Chapter 38 038[VIP]

At this moment, only one voice echoed in his head—

I've been deceived…

He's been deceived again!

According to what Shi Qingruo had told him, those who didn't know the truth would simply assume that Gongzi Yu coveted her because of her rare beauty. If she didn't want to be controlled by others, she had no choice but to retreat to the mountains and seek opportunities in the sword techniques passed down by Dugu Qiubai. Otherwise, she would be forced into a desperate situation by the Azure Dragon Society.

Someone was bullying this poor girl.

But if this girl wasn't alone in the martial arts world, but instead the wife of the former Saint Lord of the Misty Heaven Alliance, now the Seventh Saint Lord, commanding thousands of martial artists, then Gongzi Yu's challenge to her through the Azure Dragon Society would have a completely different meaning!

Faced with this sudden change of identity, Ah Fei couldn't even confirm whether Shi Qingruo's previous words contained any falsehood.

This shock inevitably brought back memories of the past...

When he was only seventeen, entering the martial arts world, he was deceived by the treacherous yet treacherous Lin Xian'er, the world's most beautiful woman. He nearly broke his sword and became a useless man bound by his emotions. If he hadn't seen her true face again and had his close friends support him, there might not have been a single person in the world known as a "Flying Swordsman."

And now—

A Fei immediately rushed out the door, as if afraid that if he walked even a little slower, he would fall into a new trap.

This was probably the instinctive reaction brought on by the lesson of "once bitten by a snake."

But before he could even step out, a purple light burst from Shi Qingruo's sleeve, blocking his way.

The short staff at his waist moved so quickly that only a shadow could be seen, but the purple light clanged several times, parrying three incoming sword attacks with a force as gentle as the breeze.

"You're using the sword technique I taught you to stop me?" A Fei raised his eyebrows.

A rare hint of youthful anger crossed that already mature face.

Shi Qingruo sheathed her sword and lowered her eyes, looking a little aggrieved. Even though he realized that this was most likely another one of her ingenious tricks, Ah Fei couldn't help but grit his teeth and retracted his short stick.

The unicorn

Shi Qingruo said loudly: "Senior, you haven't done justice yet, why are you leaving? I see that you feel you've been deceived, so I have to stop you and explain things clearly."

She raised her pair of black and white eyes and asked seriously: "Excuse me, senior, have I ever told a lie that makes you feel that you have been tricked into coming here?"

"You...you are the Holy Lord of the Misty Heaven Alliance. How dare Gongzi Yu covet your beauty?" Ah Fei replied with a tense face.

Shi Qingruo's expression remained unchanged: "Why shouldn't I be afraid? Not everyone is like Shi Guanyin, who hides away from those they can't defeat. Lei Sun, the former head of the Liufenbantang, knew that he was no match for Zhuge Shenhou, but he still went to carry out the assassination, which cost him three fingers..."

"That's the way of martial arts, you become stronger when you meet a stronger opponent, isn't it—"

"Then how dare I covet the beauty of Baiyun City Lord Su Louzhu? Why can Gongzi Yu only deal with me because of a gang fight?"

"..." Ah Fei was stunned.

Wen Rou, who rushed over as soon as she heard Shi Qingruo was back, almost stumbled and fell when she heard this.

But after Shi Qingruo threw this righteous bomb, he grabbed the hand of the man in front of him and stood up straight.

"I haven't lied a single time, yet Senior thinks I'm hiding something and isn't a good person. Why don't you dare show me something?"

Ah Fei's face instantly changed several colors, and he froze in his tracks. "Let go, I'll follow you."

Shi Qingruo spoke with such conviction, as if she had never lied to him before. Even Ah Fei, who considered himself experienced in the martial arts world, couldn't help but wonder if he had truly misjudged the person before him.

But then it suddenly occurred to him that such evasive statements might be no less blatant than lies, possessing the same deceptive power. With a stern face

, he followed Shi Qingruo until they entered a cold, icy cellar.

On the icy jade bed in front of them lay the bodies of a man and a woman.

"This is Fang Geyin, killed by Gongzi Yu and Yuan Shisanxian. Originally, his body was to be buried under Gao Xiaoshang's supervision after the arrival of the Xuehe Tianyu factions. Who knew that even Gao Xiaoshang died? His remains remain in the Mitian League's ice cellar."

