Blade - Unbound

Chapter 178: Wrapping Things Up In Chang'an

Buzheng Street lay at the northeastern corner of what had once been the Western Market.

To its southeast ran the Qingming Canal, while the Yong'an Canal flowed from south to north along its western edge. During the Tang Dynasty, it had served as the garrison of the Right Jinwu Guard. It had also once been home to both the Grand Chancellor and the Prince of Hejian.

By all rights, it should have been one of the most desirable districts for the city's wealthy elite. Yet few people were willing to purchase residences there.

The reason was simple. The infamous headquarters of the Military Surveillance Department now stood strong and tall there. Suppressing and maintaining order in the jianghu was only one of the Military Surveillance Department's responsibilities. Its true priority was acting as the Emperor's eyes and ears, inspecting officials throughout the empire.

There had once been a time when the mere mention of its name caused every official to turn pale. Although political struggles at court, coupled with the current emperor's capable rule, had curbed the Military Surveillance Department and prevented it from overstepping its authority, those bloody memories had never truly faded from people's hearts.

Night had fallen, but the Lantern Festival's lights still illuminated Chang'an. The city was simply too vast. Even though lives had been lost on Zhuque Avenue, and even though the notorious chief of the Fire Bear Gang had been killed in public, it was merely one event among countless others in the city.

The common people remained immersed in festive celebration.

Within a secluded corner of Buzheng Street stood a sprawling compound enclosed by high walls. Dim lanterns swayed in the darkness as figures dressed in black constantly came and went. Hawks repeatedly took flight before returning to perch on their stands.

Inside the main hall, flickering candlelight cast twisted shadows across the walls. Instruments of torture of every imaginable shape lined the room, their cold metal gleaming faintly in the dim light.

What a damned hellhole.

Li Yan's nose twitched, and he cursed silently. He could smell a faint stench lingering in the air. It was the metallic scent produced by fear, tears, and blood mingled together. A cold wind drifted through the hall. Even the light itself seemed eager to flee this ominous place.

A wooden block was slammed heavily upon the table as a stern voice rang out. "You brazen outlaw of the jianghu! Confess truthfully at once!"

The speaker was none other than Guo Yuhuai, the former seal-holding commander.

People often said that official authority nourished a man's bearing. Many officials possessed remarkable dignity while in office. Yet once removed from their positions, their hair would seemingly turn white overnight, and they would suddenly appear aged and decrepit. Guo Yuhuai was no exception.

Since Feng Feiyan had escaped, although he had not lost everything, he had been stripped of his authority. The calm confidence he once possessed had vanished. Instead, his face remained gloomy, his features appearing almost savage.

Beside him sat the one-eyed commander, Chang Xuan.

Chang Xuan frowned slightly at Guo Yuhuai's words. "The facts have yet to be established. Isn't Commander Guo being rather hasty?"

Two people had died on Zhuque Avenue on the night of the Lantern Festival. He couldn't care less about Xiong Baodong. The man had merely been a Chang'an gangster who fawned over the powerful while walking the line between the underworld and official society.

If necessary, the Military Surveillance Department could erase someone like him overnight. Qiao Sanhu mattered even less. He was merely the magistrate of a minor county who relied on powerful backers to oppress the local people and tyrannize the region.

Even if Qiao Sanhu had been hacked into minced meat before his eyes, Chang Xuan wouldn't be bothered to spare him a glance.

But the person who had killed Qiao Sanhu had used a firearm. That was the problem. The turmoil within the Military Surveillance Department had begun because of firearms. Tracking them remained Chang Xuan's highest priority. As a result, the entire Military Surveillance Department had erupted like a disturbed hornets' nest, instantly descending into chaos.

The man standing before them had ties to Guan Wanche. Chang Xuan didn't particularly care whether Li Yan lived or died, but Guo Yuhuai's conduct made his intentions obvious. He wanted to treat the case as if it was already solved, then use it to implicate Chang Xuan himself.

Without changing expression, Guo Yuhuai replied in a strangely mocking tone, "Commander Chang, this man has ties to you. According to procedure, you should recuse yourself. You're so anxious... Is it because you're guilty?"

Chang Xuan shot him a cold glance, mercilessly replying, "Commander Guo, don't think yourself too clever. Have you forgotten how you lost your position?"

Guo Yuhuai snorted. "Hmph!"

He also knew that with Chang Xuan watching, many things could only be handled according to procedure. His gaze then fell upon Li Yan, who stood calmly below the hall with his hands clasped behind his back, and his temper flared.

"What insolence! A commoner stands before an official, and still refuses to kneel?"

Chang Xuan frowned but remained silent. According to the ceremonial laws of the Great Xuan Dynasty, such a rule indeed existed. In practice, however, it was rarely enforced so strictly. Most people simply bowed and cupped their fists in greeting.

