Chapter Sixty-Two: An Incident (Double-Length)

In the middle of the night, after several days of clear weather, a sudden drizzle began to fall under the shroud of darkness. The sound of raindrops, faint yet persistent, filtered through doors and windows into Zhu Yu’s dreams. It soothed the anxieties that plagued him within his slumber, lulling him into a deeper, more restful sleep.

By dawn, the rain had long ceased. The glowing morning clouds heralded a day of flawless weather ahead. After the wind and rain had passed, those awakened from their dreams breathed in the fresh, cleansed air, their spirits all the more uplifted.

Of course, there were exceptions.

"Ah! Damn it, where did my Fortune Points go? Where are they?!"

A sudden cry shattered one of the palace’s rare moments of tranquility. At the sound, the guards on duty turned grim, immediately drawing their swords and rushing toward the emperor’s temporary residence. The eunuchs and palace maids stationed outside, terrified by the outburst, collapsed to the ground trembling, summoning all their strength to cry out, "Protect His Majesty!"

"Help! Protect the Emperor!"

The shouts rose in waves, quickly echoing through the palace and rousing it fully from slumber.

Steward Wu emerged from a distant corner of another hall, glanced at the hurrying guards, and silently withdrew. The guards, unmistakably late, burst through the doors only to be greeted by a furious roar.

"Out! Get out of my sight!"

The leading guard carefully inspected the residence, and under Zhu Yu’s withering reprimand, bowed and withdrew with his men.

The uproar in the palace gradually subsided; everyone returned to their stations, the rhythm of daily life unchanged. Yet Zhu Yu sat on his bed in a daze, his mind elsewhere as he checked his own status within.

Host: Zhu Yu
Identity: Emperor of Jing, Leader of Blackstone
Condition: Healthy
Martial Arts: Northern Sea Divine Skill (Minor Attainment), Nine Yin Manual (Mastered), Rama Divine Art (Beginner)
Dynasty Fortune Points: 789

At the sight of these numbers, Zhu Yu nearly blacked out.

Where had all his Fortune Points gone? He’d had 1,210 just recently—where had they vanished to?

That morning, after a sound sleep, Zhu Yu had awoken with newfound clarity, finally resolving the dilemma that had troubled him for days. He’d intended simply to lie in bed and upgrade his Nine Yin Manual. But the heavens had a surprise for him—all those Fortune Points were gone!

That, of course, was the reason for his earlier outcry.

After a long while, although Zhu Yu’s mood had not recovered, his reason returned. Fortune Points, as the name implied, could not have dropped so drastically without cause. At this realization, his heart sank. He shouted out to those outside.

"Prepare for court! Someone come dress me."

At his command, the maids waiting outside hurried in to assist him with his robes. Meanwhile, the chief eunuch on night duty quietly reminded him, "Your Majesty, have you forgotten? Today is a rest day, there is no court."

"Does the emperor need you to remind him when to take a holiday? I said court—call everyone here!"

Lashing out at the chief eunuch, Zhu Yu felt slightly better, though the heavy pressure in his chest only grew.

In the Hall of Golden Virtue, the number of officials steadily increased. All murmured among themselves, curious what urgent matter had called the emperor to forego his rest day. Only days before, the emperor had been discussing with the Minister of Rites about increasing rest days, a suggestion the stubborn old minister had flatly rejected. The officials had cursed him behind his back more than once over that.

Soon, all the officials had assembled. Seated upon his dragon throne, Zhu Yu spoke directly.

"Gentlemen, have any of you received word of serious events within Jing?"

The officials were bewildered. Dragged from their homes in haste, surely the emperor should be the one to inform them of such events, not the other way around?

Seeing no one stepped forward, Zhu Yu elaborated, "For instance, any flash floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, or perhaps peasant uprisings, rebels causing trouble?"

The moment his words fell, the hall erupted in noise, the volume rising as though it were a marketplace rather than the imperial court.

After some time, the commotion eased. The Deputy Minister of Revenue stepped forward and asked, "May I ask, Your Majesty, where did you hear of these things? Should such major events occur, it would take at least five days for news to reach the capital, perhaps half a month at the latest. And if anything you described had indeed happened, we would have received some word, but there has been none at all."