She pointed at the severe wound on Fang Geyin's chest and asked Ah Fei, "Senior, please identify which sect's martial arts this is from."

Ah Fei's expression was stern, as if tempered by the surrounding cold. His eyes remained bright, as if he could see everything clearly.

Even through the thin ice and rotting flesh, he keenly detected some distinctive traces.

Years ago, while traveling around the border town, he had clashed with the Western Demon Cult. The demons of the Xingxiu Sea used a martial art called the Heaven-Destroying and Earth-Destroying Great Soul-Searching Hand, which could deprive a person of their vital energy with a single strike.

Because this technique was so powerful, it would sometimes affect the ordinary moves of its practitioners.

The wound in front of him was no exception!

He also had a hunch that the martial arts that caused this wound came from the same source as the Great Soul-Searching Hand...

"This one, called Quhun Jiongyuan, is from the Western Demon Cult's secret "The Great Compassion Ode of Yin and Yang in the Interaction of Heaven and Earth", which is as famous as the Demon Cult's external martial arts, the Crescent Moon Scimitar. However, there are people who have mastered the latter, while the former is only scattered in the hands of elders from all sides."

"Then..."

"You don't need to ask me where I got the news," Shi Qingruo interrupted in a deep voice, "and you don't need to ask me how this Great Compassion Ode fell into Gongzi Yu's hands. I just want to say that he is indeed a genius who is born to practice martial arts, but he is a genius who does not follow the right path."

"Even if it wasn't Young Master Yu, but the work of the Demon Sect, with the current turmoil in the martial arts world, Senior, possessing unparalleled martial arts skills, are you truly going to retreat to an isolated island like Shen Lang, ignoring worldly affairs and allowing them to continue wreaking havoc?"

As if echoing Shi Qingruo's words, a cold voice suddenly rang out from behind, "Senior, you've just arrived in Bianjing. Perhaps you've missed a piece of news. After Fang Geyin's adopted son died, the only one left who could inherit his martial arts and power was Gao Xiaoshang. But Gao Xiaoshang unexpectedly died in a secret room half a month ago, even his eyes sewn shut with embroidery needles. Such methods also look very much like the work of the Demon Sect."

Ah Fei turned around and saw a young man in a wheelchair.

He had never met this person in person, but he had heard of him. He was none other than Wuqing, one of the Four Great Constables.

Ah Fei was silent for a moment, staring intently at the newcomer. He let out a long sigh and replied, "Okay, I'll stay here for now. Once I can clearly see who's genuine and who's fake, I'll take action."

Shi Qingruo's eyes suddenly lit up with joy.

Regardless of whether Ah Fei was merely claiming to be neutral, his willingness to stay here was the support she needed in this crucial moment.

Faced with the combined might of Gongzi Yu, Yuan Shisanxian, Di Feijing, and Fu Zongshu, she couldn't guarantee the intelligence she'd gathered would be of any use. Nor did she know what arrangements Gongzi Yu had made while she was in the mountains of Xiangyang, honing

her skills. Having an extra hand was always better than being completely unprepared.

Seeing Ah Fei leave, Shi Qingruo quickly arranged for his food and lodging. She also specifically instructed them not to disturb him, but to remain within the Misty Heaven Alliance.

Ah Fei paused before following the direction the gang had led them.

Shi Qingruo curled her lips and turned to meet Wuqing's eyes. "I never thought that Chief Constable Wuqing would have to cover up a lie one day."

Having just returned from the ice cellar, in the sunlight, she could still see a faint tinge of white at Wuqing's temples, making his face look even more like a plum blossom stained with snow.

Hanmei's proud character, coupled with the title of the head of the Four Famous Constables, no one would think that there was any bias in Wuqing's words.

Facing Shi Qingruo's ridicule, his expression was naturally unmoved: "Did I lie? The real culprit who harmed Gao Xiaoshang has not been arrested yet, there are only suspects. It's not wrong to say that this is the style of the Demon Sect."

What she said was in line with the language art she used to "trick" Ah Fei to come to Bian Jing.

Shi Qingruo smiled: "Since the Shenhou Mansion is trying to make changes, it's not too bad to start with the chief constable."

Wuqing looked at her spirit at the moment and felt a little helpless: "If you can be less indirect when praising me, I think I will be happier."

