.

Yet now, Zheng Shian was filled with dread.

The reason was simple: Lin Shi, the Salt Transport Commissioner who died last night, was his cousin.

It was thanks to his influence that she had become the infamous "tiger lady" of the capital, even making her own Salt Transport Commissioner husband obey her.

Zheng Shian knew Lin Shi had amassed vast wealth over the years.

He also knew she had maintained close ties with the Canal Gang.

He even knew about the "Peach Banquet."

Lin Shi had recently hinted she wished to introduce him to the gathering, but he had hesitated—and never agreed.

His only hope now was to muddy the waters quickly…

Thinking this, he stepped forward, holding his tally high, and cried out:

"I petition to exterminate the Nine Clans of the Jingmen Jinghai Gang!"

His voice shattered the silence and drew every eye.

Zheng Shian's face burned with righteous fury as he continued: "The Jinghai Gang has conspired with foreign barbarians to incite rebellion. In my recent investigations, I discovered gross negligence in last year's customs audit reports for Jingmen—negligence committed by Vice Minister Zhou!"

Shit-stirrer!

Many heard and immediately frowned.

The Open-Sea faction and the Native faction were locked in fierce conflict, yet many still chose self-preservation.

Zheng Shian was one of them.

He appeared to be striking Zhou down in his fall, yet he dragged Jingmen's affairs into the fray.

Jingmen's affair was, in truth, merely a pretext.

Because it involved the Open-Sea policy, it became an excuse for the Native faction to attack the Open-Sea faction.

The Open-Sea faction felt wronged—they had no ties to the Jinghai Gang.

The Ying Wangfu belonged to the founding nobility; even if they were all executed, the Open-Sea faction would merely watch as entertainment.

Zheng Shian pretended to target Vice Minister Zhou, yet he reignited the flame.

The Open-Sea faction had just been suppressed; they dared not touch this tinder.

Indeed, someone immediately spoke up in rebuttal.

"Are you, Minister Zheng, trying to emulate Zhang Tang, the cruel official of the Eastern Han?"

Xu Yannian, Left Assistant Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, stepped forward, his silver fish badge glinting coldly as he moved.

"We have already investigated this matter thoroughly; all involved have been dealt with. Now we speak of the 'Peach Banquet' heretic rebellion—do not use this to stir chaos in court!"

He sneered: "If I recall correctly, Lin Shi, the Salt Transport Commissioner's wife, is your relative…"

Zheng Shian's face darkened at once.

But before he could speak, another censor spoke up: "Why does Master Xu say such things? The 'Peach Banquet' heretics have brought chaos to the capital—Minister Zheng's words aim to uproot this evil. Why are you so eager to defend? Could it be you're involved?"

"Don't you dare slander me!"

Once a fire starts, it's hard to extinguish.

The underlying conflict between the Native and Open-Sea factions was irreconcilable.

Compared to the 'Peach Banquet' heretics, they wanted to destroy each other.

Soon, the court erupted into chaos.

But those shouting were only underlings; both sides' leaders remained silent.

The capital's noble families also stayed quiet.

Because last night, Yan Tieshan, Left Commander of the Five Armies, had also been present—he knew the gravity of the matter and had secretly issued warnings.

Moreover, half the names on the 'Peach Banquet' list belonged to the capital's noble families.

These nobles had their own rivalries, but Yan Tieshan knew they were all tied to the same rope—if the emperor used this to strike, all would suffer.

The Open-Sea and Native factions' quarrel served perfectly to divert attention.

Thus, a strange scene unfolded in court.

Mid-level officials screamed and snarled, as if they wanted to tear each other apart.

Meanwhile, the elders bowed their heads, silent, stealing glances at the emperor, Xiao Qixuan.

Since entering the hall, the emperor had said not a word.

"Silence!"

Suddenly, a hoarse, commanding voice rang from above.

It came from a eunuch beside the emperor.

His frame was hunched, his hair white, yet his eyes were sharp as an eagle's, cold and distant; a crimson cinnabar mark ran between his brows. He wore a python robe, held a fly whisk, and stood beside the emperor like a shadow.

His voice was not loud, yet it reached every ear clearly.

The ministers instantly fell silent.

This old eunuch was Zhao Wujiu, Chief of the Office of Ritual.

His status and position were extraordinary.

When Emperor Xiao Qixuan was young, the imperial harem interfered in governance, and maternal relatives held power; even as crown prince, he had to suppress his ambition and tread carefully.

