EES - Chapter 37
Chapter 37
An Lin glanced at the phonetic transcriptions recorded in the notebook, mentally matching them against the Xuan Kingdom script below before attempting to read them aloud. The pronunciation felt oddly awkward and tongue-twisting, so she pointed to a line and asked Wang Xiuwen, "Chief Steward, how is this supposed to be pronounced?"
Since assuming the throne, she had automatically loaded the Xuan Kingdom language pack. In her mind, Xuan speech was as familiar as Mandarin, carrying virtually no cognitive friction. However, language packs for other nations had not been installed.
Wang Xiuwen cast a glance at the notebook and spoke a stream of foreign syllables at a moderate pace.
Hmm... Even though she couldn't understand it, it certainly sounded very much like a foreign language.
After listening, An Lin looked back at the phonetic notes in the book and realized that every sound Wang Xiuwen uttered perfectly matched the Xuan Kingdom transliteration printed beneath it.
That was rather impressive. She already knew her Chief Steward's specialties were attending to the emperor's daily needs, assassination, and intelligence gathering, yet in practice he was nearly omnipotent. Still, she hadn't expected him to be a polyglot as well.
Then again, upon reflection, if he excelled at intelligence gathering, mastering multiple languages seemed entirely reasonable. After all, there was never a rule stating he only collected domestic intel.
Regardless, An Lin's current mood could best be summed up by a famous line from Legend of Zhen Huan: How many more surprises do you have that We don't know about? [image]
As for the training grounds used by the Shadow Guards, the Empress Avatar had indeed visited before. Ever since she cultivated internal energy and raised her Martial Strength rating above fifty, she had trained exclusively at the Shadow Guards' yard. Yet the palace housed more than one such facility; normally, the Empress Avatar used a different courtyard, effectively reserving it for herself. Witnessing a group of Shadow Guards train with her own eyes was a first... Wait, perhaps not entirely. She had seen it once before when using the Simulator to observe Yang Yu's studies within the palace.
But observing through the Simulator then was hardly the same as watching live now.
Through the Simulator, they appeared as a cluster of ant-sized figures. Even zoomed in, their proportions remained roughly five-heads-tall. Far from conveying any intimidating aura, viewing them from that angle made them look overwhelmingly cute.
Watching them in person, however, carried a distinct atmosphere. A group of figures clad in streamlined black uniforms drilled in perfect unison, shooting arrows or hurling hidden weapons at moving targets. Another section was dedicated to practicing Lightness Technique, resembling a plum-blossom stake formation. Yet these 'stakes' were composed of various blades, spears, swords, and halberds of differing lengths. Every weapon stood upright on the ground, most with the sharp edge facing upward, while only a few had the hilt pointing skyward. Training within this array of steel tested not only agility but also keen eyesight. Practitioners had to locate the safe handles among a sea of razor tips to step on for leverage. Some handles that appeared secure actually concealed traps; stepping on them would cause the weapon to sink, throwing the practitioner off balance.
Oh right, forgot to mention this. Although martial arts in this world featured concepts like internal energy and Lightness Technique, they did not belong to the high-fantasy genre where practitioners effortlessly flew tens of thousands of miles into the sky. This realm still largely respected gravity and other natural laws. Levitation without continuous leverage adjustment was impossible. Internal energy and martial techniques likewise lacked flashy visual effects or swirling air currents; everything could be explained through science.
After watching the blade-and-spear array for a while, An Lin decided she would try it herself during her next free training session. Shifting her gaze elsewhere, she spotted over a dozen Shadow Guards engaged in sparring. They practiced in pairs under a specific rule: the winner could dictate whom the loser must face next. Finding the format intriguing, An Lin slipped forward silently to watch from closer range.
Wang Xiuwen trailed quietly behind her, his footsteps and presence nearly imperceptible. Had An Lin not glanced back upon approaching to confirm he was following, she likely would never have noticed him.
The two Shadow Guards currently sparring bore visible names above their heads, though their stats were unremarkable. For convenience, let us call them Shadow Guard Alpha and Shadow Guard Beta. Their match concluded swiftly.
"I won." Alpha sheathed his short sword. His features were obscured by the night and their dark attire, leaving only his voice clear. "You'll spar with Meng Xinghui next."
