Chapter 1072: Underhanded Moves

Zhang Yuelu sat behind her writing desk and laid her license across it. A shimmering curtain of light arose, projecting the upper half of Qi Xuansu’s body.

On the other side, Qi Xuansu was also seated. So in a sense, the two now faced each other across the light.

“Second Deputy Qi, how do you find time to contact me in your busy schedule?” Zhang Yuelu joked.

Qi Xuansu replied, “Why do I hear a hint of resentment in your tone? That doesn’t sound like the Second Deputy Zhang that I know.”

Zhang Yuelu said, “It’s not resentment, just a fact. I’ve heard things are rough on your side. I wanted to ask about you several times, but I restrained myself. You never contacted me either.”

Communication through the mother-child mirrors or talismans was never completely secure, as they connected multiple lines of communication that were crisscrossed like a vast web. Thus, they were vulnerable to eavesdropping. Madam Qi could even slap Qi Xuansu through the mother-child talisman, which was proof of how easily manipulatable the system was. However, the license offered true privacy because it was a one-to-one connection, functioning much like the single-line channels used by spies.

Qi Xuansu chuckled. “Well, I’m contacting you now, aren’t I? It’s nothing serious. Right now, I’m in full control. Every Spirit Guard in Poluo answers to my command. I wouldn’t trade this for even the position of Chief Deputy Mansion Master.”

Zhang Yuelu’s mind was razor sharp. She immediately caught something off. “Why would the Spirit Guards be under your command? Even if Great Sage Lan meant to delegate power, it wouldn’t be done that way. Has something happened to him?”

Qi Xuansu could not help but admire her keen insight. “You’re as sharp as ever. Since the day we met, I’ve never been able to hide anything from you. Yes, Great Sage Lan was in an accident, but it’s nothing severe. He’s in seclusion right now, so I’m temporarily acting in his stead, carrying some of the duties fit for a Mansion Master. That’s what I meant by being in full command.”

He secretly mused that if he ever took on any mistresses, Zhang Yuelu would probably see through it in an instant and storm straight to his door.

Zhang Yuelu asked, “What kind of accident?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “Great Sage Lan didn’t want to make a spectacle of it, so he didn’t report it to the Golden Tower Council. But I’ll tell you only this much. He encountered both Wu Luo’s and True Lord Siming’s joint divine descent. They used the Southern Dragon Qi to create their divine vessel, allowing them to manifest their full power. Though Great Sage Lan has defeated both incarnations of the Ancient Immortals, he suffered a severe backlash and is now recuperating in seclusion.”

Zhang Yuelu did not press further about Great Sage Lan’s condition. “Wow...the Southern Dragon Qi leak? I’m dealing with negligence at most, but your situation has been so chaotic, as though rules and boundaries no longer exist in Poluo.”

Qi Xuansu sighed. “Call it courage or recklessness...you have no idea what it’s like here. The entire Yu royal court is crawling with fiends. They’ve turned it into a den of demons. I’ve seen enough to broaden my horizons for a lifetime, so that’s exactly what I’m investigating now.”

Zhang Yuelu examined Qi Xuansu’s face carefully, then suddenly said, “Tian Yuan, you don’t look well.”

Qi Xuansu instinctively touched his face. “Really? That’s strange. It isn’t a physical wound...”

Halfway through the sentence, Qi Xuansu suddenly realized he had been tricked. He was not normally so naive. But he had simply let down his guard in front of Zhang Yuelu.

He said helplessly, “Qing Xiao, that’s unfair! How could you trick your future Daoist companion like this?”

Zhang Yuelu ignored his diversion and said, “Tell me, how did you get hurt? What’s the extent of your injury? I’ve told you many times to take care of yourself and not to take unnecessary risks.”

Qi Xuansu hurriedly replied, “Wait, wait! First of all, you’re quite the risk-taker yourself, too, so you’re not in a position to lecture me. Secondly, you’re sounding a bit like Madam Qi now.”

Zhang Yuelu rolled her eyes. “It’s relatively safe here in the Lingnan Daoist Mansion. You, however, are surrounded by peril in the Poluo Daoist Mansion, so you’re in no position to worry about me.”

Qi Xuansu sighed. “I was set up this time. I promise I won’t be so careless next time. Don’t worry, though. I know what I’m doing. If push comes to shove, I’ll always choose survival. After all, I can always start over as long as I’m alive.”

Zhang Yuelu was not the nagging type, so she did not press further. Instead, she said, “You’re fighting with injuries in such harsh conditions, so contacting me now must mean there’s something serious, right?”

“You understand me so well, Qing Xiao.” Qi Xuansu grinned. “I do have a serious matter to ask you. Have you heard about the Nanyang United Trading Company?”

Zhang Yuelu was slightly startled. “I have. The Nanyang United Trading Company is notoriously lawless, even kidnapping members of the Daoist Mansion. The problem actually traces back to your side. I’ve been dealing with related matters these past few days.”

Qi Xuansu said, “Perfect! Since you intend to investigate the Nanyang United Trading Company, help me watch out for one person. His name is Xi Ye. He’s the lover of the company’s proprietor, Wang Jiaoyan. She sent him to Lingnan, and he supposedly holds many secrets about her. If we can capture him, Wang Jiaoyan will be at our mercy, and through her, we can go after the Wang brothers, Wang Jiaohe and Wang Jiaoying.”

