Chapter 673: Chaoge’s Ninefold Gates

Whumpf!

Two rows of enormous brass horns sounded simultaneously, causing Li Banfeng's heart to tremble.

Li Banfeng had seen instruments like these brass horns on television; their sound was deep, majestic, and highly ceremonial. However, the fact that these horns could produce such a powerful sound without anyone playing them truly astonished Li Banfeng.

These brass horns were alive; they could walk, move, and produce sound on their own. Upon entering the first gate of Chaoge, they replaced white horses, lining the path to welcome Li Qi and his entourage.

Li Qi quietly asked Shaou-jun, “Can these brass horns fight?”

Luo Shaou-jun wiggled her antennae. “Yes, their sound can shatter internal organs.”

First, there were those that could run, and next, those that could fight. The procession prepared by Qiao Yi forced Li Banfeng to heighten his guard. However, this procession also demonstrated Qiao Yi's power; creating such a grand display in Chaoge indicated Qiao Yi's extremely high status in Dashang.

Inside the first city gate, factories stood in abundance, a scene somewhat similar to Wubian City. However, while most of the workers in Wubian City were serfs, Chaoge differed. Li Banfeng saw no serfs, but rather a large number of machines operating autonomously.

There were no people in the factories, no one in the coal yards, and no residential buildings visible within the city walls. Luo Shaou-jun lowered her voice and said to Li Banfeng, “Those factories are people; they are considered commoners!” Li Banfeng suddenly understood. He recalled the Ruirong Textile Mill, where the centipede workshop could operate independently with extremely high efficiency.

After passing through the second city gate, the number of large factories gradually decreased, while small workshops became more prevalent. There were those firing ceramics, embroidering, and carving. These small workshops were all operating, but without people; the work was done entirely by machines.

One sewing machine was particularly unique: it sewed clothes while embroidering, at an astonishing speed. In a flash, it sewed over a dozen garments, each with a unique embroidered pattern. Banfeng Yi watched by the wall for a long time, genuinely captivated by the sewing machine. “See that? This is different from the machine embroidery in the outer provinces. These embroideries contain significant artistic value.” Banfeng Bing scoffed, “Why look at that? Can that sewing machine be oiled? Can you withstand that machine if it starts running?”

The other shadows were also busy, either clinging to walls or lying on the ground, observing the conditions in the streets and alleys as they moved through the ambient light. What was the origin of those working in these streets and alleys? Were they serfs from Puoluo Province, or native serfs of Dashang? This remained unknown.

Upon entering the third gate, the city's scenery noticeably changed. Initially, Li Banfeng thought the buildings were just denser, but after walking for a while, he realized they had not only become denser but also smaller. Along both sides of the streets were teahouses, taverns, and restaurants. These places clearly did not cater to ordinary people from the inner provinces. Judging by the size of the teahouses, Luo Yanjun would have difficulty entering without transforming. These establishments only served the Dashang royalty, the Three-Headed people. Although the Three-Headed people were tall, their stature differed greatly from other inner-province inhabitants. The overall dimensions of these buildings, however, were closer to those in Puoluo Province.

The honor guard turned right at the end of the road. Luo Lijun said, “That's Hanmo Garden. Although it's also a royal garden, this place is a bit... subpar.” By ‘subpar,’ she didn't mean Hanmo Garden's environment was poor, but rather that Luo Lijun felt its status was too low. Since Li Banfeng had come to the Dashang Kingdom as the Crown Prince of Puoluo Province, he should have been received within the fifth gate, not had the meeting arranged at the third gate.

Luo Shaou-jun didn't think so. How much better could the fifth gate be? How much worse could the third gate be? If things turned sour later, being able to escape was the priority. The third gate was a shorter distance and definitely easier to navigate than the fifth.

Hanmo Garden, a royal garden built by a lake, featured peach, apricot, bamboo, and plum groves along its shores. Due to special techniques, these four groves remained evergreen year-round. Dashang royalty often gathered here to compose poetry, engage in literary pursuits, and study calligraphy and painting, making it a frequent haunt for scholars.

Qiao Yi greeted them at the entrance of Hanmo Garden and invited Li Qi's group into the apricot grove, where a banquet had already been prepared. “Your Highness Li Qi, you've had a difficult journey. We have been awaiting your arrival for a long time.” Zhu Jin, Qiao Yi, and Xie Gong, their faces full of smiles, bowed to Li Banfeng with clasped fists. Li Banfeng returned the bow, saying, “Thank you for waiting so long.”

