The secret passage led to Jingchen’s room. After they emerged, Yu Jiuzhou took out the lotus lamp Jingchen had given her; the śarīra inside had already been removed.
She gave Shi Lun a look. Shi Lun immediately took down a calligraphy character for “Buddha” from the wall and pressed that section inward, causing it to recess.
A sound came from the floor, and Shi Lun hung the character back up.
She then walked to where the sound had come from, squatted down, and pried open the floorboards with a knife. Two boards lifted, revealing another secret passage.
After the group descended into the passage, Shi Lun closed the floorboards, then twisted a nearby stone, causing an iron plate disguised as rock to slide shut.
The wisdom of the ancients was truly remarkable. Recently, some of the ideas Chi Wan had proposed to the artisans had all been met with the feedback that they could be built.
It showed that the artisans were clever and their skills were up to par; only their thinking was constrained.
Seeing Chi Wan frequently glancing at the mechanism, Yu Jiuzhou said with a hint of a smile, “Don’t worry. Once it’s closed from the inside, the mechanism behind the ‘Buddha’ character will also close automatically.”
Chi Wan raised an eyebrow. “Such skilled artisans, their work is like that of gods and ghosts.”
Yu Jiuzhou frowned. When Chi Wan reached out to touch the wall, their hands naturally parted. Feeling the emptiness in her palm, she felt an inexplicable sense of loss.
She subconsciously reached to fiddle with her sleeve, only to find it was tied up. For the convenience of leaving Xuanyang Temple, they were all dressed in close-fitting attire.
The attire was convenient for movement, but Yu Jiuzhou was accustomed to straightening and fiddling with her sleeves, a habit she could no longer indulge.
So she grabbed Chi Wan’s hand again and said in a low, firm voice, “Don’t let go.”
Fine, I won’t let go. Why so fierce?
Chi Wan obediently held Yu Jiuzhou’s hand. The group walked for a long time, and she felt they must have already left Xuanyang Temple. Had they descended the mountain?
When they reached the end and opened the door, they saw from their position that they were still halfway up the mountain.
This was a cave. The hidden door was inside it, a stone gate so well concealed that it looked almost identical to the surrounding rock from the outside.
There were many things Yu Jiuzhou hadn’t mentioned. There was more than one secret passage within the mountain. A cunning rabbit has three burrows; for the sake of survival, the founding emperor had built many tunnels, allowing one to enter or exit from anywhere.
The many people who had appeared at Xuanyang Temple tonight, people who shouldn’t have been there, had all used these secret passages.
The guards of the Imperial City Division training on the next mountain would also be setting out. By her calculations, it was almost the third month. When their three-month training period ended in the fourth month, she would personally inspect the results and then have them demonstrate their skills before the Emperor.
Your Majesty, look at your Fuma’s talent for training troops. Look at these men. Aren’t they far superior to those Imperial Guards who betrayed you?
That’s right. What Chi Wan wanted was power over the Imperial Palace. Even if she couldn’t have full control, she wanted to be on equal footing with the Imperial Guard.
Before long, the Shengyuan Emperor would pass away—that would happen next year. Some things had to be arranged in advance to ensure the court would not fall into turmoil and the situation in Great Zhou would remain stable.
The stability of the regions depended on the central government. If the center was stable, all of Great Zhou would be stable.
The stability of the capital depended on the Imperial Palace. If the palace was stable, the capital could not descend into chaos.
Seizing control of the palace was a necessity. She couldn’t allow people to do things inside the palace that would disrupt their plans.
Chi Wan gazed at the mountain opposite them and could see many torches being lit. The guards of the Imperial City Division were descending.
From Huang Yuecheng’s reports, she knew they now ran five kilometers every morning and evening. Running from that mountain to this one was a regular occurrence, and circling the mountain was even more common. After nearly two months of hard work, fueled by a diet rich in meat and protein, every one of them was as strong as an ox.