His words brought Zhu Yu back to his senses. Indeed, he’d forgotten how excruciatingly slow information traveled in ancient times.

Rubbing his forehead, Zhu Yu pondered and then called out, "Zhu Wu Shi, Cao Zhengchun, Yu Huatian, Zhuge Zheng Wo."

The four men stepped forward and bowed. "We are here, Your Majesty."

"Mobilize all forces of Dragon Guard Manor, the Eastern Depot, the Western Depot, and the Six Doors. I want to know if anything has happened within our borders. How long to get a report?"

The four exchanged glances, thinking deeply. At last, Cao Zhengchun broke the silence. "Your Majesty, the Eastern Depot can have news in five days at the earliest."

One after another, the other three also promised five days.

To Zhu Yu, this was still too slow. He considered pressing them for a shorter time but let it go, recalling that these were not modern times and this was the imperial court. He knew who would dare deceive the emperor, and since Cao Zhengchun had spoken first, he chose to trust him.

"Very well, five days it is. In five days, I want news from every city in Jing. All ministers may return home—the rest day continues."

With that, Zhu Yu ignored the assembly and left the hall alone.

Half an hour later, the skies above the capital were filled with racing carrier pigeons—so numerous they could only be counted by the flock, not the bird. Another hour on, the city gates saw no common folk coming or going, only agents of the four great institutions galloping out at speed. Some rode alone, some in pairs, a few even three to a horse. Such a spectacle sent the citizens into a panic, all seeking rumors about what was afoot.

Five days later.

By now, Zhu Yu’s Fortune Points had largely stabilized. Aside from the initial loss of over four hundred points, the total continued to drop daily, though there was some natural recovery, roughly balancing out. His Fortune Points now hovered steadily around 756.

This brought Zhu Yu some relief. He had feared the points might keep falling; if they dropped below five hundred, his fate would be sealed. Though, thanks to his martial prowess, he could ensure his survival, the ignominy of a dethroned emperor would forever taint his identity as a transmigrant.

Now, Zhu Yu sat in the imperial study, awaiting the arrival of Cao Zhengchun, Zhu Wu Shi, and the others with their reports.

Before long, the four entered together. After the formalities, each began relaying intelligence from their respective organizations.

Across the realm of Jing, every city was at peace—save for one anomaly. In three places—Cloud City, Yu City, and Tai City—no news at all had come through.

To an outsider, this might seem unremarkable, but for the four organizations of intelligence, it was anything but. In the Eastern and Western Depots, deadlines were strict: even if a man died, the message must still reach the capital; if the messenger returned late, his life was forfeit regardless. Dragon Guard Manor and the Six Doors were less draconian, but an imperial command ensured they would still have news, even if a messenger was delayed.

After all, intelligence gathering was the cornerstone of their existence.

With the five-day deadline passed, all four leaders realized something was amiss in those three cities. And with all four reporting identical results, the seriousness became even more apparent. If only one had failed, it could be blamed on mishap or inadequate force, but for all four—each sending a team, none of whose members returned—something dire must be afoot.

They also wondered how the emperor had received word of trouble, and why he still did not know the specifics.

Of the four, only Yu Huatian seemed to have guessed the answer.

When Zhu Yu learned the news, he briefly suspected a rebellion, but upon consulting the map, a suspicion began to form. These three cities lay on the border, their neighbor being Western Xia—a kingdom that was anything but docile.

"Send people to investigate again. This time, I want to know exactly what happened," Zhu Yu said gravely to the four.

They accepted the order, saluted, and left to make their arrangements.

Just as they were turning to go, Zhu Yu seemed to recall something and called them back. "First, tell me your plans—whom do you intend to send?"

"Your Majesty," Cao Zhengchun replied first, "I plan to send the Eastern Depot’s Iron Hawk, our second-in-command, to lead the investigation. Though Iron Hawk is of mid-tier first-class martial skill, he is thoughtful and steady—he’s sure to glean something."

"Your Majesty," Yu Huatian said, "the Western Depot’s second-in-command, Ma Jinliang, is now a top-tier first-class master, soon to break through to Grandmaster. He will lead the Western Depot’s investigation."