Beta's face happened to catch the light just as his expression turned green. Seriously?
"That's him."
"...Fine." Beta reluctantly agreed, walking over to another Shadow Guard sitting nearby, eagerly watching the spectacle. He tossed a short sword toward him.
"Hey, hey? Why me? Again?! I just sat down!" The newly drafted guard muttered discontentedly. "What's going on? Am I really that popular today? You never act this fond of me otherwise..."
Beta seemed long accustomed to the endless chatter and had no intention of responding. Immediately after tossing the sword, he blurred forward and launched an attack. From the outset, he targeted lethal zones like the neck and eyes.
The drafted guard caught the short blade with a reverse grip, clashing it against the incoming strike with a sharp ting. He sidestepped behind Beta, his mouth still running. "Huh, your swing speed is slightly slower this time. What gives? Did you eat too much dinner? And I've always said pairing raw garlic with rice is weird. Are you ignoring me because your breath smells? It's fine, I don't mind... uh, as long as you're not talking directly at me, I'm good!"
"...Just shut up," Beta replied, irritation evident in his voice.
The surrounding Shadow Guards fell silent. An Lin vaguely recognized the guard whose voice was bright, cheerful, and ceaselessly chattering. Upon closer inspection, he had a distinctly baby-faced appearance. That jogged her memory. Wasn't this the same youthful-faced guard who had accompanied Qiancai to Linfang originally?
He sure can talk. With that much chatter, isn't he a bit unsuited for a Shadow Guard? An Lin murmured.
Hearing her remark, Wang Xiuwen suddenly cleared his throat. The crowd of onlookers, distracted by the baby-faced guard's relentless commentary, failed to notice. An Lin did. She glanced back. "What's wrong? Feeling unwell?"
"Thank you for your concern, My Lady. My throat simply feels a sudden itch."
"Visit the Imperial Medical Bureau later and have the physicians examine you. Get some medicine prepared early as a precaution," An Lin advised.
Wang Xiuwen nodded in thanks.
An Lin's attention returned to the arena. After easily defeating Beta, the baby-faced guard muttered something under his breath and slumped back into his seat. But moments later, as a new pair finished their match, the victor once again pointed out the loser, forcing them to face him. The exact same scene repeated itself in quick succession. Not only that. Group three. Group four... Whenever someone pointed, it was always him. It was clear this guard's poor popularity went beyond mere dislike; he was actively detested. Within such a short span, An Lin had already guessed why. He could talk for fifteen minutes without repeating himself, and everything he said was pure trash talk. Forget the others; even listening to him for a while gave An Lin a headache. If he were sent undercover, she doubted he'd last long enough to infiltrate before being eliminated purely for being insufferable.
Hmm... Perhaps he wouldn't necessarily be taken out, given his Martial Strength rating looked decent. Among this batch of guards, he ranked highest. From start to finish, he hadn't been struck once, his stamina seemingly untouched, dispatching opponents in the shortest possible time. Viewed from the perspective of those around him, however, that only made him seem even more infuriating.
An Lin studied the stat block hovering above the baby-faced guard's head thoughtfully.
[Meng Xinghui
Governance: 5 | Military: 46 | Learning: 20 | Martial Strength: 77 | Politics: 37 | Management: 50 | Ambition: 50 | Loyalty: 61 | Mood: 90 | Prestige: 100
Specialty: Proficient in Vocal Mimicry]
The specialty "Proficient in Vocal Mimicry" left An Lin slightly uncertain. Did it refer to the rapid-fire, stand-up comedy-style chatter the guard displayed, or the traditional art form? Her earliest impression of the term came from the phrase "In the capital, there was one skilled in vocal mimicry." If that was the intended meaning, his specialty likely involved voice impersonation and imitation.
While she pondered, the final challenger had already been defeated by the guard named Meng Xinghui. He planted his hands on his hips, striding confidently to the center. He scanned his colleagues one by one, shook his head, and sighed. Though he said nothing this time, his expression and posture screamed How lonely it is to be invincible. His smug demeanor made the fists of the other guards clench. Damn it, if only I weren't weaker than him... the other Shadow Guards thought in unison.
Just then, An Lin and Wang Xiuwen, who had been observing for a while, finally moved.
"What are you doing?" Wang Xiuwen spoke slowly, his voice utterly calm.
