Chapter 471: The Key Figure

Chapter 471: The Key Figure

"It seems, for the time being at least, you won't have to sacrifice your life."

Mandrill leaned an elbow on Heavy Armor’s shoulder, a playful smirk on his face. "Had I known it wouldn't come to blows, I should have thrown around a few grandiose words myself just now. Then I wouldn't be standing here looking so utterly disgraced."

"What I said were no grandiose words; it was the truth."

Heavy Armor’s expression remained grim and austere, his gaze fixed unblinkingly upon that expressionless, lean fellow, specifically landing on the two characters, 'Langya,' branded on the side of the man's neck.

It was the seal of the Confucian Sequence.

Heavy Armor had only recently seen this mark at the Himeji Castle Pacification Commission office. His own platoon commander had told him that anyone bearing such a brand was, without exception, a death soldier reared by the prominent and powerful clans, and that it was best to steer well clear of them upon encounter.

Mandrill followed his line of sight, murmuring under his breath, "I’ve heard that these people are all geniuses handpicked by the Confucian oligarchs from their own core territories. They are groomed with specific focus from childhood, raised on the Four Books and Five Classics, until their brains are thoroughly washed into complete blankness. They are supposedly more loyal than the guardian deities of the Buddhist Sequence. Is that true or false?"

"I do not know."

Heavy Armor spoke in a muffled, resonant voice. Toward these hounds bred through such unnatural means, he felt an instinctive aversion.

Strangely, he felt a premonition, a persistent sense that he would cross swords with such people in the future.

"By the way, what are the plans for your Himeji Castle?"

The crisis having abated, a relaxed Mandrill nudged Heavy Armor with his elbow, pressing his voice low to ask.

"What do you mean, what plans?"

"We’ve already come to this point, so why are you still playing dumb with me?"

Mandrill rolled his eyes. "I’m asking what your commander plans to do once the Jinyiwei in the Japanese Sector are disbanded? Disarm and return to the fields, or sell your lives to these high officials?"

Heavy Armor withdrew his gaze from the departing figure's back and turned his head to look at Mandrill. "From the sound of it, your place has already decided?"

Mandrill sighed. "Precisely because we haven't decided yet, that's why I'm asking you, to see what your thoughts are."

"We choose neither. Whatever the Thousand-Man Commander bids us do, that is what our Himeji Castle will do."

Mandrill froze. "But letting each city's office choose for themselves was the explicit wish of the Thousand-Man Commander himself, wasn't it?"

"The Thousand-Man Commander plans for us, so we must also plan for the Thousand-Man Commander. Those are the exact words of our commander, Qiulong."

Leaving behind these words, Heavy Armor turned and led the Jinyiwei of Himeji Castle away from the side courtyard, leaving Mandrill behind with a face darkened by shifting shadows.

At that moment inside the room, Xie Bi'an looked at Yang Baize and said softly, "Vice Commissioner Yang, what you did today does not resemble your usual character at all."

"Then, Brother Xie, what do you think my character ought to be?"

Within the official hierarchy of the Great Ming Empire, Yang Baize’s rank as Vice Commissioner of the Pacification Commission was considerably higher than Xie Bi'an’s rank as a Platoon Leader. Furthermore, the civil officials of the Confucian Sequence were vastly more distinguished and noble than the military officers of the Jinyiwei, a force now in its twilight years. Thus, there was absolutely no necessity for him to address Xie Bi'an as 'Brother.'

Yet at this moment, the expression on Yang Baize’s face was entirely sincere, not a deliberate lowering of his status to curry favor with Xie Bi'an, but a heartfelt and genuine respect for the man.

Xie Bi'an did not take advantage of the gesture to put on airs or instruct this young official on how to bide his time—he possessed no such qualification. He merely let out a sigh. "Doing this will be very dangerous."

"Dangerous things—I have done far too many of them. To be precise, from the very first day I stepped into the Japanese Sector, every single thing I have done has been dangerous."

Yang Baize smiled faintly. "When I first assumed office, the men left behind by the previous Pacification Commissioner wished to reduce me to a mere figurehead; it was Brother Jun who helped me secure my footing. After the new policies began to be implemented, Honghu wanted to kill me, and many of the commoners in this city wished nothing more than to eat my flesh and drink my blood. Yet am I not still alive and well today?"