Yu Jiuzhou also saw the situation on the opposite mountain. “You’ve managed the Imperial City Division very well.”
Chi Wan smiled. “Your Highness thinks I’ve done well?”
“Mm.”
Nice, I got praised.
Chi Wan smiled happily, but her hand never stopped transferring internal energy. They were all dressed lightly. It was fine for martial artists, but not for Yu Jiuzhou. If she caught a cold, she would suffer.
That was why Yu Jiuzhou’s body had remained warm. After the past two days of cultivation, she naturally knew that Chi Wan was using her internal energy to warm her.
“Your Highness, General Xia has arrived at the foot of the mountain.”
“Let’s go.”
There were several paths down the mountain: the wide, constructed road the emperor used for his ascents; the ordinary path used by the monks; and some smaller trails the monks had worn to take shortcuts.
In truth, they could also reach the foot of the mountain through the secret passage, but that exit had been blocked.
All the paths down the mountain were blocked by people. Xia Qu was waiting at the bottom to provide support, precisely to prevent an attack as they descended.
However, wherever Xia Qu was, people would surely guess that Yu Jiuzhou would descend from there.
Therefore, Xia Qu deliberately shouted at the top of her lungs, “Everyone, surround the mountain! Do not let a single villain escape! Squads of one hundred, ascend from every path! You must rescue Her Highness the Grand Princess!”
Xia Qu was a general of the senior fifth rank, equivalent to a chiliarch. She had over a thousand people under her command, and with the addition of others from the Princess’s Residence, the total came to three thousand.
The Grand Princess had her own household troops. Yu Jiuzhou normally took a thousand people with her when she went out, so having three thousand in her residence was normal.
However, some of these people were not household troops, but a private army.
Yu Jiuzhou glanced back in the direction of Xuanyang Temple and suddenly asked an incongruous question. “Chi Wan, do you know how many orphans of fallen soldiers there are?”
Chi Wan shook her head. “I do not.”
It was normal not to know. Even the Emperor probably didn’t know the situation of the orphans in Great Zhou.
But Yu Jiuzhou knew, and she knew more clearly than anyone. “In the twenty-eight years of the Shengyuan era, there have been countless wars, large and small. A large-scale war can create tens of thousands of orphans, while even a small-scale one produces at least several hundred.”
“These children range from less than a month old to about ten years of age. Back then, my maternal grandfather sent people to gather them, but he was impeached for raising a private army.”
“Later, he had no choice but to raise them in secret. By the time I was born, many had been trained to become my household troops. But a Grand Princess can only have a few thousand soldiers and couldn’t take them all in. So, the orphans were sent to various military units, and eventually, they were brought together.”
“There are many garrisons around the capital. Each garrison has a thousand soldiers. They don’t have to fight in campaigns; they only need to suppress local rebellions and defend the capital when enemies attack. Their pay is not as high as the capital camps—only a quarter of it.”
Chi Wan took in this information, and a concept formed in her mind.
Garrison soldiers were local troops, mobilized when the local government needed to quell unrest, and they took orders directly from the local county magistrate or prefect.
There were many counties around the capital, and each county had a garrison, which meant a thousand soldiers.
She understood. “In other words, the garrison soldiers near the capital are actually Your Highness’s people.”
Yu Jiuzhou nodded. “That’s right. At least, the vast majority of them are. They are all orphans of fallen soldiers.”
With these garrison soldiers, Yu Jiuzhou had essentially surrounded the capital. She could seize power in the surrounding counties at any time, station troops there, and encircle the capital.
If she also controlled most of the soldiers inside the capital, with forces acting in concert from both inside and out, it might not be impossible for her to rebel and become emperor directly.
There were Yu Jiuzhou’s people in both the Imperial Guard and the Jinwu Guard, though Chi Wan didn’t know how many.
Just like tonight’s events, Yu Jiuzhou’s plan was so thorough, and she was only just learning of it.