Guo Yuhuai knew perfectly well that Li Yan came from the jianghu. Using official authority to force him to kneel was likely only the first step of his interrogation. Next would come some excuse to have him caned as a warning.

It was both a lesson for Li Yan and a slap across Chang Xuan's face. Upon hearing the command, Li Yan's expression didn't change in the slightest. His heartbeat remained steady and he couldn't even be bothered to cup his fists.

Instead, he said calmly, "What a coincidence. I'm an official too. You're not qualified to make me kneel."

The entire hall fell silent. Even Guan Wanche and Feng Han, both of whom stood nearby as the personal aides to the two commanders, froze in surprise. Other captains had already been dispatched to pursue the firearm-wielding killer.

Guan Wanche kept his expression composed at Li Yan’s words; however, inwardly, he was furiously cursing.

This brat has no idea what kind of place the Military Surveillance Department is. He actually dares spout such nonsense! At this rate, he'll lose his life today...

Guo Yuhuai, on the other hand, laughed. "An official? I would very much like to hear what sort of official you claim to be. If a jianghu outlaw dares impersonate an imperial official, I can have you executed right here in this hall."

Li Yan calmly looked around before removing the writ hanging at his waist. Blinking once, he asked, "Do any of you recognize this?"

Seeing how composed Li Yan remained, Guo Yuhuai's heart skipped a beat.

Could this fellow actually be an imperial agent?

He knew perfectly well that the imperial court did not rely solely upon the Military Surveillance Department. There were also certain secret agencies whose very names remained unknown.

Yet, he had never seen that token before.

Narrowing his eyes, Guo Yuhuai's tone became noticeably more polite. "I do not. May I ask... which government office do you serve?"

"Who said only the Great Xuan Dynasty has officials?" A mocking smile appeared on Li Yan's lips. "This is called a Summoning Writ. I serve the Underworld.

"Have you ever heard of the Office that Answers to the Heavenly Palace Yet Is Administered by the Underworld?"

The moment he heard those words, blood rushed to Guo Yuhuai's head. "How dare you toy with this official?!

"Men!"

Before he could finish speaking, Feng Han suddenly seemed to remember something. His expression changed slightly as he leaned over and whispered into Guo Yuhuai's ear.

Guo Yuhuai frowned before looking back at Li Yan. "You're... a living yin emissary?"

Li Yan nodded, standing perfectly upright. "That's right."

He could easily have slipped away amid the earlier chaos. But first, unlike Feng Feiyan, he had no intention of letting others pin the blame on him. Also, he wanted to throw the situation into greater confusion so Lu San could escape safely.

As for being captured by the Military Surveillance Department, he truly wasn't afraid.

Imperial authority? Official prestige?

None of that was enough to intimidate him. If they truly pushed him into a corner, he would simply unleash the Five Yin Ghost Battalions, slaughter his way out, and disappear into the jianghu.

He had no problem kneeling before his parents, his teachers, and elders. But if some corrupt official thought he could make him kneel, he would sooner kill his way into a life of wandering the jianghu.

Seeing Li Yan standing there so confidently, Guo Yuhuai grew even angrier. With a cold laugh, he said, "Matters of the Underworld are impossible to verify. For all anyone knows, you're merely some random clown pretending to commune with ghosts and gods while causing trouble here."

Li Yan chuckled. "You may deceive men, but you cannot deceive ghosts or gods. If you don't believe me, the Taixuan Orthodox Sect can verify my identity.

"Of course. If you still insist I should, why don't you accompany me to the Underworld at Mount Luofeng? We can ask His Majesty, the Great Emperor of the Northern Fengdu Underworld himself whether a yin emissary like me ought to kneel before a mere official of the mortal realm."

Guo Yuhuai was instantly so furious that he nearly choked. "You!"

Pfft!

Chang Xuan couldn't help laughing out loud.

Grinding his teeth, Guo Yuhuai finally abandoned the matter. Truthfully, he felt somewhat uneasy himself. Human dynasties rose and fell, at most lasting a few hundred years. But the Underworld had always existed. If he truly offended some ancient taboo, even his official robes might not be enough to protect him.

Suppressing those thoughts, Guo Yuhuai resumed the interrogation in a more conventional manner. "What relationship do you have with that criminal?"

"Which criminal do you mean? Xiong Baodong? That man committed countless crimes, and our duel was one of life and death. Everyone present could testify..."

Guo Yuhuai snapped, "I'm referring to the person who used the firearm!"

Li Yan smiled. "With all due respect, I was fighting for my life. How could I spare any attention for what was happening around me? I never saw who fired the weapon."

Guo Yuhuai growled, "What grudge did you bear against Qiao Sanhu?"

