Chapter Seventy-Six: Revisiting Lingzhou Academy

Li Zisheng was keenly aware that neither Mr. Zhong nor Deng Qing were simple characters; in fact, in these ancient times, there were no pushovers to be found.

Hidden within the tunnel, he had no way of tracking the passage of time by the sun, but he was certain of one thing: based on the water clock he had been monitoring since he arrived, two days had already passed. He could only guess at what changes might have taken place outside.

Two days, added to the previous five, meant that even the most incompetent fools would have finished their preparations by now. The Heaven-Worshiping Fengshan Ceremony was an urgent matter; if one wished to obstruct it, the preparations would have to be carried out with great intensity. Li Zisheng did not believe Deng Qing would be so sluggish.

Furthermore, the letter he had sent must have reached Governor Zhang by now. If his predictions were correct, the Governor would surely take action against Deng Qing. At this moment, the two of them were undoubtedly locked in a struggle. Governor Zhang was a man of unfathomable schemes, far more formidable than Li Zisheng had initially imagined. His power was deeply entrenched, and his father, Zhang Shuo, served as a powerful patron within the imperial court, wielding enough influence to sway the Emperor’s decisions. Compared to a petty villain like Deng Qing, the Governor was leagues ahead.

Li Zisheng pondered whether it was time to emerge. He surmised that Deng Qing must have finished his arrangements in Le City and that his departure was a certainty. Therefore, leaving the tunnel now should be relatively safe. If he remained trapped inside, he would be nothing more than a bird in a cage, waiting to be slaughtered.

He looked at the ancient books before him. He could not take them with him. Over the past few days, he had skimmed through most of Mr. Zhong’s collection. He had hoped to find something of value, or at the very least, learn the style of the seal script, but he had found nothing of substance. He decided to let it go.

"Baliang, let’s go. We’re leaving."

Li Zisheng shouldered his cloth bag and instructed Baliang to pack some wine and dry rations for emergencies. Baliang was reluctant, but since his master had spoken, he had no choice but to gather what food he could. He chose items that were filling and compact. Though the taste was poor, neither of them cared; in a place as dangerous as Le City, having anything to eat at all was a stroke of luck. Culinary pleasures were a secondary concern.

Seeing that Baliang was ready, and estimating that darkness had fallen outside, the two quietly slipped out of the tunnel.

Sure enough, the cavern below was shrouded in dim light. The environment remained eerily quiet; the Lingzhou military camp was silent, devoid of any activity. Despite his visible anxiety, Baliang walked ahead of Li Zisheng, a display of loyalty that Li Zisheng silently appreciated. Upon reaching the camp, they carefully surveyed the surroundings before slipping back into Li Zisheng’s tent. It was a case of the most dangerous place being the safest. The air in the tent was still thick with the odors from before, enough to make them both feel slightly nauseated, but it was bearable.

Li Zisheng considered their next move. Even though Deng Qing and his cohorts were unlikely to return to this specific spot in the short term, they needed to be cautious. With the sky now dark, their movements would draw less attention.

"Baliang, pack up. We’ll put on black clothing. Under the cover of darkness, we’ll see what else is happening in Le City."

"Ah, Master, are we going back to that creepy Lingzhou Academy?" Baliang’s face turned pale with panic. The academy had terrified him, and he had no courage left to return.

Li Zisheng chuckled. "Don't worry, Baliang. The Lingzhou Academy will be very interesting tonight." He offered a reassuring smile to ease the young man’s tension. Seeing his master’s relaxed expression, Baliang felt his own anxiety subside slightly. He returned to his own quarters to change into fresh clothes. Having been trapped in the tunnel for so long, the chance to put on clean garments was a relief. Li Zisheng did the same.

Under the cover of a dark and windy night, two shadows moved through the hidden corners of the streets. It was Li Zisheng and Baliang. They arrived once again at the gates of the Lingzhou Academy, crouching in the same corner they had occupied before, waiting to see if there were any changes at the entrance.

The area was deathly still. The carriage tracks they had seen previously were still visible in the dust, leading Li Zisheng to conclude that no one had visited the academy since that day. Given that the academy’s grounds were not particularly large, he speculated that it must contain a tunnel network similar to the one at Sanwei Residence, only much more extensive.

Considering the scale of Deng Qing’s ambitions, the excavation of these tunnels had to be a top priority. It was likely the primary stronghold for his faction, and therefore, they would have placed great importance on its management. He envisioned a vast, intricate web of tunnels beneath the academy that allowed Deng Qing’s group to operate with ease.

Baliang and Li Zisheng pushed open the gates and slipped inside. As expected, the academy was completely deserted. They followed the path they had taken previously, reaching the first of the nine pavilions. Everything remained exactly as it had been two days ago.

Li Zisheng did not linger, moving directly toward the ninth pavilion. Just before reaching it, he noticed a stone stele that hadn't been there before—the Yishan Inscription. It was clearly a fresh carving.