She thought about it. On the surface, Yu Jiuzhou had brought two thousand Imperial Guards, but she had more people hidden underground. When the enemy released the poison smoke, she had hidden another group of guards, letting the villains kill and set fires, thinking they had won.
In reality, Yu Jiuzhou’s people had already exited Xuanyang Temple through the secret passages and surrounded it, just waiting to catch a turtle in a jar.
And at the foot of the mountain, she had arranged for reinforcements. Three thousand soldiers were waiting below to escort them back to the capital safely.
Chi Wan was very curious. What was the full extent of Yu Jiuzhou’s plan that had managed to deceive everyone?
“For this trip to Xuanyang Temple, Your Highness’s arrangements were truly flawless. This subject asks Your Highness to enlighten me.”
When asking someone to enlighten you, you must first have the right attitude.
Yu Jiuzhou glanced at her and stopped walking. “I am tired.”
The subtext was: I’m tired, I can’t walk anymore. If you want to know the whole plan, you’ll have to do something about it.
Chi Wan paused for a moment, then understood. “Your Highness, this subject will carry you on my back.”
She crouched down, gesturing for Yu Jiuzhou to get on.
But Yu Jiuzhou didn’t move. “I worry the Fuma won’t be able to carry me.”
Looking down on me?
Chi Wan grew anxious. “Is this the first time this subject has carried Your Highness?”
True, she can even carry me in her arms, let alone on her back.
“But we are going downhill.”
It wasn’t hard to hear the anticipation in Yu Jiuzhou’s voice, though her heart was conflicted about whether to let Chi Wan carry her.
Chi Wan took a long spear and brandished it a few times. “Is Your Highness heavier than this spear?”
About the same. The spear is a hundred-some jin, and so is Yu Jiuzhou.
Yu Jiuzhou was delighted, barely able to suppress the smile on her lips. Putting on an air of “you’re the one who insisted on carrying me,” she haughtily climbed onto Chi Wan’s back.
This woman. She clearly wanted me to carry her, she was the one who said she was tired, yet she’s acting as if I’m the one insisting.
Chi Wan snorted softly, but the smile on her lips was irrepressible.
This exchange left the hidden guards dumbfounded. What were they seeing? How had their own aloof and noble Grand Princess suddenly become so delicate?
An Shi was about to speak but was shot a glare by Shi Lun. “This is between a couple. You’re an outsider, don’t say anything.”
An Shi: “…” She didn’t dare speak now. If the Fuma found out, there wouldn’t be enough of her skin left for the Fuma to peel off.
Her mind was filled with images of the Fuma interrogating the assassin. It was too brutal. She could guarantee her loyalty to the Grand Princess, but she couldn’t guarantee she could remain loyal to herself.
They, the hidden guards, had long been prepared for capture. They would rather die than be taken alive. If they were captured, there was only one creed: never betray the Grand Princess. To that end, they could betray themselves.
Thinking of the Fuma’s demonic methods, she could only pray that the Fuma didn’t know she was the one who had recorded the booklet.
Just then, Chi Wan suddenly glanced back. She felt like someone was gossiping about her.
That one glance scared An Shi half to death. No, why on earth did you turn around, Fuma? That’s terrifying.
Chi Wan wasn’t looking at An Shi at all. She had felt a gaze, a very strong gaze, but it held no malice. It was simply observing.
They had been discovered. It likely wasn’t an enemy, but not a friend either.
She suddenly thought of someone. “Your Highness, Great Master Jingchen told us to take care of Huishen, but we don’t even know where Huishen is.”
Yu Jiuzhou was silent for a moment. “With what has happened at Xuanyang Temple, it’s for the best that she doesn’t return.”
“I have already sent people to find her and tell her everything that happened. Whether she decides to return or not, I will protect her.”
Suddenly, a voice drifted over. “Many thanks for Your Highness the Grand Princess’s concern. This humble monk will not let Xuanyang Temple fall into decline.”
A person appeared in tattered clothes—truly, a tattered hat, tattered shoes, tattered everywhere.
