Chapter 424: Deputy Director of Celestial Supervision

Chapter 424: Deputy Director of the Astronomical Bureau

Li Huowang stood in the small courtyard house left behind by Ji Xiang, a place that proved remarkably convenient for him in Shangjing. At least he no longer had to stay in inns, and with the black tiger placed in the yard, there was no fear of being seen by others.

Now, his hands clasped behind his back, he frowned deeply at the snow-laden streets outside, which were cold and desolate. Few people remained on the streets—Shangjing had enforced an early curfew today.

He stood silently by the window, as if waiting for something.

Suddenly, crisp hoofbeats rang out—“tap-tap-tap”—as a group of burly men clad in fur rode toward the city gates.

This was already the third batch in recent days. Their aura and the official badges hanging from their waists made it clear to Li Huowang that these were operatives dispatched by the Astronomical Bureau across the other six regions of Great Liang.

Upon receiving orders, they had all come to Shangjing.

Though by time it was still dusk, the sky was overcast with snowfall, making it nearly night.

Not only were the streets empty, but the entire capital seemed to be on edge, like a heavy stone pressing down upon his heart.

“Whoosh!” A black bird swooped through the air, then circled far off before landing gracefully on the windowsill in front of Li Huowang.

Li Huowang recognized the bird—it belonged to Sima Lan, the member of the Ink Clan who had delivered a message to him earlier. The bird’s beak held a folded piece of paper.

As Li Huowang unfolded it and read its contents, his expression suddenly lit up with excitement. “Finally, it's about to begin!”

The hurried footsteps of his master descending the stairs woke the little bun, who had been hiding under the chair. He wagged his tail eagerly, but was slapped away.

“Stay put! No matter what you hear, don’t go peeking!”

Li Huowang said this while leaping onto the horse in the courtyard and galloping toward the Astronomical Bureau.

When he passed the gate flanked by two stone lions and entered through a secret passage, he arrived at the great hall once filled with screens. Now, those screens had been removed, replaced by something else.

Yet strangely, the oil lamps on the walls were unlit, casting everything in deep darkness.

Even with his keen eyesight, Li Huowang could only make out scattered figures in the gloom—not clearly visible faces, only when one approached closely could their features be discerned.

Walking through this crowd, he felt oddly reminiscent of a school playground.

But unlike the energetic students, these men stood or crouched, exuding strange auras that made Li Huowang feel uneasy.

Whispers from the Astronomical Bureau mingled together, adding to the oppressive atmosphere of the hall, making every person inside feel suffocated.

In Shangjing’s Astronomical Bureau, Li Huowang knew few people. After glancing around, he walked over to Sima Lan, whom he had met briefly before—the same bird that had brought him news now perched on his shoulder.

Its distinctive appearance helped him locate him easily among the crowd.

“You came?” the black bird turned its head and nodded at Li Huowang.

“Sima-xiong, are all these people sent from the other six regions?” Li Huowang asked, looking around.

“Not just them. I heard the bureau borrowed some skilled personnel from Qingqiu’s Astronomical Bureau. Haha, the bureau is really going to get serious now.”

“Qingqiu?” A memory flashed through Li Huowang’s mind—a lama with a black flock of sheep. He looked around and spotted someone near the wall corner wearing a lama’s hat. Whether it was him, he couldn’t tell yet.

“If everyone’s here, why are we still waiting?” Li Huowang asked again.

“We’re waiting for the Deputy Director of the Astronomical Bureau. This matter is under his command.”

“Oh? So is the Deputy Director the highest-ranking official in the Astronomical Bureau? I apologize—I’ve been outside for so long and am unfamiliar with such matters.”

“No trouble. It was the same for me when I first came to the capital. Took me quite a while to figure it out. There are actually five Deputy Directors in total. None of them are the highest-ranking official in the bureau. The highest is the Director of the Astronomical Bureau.”

“The Director of the Astronomical Bureau…”

After carefully considering the term, Li Huowang asked again, “Then for such a major matter as dealing with the Forgetful Dao Sect, wouldn’t the Director of the Astronomical Bureau and the other four Deputy Directors also be here?”

“According to protocol, yes. But they’ve all gone into the palace. Perhaps there’s something urgent.”

A sharp clang echoed through the hall, and everyone turned toward the sound.

From somewhere, a soft light like moonlight appeared, illuminating a grand high-backed chair. Sitting in it was a white-haired old man dressed like a scholar.

His sleeves were wide, falling to his feet, and his ears, unusually large, hung like earlobes adorned with earrings.

He sat with an imposing presence, silent and commanding, causing the murmurs in the hall to die down.

At that moment, Li Huowang noticed a line of people standing behind the old man, neatly arranged. Due to the dimness, he couldn’t see their faces clearly.

“Today, the Astronomical Bureau has summoned you all. You know why, no need for me to explain,” the Deputy Director said.

With his voice, a terrifying pressure descended like a mountain, and the hall fell into complete silence.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!” From time to time, people stiffened and collapsed to the ground.

Li Huowang thought they had fainted from fright, until someone stepped forward and pulled off their skin with an iron hook. The mahjong patterns on their faces confirmed their identity—members of the Forgetful Dao Sect.

They had been called to deal with the Forgetful Dao Sect, yet five of them had tried to infiltrate the gathering. Still, it made sense; the sect couldn’t have failed to notice the bureau’s intentions.

The Deputy Director’s gaze swept indifferently over the intruders, as if not surprised at all.

“Dealing with the Forgetful Dao Sect isn’t difficult. The real challenge lies in how these liars hide among the common folk. But no matter. Shangjing is our Shangjing, not theirs.”

“They think they’re flawless, but it’s all self-deception. How dare they openly kill one of our own officials! Hmph! Do they really think we can’t act against them?”