Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

Is Chapter 211 merely a map of the Forbidden City, nothing more? (Two chapters combined)

A hint of surprise flashed in Li Fu's eyes: "Given the Constable's position within the Six Doors, he is practically indispensable. It's hard to imagine that he would be in danger of losing his life over a case?"

The constable put down his teacup and looked towards the direction of Kyoto.

"In some people's eyes, none of their subordinates are indispensable."

Although he did not say it explicitly, Li Fu understood that the person the constable was referring to was naturally the supreme ruler who sat on the dragon throne and ruled the world!

He was well aware of the ways of that supreme ruler; all the people in the world were merely pawns and tools in his hands.

It seems that this case was indeed directly ordered by that official.

Li Fu felt a chill run down his spine.

But what kind of secret could it be that would make that emperor care so much?

What's even stranger is that even with the emperor's secret instructions, the Six Doors still had to conduct their cases in such a clandestine manner, without making a fuss.

Is it possible that even that official is afraid of letting more people know this secret?

"So—Brother Li,

The constable leaned forward slightly, his expression sincere.

"I am not entirely confident that I can handle this case well on my own."

I can risk revealing some of the inside information I know to you, but I'm afraid—this will also harm you, Brother Li. I wonder if you still want to hear it, Brother Li.

Li Fu took a sip of tea, gently put down the teacup, raised his eyes, looked at the constable, and said only four words.

"Please speak, Commander."

The constable was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath and slowly spoke, his voice so low that only the two of them could hear, "Very well, since Brother Li insists on asking—do you know what that floral embroidery on Zuo Yuncheng's back is?"

Li Fudao.

"It is said to be a painting of a green dragon amidst rippling water."

A blue dragon soars through the clouds, its wings churning and surging, running from the shoulder blades down to the waist.

"Oh, is the design this big?"

When the constable finished speaking, he saw Li Fu's eyes flicker and waved his hand.

Don't look at me like that.

His subordinates reported that it was a blue dragon and water wave pattern.

As for Zuo Yuncheng's floral embroidery, I didn't even dare to glance at it.

Given his status as the head constable, if he says he hasn't seen it, he probably really hasn't.

This is not hard to understand. Some things, once you know them, can be a source of trouble; even a glance at them could bring about your death.

Li Fu said, "The Azure Dragon and Water Waves pattern is said to be a common design used by people in the Wu region for embroidery to pray for blessings and ward off water."

"I am the commander," said the constable.

"It seems so, but the embroidery—hides a secret."

The patterns on its azure dragon scales and the undulating textures of the water intertwine, concealing a map.

"map?"

Li Fu raised an eyebrow slightly.

His first thought was a treasure map.

Legends like this are all the rage in the martial arts world.

Before his downfall, a powerful figure from a previous dynasty buried the gold and silver he had amassed throughout his life in the deep mountains. He then drew patterns on these patterns and tattooed them on the backs of his assassins, hoping that future generations would use these patterns to find the treasures, recruit soldiers, and rise again.

But what could possibly cause the Dragon Shock Society and the Six Doors to go to such lengths at the same time be mere treasure?

"What kind of map is it?"

The constable's gaze deepened, his once gentle and refined eyes now resembling two bottomless ancient wells, reflecting a heavy, almost dangerous secret.

"It's a map of the Forbidden City!"

The layout and arrangement of every palace gate, every passageway, and every palace wall are described in complete detail, without the slightest error.

Li Fu paused slightly as he held the teacup, a slight startling feeling creeping into his heart.

Royal Palace Map!

This was an absolute taboo for ordinary people and even ordinary officials, and even for princes and other royal relatives, it was a top secret that could never be kept or spied on.

The design of the imperial palace was crucial to the safety of the emperor, and its defense system was intricate and complex.

Where the emperor resided, how many paths led to his palace, where the most heavily guarded areas were, and where the weakest points were—if these details fell into the hands of outsiders, especially those with ulterior motives, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Such drawings have always been strictly prohibited from being recorded or circulated.

Since the founding of the Great Zhao Dynasty, the blueprints for the construction of the Forbidden Palace have been sealed in the secret archives of the inner court, and no one but the emperor himself is allowed to access them.

The officials and craftsmen in charge of the construction all signed a death pact and swore a solemn oath afterward, promising that if any information was leaked, their entire families would be punished.

But now, this map, which should never exist in the world, is engraved on the back of a chief镖局 (bodyguard agency).

"How did a map of the palace end up embroidered on Zuo Yuncheng's back?"

Li Fu put down his teacup and asked.

"This matter dates back to the early days of our dynasty."

The constable stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the green bamboo in the courtyard rustling in the autumn wind.

"When Emperor Taizu established his dynasty, he wanted to build a new capital and construct a forbidden palace."

To build a palace, one needs the most skilled craftsmen in the land.

