embers of the secret passage
The icy water dripped from the prominent stalactite above, hitting Liu Quan precisely on the back of the neck, making him shiver.
I almost bit the wooden piece I was holding in my mouth.
The wet, slippery moss underfoot felt as if it had been coated with oil.
Each step requires channeling your entire body weight into your toes, gripping them tightly into the crevices of the jagged rocks, just to maintain your balance.
The seventy-mile-long secret passage was so dark and sticky that it was impossible to break through.
Time seemed to freeze in the putrid air, yet it was stretched out infinitely long by countless suppressed gasps and sobs.
"Stay close!"
Ling Zhan's hoarse voice came from the edge of the firelight ahead, like a stone thrown into stagnant water, briefly breaking the suffocating silence. The torch in her hand was the only source of light in this boundless darkness, and the flickering light outlined her taut profile, as straight as a bowstring.
Sweat-soaked hair clung to his cheeks, and his mud-stained, coarse cloth clothes outlined his thin yet exceptionally resilient spine.
The craftsman's child's sobs were tightly smothered in his palms and inside his clothes by his mother.
It turned into a dull groan, like a blunt knife, cutting at everyone's taut nerves.
The packhorses snorted uneasily, their horseshoes scraping futilely against the slippery stones, each commotion sending shivers down the spines of the pack.
"stop!"
Yang Sijian, who was half a step behind Ling Zhan, suddenly raised his hand and groped on the cold, rough rock wall with his one arm.
Three paths appeared ahead, their depths as murky as the throat of a giant beast.
Old Yang's face, etched with deep wrinkles, was filled with solemnity.
He closed his eyes, his withered fingers repeatedly pressing and feeling the protrusions and depressions on the rock face, as if listening to echoes from the depths of the rock. Time flowed in the darkness, each breath heavy as a thousand pounds. All eyes were fixed on him, their hearts gripped by an invisible hand, hanging in their throats.
"Go...to the left!"
Yang Sijian suddenly opened his eyes, his voice filled with a resolute determination to go all out.
Without explanation or hesitation, Ling Zhan turned the torch in his hand to the narrower passage on the left.
Trust is the only option at this moment.
The procession, like a silent swarm of ants, continued to crawl forward in the suffocating darkness.
I don't know how much time passed, maybe several hours, but it felt like I had walked a full seventy miles.
At the edge of the torchlight ahead, the eternal rock face was no longer visible; a few drooping, damp vines swayed in the light and shadow.
"exit!"
Someone mustered all their strength to squeeze out two words from their throat, their voice hoarse and distorted.
Like a school of dying fish rushing to water, the group erupted into a barely suppressed commotion.
People jostled and pushed their way into the sliver of light.
Fresh, cold air, carrying the crisp scent of pine needles and decaying leaves, rushed into my lungs.
Someone staggered out of the cave entrance, knelt on the ground and greedily inhaled, then coughed and vomited violently.
Some people collapsed onto the damp humus layer, their chests heaving violently.
His eyes were vacant as he stared at the gray-white sunlight that was fragmented by the tall pine forest.
The child finally burst into tears!
Then, the still-shaken adult tightly covered her mouth, leaving only suppressed sobs and heavy, bellows-like breathing.
The elation of escaping death lasted only a moment before being completely swallowed up by a deeper weariness and immense bewilderment.
The Shen family, whose once-powerful foundation in Linshan Town had completely collapsed behind them.
At this moment, they are thirty-seven homeless and uncertain exiles.
Ling Zhan was the last to step out of the cave, hastily covering the entrance to the secret passage with pebbles and withered branches. She quickly scanned the exhausted and limp group, her gaze sharp as a knife, counting the number of people and confirming the several iron boxes closely guarded by the guards. When her gaze fell on several young children huddled in their mothers' arms, their faces pale and their eyes filled with terror, and on a guard being supported by his companion, his legs wrapped in blood-soaked bandages, her eyes briefly met Shen Yan's.
No words are needed.
She stepped forward, took the young son from the arms of a woman who was almost exhausted, and gestured for the wounded guard to come closer to him.
Ling Zhan stuffed the dry rations and a small packet of wound medicine into Liu Quan's hand, his fingertips icy cold.
"Be careful." Ling Zhan's voice was low and whispered.
"inventory!"
Liu Quan and Yang Sijian acted immediately, whispering orders to the able-bodied guards who could still stand to keep watch, while women and children helped each other gather together. "Account books, secret maps, gold and silver, weapons—are any missing?" After confirming the core supplies were intact, Ling Zhan's gaze swept over the mud-covered faces, etched with fear and confusion. "This place is no longer safe. Target: Linzhou Prefecture! Silence, concealment, follow!"
