Chapter 42 Aftermath
The aftershocks of the Daqing Palace's bestowal of titles had not yet completely subsided when a silent yet thunderous storm was already brewing deep within the Demon Palace. At the center of this storm was Bai Yu, the newly appointed Grand Steward of the Demon Lord's Palace.
Bai Yu's first act upon taking office was to target the deeply entrenched old forces.
With the keen observation and cautiousness she had honed through years of struggling to survive at the bottom of society, and the absolute power granted to her by Jiu Ya, she began a thorough purge of the Demon Palace's inner court with astonishing efficiency and iron-fisted methods.
Lists flowed from her hands, their precision chilling. She could identify which were You Chi's spies, which were Guan Shanyue's moles, which were Ao Li's bribed agents, and which were seemingly obedient but actually resentful former officials of the previous dynasty... She could even pinpoint a few deeply hidden spies, some of whom even Li Yue's shadow guards had not fully grasped.
The process was not without resistance. Some senior, experienced matrons tried to evade the issue using old precedents; some stewards, backed by a fallen nobleman, secretly made things difficult; and some even tried to bribe them. However, Bai Yu's approach was simple and ruthless: those whose actions were verified, regardless of their background or pleas, were stripped of their cultivation, stripped of their palace status, and immediately imprisoned in the dark or expelled from the palace. Those with serious offenses were executed on the spot.
Within a few short days, the Demon Palace was in a state of panic. Nearly a hundred palace maids, eunuchs, and low-ranking guards were purged, and their vacant positions were quickly filled by rigorously selected newcomers. Some of these newcomers came from impeccable backgrounds investigated by Li Yue, while others were individuals personally promoted from the bottom by Bai Yu—people who had suffered oppression but possessed pure hearts. They all shared one thing in common: loyalty—absolute loyalty to Demon Lord Jiu Ya and to Bai Yu, who carried out the Demon Lord's will.
After cleaning, the next step is to establish rules.
Bai Yu knew that nothing could be accomplished without rules, especially in a place like the Demon Palace, the heart of power. Combining some modern ideas from Jiu Ya with the actual situation of the Demon Palace, she abolished a large number of outdated, cumbersome, and manipulative old palace rules and promulgated a brand-new set of "Inner Court Laws," with clear clauses and strict discipline.
The legal code detailed the duties and powers of palace staff at all levels and clarified the standards for rewards and punishments. From minor matters such as damage to items and behavior to major matters such as information transmission and security patrols, everything was governed by law. Those who performed meritorious service were generously rewarded, and even their families could receive protection; those who committed wrongdoing were severely punished without any leniency.
She established the Internal Affairs Inspection Department, which she directly oversaw, with members comprised of meticulous and impartial individuals responsible for the daily supervision of the enforcement of the code. In an instant, the atmosphere within the Demon Palace changed dramatically; the previous laxity, gossip, and even theft and smuggling virtually disappeared. Everyone diligently performed their duties, acting with extreme caution, for no one knew whether the Inspection Department was watching from the shadows.
Efficiency skyrocketed under this strict discipline. Orders that used to take half a day to deliver could now be relayed in a quarter of an hour; tasks that used to be passed around and shirked were now assigned to specific individuals with deadlines; the Demon Palace operated like a tightly wound, precise puppet, orderly, silent, yet terrifyingly efficient.
The most important thing, of course, is Jiuya's safety and well-being.
Bai Yu designated the Ziguang Palace and its surrounding area as the highest-security zone. Her personal guards were stationed on the outer perimeter by Li Yue's men, while the inner area was attended to by female officials and eunuchs carefully selected by her. All food, supplies, and items underwent at least three rigorous checks. Anyone approaching Jiu Ya required her approval and background verification. Jiu Ya's daily routines, likes, and dislikes were classified as top secret and were personally monitored and managed by her.
She even re-discussed and planned the guard posts and patrol routes of the Demon Palace with Li Yue, and added many hidden monitoring magic arrays, making the entire Demon Palace truly watertight, like an iron barrel.
But what Bai Yu did went far beyond management and security.
She quietly transformed the inner court into one of Jiu Ya's most sensitive information hubs. The palace maids and eunuchs scattered throughout the various palaces and halls, who were both grateful to her and held her in awe, became her most natural eyes and ears. She collected and filtered all the seemingly trivial information—the rumors within the palace, the subtle movements of the various palace masters (although there were no longer any proper masters, there were still some collateral nobles who depended on the court for survival, and the families of disgraced elders), and even the occasional snippets of conversation uttered by officials when they entered the palace to pay their respects. She regularly compiled these seemingly trivial pieces of information into volumes and presented them to Jiu Ya.
This change is visible to the naked eye. The corridors and courtyards are spotless, and the guards and palace maids go about their business with light and quiet steps. When they see high-ranking officials, they are still respectful, but they no longer have the obsequiousness and fear of the past. Their eyes are more grounded and focused.
