"It's a county town in the mountains of western Shu, thousands of miles away. The most renowned local sect is called the Shenxiao Sect, and its leader is named Zhu Lianwo."
"What does that have to do with the Intent Preservation Scripture?"
The footsteps reached the corridor, the soles squeezing sharp sounds out of the thin layer of snow on the paving. This was plainly noise now. Zhang Siche looked up toward the door, paused briefly, then continued, "Just a few days ago, Zhu Lianwo sent word to the Left Chancellor's residence, saying that she rescued a baby girl from the general's residence back then and secretly raised her over the past twenty years. She is Wei Zhaojie's orphaned daughter."
"The Intent Preservation Scripture fell into her hands?"
"Uncertain, but this prompted the Platform to dig up a report from Linan five years ago," Chief Secretary Zhang said. "Five years ago, the Platform learned that a [Mangshan Daoist Physician] was active near Linan. This person concealed their appearance and moved secretively, and was especially skilled at treating physical disabilities-we mentioned the heir to the Mount Tai Medicine Lodge earlier. There may be some connection between the Intent Preservation Scripture and physicians."
"What is Zhu Lianwo's relationship with this Daoist physician?"
Zhang Siche shook his head. "We don't know. Perhaps there is no connection whatsoever. At the time, the matter really was too insignificant. The Platform kept no file, much less investigated deeply. We merely ordered a local colleague-named... Bai Feiping-to keep a little watch. It wasn't until ten days ago, when the Platform began tracing the Intent Preservation Scripture and Zhu Lianwo's message picked up the thread of the general's residence again, that we thought of this [Mangshan Daoist Physician]. So we wrote to Bai Feiping to inquire. We hoped