novelapdf 93. Internal Guard
93. Internal Guard
When Lin Mo returned to Seven Absolutes Manor, it was already late at night. He didn't disturb too many people, but only summoned a few core leaders of the alliance. In the brightly lit council hall, he recounted the information he had obtained from Bai Xiaosheng in detail.
"Prince Jin? Dark Flame Division?"
When Lin Mo uttered those two names, the council hall fell into a deathly silence. The flickering candlelight reflected the undisguised shock and solemnity on everyone's faces. If the Imperial Guard was a mountain weighing heavily on their hearts, then Prince Jin was the most precipitous and awe-inspiring peak of that mountain.
Zhao Kun slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups vibrate loudly. "Damn it! It's actually Prince Jin! This prince's influence is way too far! When did it become his place to meddle in the affairs of the martial world?"
Hong Jiu's face was gloomy as he rubbed the bamboo stick in his hand: "Prince Jin is a man of immense power and influence. It is said that he has many cronies in the court, and even the Crown Prince has to give him some leeway. His Dark Flame Division is notorious for its shady dealings. If it really was him who ordered it, then we are in big trouble."
The head of the Diancang Sect, Li, turned pale, his lips trembling: "This... what should we do? To make an enemy of a powerful prince, aren't we... aren't we just throwing an egg against a rock?"
The Grand Elder of the Seven Absolutes Sect remained relatively calm, but his brows were furrowed: "Alliance Leader, is Bai Xiaosheng's information reliable? This matter is of great importance and we must be cautious."
Lin Mo nodded, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "Although Bai Xiaosheng makes a living by selling information, he wouldn't dare to speak carelessly on matters concerning his life and fortune. Since he pointed out Prince Jin and the Dark Flame Division, he must have his reasons. But as the Grand Elder said, this matter is of great importance, and we cannot draw conclusions based on just one side's account. Before taking any action, we must gain a deeper understanding of the Imperial Guards, especially the Dark Flame Division. Only by knowing ourselves and our enemy can we find a glimmer of hope."
He paused, then continued, "Our understanding of the Imperial Guard is far too limited, existing only on the level of rumors. We need to know its true structure, functions, power boundaries, and internal factions. Only then can we determine whether this attack was the personal will of Prince Jin, a coordinated action by the Imperial Guard system, or... some other conspiracy we have yet to detect."
"The Alliance Leader is absolutely right." The Grand Elder nodded. "Blindly responding will only lead to our own destruction. We must first figure out exactly what kind of opponent we are facing."
"But," Sect Leader Li said worriedly, "the Imperial Guards are shrouded in mystery, and their internal intelligence is top secret. How could we possibly know anything about them?"
Lin Mo pondered for a moment, a decisive glint in his eyes: "The Seven Absolutes Sect has a long history, and its library may contain some records about the Imperial Guard system of the previous dynasty or the early years of this dynasty. Although they may be outdated, the basic structure should not have changed much. In addition," he looked at Hong Jiu, "the Beggars' Sect disciples are all over the world and have the best information network, especially regarding the slightest movement of officials. Chief Hong, could you mobilize the disciples of the sect, especially those near the capital, to pay attention to and collect any fragmentary information related to the Imperial Guard, the Dark Flame Division, and the Prince of Jin's Mansion? Even rumors in the marketplace or idle chatter in taverns may contain useful clues."
Hong Jiu straightened his back and said solemnly, "Alliance Leader, rest assured, this old beggar will immediately send a message to tell the children to prick up their ears!"
"Alright!" Lin Mo then looked at the Grand Elder, "I trouble the Grand Elder to organize trusted disciples to carefully examine the sect's records, and extract and summarize all records involving the palace, the Imperial Guard, and the Inner Guard."
The Grand Elder solemnly agreed: "I will personally oversee the matter."
In the following days, while the Seven Absolutes Manor remained outwardly heavily guarded, undercurrents were stirring within. The lights in the library burned all night, and the rustling of disciples turning the pages of ancient books filled the air. Meanwhile, through the Beggars' Sect's unique communication channels, scattered information from all directions began to converge on the manor like streams flowing into a great river.
Three days later, in the council hall, the preliminary intelligence was presented to Lin Mo and the other leaders.
The Grand Elder pointed to several volumes of copied texts and spoke first: "According to the sect's ancient records and combined with information recently gathered, the Imperial Guard is directly under the Emperor and independent of the civil and military system of the court. Its highest leader is the 'Grand Commander of the Inner Guard,' who is usually a eunuch or nobleman who is absolutely trusted by the Emperor and is directly responsible to the Emperor."
