Chapter 313 : Metaphysics
Chapter 313: Metaphysics
The attack and massacre of the Delegation of the Northern Frontier Nations shook the entire Capital, and the Six Doors Authority was almost fully mobilized.
However, Chen Ming was left behind. First, he had only taken office today and did not even have any subordinates yet. Second, it was also a form of consideration for him—after all, his strength was only at First Grade.
As the head of the Intelligence Department, Shang Xiangrong naturally could not spare any time at a moment like this.
Thus, someone else was assigned to take Chen Ming to his office.
It was a very elderly First Grade expert. His hair had already turned gray, and deep wrinkles covered his face. His surname was Zhou, and people addressed him as Madam Zhou. He was a veteran of the Six Doors Authority and was specifically responsible for logistics and clerical work. Because of his excellent memory and rigid personality, he had earned the title of Madam Zhou.
“Lord, this is the place.”
Madam Zhou led Chen Ming to a pavilion and said respectfully.
“Bright Mirror Pavilion?”
Chen Ming glanced at the plaque on the building. The pavilion was quite large, roughly comparable to Shang Xiangrong’s “Withered Glory Courtyard.”
The difference was that this place looked deserted. The courtyard was empty, and not a single person could be seen. The pavilion’s doors were tightly shut, making it obvious that hardly anyone ever came here.
Madam Zhou asked, “If Your Lordship is dissatisfied with the name, it can be changed.”
Chen Ming thought for a moment and said, “Then change it to Abyss-Gazing Pavilion.”
“Yes.”
Just as they were speaking, the door of the pavilion opened and a middle-aged man walked out. Seeing the two people at the entrance, he was momentarily stunned before bowing.
“Greetings, Lord Zhou. Greetings, my lord.”
Madam Zhou introduced him. “This is Lord Gu. From now on, he will be the master here.”
The middle-aged man showed a trace of surprise and immediately performed a deep bow.
“Your subordinate Du Yan greets Lord Gu.”
Chen Ming waved his hand. His attitude was neither warm nor distant.
“Rise. No need for excessive courtesy.”
Madam Zhou said, “If Lord Gu has any questions, you may ask him. This subordinate still has other duties, so I will take my leave.”
After Madam Zhou left, Chen Ming entered the pavilion. Seeing that the interior was also completely empty, he asked, “Du Yan, are you the only one here?”
Du Yan replied, “Reporting to my lord, the Bright Mirror Pavilion currently has three people responsible for daily cleaning.”
“Where are the other two?”
“They are on leave at home.”
“So I only have you as a subordinate?”
Du Yan gave a bitter smile. “This subordinate once suffered a severe injury. My strength regressed to the Sixth Grade, so I can only be considered half a cripple. I cannot be of much help to my lord.”
Chen Ming laughed, pulled over a chair, and sat down.
“Then tell me—what exactly is our pavilion responsible for?”
Du Yan lowered his head and said quietly, “Supervising the officials.”
“… ”
Chen Ming almost thought he had misheard.
“You must be joking. Just you and me—supervising all the officials?”
Du Yan forced another bitter smile.
“My lord may not know this, but within the Six Doors Authority there are two halls. The Reincarnation Hall is responsible for suppressing the world. The Hall of Reincarnation Hall Master is responsible for supervising officials.”
No wonder it was called the Hall of Reincarnation Hall Master. Its job was to deal with its own people, so naturally everyone hated it like the plague.
Chen Ming asked, “Then where is the Hall Master of the Hall of Reincarnation Hall Master?”
“The Hall Master was severely injured decades ago and went into seclusion. He has never appeared since. There are rumors that… he does not have long to live.”
Severely injured?
A Fate Palace Realm expert had actually been badly wounded. He had remained in seclusion for decades. No wonder the Hall of Reincarnation Hall Master had deteriorated into this state—it had become little more than a decorative institution with no presence at all.
Chen Ming asked again, “Aside from this place, are there other departments under the Hall of Reincarnation Hall Master?”
“Yes, but only in name. Those lords all follow Hall Master Hong’s lead.”
That was understandable. Everyone needed to find a backer.
In other words, within the current Six Doors Authority, one faction dominated everything.
Chen Ming suddenly understood why the Emperor had appointed him as a Red-Robed Officer. The Emperor wanted him to rebuild the Hall of Reincarnation Hall Master. Perhaps when the current Hall Master finally died, Chen Ming would be appointed as the new one.
Was the Emperor trying to make him the Great Jin Dynasty’s secret police chief?
He had to admit—it sounded rather exciting.
Chen Ming stroked his chin and suddenly realized something. The assassin from Western Kang who had ambushed him when he left the Capital previously—he now knew who had likely sent him.
Most likely, it was someone from within the Six Doors Authority.
Someone must have seen through the Emperor’s intentions and wanted to eliminate Chen Ming in advance, because he was blocking their path.