"Those people cannot be compared in the same breath to a scion of the great clans like Wang Changting."

"But I have only one life to give; dying at anyone's hands yields the exact same result."

Yang Baize spoke calmly. "Before I departed for my post at Inuyama Castle, my master once asked me if I feared death. I understood my master’s meaning: if I answered that I was afraid, he would have kept me by his side. Knowing my master as I do, though he would have been deeply disappointed in his heart, he still would have provided me with a future that, in the eyes of others, would be deemed exceedingly bright."

Xie Bi'an asked, "You weren't afraid, so you came to the Japanese Sector? Wanting to rely on yourself to seek fortune amidst peril?"

"Brother Xie, you have guessed incorrectly. The answer I gave my master at that time was that I was afraid! I am very afraid of death, because when I was in Mianzhou County, I had already, in a sense, died once."

A candid smile appeared on Yang Baize’s boyish, delicate face. "And yet, I still chose to come to the Japanese Sector without a single backward glance."

"Why?"

"A hundred boats vie in the current; sailing against the tide. Being an official is harder than being a man, and being a man is harder than becoming an immortal. Becoming an immortal is already an act against heaven itself, let alone being an official within the Confucian Sequence. If I chose to shrink back in the face of opportunity simply because I fear death, then sooner or later, I would only die an even more miserable death."

"I fear death, and that is precisely why I must strive all the more to contend. Wang Changting bade me travel ten thousand miles to see how utterly unreachable oligarchs like them truly are, but he does not know that I have long since seen it. The Confucian clans of today are already gold and jade on the outside, but rotten filth within; the very foundations supporting these great houses are riddled with countless holes, merely waiting for the wind to rise before they come crashing down in thundering ruin."

"My showdown with Wang Changting in public today indeed makes me look like an impulsive fool acting out of temporary exasperation, but not everything should be measured by the yardstick of mature prudence and caution."

Yang Baize’s eyes shone with brilliant intensity as he spoke in a resonant voice, "If I did not clearly state my stance and attitude today, but instead took the opportunity to continue bargaining with Wang Changting to secure more advantages and benefits for myself, how could I ever face the blood spilled by my Jinyiwei comrades in Osaka Castle?"

Xie Bi'an remained silent for a long moment before he slowly said, "Even if you hadn't done this, I wouldn't have blamed you."

"Not blaming does not mean one's heart wouldn't grow cold."

Yang Baize blinked and asked, "If I hadn't done this today, and Wang Changting still wished to directly strike and kill me, would these Jinyiwei outside the door still have appeared?" "They would. Protecting you was an matter specifically ordered by the Commander."

Xie Bi'an’s tone shifted. "But from this day forward, we would have been even. The great road reaches to the sky, each walking his own side. No matter how the Commander might blame me afterward, I would never again allow the Inuyama Castle Jinyiwei to become entangled in the struggles of your Confucian Sequence."

Yang Baize had long anticipated this answer, and he smiled with considerable self-satisfaction. "Therefore, I made a very correct choice."

Xie Bi'an said apologetically, "This was not the intent of Lord Yanluo; it is my own intent. He regards you as a friend, but I must play the villain here."

"A true villain is vastly better than a hypocrite."

Yang Baize smiled with unconcerned ease. "Furthermore, if we are truly speaking of villains, would not someone of my tender age be the truest definition of a minor villain?"

"Then what do you intend to do next?"

"Having offended my direct superior, there is no longer any place for me to stand within this official government office. I wonder if the Inuyama Castle Jinyiwei office could vacate a room for our group to conduct our business?"

Yang Baize raised his hand and pointed outside the door. Outside, shadows flickered as figures entered one after another, clasping their hands in salute and bowing low.

Xie Bi'an recognized every single one of them; they were precisely the Directors of the Five Districts responsible for implementing the new policies within Inuyama Castle, along with the primary officials of the various subordinate bureaus.

Wang Changting, since you enjoy playing the games of the officialdom so much, I shall let you taste the flavor of performing a solo show entirely by yourself.

Inside the public hall of the Pacification Commission office.

"My Lord, that troupe of Jinyiwei has already escorted Yang Baize away from the prefecture office. From the looks of it, they intend to hide inside their command post."

