Chapter 49 Conspiracy: They Were Afraid
The aroma of tea in the quiet room of the bookstore had not yet completely dissipated, but a completely different atmosphere had already filled the air—a mixture of determination, caution, and a barely concealed fighting spirit.
The warmth and shock were quickly suppressed. What lay before Bai Lian and Jia Luolin was a chaotic situation that urgently needed to be sorted out and the first step that had to be taken.
“On the surface, Yuyu Tower deals in money exchange between the North and South,” Jialuolin pushed a few thin sheets of paper in front of Bailian, which were filled with names and records of business dealings. “But in the past six months, three caravans from Yunzhou in the North have been dealing with him unusually closely, with the flow of funds far exceeding the needs of normal trade. Moreover, the timing of the transactions subtly overlaps with the times when Beiting was harassed several times.”
Bai Lian's sharp gaze swept across the list, as if her skills in handling complex intelligence from her past life had been awakened. Like a precise machine, she discovered the problem in just one glance.
She pointed her finger at one of the caravans called "Camel Bells" and calmly analyzed, "This one is suspicious. The other two caravans have large sums of money, but they are in whole or small amounts, which is consistent with the characteristics of goods transactions. Only 'Camel Bells' has consistently large and small amounts of money, which is more like... the allocation of military pay or specific supplies. Moreover, the stewards in charge of the handover are different people each time, but their height and build descriptions are similar, as if they are deliberately trying to confuse the issue."
A hint of admiration flashed in Galorin's eyes as he looked at Bailian. Bailian's sensitivity to numbers and patterns, as well as his judgment of how the enemy disguised themselves, far surpassed that of any of his strategists.
“Yes, ‘Camel Bells’ is the key. But we can’t directly attack Yuyu Tower; that would alert them.”
“We don’t necessarily have to alert the snakes when we’re cutting grass.” Bai Lian raised her eyes, a focused glint in them, like an assassin locking onto a target. “We can catch a ‘rabbit’ to get information. Find the right moment to contact a not-so-big, not-so-small figure in the ‘Camel Bell’ caravan who knows some inside information but isn’t a key figure. By getting him to talk, we can obtain concrete evidence and see which way they’ll shrink back after being touched, and which ‘snake’ we’ll alert.”
Galo Lin pondered for a moment, then nodded. This approach was precise and ruthless, in line with her style, and he liked it very much. "Good. I will arrange for someone to provide support, creating some routine official checks to confuse the situation. You will decide the timing and method of the contact. Now that you have the status of Grand General, it's easier for you to move around in the market than anyone else."
“Understood,” Bai Lian replied. The two quickly finalized a more complex emergency communication signal system, using common street signs and specific time windows to transmit information, ensuring that communication could be maintained even if one of them was being monitored.
After leaving the bookstore, Bai Lian did not return to her residence, but instead rode directly to the West Market. Under the pretext of "inspecting business affairs," she led a few personal guards and casually strolled through the bustling market.
Her gaze swept across the rows of shops and the bustling crowds, quickly locking onto several shops and associated warehouses bearing the "Yuyu Tower" emblem. Her pace was unhurried, as if she were truly inspecting the area, but out of the corner of her eye, she had already memorized the terrain of the "Camel Bells" caravan's inn, the adjacent buildings, and the patterns of pedestrian traffic in the vicinity.
She noticed that the "Camel Bell" caravan's guards seemed loosely positioned, but there were guards stationed at several key locations. These guards stood steadily and had vigilant eyes, and they were definitely not ordinary caravan guards; they seemed to be soldiers.
At a stall selling furs, she stopped to look through them. Just then, she heard two men who looked like porters complaining in low voices in Mandarin with heavy northern accents about how heavy their work was. She paid close attention and noticed a small, blurry old mark, like one burned with special paint, visible under the rolled-up sleeve of one of them. Bai Lian recognized it as a secret mark used to identify members of the elite "Azure Wolf Guard" directly under the Northern Di Royal Court.
As expected, Bai Lian sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm, putting down the fur and turning to another spot.
Meanwhile, Galo Lin received a secret report from her confidant in the Eastern Palace. "His Majesty inquired today about General Bai's movements after returning to the capital, but remained noncommittal regarding Minister Han's mention of 'border generals making friends with old subordinates,'" the confidant whispered.
Jialuolin toyed with a jade pendant, his eyes deep and unfathomable. His father's silence was often more terrifying than his fury. He was observing, weighing his options. "Understood. Have our men 'accidentally' leak the news of Minister Han's frequent visits to the suburban villa last month to the Censorate." He needed to cause some trouble for the Han family to distract them.
However, the opponent's counterattack came even faster.
The next day, Han Liuyue, this uninvited guest, once again graced Bai Lian's General's Mansion. This time, she even forgot about the feigned politeness on her face, and a hint of smugness lingered between her brows.