He asked, “Du Yan, you should be quite familiar with the Six Doors Authority, right?”
Du Yan replied cautiously, “That depends on which aspect.”
“I mean the people within the Six Doors Authority—their backgrounds, their abilities, and so on.”
“I know a little.”
“Good. Then your first task is to draft a list. I want people from humble backgrounds who have been overlooked despite their abilities—people with talent and strength above the Third Grade.”
“Yes.”
“Go now.”
…
After giving the instructions, Chen Ming left the Bright Mirror Pavilion—no, it was now the Abyss-Gazing Pavilion—and went out to gather information.
After such a major incident, he needed to understand the situation.
By evening, he finally obtained some news.
The culprit was named Yang Shuchang, a Divine Repository Realm expert. His identity was far from ordinary—he was the adopted son of General Yang Wuzhong.
Yang Wuzhong had originally been the commander of the Five Military Garrisons of the Northern Frontier. After the devastating defeat last year, the Emperor was furious and had him thrown into prison.
Because of the Northern Frontier Nations, this great general had lost his reputation entirely and was destined to be nailed to the pillar of shame in history.
Yang Shuchang had grown up in the Northern Frontier and harbored deep hatred toward the northern nations. His talent was exceptional, and he had once been Yang Wuzhong’s fiercest general. After last year’s defeat, he disappeared.
Rumors had circulated ever since—some said he died in battle, others said he was captured after being wounded.
No one expected him to suddenly appear in the Capital and commit such a shocking massacre.
After all, the strength of the delegation from the Northern Frontier Nations was not weak. Their leader, a prince, was a peak First Grade expert. There were also two Divine Repository Realm experts accompanying him, one of whom was said to be at the Third Layer of the Divine Repository Realm.
Such a powerful group had been completely annihilated within only a few breaths.
No one knew what level Yang Shuchang’s strength had reached.
Even so, a powerful expert like him could not escape the pursuit of the Six Doors Authority. Within two hours, he had been captured and was now imprisoned in the Celestial Prison.
Chen Ming learned all of this while drinking tea with another Red-Robed Officer stationed at the Six Doors Authority.
The Red-Robed Officer, surnamed Jia, sighed.
“General Yang truly was loyal and brave. Even knowing he would die, he still acted to clear General Yang’s name.”
Chen Ming thought to himself that this man was clearly part of the pro-war faction.
“However,” Jia continued, “after such an incident, the Northern Frontier Nations will certainly not let this go. War may erupt again along the Northern Frontier.”
Chen Ming said, “Perhaps that was his intention. Right now, among the officials of the court, the only one with experience commanding large-scale armies is General Yang. When the time comes, His Majesty may have no choice but to reinstate him.”
“But I heard General Yang’s cultivation is only at the Second Layer of the Divine Repository Realm. Logically speaking, with that strength alone, he shouldn’t have been able to wipe out the delegation.”
Chen Ming’s heart stirred.
“You mean he had accomplices?”
Jia nodded.
“His Majesty must be thinking the same thing. The only question is—which unlucky person will be assigned to investigate this case.”
Chen Ming agreed completely.
This matter ran extremely deep. If the investigation failed to uncover anything, the Emperor would certainly punish the investigator. But if it uncovered too much, the investigator might not even live long enough to face the Emperor’s punishment.
After all, any force capable of annihilating the Northern Frontier Nations’ delegation could easily kill an ordinary Red-Robed Officer.
Just as they were speaking, a eunuch arrived to find Chen Ming.
“Your Highness, His Majesty orders you to enter the palace immediately.”
“… ”
A sudden sense of foreboding rose in Chen Ming’s heart.
It couldn’t be, right?
…
“Outrageous!”
Inside the Imperial Study, the Emperor angrily smashed a jade scepter onto the ground. His face was flushed red, and his lips trembled with rage—it was clear he was truly furious.
Chen Ming silently walked over and picked up the shattered jade scepter.
Only the two of them were in the study.
Only in front of him would the Emperor display such anger.
“Do they think the Great Jin Dynasty isn’t chaotic enough already? A foreign delegation—killed just like that! If war breaks out, how many people will die?”
The Emperor spoke while pounding his chest in anguish.
Chen Ming finally said, “Please calm your anger, Your Majesty.”
“Loyal Subject!”
The Emperor suddenly grabbed his hand and said emotionally, “You must help me! Among all the officials in the court, you are the only one I truly trust.”
Chen Ming sighed inwardly and resigned himself.
“Your Majesty, please give your orders. Your subject will go through fire and water without hesitation.”
“Interrogate Yang Shuchang. I want to know who is opposing me behind the scenes!”
“Yes.”
The hot potato had still landed in his hands.
Fortunately, the Emperor showed some consideration and assigned the old eunuch from his side to accompany him. This was both surveillance and protection.
This old eunuch was no ordinary person—he was a peak Divine Repository Realm expert. With him nearby, the sense of security was immense.