"The Inner Guard is divided into several departments, each with its own responsibilities. For example, the 'Mirror Department' is mainly responsible for investigation, arrest, and interrogation, similar to the Ministry of Justice, but with greater power, and can handle cases across prefectures and counties; the 'Iron-Clad Guards' are responsible for escorting important figures and guarding certain areas of the palace; and the 'Information Department' is responsible for monitoring the whole country and collecting all kinds of intelligence, whether it is the movement of court officials or anecdotes from the martial arts world, all of which are within its scope of supervision."
Hong Jiu added, "According to information gathered by our disciples from retired soldiers and low-ranking officials, the Dark Flame Division does indeed exist, and it is extremely unique. It is not subordinate to the regular Imperial Guard; it is more like an independent assassination and sabotage organization. The identities of its members are shrouded in mystery, and they act ruthlessly, specializing in handling 'dirty work' that cannot be done openly. It is said that the leader of the Dark Flame Division, Feng Duan, possesses unfathomable martial arts skills and is extremely loyal to Prince Jin. His subordinates include a large number of extraordinary individuals and outlaws."
Lin Mo listened intently, his fingers unconsciously tracing patterns on the table, gradually sketching out the outline of the Royal Bodyguard in his mind. It was a tightly structured, powerful, and deeply infiltrated terrorist organization.
"So," Lin Mo said slowly, "Although the Dark Flame Division is nominally still part of the internal guard system and under the control of the Grand Commander, in reality, due to the special nature of its mission and the influence of Prince Jin, it may have a great deal of autonomy and may even be able to override the Grand Commander's orders at times."
"Very likely." The Grand Elder nodded. "Ancient texts vaguely mention that the Inner Guard is not a monolithic entity; there are factional infighting. The Emperor relies heavily on the Inner Guard, but he must also be wary of it, setting up a Grand Commander and various departments to check and balance each other. Prince Jin's intervention in the Dark Flame Division is probably to drive a nail into the Inner Guard system that is completely obedient to him."
Hong Jiu spat, "This Prince Jin is utterly despicable! He controls part of the capital's defenses, and now he's trying to infiltrate the Imperial Guard. What is he trying to do?"
What does he want? The answer is almost obvious. That prince, currently enjoying the emperor's favor, is probably after far more than just immediate power.
Lin Mo's eyes flashed with a cold light: "Whatever he wants to do, his choice to attack us puts us on the opposite side. Our struggle with the four great families is a conflict of interests within the martial arts world. But the involvement of Prince Jin and the Dark Flame Division is completely different. This is no longer just a matter of martial arts feuds, but involves a power struggle at the top of the imperial court."
He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the deep night outside. "Our alliance has shattered the old order of the martial world and affected those who benefited from it. Among them may be Prince Jin, who has close ties with certain powerful families. Or perhaps, Prince Jin simply wants to use the suppression of us, the 'early bird,' to intimidate the martial world, demonstrate his power, and pave the way for his greater schemes."
Whatever the reason, the league has inevitably been drawn into this storm.
"It seems our previous assessment was too optimistic." Lin Mo turned to face the crowd, his tone somber. "We are facing not only a powerful and violent organization, but also a prince who is adept at political maneuvering and ambitious. The Dark Flame Division is merely one of his claws."
Silence fell again in the hall, the air so heavy it was almost suffocating. The opponent's strength and unpredictability far exceeded their previous expectations.
"But we are not without a chance." Lin Mo changed the subject, breaking the silence. "The Inner Guard is not a monolithic entity, and Prince Jin does not have absolute power. The Emperor, the Crown Prince, other forces in the court, and even other factions within the Inner Guard could all become potential check and balance forces. We need more detailed intelligence, we need to know the extent to which Prince Jin has infiltrated the Inner Guard, we need to understand the attitude of the Grand Commander of the Inner Guard towards this matter, and we need to find out the Emperor's true thoughts about Prince Jin and the martial arts world."
His gaze sharpened: "The next key point is to thoroughly investigate the internal conflicts within the Imperial Guard and the detailed movements of the Prince of Jin's residence. Only by finding the cracks can we find a way to break the deadlock."
Everyone's spirits lifted. Lin Mo's calm analysis and clear thinking were like a lamp lighting up the fog. Although the road ahead was still fraught with danger, at least they knew who the enemy was and had a clear direction for their next step.
Investigating the background of the royal bodyguards is not just about understanding an opponent, but also about finding a glimmer of hope in a desperate situation.