Hidden Shadow – CH 118

Chapter One-Hundred-Eighteen: Re-entering the Yamen

But besides that, what was the real reason?

Hua Rongjian lowered his head, carefully applying the mask. He caught a glimpse of her expression out of the corner of his eye. “What are you thinking about?”

An Jiu did not answer.

Hua Rongjian did not ask again, focusing intently on her face for a long time before straightening up and letting out a sigh. “All done!”

“Let’s see,” An Jiu said.

“Wait a moment.” Hua Rongjian went out for a moment and returned with a basin of water. “The owner of this place has a terrible appearance and never looks in a mirror. Use this basin of water to see.”

The person’s voice suddenly rang out again, “You son of a bitch! I curse Fourteenth Young Lady to become my sister-in-law.”

“Lu Danzhi, why not drink and choke to death?” Hua Rongjian was never one for a good temper. He grabbed a wooden box, channeled his inner force, and smashed it against the sound transmission bowl on the roof beam.

With several loud crashes, the bronze sound transmission bowl fell to the ground.

Ripples spread across the surface of the water in the basin. An Jiu stared blankly at the reflection of a strange young man in the water.

Wearing a human skin mask would make one’s expression slightly stiff, but An Jiu herself did not have many expressions, and coupled with the coldness in her eyes, it looked surprisingly fitting—a truly aloof and taciturn young man.

“How is it?” Hua Rongjian asked.

“Pretty good.” An Jiu turned around, took his hand again, and felt the warmth from his palm. “Have you ever seen me in another guise?”

Hua Rongjian paused for a moment. “No.”

His warmth was like sunlight, inexplicably comforting and familiar, but An Jiu could not detect any flaws in his expression. She then changed the subject, “How do I remove this?”

“Just rub some oil on the adhesive for a while.” Hua Rongjian picked out two more masks, placed them along with the adhesive in a brocade bag, and handed them to her. “Keep this safe; you can use it later.”

An Jiu took the bag, a slight hesitation in her eyes. “Where’s the outhouse?”

“Turn left after you go out; the second path leads west,” Hua Rongjian smiled slightly. “I’ve prepared some wine and food; we can eat and enjoy the view from the mountaintop.”

“Alright,” An Jiu casually replied.

Hua Rongjian listened to the footsteps receding, then bent down to put the things on the table back in their place. He then went to the kitchen, chopped some ready-made cooked vegetables, and personally carried them to the pavilion at the mountaintop.

The mountain was no more than fifteen zhang high, but it was enough to offer a panoramic view. Nearby, the houses were dilapidated and crowded. In the distance, however, bustling activity was submerged in a sea of ​​pink and white apricot blossoms—a stark contrast in scenery.

Hua Rongjian poured wine into a wine pot and placed it on the stove to warm it.

“She’s slipped away.” Lu Danzhi, with a full beard, walked in.

“I know.” Hua Rongjian sat down by the window, toying with a carved silver wine cup. “Her patience in staying for half a month is already beyond my expectations.”

“You truly want to marry her.” Lu Danzhi sat down opposite him, curiously asking, “What do you see in her?”

“Her looks,” Hua Rongjian said seriously.

“Tch, do not try to fool me.” Lu Danzhi picked up a piece of spiced beef and put it in his mouth. He chewed it noisily. “It’s just skin and bones. If you want a celestial being, I can make one for you. Seeing how much effort you are putting in, you might as well go to a brothel and find a sexy, shapely woman. I will make you a face exactly like Fourteenth Young Lady.” Hua Rongjian raised an eyebrow, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and reached for the wine pot, pouring himself a drink.

“If you do not say anything, I will take that as a yes,” he said.

“Danzhi, I came to see you about something.” Hua Rongjian changed the subject.

Lu Danzhi snatched the wine pot from his hand, rolling his eyes. “When have you ever been alright?”

“Is your elder brother, Cui Huling, really dead?” Hua Rongjian asked.

Lu Danzhi’s hand trembled, spilling wine all over the table, dripping from the edge onto his clothes. He seemed oblivious, his voice calm yet trembling with suppressed agitation. “What…do you mean?”

His original name was Cui Huya, from the Cui clan of the Konghe family. After escaping the Cui clan, he changed his name to Lu Danzhi and lived in anonymity for thirteen years.

“It’s just suspicious, so I came to ask for details.” Hua Rongjian took the wine pot and personally filled his cup.

Lu Danzhi trembled as he picked up the cup and drank it all in one gulp. The strong liquor went down his throat, and he slowly calmed down. “Although I really wish he were still alive, it’s…impossible.”

Three years ago, when news of Cui Huling’s fatal injuries spread, he thought his elder brother had faked his death to trick him into becoming a protector of the Cui clan. So he observed the situation near the main family compound for over a month, until the funeral. The Cui clan were outsiders; their dead were not buried but ascended to heaven in flames. He was filled with both shock and grief, so he risked disguising himself and infiltrating the funeral procession to see his brother’s body.

“The body in flames was his; I will not mistake him,” Lu Danzhi said firmly.

Hua Rongjian, when serious, was completely different from his usual self. “We found out that Elder of Mei was secretly imprisoned because one of the attackers during the Konghe Army’s novice trials was a water-elemental master skilled in archery, very much like your brother.”

“My elder brother only practiced archery for two years before his death; it was just a hobby, certainly not a skill,” Lu Danzhi said. “Why not suspect Wei Yunshan?”

At the mention of Wei Yunshan, Hua Rongjian’s expression changed slightly. He slowly said, “Wei Yunshan had his internal energy stolen and is imprisoned in the Piaomiao Mountain mansion.”