Zhu Jin glanced at Xie Gong, feeling a slight displeasure towards Li Qi. "We said 'awaiting your arrival for a long time,' and he merely replied 'thank you for waiting so long,' without any additional courtesies." Qiao Yi, however, didn't seem to mind. In the apricot grove, the apricot blossoms were in full bloom. Though their fragrance was faint, its exceptionally pure and light quality lifted spirits and somewhat eased strained nerves.

Both sides took their seats, hosts and guests. On the hosts' side, the principal seats were naturally occupied by Qiao Yi, Zhu Jin, and Xie Gong. The secondary seats were also taken by royals, all important figures of the peace faction. On the guests' side, Li Qi occupied the principal seat, and chairs were also placed for the second and third seats.

The awkwardness lay with the chairs. Luo Lijun and Luo Shaou-jun, two large pond snails, couldn't sit on chairs. Qiao Yi was clearly being deliberate. For Luo Lijun and Luo Shaou-jun to sit, they would have to transform. If they didn't, standing beside Li Qi in their snail forms would create an extremely awkward scene. Luo Lijun was still hesitant, but Luo Shaou-jun didn't overthink it. She immediately transformed into human form, placed her shell behind her, and sat on the chair. Regardless of whether they were Three-Headed people or One-Headed people, all the main guests and hosts in this grove were in human form. The presence of two pond snails would appear awkward. Seeing this, Luo Lijun also had no choice but to transform. Once both sides were seated, two cameras moved forward on their own—one to take photos, the other to record video. A phonograph also began engraving a disc, recording audio simultaneously.

Qiao Yi spoke first: “Your Highness has not shied from hardship, coming here to cease hostilities. This sincerity greatly impresses me, Qiao Yi.” Upon hearing this, Luo Lijun was stunned for a long time. Weren't they supposed to discuss the new monarch's succession today? Wasn't it about how to restore the Luo family's standing? How did it become peace talks here? Luo Shaou-jun also didn't know how to respond. Both looked towards Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng nodded and said, “It's good not to fight.”

Hearing this, Qiao Yi immediately raised his cup: “Years of warfare have caused the people of Puoluo to suffer greatly. This gathering today is truly a blessing for the people of Puoluo.” Li Banfeng raised his cup and said, “And also a blessing for the people of Dashang.” Zhu Jin frowned slightly upon hearing this, displeased that Dashang and Puoluo were equated. Qiao Yi maintained his smile and drained his cup. Li Banfeng poured the wine into his wine gourd; even if it was poisoned, the gourd could neutralize it. His movements were so quick that everyone present thought he had drunk the wine.

Next, Qiao Yi, following his prepared strategy, began to enumerate the benefits of peace, continually emphasizing his pro-peace stance. Li Banfeng responded calmly, as if he too had come for peace talks, seemingly just as well-prepared as Qiao Yi. Luo Lijun kept watching Li Banfeng, unable to discern his true intentions. Li Banfeng ignored Luo Lijun; he had many things to attend to now.

His shadows were moving across the ground, occasionally reporting their findings to him. The Judge's Brush was busy inside Li Banfeng's sleeve, recording the conversation on-site to prepare for any eventualities.

Banfeng Bing moved through the peach grove. He saw many lizards, armed with various weapons, arrayed in formation within the grove. Banfeng Ding returned from the plum grove and met up with Banfeng Bing. “There are also soldiers in the plum grove; they're bats, fighting from the sky. We might be at a disadvantage since only Old Jia can fly.” Banfeng Wu also returned: “In the bamboo grove, there are Three-Headed people, some painting, some playing chess. Their posture doesn't suggest they're preparing for battle.” Banfeng Ding said, “If they're not fighting, why are they here? A spring outing? There's something big happening here; don't they know?” Banfeng Bing said, “I'll tell Old Jia about this first, then you two go further out.” Banfeng Wu said, “Let's not go too far. It's best if we stay in the groves and keep watch. I'm afraid they might make a move at any time.” Banfeng Ding nodded. “You're right. The Earthly Branch crew is outside the garden; let them investigate if anything happens.”

Outside Hanmo Garden, Banfeng Yin walked several streets, observing many soldiers ambushing in various streets and alleys. Whose forces were these ambushing? Most likely Qiao Yi's ambush. Were they specifically for Old Jia? Such a large formation seemed unnecessary, didn't it? Could these forces be prepared for someone else? Full of questions, Banfeng Yin took out Luo Lijun's hand-drawn map and meticulously noted the positions of the ambushers. The number of hidden troops was quite large and their positions were scattered. Banfeng Yin, worried he couldn't remember them all, searched for companions.

