Inner Demons

Chapter 106: Certificate of Allegiance

Yin Pingzhi was led through the door by the servant boy but didn't rush to leave. He stopped behind a rugged rockery with the boy and asked, "How did Lord Zhao handle things today?"

The servant boy's eyes were red and swollen, seemingly having just cried, and his voice was hoarse. "He's been beating and scolding people on sight these past few days, not favoring me much anymore. He's been spending nights at Madam Sun's place. I don't know the details."

Yin Pingzhi thought for a moment and muttered to himself, "Madam Sun... her father is the Censor of the Three Judicial Offices. He went to curry favor with her. But has anyone else come these past few days?"

The servant boy wiped his eyes. "Following Third Uncle's instructions, I kept an eye on the horses in the Yamun stables these days. Indeed saw a long-haired horse from the North. Probably someone came from the North. After that person left, Lord Zhao didn't seem so panicked anymore. I guess..."

“Good, good, good.” Yin Pingzhi breathed a sigh of relief. "Someone from the Zhao family came. Our Prefect is a Zhao family member after all. Then my painting is timely assistance. Lead Third Uncle in, don't cry. Your cousin's revenge... hmph..."

Hearing his words, the servant boy hurriedly looked up, eyes wide. "Revenge? Third Uncle, you know who did it?"

Yin Pingzhi gritted his teeth. "Not good to tell you for now. Just lead the way."

The servant boy wanted to ask more, but knowing this Third Uncle didn't have a good temper either, he could only sigh a few times in his heart for his miserable sister Yin, wiped his eyes with his sleeve, and led Yin Pingzhi all the way through the back garden.

Arriving at the rear wing, the servant boy said, "Third Uncle, wait a moment. The Lord is inside, I'll go announce you."

But it was a quarter of an hour before the boy came out, covering his face. "The Lord's temper still isn't very good... but he finally agreed to see Third Uncle. Once you go in... be careful..." Yin Pingzhi didn't wait for him to finish, agreed casually, and walked to the door.

Straightening his clothes slightly and adjusting his cap, he reached out to push the door, entered, closed the door backhanded, then walked two steps forward with head held high.

Prefect Lord Zhao was sitting before the desk. Only two candles were lit in the room, the light dim. He held a scroll in one hand reading; hearing Yin Pingzhi enter, he only squinted at him briefly before withdrawing his gaze.

Reading for a while longer before saying, "I know you."

“Speak if you have business. I'm very annoyed, speak only the essentials.”

After saying this, he went back to reading, but obviously just using the act of "reading" to soothe his mood. He had actually been looking at that page for fifteen minutes.

Yin Pingzhi took a deep breath, pulled the brocade bag from his bosom. Stepped forward a few steps, presenting it with both hands on the desk in front of the Prefect, saying deeply: "I come to offer timely assistance to the Lord, and also want to seek a good future for myself."

Finished saying this, Lord Zhao frowned slightly. "Get out."

For a moment Yin Pingzhi suspected he heard wrong. But after seeing the strong disgust revealed on Lord Zhao's face, realized he didn't hear wrong.

This Lord had no mind to hear his next sentence, directly saying to him—

“Get out”.

Because neither he nor his nephew serving this Lord Zhao knew that in these few days, many people had met this soon-to-lose-power Prefect through various channels and offered many suggestions they thought brilliant.

These suggestions made this Lord Zhao completely lose patience—an hour ago someone suggested this Lord "occupy Weicheng to plot for the world"—this person was now stripped naked and locked in jail.

Therefore, when Yin Pingzhi said such a sentence he thought was "a sudden clap of thunder," the Prefect Lord knew his intention—get out.

But he still tried to make a little effort. He didn't obediently get out, but quickly opened the brocade bag on the desk, pulled out the painting inside, unfolded it, and said in an urgent and expectant tone: "Lord, look at this painting—the painter said, this is a Precious Scroll!"

This Lord Zhao stared at the book page for a while longer before slightly frowning and glancing at this painting.

Then turned his head continuing to read while taking this painting with one hand, shaking it, coughing, placing it in front of his face.

Looking carefully like this for a while before saying: "Why say it's a Precious Scroll? Such a Precious Scroll?"

“This lowly official saw him create it with my own eyes. It was created by that Li Yunxin.” Yin Pingzhi hurriedly said. "After making this painting, that Li Yunxin went to the riverside..."

“...This lowly official stared at him for three days. Afraid of missing something, also brought a somewhat knowledgeable painter...”

“...That painter said it's a Precious Scroll, likely not wrong. This lowly official then... came to present it to the Lord.”

He told the whole matter with urgent yet organized words—including the matter of himself killing that beggar.

The Prefect listened quietly, pondered for a while, put down the book in hand. Then stared at him in the dim candlelight: "You person, have courage and insight. But at this time I can hardly protect myself, what future do you seek from me?"

Words stopped here, Yin Pingzhi knelt down on one knee, said: "Although this lowly person is a clerk, fortunately I associate with many people, not short-sighted. Therefore this lowly person knows, the Lord is a Zhao family member—the Lord is a Northern Zhao family member."

