Chapter 6: Timing

Sword Dynasty

Volume 1: Great Rebel

Chapter 6: Timing

The storm suddenly ceased, and most of Changling's residents heartbreathed a sigh of relief. The fine weather, which usually leaved them exhausted, became incredibly pleasant. Many merchant caravans rushed to arrange their supplies. Unexpectedly, just after noon, the sky darkened again, and then another wave of rain enveloped all of Changling.

This rainstorm was not as strong as last night’s, but it lasts for a long time and shows no signs of abating. The streets and alleys were shrouded in mist, obscured by smoke and rain, once again it was difficult to see clearly.

To the south of Changling, stands a monastery-like structure occupying several hectares of land.

The Qin Dynasty rewarded the victors. Anyone who successfully killed an enemy leader would be granted the rank of nobility and receive nine acres of land. Those who killed two thousand people could enjoy the taxes of three hundred households.

Therefore, most of the residences in Changling, including the oldinary soldiers' quarters, were enormous and magnificent. Changling continued to expand outward. This building in the south of Changling was actually quite small in comparison. However, except for a few people in the imperial palace, all the nobility of the Qin Dynasty was filled with great wariness and fear of this place.

Because this was where the Bureau of Divinity was located.

Most of the Qin Dynasty's investigations relied on the Bureau of Astrology. The Bureau of Astrology had thousands of officials in every region, and each official also had numerous subordinates under them. They did not need to report their cases to the other bureaus and would report directly to the emperor, so the power of the Bureau of Astrology was slightly superior to that of the other bureaus.

However, the Bureau of Divinity was an exception. The Bureau of Divinity only had around a hundred registered officials, less than even a tenth of the Bureau of Astrology. They normally conducted investigations and observations. However, the people they investigated and observed were officials, cultivators, and those who might become cultivators.

In other words, the Bureau of Divinity was a secret organization used by His Majesty the Emperor and the two Prime Ministers, who were second only to the Emperor and above anyone else, to spy and monitor on officials and cultivators.

Furthermore, all the officials in the Bureau of Divinity were ‘war orphans’. They were the children of generals and soldiers who had died on the battlefield. These individuals lacked many connections. They did not have many relationships that could be used as a threat by others, so they were even colder and emotionless than ordinary people.

Therefore, in the eyes of most officials and cultivators, the Bureau of Divinity was even more terrifying than the Bureau of Astrology.

Mo Qinggong was in one of the study rooms in the Bureau of Divinity. Unlike usual, his slightly plump body exuded a faint scent of blood. There was no smile on his greasy face, only a barely perceptible glimmer of fiendish energy.

This kind of fiendishness even caused some of the insects living in the surrounding courtyard to disappear.

The cause of his bad mood was the Chief of the Bureau of Astrology, Bureau Chief Ye.

Last night, Bureau Chief Ye had killed the seventh disciple of the Sword Furnace, Zhao Zhan, with a single blow. She had removed the thorn in the throat of the Great Qin, something everyone should be proud of. However, now, there was concrete evidence that the official of the Bureau of Divinity, Murong Chen, had not died at Zhao Zhan's hands, but at her own hands.

The officials of the Bureau of Divinity were responsible for supervising officials of the other bereaus as they went about their business. Murong Chen was also a cultivator with a bright future, and after killing Murong Chen, Bureau Chief Ye and the other academians of the Bureau of Astrology did not even clean the wounds of Murong Chen's corpse.

This meant that they did not even care to hide it.

Bureau Chief Ye Celing was too arrogant!

What made him even more furious was that it was the Bureau of Divinity that detected Zhao Zhan’s identity. Although Zhao Zhan was dead, there were still three direct disciples of the Zhao Sword Furnace who were still alive, and many more survivors from Zhao Dynasty still remained. Originally, according to the Bureau of Divinity’s plan, after killing Zhao Zhan, they would display his corpse in the marketplace and lure more survivors from Zhao Dynasty. But Ye Celeng decided to bury Zhao Zhan with honors, and even received the emperor's silent approval. This rendered most of the Bureau of Divinity’s efforts and their future plans to be in vain.

At this moment, following a rhythmic knock on the door, Qin Huaishu entered the room and stood in front of his desk.

“Have you asked clearly?” Mo Qinggong raised his head, suppressed his anger and asked in a low voice.

Qin Huaishu nodded respectfully and immediately said, “The Fang Marquessate Establishment has given us a clear answer. That young man from the Fang Marquessate Establishment wine shop has extraordinary talent, but he has a rare physique with excess Yang energy.”

Mo Qinggong frowned. “What is the physical excess of Yang energy?”

“A physique where someone has too much Yang energy.” Qin Huaishu explained in detail, “This type of physique will have more energy in the five internal organs than an ordinary person. Like a fire that burns too hot, ordinary people with this physique will experience a decline in their physical condition during their youth.”

Mo Qinggong's expression became slightly grim. “In other words, their fire burns too hot and consumes their blood essence?”

“More or less the same. However, excessive fire can usually be treated with medicine. But this physique is one that even Fang Xiumu can't treat. Or rather, even if he has such spirit medicines and treasures, it's useless to use them on this person.” Qin Huaishu nodded. His eyes were filled with sympathy and regret, as he knew how difficult it was for someone of ordinary birth to attract the attention of important figures.

