462 Chapter 462
Seven days later, in the capital of Nanjing.
It's been drizzling for the past few days. Pedestrians are walking around with paper umbrellas, and from a high place, they look like colorful flowers blooming in the rain.
Yu Sui pushed the window open a little and looked towards the palace. She squinted slightly and saw many people kneeling in front of the high walls and palace gates through the emitted light core.
The people kneeling before the palace gates on rainy days were all dressed in military officer uniforms.
"General Tian, get up and go back quickly. General Li is only in prison now, and His Majesty has not yet decided on his punishment. If you keep pressuring him like this, won't you be harming General Li?"
Deputy Director Liu of the Criminal Investigation Department whispered advice to Tian Youping.
"His Majesty has asked the Holy Maiden to decide this matter. The Holy Maiden has made it clear that she has a grudge against General Li. How can this be resolved peacefully?" Tian Youping said with a fierce expression and sharp eyes. "General Li saved our lives. Now that she is in trouble, we will naturally not stand idly by."
After trying to persuade him for a while without success, Deputy Chief Liu turned and left.
Not long after, a carriage entered the palace, passing by Tian Youping and his entourage without stopping. While their passes were being checked, the person inside the carriage lifted a corner of the curtain and looked at the people kneeling in the rain.
Before Zhong Lique could even see what the person in the rain looked like, the curtain slipped from her hand and was put back on.
"Why won't you let me see?" Zhong Lique turned around and asked Sheng Fei, who was sitting opposite her.
"This trip must remain hidden, so avoid causing trouble." Sheng Fei closed his eyes to rest.
Zhong Lique sat up straight and placed her hands on her knees.
These two people
Before Yu Sui could think it through, the light core shattered the moment it entered the palace wall.
Now she can place the light cores taken from the spirit puppet's body into the Nine Provinces Star Sea to prolong their existence. Most of the light cores that are released to the outside world as core eyes are light cores below the eighth realm.
The barrier around the Nanjing Prince's Palace is quite interesting.
Yu Sui turned around and saw Shen Tianxue sitting at the table looking at the Wind Listening Ruler. "What are you doing?" she asked without looking up.
"People from all six kingdoms are flocking to Nanjing," Yu Sui said.
"That's why it's so lively," Shen Tianxue snorted.
"Dean, do you know something?"
"What?" Shen Tianxue didn't take it seriously.
Yu Sui looked outside again and asked, "Are they going to break the oath of no war between the six kingdoms in Nanjing?"
"You already know, why are you asking?" Shen Tianxue rolled her eyes. "They secretly brought the fragments of the Floating Pagoda to Nanjing, intending to break their oath without Shui Zhou's knowledge."
"Shui Zhou disagrees?" Yu Sui was somewhat surprised.
Shen Tianxue said, "Shui Zhou believes that the oath of no war is related to the prophecy of the world being destroyed by the strange fire. When the strange fire erupted before, didn't it only burn down the Zhou Kingdom?"
Yu Sui was a little puzzled: "If we break the oath of non-war and the six kingdoms go to war, wouldn't that be even more detrimental to our research on the Strange Fire and our efforts to save the Xuan Gu Continent?"
"To think that you have the power to save others is arrogance."
Shen Tianxue got up and went to the window, reaching out to catch the raindrops outside: "You think you have the power to take other people's lives?"
Yu Sui remained silent.
“You’re mistaken. We need to lift the oath of non-aggression, otherwise, there will always be a force weighing on us.” Shen Tianxue looked at the gloomy sky. “This will make it even more difficult for them to fight against the strange fire together.”
She hummed a lullaby softly; though a storm was brewing, she felt excited and expectant.
"You should figure out how to get into the palace first. That Four Directions Heaven-Reaching Formation is not so easy to deal with. If you are exposed as soon as you arrive... Oh, I forgot to tell you, if those people really break their oath of non-aggression in Nanjing, Elder Chang will definitely come."
Shen Tianxue gave Yu Sui a look that said, "Take care of yourself."
"Perhaps he has already gone to Nanjing and hidden away before us."
Yu Sui turned the red paper windmill in front of the window and learned that Mei Liangyu and Pei Daiqing had gone outside the city to explore whether there were any traces of sacred stone veins underground.
“I’m going to the Criminal Investigation Department tonight,” she replied to Mei Liangyu.
This whole affair started because of Li Jinshuang, so we can't just stand by and watch her be executed by Nan Jing.
As for Zhong Lique's side
Yu Sui walked to the table and looked at the Listening Wind Ruler that Shen Tianxue had not taken with her.
Shen Tianxue returned after leaving, pointing at the Listening Wind Ruler and saying, "I forgot to bring it. What, do you want me to buy you one?"
Yu Sui shook her head.
