Chapter 84 — The Talisman Painter Who Guards the Village

Journey to the Capital

After seven days of travel, the group turned the last bend of the main road, and the capital Lệ Dương appeared before Diệp Sương's eyes for the first time in her life - rows of towering silver-gray city walls stretching far into the distance, palace tile roofs glistening in the afternoon sun, and in the distance, a stream of people rushing in and out of the city gate was so crowded that she had never imagined when she was a child growing up in the small village of Tùng Lĩnh.

"Overwhelmed, aren't you?" Thanh Việt asked, walking beside her, his voice a little nostalgic. "The first time I left here for Tông Vân Các, I stood the same way, constantly looking back at the city gate."

"This place is bigger than what I imagined when people told me about it," Diệp Sương replied, her voice still a bit surprised. "But I can't help but think, amidst this crowded sea of people, how many people are living peacefully thanks to what the Special Coordination Line has drawn from remote lands like Tùng Lĩnh Village, without knowing the true price of that peace."

*

Right at the eastern city gate, a small army was waiting, led by Cố Bạt Nguyên himself, his armor shining under the setting sun. The Great General stepped forward, his face stern but his eyes softened a bit when he saw his son.

"Father," Thanh Việt bowed his head in greeting, "have you received news from Tất Bá Kỳ?"

"I received it three days ago," Cố Bạt Nguyên replied, his voice calm. "And I have quietly had people review some old military salary records, unusual expenses related to Khâm Vân Ti's survey teams over the years. There are numbers that do not match, transports with unknown purposes, leading directly to areas that match what you are investigating."

*

Diệp Sương stepped up, bowed her head and bowed according to protocol. "Thank you, Great General, for trusting us."

"I don't trust anyone blindly," Cố Bạt Nguyên replied frankly, but his voice was not as cold as he imagined through Thanh Việt's story. "I believe in evidence. And I believe in the way my son has changed since the day I met you — from a child who only shouldered the expectations of his family, to someone who knows how to stand up for what's right, even if that means confronting the very system that raised him."

*

The group was led into a small mansion for distinguished military guests, hidden in a quiet alley away from the busy official area. That night, after a simple meal, Thanh Việt led Diệp Sương to a small yard behind the mansion, where there was a small altar hidden in the dark.

"This is where father built an altar for his brother," Thanh Việt said softly, lit a stick of incense, and placed it on a small, simple altar containing only an old sword and a tablet. "I've never brought anyone here, not even my closest friends in the sect."

*

Diệp Sương stood still, looking at the flickering candlelight shining on the tablet, feeling the weight of the moment she had just opened her heart to share. "Thank you, for trusting me enough to bring me here," she said softly.

"I think," Thanh Việt said, his voice low, "my brother, if he were still alive, would support what we are doing. He once told me, before the final battle, that true honor does not lie in blindly following orders, but in knowing when to ask questions, even of those you respect most."

She took his hand and stood next to him in that solemn silence for a long time, letting the thin scent of smoke blend into the night air, carrying a silent promise between the two of them that they would not back down, even though the road ahead was still long and full of uncertainties.

*

The next morning, the whole group gathered in the living room of the mansion to discuss the plan. Chúc Nghi Lam spread a map of the capital on the table, pointing to the central area where Khâm Vân Ti's headquarters was located.

“The central archive is located in the east basement of the headquarters,” she said, her voice serious. "I worked there for nearly three years, so I know the way around, but that's why my face is so familiar to the guards. If I appeared publicly, the news would reach Lord Lỗ Khắc Viên's ears in less than an hour."

“So we need a different approach,” Tất Bá Kỳ said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "A formal letter from Tông Vân Các, requesting to review records related to an ongoing investigation, is probably enough to legally open the door, at least to an initial level."

*

"But if Lỗ Khắc Viên heard the rumors about Miss Chuc running away with the documents," Cố Bạt Nguyên interjected, his voice cautious, "he must have increased his guard, maybe even set up traps waiting for you guys to find yourself."

Diệp Sương was silent for a moment, looking at the map spread across the table and the crowded streets leading to the heart of the kingdom's power. "Then," she said finally, her voice resolute, "we will go straight and openly, with the sect master's letter and the General's backing. If he really has something to hide, a public, dignified visit will make it difficult for him to act in broad daylight, before so many witnesses." Thanh Việt nodded in agreement. "If we go in the dark, we can easily be caught. If we go in the light, at least we have witnesses."

*

The whole group spent the rest of the morning perfecting the plan, every little detail carefully considered — who would go inside, who would stand guard outside, the route to retreat if everything went wrong. Miên Trà and Du Khinh volunteered to stay outside the headquarters gate, ready to respond if anything happened.

That afternoon, when everything was ready, Diệp Sương stood in front of the mirror in the living room, adjusting the most neat outfit she brought, her hands shaking slightly as she reinstalled the hairpin that Mrs. Chín Lài had given her before the day he left the village for the first time.

"Ready?" Thanh Việt asked, standing at the door, his eyes filled with wordless support.

"Ready," he replied, taking a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. "It's time to face the person who has probably followed my every move my entire life, even though I've never known him until now."

*

On the way to headquarters, the group passed through a crowded market, where the sounds of selling goods, the sounds of bargaining, and the sounds of children playing mixed together to create a mixed but vibrant music. Diệp Sương slowed down a bit, observing that scene of daily life, trying to remember this image as a reminder of the real reason why she came all the way here.

An old woman selling vegetables on the side of the road, vaguely heard the conversation between a few customers about the recent great demon tide at Vân Tiêu Peak, let out a sigh of lament. "I heard that this time, the whole capital was almost affected. I don't know how the court and Khâm Vân Ti are doing business, allowing Linh Mạch to be in chaos one wave after another. People like us can only pray to God every night."

That unintentional complaint made Diệp Sương pause for a moment. He looked around the market, at the simple faces making a living, unaware that their very safety was being bargained for in the cold pages of books deep in the basement of the headquarters in front of them.

"Those are the people we are fighting for," he said softly to Thanh Việt, his voice low. "Not for fame, not for some abstract justice, but for them, who don't even know they're being threatened."

*

The whole group continued walking, getting closer and closer to the power center of the capital. The shopping streets gradually gave way to majestic mandarin palaces, high walls and closed gates, and guards standing strictly at every turn.

Chúc Nghi Lam pulled her hood lower, her voice shaking slightly. "The closer I get, the more I feel like all eyes are looking at me. I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be weak right now."

"You're not weak," Diệp Sương replied, holding her hand to reassure her. "You risked your life to bring the truth out of the darkness, while many others chose to stay silent and safe. Being afraid now only proves that you clearly understand the danger of what you are doing, not weakness."

Tất Bá Kỳ patted Chúc Nghi Lam's shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. "We're here, all with you. No one has to face anything alone anymore."

*

Ahead, General Department Khâm Vân Ti loomed tall in the heart of the capital, its high walls and heavy gates seemed to be quietly waiting, hidden inside a secret network that had silently shaped the fate of countless people for fifteen long years. Diệp Sương squeezed Thanh Việt's hand one last time, then walked forward with the whole group, without anyone looking back.