Chapter 72: Zhou Linqing?

The death of the head steward at Sanwei Residence must have been to protect this box. Li Zisheng pressed his cloth sack, which had begun to bulge slightly, given the considerable number of books inside. Fortunately, the books were thin, so the sack was not overly heavy.

Though he did not know if the book inside the sack was connected to Deng Qing, judging by the head steward’s attitude, it was certainly no ordinary volume. Perhaps those who came to kill the steward were Deng Qing’s subordinates, but whether their target was this book remained unknown to Li Zisheng.

What was clear was that something worthy of such protection could not be mundane. According to his calculations of the world’s workings, the existence of the celestial sacrificial rites far exceeded his expectations. The seal script itself pinpointed the era of the book, which undoubtedly contained records related to the sacrificial rites. Given the historical context of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang performing the Fengshan sacrificial ceremony to Heaven, there had to be a significant connection.

Behind all this was surely a grand conspiracy. This was the only conclusion Li Zisheng could deduce.

He looked at the two figures before him and had made up his mind.

So, holding his breath, he awaited whatever mysterious thing Mr. Lin had mentioned. He was curious about what these two, sent by Mr. Lin, were waiting for here.

At this moment, Baling was no longer afraid. As long as he never had to enter that dreadful academy again, he had nothing to fear.

Night had fallen deeply. The two sentinels at the academy gate had lit torches, their flickering flames piercing the dimness and illuminating the entrance clearly. This made observation much easier for Li Zisheng and his companion.

They had waited here for some time. Baling was already drowsy, unsure how long it would take for whatever was coming to arrive, and his head began to nod.

Li Zisheng, however, remained calm and silent.

Sure enough, fortune favored the determined. Li Zisheng and the others finally saw a distant glow approaching.

And it was not a solitary figure but a group of people making their way here.

At this point, Baling’s sleepiness vanished completely; he no longer wished to rest. The two men grew even more cautious, wary of being discovered.

“You two are the ones Mr. Lin sent to receive this item?”

As they drew closer, Li Zisheng, aided by the torchlight, glimpsed the general appearance of the speaker. What he saw stunned him.

“Zhou Linqing? Zhou Linqing? What? It’s really Zhou Linqing? What on earth is going on?”

Confusion painted Li Zisheng’s face. He could not understand why Zhou Linqing had appeared here. Why was this man, whom he remembered as a rotund, lazy figure, showing up in this place?

More importantly, Zhou Linqing belonged to the Zhou family, and from what Li Zisheng had observed earlier upon arriving in Lingzhou, Deng Qing and the Zhou family were bitter enemies—like fire and water. Yet here, these two opposing forces seemed to be collaborating in some grand scheme.

Zhou Linqing himself was a minor player, but the power he represented, alongside the forces behind Deng Qing, was no small matter.

If these two factions united, they would be like overlords within Lingzhou, wielding unparalleled influence, virtually ruling the land.

“We are indeed the two sent by Mr. Lin specifically to receive this item. Sir, would you like to come inside with us?” one of them replied respectfully.

Zhou Linqing sneered in disdain. “This cursed academy—there’s no place for decent people here. Forget it, just take that thing inside. I’ll return to report.”

He spat contemptuously, revealing his scorn.

The two gatekeepers showed no reaction to Zhou Linqing’s arrogance, but Li Zisheng felt something amiss.

Zhou Linqing’s transformation was striking. Though the firelight obscured some details, Li Zisheng could clearly see that his complexion had changed dramatically since the last time he had examined him. It was as if he were a different person entirely—a puzzling improvement in health within such a short time, utterly baffling.

Even more surprising was the change in Zhou Linqing’s demeanor. When he first arrived at the Lingzhou military camp, he was timid and submissive, barely daring to speak in the presence of higher-ups. Even Li Zisheng had found it difficult to communicate with him.

Now, however, this Zhou Linqing carried himself with an air of superiority. His father was only a minor military official, the overseer of weapons, yet this Zhou Linqing acted with unchecked authority. The gatekeepers dared not complain—a remarkable shift that signaled his power had grown considerably.

Li Zisheng stared intently, hoping to glean some clue.

“Hurry up and get that thing inside. It stinks; I’ve had to smell it all the way here,” Zhou Linqing grumbled impatiently, urging the two men to carry the box to a nearby cart.

Then, the gatekeepers quietly emitted a whistle resembling a birdcall. Suddenly, four large, muscular men appeared from the shadows.

Each looked immensely strong, radiating overwhelming power. Li Zisheng broke out in a cold sweat, hiding even more carefully in the darkness, not daring to move as he watched them closely.