From a certain perspective, the young man from Falling Parasol had the ability to ascend to heaven with just one step. But because of his physique, he was destined to continue living in that shabby alley.

Mo Qinggong had held his prestigious position for many years, so he naturally did not feel as emotional as Qin Huaishu, who was still trying to climb the ranks.

Since this young man could not become a cultivator, this meant that he would not be of any use to the Bureau of Divinity. He shook his head slightly and then threw the young man's case file into the fire basin specifically used for burning case files.

The bright red flames licked the rim of the basin. Mo Qinggong was silent for a long moment. However, Qin Huaishu did not leave immediately as he expected, so he turned to look at Qin Huaishu.

“Mister, there's a problem with Murong Chen's identity.” Qin Huaishu continued speaking, his voice low. If one did not listen carefully, they would not have been able to hear him.

Mo Qinggong's eyes narrowed as he asked in confusion, "We don't know Murong Chen well, but I know his birth and family. What's the problem?”

Qin Huaishu said, “There's nothing wrong with his birth. But he just agreed to marry into the Xu Marquessate Establishment. If nothing happens, this winter, he will marry into the Xu Marquessate Establishment.”

“Marry into the Xu Marquessate Establishment?” Mo Qinggong's pupils constricted uncontrollably, and he felt a piercing chill.

During the Qin Dynasty, the only way to obtain a noble title was based on their military service.

Those who enjoyed the taxation of ten thousand households and thousands of acres of land were called marquesses.

To acquire three hundred households, one needed to kill two thousand enemies. How much devotion would be required for ten thousand households? Even those who did not know how to count could guess the terrifying number required.

Therefore, there were only thirteen marquesses during the Qin Dynasty.

Two prime ministers, two bureau chiefs, and thirteen marquesses. These thirteen marquesses, the two bureau chiefs of the Bereau of Astrology and the Bereau of Divinity, and the two mysterious and powerful prime ministers stood at the pinnacle of this powerful dynasty.

A grimace slowly appeared at the corner of Mo Qinggong’s mouth.

He once again grabbed a case file and threw it into the fire basin next to him.

Regardless of whether the most powerful person in the Bureau of Divinity, Bureau Chief Chen, who was sitting in the innermost room, knew or not that Murong Chen was marrying into the Xu Marquessate Establishment. Regardless of whether Bureau Chief Chen had deliberately arranged it, since this matter already involved Bureau Chief Chen and the Xu Marquessate Establishment, his anger and dissatisfaction with Ye Celeng regarding this matter meant nothing.

 

The rain continued to fall.

After lunchtime passed, the limited number of guests in the wine shop left. Ding Ning moved a bamboo chair to sit down under the eaves near the door. Then he watched the rain as he ate noodles.

The noodles were mixed with snowy-white sliced of fish and pickled cabbage. The pieces of fish were irregular and unappealing, but the pickled cabbage was plentiful and flavorful. The broth was very thick, and a layer of bright oil floated on surface, giving one a feeling that this would be delicious.

Ding Ning calmly finished his meal. After drinking half a bowl of soup, he washed his bowl. He called out to Zhangsun Qianxue in the backyard. He put on a pair of old straw sandals, opened an old umbrella, and walked out into the rain.

At the entrance to Falling Parasol Alley, a caravan passed nearby. Many drivers wearing their straw raincoats, as usual, muttering and cursing at the heavens.

Ding Ning smiled faintly.

It was truly unpleasant to travel on streets filled with the smell of chicken droppings and other odors. This sudden downpour was a blessing for him. This rain could obscure the vision and senses of many people, erase many traces, and make this long-awaited opportunity even more perfect.

Therefore, even though his straw sandals were wet and uncomfortable, he was in a pleasant mood.

In a pleasant mood, he made his way to the Fish Market on the eastern border of Changling.

 

The great Wei River passed through the territories of the Qin Dynasty and flowed into the Eastern Sea. This great river did not only nourish most of farmland of the Qin Dynasty, but also enabled the ships of the Qin Dynasty to explore and reach the island overseas. Some cultivators were even able to obtain rare treasures from overseas. When the great Wei River reached Changling, it split into several branches. The source of this river could be traced back to the border of the Qin Dynasty, in the wilderness of the Ba Mountains.

The Fish Market of Changling was located on the two sides of the smallest branch of the Wei River, the Eastern Clear River.

This small river, only a few dozen meters wide, had been dammed in the middle for agricultural purposes. Parts of it had been converted into fish ponds, and some people had built markets along them.

These markets were primarily for ships unable to navigate ashore. However, over time, numerous huts were built along the riverbank. The roofs and signs of these huts obscured the sky. Hidden beneath the layers were numerous passageways. Even between the water surface and the mud ponds, there were numerous footbridges, some simple wooden bridges, and plants. Small boats and even large wooden buckets served as transportation here, adding to the complexity of the area.

When the light dimmed in the sky, and one looked down from the center of the elevated market, the dark market at the bottom at the center of the city was like a ghost town filled with flames and shadows in the abyss.

This market with no visible end was the Fish Market. Ordinary people, and even most cultivators, could find anything they wanted here, except fish.

Notes:

This novel is not my work... I just translated it from a Chinese web novel written by Wu Zui

Previously

Next