Chapter 21

Of the five factions that had infiltrated the Prince of Rui’s estate, only the remnants of the previous dynasty remained. For some reason, however, they had yet to make a move. Unable to fathom their intentions, Lin Qing decided to shelve the matter for the time being.

Returning to the Tianlu Bureau, she slipped directly into her master’s study. She copied the roster twice—one copy for Li Mingxiao, and one for herself to use for the arrests. After a moment’s thought, she copied a third version, scrambling the names, and tucked it into the bookshelf.

As for the original roster, a sudden idea struck her. She ran to the duty room, fished out a volume of erotic illustrations someone had hidden away, and carefully pasted the pages of the roster over the illustrations one by one. After nearly an hour of work, she had created a "special" edition of the erotic book. With a mischievous grin, she shoved it into the secret compartment at the head of her master’s bed.

The safest place is the most dangerous one, she reasoned—concealed in plain sight. As for her master’s reputation, she would just have to sacrifice it a little; she was sure he wouldn't mind.

As his stern face flashed through her mind, Lin Qing shivered. She wondered what task Li Mingxiao had sent her master on to keep him away for so long.

Just as she was pondering this, she felt a piercing, icy wind at her back, making the hair on her neck stand on end.

Lin Qing’s pupils dilated. Instinctively, she rolled across the floor. As she looked up, she found herself face-to-face with a ghost mask.

The mask wore an expression of both weeping and laughter, with teardrops painted dramatically on both cheeks, forming a shape like a giant character for "person." A black cloak wrapped the figure from head to toe.

As Lin Qing dodged, the secret compartment in the bedside cabinet was exposed, and the masked figure reached for it.

Lacking her sword, Lin Qing had no choice but to block him with her bare hands. She was fast, but her opponent was no slouch. In the blink of an eye, they exchanged a dozen moves. The study was spacious, but as they fought, the space felt cramped. Restricted, their movements left blurred shadows in the air—fists and kicks flying—but neither could gain the upper hand.

Knowing this could not go on, Lin Qing feinted and unleashed a fierce palm strike that sent the bookshelf crashing down, scattering books and porcelain ornaments across the floor.

The commotion was loud enough that the Tianlu guards on duty finally heard, and a flurry of footsteps rushed toward the study.

Lin Qing sneered. "Since you had the guts to break into the Tianlu Bureau, you might as well leave your life behind."

"My life isn't so easy to take," the masked figure rasped, his voice sounding like glass scraping against iron. "Hand over the roster, and I will spare you."

"You want the roster? I’d rather throw it away than give it to you." Lin Qing snatched the copied roster from the shelf and hurled it out the window.

The masked figure immediately lunged for the roster. At that moment, the door was kicked open with a bang. The Tianlu guards surged in, and a figure from the front charged forward, striking the masked figure on the back with a palm.

Unable to dodge in time, the masked figure took the blow, yet managed to snatch the roster and leap out the window.

Lin Qing chased after him, but found only a few scattered Tianlu guards; the masked figure had already vanished without a trace. Her gaze darkened. She had suspected someone would come for the roster, but she hadn’t expected them to be bold enough to storm the Tianlu Bureau in broad daylight.

The Tianlu Bureau was located within the Imperial Palace, which was heavily guarded. That the masked figure could bypass layers of security to infiltrate the Bureau meant he was no mere nobody.

Dismissing the guards, Lin Qing returned to the study to find Zhuge Xu sitting at the table, his expression grave.

"Master, you’ve returned."

Though Zhuge Xu was over fifty, he remained robust. His temples were gray, and though wrinkles lined his face, one could still see the shadow of his youthful handsomeness. He scrutinized his only disciple. "Was that the roster of Gouyue spies?"

"A fake," Lin Qing said with a conciliatory smile. She had intended to copy a fake as a precaution, never expecting to use it so soon.

Seeing that Zhuge Xu was covered in the dust of travel, she hurried to help him sit and poured a cup of tea. "This errand took you far. You’ve worked hard, Master."

Zhuge Xu was quite fond of his only disciple. After a sip of hot tea, he finally warmed up. "How did you know?"

Understanding he was testing her, Lin Qing shook her head and explained with practiced ease: "Master, you are covered in dust, yet your soles are relatively clean, clearly indicating days of horseback riding. There’s a grease stain on your collar... and the scent... it’s mutton fat. Only those near the northern border eat such things. And then... hehe."

She reached out and plucked a round, prickly black burr from his hair. "These only grow in the north. Did you go to see the Duke of the State?"

"The Duke has guarded the northern border for many years, and as he ages, His Majesty feels it is time for a change." Zhuge Xu was satisfied with her performance. He paused, then added, "There was some trouble there. You need not concern yourself with the masked man; I will report it to His Majesty myself."

Lin Qing dutifully agreed without asking what the trouble was. If it required the Commander of the Tianlu Bureau to intervene personally, it certainly wasn't a minor matter.

Zhuge Xu asked, "Have there been any changes here in the capital?"

Lin Qing recounted everything that had occurred recently.

Zhuge Xu sighed. "It seems the Great Yan is destined for unrest."

Lin Qing remained silent. "Unrest" was an understatement; it was plagued by both external threats and internal strife.

Underneath the prosperity, dark currents surged. There were powerful nations eyeing them from the outside, and Li Chenxuan, a ticking time bomb, on the inside. She wondered if, in the original novel, Li Chenxuan had managed to hold the Great Yan together after successfully ascending the throne.

The book hadn't mentioned it, but in her view, it seemed unlikely.

Never mind. She would focus on the task at hand.

Lin Qing exhaled, clearing her mind, and handed the genuine roster she had copied to Zhuge Xu.

Zhuge Xu glanced at it briefly. "I will take this to His Majesty shortly. You’ve been busy for the better part of the day; go back and get some rest."

Lin Qing hadn't rested well since Wang Duan’s death and was indeed exhausted. After bidding Zhuge Xu farewell and arranging the operations to capture the spies, she returned home.

Over the next few days, some households were secretly raided, while others vanished overnight. The entire capital seemed less bustling than before; everyone moved with hurried steps, terrified of being snatched away at any moment.

The Tianlu guards were run off their feet, but with Zhuge Xu, the Commander, in charge, Lin Qing found herself with more leisure. After checking in at dawn, she would find a place to slack off until her shift ended, then go home to sleep.

The tail end of spring slipped away in a flash, and early summer arrived. The trees and shrubs in the palace turned lush and green, with many already budding with flowers.

After lunch, Lin Qing headed to the Cuiyuan Pavilion near the Cold Palace.

She had recently discovered this place. Because it was near the Cold Palace, few people ever came by. The palace buildings had partially collapsed and had been abandoned since the previous emperor’s reign. In the courtyard stood an ancient elm tree, and beside it, a pond.

Lin Qing expertly climbed onto the trunk and lay within the lush green foliage, where no one could spot the person hidden inside.

Lately, she had been feeling restless.

As the weather grew hotter, she had to stop wearing the padded undershirts of her official uniform. Her chest, which had shown no development for over a decade, had recently become tight and swollen, growing visibly by the day.

She had no choice but to wrap her chest even tighter.

This body was a ticking time bomb, and she had to plan her escape before it exploded.

Just then, the sound of footsteps reached her from below.