Chapter 443

Mount Sanqing is vast and densely forested; even if only two Brocade Uniform Guards entered, let alone twenty thousand, they could not find Wang Feiyin.

So the two Brocade Uniform Guards, enraged, were forced to suppress their anger and leave.

But before leaving, they still investigated Pan Yun and the people of Mount Sanqing Temple with the villagers.

The villagers knew even less about Pan Yun, only that: "She was brought back by one of the temple's masters, who said she had extraordinary cultivation talent."

The villagers said: "Indeed, she has great talent—she arrived and was immediately taken as a disciple by the Mountain God, even becoming the temple's caretaker."

The Brocade Uniform Guards listened seriously to the first point but sneered at the second; still, they now had a general understanding of Pan Yun.

She had been at Mount Sanqing Temple for a short time, then was sent to Long Hushan Academy to study, returning only for the New Year.

She was extremely accurate in face-reading and divination, kind-hearted, frequently helping villagers and also aiding beggars in the city; even now, she sponsored a group of young beggars in the city for schooling and meals.

The Brocade Uniform Guards sent to find Ming Ren also made progress—and significant progress at that.

Ming Ren had seen Pan Yun's slave contract and had an excellent memory; he still recalled her origin.

The scribe who had taken the contract to the Household Office to erase her slave status and register her also remembered; seeing him fend off the two Brocade Uniform Guards, the scribe couldn't help saying: "My lord, the contract clearly states Pan Yun's original domicile—why did you only mention Kaifeng's Xiangfu County?"

Ming Ren merely glanced at him, said nothing, and turned to return to the government office.

The scribe understood at once: clearly, my lord also suspects Pan Yun's origins are suspect—he spoke only half the truth, thus helping Mount Sanqing Temple and Wang Cong.

The Brocade Uniform Guards regrouped and traced their investigation to Kaifeng Prefecture; they found no parents or family of Pan Yun, but they did uncover the Zhou Wangfu.

The Brocade Uniform Guards: …

Who could understand their mood now? They had set out thinking to investigate a minor Daoist priest—how hard could it be?

Yet now they had traced it to a member of the imperial clan—this was life-threatening.

The Zhou Wangfu was low-key; the current Zhou Wang, having been under house arrest, was even more so.

When the Brocade Uniform Guards arrived, he personally received them, respectfully inviting them into the main hall to speak, treating them entirely as angels.

The four Brocade Uniform Guards had never received such respect from county magistrates; their impression of the Zhou Wang was excellent.

So upon returning to Jingcheng and reporting their findings, the four Brocade Uniform Guards unanimously praised Zhou Wang Zhu Zijin before the Emperor.

"The Zhou Wang," the Emperor paused, then asked: "Has he completed his mourning period?"

Wang Zhen poured him tea and smiled: "He completed it before the New Year; he even submitted a memorial to pay his respects during the holiday."

Wang Zhen swiftly scanned his memory, smiling faintly: "It is said the Zhou Wang is studying medicine, like previous Zhou Wangs, possessing exceptional talent in pharmaceuticals; his heir apparent's talent surpasses even his father's—among the New Year gifts sent by the Zhou Wangfu this year, many medicinal herbs were personally prepared by the Zhou Wang and his son."

The Emperor was satisfied, nodding: "Remember to set aside one box of this year's spring tea for the Zhou Wangfu."

Wang Zhen smiled and agreed.

Of course, the gift wouldn't be just one box of tea—silk and other items could be added.

As long as it wasn't a major matter, Wang Zhen usually handled such gift lists.

After discussing the Zhou Wang, the topic returned to Pan Yun; the Emperor asked the four, "So you found nothing about Pan Yun's origins?"

The four Brocade Uniform Guards bowed their heads in shame: "Yes, we only know she was redeemed from slavery by two Daoist priests from Kaifeng and brought back to Mount Sanqing, where she met the Mountain God of Mount Sanqing and was taken as a disciple."

The Emperor frowned, deeply displeased.

Beside him, Wang Zhen slowly ground ink; seeing the Emperor's displeasure, he asked softly: "Your Majesty, who is Pan Yun? The Northern Garrison Office could not find her—why not assign the Southern Garrison Office to investigate?"

The Emperor lowered his gaze to conceal his expression: "She is a minor Daoist priest with supernatural abilities; I grew curious and sent people to investigate."

The Emperor spoke as if unconcerned: "If she cannot be found, let it go."

He dismissed the four Brocade Uniform Guards.

Wang Zhen also smiled, no longer mentioning the matter—but once out of sight, he immediately sought Commander Ma Shun of the Brocade Uniform Guards and ordered him to investigate Pan Yun.

"When His Majesty visited my residence, a young Daoist nun accompanied him—she must be her; the talisman on His Majesty's hand was likely given by her," Wang Zhen's face was grim. "Cao Jixiang, that eunuch villain, refuses to reveal the talisman's function—we must investigate from outside, capture her, and force her to confess what the yellow talisman does."

Though through his efforts he and the Emperor had returned to their former closeness, he knew a rift had formed; not only was he no longer fully trusted, even the Emperor occasionally tested him, no longer the same as before.