Only her face, even with messy hair, revealed that she was very handsome.
Seeing the newcomer, Yu Jiuzhou patted Chi Wan’s shoulder, signaling to be let down. “Huishen? When did you return?”
Huishen pressed her palms together. “This humble monk sensed that Master was likely to destroy her own lifespan, so I hurried back. It seems Heaven did not wish for me to see Master one last time, for it caused me to lose my memory. It was only when I sensed Master’s passing that my memories returned.”
“Amnesia?”
Chi Wan raised an eyebrow. “How long did you have amnesia, Great Master?”
“I am unworthy of the Fuma’s title of ‘Great Master.’ This humble monk is about to return to secular life. My secular name is Chen Chen, courtesy name Zengshou.”
Chen Chen? Courtesy name Zengshou? What auspicious meanings.
Just as Chi Wan was about to speak, Chen Zengshou added, “Master wished for me to live a long life, so she gave me the courtesy name Zengshou. As for the name Chen Chen, both characters are the ‘chen’ from Jingchen.”
Hearing this, Chi Wan couldn’t help but curve her lips. She hadn’t expected Great Master Jingchen to be a fan of puns.
Seeing the smile on her lips, Chen Zengshou continued, “This humble monk has already passed the provincial examinations in Master’s hometown. Next spring, I will take the metropolitan examination and become an official. I will drag out the masterminds who destroyed Xuanyang Temple.”
So Chen Zengshou hadn’t been traveling the world, but had gone to Jingchen’s hometown to take the imperial examinations.
To take the examinations, one had to return to their place of household registration. After passing the provincial exam, one had to go to the capital to take the exam for the Jinshi degree.
Chen Zengshou was heading to the capital precisely for the examinations.
If not for the amnesia, she would have come to the capital to participate in the spring examination two years ago.
Such is time, such is fate.
Yu Jiuzhou looked at Chen Zengshou, showing no reaction to her words. Instead, she asked, “Are you going to Xuanyang Temple?”
“Reporting to Your Highness, this humble monk is going to retrieve Master’s body.”
“Body?”
Wasn’t Great Master Jingchen’s body cremated? Where would a body come from?
Chen Zengshou bowed. “This humble monk has sinned. I did not want them to desecrate Master’s body, so I brought it out. Today, I wished to take Master’s body to the back mountain to be laid to rest with the grandmaster. After settling Master’s body, I intended to descend the mountain, but then I saw Your Highness.”
Yu Jiuzhou’s brow twitched slightly. “You have gone through much trouble.”
“Master went through more trouble raising me.”
Chen Zengshou gazed toward the back mountain, her heart heavy with grief.
She knew her own temperament. This was why her master had told her to take the examinations—she knew that Huishen was not suited for monastic life.
When she was young, her master had her become a lay disciple to give her a choice when she grew up.
She had originally chosen to become a nun, but her master told her that her world was outside, in the imperial court, not in a temple.
“Your Highness, Fuma.”
As they were speaking, Xia Qu’s voice reached their ears. They turned to look down the mountain and saw Xia Qu approaching with a number of people.
Chi Wan waved and then said, “Your Highness, we should be leaving.”
Dawn was about to break. They could make it back to the capital just as the city gates opened.
Yu Jiuzhou nodded, then looked at Chen Zengshou. “You will return to the capital with me.”
Chen Zengshou shook her head. “Your Highness may go on ahead. We will meet again at the spring examination.”
The two parties nodded and went their separate ways.
Watching Chen Zengshou’s departing figure, Chi Wan said, “That person came to see Your Highness intentionally.”
“Mm.”
In front of so many soldiers, Yu Jiuzhou would not let Chi Wan carry her. She chose to walk down herself.
Regarding Chen Zengshou, she had a clear understanding. “She is not a stubborn person. Knowing the relationship between Jingchen and myself, she will not hesitate to use it. Otherwise, she won’t be able to achieve her revenge in a short time.”