Shen Tianxue walked to her side and looked at the ruler together: "It seems that we are not the only ones who have received this mysterious message. People downstairs are talking about it."
Xun Zhiya returned to Nan Jing, bringing evidence to expose the actions of her uncle, Xun Zhan. The Emperor of Nan Jing was furious and killed everyone in Xun Zhan's household that very night. He then took his anger out on the newly appointed Holy Son and restored Xun Zhiya's status as a Holy Maiden.
Emperor Nan Jing ordered a thorough investigation and made it clear that he would punish all those who had harmed the Holy Maiden.
Since returning from Taiyi, Li Jinshuang has been highly valued by the Emperor of Nan Jing and has risen through the ranks, bringing the Li family back to its former glory.
When the Holy Maiden returned and settled old scores, she included Li Jinshuang in the accounts, though the charges were somewhat vague and the punishment could be severe or minor.
He Xinsi meant that how to deal with Li Jinshuang was up to the Holy Maiden.
The carriages entering the palace headed towards Lianzhi Garden, taking a secluded path. When they encountered patrolling guards, they were only given a pass token, but no one was seen.
Zhong Lique lifted the curtain again, and Sheng Fei, who had been closing his eyes, opened them, suppressing his impatience. Before he could speak, Zhong Lique asked, "In Nan Jing, the Xun family is revered, so why does His Majesty..."
“Sages avoid using the surname of the emperor,” Sheng Fei said calmly.
Zhong Lique glanced at him sideways: "Is this the rule of your Nine Ranks Realm?"
“That’s Nanjing’s rule.” Sheng Fei frowned.
Throughout history, no king in Nanjing who reached the Saint level had a good ending. To avoid calamity, the rule was established that Saints should avoid using the surname of the king.
"I see. I thought His Majesty was also a member of the He family." Zhong Lique looked back out of the carriage.
Sheng Fei tapped his fingers on his knee, and the carriage curtain was forcibly lowered. Zhong Lique withdrew her hand as if she had been electrocuted, and looked back at him in confusion.
"A member of the He family?" Sheng Fei turned his gaze to them.
"Didn't the Third Young Master check the Wind Listening Ruler before he set off?" Zhong Lique's gaze fell on Sheng Fei's waist. "I received some messages, the authenticity of which is unknown, involving Gu Gan and the current Emperor."
Sheng Fei didn't take his own Wind-Listening Ruler; instead, he used his Qi to snatch Zhong Li Que's.
"It says that the He family is a great clan that studies the Divine Mechanism. The old ancestor He once ranked the Nine Ranks of Divine Mechanism and was a reclusive clan. But later it says that the He family has been manipulating the situation of the six kingdoms behind the scenes for thousands of years, controlling the struggle between the royal families of the six kingdoms, and there are also three envoys who serve the He family and honor the He family as kings."
Sheng Fei listened to Zhong Lique's voice, his gaze falling on a few lines of text on the ruler:
The envoys from the three families of the He family were Jiang, Ji, and Zhao.
"The text cites many people to prove this, such as Zhao Yuxiang of Yan State, Ji Sanzhi of Zhou State, Jiang Ding of Qingyang State, and Ji Gushun of Nanjing State, all of whom are very famous people."
Sheng Fei said expressionlessly, "These three surnames are spread across the six kingdoms. There are thousands or even tens of thousands of villages and towns with the same surname across the six kingdoms. If it is really a family inheritance as you say, it is too exaggerated."
Zhong Lique gestured with her eyes towards the Wind-Listening Ruler in his hand, signaling him to continue watching.
"As the Third Young Master said, the three surnames are spread throughout the six kingdoms and are very common surnames. Therefore, these three clans use the name of 'Guidance' to select the destined person from the same clan, and after exchanging blood to cleanse the body and soul, they inherit the Divine Mechanism Technique researched by the He Clan."
"It says here that only those who inherit the He family's Divine Strategist Technique are true members of the three clans."
Sheng Fei read on carefully and found that the message revealed more than just the secrets of the He family.
"I am not familiar with the rules of your Nine Ranks Realm, so I wonder if this mysterious message is true?"
“Nonsense,” Sheng Fei said expressionlessly.
Zhong Lique continued, "The letter says that Gu Gan is a member of the He family. He is now acting with the Holy Maiden because he covets the Southern Jing royal family and wants to use the Holy Maiden to seize the Southern Jing kingdom and make her a puppet."
"The rest..."
Zhong Lique didn't continue speaking, but Sheng Fei had already seen it.
The He family has this rumor, and the current emperor of Nanjing has changed his surname to "He". Although it is a tradition in Nanjing for emperors to avoid the imperial surname, some people will always wonder why it is such a coincidence.
He Xinsi's reputation in Nanjing is extremely polarized.
His followers were his fanatical believers, willing to give their lives for him.
