Chapter 81

In the early spring of Guangfu, the city was early enveloped in a warm and humid climate. Therefore, the local residents, who had no concept of frost, reluctantly bid farewell to what could be considered the most pleasant season of the year, the brief winter, and had to take off their slightly thicker long robes, reluctantly pondering the choice between spring attire and short clothes.

As one of the hall officials of the Chancellery, Liang Sicheng also enjoyed soaking in a hot spring pool named Xinhua Garden, spending the morning there. The wine and snacks in the wooden buckets were quietly and damply untouched.

Although his name was Liang Sicheng, he had nothing to do with the famous architect of later generations, who was also a victim of the literary youth craze. He well embodied the meaning of being well-fed and well-fed. It was indeed hard to associate him with his previous background and origins.

Like most officials who were accustomed to the local pace of life, after getting up early to report to the government office, they would enjoy the morning soup and snacks sent by their families or from designated shops. Except for a few relatively poor colleagues, most people did not return to the so-called corridor meals, which, as public meals, were not of poor quality.

Then, while moving around outside various government offices to aid digestion, they would gather in groups of three or five, exchanging news and information, and even gossiping about everything from the emperor and the lords of the northern inner court to the common people and foreign news.

Then, the tardy main officials of each office would, accompanied by the most senior old clerks, check and hand over official business, or say some encouraging words, or even skip this formality altogether, yawning and pointing out a few names before disappearing without a trace.

At this time, except for a few unlucky souls who were selected to stand guard, most people would go to the hot springs. These thousands of public and private hot springs, spread throughout the five cities and sixteen major districts of Guangfu, were a major feature of the city. It was said that they were brought to Guangfu by Liang Gong hundreds of years ago, after the customs of the two northern capitals.

Due to their privacy and relatively comfortable environment, as well as the variety of additional services, they had long become one of the social venues for informal meetings and negotiations. In addition, Guangfu, as the first port in the south and a major international metropolis, had a long history. After the Southern Dynasty established its capital, there was a large-scale construction and renovation, leaving behind numerous, diverse, and regionally, nationally, and ethnically flavored hot springs.

Like the Huaxin Garden where Liang Sicheng was, among the thousands of hot springs in Guangfu, it was not well-known but was one of the few old-established halls that had been passed down since the Kaiyuan era. Even wealthy families could not enter without a certain connection. Whether day or night, from massage to food and entertainment, everything was available.

Only after soaking in the hot spring until his body was relaxed and comfortable did the work of these lower-level officials and clerks truly begin with renewed vigor.

As one of the dozens of clerks under the Chancellery, Liang Sicheng's position and ranking were not particularly high, and his responsibilities were not many, but he had enough prestige and leisure. Therefore, he had enough free time to engage in his own private activities.

He could take various precedents and income, and even enjoy the dividends from several properties, so he could stay here for a long time according to his own wishes.

Then, in the afternoon or after lunch, he would return to the government office to run errands based on the results of the morning meeting. In the evening, he did not have to go home directly but could gather with colleagues or accept invitations from related families. Returning home with the smell of alcohol and powder, he would still have to tidy up the house and ask about his children's studies and daily life, which was the precious time for his wives and concubines.

This life made him feel both fulfilling and tense, almost forgetting the past. However, his good routine seemed to be disrupted today. He opened his eyes from the steamy water with some dissatisfaction, looking at the old family servant squatting by the pool, whose face was somewhat distorted by the steam.

"Speak, what's the matter..."

He mumbled, refocusing his attention.

"It's about the Qingyuan Army..."

The old family servant said expressionlessly.

"Really troublesome..."

Liang Sicheng couldn't help but complain.

"Why can't those soldiers just eat their rations and do their jobs..."

"The northern campaign has been talked about for decades, does anyone still take it seriously... Why can't they understand..."

"It's not unusual for officers to use soldiers for their own business..."

"Why can others do it, but they have to cause trouble..."

"Someone tried to appeal to the emperor a few days ago, but was caught. It's said to be from the Qingyuan Army..."

The old family servant continued.

"Then today, news came from the river, the Qingyuan Army has mutinied..."

"What..."

Liang Sicheng was shocked and slipped into the pool, swallowing a few mouthfuls of water before struggling back up.

"This is not good..."

"Tracing back, this is no small matter, I am just a hall official..."

"What did they say..."

The old family servant reassured him.

"They will cover for you..."

"Then... what..."

Liang Sicheng calmed down, looking at the old family servant.

"What do I need to do..."

"It's another piece of news, Chen Huixian has returned..."

The old family servant continued.

"Although she tried to hide it, she brought back some unfavorable information..."

"Let me off, if it's about the Qingyuan Army, I might lose my job due to corruption..."

Liang Sicheng shouted as if scalded by hot water.

"As long as the family doesn't abandon me, there's still a chance to rise again..."

"But if I get involved with Chen Huixian, my whole family might be destroyed, with no place to bury our bones..."

"Do you have a choice..."

The old family servant looked at him quietly until he sank back into the water, somewhat dejected.

"You don't need to handle it yourself. Just spread the news in a specific place..."

"Then they will find a reason to demote you to Borneo for three to five years..."

The other's voice continued.

Meanwhile,

In the old city of Guangfu, in the northwest corner of the old street, a vast complex of buildings, with high main buildings resembling watchtowers made of blue stone and clay, was already filled with a tense and solemn atmosphere.

