eurekapd Chapter 256: Crisis Returns and the Search for the Truth (1)
Chapter 256: Crisis Returns and the Search for the Truth (1)
The peace in the palace is as fragile as thin ice. In recent days, it has been like a haze covering the sun, and a series of bizarre events have followed one after another.
Those precious cultural relics, which used to lie quietly under heavy guard, disappeared inexplicably without a trace. Each one is a rare treasure, priceless, carrying the rich history and exquisite craftsmanship of several dynasties; confidential documents, which were originally hidden deep in the secret room, with layers of protection and airtightness, were also quietly stolen. The contents involved were all core secrets such as the confidentiality of the court's defense, the weighing of officials' appointments and dismissals, etc., which concerned the foundation of the court and the safety of the country.
Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting stood side by side at the scene of the theft, their faces solemn and their brows furrowed.
Ling Xuan crouched down, his sharp eyes like torches, carefully examining the display case containing the artifacts. He saw that the lock had been opened with an extremely delicate and wonderful tool, and there was no trace of damage around the lock core, as if it had been gently caressed by an invisible pair of deft hands.
He said in a deep voice, "To be able to open the lock with such mysterious means is definitely not something an ordinary thief can do."
Yun Mengting nodded slightly, her beautiful eyes flickering as she glanced around warily. "Look at the scene around here. There's not even a trace of a struggle. The guards seem to be soundly asleep, completely unaware. This must be an organized and premeditated act."
The two were ordered to investigate the matter thoroughly, but as the investigation gradually deepened, they seemed to be trapped in a fog, and the more they explored, the more chaotic it became.
All signs indicate that behind these events, there is a huge and secretive organization, which is like a ghost in the dark night, quietly controlling everything.
This organization acts meticulously and rigorously, leaving no room for error. After each crime, they are able to cleverly erase all traces, like a breeze blowing across the water, without causing a ripple. This has repeatedly frustrated Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting's pursuit, as if they were trapped in a bush, with difficulty in taking a single step.
They noticed some clues that seemed to be related to the remnants of the emperor's uncle. However, every time they tried to follow these clues, the clues seemed to be suddenly cut off by an invisible big hand, and disappeared in the darkness in an instant, leaving them with only confusion and unwillingness.
During a difficult search for possible hiding places of stolen cultural relics, they stopped at an abandoned palace deep in the palace. This palace was gloomy and dilapidated, as if it had been forgotten by time. On weekdays, few people visited it, leaving only loneliness and desolation.
Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting, accompanied by a few trusted guards, cautiously entered this deadly place. The palace was filled with a rotten smell, like the smell of decay from time. Spider webs, like fine curtains, covered every corner, as if telling of the prosperity of the past and the loneliness of the present.
They searched everywhere, wary. Suddenly, Ling Xuan's eyes were drawn to a mural on a wall. He approached it for a closer look, keenly sensing something unusual. He reached out and gently touched the edge of the mural, a tiny crack quietly touching his fingertips.
He felt a stir in his heart, and he exchanged a glance with Yun Mengting. The tacit understanding they had shared for years instantly flowed through their minds. Together, they began searching for a way to unlock the mechanism, their eyes sharp, not missing a single detail.
After some patient searching, Ling Xuan found a small button at the base of a candlestick. Hidden in the candlestick's shadow, it seemed to be quietly waiting for someone to discover it. He took a deep breath and resolutely pressed the button.
There was only a low sound of mechanical operation, as if coming from ancient times. The mural slowly moved away, and a secret room hidden behind it appeared before the eyes.
The secret room was filled with a pungent smell of medicine, so strong that it made people feel nauseous.
The surroundings are filled with various traps. There are sharp spikes flashing with cold light that suddenly pop out from both sides of the wall, just like cold fangs, ready to bite people; and the stone slabs under your feet, which look ordinary, but actually contain mysteries. If you are not careful, the trap will be triggered, and you will fall into a bottomless pit in an instant, with no way out.
Ling Xuan was in front and Yun Mengting was behind. They carefully cracked the mechanism with their agility and extraordinary wisdom.