For a person to go from a student candidate to a Jinshi scholar could take twenty or thirty years. Even if someone passed the Jinshi examination at twenty, if their ranking wasn’t high, they would most likely be assigned a post outside the capital.
The only ones who could remain in the capital were the top three scholars of the first rank and the Hanlin bachelors.
One would have to toil in the Hanlin Academy for at least three years, then seek a provincial post or a position in the Six Ministries, climbing step by step. By the time one was old enough to enter the Grand Secretariat, they would be in their fifties or sixties, and that was considered fast.
If Chen Zengshou wanted to catch the mastermind, she had to become a high-ranking official. And to become a high-ranking official, Yu Jiuzhou was her best choice.
She was not a stubborn person and saw nothing wrong with relying on others.
She was confident in her intelligence and knew in which position she could best display her talents. She absolutely could not waste time, and Yu Jiuzhou could get her into the Grand Secretariat in the shortest time possible.
Hearing Yu Jiuzhou’s assessment of Chen Zengshou, Chi Wan snorted softly. “Your Highness rarely praises people.”
Yu Jiuzhou glanced at her and suddenly smiled. “I often praise you.”
That’s true.
Chi Wan smiled, her mood lightening considerably.
The group quickly descended the mountain. There were tents at the base, and the group rested inside while Xia Qu sent a signal to gather the troops.
Before long, the Imperial City Division also arrived.
Huang Yuecheng strode over and said, “This subject, Vice-Commander of the Imperial City Division, pays respects to Your Highness the Grand Princess and Lord Commander.”
“Rise,” Yu Jiuzhou said faintly.
Chi Wan looked at her and asked, “Is everyone here?”
“Yes, of the eleven thousand three hundred members of the Imperial City Division, eleven thousand are present. We await the Lord Commander’s instructions.”
Chi Wan walked out of the tent and looked at the dark mass of people outside, standing in a familiar military posture. She felt quite stirred.
These were the people she had trained. The thought made her very happy.
“Everyone, you’ve worked hard.”
“Reporting to the Lord Commander, it was not hard!”
The unified response of over ten thousand people stunned the nearby garrison troops and the Princess’s household soldiers.
They looked at each other in dismay.
“Are they the guards of the Imperial City Division?”
“Yes, look at their uniforms. They must be.”
“How is that possible? I remember the Imperial City Division being a bunch of loafers waiting to die.”
“What nonsense. Ever since the Fuma became the Commander of the Imperial City Division, she’s been dragging them up the mountain to train. It seems to be showing results now.”
“Look at them. Standing there, they look like an army of tigers and wolves, exuding a murderous aura.”
“Yes, look, they’re not even moving a muscle.”
At a glance, the guards of the Imperial City Division stood ramrod straight in neat formations, a pleasing sight to behold.
Their military posture was even better than what Chi Wan had seen during her school’s military training.
Chi Wan used her internal energy to shout, “At ease! Rest in place.”
“Yes, sir!”
Again, the sound of ten thousand voices in unison was utterly stunning.
Chi Wan looked at the guards and continued, “This Commander knows you have worked hard recently. But this Commander guarantees that you will be grateful for these three months of training, and you will be grateful to yourselves for getting through it.”
“This Fuma will be waiting for you in the capital.”
“Yes! We will obey the Commander’s orders!”
Chi Wan waved her hand and returned to the tent. She looked at Huang Yuecheng. “Well done.”
“It’s because the Lord Commander’s training manual is good.”
Chi Wan said no more. After the three-month training period, these men would graduate. She would hold an unforgettable graduation ceremony for them, where everyone would wear the uniform of the Brocade Robe Guard, and she and the high-ranking officials of the Imperial City Division would present them with their swords.
Yu Jiuzhou had also heard the commotion outside and gained a new understanding of Chi Wan’s talent for training troops.
Could it be that some people are born with knowledge?
