webnovelvip Chapter 367 No matter the era, there are always clear-headed people.
Chapter 367 No matter the era, there are always clear-headed people.
Yunluan sheathed her sword, took a lantern from the corridor, and threw the flame into the main hall.
The silk curtains were the first to catch fire, and the flames spread rapidly along the fabric, licking the wooden window frames and climbing up the beams.
Thick smoke billowed, and orange flames shot into the sky, enveloping the entire prefectural governor's mansion in a scorching halo.
Standing behind Qin Mu, Jiang Zhaoyue watched the flames grow ever stronger, a complex emotion welling up within her.
Those maids and servants may not have known about Zhou Demao's collusion with the Moon Goddess Cult; they were just people trying to make a living here.
But she didn't say anything; she knew she had no right to speak.
The emperor is ruthless; this is a truth she should have understood from the day she stepped into the palace.
People with soft hearts don't live long.
Zhao Qingxue stood beside Qin Mu, watching the firelight illuminate half the sky, her face expressionless.
She killed far more people than that in Liyang.
Qin Mu stood up, hands behind his back, his moon-white robe tinged with a dark gold by the firelight. "Let's go, let's go to the next one."
He turned around and walked towards the gate of the mansion.
The three women followed behind him, their footsteps echoing softly on the bluestone path.
Behind them, the prefectural governor's mansion was already engulfed in flames.
Flames leaped from the roof, and waves of heat hit us, making the wood crackle and pop.
The neighbors were awakened. Some banged on copper basins and shouted "Fire!" Others rushed out of the alley with buckets of water, but the fire was too big and no one could get close.
"Fire! Fire!" an old man shouted hoarsely, splashing a bucket of water at the wall of fire. The water turned into white steam before it even hit the ground.
Meanwhile, deep within the cave, a hundred miles away.
In the secret chamber, the Moon Goddess sat cross-legged on a futon, her eyes slightly closed.
The candlelight burned quietly beside her, casting flickering light on and off the white jade mask.
Her breathing was long and even, each breath carrying a faint silvery-white halo, the trace of true energy circulating in her meridians.
Hurried footsteps came from outside the door, three short and one long.
She opened her eyes, a cold glint flashing within them. "Come in."
A woman in white pushed open the door and entered, kneeling on the ground with her head bowed. "Master, something has happened at the Lin Yuan Prefectural Governor's Mansion."
The moon goddess's brow twitched slightly. "What is it?"
"A sudden fire broke out at the prefectural governor's residence. The fire was too great to be put out. According to officials, everyone inside perished in the flames." The woman in white paused. "Preliminary assessment suggests it was an act of revenge by an enemy."
The Moon Goddess remained silent for a moment, then slowly curved a cold smile onto her lips.
"That good-for-nothing Zhou Demao has tons of enemies; it's no wonder he's being targeted for revenge." She leaned back in her chair, her eyes full of disdain. "Just ignore him. A greedy idiot like him, he's dead, so be it."
She raised her hand, her fingertips tracing a line in the air. "Just help one more up. There are plenty of people in the southwestern border region who want to be prefects."
The woman in white lowered her head. "Yes."
The Moon Goddess leaned back in her chair, tapping her fingers lightly on the armrest twice, her brows slightly furrowed.
"However, it is indeed a bit strange that this happened at this critical juncture."
Her gaze fell on the kneeling woman in white. "Go and investigate who Zhou Demao offended and how the fire started."
The woman in white lowered her head. "Yes."
She stood up, about to turn and leave, when the Moon Goddess raised her hand again. "Wait a moment, there's one more thing."
The woman in white stopped and knelt down again.
"Where is the army that Qin sent?" The Moon Goddess's voice was soft, revealing no emotion.
The woman in white pondered for a moment. "Reporting to the leader, according to our scouts, we will reach the southwestern border in three days."
The Moon Goddess nodded. "How many people were sent?"
"At least 50,000, all of them elite troops."
