Chapter 6 - The County Princess of Mountain Cloud
The residence located next to the county yamen was brightly lit.
This was the office and resting place of the Night Patrol. Since the development of the Night Patrol, specialized official residences had been established in every prefecture and county.
Even some villages had temporary offices.
In the living room, Iron Ox looked at the files on the table and sighed.
"Great, we came here to catch a Demonic Creature, and now we've stumbled upon a 'Red Rain' case. We should have just stayed out of this mess and let those bastards from the White Tiger Division deal with it."
"Those are orders from above, do you dare disobey?"
Guo Gang retorted.
Meng Xiao Tu, munching on a carrot, said indistinctly, "But wasn't the Black Tortoise Division supposed to investigate this at first? Didn't they refuse?"
"If you had a father who was a high-ranking official, you could also disobey orders from your superiors."
Iron Ox sneered.
Recalling the gloating expression on the face of Li Donghai, the Black Tortoise Division inspector, Iron Ox really wanted to punch him.
"But Sister Leng, she—"
"Enough, stop with the nonsense."
Leng Xinnan glared at Meng Xiao Tu and said coldly, "Since we're already here, let's focus on investigating this case."
"Hmph, only our Vermilion Bird Division is easy to bully!"
Meng Xiao Tu said with a disgruntled look, taking a big bite of her carrot.
Even her ample bosom trembled with anger.
Iron Ox slammed his fist on the table, still fuming.
"I just don't understand. When the Demonic Creature appeared in Yun City, we were supposed to be responsible for investigating and capturing it. Why did the higher-ups insist on letting the White Tiger Division interfere?”
“Now look, it's been more than half a month, and the Demonic Creature hasn't been caught. It even ran to Dongqi County and caused deaths. Now that the situation is out of control, they ask us to handle it. Sister Leng, what are the higher-ups thinking?"
"What else could they be thinking? Our Vermilion Bird Division has been too successful these past few years. They need to suppress us."
Guo Gang got up and refilled the teacups for Leng Xinnan and Meng Xiao Tu, deliberately ignoring Iron Ox, who had brought the teapot, earning him a glare.
Guo Gang's words did make sense.
The Night Patrol was divided into four divisions: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise.
Setting aside the Azure Dragon Division, which had the strongest overall strength, in terms of effectiveness, the White Tiger Division used to be the most prominent, highly valued by the superiors.
However, since Leng Xinnan took over as the inspector of the Vermilion Bird Division, their performance in missions had been outstanding, and the Night Patrol's resources gradually shifted towards them.
They even seemed to be on par with the Azure Dragon Division, naturally attracting jealousy from their colleagues in other divisions.
Furthermore, Leng Xinnan's straightforward personality easily offended people.
With the 'manipulation' of those with ulterior motives, both openly and covertly, the Vermilion Bird Division was naturally 'suppressed.'
Leng Xinnan didn't refute Guo Gang's words and returned to the topic of the case.
"Currently, we can't confirm whether the Demonic Creature that attacked Lin Jiao Yue and the others is the same one from Yun City. Moreover, Lin Jiao Yue and Wan Ying Ying were also attacked by Nightmares. This case is not simple.”
“Capturing the Demonic Creature is necessary, but more importantly, we need to find the source of the 'Red Rain' to prevent further Red Rain incidents.”
“I've already asked Caiyun and Caiyue to secretly search the Lin residence while protecting Lin Jiao Yue. The county yamen is also gathering clues. If there really is a 'Red Rain' trade here, it will surely lead to a big fish”.
“Little Rabbit, you take some people to Cuihong Mountain to investigate the Demonic Creature. Be extremely careful. If you find any trace of the Demonic Creature, don't pursue it rashly. Inform us immediately. If you're discovered by the Demonic Creature, retreat first."
"Don't worry, Sister Leng, I'm very strong."
Meng Xiao Tu's crisp and sweet voice was filled with confidence as she patted her ample bosom.
The majestic peaks momentarily collapsed and then sprang back into shape, truly a wonder.
"Don't be reckless!"
Leng Xinnan's expression was serious.
"Oh."
The young woman, with her rabbit-like front teeth, bit her lip and unhappily took out another carrot to munch on.
Leng Xinnan glanced at Guo Gang.
"Have you re-examined Wen Jin Er's body?"
"I've already examined it."
Guo Gang, experienced in autopsies, said with a bitter expression.
"It was horrible. The body was torn into several pieces, just like the murder cases caused by the Demonic Creature in Yun City. It's most likely the same one."
"Damn it, we should have been the ones to capture that Demonic Creature from the beginning!"
Iron Ox was still brooding over the decision made by their superiors.
Thinking of the tragic death of a young girl, he couldn't suppress his anger and stood up, fuming.
"I say, this is all the fault of the Retired Emperor—"
"Iron Ox!"
Leng Xinnan suddenly looked up, her eyes flashing with a sharp warning.
Iron Ox's face flushed red, and he sat back down resentfully.
The 'Retired Emperor' that Iron Ox mentioned was naturally the seventh emperor of the Great Zhen Dynasty—Emperor Tianwu, Bai Yao Quan.
This emperor was a legendary figure.
When the previous emperor suddenly passed away, he hastily ascended the throne at the age of sixteen and changed the era name to Tianwu.
In the early days of his reign, he faced a situation where the emperor was weak and the ministers were strong. Several of his decrees were rejected, and there were even instances where imperial edicts couldn't leave the cabinet.
But even in this unfavorable situation, the young Emperor Tianwu, Bai Yao Quan, didn't give up. Instead, he patiently planned and eventually brought down the powerful ministers one by one, completely taking control of the court.
After seizing power, Emperor Tianwu adhered to the principle of moderation to balance the various factions in the court.