"And here this official thought he truly was a newborn calf unafraid of the tiger, entirely without fear of life and death."

Wang Changting, his face masked in fury, let out a cold snort and waved his hand. "Very well, I am aware."

Yet the trusted subordinate who brought the news still stood rooted to the spot, his expression complex, hesitating to speak.

Seeing this, Wang Changting knitted his brows and asked, "He was not the only one who left?"

"Yes."

"How many people are left in this Pacification Commission office?"

The trusted subordinate lowered his head and kept his hands bound, simply not daring to answer.

"Looking at you, it seems only an empty shell remains."

Wang Changting placed his hands behind his back and turned around, lifting his eyes to look at the massive mural hanging behind the primary seat of the grand hall. A crimson sun rose and fell over the azure waves and jagged cliffs, playing in a continuous loop, never ceasing day or night.

"Did these people all bear the brand of his Confucian Sequence seal?" Wang Changting suddenly inquired in a hauntingly quiet voice.

"Yang Baize is merely a Sequence Eight."

The subordinate's low voice entered his ears. Wang Changting froze visibly, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled into a trace of self-deprecating mockery.

Indeed, that Yang Baize was nothing more than a Sequence Eight; from whence would he derive the ability to brand so many people?

"It appears he truly is deeply beloved."

Clang!

Amidst a sharp, mechanical ring, the scholar's cap binding Wang Changting's hair atop his head suddenly unfurled into a black gauze hat; two symmetrical hat wings sprang forth with a crisp snap, and the clear cries of birds echoed within this public hall.

"Relay my order: tonight, any official who dares enter the Quanshan City Embroidered Uniform Guard Hundred-Household Institute shall be summarily suspended on the spot! Come the Mao hour tomorrow, all vacated posts shall be fully assumed by you lot."

"Yes, sir!"

The confidant accepted the command and departed, leaving Wang Changting alone in the hall.

He strode forward and sank into the official's chair behind the great desk, slowly closing his eyes.

When he opened them again, what lay before him was no longer the main hall of the Quanshan City Xuanwei Division yamen, but a warm chamber bathed in bright yellow; in its center stood a long table of some two zhang, flanked on either side by four rosewood armchairs with curved rails.

Wang Changting sat in a chair on the left side of the long table; not far behind him was a latticed window, through which he could see goose-feather snow swirling in the night outside, and a square, towering hall that seemed to prop up the heavens and pierce the clouds.

The Great Ming Imperial Palace.

"Not bad, eh? I modeled it after the Wenyuan Pavilion; conducting business here counts as getting a taste of being a Grand Secretary."

Liu Dian's laughter rang by his ear, but Wang Changting didn't spare him a glance, simply keeping his eyes shut to rest his spirit.

"Look at you; seems you've suffered a setback in Quanshan City?"

Liu Dian wore a blue official robe identical to Wang Changting's, lounging lazily in his chair. "Don't look so glum. If it's too much trouble, just come defect to me in Edo Castle. That Tongzhi under me didn't know what was good for him—I've already dealt with him. The vacancy is yours for the taking."

"If you want to turn hostile, by all means, keep talking."

Wang Changting tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing to a slit, a bone-chilling cold light spilling forth.

"I'm doing this for your own good. Right now, the most troublesome major city in the entire Wa Zone is your Quanshan City. Your Tongzhi is a student of that old bastard Pei Xingjian, and the local Embroidered Uniform Guard Hundred-Household Commander is the one Su Ce values most. Sandwiched between them, just thinking about it gives me a headache."

Wang Changting said blandly, "Soldiers come, generals block; water comes, earth dams. It's nothing major."

"Fine. Since Brother Wang is so confident, I'll cut the chatter. Just don't delay our deal!"

"It won't be delayed."

Only now did the previously agitated Wang Changting notice that the number of chairs set around the long table had increased significantly; his heart sank abruptly, and he frowned, asking, "Are there others?"

"Forgot to mention it. The Pacification Commissioner of our Wa Zone, Lord Xu, has assigned me a task: to receive some guests who have come from afar."

Liu Dian lowered his head, tidying his official sleeves, speaking with casual indifference.

"Lord Xu has already taken office?!"

Wang Changting's expression turned somewhat ugly; how had he received not a whisper of wind regarding such a major event?

