Whether it’s the Xuanqing Guard or the Ministry of Justice, each abides by its own rules, but there is one thing in common—they all must adhere to the principle of "secrecy" regarding major cases. Unless absolutely necessary, no detail of a case is to be disclosed to outsiders.
The reasons for secrecy are easy to understand: it is mainly to prevent information leaks that could influence the investigation, or tip off the parties under investigation, thereby introducing unnecessary variables and making the investigation more difficult.
Prince Ling is already a dark horse in the Royal Family’s "Major Examination," very assertive. I’ve heard he was previously inspecting various provinces, and should have just returned to the Imperial City, shouldn’t he?
But Shen Hao knew his place; he was just a subordinate, with neither standing nor ulterior motives. He simply observed the Lord Commander and Lord Governor above, following their lead. Be it a black horse or a white horse among the princes, he would not get involved.
"Your Highness, please forgive me. The regulations of the Xuanqing Guard are strict and inflexible. My position is a lowly one; I dare not disobey those rules, and thus cannot answer Your Highness’s inquiries. Moreover, the main body in charge of this case is the Major Case Department of the Ministry of Justice. The official statements released to the outside also come from them. If Your Highness wishes to understand the details, you may inquire with the Major Case Department."
The expression on Prince Ling’s face did not change; instead, he smiled faintly. He had been mentally prepared for Shen Hao to refuse his request. He took no offense.
Shen Hao didn’t wish to stay any longer, so he rose to take his leave. It seemed he would have to find somewhere else for this meal. The interruption from Prince Ling had certainly spoiled his appetite.
However, as he stepped outside, Shen Hao found his horizons somewhat broadened. On both sides of the alley, as well as atop the roof eaves, people were now everywhere—every single one of them a cultivator, and none with weak cultivation. He sensed no less than twenty with the aura of the Primordial Pill Realm.
Some wore the uniform of the Royal Guard, while others were dressed more casually; clearly, these people came from diverse backgrounds. Presumably, Prince Ling had recruited martial force for himself while outside. Loose cultivators, perhaps?
But as he neared the alley entrance, there were several presences that gave Shen Hao an inexplicably familiar feeling, as if he had encountered something similar before... He followed the sensation and looked over: five cultivators in ordinary robes stood atop the eaves. Although the darkness made it impossible to discern their features, their cold auras marked them as anything but benign.
Shen Hao betrayed nothing on his face, but inwardly thought, "These few feel familiar, especially the scent around them—also oddly familiar..."
Only when he exited the alley did that feeling finally disappear.
"Prince Ling’s guards are certainly numerous."
"Of course. After Prince Qian’s murder, defenses had to be tightened. Still, I didn’t expect so many loose-cultivator experts among them."
Two guards chatted quietly, which piqued Shen Hao’s interest: "Do you recognize those loose cultivators?"
"I’ve seen a few, but most of them are strangers."
Shen Hao asked, "All of them are loose cultivators?"
"Certainly. Sect members could never take part in royal matters. It’s a grave taboo—nothing like that has ever happened."
Never happened? That’s quite an assertion. Shen Hao knew the Jingjiu Dynasty must have some means of checking the sects; otherwise, the sects would never ignore the fat prize of imperial succession. It was simply that his current low rank meant he had no right to know the details.
"Come on, let’s try another place to eat."
"Huh? At this hour, are there still places open?"
"Of course! I know a hotpot place that’s pretty good—their hours are long, and we should make it if we go now." Shen Hao took the lead; tonight he had to have a decent meal, no matter what.
...
As soon as Shen Hao left, the little restaurant in the alley grew noticeably quieter.
Yang Shu sipped his drink, and those nearby dared not speak. The shop boy and shopkeeper had long since been driven to the kitchen. Now, apart from the guards, only a few of Yang Shu’s main strategists remained.
Compared to Shen Hao’s group and their voracious appetites, Yang Shu ate sparingly.
A serving of salt-and-pepper chicken, a plate of spicy cold pickles, and a bowl of green vegetable soup—this was already an eagerly anticipated meal for Yang Shu.
Not that delicious food was lacking elsewhere, but in recent times he had done nothing but attend banquets and run about; he’d hardly had time to calmly enjoy a meal. After finally making a full circuit of the provinces and now returning, what better way to appease his craving hunger?
Unlike Shen Hao’s group, who ate whole chickens, Yang Shu’s salt-and-pepper chicken was cut into pieces. Eating with chopsticks, he was much more refined—none of the grabbing with bare hands like Shen Hao’s lot.
After half a chicken and four or five cups of wine, Yang Shu suddenly said, "Shen Hao was transferred back from the south. Is my second brother’s case really so troublesome? Any news?"
"Your Highness, the case of Prince Qian has always been led by the Major Case Department of the Ministry of Justice, with the Xuanqing Guard providing assistance. There are rumors that the Xuanqing Guard even dispatched a Captain to help, but not a scrap of news has been released. There must have been some obstruction, so Shen Hao was brought back."
"Did I not say before that this Shen fellow is unusual? Tsk, tsk. Jiang Cheng is his mentor, and Pang Ban thinks highly of him too. Plus, his cultivation talent has long been rumored to be outstanding. In the future, he’s bound to secure a key position within the Xuanqing Guard."
"Do you mean we need to keep a close watch on him?"
"No, no, no. Shen Hao doesn’t require our attention for now; in fact, the whole Xuanqing Guard isn’t worth our energy. Ever since Liao Chengfeng was given the axe by Pang Ban on a pretext, the Xuanqing Guard has had no further value to us."
After their late-night meal, Yang Shu and his party hurried back to the Prince Mansion, not heading for the rear residence but going directly into the study.
These days, any time Yang Shu raised unusual questions or discussed matters, two concealing arrays would be promptly activated, maintained personally by his close Inner Guards.
The outward explanation was that he had lately recruited many rootless loose cultivators, and the mansion’s secrets could not be leaked to them, so the concealing arrays were set up as a precaution.
The loose cultivators did not mind. They simply took money to ward off misfortune, with little interest in Prince Ling’s mansion affairs. Some even welcomed it, hoping to know as little as possible; whenever Yang Shu wished to discuss matters, they consciously kept to their outermost defense posts and seldom approached.
In truth, not all these loose cultivators were recruited directly by Yang Shu; some he had poached. With Prince Qian’s death, his Inner Guards had been locked down by the Royal Family, with their fate yet to be determined, so they couldn’t be moved. But Prince Qian had recruited plenty of loose cultivators, and many of these had now been drawn over by Yang Shu.
Just as Yang Shu anticipated, there was little competition for poaching cultivators—he’d taken many at a bargain. The real scramble was over the powers left by Prince Qian; currently, the other five princes were at each other’s throats over those, while only Yang Shu was able to remain at ease.
As for Yang Shu’s suggestion to set up the concealing arrays, the real reason was not just to guard against the newly recruited loose cultivators. Rather, it was to guard against the five Liu brothers from the City of Unjust Death. Although those five had now been pushed out to the far edge of the defensive perimeter.