!
The clustered Shadow Guards quickly turned and bowed their heads. "Chief Steward!"
"Chief Steward, we're sparring..."
"And what have you achieved from it?" Wang Xiuwen clasped his hands behind his back, his sharp gaze sweeping over each bowed head. "It appears I've been too lenient with you. In that case..."
"Chief Steward, I've improved!" The baby-faced guard cheerfully raised his hand. "No matter how many of them gang up on me now, they can't beat me!"
"Meng Xinghui, shut up." Wang Xiuwen shot him a cold glance. "I didn't give you permission to speak."
"...Oh." Meng Xinghui withdrew his hand dejectedly and lined up beside the others, heads bowed.
It seemed Wang Xiuwen and Meng Xinghui shared a close relationship. An Lin mused, deciding to give her Chief Steward full face. Only after he finished reprimanding them did she speak. "Chief Steward, perhaps there's no need to be quite so strict. Most likely, since all the Shadow Guards remain in the palace drilling day after day without practical experience, merely training without application is indeed dull."
"My Lady, your meaning is?" Wang Xiuwen turned to ask for instructions.
"Then give them some opportunities for field action." An Lin smiled. "The termites rotting this pillar of Xuan Kingdom are far too numerous. By early next year, we will confiscate the assets of at least fifteen wealthy clans and merchants who prey upon the countryside. Have the idle Shadow Guards travel to the counties to gather evidence of local elites seizing farmland and recklessly taking lives. Many have falsified tax records for years, hoarding millions in wealth while shifting the tax burden onto tenant farmers, driving countless households to ruin."
"This servant understands." Wang Xiuwen had already braced himself for this scene after witnessing the Empress and His Majesty reviewing memorials together. Moreover, bringing the Empress here today was expressly ordered by the Emperor, so he accepted calmly. He surveyed the entire training yard and announced to the Shadow Guards, "This is the Empress, the sole mistress of the inner palace. From now on, all Shadow Guards will obey her commands without deviation."
Reactions varied among those who heard it, but all respectfully answered, "Yes!"
An Lin closely monitored the data shift above Wang Xiuwen's head. Under normal circumstances, a person in his position might harbor suspicions. The Shadow Guard Intelligence Department originally fell under his command, constituting his personal faction. Now, the Emperor was placing it under another's authority, which most would view as a power grab. The paranoid might even suspect the Emperor feared his influence and planned to discard him once his usefulness waned. Even without such thoughts, one would likely conclude the Emperor lacked deep trust in him. Yet Wang Xiuwen was an exception: Loyalty 100, Ambition 0. When An Lin checked, his Loyalty remained steadfast at 100, his Ambition unchanged, and his Mood Rating had inexplicably risen by several points. His expression even held a hint of gratification???
Even now, I still cannot fathom Wang Xiuwen at all.
An Lin sensed some skepticism regarding the Empress's oversight of the Shadow Guard Intelligence Department. Likely, Ji Wanshuang's frail, delicate appearance simply didn't project the image of a covert operations director. An Lin had no intention of flaunting her Martial Strength rating right now to prove herself. Her plan was naturally to wait until her rating hit one hundred, then casually demonstrate her prowess. That would deliver the satisfying shock value of a classic wish-fulfillment novel... cough, We mean, it would only embolden those who covet Our throne to boldly attempt assassination. What if someone actually tries? Then the seemingly fragile Empress would suddenly strike, catching the assassin completely off guard.
She could then trace the conspirators behind the attacker, achieving three objectives with one stone. If they held official posts, she could lawfully remove them to open vacancies. Confiscating their estates would swell the treasury. Finally, executing an example would deter potential rebels, making anyone considering recruitment think twice. An Lin knew dissenters definitely existed; otherwise, the young emperor wouldn't have lost the realm in merely five years.
Mulling over these scattered thoughts, An Lin's gaze swept across the uniformly dressed Shadow Guards. She singled out individuals with standout stats in logistics, planning, and field command, assigning roles accordingly. Once she had delegated everything and dismissed them, she suddenly remembered the foreign language notebook recovered near the entrance of the Shadow Guard Intelligence Department. She pulled it out. "By the way, Chief Steward and I found this booklet outside earlier. Check your belongings and see whose it is."
