Star Trace Gate

"Go to the palace and bring the Third Prince to the government office. If he asks, you can tell him that the prince has something very important to do."

On horseback, Ren Ye shouted and galloped away in the direction of the old document library he had just visited.

On the official road, all the guards felt that His Highness had suddenly become nervous, but they did not dare to ask more questions and just rushed to Prince Huai's Palace together.

"Tap tap...!"

Entering the city, the horses were galloping wildly on the long bluestone street, and the biting cold wind was blowing on the cheeks...Ren Ye's heart was already in turmoil.

He probably had guessed what the "thing" that Yang Sanlang couldn't find was.

However, this conjecture must have some evidence. This will be quick, because it is in the archives...

……

Not long after.

In the old document room, the old man and others had already moved Yang Sanlang's body to the utility room, placed it on the soft bed board, and covered it with a white cloth.

There aren't many people here, and colleagues have been getting along for many years. Lao Yang's death has made everyone quite sad.

"Alas, how could such a good person go crazy...!"

The old man sighed and walked out of the utility room.

"Whoosh!"

A figure appeared in front of him without any warning, and said in a very cold voice: "Overtime."

"?!"

The old man was confused, and he opened his eyes wide to see that the person coming was Ren Ye: "Your Highness, you...?"

"You guys follow me into the warehouse."

After Ren said this without any context, he rushed into the warehouse again and turned his head to look around.

The old man was very afraid of losing his job, so he immediately followed in with three clerks, bent down and asked, "What's the matter, Your Highness?!"

"You work here, so you must be familiar with case file classification, right?" Ren Ye asked.

"That's natural, old man..."

"Take out all the files similar to the Military Chronicles and the Political Records." Ren Ye paused for a moment, then immediately added, "Also, the documents related to the deployment of military supplies, the signed files and annotations of officials who implemented important government orders, and various government and military documents... In short, take out all the files with the names of officials above the fourth rank, now!"

"Oh, by the way, please find the list of important guests for my wedding."

"Yes, yes, I'll go get the case file right away."

"Your Highness, wait a moment."

"...!"

These four clerks are rarely seen even by the ninth-rank officials. They are naturally very happy to be able to work for His Highness in person. Not only can they show their presence like crazy, but most importantly... the position of managing the treasury is now vacant.

It took about half an hour for the four clerks to take out more than 300 sets of case files and placed them neatly on the ground.

"You guys go out."

Ren Ye waved his hands as he flipped through the pages quickly.

When he looked up the contents of these files, he only looked at the names, so he was extremely efficient.

It only took him a stick of incense to look through all the case files.

Finally, Ren Ye picked up a guest list and a gift account book with bloodshot eyes. It was the banquet list prepared by the palace for "his" wedding, as well as the bill for receiving gifts and gifts.

Not long after.

Ren Ye sat on the ground and turned to the last page of the list with slightly trembling hands.

No, still no...

Up to this moment, he has completely confirmed what the "thing" that Yang Sanlang could not find is.

It's a person.

A man in a high position of power, and someone that Ren Ye had always trusted unconditionally.

In the entire archive representing the history and heritage of Qingliang Prefecture, there was a total of more than 300 sets of files involving the names of officials, but there was no mention of his military advisor, Taoist Fenglin.

This... How is this possible? !

He was the most important military official and the most important confidant to King Huai. Even though he usually acted low-key and only worked behind the scenes to give advice, it is impossible that he had never been mentioned in any documentary material.

Not even once!

Moreover, judging from Ren Ye's professional thinking, the greatest counselors mentioned in "Military Discussion Records" and "Political Records" should be Xiang Kang, the military advisor, and Dong Cheng, the staff member. They participated in almost all major meetings and were listed first in the guest list of the wedding.

Could it be that there has never been a person named Fenglin here?

Then who is he...?!

Ren Ye sat there blankly, the images in his mind flooding back wildly and with incredible clarity.

Since leaving the secret realm of Bulao Mountain, Fenglin has been with him all the way, helping him escape danger many times, giving him advice many times, and formulating strategic and diplomatic directions for him... Along the way, he can definitely be said to have devoted himself to his work and was willing to sacrifice his life to assist him.

In terms of personality, Fenglin is also very humble, loves to joke and show off, and gets along very well with Lao Liu, Xu Bangzi, Aifei, Erleng and others.

Although the two had not been reunited for long, they had built up a deep trust in a very short period of time.

When Ren thought of this, and remembered that there was no such person in the literature of Qingliang Prefecture, he couldn't help but feel a chill in the soles of his feet, his hair stood on end, and he was terrified.

Who is this military advisor who has been with him all the way? What is he planning?

Could it be that Fenglin is an enemy in disguise?

No, that's not right. There's no record of this person in the case files, so who could be impersonating him?

Ok? !

wait a minute...

Ren Ye's brain was boiling and his thoughts were surging, and he suddenly felt that he had grasped a very important detail.

He was clearly a disappeared military strategist mentioned in case files, but why did everyone here remember him, be familiar with him, and even respect him?

