Chang'an City.
Taiji Palace.
The Imperial Guard's compound occupies a large area, almost one-sixth of the Taiji Palace. It's a large, separate compound, adjacent to the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace. The current emperor is still young and hasn't appointed a crown prince, so the Eastern Palace remains unused. The Imperial Guard's compound is divided into two parts: the front section houses the guards' quarters and the guard's office; the back section is the Intelligence Bureau. There are no signs, and the uninformed wouldn't distinguish it from the front.
Even those without deep knowledge wouldn't notice the subtle differences in the flying fish robes worn by the Intelligence Bureau guards and the Imperial Guards.
In the back courtyard is a small garden, the most eye-catching feature being a rockery engraved with the four large red characters "Heavenly Craftsmanship of All Things." It's said that this rock was transported from Jiangnan, and the manpower and resources spent on it were estimated to be enough to arm two thousand men to the teeth. This large rock was originally intended for the Imperial Garden, but the late emperor disliked its shape, so it was moved to the rear courtyard of the Imperial Guards.
The rock is striking for two reasons. First, its size and unique shape make it resemble a reclining ox from a distance.
Second, a large, snow-white gyrfalcon often rests atop the ox's head.
Of the 360 feathered insects in the world, the gyrfalcon is the most divine and beautiful.
This was a gift personally presented to the Sui emperor by Möngke Khan, the emperor of the Mongol Yuan dynasty, during their meeting in the northwest. After that meeting with Möngke, the Sui emperor remarked that he had gained two things from the trip. First, he had established trade in the border city of Fangu, allowing trade between the Mongol nomads and the Sui people. Second, he had acquired this gyrfalcon, hailed as the most divine and beautiful of all feathered insects.
This white gyrfalcon was nearly half a person's height, and its wingspan was astonishingly large, easily carrying a calf into the air; its ferocity inspired fear.
It was a pity that although the Sui Emperor liked this gyrfalcon, he didn't visit it often. If this raptor hadn't been a gift from the Khan of the Mongol Empire, but rather a tribute from a subject of the Sui Dynasty, its treatment would likely have been very different.
This gyrfalcon was always kept by Hou Wenji.
Training a hawk and a dog is far more difficult and requires significantly more effort than training a dog. While obtaining a mastiff fierce enough to tear apart a wolf was already difficult, it wasn't entirely uncommon.
Hou Wenji had put a great deal of effort into training this gyrfalcon.
The affairs of the intelligence bureau were meticulously divided, and Hou Wenji didn't need to worry about everything. Therefore, whenever he had free time, he would take the gyrfalcon hunting, often for three to five days at a time.
In his spare time, Hou Wenji liked to release goats and rabbits into the backyard of the Qingya (Loyal Dog) office for the gyrfalcon, which the emperor had bestowed upon it the name "Loyal Dog." The implication of naming a gyrfalcon "Servant Dog" was self-evident.
However, this gyrfalcon was also arrogant, looking down on ordinary prey.
So, when Zhuo Buyi brought Zhu Xiaohua into the Qingya's backyard, the gyrfalcon immediately perked up. If Hou Wenji hadn't stopped it, it would have dared to come down and fight Zhu Xiaohua. Zhu Xiaohua, who had seemed somewhat dejected on the journey back to the capital, perked up the moment she saw the Servant Dog. These two creatures, both considered strong in nature, disliked each other.
But it was clear that if they really fought, Zhu Xiaohua would be at a disadvantage.
"This pig is quite nice."
When Hou Wenji saw Piglet, he couldn't help but pause in surprise, then smiled and said, "Such a big wild boar, it must be a king of the mountains and forests. Yet you brought it to the capital. Aren't you afraid it'll become stifled and lose its wildness?"
Zhuo Buyi walked up to Hou Wenji and pointed to a small grove of trees not far away, saying to Piglet, "The rocks are the birds' territory, and that grove is yours. It's not big, but it's enough for you to settle down. Later, I'll petition His Majesty to let you live in the Imperial Garden's Ten Thousand Beasts Garden. There, you'll still be the overlord."
