Chapter 96: Relentless Stalemate

The Chief of the Court of the Imperial Stud is responsible for the administration of imperial stables, pastures, and carriages. To put it colloquially, he is essentially the Great Sage Equine-Keeper in charge of horses. However, the State of Chu is situated in the remote south and lacks horse-breeding regions, so little importance is attached to equine administration. Although the Chief of the Court of the Imperial Stud holds the rank of a third-grade official, he wields very little actual power. Regardless, he remains a high-ranking official of the third grade with a stipend of two thousand shi. As a subsidiary residence of a former Chief of the Court of the Imperial Stud, the furnishings here are overly crude and spartan.

This subsidiary residence consists of three relatively small courtyards arranged in the shape of the character pin, featuring green tiles and red walls that are heavily mottled and peeling. The courtyards are connected by arched doorways and covered corridors, devoid of ornamental flowers, rockeries, strolling ponds, bamboo groves, and other refined items commonly found in the estates of noble families. Instead, the surroundings are densely populated with long poles made of tung and catalpa wood, from which various styles of Daoist banners are suspended. Topped with lotuses and shaped like lotus leaves, they sway with the wind, creating a gloomy and eerie atmosphere. Right in the center sits an archaic three-legged bronze cauldron, its head formed like a beast and its tail shaped like bird wings, carved with coiled-dragon patterns across its entire body. With a layer of incense ash over ten inches thick, it appears that someone still burns incense here to pray to the deities from time to time.

"They always say Duke Wei was as pure as water, unmatched by anyone in the court or the wilds. This subsidiary residence proves it beyond a doubt..."

Li Dingzhi swayed his head as he looked around, clicking his tongue in endless admiration. Du Sansheng found this demeanor of his utterly distasteful and remarked, "This estate has been abandoned for a long time, so it is only natural that it is somewhat dilapidated and ruined. Our priority is to go inside and find the white snake; stop beating around the bush and wasting everyone's time."

"You—"

"Enough, do not argue!" Bao Xi's expression darkened as he said, "County Inspector Du, take your men to search the left courtyard, paying close attention to caves and corners. Madam Guo, I must trouble your estate's retainers to search the right courtyard. If there are any traces, send someone to report immediately. County Vice-Administrator Li, come with me into the main building to take a look; we might just find something."

"Understood!"

Just as everyone was preparing to disperse for the search, eight young pageboys dressed in purple robes emerged from a side archway. Slender and delicate, around thirteen years of age, their faces were heavily caked with fragrant powder, so starkly white they lacked a trace of blood, giving off an eerie and chilling vibe in the sunlight. Their eyes were dull and lifeless, and upon closer inspection, even their pupils were noticeably larger than those of ordinary people. They simultaneously raised their hands to block the path of Zhan Wenjun and the others.

Dou Xi frowned and asked, "County Vice-Administrator Li, didn't you say this estate had been abandoned for a long time?"

Li Dingzhi gave a trembling, dry cough and said, "The Wei family is far away in Kuaiji, and after Duke Wei passed away, no one else came to live here. It is indeed true that this estate has been abandoned. It is possible that Duke Wei's descendants, wishing to view the objects and remember their ancestor, sent servants to occasionally look after and clean the place."

As the veteran vice-administrator of Qiantang, he possessed extensive connections and numerous informants, knowing the deepest details of all developments within the county. Yet judging by his tone, he did not seem entirely clear about the situation of this residence either. Du Sansheng was about to make another sarcastic remark when Bao Xi stepped forward and said, "Which of you is in charge? I am the Registrar of Qiantang County, ordered to enter your noble estate to search for the white snake. I trust you will accommodate us!"

Unexpectedly, none of the eight pageboys responded, and the situation fell into a stalemate. Out of the corner of her eye, Zhan Wenjun noticed that Xi Yuanda had also followed them in. Unwilling to miss the tactical opportunity and fearing that delays might bring changes, she decisively said, "The movements of the white snake are fleeting; we cannot linger too long, lest complications arise. Wanqi, take your people and search immediately. I shall offer my apologies to the master of this place myself."

Knowing the urgency of the situation, Wanqi remained silent, turned around, and walked away with her subordinates. Suddenly, one of the pageboys drifted forward like a ghost, seemingly weightless, and blocked Wanqi's path. From nowhere, a cold-moon blade shimmering with a blue light appeared in his hand, thrusting toward her chest from a tricky angle beneath his armpit.

