Secret Recipe | Chapter 229 | Waiting for the Dawn | Novela.app

The waters of the Wen River were not calm as winter set in, and tonight, Xinghou Town was unlike any other. The great ships of the Jinshi Bureau, gathered from all directions, lay hidden in the depths of the river bay like giant beasts crouching in the reeds, invisible save for the slightest rustle of grass in the wind. The Jinshi Bureau was renowned for its stealth and speed, and their purpose for appearing in Yuzhou was a closely guarded secret. However, for the Jade-Pendant Protector—a man of military background with years of investigative experience—discerning the opponent's deployment was not a difficult task. "What is this?" A bundle of arrows wrapped in fireproof cloth was tossed before Chengyu. The latter remained impassive, confirming the final tactical formation map as she replied nonchalantly. "Heavy arrows and fire oil." The Jinshi Bureau prioritized efficiency. Its Admonition Envoys were all experts in swift, decisive action, and Chengyu was the best among them. Besieging with archers and using fire oil to fuel the blaze—this was a strategy of "kill without mercy." Qiu Ling took a step forward, the flickering candlelight casting his shadow between the woman and the tactical map. "Our mission is to recover the World's Number One Villa, not to burn the mountain down." "Correct, the mission is recovery. But it didn't specify how to complete it. When necessary, one must naturally pull up the weeds by the roots to leave no future troubles." Chengyu finally looked up, her pale gray eyes as cold as a wintry spring. "You and I are both people who traverse the worlds of the martial arts and the imperial court; we have seen more than enough of those annoying shadows. They come from the darkness and can never return to the light. Since they possess the ambitions of wolves and cannot be tamed, destruction is the only path home." Anyone who had dealt with those "shadows" knew that Chengyu’s words were not far from the truth. Qiu Ling similarly loathed those shadows born for the sake of factional strife—it was the reason he had refused to accept Jiang Xin'er in the beginning. Yet, something still felt wrong. Years on the battlefield had honed an intuition that made him scrutinize anything that defied common logic or showed the slightest anomaly. Perhaps seeing his silence, Chengyu lowered her eyes and continued. "In these years, you have either been leading troops abroad or investigating cases alone. You don't even recognize everyone before the Emperor's throne, so naturally, you wouldn't know to what extent the people of the Villa have penetrated the court. I have no personal grudge against them, but that does not stop me from purging these unsightly shadows for the sake of Xiangliang." If he hadn't been certain of his thoughts before, everything became clear now. He still remembered what Di Mo had handed him back at the Cave of Vast Heaven on Qionghu Island. It was a register hidden in a wooden box, recording the details and evidence of various court factions using the World's Number One Villa for assassinations and schemes over the years. He finally understood the true reason why Zhou Yaxian had sent him here while still ordering the Jinshi Bureau to assist. His heart began to pound uncontrollably. Qiu Ling stepped back slightly, increasing the distance between them, and spoke in a low voice. "So, is it because of that register? They chose you to come here not to pull up the roots, but to destroy the evidence." Chengyu stood up straight. She was quite tall, and standing across the table, she nearly looked him in the eye. "Is this what Di Mo told you on the island? Have you seen that register with your own eyes? Have you confirmed whether what he said is true or false?" Chengyu spoke coldly, her ethereal face set with a ruthless determination. "Besides, even if the facts are truly so, what of it? I do not do this because I am coerced or used. Regardless of whether such a thing exists, it is destined to never see the light of day." Having held swords for many years and shared the same sect, the four disciples of Kunxu were as close as siblings. Yet now, they were moved to anger within a few sentences. "The Jinshi Bureau was founded on the principle of 'appraising stone and gold, discerning right from wrong.' As an Admonition Envoy, how can you say such things?" Chengyu felt his emotion, yet her face remained a calm surface. She knew her junior brother too well and spoke to remind him. "The disciples of Qingzhong Mountain Academy are spread across the world, and the disciples of the World's Number One Villa follow them like shadows. Regardless of whether that list is real, if the court learns of its existence, turmoil is inevitable. At best, the balance will be broken; at worst, it will be a bloodbath. In either case, it will be detrimental to the national fortune of Xiangliang. The duty of the Jinshi Bureau is to ensure the nation's foundation remains as solid as rock. No sense of right or wrong can override that." If one wished to stir the fish in a pond, why dive in and churn the water? One only needed to throw in some bloody bait, and the pond would fall into chaos on its own. The names on the list might not be the most important thing; the mere existence of the list was Di Mo's malicious intent. As heavy thoughts collided in his mind, Qiu Ling decided to retreat to advance later. "Have you considered this? Even if you can purge the entire Villa in one night, how will you handle the disciples outside? Will those desperate outlaws lose all control once they know the Villa is destroyed?" "Precisely for that reason, we must act swiftly and catch them off guard. News of the Villa's fall will not reach the capital quickly; by then, we will have already taken control of the situation." Chengyu finished and raised an eyebrow at Qiu Ling. "But