In an alley, Banfeng Yin saw Banfeng Wu listening to a storyteller in a teahouse. The storyteller was an old gentleman, seemingly around seventy, with a powerful voice and humorous, witty remarks. Laughter and cheers from the audience surged like waves. Unlike other inner-province creatures, this old gentleman had the appearance of a human. It was unclear whether he had transformed or always looked this way. Banfeng Wu lay flat on the ground, listening with great relish.

Banfeng Yin lay on the ground, moved closer to Banfeng Wu, and quietly asked, “You're in good spirits. What are we here for?” Banfeng Wu replied, “I wasn't slacking off. There's something in this teahouse.” “What is it?” “I overheard guests discussing that this old gentleman has never been here before; today is his first time storytelling in this teahouse.” “Is that important?” Banfeng Wu added, “On the second floor of the teahouse, many people are ambushed. Like the old gentleman, they are all in proper human form. Their origins might not be simple.”

Banfeng Yin pondered for a moment. “What do you think their origins are?” Banfeng Wu said, “I suspect they might be from Puoluo Province, similar to Chu Shaoqiang's background.” If that were true, this group should not be underestimated.

Banfeng Yin whispered, “You keep an eye on things here. I'll go look around.” Banfeng Wu said, “Don't wander around. Quickly send a message to Old Jia. This third city gate is a dragon's den and a tiger's lair. If we wait for them to make a move, we won't be able to get out!”

Banfeng Yin left the teahouse and headed back to Hanmo Garden to deliver a message to Li Banfeng. On the way, he encountered Banfeng Chou. Banfeng Chou had also discovered many hidden troops. He handed his own drawn map to Banfeng Yin: “Give all this information to Old Jia. I'm going to check out the fourth gate.” “A-Chou, please be very careful.” Banfeng Chou was somewhat displeased: “I've changed my name to Banfeng Jun. Don't call me A-Chou anymore!”

Reaching the fourth gate, Banfeng Chou pressed himself against the ground, blending with pedestrians to slip inside the city gate. Unlike the bustling atmosphere of the third gate, the fourth gate area was very quiet, consisting mostly of residences. The mansions were very opulent, but not particularly large. Occasionally, Three-Headed people entered and exited, their clothing meticulously crafted from fine materials. This was likely the royal family's residential area. Banfeng Chou muttered to himself, “The houses here aren't that great.”

In recent days, based on the accounts of the Luo sisters, Li Banfeng had confirmed one thing: in Dashang, the royal family was the highest-ranking nobility. No matter how high a marquis's status, it could not surpass that of an ordinary member of the royal family. However, judging by the scale of the residences, the living conditions of the royal family members dwelling within the fourth gate did not seem comparable to a regional marquis like Luo Lijun. “Not only are their living conditions not great,” Banfeng Mao suddenly appeared, startling Banfeng Chou, “their food isn't that good either. It's barely enough to fill them up. If you convert their meals into the value of outer province oil and coal, it's probably not much different from the gentry of Wubian City.” Banfeng Chou analyzed, “Could it be due to food scarcity in Chaoge?” Banfeng Mao shook his head. “I don't think so. I estimate that those living here are fringe members of the royal family. The core royal figures don't live here. If we want to gather useful information, we need to look inside the fifth gate.” Banfeng Chou said, “What are we waiting for then? Let's go to the fifth gate!” Banfeng Mao said, “Don't rush. The fifth gate isn't easy to get through. The previous gates weren't strictly guarded, but at the fifth gate, there will be multiple layers of inspection. I expect the situation inside to be quite different and certainly involve some secrets.” Banfeng Chou chuckled, “If you can't get in, just wait here at the fourth gate. You can't blame others for your own lack of skill.” Banfeng Mao retorted angrily, “I'm being honest with you, pouring out my heart, and you're so annoying!”