“Really!?” Lu Danzhi was shocked. After all, this was the first time he had heard of someone stealing the internal energy of a master at the Transcendent Realm; it was truly astonishing.

But after figuring it out, he was not shocked but rather felt a chill run down his spine.

A secret technique circulated in the martial arts world that could steal another’s cultivation, capturing both internal energy and mental power—a tremendous temptation for martial artists.

However, this method was difficult to use. Even among equally skilled masters, it was unlikely to forcibly seize another’s internal energy, and even if successful, a misstep could easily lead to a backlash.

If they could first use drugs to render Wei Yunshan unable to resist for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, it would be much easier for two or three people to seize his power simultaneously. And those who could approach Wei Yunshan and lower his guard were likely only two people—Wei Chuzhi and Wei Yuzhi.

“Wei Yunshan was a man of great loyalty and righteousness throughout his life, yet in the end, he raised two venomous snakes!” Lu Danzhi downed a mouthful of wine, feeling slightly warmer, and said indignantly, “Wei Chuzhi established a den of assassins as soon as he entered the martial world; I knew he was no good!”

“So I think…” Hua Rongjian began, “Could your brother also…”

“No!” Lu Danzhi said confidently, but a hint of hesitation appeared on his face.

“Hmm?” Hua Rongjian asked softly, seeing Lu Danzhi deep in thought, and did not interrupt.

The image of Cui Huling’s corpse flashed through Lu Danzhi’s mind; amidst the raging flames, his body was emaciated, yet his expression was serene. Lu Danzhi had always thought his brother was emaciated due to being bedridden, but now, after Hua Rongjian’s words, suspicion arose.

“Brother was emaciated, but his expression was serene; it does not seem like he suffered the pain of having his inner strength forcibly drained.”

Hua Rongjian immediately asked, “Could he have willingly transferred his inner strength to someone?”

“This…” Lu Danzhi sighed. “He is indeed capable of such a thing.”

Although the various branches of the Cui family had many heirs, and due to heredity, most possessed water-based internal energy, few were truly gifted. Therefore, Lu Danzhi quickly identified a candidate, “Cui Yichen. My eldest brother’s eldest grandson.”

Cui Huling and Cui Huya were half-brothers, more than twenty years apart, so Cui Huling’s grandson was about the same age as Cui Huya’s son.

“Even if my eldest brother passed on his internal energy to Yichen, why would he attack the Konghe Army?” Lu Danzhi was completely unaware of the recent events involving the Konghe Army, but hearing Hua Rongjian’s question, he sensed something was amiss. “Rongjian. Has something happened to the Cui family?”

“You no longer bear the surname Cui,” Hua Rongjian reminded him.

Lu Danzhi took a sip of wine and sighed, “Let’s talk about it; otherwise, I am afraid I will not be able to resist heading to the main Cui family tonight.”

Hua Rongjian was silent for a moment. Then he said, “Alright!”

…

The sun shone brightly, and a gentle breeze blew.

An Jiu emerged from the garden wearing a human skin mask. Her appearance was neither outstanding nor ugly, which made movement much easier.

She retraced her steps, walking four or five li before glancing back at the hilltop. Her ability to emerge so easily could not be a coincidence!

It was still early, so An Jiu wandered around the city.

Upon this stroll, An Jiu realized she’d been tricked. Groups of brightly dressed young women thronged the streets and alleys, completely contrary to Hua Rongjian’s claim that women could not freely venture out! Recalling the roads Hua Rongjian had led her along, she realized they were lined with upscale areas. Presumably, ordinary families could not afford such places, and only servants from wealthy households frequented these areas, hence the scarcity of women.

In the Song Dynasty, no one forbade women from leaving their homes; only wealthy families were extremely strict with their daughters’ upbringing, rarely letting them appear in public, mainly to display their distinguished status.

“Bastard,” An Jiu cursed under her breath, hurrying toward the yamen.

Half a month later, she stood before that same gate once more.

She had a clear feeling that beyond this door lay an abyss, but remembering Mei Jiu’s dying words, she still went forward.

The guards at the gate stopped her. “This is a restricted area of ​​the yamen; unauthorized entry is prohibited.”

An Jiu took out her token from her bosom.

Upon seeing the token, the two men paled slightly and quickly bowed in apology. One of them said, “Please come in, Envoy.”

After entering, a junior official led her in, while the guard hurriedly ran to report.

As An Jiu approached the main hall, a middle-aged man in a red official robe came out from a side hall to greet her. “I apologize for not greeting you sooner; please forgive me, Envoy.”

An Jiu’s eyes narrowed slightly, and the man immediately understood. He dismissed the others and personally led An Jiu into the study.

“This token was given to me by a commander in the Konghe Army. He said that with this, Your Excellency can send me into the Konghe Army.” An Jiu placed the token before him.

The prefect’s expression relaxed slightly, his attitude remaining polite but much more natural than before. “Well, you can rest in the prefectural office for a while. I will send word to the Konghe Army; they will send someone to fetch you. Did that envoy inform you which army you will be joining?”

An Jiu held the Divine Martial Team token, but to be absolutely certain, she checked it again.

Chu Dingjiang, aside from advising her against choosing the Imperial Guard, had not said anything else, but An Jiu had already made up her mind, “Divine Martial.”

“Hmm,” The prefect called out. “Someone, come here.”

“Sir,” a yamen runner entered, accepting the order.

“Take her to rest for a while,” the prefect said.