The moon goddess chuckled softly, her laughter ethereal and melodious, yet carrying a hint of coldness.
"This tyrant really thinks highly of my Moon Goddess Sect. Fifty thousand elite troops, that's quite a generous gesture."
A cold glint flashed in her eyes, and she tapped her fingers twice on the armrest. "It seems we really do have to join forces with the Northern Border."
The woman in white raised her head. "Then, Your Excellency, should we go and inform the people in the Northern Border?"
The Moon Goddess shook her head, a meaningful smile playing on her lips. "No need. He's even more anxious than we are right now. When he appears, he'll naturally show himself; we don't need to go looking for him."
The woman in white lowered her head. "Yes."
The Moon Goddess waved her hand. "Alright, you may leave."
The woman in white stood up, bowed, and stepped back; her footsteps gradually disappeared outside the door.
The door to the secret room slowly closed.
The candlelight burned quietly on the bronze lampstand, illuminating the room with a dim and warm glow.
The smile on the moon goddess's lips slowly disappeared, like the tide receding to reveal the gray, cold sand beneath.
A complex light flashed in her eyes, and her brows furrowed into a faint knot that she could never smooth out.
"This tyrant acted so swiftly this time; it seems he has learned his lesson from the Taiyin Holy Sect," she muttered to herself, a hint of resentment in her voice. "I underestimated him."
She looked down at her hands.
Her hands were very white, with long, slender fingers and a faint silvery-white sheen at the fingertips.
She turned her palm over and looked at the faint silver pattern in her palm, a mark that only appears when true energy is condensed to its extreme.
"Just one step short." She sighed softly, a hint of weariness in her voice. "What a pity."
She clenched her fist, then relaxed it, and the silver lines on her palm slowly faded away.
"However, that should be enough."
........
Night had fallen, and the firelight gradually faded into the distance behind us.
Qin Mu led the three women through the streets and alleys of Linyuan City, and visited the residences of several officials in succession.
These people were all important officials on the southwestern border. Some commanded troops, some managed the people, and some were in charge of money and provisions. Under Zhou Demao's protection, each of them lived peacefully for more than ten years.
The first one is Chen Yongchang, the magistrate of Linyuan County.
When Qin Mu sneaked into his study, there was a half-finished official document lying on the table, with a pen lying aside and the ink already dried.
On the shelf next to it was a white jade statue, about a foot tall, depicting a woman holding the moon in one hand and the other hanging by her side—a statue of the moon goddess.
Three sticks of incense, burned out, were still stuck in the incense burner in front of the statue. The ashes fell on the sandalwood table and accumulated in a thin layer.
The second was Wu Xiong, the deputy commander of the garrison in Linyuan City.
His residence was much smaller than Zhou Demao's prefectural residence, but a secret room was hidden in the inner courtyard.
Yunluan pried open the door lock and found more than a dozen boxes inside. Upon opening them, she found them stuffed full of gold ingots, silver ingots, pearls, and agates.
A map hung in the corner, marked with vermilion ink the route of the imperial army and its estimated arrival time, with a few small characters written next to it: "Reported to the Moon Goddess."
The third was Sun Wenyuan, the registrar of Linyuan City.
This person appears to be poor, with simple furnishings in his home, and even the tea served to guests is the cheapest coarse tea.
However, Qin Mu discovered a hidden compartment in the wall of the dry well in the backyard. Inside was an account book, which was filled with detailed records of every penny the Moon Goddess Cult had given him over the past five years, as well as everything he had done for the Moon Goddess Cult.
For example, smoothing things over with government officials, covering up information, and providing information about the court's movements.
The last page reads "Willing to die for the Moon Goddess," the ink still fresh.
Qin Mu memorized every name and every piece of evidence, intending to use them to cleanse the criminals later.
As dawn broke, he led the three women into an inconspicuous little shop in the east of the city.
