Chapter 144: Eavesdropping
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Gu Shenwei chastised himself harshly.
His family has laid dead for about two years, and he has stolen into Golden Roc Fort with the purpose of slaying the whole of the Supreme King's family. However, he has not killed a single master.
Amnesia quietly unleashed its prowess, as Gu Shenwei realized that he has gradually gotten used to the life of a killer. Kowtowing to his master, pandering to his master's interests, he has naturally placed the interests of Stone Castle first and just as Tie Hanfeng had said, "once you've gotten used to it, it no longer feels like a responsibility." However, a young man needs such a burden, for it is the sole purpose behind his existence.
He could not wait any longer for Peripheral Force, and the Death Scriptures reminded him of his impending death, and they left him less and less time.
Looking at the entire Gu family's demise from the perspective of a killer, the matter was definitely fishy.
For one, a problem lay with Golden Roc Fort. Gu Shenwei has stayed in the fort for slightly more than two years and has witnessed and heard of few assassinations. Most of them took place at Jade City, mainly for his own safety. Golden Roc Fort had an august reputation and was too prominent, while the killer's signatures were also too distinctive. Assassination could only be a trifling means, and could hardly pull the wool over people's eyes.
Golden Roc Fort was being transformed from an organization of killers into a local power and in the camp of New Moon Hall, Shangguan Nu seemed to be leading an army.
Gu Shenwei could not find the reason behind why Golden Roc Fort had slain the Central Plain's Gu family. From an outsider's perspective, this seemed like a trifling matter. However, Gu Shenwei had read so many materials, and he was well aware that over ten years ago this might have seemed like any run-of-the-mill assassination. However, to the Golden Roc Fort of today, this was definitely amiss.
And also, as for the Gu family, the more Gu Shenwei thought about it, the more he felt that his father Gu Lun's decision to travel for miles from the Central Plain to the Western region had not made sense. This was akin to sundering the many "ties" of the Gu family, which placed the family in mortal danger.
The facts had also proven that after the Gu Family's death, the only person who could right the injustice was Marshal Yang.
There was only one way to clear these doubts. Examining relevant books from two years ago, one might be able to find out who were the killers who joined in the operation, and what their motives were.
The historical data of the incumbent Supreme King have been stored in the Document Library of the Whiterobe Academy. Mister Guo is the chief of the Document Library, and it would be impossible for Gu Shenwei to gain any help from him.
Gu Shenwei devised a few plans which all revolved around bribing the handyman of the Document Library to smuggle a hand-copied manual out from the library. However, he quickly abandoned them as the motive behind this move would have been all too clear. Anyone would have suspected. He could also specify the months he wanted of the manuals, but a theft without any overall direction would also arise suspicion.
He decided to take a risk by taking things into his own hands.
Gu Shenwei had once worked at the Whiterobe Library's Archive Academy for a month as a handyman. So he knows the internal happenings of the academy and the rough location of the Document Library.
On the night of the assassination, Gu Shenwei explored the academy in the night. That thirst for revenge grew in him, and he could not wait a day any longer.
Long before his Internal Strength had leveled up, Gu Shenwei had been able to evade the night watchmen of the fort. Not forgetting how Whiterobe Academy's defenses are more strict than anywhere else, Gu Shenwei spent the first half of the night eavesdropping on the wall. After getting a clear sense of the watchmen's surveillance route, he flipped himself over the wall and entered.
The Document Library was one of the Whiterobe Academy's most important organizations, and it roughly occupied one whole row in the East wing room. However, its defenses are not strong. Behind locked doors, the window is only equipped with an inner partition, and Gu Shenwei could easily pry it open with a dagger.
Prying open the window was simple yet extremely dangerous. Gu Shenwei waited till the gongs sounded in the wee hour and took his chance. He fished out his dagger and entered the room through the window. It happened in the blink of an eye, and unless someone stared in this direction, no one would have discerned the silhouette of this thief.
The room that Gu Shenwei entered was the depository of the Document Library. The objective of his search was the paperwork of June in the Gui Mao year.
The rules for placing documents here were similar to those of the Archives library, which saved Gu Shenwei much trouble. With one hand holding three layers of black clothes and the other a small candle, he tried to prevent the candlelight from permeating out of the room. He found the words "Gui Mao" on the fourth shelf.
The titles were stored by date. Gu Shenwei placed the candle on the shelf and quickly flipped the manual, and just as he had reached May, he heard footsteps outside the door.
He quickly snuffed the candle and kneeled on the ground.
Two lantern-carrying handymen entered the room, yawning and complaining at the same time.
"It's too rushed."
"It's already the fifth day."
"It's like finding a needle in a haystack."
"Who said it isn't going to be?"
"Hush, just continue flipping. If we can't find it again tonight, Mister Guo will scold us again."
"Mister Guo." These words aroused Gu Shenwei's interest. Since he was the chief of the Document Library, the object that he is looking for must be exceedingly important.
One of the handymen twitched his nose, saying, "did you smell candle oil?"
"It's your nose that is blocked. Hurry and get to work."
The two extinguished the lanterns and lit the lamps on the table at the door. Together, they lifted a big box from the corner of the room and took out volumes of tightly-bound papers. The servants began to read them book by book, page by page, intently.
There was silence, interrupted only by the rustling of flipped pages.
Gu Shenwei squatted in between the bookshelves, holding his breath. He was afraid of being discovered. He feared that they might take too long and that he would not be able to escape before dawn.