Zhang Yuelu quickly ran through the personnel list she had recently reviewed for the Lingnan branch of the Nanyang United Trading Company and said, “As far as I know, there is no such person.”

Qi Xuansu recalled, “Oh, Xi Ye is his stage name. His real name is Xu Youyi.”

Zhang Yuelu looked through the list again and replied, “There is such a person. He’s actually one of the senior members in the Lingnan branch. He was detained in connection with a case, so he’s now in prison. He looks unassuming. If you hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have realized his true standing.”

Qi Xuansu had not expected Zhang Yuelu to be investigating the same case as him. That saved him the effort of explaining. “You must watch this man closely. Don’t let him escape, and under no circumstances can you let him die. I have big plans for him.”

Zhang Yuelu chuckled. “Then I’d better inform Xu Kou immediately. You know him. Even the cult demons can’t withstand his methods, let alone someone who clawed his way up by selling his body like Xu Youyi.”

Though Zhang Yuelu did not instruct Xu Kou to use torture, he was always known to act on his own. His past records were proof enough. Zhang Yuelu was well aware of this and rarely used him, but this time she was determined to get to the bottom of the case. Since harsh measures were necessary, she put Xu Kou in charge.

Qi Xuansu asked curiously, “Old Xu is handling this case? Then it must be quite a big one.”

Zhang Yuelu replied, “The case itself isn’t big, but it has a negative impact. It’s nothing compared to what you’re dealing with. The root of it all lies on your side anyway.”

Qi Xuansu immediately understood. “So the culprit behind this one is also the Nanyang United Trading Company? I won’t pretend to stand on moral high ground or make some righteous speech, but that company really is a festering sore. It’s time we squeezed it out.”

𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Zhang Yuelu said, “Let’s not dwell on that. I’ll handle it. If necessary, I can even represent the Lingnan Daoist Mansion and make a trip to Poluo myself.”

“You can represent the Lingnan Daoist Mansion as a Second Deputy? That’s quite the privilege!” Qi Xuansu teased, “Even as the Acting Mansion Master, I still can’t speak for all of the Poluo Daoist Mansion. I’m the minority voice at the council. I had to convene a large council to push through my motions.”

Zhang Yuelu was upfront about it. “Lingnan borders Wuzhou, and it’s still the Zhengyi Sect’s territory. With the Heavenly Preceptor and my master’s full support, the officials here had to respect their authority and show me courtesy. So my situation is completely different from yours.”

Qi Xuansu said, “Don’t worry, I can still hold the line. I don’t need you to bail me out just yet. But when I can’t endure it, I won’t hesitate to call you.”

Zhang Yuelu nodded. “Deal.”

“Deal. You interrogate him at your own pace. Once you have something, let me know. We can make it a joint investigation between our Daoist Mansions.” Qi Xuansu concluded before ending the communication.

There were countless tangled threads before him, but his focus had to remain on the secret societies.

One thing was now confirmed. The descent of the Ancient Immortals was linked to the eunuchs’ deaths, which were connected to the Queen Dowager. Since the Queen Dowager had ties to the Ancient Immortals, these separate cases could be merged. They were, in essence, one and the same.

If the case were closed now, it would still make sense. The Queen Dowager was the mastermind who killed the eunuchs. The Yu King’s illness was also her doing. When confronted with the truth, Yang E resisted capture and tried to assassinate Second Deputy Qi, only to be slain on the spot by him.

But Qi Xuansu had no intention of closing the case at this juncture because it was clear to him that Yang E was merely a pawn, still far from being the chess player. There were others behind the scenes.

From this, it was evident that the mastermind’s move was both offensive and defensive. On one hand, Yang E was to kill Qi Xuansu, and the blame would then be shifted onto the secret societies since her connection to the Ancient Immortals made that story plausible. But if she failed to kill him, then all the leads would simply end with her, and every crime could be pinned entirely on her shoulders.

Qi Xuansu’s instincts told him that Wang Jiaohe and Chen Shuhua had some involvement in this matter. After all, things could never have escalated this far without the Daoist Mansion’s power shielding them. But he still lacked any solid evidence.

Whether he investigated Wang Jiaoyan or the Green Phoenix Guard, the outcome remained uncertain. It was certainly time-consuming, and Qi Xuansu could not afford to just sit and wait. After much thought, he realized there was one last lead left to follow, which was the Yu King.

The Yu King had fallen ill in such a strange, suspicious manner, so surely, there would be traces left behind. Although the Huasheng Hall had found nothing, that did not mean no one else could.

Wang Jiaohe and Chen Shuhua had made some underhanded moves, and so would Qi Xuansu.

After all, Qi Xuansu also had connections to secret societies. Before leaving Jade Capital, Sage Cihang had told him that Madam Qi held high-ranking positions in five secret societies, and among them was the Eight Tribes.

The Eight Tribes and Huasheng Hall shared the same lineage, both being offshoots of the ancient creation projects. Since Huasheng Hall had failed to uncover the truth, he would have the Eight Tribes investigate instead.

With that thought, Qi Xuansu once again tried to contact Madam Qi.