"By the way," he suddenly changed the subject, clearly not dwelling on whether the Divine Marquisate was planning a change. Instead, he said, "Madam Shi has been away from Bianjing for nearly a month now, and there are still many matters that need to be reported to. I won't bother you any longer. Earlier, I saw Young Master Lu and Young Master Chu, upon hearing of your return, both seemed to want to speak to you."

Shi Qingruo was about to take a step when he suddenly stopped and replied, "They share a common affliction, but what they want to say isn't urgent. I've heard the general situation along the way. Compared to them, I think I should go see Chun'er. Please, Chief Constable, pass on a message."

Gao Xiaoshang's death, to outsiders, was the result of Fang Geyin's murderer striking again. Wuqing could have said so initially to confuse the true killer, but Shi Qingruo could clearly see from his expression that he already knew the true identity of the perpetrator.

Jin Jiuling, the man Shi Qingruo had assigned to monitor Gao Xiaoshang, was truly an anomaly within the Six Gates. Compared to the frugal lives of most constables, he preferred a life of luxury and extravagance, but lacking the management skills to manage affairs, he inevitably struggled to make ends meet.

To maintain this lifestyle, he resorted to devious schemes. This one affected Gao Xiaoshang, who held Fang Geyin's private treasury.

Even though Lu Xiaofeng had vaguely suspected this when Shi Qingruo made the plan, he never imagined his good friend, a member of the Six Gates, would have the audacity to murder Gao Xiaoshang at such a critical moment and frame his death on Yuan Shisanxian and his men.

Nor did he realize that he had seemingly never understood his friend's ambitions.

No, they had ceased to be friends ever since he'd embarked on this evil path.

All he could say was that his situation was better than Chu Liuxiang's. At least—

Jin Jiuling had merely killed Gao Xiaoshang, the villain who had exposed Fang Geyin and his wife's whereabouts, pried some information from him, and then killed him, blaming another villain.

Wuhua, on the other hand, had stolen the Tianyi Divine Water to further his conspiracy with Nangong Ling, and then pinned the blame on Chu Liuxiang.

While there seemed no real need to fight to the bitter end, there was still a shred of friendship left.

Shi Qingruo pondered for a moment and decided that the two of them might want to talk more. Perhaps they could find solace and move on. There was no need to praise her for her foresight; it wouldn't be too late later.

Earlier, to keep Ah Fei, she had changed back into her original clothes and had only hastily sent a message to Guan Chun. Now, she needed a long chat with her to understand how arrangements had been made during her month-long absence.

When she returned to her study, her adopted daughter, already undressed from her disguise, stood before her, bearing several documents.

Shi Qingruo took them and flipped through them, seeing that Guan Chun had truly lived up to her trust. Together with Zhu Xiaoyao, he had managed the Mi Tian League with impeccable order. "

Organized" might not even be the right word.

With Fang Geyin's death leaving the various factions scattered, the Mi Tian League was eager to recruit new talent. Guan Chun, given the order to perform well, secured a significant number of recruits.

Among them was even a particularly exceptional master, known as the Shocking Waves Scholar.

"Seven arrows from the sword, smilingly watching the waves rise and clouds vanish"—this was a collective name for six masters who would appear years later. "Smiling Watch" was the now deceased Fang Yingkan, while "Taosheng" was the Shocking Waves Scholar Wu Qirong.

She praised him, "I stopped by Chuhe Town on my way back to the capital. You've chosen a good place for these outsiders."

Guan Chun replied, "Early on, not long after Young Master Su took over Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower, he already encroached upon the territory of the Six and a Half Sect. The two factions engaged in a brawl in Chuhe Town. Later, they divided the area and went their separate ways. Although the subsequent battles were fought directly in Bianjing, we still have a strong presence in Chuhe Town. If the Qinglong Society tries to recruit members before us, it will be difficult for them to escape our surveillance." "

Have they made any moves?"

Guan Chun nodded. "They're being very covert, and with other forces trying to win over these leaderless gangs, I'm hesitant to make any definitive conclusions."

"You've done a great job. The best scenario is that Tang Lan is being restrained." Shi Qingruo set the documents aside and smiled at Guan Chun. "How does it feel to let go and do it? I mean... to do it according to the moral order."

Guan Chun pursed her lips and remained silent.

