bestfiction Chapter 287: The Thorny Road
Chapter 287: The Thorny Road
Inside the imperial study of the Nanzhao Kingdom's palace, the flickering candlelight illuminated Xiao Jingchuan's furrowed brows. Ever since the manor on the outskirts of the city was threatened by men in black, he had devoted himself entirely to the investigation. However, with each step forward, he seemed to be drawn into a deeper mystery.
Lin Xiao, the commander of the guards in charge of the investigation, presented the latest intelligence: "Your Majesty, we followed the direction the men in black fled, but lost track of them in the woods on the outskirts of the city. Only some signs of a struggle and a few unfamiliar tokens were left at the scene. After extensive investigation, we still have no clue." As he spoke, Lin Xiao presented the tokens.
Xiao Jingchuan took the token and examined it carefully. The token was made of a strange material, entirely black, with a black eagle with outstretched wings carved on it. The craftsmanship was exquisite, yet it had never appeared in any of the records of the Nanzhao Kingdom or in any known forces. "Continue the investigation! We must find out the origin of these tokens and the forces controlling them," Xiao Jingchuan said in a deep voice.
As the investigation deepened, various obstacles arose one after another. Some of the guards responsible for tracking the clues mysteriously disappeared, while others were attacked and injured. One late night, an experienced guard in charge of the investigation was assassinated while en route to deliver intelligence to the palace. When Xiao Jingchuan learned of this, he was furious: "Who on earth is behind this? How dare they be so audacious!"
Meanwhile, undercurrents were stirring in the imperial court. Upon hearing of this, some ministers submitted memorials questioning the necessity of Xiao Jingchuan's investigation, arguing that it was merely a civil dispute and should not be a matter of great importance. "Your Majesty," an old minister said tremblingly, "the Nanzhao Kingdom is currently enjoying peace and prosperity. It is not advisable to expend so much manpower and resources on a minor conflict."
Xiao Jingchuan's gaze sharpened as he surveyed the court: "This matter is far from a simple conflict between martial arts masters! The men in black openly threatening the safety of the Emperor Emeritus and the Empress Dowager must be hiding a huge conspiracy. If the truth is not uncovered in time, the Nanzhao Kingdom will never have peace!"
Despite Xiao Jingchuan's tough stance, these remarks still somewhat interfered with the investigation. Some officials who had initially been actively involved in the investigation began to become passive and apathetic.
To break the deadlock, Xiao Jingchuan decided to personally go to the scene of the incident to gather new clues. Accompanied by Lin Xiao, they returned to the manor on the outskirts of the city. At the manor, Mu Qingling and Xiao Han, upon learning that Xiao Jingchuan had come to investigate personally, felt both distressed and worried. "Jingchuan, as the ruler of a nation, you shouldn't take such risks," Mu Qingling said, holding her son's hand, her eyes filled with concern.
Xiao Jingchuan comforted her, saying, "Mother, I know what I'm doing. Only by investigating personally can we find the key clues, uncover the truth as soon as possible, and bring you peace."
Inside the manor, Xiao Jingchuan carefully examined every corner, trying to find any overlooked clues. Suddenly, he discovered some strange footprints in a hidden corner. The footprints varied in size, and the spacing between them was somewhat eerie, suggesting they were left by someone with special training.
“Lin Xiao, look at these footprints,” Xiao Jingchuan said, pointing to the corner of the wall. “These are definitely not left by ordinary people. The person behind them is likely from some mysterious organization.”
Lin Xiao nodded in agreement: "Your Majesty is absolutely right. It seems that our investigation is on the right track, but the other party is acting very cautiously and has set up many obstacles for us."
Just as they were preparing to pursue the clues further, a commotion suddenly arose outside the village. A group of villagers had gathered at the village gate, holding farm tools and looking panicked. "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! Strange things have been happening in the village lately; many young and strong men have mysteriously disappeared, and everyone is terrified," a villager said anxiously.
Xiao Jingchuan realized that these disappearances were likely related to the men in black incident. After calming the villagers down, he immediately arranged for an investigation. However, during the investigation, they encountered obstruction from a mysterious force. Whenever they approached a crucial clue, someone would sabotage them, causing the investigation to stall.
One day, the secret guards investigating the missing persons case reported that some items related to the missing persons had been found in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. Upon learning this, Xiao Jingchuan immediately led Lin Xiao and others to the warehouse. When they arrived, the warehouse was filled with a pungent odor, and some clothes and letters were scattered on the ground.
Just as they were preparing to gather evidence, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the warehouse. Lin Xiao warily drew his sword: "Your Majesty, be careful!" A group of men in black, wielding sharp blades, surrounded them from all sides. Xiao Jingchuan remained calm and directed his men to respond. After a fierce battle, the men in black, realizing the situation was dire, fled in disarray.
After this attack, Xiao Jingchuan became even more certain that the person behind it didn't want them to uncover the truth. To break out of this predicament, Xiao Jingchuan decided to start with the missing persons, investigating their social relationships to find new clues.
During the investigation, Xiao Jingchuan discovered that most of the missing persons had dealings with a shop called "Xinglong Trading Company." This company appeared to be operating an ordinary business, but many suspicious points were hidden behind it. Xiao Jingchuan decided to investigate Xinglong Trading Company.
However, when investigators arrived at Xinglong Trading Company, they found it deserted, with all accounts and documents destroyed. "It seems they were prepared; we're too late again," Lin Xiao said regretfully.
