Tianlu Year 32, Northern Commandery Directorate.
In the third month of spring, the willows sprouted, and all things began to grow. The golden sunlight fell warmly upon the body, enough to dispel the cold of the entire winter.
However, in the entire Yanjing City, the Northern Commandery Directorate was perhaps the coldest and darkest place, for this was the headquarters of the Imperial Guard.
Xue Ling wore a Flying Fish Robe that did not quite fit, and the dragon fish on the robe churned within the sea of clouds.
The young woman lowered her head, listening to the lecture from the man behind the official desk. With her head bowed, her face was obscured, leaving only her long, silky black hair draped down.
In the third month of spring, the young woman was still dressed somewhat thinly, and her clothes were not a very good fit.
"On the eighth day of the last month of the lunar year, the Beehive assassinated our Ministry of Revenue's Vice Minister, Zhou Haitian. His Majesty was enraged and ordered us to solve the case within three months. Today is already the second day of the third month." The man behind the official desk wore a Douniu Suit, his presence majestic and imposing: "Do you have any suggestions?"
"This subordinate is willing to lead a team to exterminate the Beehive. I ask for Lord Lü Yuan's permission." Xue Ling raised her head, revealing a beautiful and resolute face.
"You?" Lü Yuan looked at Xue Ling and smiled: "For the past three months, my entire Imperial Guard has turned the whole world upside down and found nothing. You, a mere Xue Ling, dare to boast that you can lead a team and capture them easily?"
"Are you trying to show that you, Xue Ling, have supernatural powers?"
"Or are you trying to show that my Imperial Guard is incompetent?"
If an ordinary person had been hit with these two accusations, they would have already knelt, but Xue Ling still stood straight: "This subordinate would not dare."
"Kneel!" Lü Yuan shouted loudly.
Xue Ling bit her lips lightly but did not kneel.
"You don't think," Lü Yuan began, his voice laced with a hint of chill: "that Lord Xue Ping will still back you up, do you?"
"Kneel!"
Xue Ling clenched her hands and said with her head lowered: "My father is dead, but I am still a sixth-rank Commander of the Imperial Guard. I was granted this Flying Fish Robe by His Majesty, and I only kneel when meeting the Emperor."
She would rather wear the Flying Fish Robe here to maintain that last shred of dignity, but the man before her wanted to throw her to the ground and trample upon it.
"Good! Good! Good!" Lü Yuan said the word "good" three times in a row.
"Xue Ping was rebellious and actually dared to ask His Majesty to grant a woman like you a Flying Fish Robe and the rank of Imperial Guard Commander. Now that Xue Ping is dead, do you think this skin can still protect you?"
Xue Ling kept her head low: "Please, Lord Lu, inform His Majesty to strip me of my official rank and robe."
Lü Yuan laughed out loud: "You really refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit."
"I may not be able to strip you of your official rank and robe, but you still have to obey orders from your superiors, right?"
"Imperial Guard Commander Xue Ling, obey the order!"
Xue Ling had no choice but to kneel respectfully, looking up at the triumphant man before her.
"After three months of arduous investigation, we believe the Beehive has a tight structure and many connections, so we cannot act rashly. Therefore, we have decided to send a secret sentry into the interior of the Beehive to coordinate from the inside and outside, and defeat them in one fell swoop."
"Xue Ling, as an Imperial Guard Commander, and also a woman—a fact you have kept secret—you are one of the best candidates for a secret sentry."
"Are you willing to take on this heavy responsibility?"
Xue Ling was incredulous: "I..."
In that instant, the young woman was overwhelmed with mixed emotions; she had not expected to receive such a bizarre mission.
"Are you willing?" Lü Yuan repeated.
Xue Ling lowered her head.
"This subordinate is willing."
..
..
March 15th, east of Luocheng.
It was still spring, and the bluestone street was already bustling with crowds, with hawking sounds heard from time to time. Xue Ling had long since taken off the Flying Fish Robe; it was a ceremonial dress that no one would wear ordinarily. With no one at home, if it were stolen, it would be a grave crime.
Xue Ling had originally wanted to pawn the Flying Fish Robe, as she did not have much silver left. She had not expected that as soon as the pawnshop accountant saw a corner of the Flying Fish Robe, he would scramble to his knees, begging for mercy. Xue Ling had no choice but to say "sorry, I went to the wrong place."
She could only turn back, bring the Flying Fish Robe home, dig a hole in the courtyard under that large Poplar Tree, and bury the box containing the robe.
That night, she watched the stars from the Poplar Tree all night long.
She thought of her parents all night.
Although Yanjing was large, there was no place for her. Lü Yuan's arrangement was intended to let her die here in a "justified" way, because given her late father's reputation, who in the Imperial Guard would dare to openly harm her?
This was a Scheme of Borrowing a Knife to Kill, yet she had no choice but to walk right into the Net.
The young woman looked up and saw the plaque of the inn in front of her, which bore the four large characters "Xiao Hun Inn".
The young woman could not help but burst into a giggle.
Those who knew would think it was an inn; those who didn't would think it was a brothel.
Thinking this, Xue Ling adjusted the pack on her back and walked through the doors of Xiao Hun Inn.
"Miss, how many are in your party?" As soon as she entered, Xue Ling heard a gentle, clean voice ask her, completely lacking the worldly air of an ordinary Waiter. Xue Ling looked up and saw a delicate youth standing before her, his eyes covered by a black cloth, looking at her as he asked.
This person was clearly blind, so how did he know she was a "Miss"?
Xue Ling decided not to think about that question.
"Just one, bring tea."
"May I ask what tea you would like?" the youth asked.
"Two taels of Mingqian Longjing, two taels of Xinyang Maojian, two taels of Lushan Cloud Mist, and two taels of Yunnan Pu'er," Xue Ling said crisply.
"I will go brew it for you right away." The Waiter turned to head to the inner room, not even asking how one person could finish so much tea.
"Wait," Xue Ling called out to him: "I also want a bottle of Huadiao, a bottle of Shaodaozi Liquor, a bottle of Zhuyeqing Liquor, and a bottle of Xinghua Village Fenjiu."
The Waiter looked at Xue Ling: "May I ask the young lady's surname?"
"My surname is Lin," Xue Ling said.
"That is quite a lot of tea and liquor. Could I ask Miss Lin to come to the back and give me a hand?" the Waiter said.
His words were gentle and calm, with no aggression at all.
Xue Ling had been waiting for these words, so she immediately rose from her seat: "Let's go."
Although Xiao Hun Inn was called Xiao Hun Inn, it was actually just an ordinary inn. Only the first floor had tables for selling liquor and food, while the second floor was mostly Guest Rooms. Behind the main hall of the inn were the kitchen and the quarters for the helpers.
And now, Xue Ling was led by the Waiter all the way to a small room. Xue Ling could see a small bed covered with coarse linen sheets in the room, as well as paper and brushes on the table beside the bed.
This seemed to be the Waiter's room, but—this room did not have the clutter and foul odor of an ordinary man's room; instead, it was clean and carried a faint, indescribable fragrance.
A scent between mint and lemon.
However, in the next instant, Xue Ling felt a shining Dagger pressed against her throat. The Waiter held the blade in one hand, pinning Xue Ling against the wall, while his voice remained lazy and listless.
There was not a hint of surprise, either.
"Let me introduce myself. I am Fang Bie, affiliated with the Beehive. Currently, I am a Wood Bee Bee Sting without a Bee Wing."
"May I ask."
"Are you my Bee Wing?"
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