Though she didn't reply, this was probably the answer Shi Qingruo most desired.

"Never mind, let's not talk about that for now." Her fingertips tapped lightly on the armrest of the armchair she sat on. Guan Chun felt a surge of inexplicable pressure within this sense of relaxation. "How's Di Feijing doing?"

"I think I know where he is, and I also know..." Guan Chun gritted her teeth. "He might have had a conflict with that Gongzi Yu you mentioned."

"Oh?" Shi Qingruo was a little surprised.

"As I said before, Sikong Zhaixing's disguise skills are unmatched in this world. But since Di Feijing has feelings for me, he'll definitely recognize me." Guan

Chun paused for a moment, lost in thought, her previous ability to temporarily assume Shi Qingruo's identity was largely due to her limited appearances.

Disguise could imitate her appearance, but it would be difficult for her to replicate Shi Qingruo's spirit.

Even now, she was clearly no longer as fierce as when she first became a Saint Master, yet beneath the gentle ripples in her clear eyes was a flash of thunder. "And then?"

Guan Chun suppressed a momentary sigh. "He was just testing me at first, hoping to get more accurate information from me, but after hearing the news from Taihu Lake, he got confused first."

This was a truly unexpected surprise.

According to Guan Chun, the young master's wife of Yongcui Villa was a disciple of the Stone Guanyin of the Great Desert. Under Huang Rong's coercion and inducement, she decided to be a "brave and good person" and expose the true identities of Wuhua and Nangong Ling.

These two brothers had a father from Japan and a very special mother, Li Qi, the eldest daughter of a prominent Huangshan family. Determined to avenge her father, she traveled to Japan to learn martial arts, gave birth to the two brothers, and then returned to the Central Plains to exact her own revenge, slaying numerous Huashan swordsmen who had once been enemies of the Huangshan family.

If the story ended there, she might be considered a heroine. However, she, brimming with martial arts prowess, adopted the name Stone Guanyin and began stirring up trouble in the martial arts world, becoming a demonic figure in the Western Desert.

Not only did she disfigure many beautiful women out of jealousy, including Qiu Lingsu, the wife of the former Beggars' Sect leader, but she also cultivated a poppy field in the desert to control her disciples.

Wuhua and Nangong Ling, having reunited with their mother, inherited her ambition to wreak havoc within the martial arts world. One, posing as a high-ranking monk, toyed with the feelings of women, including the disciple from the Divine Water Palace who had stolen the sacred water for him. The other, disregarding the kindness shown to his father by raising him, murdered the Beggars' Sect leader, and thus assumed the leadership.

Wuhua and Nangong Ling are now being brought to Beijing for interrogation and to resolve past mysteries. Hong Qigong remains in Jinan to restore order within the Beggars' Sect. After settling Yang Tiexin and his wife, Huang Rong and Guo Jing, along with Chu Liuxiang and Duan Tiande, returned.

This incident also caused Di Fei to panic.

While Shi Guanyin is no match for the likes of Shui Mu Yin Ji and Zhuge Shen Hou, she is undoubtedly a formidable figure within the martial arts world. Moreover, she had spent all these years living in seclusion on the borderlands of the Western Regions, rarely clashing with the martial arts masters of the Jianghu. Given her natural talent for martial arts, who knew if she had encountered some fortuitous encounter that suddenly elevated her skills?

Wuhua and Nangong Ling were her sons; if both perished in Bianjing, it would be a loss for her. How could she be sure she wouldn't hide and lurk?

Even more intriguing, everyone in Bianjing knew that the current Seventh Saint of the Misty Heaven Alliance was a peerless beauty.

Yet, no one had told Shi Guanyin that the person behind that disguise wasn't Shi Qingruo herself, but Guan Chun!

"He thinks you're shifting the burden onto someone else while you're busy with other matters. Plus, the Qinglong Society's attitude is unclear, so I might just be a target..."

Shi Qingruo couldn't help but laugh. "He's always been a mastermind, Lei Sun's trusted military advisor, but he's lost his composure when it comes to his emotions."

Using Guan Chun to deal with Di Feijing was a wise move.

Gongzi Yu was aloof and arrogant, and while he might not have truly taken his allies, Yuan Shisanxian and Di Feijing, seriously, he certainly wouldn't want either of them to act preemptively. Di Feijing wanted to save the people, while Gongzi Yu tried to stop them; there must be some rift between them.