Following the map, Banfeng Chou walked alone to the vicinity of the fifth gate, where he vaguely heard some quarreling. “Lord Jia commanded the Heavenly Stem Army to hold fast inside the garden and the Earthly Branch Army to scout outside. Why are you here then?” This was Banfeng Zi. “Lord Jia, you say? Why don't you call him a pimp? Where I come is none of your business!” This was Banfeng Yi. Banfeng Chou ignored the two of them and glanced towards the fifth gate. Hundreds of guards stood before the gate, interspersed with numerous machines. It would indeed be difficult to sneak in. Banfeng Yi was still arguing with Banfeng Zi. The more they argued, the angrier Banfeng Zi became, his voice trembling slightly: “You scoundrel, you're overstepping your bounds!” Banfeng Yi snorted, “I'm too lazy to bicker with you. It's almost time; I need to enter the city gate!” He had the presence of mind to argue with Banfeng Zi because the fifth gate was heavily guarded, making it difficult to force entry. Just then, two teams of guards were changing shifts. Banfeng Yi seized the opportunity, lay flat on the ground, and dashed directly through the fifth gate. He succeeded, but Banfeng Chou dared not move; he lacked Banfeng Yi's agility. Banfeng Yi had a high level of mastery in traveling techniques. When fighting for his life, he could even keep up with Old Jia's speed. Banfeng Chou's speed was far inferior. He could only go to Banfeng Zi to discuss: “Brother Zi, let's figure out a way to get across too.” Banfeng Zi pondered for a moment and said, “The sage said, 'A man should rely on his own efforts.'” Banfeng Chou was taken aback. What did that mean? The meaning was simple: Banfeng Zi didn't want to help him. Before the two teams of guards completed their handover, Banfeng Zi hugged the ground and slipped into the fifth gate. Banfeng Zi had a high level of mastery in dwelling techniques, possessing an excellent talent for being overlooked. He simply blended in amidst the chaos. Both of them were in. What would Banfeng Chou do? Force his way in or blend in? Banfeng Mao walked up from behind and snorted, “Out of options now, aren't you? What makes you think you're better than me? Just stay here at the fourth gate; maybe you'll find something.” Banfeng Chou looked around: “This is just a residential area. What good is waiting here?”

Banfeng Zi entered the fifth gate, and the place was indeed different. There were many government offices here, some of which Banfeng Zi recognized. “This is the Ministry of Personnel building, and ahead is the Ministry of Rites building. Dashang's dynasty has seen many changes; the Three Departments and Six Ministries are also in use here...” Banfeng Yi moved closer and asked Banfeng Zi, “You're well-read. What is that place called Wenyuan Pavilion for?” Banfeng Zi glanced at Banfeng Yi: “Why are you always following me?” Banfeng Yi grew annoyed: “What kind of talk is that? What do you mean I'm following you? Do you own Chaoge? We're going our separate ways, aren't we just running into each other?” Banfeng Zi didn't want to engage with Banfeng Yi: “You act recklessly. I have an important mission; don't get me involved.” Banfeng Yi impatiently said, “Don't worry, I won't hinder your work. Just tell me what Wenyuan Pavilion is for. If you know, say so; if not, forget it.” Banfeng Zi looked towards Wenyuan Pavilion. Compared to the surrounding government offices, Wenyuan Pavilion was indeed striking: tiered eaves connected, dougong brackets interwoven, vermillion walls, and a lintel carved with dragons and phoenixes, giving it a palatial grandeur. A team of soldiers patrolled around Wenyuan Pavilion: leopards, gray wolves, and jackals, all with agile physiques. Banfeng Zi pondered for a long time: “Wenyuan Pavilion is a place for storing books, but what kind of books are so precious that they require so many guards?” “What books?” Banfeng Yi whispered. “I need to go inside and see.” Banfeng Zi asked in surprise, “What would you go in there to see? You're not someone who loves reading!” Banfeng Yi snorted, “Only you know how to read! When Old Jia was tutoring Zhang Xiuling, you were pacing frantically, practically trying to pin her to the desk.” Banfeng Zi angrily retorted, “How can you slander my good name!” Banfeng Yi carefully observed the layout of Wenyuan Pavilion and said to Banfeng Zi, “I just saw an old friend of ours circle Wenyuan Pavilion several times. I suspect there's something good inside.” Banfeng Zi was startled. “How old a friend?” Banfeng Yi chuckled, “This friend goes way back. I'm going in to see what he's up to.”

In a small alley beside Wenyuan Pavilion, He Jiaqing took three palm-sized pouches from his sleeve and shook them out. Whoosh! A sound. The three pouches expanded. Each could hold at least a twenty-pound watermelon. However, what was inside was not watermelons, but extremely important items that He Jiaqing had kept hidden in his sleeve throughout his journey. The reason he took them out outside Wenyuan Pavilion was that these three pouches made some noise when expanding and contracting, and even that small sound could potentially lead to He Jiaqing's demise. He Jiaqing had suffered losses at Wenyuan Pavilion before; this time, he had to be extra cautious. He carried the three pouches on his back, scaled the wall, and entered Wenyuan Pavilion. Outside Wenyuan Pavilion, one team of guards patrolled, and another patrolled inside. Despite two teams of guards, not a single person detected He Jiaqing's presence. This was the thieving technique “Scaling Walls and Crossing Houses.” From the moment he went over the wall, He Jiaqing's body merged with his surroundings, leaving no trace and making no sound.