"Not yet, but it should be within these few days."

Liu Dian chuckled lightly: "That is precisely why the Lord instructed me to come ahead and tend to the guests properly."

"Since Brother Liu has other pressing matters, let us speak another day!"

Wang Changting let out a cold laugh, his figure flickering as he moved to sever his connection to this dream realm.

"Brother Wang, please, calm yourself!"

Liu Dian suddenly reached out and clamped his hand onto Wang Changting's wrist; his already blurring figure instantly solidified once more.

Exercising his authority as the Architect, he forcibly severed Wang Changting's departure process.

"Liu Dian, what is the meaning of this?"

Wang Changting jerked his hand up to shake Liu Dian off, his gaze utterly frigid.

The intensity of this Yellow Millet Dream far exceeded Wang Changting's expectations; for Liu Dian, as the Architect, to interrupt his exit with a mere raise of his hand and forcibly detain him here—this inevitably gave rise to a sharp warning in Wang Changting's heart.

If Liu Dian merely wished to discuss matters with him, even for the sake of safety and secrecy, there was absolutely no need to construct a Yellow Millet Dream of such intensity.

Liu Dian's invitation today was likely not to discuss how to join forces against Li Jun and the others, but to make him face those so-called 'guests' together.

When things deviate from the norm, there must be a demon at work.

Wang Changting's intuition incessantly urged him to leave this Yellow Millet Dream as soon as possible, which only deepened his unease.

"You had best let me go right now, or don't blame me for turning hostile."

"Brother Wang, don't be rash."

Liu Dian knitted his brows, his expression solemn: "Since I invited you to meet today, I naturally have my reasons."

"Your reasons hold no interest for me, and you needn't tell me. But if you persist in detaining me, then the agreement we previously reached is void!"

Wang Changting shouted coldly: "Revoke your authority, now!"

The very instant his voice fell, four illusory figures suddenly emerged across the long table, condensing into solid reality in the blink of an eye.

From left to right: a female monk clad in a grand crimson Fan robe; a black-robed elder Daoist with dragon-and-tiger patterns embroidered on his robe; a young cultivator with a Taiji Yin-Yang fish carved between his brows; and a burly man whose arms were wrapped in strands of black patterns crawling from his knuckles to his shoulders.

There was also one seated to Wang Changting's right, wearing a pair of tortoiseshell spectacles on his nose, a mess of white hair in disarray, dressed in a coarse cloth robe stained all over with black grease.

He looked like a pedantic scholar, yet also like a craftsman.

The instant he saw the appearances of these 'guests,' Wang Changting had already guessed their identities to eight or nine parts out of ten; he closed his eyes with a bitter smile and slumped back against the chair.

Wang Changting knew in his heart that the situation had begun to spiral out of his control.

And the initiative between him and Liu Dian had likewise changed hands.

Both were merely pawns.

All of this was clearly Liu Dian's deliberate doing; though he didn't know why Lord Xu would entrust such a matter to him, Liu Dian was obviously not willing either. Otherwise, he wouldn't have schemed to drag him down into the water together.

"This time, I've been royally screwed by Liu Dian!" Wang Changting sighed deeply in his heart.

"The guests have arrived. If Brother Wang still insists on leaving, you may go now; I absolutely will not stop you."

Liu Dian spoke with righteous words on his face, but a cold sneer he couldn't hide lurked in his eyes.

"Can I still leave?"

Wang Changting smiled bitterly: "I merely placed a few spies around you; is that worth such calculated retaliation?"

Liu Dian laughed: "How can Brother Wang say that? This is a precious opportunity I begged Lord Xu for, racking my brains to secure for you. You absolutely must not repay kindness with enmity."

"Liu Dian!"

Across the long table, the black-robed elder Daoist spoke up, cutting off their conversation. He pointed at the last empty seat and asked in a stiff tone: "That key figure Lord Xu Zihu spoke of—has he still not arrived?"

"Daoist, don't rush. If only I, Liu Dian, had come today, he might not have shown. But now—"

Liu Dian extended his palm, sweeping his gaze over the assembly one by one, his tone certain: "Since all of you have come, he will definitely appear!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a figure slowly coalesced on the sole remaining empty seat around the long table.

The key figure had manifested.