The team was reorganized in a tense atmosphere.
The elderly, women, and children were protected in the middle, while able-bodied men with weapons guarded the outside.
Like a wounded herd of beasts, licking their wounds and dragging their heavy steps, they left the black pine forest that had given them a brief respite in the deepest darkness before dawn, embarking on a more cautious and stealthy journey towards the unknown capital city.
Avoiding the official road, they trekked through rugged forests and along slippery field ridges.
Every step was taken with utmost care, and the slightest disturbance would instantly put my nerves on edge.
Ling Zhan, Su Wan, and Xiao Shitou led the way as the vanguard.
Su Wan's face was pale, and she kept looking back nervously, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes.
The little stone, like a vigilant little animal, pricked up its ears to catch the faintest sounds in the forest.
The eyes struggled to discern the outlines in the darkness.
The child's resilience and resourcefulness throughout the journey gave her a glimmer of hope in her despair.
“Little Stone,” she said in a low but clear voice, “it’s important.”
Little Stone's eyes immediately became focused.
Ling Zhan pulled out a small piece of charcoal pencil and a crumpled but still writable piece of rough paper from his pocket—
“I’ll say it, you write it.”
Ling Zhan spoke slowly, but every word carried a heavy weight. "Grain: Brown rice preferred, at least... ten shi (a unit of dry measure) to start, millet and beans would be even better. Salt: Five dou (another unit of dry measure) of coarse salt, this is essential for survival. Ironware: Ten hoes, five sickles, two axes, three iron pots... Farm tools should be old rather than lacking, even chipped ones are acceptable. Also: ten jin (a unit of weight) of quicklime, and if available, sulfur..."
She clearly stated the types and estimated minimum quantities, which were the lifeline for sustaining the initial survival of more than thirty people and rebuilding Qixia'ao.
Little Stone pursed his lips and, by the faint, flickering light of the campfire, meticulously and earnestly wrote on the rough paper, occasionally glancing up to confirm Ling Zhan's gaze.
Ling Zhan stared at the rudimentary list that was gradually taking shape under his pen, his eyes sharp as knives, as he weighed the minimum requirements against the limits he could possibly achieve.
"alright."
Ling Zhan took the paper, which carried heavy hopes, carefully folded it, and tucked it into the innermost layer of her bosom, as if hiding a scorching hot iron. She patted Xiao Shitou's shoulder, her silent approval conveyed in her gesture. "Come with me to see Lord Chen."
She quickened her pace, leading Su Wan and Xiao Shitou, her figure swiftly disappearing into the dark alley leading out of the city.
They headed straight for the back gate of the Chen residence.
As the horizon turned slightly gray, the towering, imposing outline of the Linzhou city wall gradually became clear in the dim morning light, bringing not a sense of security, but a cold, suffocating sense of oppression.
The massive city gate, like the menacing maw of a lurking beast, remained unopened.
A few merchants and farmers were already waiting outside the city, shivering in the chilly morning breeze.
Ling Zhan did not approach the city gate.
She led Su Wan and Xiao Shitou like three shadowy figures, clinging to the base of the city wall, and circled around to a secluded corner on the west side.
There, a rusty corner gate, barely wide enough for one person to pass through sideways, was tightly shut.
An old soldier, dressed in a tattered uniform, covered in grease and reeking of cheap alcohol, leaned against the door, holding a spear, his head nodding off.
Su Wan took a deep breath and quickly stepped forward, cleverly using her body to block the view behind her.
She swiftly placed a small ebony plaque carved with strange animal patterns—Chen Tongzhi's private plaque—into the old soldier's rough hand. At the same time, a small, heavy silver ingot followed closely behind, sliding precisely into his greasy palm.
The old soldier's cloudy, sleepy eyes suddenly opened a crack. He weighed the silver in his hand, then, in the dim morning light, carefully examined the unique animal pattern on the small ebony plaque. A hint of surprise and understanding flashed quickly across the depths of his eyes.
He calmly put away the silver and wooden plaque, letting out a muffled murmur as he slightly turned his body to the side.
They made room for just one person to squeeze through.
Cold air, mixed with dust and the distinctive smell of the city, seeped out from under the door.
Without the slightest hesitation, the three of them, like shadows blending into a crack, instantly slipped into the doorway.
With a dull thud, the heavy iron door slammed shut behind us, cutting off the last ray of light and air from the outside world.