Li Yan cocked his head. "This... Who exactly is Qiao Sanhu?"

"The dead man!"

"Wasn't he one of Xiong Baodong's subordinates?"

"He's the County Commander of Fengyuan County!"

"Oh... I understand now."

"Then explain it! How did the County Commander of Fengyang County end up mixed in with the scum of Chang'an's jianghu? There must be something fishy going on. As far as I know, Xiong Baodong had officials from the military backing him! They were definitely using him to amass wealth!"

"Doesn't the Military Surveillance Department specialize in investigating corrupt officials? Hurry and arrest them, mighty Lord Guo! That would be a tremendous achievement for you!"

Guo Yuhuai's eyes darkened. He slammed the table hard, yet found himself unable to say a word.

Li Yan's status as a living yin emissary made him somewhat wary. His official authority had failed to intimidate the young man, and now he couldn't resort to harsher methods either. It was utterly stifling.

Go arrest a County Commander from the Regional Military Commission? This brat is definitely setting me up!

Chang Xuan felt immensely satisfied inside as he watched Guo Yuhuai seethe after being repeatedly outmaneuvered. Nevertheless, he maintained a serious expression as he spoke. "Young Hero Li, there's no need for us to keep talking in circles. This matter concerns firearms. I will not let it rest lightly. If you know anything, please tell me truthfully."

Chang Xuan spoke courteously, so Li Yan naturally stopped fencing with his words. He nodded. "I'm just a wandering martial man of the jianghu. I truly know nothing about the affairs of the imperial court. If I happen to hear anything, I'll certainly come and report it."

Hearing him, Chang Xuan's expression remained unchanged. He quietly studied Li Yan for a moment before suddenly smiling. "Very well. If Young Hero Li discovers anything, please report it truthfully. I thank you in advance."

"You're too courteous, Commander Chang."

"Men, escort Young Hero Li out."

"I shall take my leave then."

Li Yan wasted no more words. Cupping his fists in farewell, he turned and left. After he departed, a heavy silence settled over the hall.

"We have a report!" A scout from the Military Surveillance Department hurried into the hall, dropped to one knee, and cupped his fists. "Commanders, all pursuit teams have lost the suspect's trail.

"Tonight is the Lantern Festival. The crowds are immense; there are countless medicine-controlled puppets roaming about; and the lingering scent of gunpowder is nearly impossible to distinguish. Even the mountain hounds failed to track the target."

"Useless fools!" Guo Yuhuai snorted coldly as he rose to his feet. He turned to the side to yell, "Commander Chang, first you lost the firearm, and now there's been a murder on the night of the Lantern Festival. The new seal-holding commander will assume office in a few days. You can explain everything to him yourself."

With a flick of his sleeve, he departed together with Feng Han.

Fury blazed in Guan Wanche's eyes. "Commander Guo-!"

He was about to speak when Chang Xuan raised a hand to stop him.

Taking a memorial from his robes, Chang Xuan said calmly, "Guo Yuhuai is obsessed with claiming credit while desperately trying to distance himself from responsibility. Yet he understands nothing about firearms. There's no need to concern ourselves with him.

"I've already had the matter investigated. Although the projectile that killed Qiao Sanhu used the new gunpowder, it was crudely manufactured and lacked sufficient power. It wasn't fired from a Divine Fire Arquebus, but from the one Fire Ghost lost.

"The scene was chaotic. Someone was probably watching from nearby, seized the opportunity to steal it, and used it to commit murder during the Lantern Festival.

"Qiao Sanhu tyrannized his region and made countless enemies in the jianghu. We should investigate along that line. We ought to uncover something, though there's no need to waste excessive manpower.

"One more thing. Withdraw some of the men searching for Bai Ruoxu. We need to preserve our strength to deal with matters here in Chang'an."

Guan Wanche stared at him in disbelief. "What?"

Chang Xuan sighed softly and shook his head. "News arrived today from the capital. Something major has happened. It’s come out that someone within the Ministry of Works was bribed. The designs for both the Divine Fire Arquebus and the new gunpowder have been leaked.

"His Majesty flew into a rage. Deputy Chief Situ Bo of the Military Surveillance Department was beaten to death before the imperial court, while Chief Wei knelt outside the palace walls for an entire night. Compared to that, losing one firearm no longer seems so problematic."

Guan Wanche could hardly believe his ears. "What?!"

Chang Xuan sighed again as he slowly stood and gazed at the fireworks illuminating the night sky beyond the doorway. "When I first heard the news, I found it unbelievable as well. But after thinking it through, it began to make sense.

"The Great Xuan Dynasty has stood for a hundred years. But beneath its prosperity, powerful undercurrents have long been swirling. Who knows how many great fish are hiding beneath the surface?

