Chapter 23

When Lin Qing returned to the Tianlu Bureau, she was surprised to find Zhuge Xu there.

Zhuge Xu had already heard about the incident at the Cuiyuan Pavilion. Glancing at the imperial gold medal in Lin Qing's hand, he stroked his short beard and said, "Keep that safe; it might prove very useful later."

Lin Qing looked at the medal, a bit confused. To others, this imperial honor might be invaluable, but for her, its symbolic value far outweighed its utility. The Tianlu Bureau operated independently of the Three Departments and Six Ministries, answering only to the Emperor. As a deputy envoy and the sole disciple of the current commander, she was a fifth-rank official, yet there were very few people in the capital who dared to provoke her.

Truthfully, she would have preferred a promotion or a larger house, but she couldn't exactly voice that; after all, the mask of a loyal and patriotic subject was already firmly glued to her face in front of the Emperor. Still, looking at it from another perspective, it was a good thing. At the very least, Li Mingxiao truly recognized her worth now. Being favored by the Emperor surely meant that promotions and wealth were not far off.

Feeling much better, she tucked the medal into her waist pouch with a grin. That was when she noticed the packed bags on Zhuge Xu's bed. "Master, are you leaving again?"

Zhuge Xu nodded. "I must head to the Northern Frontier once more. I am leaving the affairs of the capital in your hands."

Lin Qing was stunned. She had never seen such a grave expression on his face before. She immediately nodded, "Understood, Master. Rest assured."

Zhuge Xu had urgent matters to attend to, so after a few more words, Lin Qing took her leave. By now, the sky was growing dark. Living alone, her home was always cold and quiet, so she couldn't be bothered to cook and decided to grab dinner at the bureau’s canteen.

The canteen was spacious. Several Tianlu guards were eating heartily, and they all stood up to greet her as she walked in. Lin Qing smiled and returned the greetings, filling a large bowl with food and finding an empty table. The meal consisted of four dishes and a soup, complete with meat and vegetables—it was delicious, and best of all, free. The bureau's registrar was stingy, but he was always generous with food; the cooks moved between the tables, replacing any dish that ran out with a fresh one.

Lin Qing was enjoying her meal when she heard footsteps. Looking up, she saw Meng Jie and a few other guards entering. Meng Jie spotted her, grabbed a bowl of rice, and hurried over to sit beside her, his face grim. "Boss, Liu Xiangxue is dead."

Lin Qing paused. "How did she die?"

"Suffocation," Meng Jie sighed. "Our men were worried she might commit suicide, so we kept her hands and feet bound and stuffed her mouth so she couldn't bite her tongue. Somehow, she managed to rub her hair into her nostrils and suffocated herself."

Lin Qing’s movements stalled. She had expected Liu Xiangxue to attempt suicide, but she hadn't realized she would be so ruthless with herself. "Dead is dead. We already have the roster, so most of the spies are as good as caught."

Meng Jie nodded, then added, "Qiu Mengchuan escaped."

"His escape was inevitable," Lin Qing replied. "The world's top assassin is not so easily captured. Increase the bounty on his wanted poster. Dead or alive—the reward is for his head."

"I'll see to it immediately," Meng Jie said, then bowed his head to finish his meal before heading back to work. He had been run off his feet these past few days.

***

Lin Qing had little else to do, so after finishing her meal, she wandered around for a bit before heading home to sleep.

The next morning, as she changed into her official robes and debated whether to grab breakfast at the bureau or a street stall, a knock rang out at her courtyard gate. Her home was in a somewhat secluded spot near the East Main Street, and visitors were rare. The last time she heard such a knock was when Wang Duan and his wife had died. A sense of unease washed over her. She opened the gate to find Qi Mao, the old steward of the Zhuge estate.

Qi Mao was a retired Tianlu guard who had been saved by Zhuge Xu several times, leading him to become the steward. He had practically watched Lin Qing grow up. Now, however, he looked frantic. "Young Master, something has happened! The Master was ambushed last night!"

Lin Qing’s heart skipped a beat. For some reason, the image of that ghost-like mask—both crying and laughing—flashed before her eyes. She quickly locked the gate. "What is his condition?"

Qi Mao looked grim. "You must see for yourself."

The Zhuge estate was on East Main Street, not far from the Prince Rui mansion, and was only slightly smaller in scale. The main gate was open, and the servants bowed as she entered, calling her "Young Master." Zhuge Xu had no wife or children; in this world, the bond between master and disciple was like that of father and son. Besides Zhuge Xu, Lin Qing was the only one who could be considered a master of the house. With Zhuge Xu injured, the entire estate felt rudderless, which was why Qi Mao had rushed to find her.