Wanqi's gaze narrowed. Without dodging or evading, she flicked her finger, moving many times faster than before, striking the pageboy's wrist pulse-gate dead-on. The pageboy trembled violently, dropping the short dagger from his hand. Before he could react, Wanqi closed the distance, curling her slender hand into a hook and clamping it around his throat.

The sensation of instant asphyxiation is unpleasant. Even though these pageboys had undergone special training and their tolerance for pain was far lower than that of ordinary people, he still could not help opening his mouth to emit sounds of straining gasps.

It was only at this moment that everyone realized this person was a mute, and not due to a congenital disability, but because his tongue had been severed with a sharp instrument. The cut was neat and smooth, tinged a dark purple, clearly indicating an injury of long standing.

Bao Xi's expression shifted slightly, and he looked at Du Sansheng. Understanding the cue, Du Sansheng shouted sternly, "Vicious scoundrels! Men, take them into custody! Furthermore, seal off this residence and search it thoroughly. Not a single place must be missed!"

Xi Yuanda had initially hesitated outside. By the time he finally managed to push through the densely packed crowd of onlookers and enter the courtyard, a standoff had already formed. Seeing the purple-robed pageboys step forward, his anxious heart settled somewhat, and he decided to wait and see a little longer. If they could successfully stop Bao Xi and Zhan Wenjun and drive them out of the estate, then he wouldn't need to stick his neck out. After all, that apocryphal text of unknown authorship, Biography of the Yuanyang Jinglu, had mentioned the existence of a Celestial Master Dao headquarters by West Lake. When he first read it, he had laughed it off as the ramblings of some madman, never associating it with this place. Yet now, with the white snake abruptly manifesting, Qiantang Lake being renamed West Lake, and combining it with Zhan Wenjun's actions, he acutely realized the vicious and sinister nature of that piece of writing.

However, it was already too late!

Xi Yuanda understood that he had completely lost the initiative today. To expose this subsidiary residence as belonging to the Celestial Master Dao now would inevitably lead people to wild speculations, linking this place directly to the Yuanyang Jinglu. Should that happen, it would deal a devastating blow to Du Jingzhi's reputation.

This was precisely the brilliance of Xu You's scheme. Even though Xi Yuanda understood everything, caught between conflicting desires, he still could not make the wisest and most decisive choice at the very beginning. Every step drove him into a dead end, leaving him just a sliver of hope, only for that hope to be cruelly shattered to the utmost degree afterward.

No matter how much Xi Yuanda tried to consider the bigger picture, given his temperament, he could not endure such mockery. A mental collapse and outburst were only a matter of time!

He had calculated well, but who could have expected Zhan Wenjun to be so resolute as to ignore the obstruction and order her subordinates to forcefully enter the courtyard to search for the white snake? Xi Yuanda's illusions were shattered, and he was about to speak up to declare that this residence had already been gifted by Wei Du to the Celestial Master Dao and was no longer unowned property—meaning Bao Xi, even representing the government, had no right to trespass without a warrant. But before the words reached his lips and he had time to speak, the purple-robed pageboy actually drew a knife on Wanqi, aiming straight for her vital chest with the intent to take her life.

The State of Chu had established its capital in Jiangdong for a century, and its laws were gradually becoming comprehensive. It was not unheard of for people to brandish weapons and kill, but most such acts occurred in secluded, uninhabited places, and the perpetrators would carefully clean up the evidence afterward to ensure foolproof safety. This was especially true with over a thousand people gathered at Qiantang Lake today, alongside government officials draped in green robes like Bao Xi, Li Dingzhi, and Du Sansheng, with bailiffs stationed everywhere in plain view of the masses. For the purple-robed pageboys to act in this manner was undoubtedly courting death; they had only themselves to blame.

Having reached this juncture, Xi Yuanda could no longer hesitate. With a fierce roar, he shouted, "Stop!" He leaped forward, blocking the space between the purple-robed pageboys and Bao Xi's group.

Clang! Clang!

The bailiffs reacted with swift agility, all drawing their gleaming sabers. The cold light flashed like ten thousand arrows being released, pointing directly at Xi Yuanda. Bao Xi stepped forward, his expression solemn and majestic, and rebuked, "Libationer Xi, what are you trying to do?"

Knowing that retreat was impossible now, Xi Yuanda shouted loudly, "This subsidiary residence was gifted by the late Grand Master of the Imperial Stud's direct grandson, Wei Du, to Libationer Du. At present, it is one of the Jinglu of the Yangzi Commandery under our sect. Outsiders are strictly forbidden to trespass!"

