abnabooks Chapter 70: The Shadow of the Night Candle
Chapter 70: The Shadow of the Night Candle
The autumn nights in Qingzhou Prefecture seem to fall deeper than elsewhere.
As dusk settled, the last rays of sunset lingered on the horizon, a crimson tinged with gold, casting a shimmering glow on the glazed tiles of the official residences in the west of the city. But in the time it takes to eat a meal, that brilliance gradually faded, like a brocade being slowly pulled away by an invisible giant hand, until only a deep, almost inky blue remained. A breeze blew from the river outside the city, carrying a damp coolness, brushing past the eaves of the streets and alleys, and then wafting the faint scent of agarwood from the deep courtyards, along with the slightly sour smell of leftover food dumped from some kitchen in the back alley.
In the east of the city, the private residence of Liu Wenhuan, the garrison commander of Qingzhou Prefecture, lay quietly in the deepening night.
The house occupied a large plot of land, yet its facade was unassuming. The two large, black-lacquered doors with copper studs were always tightly shut, with only a small side door opening at the corner, just wide enough for one person to pass through. The plaque above the door, bearing the three gilded characters "Governor's Residence," appeared remarkably understated, even somewhat aged, in the dim light of the two dying lanterns under the eaves. High walls surrounded the house, topped with black tiles, from which short, fuzzy grasses grew, shivering in the night wind. The interior was invisible, except for the gnarled branches of a few old trees peeking over the walls, most of their leaves already fallen, the remaining ones withered and curled, making the night seem even darker and more impenetrable.
The study was located on the east side of the third courtyard. The window paper was newly pasted, made of the finest Korean paper—white, crisp, and allowing excellent light transmission. At this moment, the room was brightly lit by candlelight, clearly casting three figures on the window paper. Sometimes they sat quietly, sometimes they stood up and paced, and sometimes they leaned closer to whisper. The candlelight distorted their shadows, making them look like three faceless ghosts in a shadow play, performing a silent pantomime.
Inside the study, however, the scene was quite different.
A thick, scarlet carpet, a tribute from Persia, covered the floor. Walking barefoot on it was soft and silent, absorbing even the slightest sound of footsteps or breath. Against the north wall stood a large, carved rosewood desk, its writing implements of the finest quality. One inkstone, from an old Duanxi mine, still held traces of undried ink, dark and deep, reflecting the candlelight. Behind the desk was a large armchair, covered with a thick silver fox fur rug, where Liu Wenhuan leaned back.
He was in his early fifties, with a round, well-maintained face, fair skin with few wrinkles, only slightly puffy under his eyes, revealing a relaxed air of long-term pampered life. He wore a simple, dark brown silk robe with floral patterns, the soft, smooth fabric shimmering with a subtle, watery sheen as he moved slightly. In his hands, he toyed with a pair of warm, lustrous mutton-fat jade balls, which spun silently in his palms, emitting a barely audible rubbing sound. His eyes were closed, as if he were resting, or perhaps listening intently. Only when his eyelids occasionally lifted did the fleeting glimpse of the shrewdness and weariness characteristic of a high-ranking official in his eyes betray his restless state of mind.
Liu Xiong and Zhao Kun sat on the left and right sides of the lower seat in two rosewood armchairs.
Liu Xiong had changed out of his daytime dark green official robes, wearing only a dark blue casual suit with a matching silk sash around his waist, which made him appear even taller and more refined. He sat upright, his back straight, holding a cup of pre-rain Longjing tea in his hands. The teacup was made of Ding ware white porcelain, thin as an eggshell, translucent, revealing the clear, emerald-green tea inside. He didn't drink, but simply skimmed the foam off the surface with the lid, his movements elegant and composed. The candlelight cast soft shadows on his face, making his ever-smiling lips even more pronounced. But that smile didn't reach his eyes at this moment. His gaze was lowered, watching the slightly rippling surface of the teacup, as if something extremely interesting was hidden within it.
