Too many female prisoners, a special forces soldier transmigrates and marries wildly.

The following night, at midnight.

There was no moon, but a thin mist.

The ruins of "Tingyuxuan" resemble the remains of a giant beast crouching in the darkness, making them even more terrifying.

Liu Sandao, along with two elite brothers, spread out like three shadows blending into the night, occupying three high points on the perimeter of the ruins. Crossbows were nocked, and eyes like hawks', fixed intently on their respective assigned directions. This was the standard triangular alert formation for scouts in the army.

Inside the ruins, Zhao Hu led the way, Sun He was in the middle, and "Mudfish" brought up the rear. All three were dressed in black, with their faces painted with anti-reflective black ash, revealing only their gleaming eyes.

Based on the vague location provided by Ye Qingli and the layout of the remaining ruins, Zhao Hu quickly determined the approximate area of ​​the study—a relatively "complete" section of the ruins, with several charred but not completely collapsed beams pointing diagonally towards the night sky, and a thick layer of ash and broken tiles on the ground.

"Start searching in a fan shape from here. Watch your step; there might be a cellar or a hidden compartment," Zhao Hu whispered, his voice hoarse.

The three stopped talking and, like three most patient hunting dogs, began to grope their way through the ruins inch by inch.

The ruins were eerily quiet, save for the mournful howl of the night wind whistling through the charred wood, the barely audible breathing of the three people, and the rustling of their clothes. The air was thick with the smell of burning wood and a faint, stale, almost bloody odor that sent chills down one's spine.

Time passed slowly. Nothing was found. Beneath the ashes were only molten porcelain fragments, deformed copper buckles, and some carbonized material whose original appearance was unrecognizable.

"Brother Tiger, searching like this isn't going to work. The 'Mysterious Scale Guards' must have searched it all. If there was anything obvious, it would have been gone long ago," "Mudfish" whispered as he approached.

Zhao Hu stopped what he was doing, a glint of light flashing in his single eye.

He glanced around, his gaze finally settling on the few charred, slanted beams of the roof. The study… if Steward Qian really had hidden something important, wouldn't it be somewhere other than in an obvious place, but… in a hole in the wall?

He walked to the thickest, relatively lightly burned beam. One end of the beam rested on a section of the broken wall that had not yet completely collapsed, while the other end was deeply embedded in the rubble.

He gestured for "Loach" to come over, then climbed onto "Loach's" shoulder and reached out to feel around the area where the beam and wall met. He felt that a brick was a bit loose, so he flipped it over and revealed a hole.

He slowly reached out and probed into the cave.

His fingertips touched a cold, hard metal object with what appeared to be a textured surface. He carefully grasped it and slowly removed the box.

By the faint starlight filtering through the opening, one could see a flat, square box, about the size of a palm and three fingers thick. It was entirely black, neither iron nor copper, heavy and cold to the touch, its surface engraved with intricate, layered patterns like snake scales, which shimmered faintly in the darkness. The box had no lock, yet it was perfectly sealed, with no way to open it.

Zhao Hu carefully wrapped the box in a thick oilcloth and stuffed it into his inner pocket. Then, he put the overturned blue brick back in its original position, carefully brushed the ashes back, and tried to erase any traces.

"Retreat!" Zhao Hu shouted in a low voice.

The three of them didn't linger. Following their pre-arranged route, they quietly withdrew from the ruins and rejoined Liu Sandao, who was on guard outside. The five of them vanished like ghosts into the deep night of the "Muddy Hollow."

"Sanheyuan" (a courtyard house) refers to a secret room.

Lin Feng, Liu Sandao, Zhao Hu, and Sun He sat around the table.

The oil lamp on the table shone brightly, illuminating a thick oilcloth on which lay the pitch-black square box with snake scale patterns.

Lin Feng took out a thin, willow-leaf-shaped throwing knife from his waist. With extreme care, he gently pierced the snake-scale pattern on one corner of the square box, then slowly increased the force.

The top of the once seamless square box had silently slid open with a thin slit, revealing a roll of paper wrapped in an unknown silk, its surface tinged with a pale yellow hue, lying quietly at the bottom of the box.

Lin Feng took a deep breath and, with extreme care, used the tip of his throwing knife to pick out the roll of paper. The roll was small, only about the thickness of a thumb, and was bound with a similarly black silk thread.

He untied the silk thread and slowly unrolled the paper. The paper was covered in tiny, illegible characters, the ink worn but the writing clear. The first few lines alone made Lin Feng's pupils shrink!

