Discovering the Conspiracy

Chapter 31: Discovering a Conspiracy

From the side gate in the northwest corner of the Marquis's estate, high-quality materials like golden mud bricks, glazed tiles, and cedar were being constantly transported in, showing signs of major construction. This was, however, a tremendous honor; the Hong family of Marquis Wuwen had suddenly transformed into imperial in-laws, their status becoming even more consolidated and prestigious. One must know that Lady Zhao's two sons, Hong Xi, was the legitimate eldest son, a figure absolutely destined to inherit the Marquis's title in the future. He was no simple character either; he was the commander of the Divine Machine Battalion, one of the three major camps of the Imperial Guard, possessing a mysterious identity and formidable martial arts. Outside the window was a well-arranged osmanthus grove, with the bright moon shining down through the shadows of the trees. The ground beneath the grove was swept spotlessly clean, with exquisite stone tables and stools, and nearby, there were rockeries and flowing water in a pond. Hong Yi had long wanted to move out of the Marquis's estate, but he had no source of income, and as a member of the estate, one could not simply move out whenever one pleased. Inside the chamber, the screens, bed, and inner and outer rooms were all made of high-quality wood, spacious and comfortable. The maid was very alert and immediately followed her out, the two standing at the base of the wall to talk.

"However, what does any of this have to do with me? When successful, one helps the world; when unsuccessful, one cultivates one's own virtue. I am currently poor and troubled, so I can only cultivate my own virtue. What do the affairs of those big shots have to do with me? Even if they wanted to overthrow the Dagan Empire, I would have no ability to interfere. One should eat only what one can afford; to meddle in things one has no power to manage is the act of a reckless man, not a sage. I had better think about my own affairs."

Hong Yi let his soul drift out, passing through a short corridor to reach the outer room. On the bed in the outer room slept four maids, their breathing steady. Even in their sleep, their ears twitched slightly, as agile as cats or dogs. They were clearly maids with martial arts skills. Hong Yi heard their voices. In other words, as long as Hong Yi passed the imperial examination to become a Juren, even if he left empty-handed, a crowd of people would send him money, silver, and land to seek his patronage. Within half a year, he could build a decent household. Princess Zhennan Luo Yun had eaten dinner symbolically before leaving. By rights, the entire Marquis's estate should have been resting, but the sight of servants rushing to and fro showed an even busier atmosphere.

But Hong Yi did not lie down. Instead, he sat cross-legged on the bed, without lighting a lamp, sitting in the darkness with his eyes closed, calculating in his heart. The person who walked in had a head of silver hair, yet her hands were like those of a young girl; it was the old woman who stayed by the side of the First Lady, known as Nanny Zeng. The bustle of the Marquis's estate was one thing, but Hong Yi was lost in deep thought. The inner room was where Hong Yi lived, while the outer room was for the four maids who served him. It turned out that as soon as Luo Yun left, Hong Yi learned that Lady Zhao had bestowed the Osmanthus Chamber—the superior suite on the east side of the estate—upon him, while also assigning four maids to serve him and allowing him to draw three hundred taels of silver from the accounts office.

And now, he could reach ten paces in the blink of an eye. Although he still lacked the ability to roam a thousand miles, Hong Yi felt he could already travel quite far from his physical shell. "Consort Yuan... Bai Ziyue... what are they planning? Although I guessed that Consort Yuan was from the palace, I never imagined she was actually an Imperial Noble Consort. Leaving the palace in the dead of night, possessing high martial arts, and visiting relatives... she even seems to have a connection with Bai Ziyue. Could it be that she is also one of the Eight Great Demon Immortals of the World? But she is a princess of the Yuantu Kingdom... and it seems Bai Ziyue is also from the Bai family of Yuantu? If they were reincarnated into Yuantu only to enter the Dagan imperial palace, I fear it is not as simple as just looking for scriptures. Could there be some conspiracy?"

