12dz Chapter 111 ANBU
Chapter 111 ANBU
"You should know that Ning Wanxiao was born in Yuanxing Temple. It's said that his eyes were born afraid of light, so he often covered them with brocade. However, there's another theory that his eyes weren't diseased but rather had supernatural powers, allowing him to see ghosts and gods, and observe life and death. Before he was born, Taoist Tianwei saw Tian Zhao while observing the stars. He made a special trip down Feifeng Mountain to Ning Wanxiao's home, waited for him to be born, and brought him directly back to Yuanxing Temple. Later, the theory that Ning Wanxiao was the reincarnation of the Ziwei Tianxing came into being."
Qi Xiao never believed such mysterious statements, even if it was said by Tang Ling. However, the rumor was not the point now. Qi Xiao listened without interrupting.
"Ning Wanxiao was ordered to serve at the court at the age of twenty... Although the entire nation of Chen believed in the Celestial Lord, and the Director of the Imperial Astronomical Observatory all came from Yuanxing Temple, the Yuanxing Temple had the final say on who would receive the imperial edict from His Majesty. There were precedents of people refusing to accept the summons, but Ning Wanxiao accepted the edict himself, shocking the Taoist priest Tianwei to the point that even the temple's headmaster tried his best to stop him."
"Stop it?" Was it true that Ning Wanxiao would be taking over Yuanxing Temple at the age of twenty? He was merely entering the imperial court. With the entire Chen court's devotion to Yuanxing Temple, Ning Wanxiao was revered above all others. Even if entering the secular world might affect his cultivation, there was no need to forcefully stop him, right? Why did it sound like Ning Wanxiao was being asked to die for the sake of justice?
"Because Ning Wanxiao left Yuanxing Temple and entered the imperial court to serve as the Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, he returned to secular life and even stopped using his Taoist name."
"For hundreds of years, Yuanxingguan has been a place of retreat from the world, not seclusion. There's always been a belief that retreating from the world is for self-cultivation, while entering the world is for cultivation. Even when summoned to Yuanjing to serve as the Sitianjian, no one has ever returned to secular life. What do you think, Ning Wanxiao?"
"Ning Wanxiao said that their earthly relationship is not over yet."
"He said it himself?"
"You do not believe?"
Qi Xiao was silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head: "I don't know."
"what happened?"
"Ning Wanxiao... I don't understand. What he said seems believable, but I don't dare to believe it."
"Are you referring to the astrological signs of Taibai and Tianlang, or the divination made by Ning Wanxiao?"
Qi Xiao still shook his head: "I can't think of any reason why he would lie to me, nor can I think of any reason why he would say those things to me. Is he trying to get involved in the government?"
Tang Ling ruffled Qi Xiao's hair and whispered, "He has no reason to harm you, nor to help you. Could it be that he wants you to confirm last night's astrological signs and the divination he made?"
This seems to be the only explanation.
Qi Xiao sighed and scratched his forehead in annoyance. He really knew nothing about what was happening in Yuanjing City. His situation was more difficult than he had expected, even more difficult than Tang Ling's.
Let's not talk about the mess in the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue; there are still factions in the Five Capitals; although Luo Yu's case seems to be closed, the real culprit has not yet been caught; Bai Liu's unsolved case from that year, Lu Xiulin's "disappearance" in the Dali Temple for a year; the Ministry of Rites and the Empress's subtle warnings to Qi Xiao; His Majesty gave him the Tiance Camp in front of Pei Hao, his heart is truly unpredictable...
No wonder Lu Fang wanted to leave day and night, and he felt restless even if he stayed for one more hour. Qi Xiao finally understood.
Tang Ling took Qi Xiao's hand, kissed the forehead he was scratching, and said, "You have people from the Tiance Camp with you, so His Majesty can't hide our affairs. It doesn't matter whether you believe Ning Wanxiao's astrological explanation or not, right?"