At that time, the craftsmen in the Jiangnan region were renowned for their unparalleled skills, especially in woodworking, stone carving, and embroidery.

A decree from the imperial court summoned thousands of artisans from Jiangnan to travel north along the official roads to serve in the capital.

"One of the chief craftsmen in charge of supervising the construction of the Forbidden City was surnamed Zuo."

It was Zuo Yuncheng's grandfather.

Li Fu's gaze sharpened.

The constable turned around, met his gaze, and continued speaking.

"That ancestor of the Zuo family must have had excellent craftsmanship."

He knew the layout of the entire Forbidden City, the dimensions of the palaces, and the direction of the passageways by heart.

But he had other thoughts in his mind.

At that time, the Great Zhao had just been established, and the world was not yet completely pacified.

This master craftsman had witnessed the rise and fall of dynasties and the changing of kings on the city walls. In his view, the Great Zhao was no different from those bandit kings who rose up in rebellion during the chaos of war and were quickly wiped out.

Today, the Song emperor sits in the Golden Palace, but tomorrow the palace gates may very well be breached by the armies of the Li and Wang families.

Li Fu took over the conversation.

"So he thought that if the Great Zhao Dynasty were to collapse one day, and someone were to besiege the Forbidden City or assassinate the emperor, a detailed map of the palace could be exchanged for a title of nobility for leading the way to break through the city."

"Exactly."

The constable's voice was devoid of emotion; it was merely a statement.

"He hid the map in the floral embroidery pattern that the Zuo family had been passing down for generations."

Tattooing has always been popular in the Wu region of Jiangnan. Local men consider it beautiful to have dragons and pythons tattooed on their bodies, believing that this will allow them to draw upon the power of the water god and avoid the dangers of rivers.

The fact that the Zuo family members, being from the Wu region, had floral embroidery on their bodies never aroused suspicion.

He transformed the passageways, gates, and palace rooms of the Forbidden City into the patterns of a dragon's scales, the bending and stretching of its claws, and the textures of water ripples.

A seemingly ordinary painting of a blue dragon amidst rippling water actually reveals the complete layout of the Forbidden City.

"Later, the Great Zhao Dynasty was never in danger of collapsing."

The Zuo family ancestor's dream of being ennobled was dashed, but he was not in a hurry and did not destroy the secret.

They regarded it as a path to immense wealth and even noble titles for their descendants, and passed it down from generation to generation.

Li Fu nodded, a thoughtful look on his face.

If it is indeed a detailed layout map of the imperial palace, then it seems to be a secret worth going to great lengths to obtain for the Dragon Shock Society, which has always been plotting and aiming to overthrow the dynasty.

The reason why the Six Doors (a secret police agency) handles cases so cautiously and dares not make a fuss has also been found.

If word gets out about this, who knows how many ambitious people will covet it and what kind of waves it will cause!

"But is that all?"

Things may not be that simple.

What kind of organization is the Jinglong Society?

It was a behemoth that had existed for over a hundred years and whose influence was said to extend throughout the government and beyond.

With the spies they planted in the palace and their infiltration of court officials, even if they couldn't obtain the map directly, wouldn't it be incredibly difficult to piece together a layout of the Forbidden City?

By simply planting one or two of their own people among the palace guards, they could secretly observe and record the location of the palace gates under the guise of shift changes and patrols.

The direction of the passageway;

Or perhaps they could subtly glean information from eunuchs and palace maids who had been sent away to retire, using coercion and enticement to piece together a rough map of the Forbidden City over several years.

Moreover, there are still many questions that cannot be explained.

For example, Liu Ying'er said that the Jinglong Society was not in a hurry, saying that it could be completed within twenty or thirty years.

The tone suggested that he was waiting for a specific moment.

What was that timing?

For example, why did their attitude suddenly change drastically in recent months, and why did they start urging us to get the floral embroidery pattern as soon as possible?

Furthermore, on the Six Doors side, the head constable came down with a group of experts, taking turns guarding the prison day and night, never leaving its side, as if they were setting a trap.

This commotion is definitely not just for confirming whether any maps have been leaked.

Li Fu did not voice these thoughts.

He understood that this was probably all the officer could reveal.

For the chief investigator to discuss the "leaked map of the Forbidden City" with an "outsider" like the head of the police force was already an immense act of trust and risk.

The core secret behind Zuo Yuncheng's floral embroidery should indeed be related to the map of the imperial city, but it is very likely that it is not just that.

After the constable revealed a bit of this earth-shattering secret that was originally not supposed to be disclosed to Li Fu, the relationship between the two became much closer, and they were able to start working together.

He said, "Now that I have told Brother Li the inside story, we will need to work together to investigate this matter in the future."

Li Fu nodded to indicate that he understood, and then confirmed: "So, the case of the robbery of tax silver in Yanzhou was indeed a complete fabrication from beginning to end, and was a scheme set up by the Six Doors."