It was time to capitalize on this.

If she could sever one of Gongzi Yu's arms beforehand, she would have the temerity to force this pretentious individual to the forefront!

A month after leaving Beijing, she felt far more confident than before.

To verify Guan Chun's claims, she took advantage of the still-dark sky and, in her true form, made another trip to Chuhe Town.

She spotted someone in the crowd, bearing the Six and a Half Hall affiliation. Upon noticing her "inadvertent" gesture at the car window, he took two steps toward her, as if to confirm his misjudgment. After realizing she wasn't blind, he quickly vanished into the crowd to alert the people behind him.

Shi Qingruo touched the Ziwei soft sword in his sleeve, a hint of amusement flashing across his eyes.

But when he heard the movement up ahead, his expression quickly disappeared.

The carriage had to stop because someone was ahead.

Shi Qingruo had someone lift the curtain in front of the carriage, and saw an unexpected person standing in front.

It was almost dusk in Chuhe Town. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the white clothes, like a layer of warm gauze, which diluted the indifference between his eyebrows.

"Why did City Lord Ye take a stroll here instead of retreating to comprehend the way of the sword? What a refined mood."

Ye Gucheng raised his eyes and looked into the carriage. His cold and sharp eyes seemed completely unaffected by the shadows in the carriage, and he could clearly see the face of the person in the carriage.

The same was true on the other side. If Shi Qingruo was not mistaken, there was a brief change of expression between his eyebrows.

Translated, it should be called "a sigh of relief."

He simply asked in a calm tone, "What kind of swordsman do you think I am, Madam?"

Shi Qingruo's fingertips, hidden in her sleeves, twitched, and she replied, "City Lord Ye's sword moves like a flying rainbow, his aura resplendent. It certainly doesn't seem like the way of swordsmanship can be cultivated in seclusion. It would be good to go out and explore."

"I'm asking about the man, not the sword."

Ye Gucheng spoke softly, as if he didn't want those around him to hear, yet it reached her ears with exceptional clarity.

The crimson glow of the approaching sunset reflected in those pale eyes, blurring the emotion within them, but Shi Qingruo still had a hunch that his current behavior was very different from what she had seen him earlier that night.

He stubbornly repeated, "Madam, what kind of person do you think I am?"

Shi Qingruo slowly replied, "Someone who seems otherworldly, yet can't escape the mundane world. Such people are not uncommon in the world, but City Lord Ye is somewhat different."

"I said before that the City Lord's sword is like a flying rainbow. How could a human not be?"

She lowered the carriage curtain and continued, "But it's not for me to judge what unique rainbow the City Lord possesses. As a swordsman, his heart follows his sword."

"It's getting late. I must return to the Misty Heaven Alliance..."

Before she could finish her words, she heard a cry of surprise from outside the carriage.

The next moment, a cold, slender hand grasped the edge of the carriage door.

He made no further move, nor did he raise the curtain. Instead, facing the sword energy pressing against his fingertips, he asked, "Does the promise we made to each other still stand?"

What was that promise? It was, of course, that she would give him her hairpin, and after Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuxue's duel, she would reveal the reason why she knew Ye Gucheng.

Shi Qingruo sat upright in the carriage, the purple light in his hand slowly tucked back into his sleeve. Through the curtains, he replied, "I've never broken my promise."

"Okay."

That one word was enough.

Ye Gucheng had no intention of actually stopping the carriage and preventing it from passing. Before Shi Qingruo could even get angry, he'd already released his hand and stepped aside.

Perhaps it was because the sun had already set behind the farthest houses of Chuhe Town, and the warmth he felt faded, leaving behind only the usual chill that intimidated him.

Even the onlookers, witnessing this scene, instinctively averted their gaze, fearing that knowing too much would lead to trouble.

Ahead of him, the carriage carrying the Saint Lord of the Misty Heaven Alliance had continued on its way. Only the summer night breeze blew the curtains of the side windows, allowing Shi Qingruo to see, out of the corner of his eye, a faint reddish hue dripping from his fingertips.

He quickly wiped it clean with a silk handkerchief he took out from his sleeve, and he was still the Lord of Baiyun City who looked spotless.