Zhao Wujiu, originally from an official family, had seen his entire clan murdered by powerful ministers. As a child, Xiao Qixuan rescued him from a mass grave, had him castrated, granted him the surname Zhao, and kept him close—as future proof to expose the maternal relatives.

But no one expected Zhao Wujiu possessed astonishing talent and awakened a divine ability, becoming a cultivator.

Xiao Qixuan entrusted him with palace secrets to cultivate; later, during the military coup and northern and southern campaigns, Zhao Wujiu repeatedly shielded the emperor from attacks, proving unwavering loyalty and earning deep trust. Now he was the head of all palace eunuchs and oversaw the Surveillance Commandant's Office.

During the purge of court corruption, countless officials had died by his hand.

Though now aged and coldly detached, none dared underestimate him.

Boom boom boom!

From the dragon throne came the soft tap of a jade ring against the armrest.

Emperor Xiao Qixuan's half-face was hidden behind the nine-beaded curtain of his crown; his fingers, resting on the rosewood armrest, swept across the hall.

"Go on, why stop? I was enjoying this…"

"Your Majesty, forgive us!"

Dozens of ministers bowed low, clutching their tally tablets.

Everyone knew that no matter how fiercely the Open-Sea and Native factions fought,

victory or defeat rested on a single word from the emperor.

That was why both sides' leaders stayed silent.

They needed to first discern the emperor's stance before acting.

Finally, the emperor leaned forward slightly; in the shadows, his lips seemed to curl half a smile:

"Minister Han's memorial, 'On Investigating the Artillery Camp of the Ministry of Works,' I have read three times—the Shenji Camp on the capital's outskirts still has serious flaws."

"It is my failure. I humbly beg Your Majesty's punishment."

A tall, slender official stepped forward, his fingers long and calloused as he gripped his tally.

He was Han Mo, Minister of Works.

When the new gunpowder first emerged, factions conspired to leak it; the emperor was furious and imprisoned the then Minister of Works. Han Mo, then Vice Minister, was promoted to replace him.

He was a member of the Mo Men, his family generations-long overseers of the Ministry of Works' Construction Bureau; his grandfather had helped build the imperial tombs of the Daxing dynasty—deeply rooted in tradition, and never involved in the Open-Sea or Native faction disputes, earning the emperor's full trust.

Still, the ministers felt doubt: last night's massive incident had occurred—why, out of nowhere, did the emperor mention the Shenji Camp?

As if unaware of their glances, Xiao Qixuan continued: "The Shenji Camp is of vital importance. You have exhausted yourself, and I would never blame you. Do as you suggest—plug the leaks."

"Also, the Qiankun Academy opens soon. Confirm the list quickly and submit it to me."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Han Mo's face remained expressionless as he bowed and returned to his place.

So that's it…

The ministers understood at once.

Before the incident at Jinmen Wharf, the greatest vortex in the court was Qiankun Academy.

Everyone could see the Emperor's high regard for this new academy, and his intention to hold a special imperial examination to select talent.

Official posts in the Great Xuan court were like Luobokeng —remove one, and only then could another take its place.

Thus, whether the Open-Sea faction or the Native faction, both went to great lengths to place their own people inside.

They played the court's rules with great skill.

Often, the Emperor knew full well but could do little to stop them.

To speak up now was to act autocratically, entrusting the Ministry of Works with full authority.

The implication was simple.

If anyone still dared to defy him, the "Peach Banquet" affair would no longer be small.

Some bowed their heads in silence; others exchanged glances.

It seemed the Emperor's regard for Qiankun Academy ran deeper than they had imagined.

No one knew what strange mystery lay within this academy…

Seeing the ministers fall silent, Emperor Xiao Qixuan continued:

"Draft an edict."

"Order the Three Judicial Departments, the Grand Secretariat, and the Imperial Clan Office to clarify the Ying Prince's rebellion case within three days."

"The Xuan Cleric and the Commandant's Office shall cooperate to net all the demonic cultists."

"The Imperial Astronomical Bureau has already set the new calendar—set a date as soon as possible."

"I am weary. Dismiss court…"

…………

On Yongdingmen Street, while morning mist still hung, the tea stall owner whispered with a go-between:

"I heard from the night watchman of Xicheng that human-faced lanterns floated in last night's fire at the Ying Prince's mansion—surely it's heavenly retribution!"

"Pfft, bullshit heavenly retribution!"