A few days ago, when he was in the inner hall of the government office, many officials took the initiative to come forward and talk to him, with a humble and gentle attitude, as if they had met an elder.

Besides, why do I trust him so much?

why? !

"what!!!"

Ren Ye suddenly let out a subconscious roar, raised his hands suddenly, and grabbed his hair tightly, feeling as if his head was about to split open.

"Uh!"

There was a sharp pain in my head, as if my brain was surging, bugs were crawling, and iron rods were stirring left and right...

He breathed in cold air, drooled at the corners of his mouth, and his eyes bulged.

"Boom!"

At this moment, the Human Emperor Sword burst out with a brilliant light, illuminating only Ren Ye.

The flowing rays of light focus the mind.

After a while, Ren Ye's breathing gradually became steady, but if others saw his face and expression, they would still be startled.

His face was as pale as a ghost and his eyes were bloodshot. He looked like a madman who had just fallen ill, or like Yang Sanlang who had just gone crazy two days ago.

"brush!"

Ren Ye stood up abruptly and walked towards the door of the document library.

Outside the door, although the four clerks had finished their get off work, they dared not leave, dared not come in, dared not defecate, and dared not eat.

"Squeak!"

When the door opened, the old man immediately turned around and said, "Your Highness!"

"The four of you go out and pick up ten people on the street and bring them to this courtyard." Ren Ye ordered very "calmly": "Choose them randomly and try not to call acquaintances. But if you meet acquaintances, you don't have to not call them, just call them if you can..."

This set of weird tongue twisters made the four of them look as dumbfounded as Yang Sanlang Gang.

"Go ahead." Ren Ye pointed to the utility room: "I'm in that room. After you call everyone, come in one by one to find me."

After saying this, he floated away like a ghost.

The four of them were silent for a while, and the old man looked at his three colleagues blankly: "Do you think His Highness looks like Yang Sanlang?!"

"It's very similar to the early stage symptoms." A young clerk said, "I didn't dare to say it just now."

“Should we inform Her Royal Highness the Princess? She can treat this disease,” the old man suggested.

"...Don't say bad things about me behind my back." Ren Ye's voice suddenly reached the ears of the four people: "I'm not crazy, I'm just a little abnormal. Don't mess with me, go!"

The four of them shuddered instantly, turned around and ran out of the document warehouse.

In the utility room, Yang Sanlang, who had just died of stupidity, lay quietly on the board. There were countless pink cracks on his burnt cheeks, which were the cracks on the skin under the high temperature, much like a large grapefruit with a crack opened.

Next to him, Ren Ye sat on a small stool, looking forward, and whispered to Yang Sanlang: "This is a courtyard where you can see through life at a glance. Some people choose to let things go, some choose to amuse themselves, but you are as stubborn as a fool. You have to learn what you don't understand, you have to repair the damaged files, and you have to sort out the complicated classifications - you are paid a meager salary, but you are doing the work of compiling the Siku Quanshu."

"It's not that you don't have ambitions. You're waiting for the day when I can calm down and see this place again. And you can also show off in front of others and proudly tell me that this place is under my protection. It's done, Your Highness."

"So, you can remember every name in the documents here."

"You saw him in the government office and recognized him, but you just can't remember which case file recorded him."

"...!"

He murmured to himself, then slowly raised his arm and grasped Yang Sanlang's charred palm: "Do you have a wife? Do you have parents? Do you have children? In the future... they will live well, I promise! I really promise!!"

"Thank you……"

……

After an incense stick of time, the old man pushed open the door of the utility room. The first thing he saw was Ren Ye holding Yang Sanlang's hand, his eyes were red, and his expression was shy, as if he had lost a close relative.

Oh, His Highness's condition has worsened again, but I heard that the princess who can treat him has not returned yet.

The old man pretended not to see it and only asked softly: "Your Highness, if you need me, please come in one by one. If not, I will call the second person."

"Yes, come in."

Ren also nodded slightly.

The old man stepped in, standing five meters away from Ren Ye with a cautious and vigilant look, and couldn't help swallowing his saliva: "Your Highness, what do you want to ask?"

"Do you have a mother?" Ren Ye asked "calmly".

The old man was stunned for a moment, not knowing how to respond, and was ready to run away at any time.

"Have it?"

"Of course there is."

"Is she still alive?" Ren Ye's expression was very calm.

"My mother passed away eight years ago." The old man replied truthfully.

"Yes." Ren nodded slowly and asked, "Then can you still remember the details of her death eight years ago? For example, who changed her clothes, who carried her out of the room, who was the first relative or neighbor to rush over after hearing the news, etc."

The old man was stunned for a moment, frowned and thought for a long time: "I was extremely sad when my mother died that day. I remember some things, but not others. For example, the house was in chaos at that time. I was crying and shouting the whole time. It was my wife who went out to shout. I don't remember who came first."

"Then have you met my military advisor?"

"Oh, you mean Taoist Fenglin? Of course I have seen him before." The old man nodded in reply.

"Go get some paper and pen."