Shi Qingruo lowered her eyes and turned away, silently hoping Ye Gucheng wouldn't recall any more images.

As for the fact that he seemed to have noticed someone had temporarily taken her place...

"Sorry, I was distracted." Shi Qingruo recollected her thoughts and returned to the present moment.

After leaving Chuhe Town, the carriage didn't immediately return to the Misty Heaven Alliance. Instead, it stopped on the outskirts, where it met another carriage coming down from Tianquan Mountain. This saved Su Mengzhen from having to make another trip to the Misty Heaven Alliance.

She had just returned today, and Guan Chun had already learned about the internal affairs of the Misty Heaven Alliance. Now, the only thing left was what was happening outside.

The first person she needed to see was, of course, the owner of the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower, who was currently allied with the Misty Heaven Alliance.

She glanced at Su Mengzhen's face and couldn't help but ask, "Has your condition worsened?"

If she wasn't mistaken, even though the moon was already bright outside and the night was deep, Su Mengzhen's face was only illuminated by the faint moonlight filtering through the car window and the bright light from the car, Shi Qingruo could still make out that Su Mengzhen's face seemed to be covered with a thin layer of powder, masking the unpleasant complexion caused by illness.

The lighting was not good, so she forgot that she couldn't see any difference from before she left Bianjing.

She could only assume that Su Mengzhen's condition had worsened. She had heard the imperial physician enshrined in the building's diagnosis of Su Mengzhen: while his internal energy could suppress his injuries from being fatal, it had also transformed the poisonous palm he had suffered in infancy, along with the injuries he had sustained in subsequent battles, into a series of unnamed illnesses.

Now that he hadn't suffered any more serious injuries in the bloody battle with Lei Sun, and that wretch Bai Choufei hadn't entered Jinfengxiyu Tower to cause him any trouble, could it be that some other trouble had exacerbated his condition?

Su Mengzhen, touched by this concerned look, replied gravely, "I haven't had any opportunities to resort to violence lately, so my condition won't worsen."

"That's good," Shi Qingruo smiled. "Master Su can't collapse until those serious problems are resolved."

"You too,"

Su Mengzhen replied briefly, but Shi Qingruo, as if she had seen a ghost, cast a questioning glance at him.

He was always direct with his words, but this statement sounded normal coming from Shi Qingruo. Coming from Su Mengzhen, it sounded... eerie.

"Am I wrong?" The cold fire in Su Mengzhen's eyes, seemingly burning himself and others, was now softened by the soft moonlight, softening the formality and adding a touch of friendliness.

"You left the capital alone before. As a friend, and... a friend who knows you well, I'm relieved to see you return safely. What's wrong with that?"

He was even more delighted. Although Shi Qingruo's journey was risky, it was a forced action after the enemy attacked first, and the end result was clearly good.

Wen Rou, who had been quick to report Ah Fei's arrival, had already informed him.

But external forces, for both him and Shi Qingruo, were secondary.

What mattered more was herself.

Her sword lay hidden in her sleeve, unfired. The ten years of internal energy gifted to her by Guan Qi had also transformed from overflowing on the surface to a restrained, divine light.

It was clear that her martial arts had reached a far higher level.

He practiced with the dao, not the sword, but this return to nature was a sign of universal mastery for both.

How could he not be happy for her?

From the day she married Guan Qi and first met him, she seemed to have always been clear about her goals. Events over the past month hadn't deviated from control; presumably, they were proceeding according to her plan.

"Master Su?" Shi Qingruo stretched out his hand and waved it in front of him.

The candlelight in the car also shook because of this wave of his hand.

Su Mengzhen resisted the itch in his throat and responded with a "hmm". He also realized belatedly that it was Shi Qingruo who was distracted before, and now it was his turn.

"Before I left the city, I learned a lot from Chun'er. Now I should ask Master Su about this." Shi Qingruo was quite amused to see that Su Mengzhen quickly turned back to the present from his slightly dazed look, which really made the matter more obvious.

He answered seriously: "Miss Guan's recent behavior is very much like the style of Sister Guan in the past, and she is worthy of your trust in her."

Shi Qingruo: "Sister Guan... It's a pity that her whereabouts have not been found to this day."

But this was not the time to mention her. Shi Qingruo only sighed and did not go deeper into the topic.

