Undercurrents

"Pan Zhi has gone mad?" Qiu Yan asked, slightly taken aback.

Pan Zhi is the name of the Third Young Master Pan.

Upon hearing the news, Qiu Yan was slightly surprised, but after a moment's thought, she understood the reason.

"That's right. Tang Lai passed on a set of Supreme Demon-Luring Art to the Third Young Master Pan. This Cultivation Method is difficult even for many cultivators to master, let alone an ordinary person. When first practicing it, one may feel clear-headed and energetic, but over time, inner Heart Demons will take root, and too many distracting thoughts will swell within one's mind. How can one not go mad? However, True Intention that the Second Young Master of the Pan Household has actually returned. In that case, it's very likely that it was this Second Young Master who sent people to bring my aunt and cousin here."

Pan Yuanwai had three sons. His eldest and second sons both pursued Official Path, one passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi, and the other was recommended for officialdom.

Two years ago, the Black-faced Chancellor took office to preside over the reform, but there were not many capable people in the court, so he had to entrust important tasks to the limited number of people. The Pan Household brothers seized the opportunity at that time, identified themselves as members of the New Party, and gradually became the backbone. Later, the Pan Yuanwai family patriarch died unexpectedly. According to etiquette, the Pan Household brothers should have returned to their hometown to observe the mourning period. However, the New Party lacked talent, so the mourning period was canceled, which shows how much importance was attached to them.

However, this also raised a new question in Qiu Yan's mind—

"He didn't even return during the mourning period, but now he's suddenly back, and he's even become the Commander-in-Chief, in charge of the garrison troops of the three prefectures, responsible for pacifying and calming the Marshfolk. What's going on? Aren't the Marshfolk usually pacified by the border military garrisons?"

The position of Commander-in-Chief was actually a military post from the previous dynasty. In the Great Rui Dynasty, it was a temporary post that led troops. The power and influence were quite flexible. The position of Commander-in-Chief of the Three Prefectures was already quite powerful. If he could truly consolidate his power, he would be one of the most influential figures in the entire Jiannan Circuit.

However, although the Commander-in-Chief held the title of overseeing the military affairs of the three prefectures, he could not extend his influence into the jurisdiction of the Military Governor. Strictly speaking, the Military Governor was a military commander who oversaw the military and political affairs of a city. Although his authority seemed smaller than that of the Commander-in-Chief, his army's combat strength was far superior to that of the garrison troops stationed in the city.

Zhang Yunling seemed to sense Qiu Yan's doubt and said, "I know a little about this matter. I heard it was caused by the poor implementation of the New Laws in Jiannan Circuit." He stopped there, but the information he conveyed was enough.

Although Qiu Yan had not investigated the matter, he could tell that the New Laws in Jiannan Circuit were not being implemented effectively. The New Laws touched the interests of the local gentry and were therefore unpopular. Moreover, the government of Jiannan Circuit was not controlled by the New Party. The excuses they used to shirk responsibility were mostly that the influx of Barbarians and Marshfolk was causing disturbances to the people, making it difficult to focus on other matters.

"Pan Xiang's arrival suggests that the New Party intends to use this as an excuse to disrupt the current situation in Jiannan Circuit. This second young master Pan, strictly speaking, is also a member of the gentry in Jiannan Circuit, yet he has come here as a key figure in the New Party to promote New Laws. I wonder what his intentions are."

As she pondered, Qiu Yan pulled her thoughts back to the present.

"There's no use in thinking too much. Now that this young master Pan has become the commander-in-chief, in charge of the garrison troops of the three prefectures, his purpose in mobilizing the garrison troops was simply to gather Qi and Blood. Now that the ghosts have retreated and the Copper Furnace is gone, there is no longer any threat. It's perfect that he invited me over. If I give him some advice, it should be able to dissuade him from his idea. This person has risen to the position of a core member of the New Party, so he is definitely not a fool. He should be aware of the danger behind him."