The guards verified their personal belongings. Moments later, a hand rose.
"Reporting to the Empress, it is mine."
An Lin followed the voice.
Yes, correct. The guard who had lost the foreign language notebook was none other than the baby-faced one.
After the other guards dispersed to resume training, An Lin summoned the baby-faced guard and returned the notebook. He thanked her cheerfully without any reserve, his eyes repeatedly flicking toward Wang Xiuwen, subtly reading the room. An Lin naturally caught the obvious little gesture and smoothly asked, "Chief Steward, do you know this guard?"
"My Lady, he is considered... my disciple."
Huh?
So that's the relationship?
"I see." An Lin nodded in understanding, glancing at the stat blocks of both Wang Xiuwen and Meng Xinghui. No wonder the baby-faced guard's Martial Strength rating surpassed the others; he was trained by Wang Xiuwen, whose Martial Strength rating sits at ninety.
"However, Chief Steward, you don't strike me as particularly talkative. It's hard to imagine your disciple being... well, so loquacious."
"That's innate. I didn't teach him that." Wang Xiuwen's expression grew subtle.
Meng Xinghui reacted as if he'd been praised, scratching his head feigned modesty. "Where, where? You flatter me, My Lady."
An Lin smiled faintly.
Meng Xinghui, confused, glanced at his master's face again. Seeing Wang Xiuwen's expression had already reverted to its usual calm composure, he hesitated before speaking. "By the way, My Lady, you mentioned sending us to investigate elites and merchants who trample lives and seize farmland. If... hypothetically... I uncover evidence of martial sects committing atrocities, would that count toward this mission?"
"Martial sects?"
"Yes. There is a major sect in the jianghu called the Jingtian Sect. To steal others' martial manuals, they have wiped out hundreds of families. They commit every conceivable crime, and the wealth they plunder collectively rivals that of the state."
An Lin had listened without particular reaction, but the moment she heard the phrase rivals that of the state, her gaze sharpened instantly. Her greed-driven instincts immediately sparked.
You ask what kind of DNA stirred? Naturally, the DNA driven by revenue!
Someone dares to claim wealth rivaling the state right in front of their emperor?
Let Us see who claims to rival the state in wealth, and just how rich they are! We'll arrange a house-confiscation package for them overnight!
Hearing Meng Xinghui bring it up, Wang Xiuwen sternly cut him off. "Meng Xinghui."
"Huh? Master, what is it?" Meng Xinghui looked back innocently.
"Nothing. Let him continue." This time, An Lin sided with Wang Xiuwen's disciple.
Meng Xinghui deliberately ignored Wang Xiuwen's glare and fully deployed his eloquence to speak.
By the time Meng Xinghui finished, An Lin had formed a clear picture of the Jingtian Sect. It was a sect that overshadowed the jianghu, producing several past Leaders of the Martial Alliance. Numerous merchants voluntarily affiliated with them to ensure safe passage, paying substantial protection fees annually.
"Excellent. In that case, I leave the investigation of the Jingtian Sect to you." An Lin's expression grew even calmer after hearing the report. She felt no anger that taxes meant for the state were instead funneled as protection money to a sect. She merely adjusted her schedule internally.
It seemed she would need to reduce the time spent processing memorials across both identities for the foreseeable future. Recently, to ease the Emperor Avatar's administrative burden, she had cut back on the Empress Avatar's training hours. Now that this matter had come to light, both identities would need to work harder for a while. The Emperor Avatar should dedicate more time to processing memorials alone, while the Empress Avatar must raise her Martial Strength rating above ninety as soon as possible. This would greatly facilitate either personally leading asset confiscations due to a shortage of high-strength personnel, or handling potential assassinations while dismantling the Jingtian Sect.
"Understood, My Lady! Leave it to me, you can rest assured!" Meng Xinghui nodded vigorously, then made a pinching gesture. "I may require some support. I will report back promptly to both you and my master."
"Granted." An Lin nodded, studying Meng Xinghui once more.
It was understandable she was eager to confiscate the Jingtian Sect's wealth to bolster the treasury. But Meng Xinghui's enthusiasm was peculiar. Surely he wasn't a mind-reader knowing her fiscal worries and volunteering to share the burden? More likely, he harbored a personal grudge against the sect.
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