Chapter 10 — The Heir to the Throne with the Wicked Face

The Quest Begins

In the private study of the Deputy Grand Chancellor, Khưu Bá Trạch sat thoughtfully in front of a map of Vân Khánh, on which red ink marked every location where incidents related to the Ghost-Faced Witch had occurred over the past half year: a robbed warehouse, two exposed corrupt officials, and three secret relief missions for poor people in neighboring districts.

Cận Bá Tuyên stood next to him, waiting for orders. "Have you found any clues yet?"

"These incidents are not as sporadic as they appear." Khưu Bá Trạch pointed to the map, his voice deep and thoughtful. "If you look closely, you will see that it is all aimed at those who are directly or indirectly related to our faction. This is not the random action of a common thief, but a carefully calculated strategy, aimed directly at weakening our power step by step."

"So sir, who do you suspect is behind it?" Cận Bá Tuyên asked, his eyes could not hide his concern.

"I can't confirm yet, but there are three possibilities." Khưu Bá Trạch raised three fingers. "One, this could be an opposing force in the court that is secretly gathering forces, using the name of bandits to hide their true intentions. Two, this could be the remnants of the old faction loyal to the First Emperor, those who have never truly surrendered over the past three years. Three..."

He stopped, his long narrow eyes flashing with a cold light.

"What is father, sir?" Cận Bá Tuyên asked when he saw his master silent for too long.

"Third, Princess Khương Nhược Hi is still alive, and is secretly looking for revenge," Khưu Bá Trạch spoke slowly, as if he was considering each possibility. "I never really believed that she was willing to die of old age in a remote temple without protesting. If she was really alive, she would probably know some of the truth about the night of that incident."

Cận Bá Tuyên's face changed. "If so, we must immediately send someone to Tịnh Nghiệp Am to check."

"There have been people of mine constantly monitoring that place for the past three years." Khưu Bá Trạch shook his head. "According to the latest report, the Queen Mother is still in the hermitage, only rarely goes out. Every time she is accompanied by the Abbot, there are no signs of anything unusual."

"So maybe you're thinking too far, sir?"

"Maybe." Khưu Bá Trạch tapped his fingers on the table, but his eyes still couldn't hide the vigilance that had never subsided. "But there's no need to worry about being careful. I want you to do two things. First, send someone to investigate more thoroughly the true background of the merchant owner Thông Bảo Trang, who just recently appeared in the capital but has quickly gained considerable influence in the trading world. Second, strengthen surveillance of Tịnh Nghiệp Am, not only from afar but someone must blend in inside."

"My subordinates will execute immediately." Cận Bá Tuyên bowed his head to receive his orders.

After Cận Bá Tuyên left the study room, Khưu Bá Trạch sat alone, his long narrow eyes staring at the map marked with suspicious locations. He poured himself a cup of wine and drank it all in one gulp, but the spicy taste of the wine still couldn't dispel the feeling of insecurity creeping into his heart.

Over the past three years, he had believed that all potential dangers had been extinguished: Khấu Đình Ân was kept under house arrest and tortured to the point where he could no longer do harm; The princess was exiled to a remote place under strict supervision; The remaining witnesses of the night of the incident were all murdered or bribed. Yet now, an invisible shadow suddenly appeared, hitting right at the weakest points in the power system that he had painstakingly built for twenty years.

"Perhaps I was too subjective," he thought, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest. "Whoever is behind the name Ghost-Faced Witch this time, I cannot let her remain at large. Bạt Nghi's investiture ceremony must be accelerated before any variables can interfere."

News that the royal court began a more thorough investigation of Thông Bảo Trang quickly reached Trường Phong's ears through an acquaintance in the Ministry of Military Affairs. He immediately went to Nhược Hi to report the news, his face full of worry.

"Khưu Bá Trạch has begun to doubt Thông Bảo Trang," he said. "Cận Bá Tuyên sent someone to investigate Her Highness's background in the name of the merchant's owner, and at the same time strengthen supervision of Tịnh Nghiệp Am."

After hearing this, Nhược Hi did not panic like Trường Phong feared, but just pondered. "This was already in our expectations. It is impossible to cause so much upheaval without making the enemy suspicious. The problem is that we must prepare carefully so as not to reveal any loopholes when their investigation actually takes place."

"As for Thông Bảo Trang's background profile, I had Tang Dịch Phong create a fake profile several years ago, enough to withstand normal checks," she continued. "But about Tịnh Nghiệp Am, I'm more worried. If someone infiltrates inside, they will likely discover that the figure of a female nun that often appears at the hermitage does not completely match what they expected."

"So what do you intend to do, Your Highness?" Trường Phong asked.

"I will have someone pretend to be me and stay in the hut more permanently." Nhược Hi pondered. "This person must have a physique similar to mine, enough to elude surveillance from afar. Master Tịnh Nghi can help train that person on how to behave and how to chant sutras, enough not to arouse suspicion."

"I know someone who might be suitable," Trường Phong said after thinking for a while. "One of the orphans whom the Night Shadow Pavilion saved a few years ago has now grown up, looks quite similar to Your Highness, and is extremely loyal after everything we did for her."

"Then let's arrange this as soon as possible." Nhược Hi nodded. "We don't have much time left to delay."

That night, when Trường Phong left, Nhược Hi sat alone in the secret room, watching the candle flicker, with a heavy heart in thought. She knew that Khưu Bá Trạch's suspicion of getting closer to the truth was a double-edged sword - both showing that her counterattacks were really putting pressure on her and signaling that the time she could still hide safely was increasingly shrinking.

"I have to be one step faster than him," she whispered to herself, her eyes steadily looking at the burning fire. "If we take just one slow step, everything we have built over the past three years could collapse in the blink of an eye."

The next morning, she summoned all the heads of the Night Shadow Pavilion's branches in the capital and held a secret meeting in the basement beneath Thông Bảo Trang's warehouse. One by one, they reported their situation: the reconnaissance branch in the southern districts had found more traces of the captain who commanded the assassination team on the night of the incident, now stationed at a remote border outpost; the finance branch reported that military resources were still abundant thanks to Thông Bảo Trang's legal trading activities; and the recruitment branch said more than fifty veterans had joined in the past month.

"Everyone did a great job," Nhược Hi said, her eyes scanning each trusting face around the underground room. "But from today, the enemy has begun to pay attention to us. Each person must be doubly or triply careful in every action, revealing no traces that could lead back to the Night Shadow Pavilion or Thông Bảo Trang."

Tang Dịch Phong stood up, his voice was low but full of spirit. "We have waited three years to get to this day. No matter how difficult the road ahead is, we will not back down, determined to go to the end for justice for the royal family, for all those who have suffered injustice at the hands of Khưu Bá Trạch."

The sound of chanting in unison softly in that underground room, like a common oath of people who had gone through many hardships together, made Nhược Hi feel warmer than ever, giving her the strength to face the challenges that still lie ahead.

When the meeting ended, everyone left in different directions to avoid attracting attention, leaving only Nhược Hi and Tang Dịch Phong behind to clean up. He looked at her, his eyes full of trust.

"Master has come a very long way compared to the young girl hiding at the foot of Lam Phong mountain years ago," he said. "I believe that the day when justice will be served will not be far away."

"I hope so," Nhược Hi replied softly, her eyes looking towards the door leading to the ground, where daylight was waiting above, as well as the thorny road still ahead.