His voice carried outward, instantly causing a stir among the crowd at the entrance. Someone exclaimed, "Oh my, the Celestial Master Dao really does have a Jinglu by West Lake?"

"Strange, how come we've never heard of it before?"

"Indeed, when we Daoist adherents perform rites to deities, reflect on our faults, and cultivate goodness, we always have to go specifically to that Qingxu Jinglu in the West City. We've never heard of this place."

"Do you suppose this could be the Yuanyang..."

"You're quick-witted; that's entirely possible... Didn't the Biography of the Yuanyang Jinglu say that Hundun pointed to the side of West Lake to build the Yuanyang Lodge, which was later usurped by rebellious elements within the sect... Ah?"

"This... Just now, Libationer Xi admitted with his own mouth that this place is a Jinglu of the Yangzi Commandery... Then, then, Libationer Du, isn't he..."

"Shut your mouth! Libationer Du is definitely not that kind of person! I refuse to believe this place is the Yuanyang Lodge!"

"Stop arguing, everyone! Let's wait and see! Whether it's the Yuanyang Lodge or not, with the gentlemen from the county yamen here, the truth will surely come to light."

The discussion outside drifted into Xi Yuanda's ears, throwing him into a state of anxious rage. But the situation was critical—between two evils he had to choose the lesser, and he could no longer care about such details. The only course of action left to him was to invoke the Celestial Master Dao and Du Jingzhi in order to have any chance of stopping Bao Xi!

"Oh?" Bao Xi frowned and said, "Why didn't I hear you mention this when we were outside just now?"

Xi Yuanda's breathing hitched. Could he possibly admit that he had hesitated for a moment because he feared it would negatively impact Du Jingzhi? Resorting to a brazen, rogue-like attitude, he snapped, "I just said it; it's only because the Registrar was too hasty and didn't hear me." Pointing at the purple-robed pageboys, he continued, "These are all young attendants serving by the Libationer's side. They were born with physical defects, unable to speak, and their minds are somewhat duller than ordinary people. Seeing you all break through the doors armed with weapons and wearing menacing expressions, they thought you were villains and bandits, which is why they hastily resorted to force in self-defense. They had no intention of committing a crime."

When it came to eloquence, ten Xi Yuandas couldn't match a single finger of Bao Xi's. Bao Xi said coldly, "When we entered earlier, I stated my identity face-to-face. Moreover, there are still over a thousand commoners outside; anyone would know we are not bandits. Yet this pageboy brandished a weapon and acted with violence—what was his true intention?"

Knowing he could no longer outargue Bao Xi, Xi Yuanda hardened his heart and declared, "Bao Xi, what qualifications do you, a mere Registrar of Qiantang, have to arbitrarily search the Jinglu of the Celestial Master Dao? If you truly wish to search, go have Gu Yun write an edict and personally petition the Libationer. Only if permission is granted will it not be too late for you to act arrogantly here!"

"The manifestation of the white snake is a matter of utmost gravity. Magistrate Gu previously authorized me to act according to circumstances, so this cannot be considered trespassing. You, a minor disaster-relief libationer without any rank or official grade, are no different from an ordinary commoner, yet you dare to directly address the Magistrate by his personal name. Such disrespect is truly audacious—are you not afraid of bringing disaster upon Libationer Du?"

"Disaster?" Xi Yuanda's vicious nature was fully exposed as he smiled grimly. "My Celestial Master Dao has been propagating its teachings for a century. Above, we can summon spirits through divination; below, we can ward off disasters with talismans. We are valued by our superiors and revered by the masses—what disaster is there to fear? As for you, showing no respect for the deities and trespassing into a Jinglu, are you not afraid of bringing trouble upon the Gu family?"

Li Dingzhi and Du Sansheng looked at each other, their hearts filled with trepidation. After all, Du Jingzhi's formidable reputation was not to be trifled with lightly, and both men began to develop thoughts of retreat. Knowing that they were now riding a tiger and difficult to dismount, Bao Xi straightened his expression, cupped his hands in a salute toward the upper left, and declared, "My Magistrate holds a clear conscience toward heaven above and earth below; his conduct is upright and he handles matters impartially—why would he fear trouble? Men, take these pageboys into custody! Whoever dares to obstruct, arrest them as well!"

Disaster in an army stems from hesitation and doubt. Du Sansheng hesitated for a moment, and the bailiffs looked at each other, likewise freezing in place. At this critical juncture, fortunately, Zhan Wenjun shouted in a timely manner, "Wanqi, did you not hear the Registrar's order? Why haven't you moved to make the arrests yet?"