The once bustling and turbulent imperial harem area has been thoroughly cleaned up. The families of meritorious officials were either resettled there, or the area was converted into offices, warehouses, or residences for female officials, eliminating the previous chaotic atmosphere.
Even the air was no longer filled with the cloying scent of perfume and conspiracy, but instead with a light, refreshing fragrance of magical plants that Bai Yu had carefully selected to calm the mind and invigorate the spirit.
Everyone who stepped into the Demon Palace could clearly feel this earth-shattering change. This change silently spoke of the extraordinary abilities of the new Grand Eunuch, and further demonstrated that the Demon Lord on the throne had reached an unprecedented level of absolute control over the inner palace.
Night fell in the Demon Palace, shedding the hustle and bustle of the day and settling into a profound tranquility. Moonlight streamed through the delicate carvings on the study window, casting dappled and cold shadows on the floor. The calming incense rising from the censer could not completely dispel the faint, heavy pressure in the air.
Jiu Ya sat behind her large desk, a mountain of memorials and documents piled before her. The new dynasty was newly established, and everything needed rebuilding; each document could potentially affect the stability and development of a certain region of the Demon Realm. She reviewed them with utmost care. The occasional rustling of her fingertips across the paper was the dominant sound in the quiet study.
The power from the "Burning Marrow and Corroding Heart Technique" flowed slowly through her meridians, sustaining her energy expenditure. However, the subtle "emptiness" of having her life essence quietly drained away only became particularly clear in the solitude of the night. Occasionally, she would pause writing and unconsciously rub her brow with her fingertips.
Suddenly, three very rhythmic knocks came from outside the study door.
Jiu Ya raised her head, a hint of understanding flashing in her eyes. At this hour, only one person had requested an audience in this manner.
"Go in." She put down the vermilion brush in her hand, her voice calm.
The study door was pushed open silently, and Li Yue appeared in the doorway. He was still dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, his brows furrowed with a hint of travel-worn seriousness. He gently closed the door behind him, strode to the desk, and knelt on one knee.
"Your subject, Li Yue, pays respects to Your Majesty."
"No need for formalities. What's the matter that's so urgent?" Jiu Ya raised her hand in a gesture of support, her gaze falling on Li Yue's solemn face, already having some guesses in her mind. If it weren't for something extremely important and confidential, Li Yue wouldn't have come directly in this way so late at night.
Li Yue stood up and took out a jet-black crystal tightly wrapped in a talisman from his pocket.
"Your Majesty, regarding the investigation of Qi Mu's remnant soul..." Li Yue's voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet study, "All the obvious clues, including the old lairs where he might be hiding and all the suspicious people who had dealings with him, have been thoroughly investigated and cleared by my men, but to no avail. His remnant soul... seems to have completely evaporated from the Demon Realm."
This result was not entirely unexpected by Jiu Ya. While Qi Mu was tyrannical in life, his ability to command a large army meant he was by no means a mindless brute, especially skilled in survival and escape techniques. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to allow even a wisp of his soul to escape during the encirclement.
“However,” Li Yue changed the subject, presenting the black crystal in his hand, “three days ago, one of my shadow guards, who is most skilled at tracking and tracing, accidentally captured this while carrying out another mission on the edge of the far northern wilderness.”
Jiu Ya's gaze sharpened instantly. She took the crystal and sensed the faint but extremely stubborn remnant of magic sealed within it, which was undoubtedly of the same origin as Qi Mu's magic.
Her slender fingers gently caressed the crystal, and the "Shadow Secrets Chapter" quietly began to operate, her spiritual senses deeply perceiving the trace of sealed energy remnant.
Jiu Ya's heart sank slowly. She closed her eyes, pondered for a moment, and when she opened them again, her eyes were filled with a cold clarity.
“He’s not so easily annihilated.” Her voice was terrifyingly calm. “This remnant soul is more cunning and more dangerous than we imagined.”
The atmosphere in the study grew even more somber. Outside the window, even the wind seemed to have stopped.
"This matter is classified as top secret." Jiu Ya resealed the black crystal with a talisman and handed it to Li Yue. "Keep the number of people who know about it to a minimum, limited to you and the shadow guard who discovered it. All subsequent investigations must be conducted in complete secrecy, utilizing all covert channels, but remember—"
She emphasized, "Don't alert him. He's like a frightened bird right now, or he may have already set a trap. If he notices a large-scale manhunt, it will only make him hide deeper or prompt him to take more extreme actions sooner."
"Your Majesty, I understand!" Li Yue solemnly accepted the crystal and replied with a stern expression, "I will personally select absolutely reliable people to secretly lay a net under the guise of other missions. If there is any clue, I will immediately report it to Your Majesty."
"Go ahead." Jiu Ya waved her hand.
Li Yue bowed respectfully and, just as he had arrived, silently withdrew from the study, gently closing the door behind him.
Silence returned to the study.
Jiuya sat alone behind her desk, her gaze not returning to the memorials. She reached out and gently grasped the hilt of the Kunwu sword; the slightly warm touch and faint hum seemed to remind her of a potential threat.
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