At night, if anything happened, a light call would wake the maids in the outer room to await their master's orders. Furthermore, her maternal family was not simple either, boasting generations of Grand Secretaries. By this time, Hong Yi had learned some things from Luo Yun through subtle questioning, which further solidified his suspicions. The Consort Yuan he met at Qiuyue Temple on West Mountain was definitely the current Imperial Noble Consort and princess of the Yuantu Kingdom. At this moment, Hong Yi sat on the bed, the embroidered silk quilt and the lingering scent of incense making one feel the taste of wealth the moment they lay down, unwilling to get up. This was the standard treatment for a young master of the Marquis's estate. This environment was a hundred times better than the small courtyard in the northwest corner where Hong Yi had originally lived.

The Eight Great Demon Immortals of the World, Bai Ziyue, Consort Yuan—with these people and events connected, Hong Yi vaguely felt that there was a significant conspiracy, and that something major would surely happen in the future. Once Hong Yi's soul left his body, he felt a sense of freedom. He drifted back and forth in the room, flickering uncertainly, appearing here one moment and there the next. Within ten paces, he could reach anywhere in a blink; he even felt he had a ghostly quality. A princess visiting the estate only required the setting up of an incense table, but for a consort to visit, all the noblewomen of the household would have to kneel to welcome her. Nanny Zeng waved her hand, signaling the maids to follow, but she had already walked away.

It turned out that when Night Roaming, Hong Yi knew his soul could only drift and float, two or three feet off the ground, and he could not move too fast, or he risked injury. This was a monumental event, far more grand and with more cumbersome etiquette than a princess's visit; major construction was necessary. After calming his thoughts, Hong Yi recalled watching Qian Daozi's painting of plum blossoms in the study, which had led to a deeper understanding of the Amitabha Sutra, allowing him to leave his body and roam by day. Now that he had finally settled down, Hong Yi decided to test the extent to which his spirit had grown. With this status, he would have a voice; within the Marquis's estate, if he said he wanted to move out, even the stickler for rules, Hong Xuanji, would have no reason to reprimand or stop him.

"Regardless of what her conspiracy is, I must move out quickly, but that will have to wait until I pass the imperial examination and gain the right to speak." This seemed like a gesture of goodwill to improve their relationship, but Hong Yi knew in his heart that things were by no means that simple. "What is going on? Is Lady Zhao trying to curry favor with me? Giving me a new house and proactively letting me draw three hundred taels of silver from the accounts office? When did she become so generous? Even if I have befriended a princess, the princess has no say in the domestic affairs of the Marquis's estate. I can only borrow her influence for a moment, not a lifetime. It is very likely she is just trying to settle my heart now, only to slowly deal with me later."

Just then, a figure walked in silently, without a sound. After entering, she tapped one of the maids, who immediately woke up. Seeing the person before her, she whispered, "Nanny Zeng?" With this status, many commoners would come to seek your patronage, selling themselves as servants, or even transferring their land titles to your name to avoid taxes. And the second son had become an official in a wealthy southern province. With a slight visualization, his soul drifted out. "Monitoring my every move?" Hong Yi sneered. Hong Yi's mind raced with countless thoughts. Although the Dagan Empire was in a golden age, taxes remained heavy, and there was no shortage of forced labor. More importantly, the status of a Juren was equivalent to that of a local official; one could address the county magistrate as a brother and enter the yamen to see local officials at any time. Undoubtedly, this was the result of his spirit growing stronger.

There was only one reason for such a busy atmosphere: at dusk, an imperial decree had arrived from the inner palace. The Empress Dowager intended for the Marquis Wuwen family to form a marriage alliance with Consort Yuan, and in ten days, Consort Yuan would return to her family home to visit, easing her longing for her homeland. The sky gradually darkened, and the entire Marquis Wuwen estate was adorned with vermilion lanterns. From top to bottom, everyone was busy, and the usual tranquility of a commoner's night was nowhere to be found. But once he passed the imperial examination, things would be different. A Xiucai was merely a young scholar, but a Juren was a "Master." After passing, one's status changed drastically; a family could be exempt from imperial taxes, land taxes, and labor service. Never mind that Princess Zhennan Luo Yun and he were only temporary acquaintances with little interaction; even if they were good friends, Lady Zhao would not have reason to be so respectful to him. This was the so-called "gentry do not pay grain taxes." If he did not have the ability to roam as a spirit, he would never have discovered Nanny Zeng; the woman was highly skilled. "Keep a close eye on that brat. Report every move he makes immediately. See where he practices martial arts, and what kind of martial arts he practices? And also..."