Qi Xiao was stunned for a moment, then slowly let out a breath and couldn't help laughing at himself. The person next to him was Tang Ling, whose heart was as clear as a mirror. He was asking Ning Wanxiao, but what he was really worried about was His Majesty and the Tiance Camp. Tang Ling must have seen it at a glance.
But in the past two days, Qi Xiao and Tang Ling avoided mentioning the three words "Tian Ce Camp", which was like covering one's ears and stealing the bell. It was quite ridiculous when thinking back.
"His name is Chi Yue. I heard about what happened back then."
Tang Ling sighed softly, "It wasn't until I saw him again that I finally understood what kind of existence the Tian Ce Camp was. The Xing Luo Guards couldn't even come close to it. The Protectorate during Ni Jue's time might have been comparable."
Qi Xiao gave a bitter laugh. "I've only heard a little about the secret departments of Xuanji, Tiance Battalion, Xingluo Guard, Protectorate, Zhanshichu, and the Three Kingdoms. Even today, I still know very little about them. The fact that you can make such an assessment of them probably gives me an idea of how terrifying they are."
Xun Anhou was in charge of the Zhou army, and the Xingluo Guards all obeyed his orders. Naturally, Tang Ling knew more about these secret services than anyone else. Qi Xiao only had Chi Yue by his side, giving him a sense of security. He'd only heard a story from ten years ago, a glimpse of the whole situation, and still knew nothing more. Just thinking about it gave him a headache.
"What do you want to know?" Tang Ling stroked Qi Xiao's cheek. "What happened to Ni Jue back then?"
"To be honest, I'm not curious about Ni Jue's affairs. What I care about is the Tiance Camp and the people who want to kill you in Lanquan."
At the Linxiantai of the Imperial Astronomical Observatory, Ning Wanxiao's words stirred up many of Qi Xiao's hidden anxieties. He couldn't hide the fact that he and Tang Ling were together. If His Majesty flew into a rage and reprimanded him, even beat him, or simply sent him back to Fuzhou, Qi Xiao would feel at ease. At least he would know His Majesty's attitude and be able to respond accordingly.
Qi Xiao felt uneasy now. Tang Ling was clearly by his side, yet he was afraid he couldn't protect her. He couldn't go back to the time in Lanquan, when he'd been ruthless to Tang Ling and left her to fate. It didn't matter if he was injured or died.
Qi Xiao hugged Tang Ling tighter. Thinking back to Lan Quan's assassination attempt, he couldn't help but feel a lingering fear. Back then, he truly didn't care about Tang Ling's life or death. As he bathed Tang Ling, he still felt the horrifying scar on his arm, where it had been ripped open during the hunt. It pierced Qi Xiao's heart.
The assassination that took place at Lanquan Station has been a mystery from beginning to end. Tang Ling and Qi Xiao both suspected that it might be Xuan Ji or Tian Ce Camp?
The assassin who ambushed Tang Ling at Hukou Gorge came from the Zhanshi Office. A whole team of elite soldiers caught the Huwei Army off guard. If it weren't for Qi Xiao, Tang Ling's life would definitely not have been protected. This plan was determined to succeed, and Tang Ling must die.
But in Lanquan, how could two assassins dare to assassinate under the noses of the Tiger Power Army and Qi Xiao's personal guards? These two were indeed quite skilled, but only to a limited extent. They wouldn't even have a 30% chance of success against Bai Xiqiao and Zong Sheng, and they were far inferior to Chi Yue.
"I once made a guess, but I couldn't verify it, so I had to give up." Tang Ling sighed slightly.
That night in Lanquan, Tang Ling and Qi Xiao had a brief chat, but at that time they had no trust in each other at all. They could only keep testing each other, and it was difficult to tell the truth from the falsehood in their words. In the end, no conclusion was reached.
Qi Xiao confessed, "I originally thought that the assassination that night was just a show. Your life or death wasn't that important. It was just to cause trouble for Marquis Xun An. If it could instigate the Zhou Kingdom to send troops, that would be great. If not, that's fine too. It's just to serve as a warning to your father, to let him know that you are in Dachen and need to cherish your life."