With this thought in mind, Qiu Yan didn't delay any longer. He greeted Master Zhang, declined the offer to have someone follow him, and then followed the servants of the Pan Household toward the Pan Household.

The Pan Household hadn't changed much. Just a few months ago, Qiu Yan's Soul Night Roaming into Pan Zhi's dream. However, compared to before, the welcome Qiu Yan received this time was completely different—

The red-lacquered main gate of the Pan Household was already open, and a young man dressed in a dark robe stood by the gate.

From afar, Qiu Yan could sense a heroic spirit emanating from this person, and this demeanor and aura allowed Qiu Yan to immediately guess the person's identity.

"This person should be Pan Xiang Pan Household."

Upon seeing Qiu Yan and the servant leading the way, the man's face lit up with joy. Without waiting for the servant to go and announce his arrival, he hurriedly stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said with a smile, "This gentleman has an extraordinary air about him; he must be Qiu Yan, Brother Qiu. I am Pan Xiang; I have failed to greet you properly."

Pan Xiang's every word and action was warm, thoughtful, and courteous, giving people a feeling of being bathed in a spring breeze. Even Qiu Yan couldn't help but feel a sense of goodwill towards him.

"This man seems different from his brother; he doesn't have the airs of a scion of the Aristocratic Clan. He should be easy to get along with. We might as well speak frankly with him later. Since he came here for the New Laws, if the Order Yuan Ning is disrupted by the invasion of the Marshfolk, it will be equally detrimental to him."

Qiu Yan had previously used the Divine Sense the statue to discover the Marshfolk's plans, but one person's strength is limited, and the deity himself cannot arbitrarily interfere with mortal affairs. To quell the war, he would eventually need to rely on external forces, and the government was naturally the first choice. Pan Xiang had the position of commanding the garrison soldiers, making him an ideal candidate.

Accompanied by Pan Xiang's warm hospitality, Qiu Yan entered the Pan Household with him, went straight to the main hall, and was invited to take the seat of honor.

After the two sat down, one as the host and the other as the guest, maids served tea and pastries.

"Speaking of which, Brother Qiu and my Pan Household have some history. My aunt and younger sister have received much care from you. My younger brother is still young and has been grieving the loss of his father, so he has offended me in many ways. Please don't take it to heart, Brother Qiu."

As soon as they sat down, Pan took the initiative to talk about Liu-shi and Pan Rongniang's affairs before Qiu Yan could ask, his tone amiable and seemingly trying to appease the situation.

"You've misunderstood. Taking care of my aunt and cousin is only right, no need for thanks," Qiu Yan shook his head, not bothering with beating around the bush, and after a few pleasantries, went straight to the point, "Commander, what brings you here today?"

Pan Xiang's brow twitched slightly, but his smile remained, "Actually, this matter is quite simple. I heard that Brother Qiu can use calligraphy to communicate with the gods and ward off evil spirits. Two pieces of calligraphy cured the Prefect and all the elders. To be honest, my younger brother recently caught a cold and went mad. I've consulted doctors and Daoist priests, but they all say it's caused by Outer Demons. So, I have a favor to ask Brother Qiu for a piece of calligraphy to ward off the Evil Qi."

"Seeking a calligraphy?" Qiu Yan frowned upon hearing this, a thought flashing through his mind. "The news spread so quickly? It's only been half a day, yet it's already gone? But Pan Zhi isn't possessed by an evil spirit; he's attracted Outer Demon. Last time I entered his dream, I noticed he had an omen of impending doom, which must be what happened."

Even so, Qiu Yan knew it was difficult to refuse, given the connection with her aunt, Liu-shi.

Liu-shi was Pan Yuanwai's concubine, and any son she gave birth to Pan Yuanwai had little status when he was alive, but now she was brought here from Qingchang with great fanfare, which meant she was being treated with special favor. Given this favor, it was naturally difficult to refuse.

As the two were talking, a servant suddenly entered, his steps steady.