Zhao Kun, however, sat somewhat uneasy. He was a towering figure, a head taller than the average person, with broad shoulders and a thick back; even seated, he resembled a small mountain. He still wore the standard leather armor of a Demon Suppression Division commander, the plates gleaming cold, hard black in the candlelight, with several fresh scratches along the edges—marks from his daytime training. His square face was covered in a thick, bushy beard, his dark eyebrows tightly furrowed, and his leopard-like eyes would occasionally rise, quickly glancing at Liu Wenhuan, who sat above him with his eyes closed in rest, before swiftly lowering again to focus on his own large, calloused hands resting on his knees. Those hands, covered in calluses, were now unconsciously rubbing against each other, revealing a restlessness and ruthlessness.
In the corner, a gilded cloisonné enamel three-legged incense burner burned the finest ambergris. Wisps of smoke rose straight up about a foot before gradually dissipating, transforming into a thin mist with a strangely sweet and warm aroma that permeated the study. This fragrance should have been calming, but at this moment, mixed with the occasional soft clinking of the jade ball in Liu Wenhuan's hand, the delicate scraping of Liu Xiong's cup lid against the rim, and Zhao Kun's heavy yet deliberately suppressed breathing, it instead created a suffocating, unsettling feeling.
Outside the window, the night wind seemed to have picked up, making the withered branches of the old trees rustle. Occasionally, a few withered leaves would be swept up by the wind, hit the window paper with a "smack," and then slide down helplessly.
"Brother-in-law," Liu Xiong finally broke the unbearable silence. He put down his teacup, the white porcelain base making a crisp "ding" sound as it touched the rosewood tabletop. His voice was soft, still carrying its usual gentle tone, as if discussing something trivial. "You saw Zhou Yan's 'unconventional promotion' yesterday. On the surface, it was a reward, but secretly... it drove a nail into our hearts."
Liu Wenhuan's eyelids twitched, but he didn't open them. The jade ball he was spinning in his hand paused slightly. "A nail?" He snorted, his voice somewhat hoarse, carrying the huskiness of someone who hadn't spoken in a long time. "A nail that popped out of some backwater village, is it worth your concern? Ziyi, haven't you had it too easy in Qingzhou Prefecture these past few years?"
Liu Xiong's smile remained unchanged, but a shadow of gloom flashed in his eyes. "Brother-in-law is right. If it were just an ordinary nail, we could simply pull it out; there would be no need for you to trouble yourself." He leaned forward slightly, his tone still calm, yet each word clear, like ice beads rolling onto a jade plate. "But this nail is connected to a thread. He disrupted the scheme of my Canglang Mountain, destroyed the altar of Black Wind Ravine, and still holds Mo Laogui's mouth, which can't produce ivory, in his hand. What's more troublesome is that he is now standing openly behind Zhou Yan. Brother-in-law, Zhou Yan has won over that stubborn old man Zheng Tong and secretly increased his manpower to protect himself. He has clearly sensed something and started building walls to protect himself. Now, with the addition of Lin Yan, who is daring to fight and has solid evidence... the balance of power in this game of Qingzhou Prefecture is no longer so clear."
Zhao Kun, unable to contain himself any longer, interjected in a gruff voice, "Sir, Commander Liu is right! That Lin fellow is a reckless mad dog! He dared to venture into a place like Black Wind Ravine, and he actually succeeded! Now that he's gained power and has Zhou Yan backing him up, who knows when he might pounce on us and bite us! In my opinion, we should be more decisive and find a few skilled fighters to sneak up on him at night before his injuries have fully healed, without anyone noticing..." He raised his right hand, making a downward cutting gesture, his eyes revealing a fierce glint.
"Nonsense!" Liu Wenhuan abruptly opened his eyes, slamming the jade ball in his hand onto the desk with a "thud." He sat up straight, the usual gentleness on his round face vanished, replaced by a deep, fierce expression mixed with annoyance and apprehension. "Zhao Kun! Do you think my position as the warlord is too secure, or do you think Zhou Yan can't find any fault with us?"