He spoke seriously, as if Piglet could truly understand.
In fact, Piglet grunted a few times, looking somewhat aggrieved, before staggering into the small garden, only a hundred meters in diameter, and lay down, falling asleep immediately.
"Did you find anything on your trip out of the capital?"
Hou Wenji asked.
Zhuo Buyi gestured towards Zhu Xiaohua with his lip.
Hou Wenji laughed heartily.
"That young man is staying at the post station?"
He asked again.
Zhuo Buyi shook his head. "No, he's waiting for some friends to come to the city, so he's staying in a town outside the city. He should be here in three to five days. I left him a token from the intelligence agency; he won't have any trouble entering the city."
He paused, then looked at Hou Wenji and asked, "Gao Tianbao is dead, leaving a vacancy for a commander of a thousand men. I'd like to fill that position."
"Good."
Hou Wenji nodded, without even asking who the person was.
"My sworn sister, a rare find... just like me."
Zhuo Buyi said earnestly.
"A woman and a pig."
Hou Wenji smiled and said, "You've made quite a profit on this trip."
"More than that..."
Zhuo Buyi looked at the gyrfalcon on the artificial rock and said, "That border scout from Fan Gu is a promising talent. So I've placed my bet on him. If nothing unexpected happens, he'll rise to prominence within a year, barely gain entry into the inner circle within three years, and could enter the imperial court within five years... It seems our intelligence agency is lacking allies within the court."
"The intelligence agency has never needed to befriend court officials."
Hou Wenji turned to Zhuo Buyi and said solemnly, "Because..." "His Majesty forbids it."
"I know."
Zhuo Buyi said with a somewhat unfocused look, "But this guy is indeed interesting. Ten years later... perhaps he will be the second Luo Yao."
Hou Wenji's expression changed slightly, then he nodded and said, "Then I will remember to remind His Majesty that the border soldier has arrived in the capital. Tell that kid to be prepared at all times... as long as he can meet the Emperor, he won't be a complete waste, and he will eventually have a good future. Let's give him a push now; whether he climbs higher or falls to his death later, it will be beneficial."
Zhuo Buyi nodded, remaining silent.
...
...
Ministry of War.
For some reason, ever since Minister of War Yu Donglai was demoted to Vice Minister, this seemingly punished but still very important figure in the court has liked to lock himself in his study in the Ministry of War. Day and night, the heavy black curtains in his study are always closed.
Therefore, anyone who enters this study will feel a sense of oppression. Yu Donglai, who had personally delivered seven heads a while ago, had become increasingly taciturn, his face usually grim. Officials in the Ministry of War, whether veterans or newly appointed, dared not even smile in his presence. Everyone assumed Lord Yu was genuinely unhappy, unaware that he was merely putting on an act.
After all, delivering seven heads would offend many. While Yu Donglai wasn't afraid, he didn't want to invite unnecessary trouble. After all, which official in the capital didn't have a powerful backer?
Looking at the few thin sheets of paper on his desk, Yu Donglai frowned slightly.
These sheets of paper clearly detailed Fang Jie's actions over the past three years in Fan Gu. While not comprehensive, such meticulous investigation across thousands of miles was remarkable.
"Eagle."
Yu Donglai called softly.
The black-robed man, who had been standing respectfully a short distance away, immediately responded, "What are your orders, sir?"
This man appeared to be around thirty years old, tall and slender, his most striking feature being his thinness. Although he wore a large, loose black robe, it did nothing to make him appear fuller. Because the robe was so baggy and he was so thin, he looked somewhat comical, like a somber, mournful banner hanging from a bamboo pole.
His body was thin, but his face was even thinner.
Because his cheekbones protruded and his cheeks sagged, his eyes appeared somewhat bulging, like the eyes of a fish—a dead fish, at that.
He wasn't a dead fish; he was a fine blade under Yu Donglai's command.