Although this servant was dressed as a lowly servant, he had an extraordinary presence. He was physically robust, with a full forehead, prominent Heavenly Court, and a sharp glint in his eyes. It was clear at a glance that he was a person who had achieved success in Life Cultivation.

Qiu Yan glanced at the man and understood immediately.

"This person must be a bodyguard disguised as someone who is following Pan Xiang to protect him."

The man glanced at Qiu Yan, then frowned slightly. He walked to Pan Xiang's side, lowered his head, and spoke, but his voice was condensed into a thin line, directly reaching Pan Xiang's ears without leaking out at all.

Seeing this, Qiu Yan was secretly amazed and couldn't help but pay attention.

"Hmm? So sudden?" Upon hearing the man's words, Pan Xiang's expression changed. He stood up and smiled apologetically at Qiu Yan, "Brother Qiu, I'm truly sorry. I wanted to have a proper talk with you, but I didn't expect to be interrupted by military business."

"Official business is of utmost importance." Qiu Yan rose and cupped his hands, taking the opportunity to say, "However, I have a question for you. I heard that in order to stabilize the prefectural city, you have transferred garrison troops from the surrounding counties, leaving several cities undefended. I met the Marshfolk prince in Wuxin City before and know a little about the Marshfolk's ways. If they know about this, I fear they might take advantage of the situation. I urge you to reconsider."

He talked with Pan Xiang for a while, sensing the emotions and thoughts emanating from the other party. He knew that Pan Xiang was a person who sought stability, so he stopped hiding his thoughts and directly laid out his mind to avoid any unnecessary complications.

He didn't say it very clearly, but he was giving a hint, which would surely make Pan Xiang more cautious in the future.

"Oh?" Pan Xiang's heart skipped a beat upon hearing Qiu Yan's words, but his expression remained unchanged. "Brother Qiu, you've also been in contact with the Marshfolk? Taking advantage of their weakness? I was somewhat negligent. Although the Marshfolk seem fierce, they are actually a disorganized bunch. They wouldn't dare to risk offending the Celestial Dynasty, but we certainly shouldn't let our guard down. If any guerrillas infiltrate the defenses and harm the civilians, that would be disastrous. After all, they are all citizens of Great Rui, and human lives are at stake."

A strange light flashed in Qiu Yan's eyes. He nodded, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

Unexpectedly, Pan Xiang summoned someone. "Someone, take Brother Qiu to a side room to rest, and then inform Ninth Aunt that I will host a banquet for Brother Qiu after I finish my business here."

As soon as he finished speaking, a servant came to lead Qiu Yan the way.

Qiu Yan glanced at Pan Xiang and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Commander." Then he left with the others.

Watching Qiu Yan's retreating figure, Pan Xiang narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing within them. "This Qiu Yan, it seems, not only writes well, but also has some insight. He can deduce the Marshfolk's movements from the troop movements; he does have some foresight. It's a pity he's too close to the Old Party; we must be wary."

Behind him, a burly servant stepped forward and whispered, "I heard that this man has some connections with Wen Anguo. Now that he's suspicious of the Marshfolk, should we..." He didn't finish his sentence, but the intense murderous intent he exuded made his meaning clear.

Pan Xiang shook his head. "Fights in the court are different from vendettas in the world. Taking action rashly can only leave words. There is a word called trying to cover up, and we must take this as a warning. Besides, Qiu Yan is just a scholar, so he has knowledge and limited influence. There is no need to make a fuss. They are all loyal to the country, but they have different ambitions."

The burly servant nodded and said, "Sir, you are right. Steel Wu has learned a lot."

Pan Xiang then laughed and said, "Alright, that's enough. Where is Biaoxin's messenger? Let him in."

Outside, a thin, wisp of smoke drifted slowly into the house. (To be continued...)

P. S.: Thanks to "Piaomiao Zhi Xieshen" and "Longhu Xiaofengyun" for their monthly votes!