Despite the numerous difficulties, Xiao Jingchuan did not back down in the slightest.
Inside the imperial study of the Nanzhao Kingdom, the atmosphere was heavy and oppressive. Xiao Jingchuan sat on the dragon throne, clutching a secret report tightly in his hand, his brows furrowed into a deep frown. Xiao Nanyi rushed over upon hearing the news, and seeing his father's grim expression, his heart tightened.
"Father, I have heard that the investigation has reached a stalemate, so I have come to request permission to participate in the investigation and lend you a helping hand." Xiao Nanyi stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and looked on with determination.
Xiao Jingchuan put down the secret report and looked at his son's young yet resolute face, his heart filled with mixed emotions. On one hand, he was gratified by his son's sense of responsibility and courage; on the other hand, he was worried that his son, being inexperienced in the ways of the world, might fall into danger.
“Yi’er, this matter is complicated and the forces behind it are treacherous and cunning. You have never experienced such a dangerous situation before. Your father is worried about you…” Xiao Jingchuan’s words were full of concern.
Xiao Nan Yi raised his head, his eyes shining: "Father, although I am young, I have accumulated a lot of experience by following you to learn how to govern the country over the years. This incident concerns the safety of my grandfather and grandmother, and is also related to the stability of the Nanzhao Kingdom. I am willing to share your worries and do my part for the Nanzhao Kingdom."
Xiao Jingchuan pondered for a moment, then finally nodded: "Since you have made up your mind, your father will grant your request. But you must act carefully and not be reckless. If you encounter any danger, report to me immediately."
"Your subject obeys the decree!" After receiving the order, Xiao Nanyi began preparing for the investigation. He knew that to break through this complex mystery, he had to find a different approach. Therefore, he decided to start with the overlooked details and re-examine the clues.
Xiao Nanyi first arrived at the suburban village where the incident had occurred. He searched the village thoroughly, leaving no corner unchecked. When he reached the spot where the man in black had appeared, he noticed some strange powder on the ground. He crouched down and examined it closely, discovering that the powder had a faint blue hue, completely out of place with the surrounding soil.
"Someone, take some of this powder and send it to the imperial physician for examination to see what it is," Xiao Nanyi ordered.
Afterwards, Xiao Nanyi went to the village where the missing villagers lived. He visited each household, talking with the villagers to learn about the missing people's situation. While talking with an old woman, something she said caught his attention.
"Your Highness, before my son disappeared, he said he was going to help Xinglong Trading Company transport a batch of goods. But he has never returned since then." The old woman said, tears welling up in her eyes.
Xiao Nanyi's heart skipped a beat: "Old man, do you know what that batch of goods is?"
The old woman shook her head: "My son didn't say, he only said that the pay for this job is good and it will allow us to live a good life."
After leaving the old woman's house, Xiao Nanyi fell into deep thought. The Xinglong Trading Company had long been deserted during the investigation, making this lead all the more crucial. He decided to follow this lead further.
After making inquiries, Xiao Nanyi learned that Xinglong Trading Company mostly transported its goods by water. Therefore, he led a group of guards to the docks of the Nanzhao Kingdom. The docks were bustling with people and boats, a scene of great activity.
Xiao Nanyi disguised himself as an ordinary merchant and inquired about information at the docks. After some effort, he finally learned from a boatman that a shipment of mysterious goods had been transported to an abandoned temple outside the city before and after the disappearances.
Xiao Nanyi immediately led his guards to the abandoned temple. When they arrived, the temple was silent, filled with an eerie atmosphere. Xiao Nanyi cautiously entered the temple and found signs of a struggle, with pieces of clothing scattered on the ground.
"It seems there was a fierce conflict here," Xiao Nanyi said in a low voice.
Just then, a guard discovered signs of imprisonment in the temple's basement. Xiao Nanyi rushed to the basement and saw scratches on the walls and food scraps on the floor.
“These signs suggest that the missing villagers may have been imprisoned here,” Xiao Nanyi analyzed.
Just as they were preparing to investigate further, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the temple. Xiao Nanyi signaled the guards to hide. A group of men in black, armed with sharp blades, entered the temple.
"Oh no, the news has leaked!" Xiao Nanyi thought to himself.
The men in black searched the temple thoroughly and quickly discovered Xiao Nanyi and his companions. A fierce battle ensued. Although Xiao Nanyi was skilled in martial arts, he was outnumbered and outmatched by the men in black, and was quickly put in a difficult situation.
Just as Xiao Nanyi and his men were about to be overwhelmed, reinforcements arrived. It turned out that Xiao Jingchuan, worried about his son, had secretly sent his guards. With the help of the reinforcements, Xiao Nanyi and his men successfully repelled the men in black.
Despite this harrowing experience, Xiao Nanyi did not back down; instead, he became even more determined to uncover the truth. He returned to the palace with the clues he had gathered and reported to Xiao Jingchuan.
"Father, your son has made a major discovery during this investigation." Xiao Nanyi reported to Xiao Jingchuan one by one the findings at the manor, village, dock, and temple.
After listening, Xiao Jingchuan's eyes flashed with a hint of relief: "Yi'er, you did a great job. These clues have provided us with an important direction for uncovering the truth."
Thanks to Xiao Nanyi's efforts, the investigation gradually made new progress.