"On the 23rd day of the twelfth month of the Xth year of Jing'an, the King secretly met with the envoy from the Qi vassal state at the Dragon King Temple on the north bank of Black Stone Beach. The envoy, acting on the orders of the Qi vassal lord, offered 100,000 shi of grain and 3,000 jin of refined iron in exchange for my 'Mysterious Scale' to help him control the Qingzhou canal transport, salt and iron, and to find clues to the 'Lost Treasure'. The King agreed and bestowed upon him a 'Mysterious' token as proof. Subsequent communications will be handled by 'Money,' using this token and a coded message..."

Following this were several sets of complex numbers and symbols, resembling a code, and a strange, snake-like graphic mark, next to which were a few small words: "In case of emergency, burn this map, scatter the ashes under the old locust tree in the east of the city, and someone will come to your aid."

Turning the page further, there were several pages of densely packed accounts and abbreviated lists, recording the time, place, items handed over, and the code names of the people involved. The words "Qi Envoy," "Qian," and "Huang" appeared repeatedly. The last page, with its slightly messy handwriting, seemed to have been added hastily.

"The king's affairs are urgent, and all evidence has been destroyed. However, the Qi prince is greedy and despicable, and there is a fear of him turning against the king. Therefore, this has been secretly recorded here and kept in the 'Earth Eye' in the study. In case of any unforeseen circumstances, it may be used to check and restrain him. — Lin Twenty-Seven, Last Words."

Silence, a deathly silence. The only sound was the faint crackling of the oil lamp's flame.

Although Liu Sandao, Zhao Hu, and Sun He couldn't fully understand it, the words "Qi Fan," "Grand Canal Transport," "Arsenal," and "Relic Treasure" were enough for them to grasp the significance of what they held! This was practically irrefutable evidence that the Prince of Qi was colluding with the remnants of the previous dynasty, the "Xuanlin Guard," in a plot against the government! And the words "money" and "yellow" clearly referred to Manager Qian and Huang San of the Grand Canal Gang! This was shocking evidence that could wipe out the Prince of Qi, the Grand Canal Gang, and even Zhou Wenyuan (if he was also involved) in one fell swoop!

Lin Feng slowly put down the scroll, closed his eyes, and his chest rose and fell slightly. Even with his resolute will, he could not hide the turbulent emotions surging within him.

What Ye Qingli was looking for was actually this! This wasn't just a clue about the "Xuanlin Guard," but a bombshell capable of bringing down Prince Qi, implicating the Canal Gang, and even shaking the court! No wonder the "Xuanlin Guard" wanted to silence Manager Qian and come back to search for this! If this thing got out, Prince Qi would be finished, and the "Xuanlin Guard's" plans in Qingzhou might also be exposed!

And yet, by some twist of fate, I ended up getting my hands on this deadly thing!

Is it a blessing or a curse?

He slowly opened his eyes, which were now filled with a cold, clear light.

He carefully rolled up the paper, tied it again with black silk thread, wrapped it carefully in oilcloth, and prepared to store it in a secluded place.

"What happened tonight," Lin Feng's gaze swept over the three men, his voice low and solemn, carrying an undeniable authority, "is a secret you will keep forever hidden from us once you leave this door! Not a single word of what's in this box, on this paper, is to be revealed! Otherwise, it won't just be a matter of losing your head, it will be a calamity that wipes out your entire family!"

Liu Sandao and his two companions turned pale, but their eyes shone with determination. They responded in unison in a low voice, "Yes! We swear to keep this a secret to the death!"

The three of them retreated, their steps unsteady, a mixture of lingering fear and excitement.

Following Master Lin is truly...exciting!

Lin Feng was the only one left in the secret room.

He lit another candle, and as the flame flickered, his mind raced.

This secret record of the "Mysterious Scale Guard" is both a trump card and a hot potato. If used well, it can bring down Prince Qi, severely damage the Canal Gang, and even blackmail Zhou Wenyuan. If used poorly, it will backfire and lead to a dead end.

With Imperial Envoy Feng Zhen just arrived, the situation in Qingzhou is delicate. To whom should this evidence be given? Feng Zhen? He's incorruptible, but will he believe it? Won't it alert the enemy? Ye Qingli? She seems to be investigating the "Xuanlin Guard," but her true purpose and background remain a mystery…

A myriad of issues, a deadly plot unfolds.

But a fire gradually ignited within him. It was the excitement of wielding power, the desire to break the deadlock and turn the tide! With this, he was no longer a small-time leader struggling to survive in the "muddy ground." In his hand, he held a key powerful enough to pry open the chessboard of Qingzhou, and even higher levels!

"King Qi... Zhou Wenyuan... Huang San... and the 'Xuanlin Guard'..." Lin Feng murmured, a cold and sharp smile slowly curving his lips.

"The game needs an upgrade."