Deep within the imperial court, papers covered the floor of a vast hall. A round-faced oddity whose face was as white as dough kept writing with brush and ink, his writing so fast that he resembled a printing press.
The newly built imperial palace was already too small, leaving many consorts without palaces of their own, a decidedly shabby state of affairs. Yet this oddity had been assigned a hall fit for a noble consort all to himself.
Suddenly, his busy hands and feet paused. He stared blankly at the white paper before him for several seconds, then smiled. "Interesting..."
He then wrote: Newly appointed metropolitan graduate Chen Qing has recruited Wei Gongcheng, the crippled son of a concubine from the Wei Household.
The moment he finished writing, the white paper turned into a paper crane. In the next instant, it flew out of the hall like a living bird. A closer look revealed an exceedingly bizarre scene within the hall: countless paper cranes and rabbits formed from white paper flew and ran outside on their own, while those standing guard outside were all the same black-armored guards responsible for taking records elsewhere.
"Lord Chen, are you... trying to recruit me?"
The question was so direct that Chen Qing was caught off guard. He paused briefly. It seemed that, however perceptive the man was, he was still a military officer and had little liking for beating around the bush.
But that was just as well...
Chen Qing nodded frankly. "If that is how you see it, General, then yes!"
"Ha..." Wei Gongcheng laughed. He was not looking down on the young man. Although Chen Qing had only just entered officialdom, his intelligence and strategy were exceptional. In Wei Gongcheng's eyes, his potential was no less than Wang Ye's. Even without a spellcaster's talent, he would certainly do well at court in the future.
But to come recruiting him now, when he still had nothing to his name-was that not thinking a little too highly of himself?
"You're unwilling, General Wei?" Chen Qing asked with a smile as he watched his expression.
"And why do you think I would be willing, Lord Chen?" Wei Gongcheng looked at him in amusement.
"A guess..." Chen Qing glanced toward where Yuchi Peng was and said evenly, "Lord Wang mentioned you to me. You were born to a concubine, General Wei, but your aptitude far surpassed that of the legitimate sons. At only nine years old, you became the previous head of the Yuchi Household's deputy general, and you went on to assist two successive heads. Your future was bright. Had nothing unexpected happened, with General Yuchi's promotion to commander of the imperial guards, you would at least have become a deputy commander!"
"With such dazzling achievements, no matter how magnanimous the main household was, surely they would have felt some resentment?"
Wei Gongcheng's smile stiffened. He gave Chen Qing a searching look. "You certainly investigated thoroughly, my lord."
That was indeed the case. His excessively dazzling aptitude from childhood had made his older legitimate brothers target him. Had the head of the Yuchi Household not valued him and taken him to the military camp early on, he would probably have been tormented to death by the principal wife before he could mature.
After all, within a great Lineage, an overly powerful concubine-born son was taboo!
If he could have maintained his momentum and, as Chen Qing said, followed Lord Yuchi Peng into promotion as deputy commander of the imperial guards, then despite his birth, his influence would have far surpassed that of his legitimate older brothers.
But he was crippled now...
"If you remain in the capital, General Wei, your days will probably be difficult."
"You needn't concern yourself with that, Lord Chen!" Wei Gongcheng's expression chilled. "Though I am crippled, even if I have earned no merit over these years, I have still toiled hard. The Yuchi Household will not treat me poorly."
"You intend to retire at the Yuchi residence, General Wei?" Chen Qing asked with amusement. "It might be better than returning to the Wei Household, but whenever Lord Yuchi Peng is absent, it surely won't be pleasant either. Besides, you would have neither a proper title nor a rightful position, would you?"
Wei Gongcheng frowned. He studied Chen Qing for a long time before finally asking, "I am curious. What do you want with a cripple like me?"
"Don't belittle yourself like that..." Chen Qing gently patted Wei Gongcheng's shoulder. "You are a very capable man, General Wei. Capable people shouldn't belittle themselves so readily."
Wei Gongcheng froze, then his eyes suddenly went wide!
The black-armored guard tilted his head in confusion, looking at Wei Gongcheng's rather excessive reaction. Surely what Chen Qing had just said was not enough to excite him this much?
Had something happened?
"Lord Chen is here?"
Just as the atmosphere turned strange, Yuchi Peng's deep voice rang out. Chen Qing looked over, forced to raise his head to look at the man's tall, burly frame.
Honestly, being less than 170 centimeters tall after transmigrating had always been the thing he was most dissatisfied with.
"Here about the assignment?" Yuchi Peng looked at Wei Gongcheng, a flicker of shame crossing his eyes. He had vehemently opposed the Lineage assigning him a new deputy general, but unfortunately, he had not held out to the end. He knew perfectly well that replacing his deputy would leave Wei Gongcheng in an extremely awkward position.
"Yes..." Chen Qing nodded. "And I thought I would pay my respects to the old matriarch while I was here."
"Then please come inside..." Yuchi Peng led the way, seemingly a little afraid to linger around Wei Gongcheng.
After they left, Wei Gongcheng remained there in a daze. It was not because Yuchi Peng could not face him; the man had been acting that way since yesterday, and he was already accustomed to it.
The reason he had become excited and then fallen into a daze was the pat Chen Qing had just given him.
It had definitely not been an illusion. When Chen Qing patted him, he had distinctly felt something prick his lower body, which had already gone numb!
But he had clearly lost all sensation in his lower body. Even the imperial physicians had said there was essentially no hope of recovery. Yet just now...
The black-armored guard watched Wei Gongcheng expressionlessly. After watching for a long time without discerning anything, he hesitated, then ultimately recorded nothing on his paper. He turned and hurried after Chen Qing's group.
Only the dazed Wei Gongcheng remained, quietly murmuring, "Liuzhou..."
