Chapter 165: Unconscious |
Lotus ponds and arched bridges, pavilions and towers, young noblemen fanning themselves and reciting verses, young ladies moving with graceful, swaying steps. Beneath the night sky, a hundred ornate lanterns blazed, and through the garden, the sounds of strings and flutes mingled with the chiming of silver cups.
Hu Rui'an and his two companions stopped outside the covered walkway, while the gatekeeper who had brought them hurried toward the crowd of merry guests.
Very shortly, the gatekeeper came to a stop beside a young nobleman in a purple brocade robe, and bending respectfully, leaned in to murmur a few words at his ear.
The purple-robed young man turned his head and looked in the direction of Hu Rui'an and the others, narrowing his eyes slightly, then gave a gentle nod and said something.
Hearing this, the gatekeeper immediately bowed and withdrew, then stepped quickly back to Hu Rui'an, lowering his head respectfully and saying, "My Young Master invites Commissioner Hu to join him for a word."
Hu Rui'an furrowed his brow, his expression turning somewhat unpleasant, and said coldly, "I came here to see Deputy Commander Mei. If he is not available, I have no need to meet with anyone else."
With that, he turned to leave, but the gatekeeper quickly said, "My Master is currently unwell. For the past several days, all affairs of the estate have been handled by the Young Master on his behalf. The Young Master has extended an invitation and said that Commissioner Hu may discuss any matter with him."
Hearing this, Hu Rui'an's expression shifted. He stopped walking, turned his head toward the gatekeeper, and asked, "Deputy Commander Mei is ill? Since when?"
"Approximately a month or so ago. The Master overexerted himself with Tianjin Guards affairs and unfortunately fell ill with a cold."
The man was a Heaven-Human expert of considerable standing. How could a common cold lay him low and leave him unable to manage his affairs?
This was either a deliberate excuse to brush him off, or the man genuinely could not function, though the reason was certainly not a cold.
With that thought, something suddenly stirred in Hu Rui'an's mind.
A month ago was precisely when the haunting incidents at the Tianjin Guards office had begun. Could it be that Mei Yan himself had been caught up in that affair?
Hu Rui'an stood in quiet contemplation for a moment, and in the end decided to stay and meet with the Mei family's young master.
Even so, what Hu Rui'an had not anticipated was that when the young master Mei Yanyu met with him, he actually brought up the matter of the Sheng Province Tianjin Guards failing to advance toward Lan Province on his own initiative.
"Commissioner Hu, this was truly not a case of my father defying orders. It was just over a month ago that a haunting incident occurred at the provincial Tianjin Guards office, and the office lost a number of people. Even my father was severely injured."
Mei Yanyu in his purple brocade robe poured wine for Hu Rui'an, his expression deeply helpless, saying, "After receiving Commander Fu's orders, my father did intend to make preparations, but because of his injuries he simply had no capacity to lead and command the Sheng Province Tianjin Guards."
"So the weight of the matter fell on my shoulders, and since my abilities are limited and the various Suppression Commissioners of the Sheng Province Tianjin Guards do not recognize my authority, the whole affair has been extremely difficult to set in motion, and matters have been left in this state until now."
After hearing the Mei family young master's explanation, Hu Rui'an kept his expression steady, though internally he did not believe a word of it.
He glanced at the wine on the table before them without any inclination to drink, and simply said, "I am aware of the haunting affair at the Tianjin Guards office. I wonder how Deputy Commander Mei's current injuries stand?"
"If it would be convenient, I could go and pay Deputy Commander Mei a visit, and perhaps I might be of some help."
Hearing this, Mei Yanyu poured himself a cup and drank it, then shook his head, saying, "I thank Commissioner Hu for the kind thought, but the external injuries my father sustained have largely healed. The difficulty is that his spirit and mind have been further damaged, and he has been unconscious for several days now, truly unable to receive guests."
As he spoke, Mei Yanyu clasped his hands toward Hu Rui'an in a gesture of apology, and Hu Rui'an waved a hand in dismissal, though a flash of keenness passed through his eyes.
The other man had conveniently gone for the ploy of being unconscious, which was quite a convenient excuse. That way, even if he tried to force a meeting with Mei Yan it would be nearly impossible to arrange, and even if he somehow managed it, there was nothing he could do with an "unconscious" man.
At this point, Hu Rui'an gave Mei Yanyu a look, thought for a moment, and said, "Since you ask, I will not conceal it from you. We came directly from the Tianjin Guards office just now, and we personally encountered the haunting as well. Could Young Master Mei perhaps shed some light on what is behind it?"
The moment those words fell, Mei Yanyu's expression visibly shifted. He looked Hu Rui'an over and then glanced at Wu Shang and Cheng Zhong behind him, and asked with a peculiar expression, "Surely Commissioner Hu is not pulling my leg? You and your men actually encountered the thing at the Tianjin Guards office?"