…
That very night, Chen Ming took the imperial decree and, together with the old eunuch, arrived at the fourth level of the Celestial Prison.
This was where prisoners of the Divine Repository Realm were held. It was an independent space with unique laws of heaven and earth, essentially a place where spiritual power was completely suppressed.
Whether Divine Repository Realm or Yang Spirit Realm, everyone here would become an ordinary person. Any spiritual power that left the body would instantly dissipate.
Yet when Chen Ming entered the fourth level, he felt nothing unusual.
Everything felt exactly the same as usual.
He knew this was because he carried the imperial decree.
In this world, imperial authority was not merely political power—it represented real strength. The closer one was to the Imperial Palace, the stronger the power of imperial authority became.
An imperial decree was one manifestation of that authority.
In a place like this, the imperial decree functioned as the supreme law.
Of course, once outside such secret spaces, the decree could no longer influence the laws of reality.
Chen Ming first went to see Yang Wuzhong, the legendary top figure of the military.
The Yang family was also a hereditary noble clan. Originally they were not especially prominent—their ancestor had only been granted the title of count when the dynasty was founded. But several outstanding descendants gradually elevated the family’s status.
By Yang Wuzhong’s generation, he had become the number one figure in the military.
He not only excelled in military strategy, but his personal strength was also extremely formidable. He was a peak Divine Repository Realm expert, only one step away from forging a Fate Palace and becoming a legendary immortal-like being.
“General Yang. His Majesty sent me to ask you some questions.”
Chen Ming was very polite. Before such a powerful figure, courtesy was appropriate.
Yang Wuzhong looked like a man in his forties with a square face. Sitting on the ground, he had been resting with his eyes closed. When he heard Chen Ming, he opened his eyes, glanced at him, then closed them again.
“I have nothing to say. Everything I needed to say has already been said. Please leave.”
“General, are you aware that the delegation of the Northern Frontier Nations recently entered the Capital?”
Yang Wuzhong did not respond.
Chen Ming continued.
“The delegation came for two matters. First, to redraw the national borders. Second, to seek marriage between their ruler and the Princess Royal.”
Yang Wuzhong’s eyelids twitched slightly. He opened his eyes again and stared at Chen Ming.
“Are you telling me this to humiliate me?”
“No. Because something happened afterward.”
“Your adopted son, Yang Shuchang, acted in anger and slaughtered the entire delegation—including a prince and two Divine Repository Realm experts.”
“That’s impossible!”
Yang Wuzhong blurted out.
“Chang’er absolutely does not possess such strength.”
“Which means he must have had accomplices.”
“If you want to ask who those accomplices are, you’ve come to the wrong person.”
Yang Wuzhong closed his eyes again.
No matter what Chen Ming said afterward, he refused to speak another word.
…
Chen Ming had no choice but to leave and go to another cell to meet Yang Shuchang.
He was sitting on the ground, lips tightly sealed, motionless like a statue.
Chen Ming asked a few routine questions, but Yang Shuchang gave absolutely no response.
When a Divine Repository Realm expert was determined to remain silent, there was indeed little anyone could do.
Torture would be useless.
That was why this case was such a hot potato.
Chen Ming did not waste time there and soon left the Celestial Prison.
After informing the old eunuch, he returned alone to his residence, while the eunuch returned to the palace to report to the Emperor.
Chen Ming knew interrogation would not produce results. In his previous life he had not been a detective—he had no investigative skills.
If he wanted to discover the mastermind behind this, he would have to rely on metaphysics.
After returning to his sleeping chamber, he closed the door and took out the tortoiseshell.
As his cultivation grew stronger—especially after achieving the Yang Spirit Realm—the effects of the Nurturing Artifact Art improved greatly. Not only had the tortoiseshell fully recovered, but even its old crack had begun to repair itself.
“Tortoiseshell, oh tortoiseshell, tell me—who killed the delegation of the Northern Frontier Nations?”
Chen Ming murmured as he infused it with a strand of spiritual power.
Instantly, several images flashed before his eyes.
In one of them, an old man stood behind Yang Shuchang the entire time. In others, Yang Shuchang was seen meeting several different individuals.
Among those images, there was one person Chen Ming recognized very well.
“So it really was her?”
Chen Ming was not particularly surprised.
Standing beside that old man was the Princess Royal.
“I knew she wouldn’t willingly marry into the Northern Frontier.”
Two days earlier, rumors had spread that the Princess Royal had personally requested the Emperor’s permission to marry into the Northern Frontier Nations.
Now it seemed that was merely a performance to gain public approval.
In reality, the plan to destroy the delegation had already been prepared.
Chen Ming opened his eyes and looked at the tortoiseshell in his hand. Seeing that its luster had only dimmed slightly—and that no new cracks had appeared—he finally let out a breath of relief.
He put the tortoiseshell away and began thinking about how he should report this matter to the Emperor.