A loafer beside him spat: "My second uncle works as a stable hand at the Five Armies Command—says those big shots have little ghost babies crawling inside their bellies."

Before he finished, the sound of hooves rang down the street.

A squad of Jinwu Guards rode past, and everyone fell silent.

No matter how curious, no one wanted to be branded "spreading heretical rumors" and thrown into prison.

The dead were all officials and court nobles—they could just clap and cheer.

After the Jinwu Guards passed, the crowd that had stepped aside surged back onto the street.

Li Yan pulled down his hat brim, gripped his sack of coarse cloth, and blended into the throng.

Not long after, he arrived at Qianmen Grain Depot.

"Young Master Li, please in!"

The clerk had already been warned and bowed respectfully to usher him inside.

Returning to the cellar, Li Yan placed the sack directly on the table. "Hu Xiangzhu, I've fulfilled your request."

In the cellar, Hu Yuanyuan and Wang's widow had been waiting long.

She wasted no words, stepped forward, unwrapped the sack, and opened the wooden box within.

Amid the lime powder, a human head lay plainly visible.

It was a man with disheveled hair and a full beard, his face ashen, eyes milky white.

"Is this him?"

Staring at the head, Hu Yuanyuan couldn't help speaking.

Li Yan frowned slightly. "What, you think I'd lie to you?"

"Young Master Li, forgive me."

Hu Yuanyuan hurried to explain: "My vengeance is fulfilled—I'm dazed, can't quite believe it."

Though her words sounded sincere, she still pulled a fox-tail staff from her bosom, formed a hand seal, and waved it gently.

Then her body trembled, her eyes slowly rolled back.

Li Yan immediately caught a scent—incense mingled with fox musk.

A distant memory surfaced in his mind.

This scent was exactly that of the fox immortal once worshipped by Wang's widow.

Back then, he hadn't yet entered the path and couldn't gauge its depth.

Now, he could sense it—the fox immortal's qi was formidable, no weaker than some major temple deities.

Shhh!

Hu Yuanyuan's bent posture snapped upright.

With swift hands, she touched and sniffed the Uleji head, then nodded. "Correct. This is the real one."

With that, she spun dexterously and squatted atop the chair.

Beside her, Wang's widow hurriedly offered a lit clay pipe.

"Hu Yuanyuan" took a few puffs, then looked at Li Yan. "Boy, we meet again. Old Immortal misjudged you back then."

Li Yan glanced coldly. "So the elder can speak human tongue after all."

Back then, the old fox had pretended not to understand human speech, using ancient dialects translated by Wang's widow.

Worse, he'd been treated as pure cannon fodder.

Had it not been for the Great Luo Body, he'd already be dead.

"Tsk tsk, why be angry…"

"Hu Yuanyuan" took a few more puffs, her brows knitting into a Bazi. "The world is like this. Old Immortal was hiding from enemies, dragging two burdens—had to be cautious. I didn't know if that cold altar's demon soldier was Uleji's probe, so I pushed you out."

"But since you survived—and you're a Tian Guan—I dare not offend you. I'll make amends."

Of course she could speak human tongue—and still couldn't escape beastly nature.

As soon as she sensed he was dangerous, she offered terms.

"No need."

Li Yan shook his head. "Back then, I sought survival—you gave me life. We're even."

"But there is one thing I need your help with."

"Say it."

"Hu Yuanyuan" took a few more puffs, eyes half-lidded, wary.

Li Yan spoke gravely: "Simple. Last night, a yin entity meddled secretly, then vanished. I've long heard of the Five Immortals Hall's Tongtian Divination fame—please help me find this person."

After leaving the Prince's mansion last night, he'd sent men scouring the capital.

But the target was too cautious, left no trace—Wang Daoxuan suggested using Tongtian Divination.

After all, this mysterious divination art carried great renown.

Folk tales claimed fox immortals helped people see the unseen—precisely because of this.

"Can't do it."

"Hu Yuanyuan" shook her head directly. "Tongtian Divination communicates with mountain gods and wild immortals—but this capital is sealed tight by the court, everywhere filled with mundane deities. If I stir, my life's in danger."

Seeing Li Yan frown, she shifted tone. "But I can give you a clue."

"I beg your guidance."

Li Yan's face lit up; he bowed quickly.

"Oh, you've got a dog's face—unchanged as ever…"

"Hu Yuanyuan" sneered, then continued: "Remember the Night Walker from that night?"

"Old Immortal knows where that thing is hidden…"

(End of Chapter)