Chapter 1 Shunyicheng

Shunyicheng was 叶韬's ideal meeting place not simply because it was a vital northern town in Xiling and one of its most prosperous cities. It was also a key northern stronghold for the Dao Ming Sect, one of the three centers for preaching and managing the sect's vast system. The Dao Ming Sect had built a system of idol worship centered on the legendary Three Saints, and on the outskirts of Shunyicheng was the Bamboo Lord Hall, built by the Dao Ming Sect to venerate one of the Three Saints.

In a large city, no matter how 叶韬 disguised himself, given his status and his habit of moving about without trying to avoid being seen, the chances of him being recognized were very high. Not only by officials, soldiers, merchants, and powerful clan members from Dongping, but also by those from beyond Dongping—such as officials and merchants from Chunnan, Hu merchants, Persian artisans, and Western-born craftsmen and technical experts hired by those Hu merchants. In a place like Shunyicheng, 叶韬, as someone on the Dao Ming Sect's top twenty assassination list, was taking a considerable risk.

Moreover, 叶韬 wasn't hiding in a carriage. On the contrary, he was playing the role of a menial worker in a traveling troupe. And the person seemingly at the heart of this troupe, which had a somewhat investigative purpose, was 苏菲, who was becoming more and more like the 苏菲玛索 that 叶韬 wanted her to be. 苏菲 didn't even need to change her name. She simply switched her identity temporarily, playing the daughter of Pirlo, a master engineer employed by the Frankish royal family. The Samir family's decision to build bell towers in the Middle East, and the super-deluxe Three Towers project, had greatly stimulated the imagination of Merovingian IV, who had always been known for his grand palaces and massive public works. Given the East's absolute lead in ultra-high tower construction, Merovingian IV couldn't help but send his most trusted Pirlo to Dongping to investigate... and to learn, if necessary.

Well, in general, this wasn't entirely fabricated. Merovingian had been planning this since the Samir family began recruiting architects to apprentice in Dongping, and news of this had reached Xiling, though fewer people knew about it than in Dongping. After all, Dongping had two magnificent bell towers that seemed to reach the sky, something everyone could proudly talk about. And the real Master Pirlo was indeed on his way to Dongping, currently recuperating in Nanyang from severe seasickness and imbalances caused by not adapting to the tropical climate. It was estimated that he would be able to set off again in a little over a month. But 叶韬, with his excellent working relationship with the Samir family, was in control of this specific timeline.

苏菲 was an authentic Frankish beauty, and since the Samir family had insisted on having some artisans and artists follow 叶韬 to study, coupled with the non-native staff already in 叶's workshops, organizing a mixed foreign traveling team and investigative team was very simple. To avoid revealing the hierarchy of this not-so-small group through the closeness of relationships, 叶韬 even let 苏菲 define the roles of everyone around her, except for the guards and clerical staff.

苏菲 herself naturally played the part of a young lady who might not have a very high status but had excellent taste in art and craftsmanship and was very approachable. Thanks to 叶韬's years of training, this was exactly 苏菲's true temperament. Having handled so many of 叶韬's drawings, 苏菲 could now design building exteriors herself.

戴秋妍, who insisted on going along for fun no matter how 叶韬 tried to dissuade her with safety concerns, naturally became the accompanying painter. And 薇芝, the increasingly influential chief accountant of the 叶 residence, one of the dancers given to 叶韬 by Muhammad as a gift years ago, easily played the role of a maidservant. In addition, 卡珊德拉, now one of the top ten technicians in 叶's workshops, occupied a carriage as someone between a painter and a friend.

Two Persian apprentices and a Frankish picture framer also enthusiastically participated in this role-playing journey. They played the roles of cook, steward, and captain of the guard, respectively, even though they didn't have any relevant skills or experience. But they were clearly very skilled and experienced at acting arrogant. After all, they had all dealt with rich and influential people before.

Organizing this traveling troupe around a core group of people of different skin colors could largely dispel suspicion. After all, seeing Hu people or Europeans was not just a matter of language barriers; in Xiling, which had no access to the sea, they were practically treated as another awe-inspiring species. No one would initially think that these people were all 叶韬's subordinates and friends.

The most peculiar and awkward identity in the entire group was probably 叶韬 himself. According to his arrangement, the security of the team was greatly increased, but from this temporary composition, his and 苏菲's positions were essentially reversed. If 苏菲 was his secretary and favorite concubine, now it looked like 叶韬 had become 苏菲's attendant and... gigolo. It might have been okay if someone else with 叶韬's status was making a joke, but the problem was that 叶韬 was always casual with everyone. With something so fun happening, it was really too difficult for everyone to remain serious at all times.

