Chapter 1009: Chen Jianchou

The Chen family, as the royal house of the Yu Kingdom, had flourished for generations. Thus, it had grown into a vast lineage.

Strictly speaking, Chen Jianchou was a member of the royal family, belonging to the same generation as Princess Chen Jianqiu. The Chief Deputy Chen Shuhua was from the Shu generation above them.

However, the royal bloodline was so sprawling that distant branches enjoyed little privilege. They still had to make their own way in the world. Their only advantage was probably having a few more connections than the common folk, but not much more.

Thus, there was an enormous gap between Chen Jianqiu and Chen Jianchou. The former, as the King’s daughter, was a Commandery Princess formally ennobled by the Great Xuan Court, while the latter was only a low-ranking military officer, so obscure that the princess herself might not even know he existed.

Ordinarily, a common military officer could never meddle in affairs touching the royal family’s private secrets. But Xu Jiaorong’s suggestion to use Chen Jianchou made perfect sense, since he served in the Green Phoenix Guard.

This Green Phoenix Guard was not the same as the one from the Great Xuan Empire.

Since the Wei Dynasty had briefly ruled Poluo, the Yu Kingdom had modeled much of its administration after the former, including its offices and titles. Naturally, this included the famous Green Phoenix Guard.

One could say Poluo had always followed in the wake of the Central Plains.

The Green Phoenix Guard had two main duties—intelligence gathering and royal protection. During the Wei Dynasty, the Green Phoenix Guard was also known as the Imperial Guards.

In the Yu Kingdom, the Green Phoenix Guards also served as the King’s personal army.

For that reason, many distant royal relatives were assigned to the Green Phoenix Guard. They lacked succession rights, but they were still of royal blood, which made them loyal and reliable choices.

Chen Jianchou was one such man currently serving as a fourth-rank Commander Adjutant.

The status of the Green Phoenix Guard in the Great Xuan Court had been downgraded, with its highest officer at the third rank.

The Yu Kingdom, however, retained the old hierarchy of the Wei Dynasty’s Green Phoenix Guard. Its highest-ranking officer was a lower first-rank Left Commander-in-Chief, followed by two upper second-rank Right Commanders-in-Chief, lower second-rank Deputy Commanders-in-Chiefs, upper third-rank Commanders-in-Chief Adjutant. These commanders were each assisted by lower third-rank Deputy Commanders and upper-fourth rank Commander Adjutants.

The title of fourth-rank Commander Adjutant sounded impressive, but rank meant little without context. A fourth rank in the Yu Kingdom could not compare to that of the Great Xuan Court or the Daoist Order.

When Qi Xuansu departed Sheji Palace aboard his flying ship to begin his half-month tour of the prefectures, all eyes turned toward the newly appointed Second Deputy. People speculated endlessly about where this rising young reformist would go first? Would he launch a sudden inspection or go in disguise? Across Poluo, officials pored over maps, tightening their vigilance as though preparing for an ambush.

Even the Mansion Master Wang Jiaohe kept a wary eye on Qi Xuansu’s movements, ordering his subordinates to put on a flawless show of diligence and order.

At such a time, no one spared a glance for a small, obscure figure like Chen Jianchou.

When Xu Jiaorong summoned him, Chen Jianchou was completely bewildered.

His mother had died in childbirth, and his father was a military officer who died in battle while suppressing a tribal rebellion. At that time, Chen Jianchou was only 12. By sheer chance, he met Xu Jiaorong, and under her protection, he avoided being kicked out by greedy relatives who sought to seize his inheritance.

Chen Jianchou was diligent and curious, well-versed in Daoist scriptures and Confucian classics. He once aspired to join the Daoist Order, but his thinking was deemed too Confucian, so he failed the selection.

Later, through Xu Jiaorong’s recommendation, he entered the Green Phoenix Guard of the Yu Kingdom. Throughout his youth, she had supported him, financially and otherwise. So Xu Jiaorong was like a mother to him, and he obeyed her without question.

In a sense, Chen Jianchou’s relationship with Xu Jiaorong mirrored that between Qi Xuansu and Madam Qi.

Due to Xu Jiaorong’s sensitive position, Chen Jianchou rarely saw her, usually only during holidays or annual festivals. So when she suddenly called for him out of the blue, he was understandably puzzled. However, he figured she must have something serious to discuss.

Naturally, their meeting was not within Sheji Palace, but in a tavern in Thanglong Prefecture, a place Chen Jianchou frequented. It happened to be the very spot where they had first met years ago.

Inside a private room, Xu Jiaorong lifted her cup with a smile. “I still remember the first time I saw you—a small boy pretending to drown his sorrows in wine, trying to imitate the grown-ups. It was both amusing and endearing. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed. You’ve now grown into a man.”

Chen Jianchou blushed in embarrassment.

Xu Jiaorong raised her hand and set a privacy barrier around the room before she said, “I asked to meet you for a reason. There’s something I need you to handle for me.”

Chen Jianchou straightened his expression and said solemnly, “What is it, godmother?”