The thief who used the "divine drug" was actually a constable from the Six Doors (a government agency).

"Brother Li is indeed a renowned constable, meticulous and skilled at solving cases."

"I could fool others, but I couldn't fool you."

The constable did not deny it; he admitted it readily.

"Those so-called robbers were indeed men from my Six Doors in disguise."

"After your tax silver from Yanzhou was robbed, it was sealed up and left untouched."

"Officer Li should understand my predicament; this case must not be publicized."

The mere fact that the map of the imperial city was leaked, even if only half a word of it was mentioned, would be a capital offense.

The imperial court must not allow anyone to know that a map of the Forbidden City has been leaked, and even less can it be known that the map is engraved on the back of a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person who travels the martial arts world).

"But we always need a reason to investigate a case."

Why should I, without any reason, bring my embroidered-clothes constables and make such a grand show of force to travel all the way from the capital to Yanzhou?

And on what grounds were the Zuo family father and sons all thrown into death row?

We have to give an explanation to the local officials and a plausible explanation to the public.

"It just so happens that the annual tax revenue of Yanzhou Prefecture is due to be paid."

Five hundred thousand taels of silver is a considerable sum. Robbing it would be enough to shake the court and the public, and it would also be enough to justify my presence here as the head of the constables.

This case, which was tantamount to treason and a deep provocation against the imperial court, was personally investigated by the Six Doors (a government agency), and no one in the local area could say anything about it.

The Zuo family also happens to run a security escort agency, making it a perfect excuse to arrest them as suspects colluding with thieves.

So, those soldiers who escorted the tax silver and those镖局镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) who were arrested and imprisoned were unlucky, trapped in a trap, living in fear, all because the Six Doors (a secret police agency) was setting up a scheme to target the Zuo family father and son.

Li Fudao.

"Aren't the Zuo father and son already in prison?"

The constable shook his head.

"It's not that simple."

"The floral embroidery on Zuo Yuncheng's back does not depict the palace directly on it."

His ancestors weren't that stupid; that would be too obvious.

If someone finds out, it could lead to the annihilation of their entire family and property.

The pattern alone is not enough; it also needs to be combined with a set of corresponding interpretation rules in order to correctly piece together and reconstruct the hidden map.

This set of incantations has always been passed down orally only between the Zuo family father and son.

Until it reached Zuo Yuncheng's father.

Before his father, Zuo Yuncheng's grandfather, died, he suddenly learned that the ordinary Wu-style floral embroidery, which he thought was used to pray for blessings and avoid disaster, had actually concealed a calamity that could lead to the confiscation of his family's property and the extermination of his clan.

Terrified, he lost his composure and dared not pass on the incantation any further.

"The formula is gone?"

Li Fu raised an eyebrow.

"No, the incantation has been passed down, but not in the Zuo family."

"I am the commander," said the constable.

"The Zuo family ancestors were one of the chief craftsmen who supervised the construction of the imperial palace, and the family was very wealthy."

When Zuo Yuncheng's grandfather dismissed everyone and left only his son by his bedside to give his last instructions, there was an old steward who had followed the Zuo family for decades outside the door. He thought he could hear the secret of the gold and silver hidden in the Zuo family, but unexpectedly he overheard this palace secret map that was enough to wipe out the clan!

The man was terrified on the spot, never expecting that his master's family would have such an audacious secret.

After Zuo Yuncheng's grandfather's funeral, the old steward found an excuse to retire and return to his hometown, leaving in haste.

"At first, Zuo Yuncheng's father was so alarmed by the sudden discovery of the secret that he had no time to think about anything else. After calming down a bit, he realized that the old steward's departure was suspicious."

They sent people to his hometown to search for him, only to find that after returning home, he had disappeared without a trace.

An elderly person should return to their roots, so why wouldn't they dare to go back to their hometown unless something extremely serious happens?

Zuo Yuncheng's father immediately realized that the biggest secret of the Zuo family that he had just learned had probably been leaked. He sent people to search, but they couldn't find it anywhere. He was filled with frustration and helplessness!

"I am the commander," said the constable.

"And Zuo Yuncheng's father did not have the astonishing ambition of Zuo Yuncheng's grandfather to seek immense wealth and even the title of marquis."

At that time, our Great Zhao had almost pacified the world and completely established its rule over the Central Plains.

He felt as if this was a sword hanging over his entire family, the seed that could bring about their annihilation at any moment.

Nothing is more important than the Zuo family bloodline continuing peacefully.

In addition, Zuo Yuncheng was young at the time but had extraordinary talent and had already achieved great martial arts skills, with a bright future ahead of him.

After much deliberation, Zuo's father ultimately decided not to pass on the troublesome incantation to his son. With his death, the Zuo family's tradition of passing down the incantation about maps was completely severed.

Li Fudao said, "However, there are still oral traditions circulating outside the Zuo family."

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