Wang Zhen believed the yellow talisman that had shaken him that night was the key.

So he must know what it was. Ma Shun agreed, then asked: "Where should we start looking for Pan Yun?"

Wang Zhen flew into a rage: "If I knew, would I be asking you? I've given you her name—can't you investigate?"

"... But the empire is vast, Jingcheng has so many people—knowing only a name, how can we possibly find her?"

Wang Zhen's face turned black with suppressed fury: "Pan Yun! Female! Young! Daoist! From Mount Sanqing Temple! Go to the Ministry of Rites—how many Daoist priests from Mount Sanqing are in Jingcheng? That much you can find out yourself—do I have to teach you even that?"

Ma Shun realized his mistake and immediately bowed and withdrew.

"Wait," Wang Zhen frowned: "Hasn't His Majesty lately been fond of going to the Star Gazing Terrace to catch the breeze? The four officials of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau take turns accompanying him—they're all Daoists, aren't they?"

"That Xia Guanzheng, Yin Song—he's from Jiangxi, right? Is he from Long Hushan or somewhere else? Investigate him."

Ma Shun agreed and first investigated Yin Song—and found him immediately.

Even Ma Shun hadn't expected it to be so easy—it was as if the heavens had delivered the answer.

He blinked and asked the Ministry of Rites official: "Is the information in this case file true? Is Xia Guanzheng Yin Song really from Yushan County's Mount Sanqing Temple?"

!. Read

The Ministry of Rites official: …

His face was stern; he barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes in front of Ma Shun: "Of course it's true—how could the Ministry of Rites' Juan Sect records be wrong? Commander Ma, if you suspect us of forgery, produce evidence."

Ridiculous—Yin Song isn't dead; could we falsify his native place?

Ma Shun realized his error and asked the Ministry of Rites official: "Does Yin Song have any family? Brothers, sisters, disciples, junior disciples—anyone named Pan Yun?"

The Ministry of Rites official replied lazily: "We only know he was orphaned from childhood, raised by the abbot of Mount Sanqing Temple; he has several disciples, nothing else is known."

He added: "These matters fall outside our Ministry's duties. He is an orphan; his adoptive guardian is the abbot of Mount Sanqing Temple. As long as the abbot is unblemished, he may enter officialdom. For years, our Ministry has received no accusations against him."

Who would bother accusing someone from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau?

That group rarely initiates trouble; they have no money, no power, no influence—any reasonable person avoids them.

Those Daoists, plainly speaking, are officials; more precisely, they are Daoists who use state resources to observe stars and conduct research, while also drawing a salary.

If harassed, they could simply refuse the salary and forgo the state's support.

There were plenty of people who simply hung up their seals and fled into the mountains to live in seclusion and cultivate.

That nominal Director of the Imperial Observatory, True Person Zhang, spent half the year away from Jingcheng, constantly making excuses to run back to Long Hushan to cultivate, leaving the work to his deputy directors and officials below.

The court officials all suspected that if True Person Zhang did not still hold an official title and was compelled to serve in the imperial court, he would have hung up his seal and left long ago.

And then there was a certain Zhang so-and-so, kept hidden deep within the imperial palace.

It really was a Zhang so-and-so, because no one had ever seen him; from the very founding of the dynasty, all the way until the capital was moved to Beijing, such a person had always existed.

No one knew his name, and no one had ever seen him, yet he had always been there.

It was only after Ma Shun became Commander of the Brocade Guard that he learned of such a person in the palace.

His very existence was to prevent humans, demons, ghosts, and monsters from using spells to harm the Emperor.

Unfortunately, to this day no one had ever seen him act, but the senior officials of the imperial court had always known of such a person's existence.

Under these circumstances, everyone treated those Daoist Priests in the Imperial Observatory with a respectful but distant attitude.

They did not believe in them, but they did not offend them either, and showed them respect.

Ma Shun shared this same mindset. When the trail led to Yin Song, he too hesitated for a moment; thinking of Wang Zhen's power and influence, he ultimately still brought men to investigate Yin Zhai.

And that investigation dragged Cao Ye right into it.

"She is called Pan Yun, and she is also connected to the theft case at Lord Wang's residence. You went to investigate, so why did you not report it?"

Cao Ye felt he was about to die of injustice, and immediately said, "This subordinate did report it, but my lord had this subordinate report it in person to Wang Zhangyin. Those two days, Wang Zhangyin was constantly attending Your Majesty at his side and had no time at all to see this subordinate.

Later, he even had someone tell this subordinate directly not to investigate the theft case any further. Judging by the tone, Wang Zhangyin must already know who the thief was, so this subordinate did not dare to investigate further. That matter has long since passed."

Cao Ye carefully observed Ma Shun's expression, and lowered his voice a couple of notches. "However, this subordinate has always felt that the name Pan Yun sounded somewhat familiar, yet could never recall where. But just now my lord mentioned Kaifeng, and this subordinate immediately remembered. About three years ago, this subordinate led men to raid the residence of an official surnamed Pan; he had a daughter who had already died, also called Pan Yun."

(End of this chapter)