"These new firearms are bound to stir up all the filth lying at the bottom. Who knows what demons and monsters will crawl out into the open.

"Bai Ruoxu is hardly worth mentioning. When the rest reveal themselves, our true opportunity will arrive!"

***

"Little Yan!"

Sha Lifei and Wang Daoxuan had been waiting outside the Military Surveillance Department. The moment they saw Li Yan emerge, both let out sighs of relief and hurried over.

Before either of them could ask what had happened, Li Yan smiled and explained. "It's nothing. They just asked a few questions for the record.

"Come on. Shopkeeper Wan should already be there."

As he spoke, he made a subtle gesture with his right hand. Sha Lifei and Wang Daoxuan immediately understood, neither asking any further questions. The three of them left Buzheng Street together and headed toward the City God Temple.

Buzheng Street and Guangde Street, where the City God Temple stood, were separated by only a single street. Li Yan had not spent very long inside the Military Surveillance Department, so when they arrived, the ritual was still underway.

Outside the City God Temple, rows of tall flagpoles had already been erected, seemingly arranged according to the positions of the stars. Several towering ritual altars had also been constructed within the temple grounds.

Senior Daoists clad in magnificent purple ceremonial robes stood atop the altars, brandishing ritual swords as they stepped in celestial formations. Ashes from yellow talisman paper whirled visibly through the air, forming cyclones more than two zhang tall.

The sight secretly shocked Li Yan. He could clearly smell an overwhelming aura of incense enveloping the entire City God Temple as though it were one of the world's sacred mountains. Countless divine astral wills flickered throughout the grounds, as though innumerable gods dwelled within those mountains.

The oppressive pressure made even breathing difficult. Under such circumstances, Li Yan naturally dared not use his Summoning Writ to commune with the divine. He had even sealed off his divine ability, lest his own spirit suffer injury.

Five delegations had already gathered outside the City God Temple. They hailed respectively from Ezhou, Jinzhou, Xiangchu, and Nanyue. As for Shanzhou, after the Fire Bear Gang's interference, only Shopkeeper Wan's delegation remained.

At that moment, Shopkeeper Wan held twelve ritual banners in his hands, looking utterly at a loss. There were only twenty four qualification slots in total, and half of them had somehow ended up in his possession.

When he saw Li Yan arrive, he visibly relaxed. He had just opened his mouth to speak when a line of elderly Daoists emerged from the City God Temple, lightly flicking their horsetail whisks.

"Present the banners!"

"Offer sacrifice to the gods!"

At the command, the leader of every delegation immediately carried their ritual banners forward, respectfully placing them upon wooden trays. Several Daoists from the Enforcement Hall then lifted the trays and carried them into the City God Temple.

Li Yan frowned slightly and instinctively retreated a few steps. He could clearly sense that the temple's aura suddenly surging as the ritual banners entered the temple. Threads of cold, murderous intent descended from the heavens.

Even with his divine ability sealed, the sensation made every hair on his body stand on end.

Inside the main hall of the City God Temple, the demon hunters all stood around the perimeter, their faces pale and their expressions taut with anxiety.

An ancient bronze coffin rested in the center of the hall. Countless lotus lamps surrounded it, every single one bearing a yellow talisman. The coffin itself was wrapped layer upon layer with red cords and paper talismans.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The ancient bronze coffin shook violently as one paper talisman after another burst into flames. Outside the coffin, the lotus lamps extinguished one after another.

A sinister wind swept through the hall. The stone floor, which had previously been somewhat damp, instantly dried out. The wet floor around also continued to dry off rapidly.

Just then, the ritual finally concluded. Li Yan sensed wave after wave of murderous force descending from the heavens, forcing the bronze coffin to finally cease trembling.

All of the Daoists let out long breaths of relief, wiping the cold sweat from their brows. They exchanged glances, each seeing lingering fear reflected in the others' eyes.

"Hurry!"

"Transport it to Mount Hua tonight!"

Outside the City God Temple, the common people, seeing that the ritual had concluded, lit incense and prayed with smiles upon their faces, hoping for favorable weather and abundant harvests in the coming year.

Shopkeeper Wan walked over carrying twelve tokens. Taking out ten of them, he handed them toward Li Yan with a bitter smile. "Brother Li, these things are too hot for this old man to hold. I truly can't keep them. How they should be dealt with... that's for you to decide."

Li Yan accepted the tokens without ceremony.

Feeling the strange gazes from all around him, he suddenly thought of someone. He immediately raised his voice and yelled, "If any of you want a spot, go find Night Crier in Fengyi Street!"

***

In Tongji Street, southeast of the city, within a dark, dilapidated street, the black-robed man looked up at the fireworks blossoming across the distant night sky before turning and continuing on his way.

Behind him, a dense tide of rats followed in silence.

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