Wenyuan Pavilion had three main pavilions and over twenty smaller ones. The smaller pavilions housed miscellaneous folk books. Of the three main pavilions, the first stored enduring classics, and the second, royal books. These books were all of extremely high value, but they were not He Jiaqing's target. He Jiaqing's target was the third pavilion. This pavilion had two floors: the first housed many forbidden magical arts, and the second contained numerous forbidden formations. He Jiaqing wished to avoid both of these floors. He wanted to go to an unnamed place between the first and second floors. The entrance to this unnamed place was behind the third row of bookshelves, impossible for ordinary people to find. The first time He Jiaqing came to Wenyuan Pavilion, he spent three full days staking out the pavilion before he found the entrance. But today he wouldn't need to search; he remembered the entrance's location. The key issue was to open the lock to the entrance. He had opened the lock once before, but his carelessness when stealing the covenant scrolls exposed his whereabouts. Wenyuan Pavilion, knowing something was missing, would naturally have replaced the lock. This time, he would definitely have to pick a new lock. Although He Jiaqing also had lock-picking tools, they were no match for the Green Water Beggar's bowl. This lock-picking task would require some effort. His luck today was quite good. The lock He Jiaqing encountered was of a very special design, called the Nine-Turn Throat Lock, a type of extremely difficult lock to open. However, He Jiaqing happened to have specifically studied the mechanism of the Nine-Turn Throat Lock with Laughing Thousand Hands, and combined with his specially made ring, he opened the lock in less than ten minutes.

Upon entering the unnamed place, He Jiaqing continued to maintain the “Scaling Walls and Crossing Houses” technique. This technique was very demanding, but He Jiaqing dared not relax even a little, because in the dark dimensional space, two Three-Headed people were patrolling between the bookshelves. Inside the unnamed place, six bookshelves were arranged, each filled with covenant scrolls belonging to the Earth Gods of new territories. Before, these were minor tasks; now, it was time for a major one. These bookshelves were riddled with mechanisms. An accidental touch could alert the two guards. This was where his skill would be tested. He had to be quick, taking the covenant scrolls from the shelves at top speed while the two guards were elsewhere. His movements had to be light. He absolutely could not touch the mechanisms on the bookshelves. Once the two guards were alerted, they would seal the main entrance to the unnamed place from the inside, and He Jiaqing would be trapped. This time, he needed to take thirty covenant scrolls in total. He remembered the thirty names very clearly, and he also clearly remembered the arrangement pattern of the covenant scrolls in Wenyuan Pavilion. Before coming, he had calculated the positions of all the covenant scrolls and even set up an identical book pavilion in Green Water City, where he practiced countless times. He employed the thieving technique “Spotless,” and in a flash, took Chu Yaoxian's covenant scroll from the bookshelf. It truly was “spotless”; even the dust on the bookshelf remained in its original place, undisturbed. But it wasn't over. With one covenant scroll missing, there was now a gap on the shelf. He Jiaqing had been discovered by guards previously because he overlooked this detail, nearly losing his life. Now, he had learned his lesson. He immediately put the stolen covenant scroll into his pouch, and at the same time, took out a forged Chu Yaoxian covenant scroll from the pouch and placed it back on the shelf. This scroll was a forgery he made. Although it didn't function as a true covenant scroll, its appearance was indistinguishable from one. The forgery had even been aged, making it almost impossible to spot any flaws. He Jiaqing also remembered the positions of the fake covenant scrolls in his pouch very clearly. With extremely swift movements, he successively swapped three scrolls, placing them all into the first pouch. He tied the pouch closed, slung it behind his back, and carefully bypassed the approaching Three-Headed patrols, moving to another row of bookshelves. On this row of bookshelves, He Jiaqing collected five more covenant scrolls. Moving to the row behind, he collected two more. The true covenant scrolls were heavy. The first pouch, having collected ten scrolls, was already at its limit; any more would burst it. He Jiaqing tied the pouch closed, set the first pouch aside, then put down the second pouch and swapped two more scrolls on this shelf. The patrolling Three-Headed people were approaching. He Jiaqing was about to move when he suddenly saw a shadow on the ground, holding a pouch, quickly moving away from him. What was happening? He Jiaqing was greatly alarmed. Had a Shadow Cultivator come in to steal his business? How did that Shadow Cultivator get in? Through the “Form and Shadow United” technique? How could He Jiaqing let someone else take the covenant scrolls he had worked so hard to acquire? He rushed forward to retrieve the scrolls, but saw the shadow, holding the pouch, running towards the guards. What did this mean? Was this shadow insane? The shadow's intention was very clear. “If you keep chasing me, I'll call the guards, and we'll both be trapped here together!”