Su Mengzhen continued, "I don't have much to say about the rest of the matter, including the situation at Taihu Lake, which was also handled by your people, and I should have already informed you. However, there are two things that Fengyu Tower's spies discovered, and I still need to tell you separately."

Shi Qingruo nodded.

Su Mengzhen said, "Earlier, you sent Wang Xiaoshi to borrow the sword and the sword formation diagram from Yongcui Villa. Besides bringing Li Guanyu back to the capital for Doctor Shu's treatment, he also coordinated with Chu Liuxiang and others to escort Duan Tiande and the two villains back to the capital."

"I know about that."

"But you probably don't know that some of the assassins Fu Zongshu sent to silence Duan Tiande were intercepted by experts from the Imperial Palace along the way."

Shi Qingruo's eyebrows twitched. "You said the young emperor took action? But... that's to be expected."

No emperor enjoys being bullied by his subjects. Even if that emperor only wanted to be an artist or a master alchemist, he would be no exception.

Moreover, the young emperor who now sits on the throne is no fool. In other words, Fu Zongshu, blinded by the power he held, was completely focused on the feud between the Divine Marquisate and the Bianjing gangs, unaware of another imminent danger above him.

No…

Thinking of Fu Zongshu's conspiracy with certain people in the capital who had only been there a month or so, Shi Qingruo felt that he must have known about this sign. But Fu Zongshu must have believed he had the ability to replace the emperor before he lost control, so he failed to detect this reinforcement in advance.

Fu Zongshu acted decisively, and the young emperor was no slouch either.

"There's another thing." Su Mengzhen rubbed his forehead, as if remembering his first reaction upon hearing this intelligence.

"Earlier, you asked me to follow Ye Gucheng down. Using the spices as a guide, we found a hidden residence he frequented in Bianjing City, where we discovered a man of special status. His servants call him the Crown Prince. Judging by the tokens, he must be the Southern King's son. However, based on the portraits brought back by the spies, and Zhuge Shenhou's identification, he bears at least an 80% resemblance to the current emperor."

Shi Qingruo's expression remained unchanged.

Her overly calm demeanor made it easy for Su Mengzhen to see that she had known about this even before she plotted against Ye Gucheng.

Therefore, Su Mengzhen didn't think this was the key point he was trying to make.

He continued, "You also know that when the Misty Heaven Alliance was in Guan Qi's hands, Fengyu Tower had spies there. Now they're under your command, but since we're collaborating, they'll assist Bailou in updating some files and intelligence."

"Yes." Shi Qingruo knew about this.

Yang Wuxie had come to discuss this with her earlier, and since a copy of the intelligence would be sent to her, she didn't mind these actions. It won’t be too late to make the separation after all the members of the Mi Tian Alliance have been reorganized and the intelligence department has been reorganized.

Su Mengzhen was helpless. "Then do you know? This Prince of the Southern King who looks 80% like Your Majesty, also looks 80% like a new member of your Mi Tian League."

"I thought it was just a resemblance, but I went to the Mi Tian League in person and found out that the man next to him was named Yin Xian. He was once a swordsman with some fame in the martial arts world, but he was recruited by the court more than ten years ago and served in the palace."

In other words, this member of the Mi Tian League who looks very similar to the Prince of the Southern King is not just a coincidence in appearance, but -

he is actually the current emperor himself!

Su Mengzhen spoke with some difficulty: "Your Majesty is in your Mi Tian League... a small leader among the new members."

"...Ah?" Shi Qingruo blinked, and a rare look of confusion appeared on her face.

Author's words:

Qingruo: Who? Where? Here? (Confused)

In the last chapter, I saw someone asking about age. Currently, Gongzi Yu should be 24, Su Mengzhen is slightly under 28, it’s hard to say exactly how old they are. If he and Wuqing are the same age, they should be 26, and Ye Gucheng is 30, something like that. Gongzi Yu and Fu Hongxue are of the same year, and A Fei is ten years older than Gongzi Yu, Fu Hongxue, and Ye Kai.

There is no doubt that Gongzi Yu is making the slowest progress, and he is working in the opposite direction (pointing and talking). It’s okay, there is still hope of getting higher scores - probably.

See you tomorrow night at 6 o'clock. I will try to write more tomorrow. I will write slowly and cry when I write about the emotional scenes.