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墨書 Inktalez
I spent a quiet night in Qiu's room. Perhaps it was because I had dozed off for too long, or maybe it was the feeling of resting my head on the arm of the person I loved that made everything feel surreal. In any case, I found it hard to fall asleep.
Worried about my emotional instability, Qiu thoughtfully left a slender candle burning instead of extinguishing all the lights. The faint flicker of the flame danced gently, accompanied by the sound of rain outside, weaving a tapestry of serene warmth.
The person beside me breathed evenly, deeply asleep. Perhaps they were simply exhausted from watching over me. Looking at their peaceful sleeping face and unguarded expression somehow softened my heart.
Under the candlelight, they looked so beautiful, like a celestial being descended from the heavens. I couldn't believe I was so fortunate to be able to gaze at my idol's face from such a close distance!
As I watched, I couldn't help but reach out and lightly touch their face.
Hehe, how many times had I fantasized about being this close to my idol?
In his sleep, he lifted his other arm and heavily draped it over my waist, holding me tightly.
Really!
Hehe...
I finally fell asleep just before dawn, vaguely dreaming of all sorts of chaotic things, but when I woke up, I couldn't remember a single one. It didn't seem like any good dreams because as I suddenly opened my eyes and sat up, my hand was pressed tightly against my left chest, feeling my heart pounding wildly beneath my palm.
It felt like an ominous premonition.
"What's wrong, Zhenzhen? Why are you sweating so much?" Qiu's voice came softly from beside me.
"I don't know..." Everything seemed to be going perfectly well, so why did my heart feel so anxious? Had I received too much?
"Zhenzhen, I truly feel guilty for dragging you into such dangerous situations, but... do you think I'm selfish? It's just that no matter what, I want to keep you by my side."
I shook my head vigorously.
He held my hand and said firmly, though softly, "I will protect you with everything I have. Don't be afraid."
I felt touched inside. Sharing life and death with him was exactly my wish in my heart. Besides, hadn't he always been silently guarding me? Autumn, and the night.
Night? Suddenly, I recalled something strange.
"When I was at Qingliang Temple, I encountered a group of people who saved my life. They... they called themselves... Shadow of the Night?"
Qiu chuckled.
"Zhenzhen, I once silently vowed that when I had enough power to protect you, I would make you mine. Although... I broke that vow and revealed my feelings to you earlier than planned, I've always been preparing for this."
So, Shadow of the Night is really related to him?
"Zhenzhen, Shadow of the Night is a private army I secretly established. There are now over five hundred members."
What? Over five hundred?! That's more than Li Shimin's Shadow of Strategy! I never noticed he was secretly managing this. Where do all these people usually hide?
"These people are those I've observed and recruited over the years. Each one is capable and skilled. More importantly, they all owe me or Master a favor, so their loyalty is assured."
"Why... why build this?" I felt puzzled. Isn't this slapping the face of the imperial city?
"Zhenzhen, I don't want to lead you into a life of danger, making you suffer through hardships. Therefore, all I can do is keep getting stronger. Sooner or later, I will have to confront the Mirror Gate directly, and for that, I need the means to stand against them. Zhenzhen, this is why I have allied myself with the court."
I was taken aback. Nie Qiuyuan and Li Shimin had formed a brotherhood at Wanzi Mountain. Initially, I thought it was just a fleeting whim, but it turned out that the seemingly calm and unambitious Qiu had been calculating so much in his heart.
"Getting close to the emperor is my best opportunity. From the first moment I laid eyes on him, I knew he was the most solid support I could find. Therefore, I need to keep climbing up in the court; I need more power and more resources. Only then can I accomplish more." Qiu's expression was that of his usual composed demeanor. "If our opponent is the Mirror Gate, the only way to protect you completely is not to flee or block them but to eradicate them at their roots."
So it's an attack against attack strategy. Qiu wasn't hot-tempered, yet the method he chose for battle was more passionate than anyone else's. But well, I liked it.
Because I'm an impulsive person myself.
"Zhenzhen," he suddenly smiled, "now I have more leverage."
Hmm? Besides secretly protecting me and opposing the influence of the Mirror Gate through the mysterious organization known as Shadow of the Night, what else did he have?
"Three days ago, I obtained this."
Qiu took my hand and placed a document into it.
I opened it and was startled.
My classical Chinese studies were decent; if I wasn't mistaken, there was Nie Qiuyuan's name on it along with an official title—Deputy Minister of the Dali Temple.
This meant he had been promoted? He was leaving Yichuan and being transferred to the capital? Moreover, he was directly entering the core institution of the court?
The Dali Temple was a central judicial body responsible for handling cases involving officials sentenced to penal servitude or higher. It also dealt with suspicious cases and dispatched officials for investigations as ordered. If we were to compare it to a modern institution, it would be akin to the Supreme Court.
In fact, the central authority responsible for prisons is the Ministry of Justice, but the Ministry of Justice has a stronger administrative nature. Even prisons fall under its jurisdiction, and dealing with mundane matters like issuing prisoner uniforms and medications requires a significant amount of effort. Moreover, the Ministry of Justice only reviews cases above the awaiting trial level in the capital region. Although it participates in death penalty reviews, the Dali Temple is also involved, and all investigations into suspicious prisons are handled by the Dali Temple. For Nie Qiuyuan, this can be considered making full use of resources.
The emperor truly has an eye for talent.
Although there is still the Chief Justice above him, this Deputy Minister of the Dali Temple already holds a fourth-rank official position. Just think about it—Nie Qiuyuan was previously only a sixth-rank county magistrate; this leap is indeed substantial.
To openly promote a trusted confidant like this, has the Ming Emperor gained enough confidence to establish his foothold?
However, there is still a major dilemma.
"Qiu, once you arrive at the Dali Temple… will you still remain behind the scenes?"
The current Nie Qiuyuan is actually Luo Dachun!
My idol pulled me up and gently embraced me.
"Zhenzhen, you came here for Nie Qiuyuan, didn't you? So how can I tolerate this Nie Qiuyuan becoming someone else?" He lightly brushed my messy long hair and suddenly smiled, "I want to reclaim my own identity; I must ensure that you only have me in your heart!"
His words warmed my heart. Yes, I came here for you; I had already completely confirmed that in my heart.
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