He gasped for breath, his chest rising and falling slightly, causing the silk surface of his dark brown robe to ripple. "Murder? In Qingzhou Prefecture, to kill a newly promoted, high-flying inspector? Are you afraid Zhou Yan won't trace us, or that the pens of the Censors aren't sharp enough?" He grew angrier with each word, pointing at Zhao Kun, then turning to Liu Xiong, "And you, Ziyi! Last time, regarding the Su Yuanshan matter, you were quick to act—a fire, a few demonic beasts, dozens of members of the Su family, gone. But what happened afterward? Huh?"
Liu Wenhuan's voice was extremely low, yet trembled slightly with excitement: "Is Zhou Yan a pushover? He suspected foul play in the city defenses from the start! He investigated and investigated, and it seemed he was about to trace it back to Chen Wanche, the city gate guard on duty that night! Who is Chen Wanche? He's a spy we planted within the city defense forces! If I hadn't acted decisively and had someone 'arrange' Chen Wanche's 'sudden death' before Zhou Yan could interrogate him, cutting off this thread, do you think we'd still be sitting here drinking tea today?"
He leaned back heavily in his chair, a layer of cold sweat glistening on his face in the candlelight. "Because of this, Zhou Yan's gaze towards me has changed completely! That old fox, outwardly calm, but secretly he's pulled Zheng Tong, that stubborn bone, under his thumb! Now, on the issue of criminal matters, he's completely impervious to reason! He even used the excuse of 'frequent demonic disturbances, requiring increased vigilance' to transfer several of the most troublesome late-stage Tongxuan experts from the branch to his side! Ostensibly bodyguards, but what are they really up to? Don't you all know?"
The study fell silent for a moment. Only the wisps of smoke from the incense burner continued to rise slowly, shifting into various strange shapes. Zhao Kun, having been harshly reprimanded, blushed deeply, his beard seemingly standing on end, yet dared not utter another word, only clenching his fists until they cracked. Liu Xiong's smile also faded, his eyes flickering uncertainly; clearly, Liu Wenhuan's words had struck at his deepest anxieties.
After a moment of silence, Liu Xiong slowly spoke, his voice several decibels deeper than before: "What my brother-in-law said is absolutely right. Zhou Yan has indeed become wary and begun to make his own plans. That's why Lin Yan is even more indispensable. He is currently Zhou Yan's fastest and sharpest knife. Zhou Yan promoted him today, bestowed upon him a mansion, and allowed him to form his own squad, precisely to sharpen this knife even further, so that it can be used to sever our hands and feet."
He paused, then looked up and stared directly at Liu Wenhuan, his gaze sharp as a needle: "Brother-in-law, do you know that Lin Yan ruined our two blood crystal 'cellars'? Now we're almost out of supplies."
"What?" Liu Wenhuan's expression changed slightly, and he stopped holding the jade ball he had just picked up.
"Canglang Mountain is one, and Black Wind Ravine is another." A chill ran through Liu Xiong's voice. "These two 'cellars,' though not as large as those in the capital, were crucial sources of stable supply for our line. Now, they've all been destroyed by Lin Yan. You know about Blood Crystal Stones; once they leave that specific treacherous and filthy place, and the method of 'blood refining,' they're just ordinary stones. Finding a suitable place to set up an altar and collect the 'materials'... is no easy task. But in the capital, there's the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion, and Minister Zhao..." He paused deliberately, not continuing, but looking at Liu Wenhuan with a meaningful gaze.
Liu Wenhuan's face darkened completely. He naturally knew the consequences of cutting off the supply. The person in the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion, and Minister Zhao in the court, who held great power and had close ties with the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion, needed this blood crystal stone; it was extremely useful. His connection, to put it bluntly, was to work for them. If he did it well, he would enjoy wealth and a bright future; if he messed it up… he didn't even dare to think about the consequences.
His Adam's apple bobbed, and the anger he had felt earlier out of fear of Zhou Yan was gradually replaced by a deeper kind of fear. The jade ball in his hand began to spin slowly again, but the rhythm had become somewhat disordered.