Chapter Thirteen: Eyes and Ears from the Bottom
Upon returning to the relatively safe inner palace, Shang Jiuya immediately ordered a thorough search of all items and corners within the palace, especially areas where Shiyi Niang might have passed through or come into contact with, and strengthened all preventative measures.
She sat on the soft couch, wrapped in a thick brocade quilt, still trembling uncontrollably.
If she hadn't remembered Rong Jiang at the last moment, if she hadn't desperately seized those tiny loopholes, if Li Yue hadn't happened to be patrolling nearby and decisively intervened... she might already be a true puppet with a broken mind or even died of fear.
The wickedness of Shiyi Niang far exceeded her imagination.
“Li Yue,” she said, looking at the guard standing by her side, “thank you for today…”
Li Yue bowed slightly. "Protecting His Majesty is my duty." He paused and added, "I will strengthen patrols around the Ziguang Palace, especially in the southwest."
Shang Jiuya nodded and closed her eyes wearily.
She had personally experienced the terrifying power of illusion. And she had also confirmed once again the ruthlessness of her enemies.
Next time, she will never be so passive again.
Next time, she must be even more ruthless, faster, and more decisive.
Whether it's towards the enemy or towards oneself.
The elaborate illusion trap orchestrated by Shiyi Niang not only brought extreme fear and pain, but also etched a chilling warning into Shang Jiuya's heart—the enemy's methods were insidious and ruthless, using every means possible, and they would not show any mercy because of her temporary dormancy and weakness. Passive defense would only invite an even more deadly attack next time.
To survive, you must see further and hear more clearly.
Shang Jiuya recovered faster than expected, and she began to implement her "web weaving" plan more systematically.
Bai Yu, the little palace maid who was initially helped out of pity, has now become her most important linchpin.
"Bai Yu," Shang Jiuya said in a low voice from the soft couch in the inner hall, "we can't rely on you alone to listen and observe. This Demon Palace is too big, and there are too many spies." She paused, carefully choosing her words, "Those who, like you... have suffered injustices, work diligently, yet are always oppressed... do you think there might be one or two among them who are more meticulous and discreet?"
Bai Yu knelt at her feet, her body trembling slightly upon hearing this. She then raised her eyes, "Your Majesty... this servant understands. This servant has also noticed a few... Aran from the laundry room, because she accidentally ruined a favored maid's headscarf, was whipped and punished to do the dirtiest and most tiring work, but she never complained, yet there was a tenacity in her eyes... And there's the old demon servant Mo Liu, who's responsible for cleaning the back alley of the west side hall. He's deaf and mute, and everyone dislikes him, but he has very sharp eyes, and because he's deaf and mute, no one will be wary of him..."
She whispered a few names, all of them servants at the very bottom of the Demon Palace, each with their own tragic and unfulfilled pasts. These people were usually ignored by all forces, but precisely because of this, they might be able to see or hear some details that went unnoticed.
Shang Jiuya listened carefully, quickly weighing her options in her mind.
“Be cautious.” She looked at Bai Yu with a serious expression. “Don’t force them, don’t make promises. Just observe. If they encounter difficulties, within your ability and without attracting attention, you can lend a hand. A bowl of rice, a word of comfort, that’s enough. See their reaction.”
Unable to offer shelter, she could only offer a tiny, insignificant "warmth." In the cold depths of this demonic palace, this warmth might sometimes be more touching than any benefit.
Bai Yu nodded emphatically: "This servant understands! I will be extremely careful!"
Thus, an even more insidious network began to quietly extend outwards, starting with Bai Yu.
Bai Yu acted with extreme caution. Taking advantage of her limited freedom of movement inside and outside the Ziguang Palace, she gradually made contact with her targets under the pretext of delivering items and collecting laundry.
When she handed Aran a pile of laundry to be washed, she would secretly slip her an extra small piece of ointment to relieve the whip marks, whispering, "Last time... I saw there were still marks on the back of your hand, this... might be of some use."
When she passed by the area cleaned by the old demon servant Mo Liu, she would "accidentally" drop a small bag of dry food, then pretend not to see it and quickly sweep it into her pocket.
She would secretly share half of her own rations with a lowly servant who was being punished by the supervisor for breaking a vase and was now working on an empty stomach.
There were no many words spoken, no clear instructions given.