His fears were not unfounded. Even when it gonged at four, those two servants seemed to reveal no intentions of ending their search. Gu Shenwei began to consider how he might hide in the room for the whole day. He also thought about how he might account for his "disappearance" to outsiders.
"Found it!" One of the handymen exclaimed excitedly. Gu Shenwei was almost as happy as he was.
"Let me see."
"This is correct. The dates and everything are correct."
"That's great. I'll read it. You copy it down."
One of the handymen started to read intermittently, "Year of Mao Zi... residing in Kun Yard... Guo Chun, finished."
It took several days of work just to find a piece of paper with these few words. Gu Shenwei was extremely confused, and he only understood "Guo Chun" to be Mister Guo, and the other words were utterly meaningless.
The two handymen hurriedly cleaned the table and put the box back into its position, left the room, carrying their lanterns.
Daybreak was coming soon. Gu Shenwei had no time to deliberate over that strange incident. He fished out a match immediately, and lighting his own candle, combed through the manuals of the June of Gui Mao year.
But there was nothing at all. None of the books mentioned about the slaughter of the Gu family.
Gu Shenwei flipped once again and even scanned the documents of May and July, but still did not find any clues.
There was no more time, he could only blow out the candles and leave the Whiterobe Academy.
Just as Gu Shenwei's ambitions for revenge had been rekindled, he was dealt with a setback.
No matter how big or small the operation to slaughter the Gu family was, there should have been records of it in the books-not one, but perhaps at least seven from its start to the finish. These would have been reported to the Supreme King. Gu Shenwei did not understand why there were no records at all of the Gu family in the piles of paper.
He decided to look for Mr. Zhang Jian, a teacher, to fish for information. However, before he had left the house, Miss Luo Ningcha had sent men to summon him.
Gu Shenwei was heavily bothered. Because Bighead Kingpin was not easily manipulated, Gu Shenwei had lost interest in the young lady. But Luo Ningcha still took him as her confidante and would ask him for ideas on everything.
Gu Shenwei needed to exercise caution for if he got too close to the Eighth Young Mistress, he might incite Lady Meng's disgust. This would affect his relationship with Shangguan Ru and consequently, his position in Stone Castle.
He needed to get as close to his enemies as possible.
Luo Ningcha's first words after seeing the "faithful servant" was: "I heard you had Master Shifu killed. This is wanton indeed. When are you going to help me kill someone?"
"As long as Miss would keep your word." Gu Shenwei thought, he would rather not kill anyone for this woman. She would botch everything, and before soon, news of the matter would spread to one and all.
"Oh, words of deceit are sweet. No one has wanted to lie to me as of late."
The Miss' words were laden with sarcasm, and Gu Shenwei knew the best way to deal with her would be to keep quiet.
And sure enough, Luo Ningcha suddenly became happy again. "You taught me well."
"Ah." Gu Shenwei couldn't remember at that moment, what tactic he had taught her.
Lady Meng berated Madam Yang in front of everyone. She said that she didn't know her place and was good at nothing except for embarrassing the Shangguan family. Also, she said that her son was a wastrel. Lady Meng thought that these words would embarrass me, but actually, my heart was about to die of laughter.
Gu Shenwei only remembered at this moment that he had once suggested letting the Miss use the tactic of strategic delay against Shangguan Hongye's mother, Madam Yang, and Lady Meng. She had faithfully carried it out and "Madam Yang should be unerringly loyal to the Miss this time."
"Perhaps. She secretly came to me crying, and I even coaxed her to put up with it. Who knows whether those two women were trying to deceive us with their sorrows?"
Gu Shenwei felt a faint flutter in his heart. Miss didn't seem to be too stupid after all. She could even think of this aspect.
"Well, Madam Yang has been won over. Who do you think I should win over next?"
But how would Gu Shenwei know? He was clueless about the people around Madam Yang. He had selected Madam Yang only because of her son, Shangguan Hongye. "Hey, there're always people competing for favor around the high and mighty. You can win over some of these particular people."
The Miss muttered a long note of assent. After a moment of consideration, she laughed suddenly, her mind occupied with thoughts of her recent victory. "Madam Yang is a foolish woman indeed. Do you know what she told me? She said she would exact revenge soon and that she would make Lady Meng suffer from pain and wished that she had never been born. She wanted to trick me into saying bad things about Lady Meng so that she could use it against me. I would never fall for that trick."
Gu Shenwei wanted to praise the Miss whole heartily. However, as he left the central courtyard of Eight Young Master, he changed his mind.
Many people are fighting for Lady Meng's favor. Luo Ningcha could not think of who to target at the moment. She thus let Slave Huan leave to return the next day.
Gu Shenwei did not remind the Miss that tomorrow was the birthday of the twins and the saber awarding ceremony. He had no way of seeing her.
Gu Shenwei stopped by the school on the way. Thinking of his meeting with Shangguan Hongye and his mother the last time, he was unable, somehow, to put a rage-filled Madam Yang and a crafty Madam Yang together. The Miss appeared to be overly calm, and if it were him, he would have seduced Madam Yang to spill the beans before deciding whether her words were simply empty, or that she truly had any cards up her sleeve.
At the door of the school, his thoughts turned again to the words that he heard last night. He calculated silently, the year of the Mao would be about sixteen or seventeen years ago, and why would Mister Guo want to trace an affair that happened so long ago? Gu Shenwei resolved to clear this doubt.