Inside the door was a narrow, dark passageway filled with years of dust and the smell of cheap tobacco, leading to an equally small and dilapidated gatehouse.
A middle-aged man who looked like a butler took the wooden plaque, his eyes like two cold scrapers, scanning back and forth between the three people.
His gaze lingered briefly on Ling Zhan's mud-stained clothes and tired face, as if he recognized the person.
"Don't make a sound, follow me." The butler's voice was flat, carrying an unquestionable command.
He turned and led the three through the winding corridors. The courtyard was ornately decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, with artificial hills and flowing water. Servants carried basins of hot water silently as they moved about. Everything exuded the discipline of an official's household and the tranquility of the early morning.
The study door was pushed open silently.
Upon receiving the notification, Chen Tongzhi was dressed in a dark blue uniform.
Standing before the large rosewood desk, facing the spread-out Xuan paper, the brush hovered in mid-air for a long time without falling.
The room was filled with the delicate fragrance of fine pine soot ink and the aroma of books; the porcelain on the display shelves was warm and lustrous, and the calligraphy and paintings on the walls were elegant and antique.
He appeared calm and composed.
But the slight furrow in his brow betrayed his inner turmoil.
He didn't look up when he heard footsteps, and only slowly put down the wolf-hair brush after finishing the last stroke.
He turned around, his gaze falling on Ling Zhan with a hint of inquiry and deep-seated surprise.
The once shrewd, capable, and radiant Lady Ling who used to be by Shen Yan's side is now in such a disheveled state, like a resilient grass that has been broken by wind and frost, yet still stands tall.
"Lady Ling?"
Chen Tongzhi's voice was deep, carrying just the right amount of surprise and a hint of barely perceptible aloofness, "What is it... so secretive? Sneaking in at night?"
Ling Zhan did not bow or exchange pleasantries.
She took a step forward, stood in front of the desk, and slightly raised her chin, which was splattered with mud.
Her voice was extremely low, yet it was like a cold block of iron striking a thick carpeted floor, each word clear and distinct:
"Lord Chen, the Shen family... is gone. Linshan Town is now a dead end. We, a family of thirty-seven, managed to escape and are hiding in the Black Pine Forest outside the city. We have come to beg you, sir, to show us a way to survive."
"Clang!"
Chen Tongzhi's eyelids twitched violently, and the celadon teacup he had just picked up slipped from his hand and fell onto the table.
The scalding hot tea splashed everywhere, soaking the freshly written characters like an abrupt stain.
His pupils suddenly contracted: "The Shen family... is gone?!"
Her voice was shrill with disbelief, then she realized her mistake and abruptly fell silent. The study was deathly quiet, broken only by the faint sound of tea dripping onto the carpet. After the initial shock, a tsunami of thoughts surged within her.
Who did it? Why? Just for the Shen family's assets?
Absolutely impossible!
So it's all for those things the Shen family possesses... the Xuanji Technique? Snowflakes? Could it implicate me?
Are these people in front of me... troubles I can't shake off, or... still valuable pawns?
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his turbulent emotions. His face regained some of its official composure, and his gaze sharpened like a hawk's as he fixed it on Ling Zhan: "Madam Ling, these words... are no small matter! Do you know which force was behind this? How did you escape? What is the current situation in Linshan Town?"
Ling Zhan met his gaze without flinching, his voice remaining steady yet impeccable: "Our enemies are powerful and their identities are unknown, but they are certainly no ordinary bandits. We were fortunate enough to escape through a secret passage from the previous dynasty, thus saving our lives. Linshan Town..."
She paused slightly, a heavy pain flashing in her eyes. "They have probably been massacred. The specifics still need to be investigated."
She characterized the level of danger, explained the feasibility of escape, left room for ambiguity, but never revealed the deadly secrets such as the Xuanji Technique, the core craftsmen, and the mother species. She also concealed the crucial information that Wang the accountant and Old Yang were covering the rear.
Prefect Chen remained silent.
He walked slowly through the study, which was covered with a thick carpet, with his hands behind his back.
The heavy footsteps were absorbed by the carpet, leaving only a suppressed silence.
His fingers unconsciously twirled his neatly trimmed beard, his brow furrowed.
The air in the study seemed to freeze.
Ling Zhan straightened his back, calmly enduring the scrutiny of the other person's gaze and the internal weighing of his own mind.
Her fingertips curled slightly inside her sleeve.
She dared not give any assurances about this Prefect Chen.
But the dividends delivered every year are real and substantial.
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