Lin Qing sprinted to Zhuge Xu’s bedroom. The moment she opened the door, the smell of blood hit her. Zhuge Xu was propped up against his pillows; seeing her, he quickly pulled a quilt over his legs. A palace physician was currently checking his pulse.

The move was quick, but Lin Qing still caught a glimpse of a deep indentation on his left thigh, the bandages soaked in blood. She rushed to the bedside, looking at him with concern. "Master, how are you?"

"It is nothing," Zhuge Xu reassured her. "Just a flesh wound."

The physician, known for his foul temper, shot him a glare. "A flesh wound? You had a chunk of meat torn out by a beast!"

Zhuge Xu: "..."

"If you want to keep that leg," the physician snapped, "you will stay in bed for three months and change the dressings on time."

Zhuge Xu wanted to retort but fell silent when he saw the physician’s bristling mustache. Once the physician left and Qi Mao went to fetch the medicine, Lin Qing finally asked, "Master, what happened? Who did this to you?"

"Lian Renyu," Zhuge Xu’s expression darkened. "The same ghost-masked person who infiltrated the Tianlu Bureau. I intended to leave for the Northern Frontier last night, but I was ambushed by Lian Renyu and the Left Protector—who happens to be a white tiger."

Lian Renyu? The White Tiger Protector? The terms left Lin Qing bewildered.

Zhuge Xu explained, "A year ago, a cult called the Lotus Sect became extremely popular in the North. When you raided the Wang estate, the Shadow Division sent word that the sect was linked to the previous dynasty's royalty. The Emperor sent me to investigate, but upon arriving in the North, I realized the situation was far more complex."

He sighed. "The leader of the Lotus Sect is incredibly elusive. I only managed to cross swords with him once; his martial arts are on par with my own. Beneath the leader are the Left and Right Protectors, followed by five great elders. Lian Renyu is one of those elders."

He hadn't gathered much information, and it had been difficult to even identify Lian Renyu. When he finally did, he discovered that Lian Renyu was heading to the capital to assassinate the Emperor. Yet, by the time he rushed back, the Emperor was safe, and it was the Tianlu Bureau that had been jeopardized.

Lin Qing understood. "Master, let me go to the Northern Frontier."

Zhuge Xu shook his head. "The North is treacherous. You are still too young."

"Given your condition, it is clear the Shadow Division in the North has been compromised. The Shadow Division is unique; others are not suited to intervene. I am the best person for the job." Lin Qing knew the terrifying reach of the Shadow Division’s network; if she wanted to know something, any movement in the Great Yuan Dynasty would be under her watch. Only she and Zhuge Xu knew the rosters and communication methods. With him injured, she had to be the one to go.

Zhuge Xu realized the truth of her words. Despite his worry, he nodded. "The situation in the North cannot be delayed. I don't trust anyone else. Take plenty of men with you, just in case."

"I will," Lin Qing promised.

Zhuge Xu took a piece of silk from a hidden compartment by his bed and handed it to her. It was a map of the Northern Frontier. In this era, maps were hand-drawn after meticulous measurements and were kept strictly by the imperial court.

"I recall you had a hidden compartment added to the hilt of your sword," Zhuge Xu said. "The silk is thin. Hide it well; it may prove invaluable."

Lin Qing had indeed had a craftsman modify her sword hilt to store small amounts of medicine powder. She unhooked her sword from her waist, opened the small compartment, and tucked the map inside.

Watching her, Zhuge Xu realized his disciple had grown up so quickly. "Protect yourself at all costs. Come back alive."

Lin Qing smiled. "Don't worry, Master. I've been on hundreds of missions; there's no situation I haven't faced."

"Take Meng Jie with you," Zhuge Xu advised. "Though he's a bit bulky, he's obedient and has a fair bit of wit."

Lin Qing nodded, comforted him a while longer, and then left the estate to ride toward the outskirts of the city. The Tianlu guards numbered three thousand. Aside from those on duty, they were all training at the camp. After assembling the troops and ordering them to pack, she hurried home. Since the trip was dangerous, she needed to stock up on various poisons and supplies. She packed a bundle, tied it to her saddle, and returned to the camp.

At dawn, the Tianlu guards departed from the North Gate, their iron hooves kicking up clouds of dust as they galloped toward the Northern Frontier.