At first, the response was hesitant. The lowly servants were long accustomed to indifference and oppression, and were wary of any sudden "benefits." But Bai Yu herself came from the lower class, and her eyes were sincere, without the slightest hint of charity from those in power. Over time, the icy wariness began to crack.
When Aran returned the washed clothes, she swiftly slipped an inconspicuous black pebble back into Bai Yu's hand before quickly bowing and walking away. Bai Yu returned to the inner hall and handed the pebble to Shang Jiuya. Shang Jiuya examined it closely and discovered a magical symbol representing the character "贡" (tribute) drawn on the bottom of the pebble—was this the unusual item Aran had found in a garment pouch sent from the residence of a certain Elder Gongliang while doing laundry? Although its exact meaning was unknown, it was a signal.
The old demon servant Mo Tu remained silent, but occasionally some subtle markings would appear in the areas he cleaned—a few leaves arranged in a special shape, pebbles arranged in a direction… When Li Yue patrolled the perimeter, he would “happen” to notice these markings and silently record information such as the number of times and directions that a certain important person’s confidant had passed by.
The lowly servant would occasionally whisper to Bai Yu in a very quick voice when no one was looking, while delivering ordinary supplies to the Ziguang Palace, "The head of the kitchen just started cursing again, saying that His Highness the Ninth Prince has so many demands, insisting that the fresh mushrooms be picked before dawn with dew on them..."
Information remains fragmented and its authenticity is difficult to discern, but its sources have become more diverse.
Meanwhile, Li Yue was not idle either. Using his newly acquired position as squad leader, under the guise of rectifying patrol discipline and checking posts, he more carefully observed the situation among the guards. He discovered a young guard named Shi Gu who was also ostracized for his upright character and lack of ambition. Li Yue did not rush to contact him, but only when Shi Gu was deliberately harassed and had his pay withheld by other guards did Li Yue, as squad leader, fairly handle the matter according to palace rules, returning the full amount of pay to Shi Gu.
From that moment on, Shi Gu's gaze towards Li Yue changed. Afterwards, Li Yue would occasionally "unintentionally" walk a silent path with Shi Gu during night patrols and shift changes. Later still, Shi Gu might, in a secluded spot, briefly remind Li Yue: "Captain, East District 3 isn't our team's responsibility tonight, but I just saw Elder Fan Jiao's men loitering around there..." This was the first informant Li Yue had developed on the periphery.
Meanwhile, Shang Jiuya continued to organize, compare, and analyze the chaotic fragments that Bai Yu and Li Yue had collected in the inner hall using a relationship diagram.
“The stone with the character ‘tribute’ that Aran discovered corresponds to what we had heard before about the frequent banquets and huge consumption in Gongliang.”
"The markings on the ink tumor indicate that Elder Youchi's confidants have been frequently going to the northwest corner at night recently, which... seems to be the direction of one of Ao Li's private treasuries?"
"The little servant overheard Guan Shanyue requesting specific fresh mushrooms, and the timing of her maid's frequent contact with Jiang Zhenglu's court is close... Is there a connection between the two? Or is it just a coincidence?"
"Shi Gu warned Fan Jiao about the unusual appearance of his men... Fan Jiao supports Qi Mu, so what are his men up to with their sneaky behavior?"
She began to try to formulate hypotheses, and then guided Bai Yu and Li Yue to verify or rule out certain possibilities without revealing their identities during the next information gathering.
"Bai Yu, next time you hear anything related to expenses at Guanshan Moon Palace, pay attention to whether it's connected to the expenditures of the Law Enforcement Hall..."
"Li Yue, in the northwest corner towards the private vault, if the next patrol route allows, observe from a distance for any unusual guard changes, but absolutely do not approach..."
This process was difficult and slow, like the blind men and the elephant, with the constant danger of touching a poisonous snake. But Shang Jiuya enjoyed it immensely, as it made her feel that she was no longer a drifting duckweed, but actively clearing away the fog.
She knew all too well that every message transmission was like dancing on a knife's edge. She repeatedly warned Bai Yu, and through Bai Yu, to the informants: safety first; it's better to gain nothing than to take any risks.
This network is woven together by countless lives like Bai Yu, A Ran, Mo Liu, Xiao Zayi, and Shi Gu.
It cannot compare to the elders' network of spies or the brothers' and sisters' intelligence system, but it is unique.
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