Not only were the clerks and officials in their official robes and the soldiers in their armor rushing about, but even the clerks and assistants carrying documents were hurrying, not daring to linger.

As one of the few powerful departments of the Southern Dynasty, responsible for internal and external intelligence, it, along with other institutions responsible for counter-espionage, faced criticism and pressure due to its sluggishness and inaction in the Qingyuan Army mutiny outside Guangfu.

Of course, if it could not take action or make a significant improvement, the verbal and written reprimands might turn into actual punishment and large-scale personnel changes.

Therefore, since returning to the office, the chief inspector and the various directors had not had a good expression. Several officials had suffered greatly due to minor mistakes or being caught in long-standing errors.

As several division heads warned their subordinates, even if their positions were not long-lasting, they would take down a large number of people with them before leaving, so no one should have any侥幸 (侥幸 means侥幸, but in this context, it means 'lucky or careless attitude').

With the arrival of a fast horse, a sudden message added an unusual flavor to the tense atmosphere.

The messenger, holding a new document, passed through several layers of security and was received by a military official, who recorded it and personally delivered it to the upper floor.

Compared to the bustling lower floors, the large main hall was quiet, with only the sound of footsteps on the carpet. The bare walls, except for the lighting fixtures, had only the four large characters "Qingfeng Mingyue" (Clear Wind and Bright Moon) in the center, which were said to be the predecessor of the department.

Its history was even older than the eleven generations of the Southern Dynasty and the entire South Sea Governorate. These four characters were written by Liang Gong, derived from "sneaking in with the wind" and "no hiding in the moonlight," serving as an encouragement and requirement for the intelligence department.

"Qingfeng Mingyue" was initially created during Liang Gong's journey west with Emperor Xuanzong to deal with the Anshi rebels, who sent assassins and spies to pursue and disrupt them. Under the legal department of the Longwu Army, a small group of street ruffians, knights, and officials formed a secret team.

Later, it split into "Qingfeng" (Clear Wind), responsible for intelligence and infiltration, and "Mingyue" (Bright Moon), responsible for counter-espionage. They led countless brave and loyal men in the suppression of the Anshi Rebellion and the expansion of the empire, making significant contributions.

Therefore, compared to most of the intelligence and surveillance institutions derived from the Longwu system, it was a special and senior existence. This was the important basis and honor for the department to lead other institutions and be the first in the imperial court meetings.

To this day, the top floor of the Weiling Hall still houses the memorial tablets and relics of the first chief, Cui Xiyi, and his subordinates.

The current chief inspector, after lighting incense, turned from the row of memorial tablets and said to the slowly entering subordinate, somewhat tired:

"I hope you can bring me some good news..."

"As you wish..."

"Kodansha? Are you joking?"

...

In the towns and villages, a sense of impending disaster and confusion had already spread. After all, there had been no military conflict in the region for many years, and the local officials and residents, accustomed to peace and comfort, were at a loss.

The city walls and military equipment were long neglected, or even occupied by civilian buildings, leaving no defensive function. The plains and hills near Guangnan were relatively prosperous, but the people were relatively weak.

Although the distance was still considerable, many private messages were circulating, with no consensus.

Some said all four towns of Qingyuan had rebelled, some said it was just a routine pay dispute in one town; others said the rebel Qingyuan Army had cut off river transport, gathered ships, and started attacking Guangfu; some said they were moving upriver to escape to the north; and some said they had raised banners to overthrow the emperor.

All kinds of unreliable news were circulating.

Although the mounted guards did not seem to take the rebels seriously, they were still cautious and unwilling to take risks.

"Everything must prioritize the safety of the lady..."

Ning Duwei, the leader of the mounted guards and a relative of the chief, was the only one with an opinion.

"Prioritize my sister? You're just passing the buck to me..."

I complained to myself.

But on the other hand, running away seemed to have become my specialty and instinct.

"We need detailed maps and reliable guides..."

I thought for a moment and said,

"Then we need to find the best route..."

"Prioritize cities with garrisons..."

I looked at the guards not on alert and lowered my voice,

"From this moment on, our potential threats are not limited to these rebels..."

Upon hearing this, Lady Chen's expression changed slightly, but she did not speak, clearly acknowledging my suspicion.

"What do you mean?"

Ning Duwei asked.

"Lin Sheng means, someone might use the rebels to harm us..."

Yanwen Luoluo, who had been playing the role of a mascot, suddenly interjected.

"Not just the rebels, if it were just the rebels, it would be better."

I sighed.

"I'm afraid they will use the name of the rebels to strike first."

"Or the worst case is, they will use the name of suppressing the rebellion to eliminate us and the rebels together."

"They can also use the chaos to cover up many things."

"What should we do?"

This time, Lady Chen asked.

"I don't know if the chief had any close friends or connections in Guangfu..."

I looked at her and said,

"Preferably in a large city with a garrison. The more public the place, the safer we are."

"Then, raise a banner and take the main road. There are three strategies."

"The best strategy is to find a garrison to follow."

"The middle strategy is to retreat to a safe place and wait for the rebellion to end before entering Guangfu."

"The worst strategy is to use the speed of our horses to cross the war zone and enter Guangfu directly."

"Then, I need detailed information about the Qingyuan Army, the more detailed, the better."