Whether it was the ideas Chi Wan provided to the artisans, the content of her books, or her military training methods, where had she learned so much? She was practically a polymath.
Yu Jiuzhou didn’t ask. She believed that one day, Chi Wan would tell her of her own accord.
Now, it was time for them to return to the capital.
The Grand Princess’s carriage was not available, so they could only ride back on horseback.
Chi Wan chose a white horse and extended a hand to invite Yu Jiuzhou. “Is Your Highness willing to share a ride with this subject?”
Yu Jiuzhou placed her hand in Chi Wan’s palm. “Of course.”
Of course~
Chi Wan mimicked Yu Jiuzhou’s tone in her head and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Such a haughty woman.
Not understanding why she was laughing, Yu Jiuzhou frowned slightly. “Why are you laughing?”
Chi Wan didn’t answer. She bent down, lifted Yu Jiuzhou onto the horse in a princess carry, and then leaped up to sit behind her.
“Your Highness shouldn’t ask what I’m laughing about, but who I’m laughing at.”
Yu Jiuzhou: “…Insolent.”
“Even if you forbid my insolence, I’ve already been insolent many times over.”
Saying Consort Hua’s line really does sound arrogant.
Yu Jiuzhou ignored her. The woman hadn’t been drinking, so this sudden change in behavior must mean she was in a teasing mood.
If she responded, there was no telling how long the other would keep speaking in that tone.
Seeing Yu Jiuzhou ignore her, Chi Wan had to stop messing around. She spurred the horse’s belly, and the white steed began to gallop.
When I have time, I must have a suit of silver-white armor and a silver cape custom-made. I must become the Grand Princess’s most dashing companion.
After riding for a while, Chi Wan said, “If Your Highness is sleepy, you can sleep for a bit in my arms.”
“I am not sleepy.” Yu Jiuzhou’s face was weary; it would be a wonder if she wasn’t sleepy.
“No, you are sleepy.”
Chi Wan took out a silver needle and pricked Yu Jiuzhou with it. The princess immediately fell into a deep sleep.
See, I told you. Her Highness is very sleepy.
Yu Jiuzhou: “…”
When Yu Jiuzhou woke up, they had already reached the city gates.
Halfway there, Chi Wan had sent the Imperial City Division guards back, having them shout a few slogans on the way.
“Loyal to the sovereign and devoted to the country! Military orders are like mountains! Maintain an excellent work style!”
“Lose skin, lose flesh, but don’t fall behind! Shed blood, shed sweat, but don’t shed tears!”
“Long live the Emperor, long, long live the Emperor!”
What kind of decent army shouts “Long live the Emperor, long, long live the Emperor” while running?
Listen to those Imperial City Division guards, they even ran all the way outside the capital to shout it, as if afraid the Emperor wouldn’t know. A bunch of sycophants.
The Jinwu Guards defending the city grumbled inwardly but dared not say a word. Could they possibly say those slogans were wrong? That would be courting death and implicating their entire clan.
Yu Jiuzhou, waking up groggily, opened her eyes to the sight of the capital’s city gate.
We’re back? How did we get back? What did I miss on the way? No, wait, Chi Wan pricked me with a needle!
Yu Jiuzhou’s face darkened as she roared, “Chi Wan!!!”
Chi Wan looked innocent. “Ah, this subject is here. What are Your Highness’s orders?”
“You! Insolent!”
Chi Wan nodded in understanding and shouted to the guards on the city wall, “Her Highness says you are being insolent! Open the gates already!”
Yu Jiuzhou: “…”
Footnotes:
- Chen Chen (陈尘) and Zengshou (增寿): The character 尘 (chén), meaning “dust” or “earth,” is the same 尘 in her master Jingchen’s (净尘) name. The courtesy name, Zengshou (增寿), “increasing longevity,” a gentle nod to her master’s final wish that she live a long, fulfilling life away from the temple’s tragedies.
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I really like your writing style, wonderful info , thankyou for putting up :D.