He shot a glance at Cao Zhengchun as if to say, the Eastern Depot is not up to the task—it’s the Western Depot that matters.

The rivalry between the Eastern and Western Depots was well-known throughout the realm. Such posturing was expected; Cao Zhengchun merely narrowed his eyes and turned away, disdaining to respond.

"Your Majesty," Zhu Wu Shi said, "Dragon Guard Manor can send our top secret agent, Duan Tianya, to investigate. He is a top-tier first-class master, skilled in various Japanese arts of concealment, and experienced in intelligence."

"Your Majesty," Zhuge Zheng Wo added, "the Six Doors cannot match the other three in intelligence work. We handle many cases and have ample manpower, but lack elite fighters. Our famed Four Great Constables are all away, so apart from myself, only Ji Yaohua is available—a lower first-class master, yet also versed in Japanese arts."

After hearing them out, Zhu Yu pondered a moment and decided, "The Six Doors need not send anyone. With the capital so unsettled these days, your task is to calm the populace. Any who spread rumors or cause trouble are to be dealt with severely! The Eastern Depot need not investigate either. Instead, take some time to send more agents into Western Xia. If this is truly their doing, your people may act as they see fit. As for the Western Depot and Dragon Guard Manor, proceed as planned. However, I will appoint a commander to lead the mission."

At this, Zhu Wu Shi bowed and asked, "May I inquire, Your Majesty, whom you will appoint as commander? I mean no offense, but as Duan Tianya is my adopted son, I know his temperament well, and I have heard of Ma Jinliang of the Western Depot—he is notoriously proud. If the commander cannot earn their respect, it may jeopardize the mission."

Yu Huatian stared at the floor, counting ants, silently agreeing with Zhu Wu Shi but not daring to voice his thoughts so directly. Besides, Zhu Wu Shi’s words seemed to suggest that only Ma Jinliang would be unruly, as if the blame lay solely with the Western Depot. Did he expect Yu Huatian to echo his sentiment? Not a chance.

Were Zhu Wu Shi not a royal kinsman, a marquis, Yu Huatian would have shot back already. Even so, the remark left a thorn in his heart.

"Uncle, there is no need for haste. You will know the commander soon enough. As for discipline—if Ma Jinliang and Duan Tianya dare defy the command of a Grandmaster, their insubordination will not end there, I assure you," Zhu Yu said with a layered smile.

A Grandmaster? Where would a Grandmaster come from? Weren’t all of Jing’s Grandmasters present here? Could it be Liu Xi?

"Rest assured, Your Majesty. The Western Depot has always been loyal. No matter who you choose as commander, we will obey," Yu Huatian pledged promptly.

"Good. Once you uncover the truth, if Western Xia is involved, Dragon Guard Manor is to report back to the capital at once, while the Western Depot infiltrates Western Xia at the first opportunity and relays information to the Eastern Depot. Thereafter you may act as you see fit. If Western Xia dares meddle, I will repay them a thousandfold! If they are not involved, the Western Depot is to bring the Eastern Depot’s agents back from Western Xia."

With the emperor’s orders, the matter was settled. Cao Zhengchun and the others could only obey.

"Yes, Your Majesty," they all replied in unison.

Zhu Yu waved them off, indicating they should get to work.

Two days later, Hua Wuque arrived at a crossroads with Duan Tianya, Ma Jinliang, and the assembled agents of Dragon Guard Manor and the Western Depot.

After a moment’s consideration, Hua Wuque issued his orders with an impassive face.

"Duan Tianya, you take the Dragon Guard Manor agents to Tai City. Ma Jinliang, you and your men head to Yu City. I will go to Cloud City myself. Whatever is happening in these three cities is likely the same. Once you have results, you may return to report or head to Western Xia to deliver news. Should anything go awry, seek me in Cloud City—I will remain there for three days."

"Commander, do you not require any men?" Duan Tianya asked.

"No."

"Then, sir, will you not return with us?" he pressed.

"I have my own affairs to attend to. When finished, I will naturally return. Any other questions?" Hua Wuque replied, his face blank as ever.

Duan Tianya shook his head, exchanged a glance with Ma Jinliang, and both bowed. "We obey."

At that, the large group gathered at the crossroads split into three, each heading in their appointed direction.