Dark Night at Tang Palace - Chapter 4
“Where is Lu Qianyi? Where did she go?” Song Xuance suddenly recalled the scene in the underground palace and asked urgently.
The constable shook his head, “When we found you, there was no one else around, just you.”
Song Xuance’s heart sank. He carefully recalled the events of the previous night: the black-clothed men, the altar, Lu Qianyi… everything seemed like a nightmare. Could it be that he had fallen into a trap?
“Lord Song, the county office has been quite uneasy recently. Last night, several officers were attacked and someone even tried to burn the case files,” the constable said in a low voice.
Song Xuance frowned upon hearing this. It seemed someone didn’t want him to continue his investigation. At that moment, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind: the case files! He quickly got up and rushed to the document room at the back of the county office.
In the document room, case files were scattered all over the floor, many torn or charred. Song Xuance searched among the pile of waste paper, and suddenly, he found a volume that had not been burned. The cover clearly written three words: “Yin Talisman Case.”
He opened the volume, and it detailed a bloody case from several years ago: a high-ranking official had been executed for plotting a rebellion, and his relatives had been exiled. The name of this official was none other than—Xu Yuanwai’s father, Xu Yangzhong!
“Xu Yuanwai is a descendant of Xu Yangzhong, and the <<Yin Talisman Sutra>>he possesses is related to a bl00d curse. It seems things are more complicated than I thought,” Song Xuance muttered to himself, quickly sorting out these clues.
Suddenly, he heard a burst of hurried hoofbeats outside the window. He looked up and saw several knights in official robes galloping towards him. The leader was none other than the Imperial Secretary, Yang Xuantong!
Yang Xuantong arrived at the county office and went straight to Song Xuance. His expression was grave as he went straight to the point, “Song Xuance, I’m here on imperial orders to investigate. Do you know what’s been happening here recently?”
Song Xuance well aware of the imperial secretary’s true nature, benevolent on the surface but ruthless underneath. He paid his respects and gave a detailed report of recent events.
Yang Xuantong listened, his gaze hardened, “Bl00d curses, the Yin Talisman Sutra… it seems this case is deeply entangled. I have been ordered by the emperor to put you in full charge of this case. But if you encounter any traitors, they are to be executed without mercy!”
Song Xuance was startled. The imperial secretary seemed to be delegating authority, but in reality, he was pushing him into the limelight. If there were any mistakes in this case, he would become the scapegoat.
However, he had no choice. Song Xuance took a deep breath and looked determined, “Your subordinate accepts the order. I will do my utmost to uncover the truth!”
Yang Xuantong nodded and then turned to leave. Watching him go, Song Xuance secretly vowed: no matter who was behind this, he would uncover the truth.
With Yang Xuantong’s arrival, Song Xuance knew that Chengping County would no longer be peaceful. He, too, was about to face unprecedented challenges and dangers.
Although the series of bloody cases in Chengping County had temporarily subsided, the shadows behind them continued to spread. The Imperial Secretary, Yang Xuantong, summoned Song Xuance back to Chang’an and granted him the position of “Imperial Inspector,” ostensibly to reward him for solving the strange case, but in reality, to push him into a more dangerous whirlpool of power struggles.
In the early winter, a chilling atmosphere enveloped the city of Chang’an. Song Xuance slowly rode his horse through the bustling streets, watching the crowds, and thinking to himself: this world-famous imperial capital, while seemingly prosperous, was actually full of undercurrents. Behind every towering mansion, there could be hidden secrets.