Yu Donglai picked up the papers on the table and handed them to Yingjiu, saying, "Keep a close eye on this young man. Do not allow anything to happen to him in the capital."
"But… this guy seems to be connected to our Ministry of War in the death of Fan Gu," Yingjiu said, his tone slightly displeased.
"Regardless of that… His Majesty has written this young man's name into the list of promising talents. Although nine out of ten people from humble backgrounds who are included in this list eventually fade into obscurity, like stones sinking into a lake, we can't touch him now. No one knows when His Majesty might be in the mood to meet this insignificant nobody."
"Let's wait."
Yu Donglai was silent for a moment before saying, "If he can't make His Majesty remember him within a year, then he can only blame himself for his lack of ability. The capital is too vast… what difference does the death of a few insignificant people make?" "What kind of trouble are you stirring up?"
"Understood, sir."
The eagle responded with a cold laugh, "I'll try my best to hold back."
"Zhuo Buyi is back, and he brought a woman with him. He's never been one to be swayed by women, so this woman must have something special about her. Have someone keep an eye on her. If in a few days this woman is wearing a flying fish robe… then you absolutely mustn't touch that border soldier. Those savage dogs in the intelligence agency… they'll tear you apart without a care in the world. Even if you just touch a bone in their mouth, they'll pounce." "Come and bite you until you're covered in wounds."
"Yes."
The eagle nodded and then asked, "But isn't it a bit too much to let that kid off so easily? Letting him suffer a little while he doesn't die is fine, isn't it?"
Yu Donglai's expression faltered slightly, then he shook his head and said, "Don't think about those meaningless things. I know you harbor resentment over your brother's death in Fangu. But as long as Fang Jie can get into the Martial Arts Academy, no one can touch him. Not even you, not even me. As long as Zhou Banchuan is still in the Martial Arts Academy, no one can touch him." "It reaches into the gates of the Martial Arts Academy."
Eagle chuckled. "What if he doesn't get into the Martial Arts Academy?"
"At least..."
Yu Donglai pondered for a moment and said, "His Majesty has to forget him, or... give up on him. Right now, any small thing could enrage His Majesty. So you should just bear with it. Even if he gets into the Martial Arts Academy, so what? At worst, he'll be assigned to a border town to serve in the army in three years. If you want to kill him, you can wait three years at most."
Eagle didn't speak, but he didn't care about Yu Donglai's words.
The hatred for killing his brother, three years... is too long.
...
...
Fang Jie squatted on a branch of a large tree by the roadside, staring blankly in the direction of the capital. The outline of that great city in the distance was so magnificent that it completely overturned Fang Jie's concept of an ancient city. He had always thought that Chang'an, no matter how large, couldn't be larger than the capital of his previous life.
Now he realized how wrong he was. It was still at least ten miles from Chang'an City, but even from that distance, the city walls didn't seem to reach their end, demonstrating the sheer size of the city. Putting aside everything else, what an immense cost it must have taken to build such a long, high, and massive wall! Perhaps only the Great Sui Dynasty in this world possessed such formidable national strength.
"Big Dog."
Fang Jie, perched on a tree branch, had a pipe in his mouth that he'd bought from a peddler for twenty-five copper coins, but he was smoking top-quality tobacco worth one tael of silver per pound. Although it was his first time smoking since arriving in this world, he still managed to exhale a string of smoke rings with practiced ease.
He asked Big Dog, "Do you think that once Sister Xiaoyao enters the capital, she'll drive everyone in the entertainment bureau crazy? Will some rich and handsome young man fall for her at first sight and shamelessly fawn over her? Will Sister Xiaoyao... find someone she likes?"
"No."
Big Dog, squatting under the tree, also had a pipe in his mouth, but it wasn't stuffed with tobacco. He probably just thought Fang Jie looked somewhat handsome with a pipe in his mouth.
"If there really is such a person, Xiaoyao will beat him to a pulp."
Big Dog answered seriously.
Fang Jie hummed in agreement and muttered softly, "Then I'm relieved..."
A petty person.