Hu Rui'an gave only a quiet nod, offering no further elaboration.
Seeing this, Mei Yanyu said nothing, but stared at Hu Rui'an as if trying to read whether the man was telling the truth.
After a while, he shifted his gaze toward the assembled noblemen and ladies still making merry in the garden around them, and said in a low, measured voice, "Honestly, I was rather hoping you were trying to deceive me..."
As he spoke, he paused, then suddenly turned his head with narrowed eyes, saying, "Otherwise, Commissioner Hu, I am afraid you and your people may not survive until tomorrow."
The moment those words landed, Wu Shang and Cheng Zhong standing behind Hu Rui'an had their expressions turn rather unpleasant at once.
Hu Rui'an, however, kept his composure, and said coolly, "I would not say that for certain. Deputy Commander Mei managed to survive the haunting incidents. There is no reason to say we cannot do the same."
Hearing this, Mei Yanyu gave a gentle shake of his head, poured himself another cup, and glanced at Hu Rui'an, saying, "Commissioner Hu may not know the full story. The reason my father managed to walk away from those ghosts alive is owed almost entirely to my mother. If it had not been for her..."
Mei Yanyu left the rest unsaid.
Hearing this, Hu Rui'an's expression changed slightly.
The reason Mei Yan's standing and position was so far beyond anything Hu Rui'an could match came down to two things, when it came to it.
One was that the man's elder sister was the Queen Consort herself. As the undisputed brother of the Queen Consort, even Commander Fu in person would have to offer him a degree of deference.
The other was the man's wife.
Mei Yan's wife, Mu Qingxia, known throughout the martial world as "Lady Cainong," cultivated the Rainbow Divine Technique, a shifting and spectacular art that had allowed her to move freely and without opposition throughout the martial world.
And of even greater significance, she was the beloved daughter of Mu Tianxing, the Martial Saint of Yuming Mountain.
The standing of the Martial Saint Mu Tianxing in the martial world needed no elaboration, and as his son-in-law, Mei Yan commanded considerable prestige throughout the martial world in his own right, with factions large and small all giving him a degree of respect.
The mother Mei Yanyu spoke of was naturally Lady Cainong.
If she had acted to help, then there was truly no way Hu Rui'an could compare with Mei Yan in that regard.
At this point, Mei Yanyu caught Hu Rui'an's reaction from the corner of his eye, and a flicker of amusement passed through his gaze, though he controlled himself well enough not to show it, saying, "In any case, I have said all there is to say. Whether you believe me or not is up to Commissioner Hu."
Then he paused again, saying, "Of course, if Commissioner Hu is already frightened, you are welcome to stay at the Mei Residence for the time being. I cannot help you deal with those ghosts, but staying at the Mei Residence is at least safer than anywhere else in the provincial city."
Hearing this, Hu Rui'an reined in his inner feelings and gave Mei Yanyu a look.
In that moment, the image of a certain person floated up in his mind, and his entire bearing became calm once more. He said in a steady voice, "I thank Young Master Mei for the offer, but it will not be necessary."
Mei Yanyu studied Hu Rui'an for a moment, and a trace of surprise passed through his eyes, as though he could not quite understand where the man's confidence was coming from.
Even so, Hu Rui'an had no intention of explaining, and simply changed the subject, saying, "Back to the matter at hand. Even with Deputy Commander Mei seriously injured and unconscious, I find the situation deeply regrettable, but the Commander's orders cannot go unheeded."
"Sheng Province borders Lan Province, and there is still time. I have one and only one purpose in coming here, and I carry an express commission from His Highness the Eighth Prince. I must see the Sheng Province Tianjin Guards mobilized toward Lan Province."
As he spoke, Hu Rui'an looked toward Mei Yanyu and said, "If Deputy Commander Mei is unable to accomplish this, then I will assume command of the Sheng Province Tianjin Guards myself. When I came, Commander Fu had already issued his personal written order: anyone who defies the mobilization is to be executed without exception."
"So I ask that Young Master Mei give me a firm answer tonight. Can the Sheng Province Tianjin Guards be mobilized to advance toward Lan Province within two days?"
Hearing this, Mei Yanyu was briefly taken aback, then his eyes narrowed.
Even so, he did not answer Hu Rui'an's question directly, but instead said with a look of genuine surprise, "Commissioner Hu is actually traveling together with the Eighth Prince whom His Majesty has just acknowledged. I did not anticipate this."
Since Li Musheng's identity had been officially recognized, news that Great Li had gained an Eighth Prince had already been sent by fast message to every part of the empire.
It had even spread through neighboring countries' intelligence channels, and all four surrounding kingdoms were by now beginning to circulate the news.
Mei Yanyu had naturally known about this for some time. What he had not expected was that this Eighth Prince who had grown up among the common people, whose identity had only been acknowledged a handful of days ago and who had not yet even established himself in the capital, would already be involved in Tianjin Guards business so quickly.