At the same time, he diligently discussed with the cabinet and introduced many policies that benefited the country and the people.
He even personally led the army to repel the northern barbarians.
Under his rule, the Great Zhen Dynasty, which had shown signs of decline, gradually regained its strength and prosperity.
However, everything changed after the 'Red Rain incident.'
Since the 'Red Rain incident,' Emperor Tianwu had been suffering from a strange illness, occasionally fainting for no reason. Countless divine doctors and experts were called in, but to no avail.
At first, the fainting spells were infrequent, and Emperor Tianwu could still handle state affairs normally.
But as time passed, the frequency of his fainting increased. Sometimes he would faint in the court, sometimes in the imperial garden, and his body gradually weakened.
Affected by this, Emperor Tianwu found it increasingly difficult to handle state affairs, and his temperament became irritable.
Especially with the successive deaths of his princes, his temper became even more violent.
During this period, many officials were killed in his anger.
The most regrettable incident occurred in the twenty-third year of Tianwu, when Marquis Anping, Bei Wen Liang, once the greatest general of the Great Zhen Dynasty, was implicated in a treason case.
In a fit of rage, the Emperor ordered the execution of Bei Wen Liang's entire family.
However, subsequent investigations revealed Bei Wen Liang's innocence.
Although he was eventually exonerated, everyone in the Bei family, except for the missing County Princess of Mountain Cloud, had turned into bones, buried in the yellow earth.
Perhaps Bei Wen Liang's death prompted Emperor Tianwu to reflect, and his temperament became much milder after that.
However, his condition worsened.
At its worst, he fainted more than twenty times a day.
During this period, the power and status of Lin Si Qing, the Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet, who was heavily relied upon by the Emperor, gradually increased.
In the twenty-sixth year of Tianwu, the forty-two-year-old Emperor Tianwu, unable to bear the burden of his illness, issued an edict to have his six-year-old crown prince, Bai Ren Wen, inherit the throne and become the new emperor, changing the era name to Yuanfeng.
The six ministries of the Inner Cabinet were to assist in governing the country.
He himself, as the Retired Emperor, would quietly cultivate himself in the Wuji Palace.
Although behind the scenes, he would still come forward to handle important or difficult state affairs.
Furthermore, Emperor Tianwu went against the advice of many and exceptionally decreed that Lin Si Qing's seventeen-year-old daughter, Lin Wei Yang, be made Empress.
He also promoted Lin Si Qing's son, Lin Qu Xin, to Minister of Works.
From then on, the power of the Lin faction in the court became unshakeable.
Grand Secretary Lin Si Qing's status and power also reached their peak, almost creating a situation where 'all ministerial power belonged to the Inner Cabinet.'
Thus, a forty-two-year-old Retired Emperor, a six-year-old Emperor, and a seventeen-year-old Empress... This was the first time such a situation had occurred in the history of the dynasty, both absurd and helpless.
Those who agreed didn't know how to express their agreement, and those who opposed didn't know how to express their opposition.
They could only hope for a turn for the better in Emperor Tianwu's condition.
After all, there had been precedents in the history of the Great Zhen Dynasty where the Retired Emperor had resumed his position as Emperor.
In the second year of Yuanfeng, when the new Emperor was eight years old, Lin Si Qing, the powerful Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet, suddenly died of illness, and the vast Lin faction split.
With the tacit consent of the Retired Emperor, the nineteen-year-old Empress Lin Wei Yang began to participate in state affairs.
This woman, who possessed exceptional political talent and ruthless methods, established her authority within a short year and became the current spokesperson for the imperial family of the Great Zhen Dynasty.
All matters of state, big or small, had to pass through her hands first.
"Sister Leng, I heard there's a lead on that County Princess?"
Seeing the somewhat gloomy atmosphere, Meng Xiao Tu suddenly asked, her lively eyes sparkling with curiosity.
The County Princess that Meng Xiao Tu mentioned was naturally the County Princess of Mountain Cloud.
Back then, Emperor Tianwu had ordered the execution of the entire Bei family, but the seventeen-year-old County Princess of Mountain Cloud miraculously escaped and disappeared.
Emperor Tianwu was furious when he learned of this and specifically sent the Shadow Guard to pursue her, but to no avail.
Later, after Bei Wen Liang was exonerated, the court sent people to search for her again, this time hoping to make amends to the County Princess, but they still couldn't find her.
In the end, the matter was dropped.
Some speculated that the County Princess of Mountain Cloud was already dead.
However, there were recent rumors that the Night Patrol in the capital had accidentally discovered a lead on the County Princess of Mountain Cloud while investigating a 'Red Rain' case. It was unknown whether it was true or not.
"I don't know, and it's not our concern."
Leng Xinnan's tone was indifferent.
"How pitiful," Meng Xiao Tu sighed deeply. "If that County Princess is still alive, she would be about twenty-two years old now."
"Are you deaf? I said enough!"
Leng Xinnan raised her dark, ink-like eyebrows.
Seeing her superior getting angry, Meng Xiao Tu stuck out her small, rosy tongue and quickly changed the subject.
"Oh right, I heard from people in the Jianghu that Chu Jiucheng, the Sword Maniac of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, wants to challenge the Sword Immortal, Ye Yao Yao? That guy is too bold, isn't he? Doesn't he know his own limits?"
In the young woman's mind, that female Sword Immortal was an invincible existence.
She was her idol.
"Heh, your information is outdated."
Iron Ox finished his tea in one gulp and smacked his lips.
"They had already set a date for the duel, but that Ye Yao Yao didn't show up. Now it's become a laughingstock."
"She didn't show up? Why?"
Meng Xiao Tu's eyes widened in disbelief.
Iron Ox snorted coldly.
"How would I know? Maybe this female Sword Immortal's reputation is all hype. These days, anyone dares to label themselves as anything."