After a brief silence, Xu Jiaorong asked, “You’ve heard that the King has fallen ill, haven’t you?”

Chen Jianchou’s eyes widened in surprise.

He had indeed heard the rumors but had not taken them seriously. Now, hearing his godmother raise the matter so gravely, he was startled. Could there truly be something strange behind the King’s illness? If so, would it not hint at treason or even witchcraft?

Either way, it would be enough to shake the entire royal court.

Xu Jiaorong paused, then continued in a low, steady voice, “I suspect there’s more to it than it seems. I want you to look into the palace quietly and see if anything unusual has been happening.”

Chen Jianchou was even more astonished.

The Poluo Daoist Mansion had never involved itself in the royal affairs of the Yu Kingdom. The Great Sage disdained such petty politics, dismissing them as childish palace games. So as his secretary, Xu Jiaorong had never once meddled in such matters. For her to intervene personally now could only mean that something had gone wrong.

Seeing the look on his face, Xu Jiaorong continued calmly, “This matter also involves Chief Deputy Chen. Our ties are so entangled that even I cannot distinguish between friend and foe. So, I need you to investigate this in secret by yourself. Not a single word can be leaked.”

A storm surged within Chen Jianchou’s heart, but he straightened his posture and answered, “Understood.”

Xu Jiaorong lifted her cup and sipped the wine gracefully. Her movements were elegant and mesmerizing.

However, Chen Jianchou’s mind was in turmoil.

His godmother’s sudden concern with palace affairs and her claim that the King’s illness was suspicious could not be without cause. Now that it involved Chief Deputy Chen, the King’s sister, a dreadful possibility crossed his mind. This was not just palace games but a reflection of the hidden power struggles within the Poluo Daoist Mansion.

Setting her cup down, Xu Jiaorong sighed softly. “The world today looks peaceful on the surface, even the Fenglin Rebellion is nothing truly grave. But beneath the calm, undercurrents run deep. Whether the higher-ups strive diligently or rule by inaction, whether they are lenient or stern, it will not change the great tide. In the end, the outcome remains the same. Only those caught within the tide differ in their fates. Some will fall into ruin, some will lose their titles, some will lose both, and some will ride the waves and become the masters of the storm.”

Chen Jianchou was stunned, unsure how to respond to such bleak insight.

He could hear the melancholy beneath her words regarding the infighting among the three Daoist sects. This was perhaps an allusion to the troubled state of the Poluo Daoist Mansion.

𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Xu Jiaorong gathered herself, then said, “Let’s return to the topic. Find the cause of the Yu King’s illness. Though it seems like a simple task, there are just too many traps hidden underneath. I can tell you this much. This case involves Jade Capital’s Golden Tower Council Palace and the fate of countless lives in Poluo. The schemes within are unfathomable. One wrong step, and you’ll lose your life before you even realize it. So, I ask that you proceed with utmost caution.”

Chen Jianchou’s face turned solemn. “I will proceed with the utmost care.”

Xu Jiaorong rose from her seat. “You have half a month. No matter how much you uncover, you must report back to me by then. Remember, your own safety comes first.”

Chen Jianchou stood as well and bowed deeply. “Thank you for your concern, godmother.

I will give you a satisfactory answer.”

Xu Jiaorong glanced at him and said calmly, “If you do this well, it might earn you a place within the Daoist Order. As I said earlier, the great tide is already set, but the ending of each person is still unwritten. What fortune or destiny awaits you depends on your own choices.”

Chen Jianchou was shaken once again.

At the end, Xu Jiaorong handed him three concealment talismans that could completely conceal one’s presence. Unless the observer was a Zaohua-stage Heavenly Being, no one would detect even the faintest trace of the user’s presence.

These three talismans could be used for infiltration or for survival. It all depended on how he chose to use them.

After Xu Jiaorong departed, Chen Jianchou did not leave right away. He sat alone and sipped on his drink, slowly emptying the wine jar.

He had a foreboding feeling that he was being drawn into a whirlpool. A single misstep, and he would be dragged under and drowned. However, this was also his chance. As his godmother said, if he handled it well, he could rise in one leap. Perhaps that was precisely why she had chosen him for the task.

It was nearly dusk before Chen Jianchou finally left the tavern and returned to his quarters.

The next morning, he arrived at the Green Phoenix Guard Commander Office under the pretext of reviewing several archives for a case.

Since the Green Phoenix Guard was responsible for guarding the royal palace, they maintained detailed records of who entered and exited the palace. Thus, Chen Jianchou did not need to directly access the King’s medical files. By analyzing the frequency and timing of visits by Huasheng Hall Daoists and the royal physicians, he could infer the period when the King’s illness first began.

If he had gone straight for the King’s medical files, it would have immediately drawn attention. Before uncovering anything substantial, he would have alerted the mastermind behind this and been silently eliminated.

Soon, Chen Jianchou was able to make a rough deduction. The King’s discomfort seemed to have begun around the Shangyuan Festival. On the eve of the festival, the King had summoned a Daoist from Huasheng Hall for his first medical consultation within the palace.