In any case, their well-organized and splendid group arrived in Shunyicheng without being either ostentatious or inconspicuous. After staying in Shunyicheng for four days, they awaited the arrival of 雷煌 and the other trainees' team.

Arriving in Shunyicheng in winter, at the end of the year, to investigate the Dao Ming Sect's preaching and church organization was not without purpose. 叶韬 had long heard that the Dao Ming Sect always prepared food and clothing for the poor and destitute at the end of the year and held extremely grand Dharma assemblies before the New Year. During this period, religious activities in Shunyicheng were bound to be extremely prosperous, and many people belonging to different levels and halls of the Dao Ming Sect would appear. Observing the way these people interacted with the worshippers would be a valuable lesson.

However, in just a few days, 叶韬 realized a major miscalculation he had made while preparing for the Lei Yin Demon Sect: the appearance of the Lei Yin Demon Sect's trained charlatans was too uniform. Although there were some women and middle-aged people in the trainee group, there were no elderly people... and the female members were noticeably attractive, with a lower average age, not even one who could pass as a middle-aged woman. And old people and middle-aged women were always easier to gain trust, primarily because they seemed less threatening to strangers. Although that might not be the case and could even be exploited, 叶韬 had forgotten about it.

As an important town for the Dao Ming Sect, Shunyicheng usually had a strong religious atmosphere, and many of the city's garrison and officials were believers. The city's garrison commander was clearly quite tolerant of these religious activities that promoted harmony and love. Given the Dao Ming Sect's growing influence in the Xiling court, this was not difficult to understand.

周瑞's preliminary investigation revealed that the Bamboo Lord Hall was somewhat difficult to approach. On the eve of the New Year's Dharma assembly, only the most devout believers and Dao Ming Sect clergy with duties, or members of the Dao Ming Sect's Eagle Hall, could enter the Bamboo Lord Hall. Ordinary people could only approach the Bamboo Lord Hall on the day of the Dharma assembly. But given the inevitable hustle and bustle on that day, not only would security be a major problem, but they wouldn't actually be able to see anything. Fortunately, the Bamboo Lord Hall was no longer just a solitary temple but a vast complex of buildings. Facing the three-story hall of the Bamboo Lord Hall and the long steps starting from the foot of the mountain, a small village of some scale had sprung up on both sides of the road leading from Shunyicheng to the Bamboo Lord Hall. And halfway up the mountain, there was even a restaurant that could be described as high-quality and affordable. On this platform halfway up the mountain, the prelude to the Dharma assembly was passionately unfolding.

On a clear day, sitting in the restaurant, eating delicious food, and chatting about topics completely unrelated to religion could be described as pleasant. But for 叶韬 to be sitting in such a place, in the eyes of 毕小青, 周瑞, 吴平安, and others around him, it was definitely up to the standard of venturing deep into the tiger's den. Even 雷煌 and the other trainees, who had been specifically named by 叶韬 to come here, didn't quite understand 叶韬's recklessness. But wearing a dark blue coarse cloth garment and a sheepskin vest, he didn't stand out at all. And they had actually come to within two hundred zhang of the Bamboo Lord Hall so openly and were sitting there peacefully. They had to know that there were bound to be experts from the Eagle Hall in the Bamboo Lord Hall, and those people could gain great glory and wealth by eliminating anyone on the Dao Ming Sect's assassination list. Compared to religious zeal, these people were more likely to understand this driving force.

Perhaps it was because they had occupied a place with a good view, pointing at the Bamboo Lord Hall but not sounding like Dao Ming Sect believers, that the contrast with the surroundings was a bit too great. After sitting there for a while, a guy wearing the garb of a mid-level Dao Ming Sect clergyman came up to them. His face was full of gentle smiles, and his eyes were full of warmth. Everyone couldn't help but politely let him walk to the table.

"These few must be guests from afar, right? May this poor Daoist join you here?" Although the man's attire was very different from what 叶韬 remembered Daoists to be, this Daoist was not the same as those Daoists. Those who called themselves Daoists were all from the middle layer of the Dao Ming Sect's three-tiered clergy—Novice, Daoist, and Feathered Master. Given that this guy was able to quickly receive a report and come here to strike up a conversation, his duties were probably not low.

叶韬 simply showed a curious expression. At this table, it was not him who was in charge, but 丰恣. 丰恣 said indifferently, "Please sit, Great Master."

The man bowed slightly and sat down unceremoniously in the corner. Then he asked, "Where are you all from? You don't seem to be from Xiling."

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Looks like I promised three chapters today.