The shop is small, with an old plaque hanging above the door, the four characters "Old Zhao's Breakfast" blackened by cooking fumes.
There were four or five wooden tables in the room, all wiped clean, with a bamboo chopstick and a dish of pickled vegetables on each table.
The stove was by the door, and a large pot was bubbling away, simmering porridge. The aroma of rice mixed with the meaty smell of steamed buns wafted down half the street.
Qin Mu sat down at a table against the wall, with Zhao Qingxue sitting opposite him, and Jiang Zhaoyue and Yun Luan sitting on either side.
The boss was a man in his fifties with dark skin and a faded blue apron tied around his waist.
He walked over carrying a steamer basket of xiaolongbao (soup dumplings). Steam escaped from the gaps in the bamboo basket, and the dumpling skins were so thin that you could see the dark brown meat filling inside.
He then brought over four bowls of soy milk. The bowls were made of coarse earthenware, but the soy milk was thick, white, and smooth, with a thin layer of soy skin on top.
"Enjoy your meal, sir." The owner grinned and turned back to the stove.
Qin Mu picked up a steamed bun and took a bite. The meat juices burst in his mouth, filling the air with a fresh and fragrant aroma.
He nodded slightly, took another sip of soy milk, and felt the warm, lingering sensation as it slid down his throat.
Halfway through the meal, the owner came over with a teapot to refill the water.
He put down the teapot, but instead of leaving immediately, he bent down and said in a low voice, "Gentlemen, please heed my advice: finish your meal and leave quickly."
Qin Mu looked up at him. "Why?"
The shopkeeper glanced around, then lowered his voice even further. "You don't know, things aren't peaceful in this city right now. There's a gang called the Moon Goddess Cult that's growing really fast. They love recruiting young men and women, and if they set their sights on you, you're in trouble."
Qin Mu put down his chopsticks, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes. "Oh? Why do you say that?"
The boss squatted down, getting even closer, and spoke in a voice as low as a mosquito's buzz.
"The gang leader likes young men and women, and many people from our area have already been recruited by them. I have a distant nephew who was taken away by them last year, and we haven't heard from him since. I've also heard that no one who goes in ever comes back alive."
Zhao Qingxue frowned slightly.
Jiang Zhaoyue's chopsticks stopped in mid-air.
Yunluan placed her hand on the hilt of the sword.
Qin Mu's expression remained unchanged. "Isn't anyone in charge here?"
The boss gave a wry smile and shook his head.
"Manage? Who manages? Those officials only care about their own enjoyment every day. They don't care about the lives of us common people. When the people from the yamen come, they just go through the motions, collect a few taels of silver, and leave. Some people who come to file a complaint are even beaten and thrown out."
Qin Mu then asked, "Didn't you consider reporting this situation to the imperial court?"
The boss sighed, a long and heavy sigh, like a stone that had been pressing down for too long finally being moved a little.
He straightened up, took two steps toward the stove, then turned back and said, "This place is so far from the capital, who can get there? Besides, everyone has families to support; before we even reach the capital, we'll probably..."
He didn't continue speaking, but simply shook his head, turned around, walked back to the stove, picked up a rag, and began wiping the table, without saying another word.
Yunluan lowered her voice. "Your Majesty, it seems there are still some who are clear-headed."
Qin Mu picked up the soy milk, took a sip, and put the bowl down. "No matter where you are or what era you live in, there are always people who are clear-headed."
He stood up, took a piece of silver from his sleeve, and placed it on the table.
The shopkeeper glanced at it and quickly waved his hand. "We don't need that much. A bowl of soy milk, two steamed buns, and a few coins will suffice."
Qin Mu didn't turn around, but simply waved his hand and led the three women out of the shop.
The morning light shone from the east, casting the four people's shadows long and thin on the bluestone path.
The shopkeeper stood by the stove, holding the broken piece of silver in his hand. He stared at the pale figure disappearing into the alleyway for a long while before lowering his head to put the silver into his pocket.