"Commissioner Hu, I wonder where the Eighth Prince is currently staying?"
Mei Yanyu looked toward Hu Rui'an and asked, but Hu Rui'an gave him a glance and said, "Young Master Mei, please do not change the subject. With the Mei family's power and reach in the provincial city, finding out where we are staying would be child's play. I ask that you first answer this official's question."
Hearing this, Mei Yanyu's expression remained even. He thought in silence for a moment, then clasped his hands and said, "This is not something I can decide on my own. I will need to consult with my mother and the various Tianjin Guards commissioners. In that case, why not allow me to give Commissioner Hu a formal answer tomorrow in person?"
Hu Rui'an's gaze shifted slightly, but rather unexpectedly, he did not refuse. Instead, he gave a nod and said in a steady voice, "Very well."
With that, he had no desire to linger further, and rose to his feet, taking Wu Shang and Cheng Zhong with him as he bid farewell and left.
But at the very moment he turned to go, he suddenly looked back, fixed his gaze on Mei Yanyu, and said, "A word of caution for Young Master Mei. The affair in Lan Province is of the gravest importance. I trust you will all know what is best for you."
Then he said nothing more, led Wu Shang and Cheng Zhong back the way they had come, and disappeared from Mei Yanyu's sight.
The young master of the Mei family watched the three of them go, drinking his wine in silence without a word.
Before long, Mei Yanyu seemed to sense something and suddenly turned his head, looking toward an old man who had appeared at some point beside the table.
Had Hu Rui'an been present to see this man, he would have recognized him at once. It was none other than the old man who had been pushing the cart of tea sacks earlier.
"Master Mu is back?"
Mei Yanyu picked up the wine jar beside him with a perfectly natural air, stood to pour the man a cup, and asked, "How did things look at the Tianjin Guards office?"
The old man shook his head, took the cup, and sipped at it, saying, "I happened to run into three unfortunate ones."
The moment those words fell, Mei Yanyu's gaze shifted slightly, but he said nothing further.
As though those who were already as good as dead had no further discussion value in his eyes.
...
Coming out of the Mei Residence, Hu Rui'an, who had originally planned to go to the Zhu family next to see Governor Zhu Ziming, suddenly found himself without the heart for it.
"Never mind. Let's go back to the Murong estate."
Hu Rui'an called out to Wu Shang and Cheng Zhong and urged his horse forward.
Hearing this, the two of them quickly spurred their horses to follow.
"Commissioner, we only have two days. Why did you agree to that young master of the Mei family's request?"
Wu Shang had watched the entire exchange between Hu Rui'an and Mei Yanyu, and now gave voice to the question that had been on his mind.
But before Hu Rui'an could answer, Cheng Zhong riding alongside him suddenly furrowed his brow and said, "From what I observed, that Mei young master seemed quite confident that the three of us would not survive until tomorrow."
Hearing this, Hu Rui'an looked back at him, then said, "Precisely. And whether we can survive will be the key to how things proceed from here."
The moment those words fell, Wu Shang and Cheng Zhong exchanged a look, both clearly not entirely following Hu Rui'an's meaning.
Seeing this, Hu Rui'an noticed the puzzlement in their expressions and explained, saying, "From my observations, the claim that Mei Yan was seriously injured by the haunting affair is almost certainly true. Otherwise that young master would not be so confident we would not survive until tomorrow."
"As for the reason they have not mobilized the Tianjin Guards toward Lan Province, I do not believe a single word of the excuse given. With the authority of Commander Fu and the Great Li imperial court behind those orders, once they were properly transmitted to each location, would any Suppression Commissioner below dare defy them?"
"So I believe there is more to this than meets the eye, and all of it seems to be connected to the haunting affair at the Tianjin Guards office..."
At this point, Hu Rui'an stopped without finishing.
It was plain that he was staking everything on uncovering the truth behind the haunting at the Tianjin Guards office.
And if he wanted to find that truth, he had to live through tomorrow first.
Before tonight's experience, he might still have had some confidence in himself. But after having been driven out of the Tianjin Guards building by the ghost shadow and the laughter, and after learning of Mei Yan's condition from Mei Yanyu, he genuinely had no confidence in his ability to deal with those ghostly entities.
Even so, the fact that he himself was not up to it did not mean no one was.
He did not have a wife who was the daughter of a Martial Saint like Mei Yan did. But behind him he had Li Musheng, that Eighth Prince who had sent Shen Juesheng flying with a single punch.
Though the Eighth Prince was not particularly fond of getting involved in things, what if the trouble came looking for him directly?
"Hmm... I imagine His Highness would not actually stand by and watch a ghost strangle me to death?"
When push came to shove, Hu Rui'an found himself not entirely certain of even that.
After returning with Wu Shang and Cheng Zhong by horse to the Murong estate, they went without a moment's pause back to the courtyard where they were staying.