“Everyone says this world belongs to the Son of Heaven. But some also say, this world belongs to the Zhao family. This lowly person doesn't know many inside details, but only knows that since the founding of this dynasty, among the thirty-four virtuous ministers of past generations who entered the Void Pavilion, twenty-six surnamed Zhao.”

“Knowing these, this lowly person knows the Lord will absolutely not lose power—even if temporarily avoiding the limelight, demotion, removal from office, there will eventually be a day of reinstatement. This lowly person is forty-three this year, from a clerk background, illiterate. Being a head constable in Liuhe Prefecture is reaching the top, no possibility of further progress. Therefore this lowly person knows, wanting to achieve more, must take an unconventional path—Lord you, are this lowly person's unconventional path.”

Finished saying this, he bowed deeply.

Waiting for quite a while, only then heard that Lord Zhao say: "Thinking... these remarks were a sudden clap of thunder, making me feel you are novel and interesting, different from ordinary?"

“Fool. If not for the sake of this painting, just based on the words 'This world is the Zhao family's world', I would execute you on the spot.”

“My Northern Zhao Clan receives imperial grace for generations—” He cupped his hands remotely towards the north, said sternly, "This world, is His Majesty's world, where comes a second saying?"

Then softened his tone slightly: "If you say these words in front of me again, I will definitely not spare you."

Yin Pingzhi was slightly stunned, then took a few deep breaths, trembling voice said: "Thank you Lord! Yin Pingzhi, willing to be at the Lord's dispatch!"

But the Prefect looked at him meaningfully for a while, then said again: "I know you. In the past when Li Yaosi came to my residence to discuss matters, he praised you, praising your steady and seasoned work. But today... you say these words, and so abruptly—why? This doesn't look like a head constable of a prefecture, more like those frivolous youngsters."

Yin Pingzhi slowly raised his head, looking at Lord Zhao, whispered: "To let the Lord know, this lowly official these days, is also..."

“Is also...”

He took a few more deep breaths, calmed his emotions, then continued: "This lowly official these days is also... heart twisted like a knife. This lowly official had a niece, always most loved. That niece... was on good terms with Li Yunxin before. This lowly official dealt with that person before..."

When talking about these things, Yin Pingzhi spoke in more detail.

No wind outside the house, the candle flame in the room rose straight up, without a trace of trembling.

The Prefect's expression was also extremely steady when hearing him talk about Li Yunxin.

Until he finished speaking, only then did this Prefect frown: "You mean, this Li Yunxin killed Li Yaosi in the court hall, in front of two cultivators."

“Yes. At that time this lowly official didn't know he was connected to Langya Grotto-Heaven, only thought he was a wild Daoist with some means. But thinking now... that matter, must be done by him. Just that those two cultivators' cultivation was too shallow, couldn't tell.”

“You also said, that night Li Yunxin went to your niece's house... how do you know this?”

Yin Pingzhi hesitated slightly: "Uh... there is a youth, admiring my niece very much. Later... told me."

“Mn. So you say he went to your niece's house... and left. The next day you discovered, your niece... only left with severed limbs?”

“So you think. It was done by that Li Yunxin.” The Prefect was silent for a while. "This person's identity... such means... not impossible. Just that, what do you want to do? Even I have to temporarily avoid the edge of a Lingkongzi—that girl wants me to judge myself? Heh... she doesn't know there is an unwritten rule between my Great Qing and the Daoist Orthodoxy—"

“Officials above the fifth rank, the Daoist Orthodoxy cannot touch—at least cannot touch like this—telling me to judge myself? Heh, biggest joke in the world.”

“But since I also have to temporarily avoid the edge... what do you want to do? That Li Yunxin's background won't be smaller than Lingkongzi... I cannot help you.”

“I indeed can do nothing to him.” Yin Pingzhi said hatefully. "But he touched my heart's flesh, how can I let it go like this. That day, I knew he treated that Old Daoist Liu well, regarded very heavily. Also someone told me, that Congyunzi of Supreme Purity Cinnabar Cauldron Sect said... that old Daoist is Li Yunxin's some tribulation, some heart. Anyway, extremely important person."

“He harmed my niece... heh heh, wait until he is taken away by that Lingkongzi...”

Prefect Zhao frowned: "You want to do this... I can't be bothered to manage. As long as you do it cleanly. But why tell me?"

“Also a certificate of allegiance to the Lord.” Yin Pingzhi gritted his teeth. "This lowly official formerly only thought of guarding this family property steadily, no other thoughts. But now..."

“But now my niece died miserably, yet I have no way to deal with the ringleader—such a breath!!”

Prefect Zhao raised a hand, interrupted Yin Pingzhi's words: "These words of yours, I listen tentatively. You should also understand not all are truths, but stop here. This painting of yours, I accept for now—coincidentally useful. As for other matters, wait until you handle your own matters... I will consider again."

“You withdraw now.”

Yin Pingzhi was slightly stunned. But hurriedly stood up: "Yes."

After he withdrew from this room, Prefect Zhao hurriedly spread this Precious Scroll carefully on the table surface, admiring greedily.

Candlelight dim, he stayed in this room for a long time again, eyes somewhat tired.

Thus didn't notice an old man in the painting...

Moved gently a little.