"General Bai seems quite busy lately," she said languidly, toying with her teacup. "I heard he even went to the West Market yesterday? How considerate of his subordinates. However, the capital is a place with many eyes and ears, and given the General's noble status, it's best to be careful." She then changed the subject, a half-smile playing on her lips. "I also heard that your brother, Bai Ziyuan, is now a Lieutenant General, responsible for patrolling the capital region—a heavy responsibility. But lately, for some reason, he seems to always stumble upon places on his patrol routes that are anything but peaceful. It must be tough on him. What if he encounters some desperate criminals?"
Bai Lian's hand holding the teacup was as steady as a rock, but her heart sank suddenly. Han Liuyue was blatantly threatening her with her brother's safety! She raised her eyes, her gaze calm and unwavering, yet carrying a chilling pressure: "Thank you for your concern, Consort Han. My brother is bound by duty and will be careful. It is you, Consort, who, living deep within the palace, are so knowledgeable about these mundane matters; you are truly working hard."
Han Liuyue's expression changed slightly. She snorted coldly and left with a flick of her sleeve.
This mere Zhaorong has repeatedly left the palace to cause trouble for her, even resorting to threats. How much power must she have behind her?
Bai Lian silently took a sip of tea. She knew she had to speed things up. Based on her previous observations, she selected her next target: a minor leader in charge of purchasing for the "Camel Bells" caravan. This man enjoyed drinking and frequented a tavern not far from the warehouse.
She orchestrated a "chance encounter." As the minor leader, slightly tipsy once again, staggered towards a quiet alleyway leading back to the warehouse, a mule cart laden with goods "coincidentally" broke down at the alley's entrance, blocking the way. The driver anxiously repaired it, attracting a few onlookers. Bai Lian's accomplice, disguised as a wealthy lady passing by, wearing a veiled hat, inquired with "concern" from the side.
Everything was proceeding according to plan. However, when the man sent by the Crown Prince to meet him, intending to create chaos and take the minor leader away, quietly slipped into the other end of the alley, he discovered that the target was not trapped in the alley as expected.
The man lay dead beside a garbage heap deep in the alley, his throat slit by a sharp blade, blood staining the filth beneath him. The body was still warm, clearly indicating he had only recently died. The scene was roughly staged to look like a robbery; the purse was missing, but the method was crude, more like a hastily staged illusion created after a hasty attempt to silence him.
When the news reached Bai Lian's ears, she was in her residence deep in thought, looking at the Luoyang city defense map.
"The reaction was quite quick." Bai Lian pondered, deciding to personally investigate the vicinity of the scene.
Standing at the alley entrance, some distance away, Bai Lian narrowed her eyes. Her gaze was as sharp as an eagle's. Without getting close, she could reconstruct parts of the scene in her mind simply by observing the position of the corpse, the shape of the bloodstains, and the few blurry footprints left by the murderer.
"The assassin attacked from behind, covering the mouth with his left hand and wielding a knife with his right, killing with a single blow. The movements were clean and efficient, professional," she whispered to her disguised confidante, Galorin. "But the staged scene was rushed, deliberately leaving half a relatively clear footprint... The pattern on the boot sole is unusual, not the common style in the Central Plains, but rather like a type of leather boot favored by the Northern Di army or nobles. They are warning us that they know we are investigating."
That evening, in another, more secluded safe house, Byakuren recounted her judgment to Garo Rin.
Galo Lin's face appeared unusually somber in the dim light of the oil lamp. He stood with his hands behind his back, staring at the simple map of Luoyang on the wall, remaining silent for a long time. The ruthlessness and decisiveness of his opponent had exceeded his expectations. This was no longer a simple political enemy, but a desperate man with no bottom line.
“They’re afraid.” After a long silence, Galorin finally spoke, his voice carrying a chilling murderous intent. “That’s why they used this bloody method to warn us, even at the cost of exposing some connections.” He turned to look at Bai Lian, his eyes filled with that familiar, resolute light.
He walked up to Bai Lian, reached out, and firmly grasped her slightly cool hand. His palm was warm and strong, conveying an undeniable determination. "It seems we can no longer be content with catching 'rabbits.' Now that they've bared their fangs, we can no longer be polite. The next step is to find more crucial evidence and strike at the heart of the matter."
Bai Lian felt the warmth of his palm and saw the unwavering resolve in his eyes. The chill in her heart seemed to dissipate somewhat. She gripped his hand tightly in return and nodded.
Back at the Grand General's residence, it was already late at night. Bai Lian dismissed the maids and went alone into the inner room to prepare for bed. However, when she reached the dressing table and was about to remove her hairpins, she suddenly stopped.
On the dressing table, in front of the smooth bronze mirror, lay an object neatly arranged: a pendant made from the teeth of a gray wolf, strung on a rough leather cord.
This was exactly what she had seen the "Azure Wolf Guard" disguised as a porter wearing around his neck at that fur stall in the West Market!
A chill ran down her spine and up to her head. Not only had her investigation been detected and she had been precisely silenced, but... they had even managed to slip a warning message into her heavily guarded bedroom without her noticing!
The threat is no longer just an external attack; it has infiltrated her private space, which should be the most private and secure place.
It seems the real storm is imminent. Blood seeped from Bai Lian's hand, which was gripping the pendant tightly.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