Ling Xuan held a long sword in his hand, the sword body trembling slightly, as if it was in tune with his thoughts. He gently pried the fuse of the mechanism in front of him. Every movement was extremely precise, as if he was playing a song of life and death on the strings of a guitar.
Yun Mengting was concentrating on observing the movements around her. Her eyes were like stars, guiding Ling Xuan in the direction, and she whispered reminders from time to time. The sound of her voice was like the sound of nature in the silent room, giving Ling Xuan endless strength and peace of mind.
After some difficult maneuvers, they finally succeeded in passing through the trap array, as if they had gone through a life-and-death test. Their clothes were soaked with sweat, but the determination and persistence in their eyes did not diminish.
Deep inside the secret room, they discovered some residual evidence, which pointed like sharp blades to a senior official in the court - Lord Li.
There were some transaction records related to stolen cultural relics, which seemed to have the seal of Lord Li, and the seal was particularly glaring in the dim light; there were also some letters mentioning the delivery of confidential documents, vaguely related to Lord Li, like an invisible silk thread trying to bind him tightly to sin.
However, Ling Xuan's brows furrowed as he looked at the evidence, his mind a thicket of doubts, like a tangled mess that was difficult to sort out. He said to Yun Mengting, "Mengting, I always feel that this matter is too strange.
Lord Li has been in the court for many years and has always acted with caution and composure. Although he possesses his own influence, his blatant involvement in these matters seems quite out of character. I suspect he's been framed, or perhaps a larger force is using him as a cover to achieve its own ulterior motives.
Yun Mengting pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "I feel the same way.
These pieces of evidence appear irrefutable, but are in fact riddled with holes. They appear so easily, as if someone has deliberately placed them before us, like false keys, leading us to this erroneous conclusion, while the truth behind them remains deeply buried.
So, they decided not to alert the enemy for the time being, but to conduct an in-depth investigation into the background of Lord Li.
Ling Xuan began to secretly monitor Lord Li's every move. He was like a shadow hidden in the darkness, quietly following Lord Li's whereabouts.
He found that Lord Li had been in a trance in recent days, often pacing in the mansion. His steps seemed to be filled with endless anxiety and hesitation, as if he was suffocating under an invisible burden.
Yun Mengting, through her connections in the palace, like a dense spider web, secretly investigated the people and forces that had dealings with Lord Li, not missing any possible clues.
After several days of hard investigation, they discovered that Lord Li had contact with a mysterious martial arts sect.
This sect is like a lone star hidden in the clouds in the martial arts world, little known to the public, but with strong financial resources and complex personal connections, there seems to be a powerful force behind it silently supporting it.
Ling Xuan decided to go deep into the martial arts world himself, like a fearless explorer, to find out the details of this sect.
He disguised himself, used an alias to sneak into the martial arts world, lived in the open air, and inquired about the news of this sect. Every clue was like a rare treasure to him, extremely precious.
In a remote town, Ling Xuan finally found some valuable clues. He learned that this sect was inextricably linked to a group of eunuchs who had once fallen from power in the palace, like an invisible chain tightly connecting the two.
This eunuch group was once extremely powerful and influential when the emperor's uncle was in power. Although they are suppressed now, they are still secretly planning a grand plan to return to the center of power in the palace. They are like a poisonous snake lurking in the dark, ready to bite anyone at any time.
Those bizarre events were a carefully orchestrated ploy to sow chaos in the palace and weaken the existing powers. They used some of Li's weaknesses, like a sharp sword hanging over their heads, to coerce him into participating in some of the events. Then, they deliberately left clues, like tempting traps, hoping to use Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting to eliminate Li, thus achieving their dual goal of killing two birds with one stone and clearing the way for their return to the pinnacle of power.
Ling Xuan hurried back to the palace with this news and discussed countermeasures with Yun Mengting.
Yun Mengting said: "Now that we know the truth, we must not let their conspiracy succeed.
We must first protect Lord Li's personal safety and protect him from persecution by treacherous individuals, and then strike a powerful blow against this eunuch group and the forces behind them, restoring order to the palace."