Dark Night at Tang Palace - Chapter 9

The winter in Chang’an was as cold as ice. While on the surface the court seemed calm, undercurrents were surging, and various forces were on the move, as if a storm was about to sweep across the entire Tang Dynasty.

That night, Song Xuance sat alone in his room, toying with the “Dark Shadow Token” in his hand, his mind filled with countless thoughts. This token had allowed him to easily gain White Feather’s trust, but it had also drawn him deeper into the mystery. Now, he had to make a decision: whose side would he stand on?

Just then, a faint sound came from outside the window, as if something had landed on the windowsill. Song Xuance stood up alertly and gently pushed open the window, only to find a small bamboo tube on the windowsill, inside which was a small piece of paper.

He unfolded the paper and saw a sentence written on it: “Tonight before midnight go to the abandoned pagoda in the western suburbs to find out the truth.” At the end, there was a drawing of a strange black lotus flower.

Song Xuance’s heart skipped a beat. The black lotus flower was a secret symbol of the high-ranking members of the “Dark Shadow Organization.” Anyone who could use this symbol must be extraordinary. After weighing his options for a moment, he decided to go and investigate.

Before midnight, Song Xuance quietly arrived at the abandoned pagoda in the western suburbs of Chang’an. The place had been abandoned for many years, overgrown with weeds, and looked particularly gloomy from afar. Under the moonlight, the crumbling pagoda seemed like a giant monster, baring its teeth and claws.

As Song Xuance approached the pagoda and was about to push open the door, he suddenly felt a cold chill. He quickly dodged, and a cold light brushed past his shoulder and was firmly nailed to the wall.

“Who are you?” Song Xuance asked coldly, his long sword already unsheathed.

“Mr. Song, it’s been a long time.” A soft female voice came from the darkness, followed by a figure slowly emerging. She was wearing a black cloak, her face mostly covered, but her eyes were as bright as stars. It was – Lu Qianyi!

“Lu Qianyi? You’re still alive!” Song Xuance was shocked, and he vaguely felt that things were not simple.

“Yes, I’m still alive, thanks to you.” Lu Qianyi laughed softly and slowly lifted her cloak, revealing her stunningly beautiful face. She smiled slightly, with a hint of mockery, “You left me in the underground palace that day, almost costing me my life. Now, you dare to come and see me?”

Song Xuance looked at her coldly, “You invited me here not for revenge, right? Tell me, what do you want?”

Lu Qianyi’s smile grew deeper. She slowly walked towards Song Xuance, her gaze fixed on him, “Mr. Song, do you want to know who is pulling the strings behind this? Who is the true mastermind behind the ‘Dark Shadow Organization’?

Song Xuance frowned, “You know about this?”

Lu Qianyi nodded, her voice low and cold, “Yes. Moreover, this secret is related to the fate of the entire Tang Dynasty.”

Her words were like thunder, exploding in Song Xuance’s ears. He knew that Lu Qianyi would not say this without reason, so he suppressed his doubts and asked in a deep voice, “What do you know? Tell me!”

Lu Qianyi smiled lightly and took a sheepskin scroll from underneath her robe and handed it to Song Xuance, “This records the names of the high-ranking members of the ‘Dark Shadow Organization’ and their activities. Several of them even hold high positions in the court. And among them, there is one person you would never expect.”

Song Xuance took the scroll and quickly flipped through it, his eyes suddenly widening, “How is that possible! Yang Xuantong is actually one of the leaders at the ‘Dark Shadow Organization’?”

Lu Qianyi said coldly, “Yang Xuantong is ostensibly a loyal minister of the emperor, but secretly he is colluding with the ‘Dark Shadow Organization’ with the intention of overthrowing the Tang Dynasty. He used you to investigate in order to eliminate his enemies and allow him to smoothly control the court.”

Song Xuance’s mind was in chaos. He recalled all of Yang Xuantong’s arrangements for him, and suddenly understood a lot. He knew that if he stayed in Chang’an, he would be throwing himself into a trap.

“Then why are you telling me this?” He looked at Lu Qianyi intently, “What is your goal?”

Lu Qianyi took a deep breath, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes, “I had a grudge against you before, but now, we have a common enemy. Only you can uncover this conspiracy and save the Tang Dynasty.”

Song Xuance looked at her, a strange feeling rising in his heart. He knew that what she said might be true, but he still couldn’t fully trust her. After a moment of silence, he put away the scroll and said coldly, “Fine, I’ll believe you once. But if you dare to deceive me, I will not be merciful.”

Lu Qianyi smiled faintly, “I won’t disappoint you. Remember, don’t tell anyone about this, or we will both die.”

With that, she turned and disappeared into the night, as if she had never been there.

Song Xuance clutched the scroll in his hand, knowing that he had no way back. He had to make a choice, otherwise, destruction awaited him.