"Please sit, Lord Chen!" Though Yuchi Peng was a military man and domineering as well, he did not dare slight someone whom both Wei Gongcheng and Wang Ye valued. He poured the tea himself.
Chen Qing paused briefly. The man had poured three cups of tea in total, giving the last to the deputy general behind him, yet ignoring only the guard accompanying Chen Qing.
That guard had been sent by the imperial family. Was he really going to be so discourteous?
Yuchi Peng might be rude, but Chen Qing did not dare follow suit. He hurriedly poured some tea and looked at the man behind him. "You must be thirsty, brother. Have some tea to moisten your throat..."
The guard froze slightly and said nothing. Instead, the new deputy general behind Yuchi Peng gave a derisive chuckle. "You don't know, my lord?"
Chen Qing blinked. He was just about to ask what he was supposed to know when the guard blinked, his eyes turning pure white, like something drawn on paper. The sight startled Chen Qing so badly that he nearly flung away the tea in his hand.
"Of course, you aren't from the capital, my lord. It's only natural that you don't know some of its common knowledge." The deputy general's lips curved slightly. "All the black-armored guards in the capital are artificial figures made through a great spellcaster's spell inside the palace. You needn't concern yourself with them..."
"I see. The vast world truly holds every kind of wonder..." Chen Qing played along, putting on a look of realization, though a trace of puzzlement flashed through his eyes.
This was no spell!
Chen Qing quickly recognized it. Paper-drawn people-Mr. Origami, one of the five great demon artisans!
To think the imperial court would actually use a demon to monitor the capital. How interesting...
"Let's discuss business..." Yuchi Peng frowned. He was not accustomed to his deputy general's arrogant tone, especially toward his own friend, even if that friend came from humble origins. But with a guest present, it was inconvenient to reprimand him, so he could only change the subject...
"Where do you intend to begin investigating, my lord?"
"With the candidates..." Chen Qing took a sip of tea and nodded. "There are only three days until the crown prince's consort selection. The preliminary candidates must already be finalized. If the Thousand-Faced Fox wants to disrupt this selection, it must be among them."
Yuchi Peng nodded and was about to agree when the deputy general beside him interrupted. "Aren't you being rather rash, little lord? What if that demon fox only wants to cause panic and has no wish to put itself at risk?"
Chen Qing frowned. What did he mean, little lord? What part of me is little?
"Gongyan..." A hint of coldness entered Yuchi Peng's voice. "Keep behaving so improperly, and you can get the hell back home!"
The deputy general froze, then hurriedly rose to apologize, inwardly puzzled. Wasn't the general supposed to look down on scholars?
Chen Qing curled his lip and continued, "I only just received notice to take over the case, so I don't know what the selection list looks like. Do you know where to obtain it, my lord?"
Yuchi Peng paused, then scratched his head. "We should get it from the Ministry of Rites. At this hour, they've probably already finished work. I'll take you directly to the minister of rites to get it."
Chen Qing was just about to nod when a servant hurried over and presented a list. "My lord, General Wei Gongcheng asked me to bring this to you."
Chen Qing took a look, then set it on the table. "It's the consort selection list. General Wei is as attentive as ever. He already had it ready."
At those words, realization flashed through Yuchi Peng's eyes. That was right. Ever since Gongcheng began serving him, he had never needed to trouble himself with these trivial matters.
The deputy general beside him, Wei Gongyan, froze, a shadow passing through his eyes. Already crippled, yet still jumping about. What good will it do?
"There are quite a few!" Chen Qing frowned. There were at least a hundred names on the list. Was the imperial family holding a damned open audition?
How long would it take to check them all?
"My lord!" Just as Chen Qing was inwardly grumbling, the servant from earlier came hurrying back.
"What now?" the deputy general asked impatiently.
"It's... it's... Vice Minister Pei of the Ministry of Punishments. He's here asking for you, my lord."
"Why didn't you say so sooner!" The deputy general's eyes widened. "Hurry and show him in!"
With that, he hurried off toward the main gate with the servant. Behind him, Yuchi Peng's brows knitted tightly. He was not someone who liked to fuss over little details, but this new deputy general sent by the Wei Household was truly rather irritating...
Chen Qing was speechless too. With emotional intelligence like that, what had his family taught him?
As an outsider, it was not his place to say much, so he changed the subject. "Judging by that general's reaction, is this Lord Pei very famous?"
"Yes..." Yuchi Peng nodded. "At court these days, the two men riding highest are Wang Ye and him."
"Oh, I see..."
"You want to recruit Wei Gongcheng?"
"Cough..." Chen Qing nearly choked on his tea. "You could hear us from that far away?"
"Gongcheng has lofty aspirations. Recruiting him won't be easy..."
"Haha, this lowly official was only making a casual suggestion..." Chen Qing hurriedly laughed it off. After all, being caught red-handed trying to poach someone's man was rather awkward.
"I thought General Wei was feeling down, and if he had nothing else to do, he could go to Liuzhou for a change of scenery or something. I meant nothing else..."
"If you genuinely want to recruit him, I'll speak to him for you!"
Chen Qing froze. "Really?"
"But that will depend on your ability!" Yuchi Peng smiled. "Do you know what accepting this assignment means?"
"What does it mean?"
"It means that if you succeed, you become prefect of Liuzhou. But if you fail..." Yuchi Peng's smile turned somewhat savage. "I'm afraid you'll have to leave that fine head of yours in the capital!"
Chen Qing paused, then stood and solemnly bowed. "Then we have an agreement, General. If I solve this case, you must do your best to help persuade him..."
Yuchi Peng's smile stiffened, and he looked at Chen Qing in surprise.
So many capable people at court did not dare guarantee that they could find the Thousand-Faced Fox. This lad... was certainly confident!