since you've spoken, perhaps you have another plan." "To catch the bandits, one must first capture their leader. If I have the confidence to take down Di Mo, you must promise me not to act rashly." Chengyu keenly perceived his intention and immediately exposed it bluntly. "Do you intend to act alone? Or do you think that because you are a descendant of the Black Moon, Di Mo will obey you and surrender without a fight?" "I promised Zhou Yaxian that I would take the lead in handling the Villa, but I never said it would be in the capacity of a Black Moon descendant or a Protector." "Is it not your lifelong wish to build a legacy as a descendant of the Black Moon?" Chengyu smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "Zhou Yaxian allowed you to come south to lead this matter, even deploying the Jinshi Bureau to escort you, to ensure you find a place in the court. He never said he wanted you to enter the martial world. Once you choose to act under the title of the Lord of Severed Jade, it means you are announcing a severance of ties with the General Who Pacifies the South's manor. You will turn from a good move on the chessboard into an uncontrollable piece. No player likes an uncontrollable piece." Chengyu did not finish her sentence, but Qiu Ling could easily hear the underlying meaning. If he acted under the name of the Lord of Severed Jade, his actions would be identical to Di Mo's back then. To some extent, it was a great taboo. Even if he performed a great service this time, he would eventually be liquidated and forced onto the same path of no return as Di Mo. But he did not want to follow in his father's footsteps. He did not want to become a pawn for others to manipulate the court, nor did he want to experience a tragedy like the Black Moon again. From joining the army in his youth to serving under the General Who Pacifies the South now, every step he took was to liberate the Qiu family from their swamp-like destiny. However, he had gradually discovered that everything he did was actually the reason the Qiu family could not escape their fate. Those people in the court understood too well what he wanted. As long as he remained obsessed with that unattainable "liberation," they could trap him in the palm of their hands forever. He suddenly understood the choice Di Mo had made after the Battle of Juchao. To break free from the black and white of this world, one had to start a new game. "If I insist on this, what will the Admonition Envoy do?" He no longer called her Senior Sister, and she no longer needed to show mercy. "I will do nothing. I will simply record your every word and action, bring them back to the Jinshi Bureau, and ask all parties to investigate and judge. We shall see if it was the secret instruction of the General Who Pacifies the South's manor, or if your Qiu family has been planning for this day for a long time, intending to 'cut wood for weapons and raise the banner of revolt.'" Chengyu of Kunxu usually traveled the martial world with the air of a transcendent immortal, indifferent to the world and far from the clamor of life. But the moment she donned her official seal, she became a different person. Her heart was as cold and hard as wintry stone; even the slickest old foxes in politics dared not underestimate her. Using any means necessary to achieve an end was the Jinshi Bureau's code of conduct; completing missions to gain rank and wealth was Chengyu's life pursuit. She was too lazy to entangle with those juniors of the martial world because they weren't worthy of her time. But if anyone dared to block her path while she was working, she could instantly transform into the most cold-blooded executioner—even if it was her own dear junior brother. This was the true face of Chengyu of Kunxu. This was the true nature of an Admonition Envoy of the Jinshi Bureau. A terrifying clash between fellow disciples was on the verge of erupting. Because they were their own people, they understood each other's weaknesses better; once they struck, blood would surely be drawn. "There are fourteen Admonition Envoys in the Jinshi Bureau. Zhou Yaxian used every means to send you here, also using my hand to fulfill you. For a man like him, who calculates everything to ten parts and still feels it's not enough, such painstaking effort is truly rare. If you feel indignant for him because of this, I can understand." The moment Qiu Ling spoke, Chengyu's expression changed instantly. Such a look of anger appeared on her face only a few times a year. "What he does has nothing to do with me!" "And what I do—what does it have to do with you, Senior Sister?" The Lord of Severed Jade of Kunxu was like his name: upright and pure as jade. But jade was hard and could not be broken; even when facing stone from the same Kun Mountain, it would not change. A cold arrow tip hooked the half-piece of water-blue jade at his waist. Chengyu's movements were full of oppressive force. "You are still in the military. Military orders have been issued; the mission must be accomplished. Those who disobey shall be executed without mercy." The Jitian Sword was pushed forward, revealing a finger-width of snow-bright blade. "Article nine of the Xiangliang Military Code: Those who harbor resentment and slander the army, causing internal strife and discord, shall be beheaded." A terrible event was about to occur. In the next moment, a voice pierced through the closed doors and windows, reaching their ears from across the air. "Wretched disciples! Hiding on the ship and refusing to come out, making your Master search high and low. You've reached the doorstep and don't even know to answer the door—you're not even as good as the two dogs Qingqing keeps!" The two people in the room changed color instantly. They barely had time to turn around before the "uninvited guest" who had been speaking outside was already sitting between them.