inspire-indiana Chapter 31, Diary Entry 6: The Mystery of the Daoist Soldiers
Chapter 31, Diary Entry 6: The Mystery of the Daoist Soldiers
When the next day dawned, golden light shone on the glazed tiles of the palace.
The emperor had arrived at the imperial study early, opened the "Cultivation Diary" that only he could see, and began reading the sixth entry on time.
Upon seeing Chu Lengyu mention "Yellow Turban Warriors" in her diary, the emperor frowned slightly, seemingly understanding but not quite. He was still unclear about who these "Yellow Turban Warriors" were and what kind of magical abilities they possessed.
But Chu Lengyu referred to them as "Daoist soldiers," which immediately triggered a sensitive nerve in the emperor.
He was filled with doubt and apprehension, and a wave of fear washed over him.
Born into an imperial family, the emperor knew from a young age that behind the magnificent palace lay countless greedy and power-hungry eyes.
But to keep a private army is a serious crime!
He controlled his emotions and continued reading.
"I've already made some progress in my first sword practice today."
"The Moon-Slaying Sword Technique is indeed extraordinary. I thought I could learn all four of its sword moves before I advanced to the Golden Core stage. Now it seems that I overestimated myself and underestimated the quality of the system's products."
"However, the harder it is, the better. Doesn't a higher difficulty level prove its strength?"
"When I was practicing my sword, Huang Yi and Huang Er caught a petty thief."
"Ha, glib tongue and superb acting skills."
"Unfortunately, I had already discovered that someone was following me everywhere and secretly monitoring me; he couldn't fool me at all."
"What I didn't expect was that they were actually sent by the emperor."
"Huh?" The emperor was taken aback. Had the Night Guards been exposed?
But after his initial surprise, he quickly regained his composure and accepted the situation.
He was indeed careless in sending the night guards to keep watch, but he didn't regret it at all.
A person like Chu Lengyu, whose depths he cannot fathom, is an extremely dangerous individual. He must keep him under his watchful eye and not miss a single piece of information.
Moreover, although she claimed to be a cultivator and displayed some magical abilities, the emperor had not witnessed any of her specific methods and was still hoping that the Night Guards would keep a close eye on her and find evidence as proof as soon as possible.
Thinking of this, the emperor couldn't help but feel a little curious.
How will Chu Lengyu deal with the Night Guards, and how will he view him as the Emperor of Great Xia?
The emperor nervously looked at the diary again.
"I pondered for a long time, but I still couldn't understand why the emperor would send someone to monitor me."
"I have absolutely no connection with the royal family, nor do I want to get involved in the vortex of power."
"I only wish for peace and tranquility, to cultivate myself in peace. I neither serve kings nor farm the land, and even when the sun is high in the sky, I still sleep with my zither."
Chu Lengyu wrote the following in her diary.
Her handwriting is elegant yet powerful, revealing a cool and resolute temperament.
"This matter should not be publicized. I have decided to remain still and play along, keeping those people around me and keeping an eye on them. Sooner or later, I will find out the reason behind this."
"Anyway, no one will ever guess that my strength is improving day by day, and I'm not afraid of dragging it out."
The emperor smiled knowingly and thought to himself:
Others may not be able to guess, but I know it perfectly well!
Chu Lengyu, oh Chu Lengyu, though you try your best to hide yourself, your diary has already exposed you completely. I am fully aware of your strength, and every step you take is under my control.
The Grand Eunuch Hong Fu stood by and watched as His Majesty stared into the void, his expression constantly changing—sometimes puzzled, sometimes relaxed, sometimes fearful, sometimes pleased. He couldn't help but mutter to himself.
Could it be that His Majesty has... come into contact with something unclean?
His Majesty's temper has become increasingly erratic lately, and he keeps muttering words like "cultivating immortality" and "longevity," which the palace servants can only pretend not to hear.
The emperor closed the diary and let it disappear on its own, returning to the pile of memorials.
He ordered Hong Fu to summon Lou Qing.
Today, Lou Qing changed into a new night guard captain's uniform, and looked much more energetic than yesterday.
He strode forward and presented Chu Lengyu's whereabouts report from the previous day.
The emperor asked casually, "Why are you the one delivering the newspaper today?"
Lou Qing bowed his head and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, I have some things I feel are more appropriate to say to Your Majesty in person. Therefore, I humbly request that you, Commander, allow me to enter the palace to meet Your Majesty."
The emperor nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the report.
He saw the description of the guards Huang Yi and Huang Er on the paper and realized that these were the "Yellow Turban Warriors" mentioned by Chu Lengyu in her diary. At the same time, he also saw the record that Night Guard Cheng Zi had been captured by the two, but Chu Lengyu saw through his disguise and released him.
The emperor asked in a deep voice, "You didn't reveal your identities to Chu Lengyu, did you?"
"Your subordinate wouldn't dare!" Lou Qing replied hastily, his face filled with fear.
The emperor nodded, pondering to himself.
He understood that the Night Guards truly dared not betray him; it must have been Chu Lengyu who saw through their disguise from elsewhere and guessed their true identities.
The emperor put down the report, turned his gaze back to Lou Qing, and asked, "Alright, since you said you have important matters to report in person, then speak."
At the same time, he secretly thought to himself that if this young man didn't actually have anything important to do, but was just trying to curry favor and use his power to intimidate others, then he could forget about getting these clothes.
Lou Qing took a deep breath and calmly said, "Your Majesty, regarding the four yellow-clad guards who suddenly appeared beside Chu Lengyu, after careful consideration, I feel it is necessary to report this to you."
Lou Qing then described their extraordinary qualities.
He paused, then continued, "These four men are disciplined and act in perfect unison, clearly having undergone rigorous training. Moreover, they are tall, strong, and exceptionally brave, giving off an immense sense of pressure every time they appear."
My guess is that these four people might not be ordinary servants, but rather... rather, people with special identities or backgrounds.
The emperor immediately thought of two words: Dao Bing!
Sure enough, the meaning of this "soldier" was exactly as he had guessed.
The emperor, recalling certain folk tales, felt a growing unease, and a scene began to appear in his mind:
Chu Lengyu stood atop the high mountain, with thousands of Yellow Turban warriors behind him. Each of them was tall and brave, wearing yellow robes and holding weapons, their imposing presence shaking the four directions.
The emperor couldn't help but shudder. If such power fell into the hands of someone with ulterior motives, the consequences would be unimaginable.
No, he had to find out how Chu Lengyu obtained these Yellow Turban Warriors, what the "Daoist Soldiers" really meant, and how many there were!
The emperor's expression grew increasingly displeased. He spoke slowly, his voice revealing an unprecedented gravity: "Lou Qing, I am aware of what you have said. I will send people to investigate these four people secretly. At the same time, you must continue to closely monitor Chu Lengyu's every move. If there is anything unusual, report it to me immediately."
"Yes, Your subordinate obeys." Lou Qing bowed his head in agreement.
"Go and collect a few pairs of carrier pigeons. They can be used to report back immediately if anything happens. If there are not enough people, we will replenish them in time." The emperor thought for a moment and then added, "Go and collect a night-slaying sword for coming and going."
"Yes!" Lou Qing was not overwhelmed by the successive benefits; instead, he felt the emperor's attention and the heavy responsibility on his shoulders even more clearly.