Those who dislike him believe he is autocratic, bloodthirsty, and a tyrant. Every year, He Xinsi makes an example of a few people in the court who are dissatisfied with him.
As for those royal families and sects... their intentions are even harder to guess.
There was fear, and there was hatred.
"It's just a rumor. You wouldn't spread these words around, would you?" Sheng Fei returned the Listening Wind Ruler to Zhong Lique after reading it.
Zhong Lique shook her head.
Just as Sheng Fei was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she heard her say, "But why did I receive these messages?"
Before Sheng Fei could answer, they arrived at Lianzhi Garden.
The carriage stopped outside the small gate, and Sheng Fei led Zhong Lique alighting and into the garden. The walls and alleys inside the courtyard were covered with trumpet vines, making it look like a flower house from a distance.
There were already quite a few people in the courtyard, but the atmosphere was tense. Everyone was holding a wind-listening stick, and their expressions were strange.
Seeing this, Sheng Fei had already guessed what was going on, but he didn't bring up the matter of sending the message. Instead, he looked at Gu Gan, who was standing in front of the main seat, and asked, "Why is the Holy Maiden not here?"
"I was just summoned away by His Majesty." Gu Gan placed the Wind-Listening Ruler on the table, his gaze sharp as a falcon surveying its territory. "The whole city is talking about the mysterious message on the Wind-Listening Ruler. You should all have received it, right?"
Many people were sitting or standing around the round table, all of them placing their Wind Listening Rulers on the table. The lit rulers were covered with dense characters and incantations, all of which were exactly the same as the message that Zhongli Que had shown to Sheng Fei.
Sheng Fei also placed the Wind-Listening Ruler on the table: "I didn't receive it."
The people inside the house came from six different countries.
The eldest princess of Dan Kingdom, the holy maiden of the Yin-Yang School of Taiyuan, the crown prince of Yan Kingdom, etc.
"Why didn't you receive it?" Princess Qin Yidong of Dan Kingdom stared at Sheng Fei and asked sternly.
Sheng Fei didn't even glance at her, clearly ignoring her.
“This message wasn’t just sent out today. I had people check, and it’s been appearing in various countries and regions for the past month,” Gu Gan explained.
His gaze swept over the Crown Prince of Yan, who was resting with his eyes closed, and the Holy Maiden of Taiyuan, who was sitting upright. He then said, "Before you came, I checked the time with the others, and we all received the message this morning."
Sheng Fei looked at Zhong Lique, who had already taken his seat. “I received it before I set off,” Zhong Lique said. “Xiao Tao came back from outside and said that everyone in the taverns and streets we passed was talking about this mysterious message. It seems that the message has only spread widely in the capital today.”
"Has the Communications Institute checked?" Sheng Fei asked.
In this situation, the Communication Research Institute was the first to be held accountable.
"The Communications Institute has been taken over by the Hundred Insects Division, which is jointly investigating it with the Criminal Investigation Division. They are only allowed to enter, not leave," Gu Gan said.
The Thirteen Divisions of Criminal Justice in Nanjing, including the Division of Hundred Insects, are the sharpest weapons in the hands of the Nanjing Emperor. He Xinsi can kill whoever she says she will, and she is skilled at confiscating property and wiping out entire families.
Sending the Hundred Insects Division to guard the Communications Institute suggests that bloodshed is brewing there.
However, the first person Sheng Fei thought of when considering this method of manipulating the Wind Listening Ruler was Yu Sui.
"The Holy Maiden shouldn't be back for a while, today..." Before Gu Gan could finish speaking, the Holy Maiden of Taiyuan, Tu Miaoyi, had already stood up. A pair of crystal-clear red beads hung from her round and delicate earlobes, and as she stood up, the beads seemed to make a crisp sound.
"Since not everyone is here today, I shall take my leave," Tu Miaoyi said politely.
“Wait,” Sheng Fei interrupted, “Even if the Holy Maiden isn’t here, we can still perform a blood-dripping ritual on the fragments and have the Holy Maiden replace them when she returns.”
Tu Miao smiled and said, "This is different from what we agreed on."
Qin Yidong also stood up and said, "That's right, to perform the blood-dripping ritual on the fragments of the Floating Pagoda, everyone must..."
“Everyone has to be present for the ceremony, but with the fall of the Zhou Kingdom, where is the royal heir?” Sheng Fei interrupted her, looking at the silent Crown Prince of Yan. “The royal heir of the Zhou Kingdom that the Crown Prince of Yan mentioned did not appear at the first ceremony either.”
The Crown Prince of Yan crossed his arms in front of his chest, leaned back in his chair, relaxed and calm, as if he were peacefully asleep.
"No, your requests are rather ridiculous! The blood-dropping ceremony requires the bloodline of the royal families of each country. You Qingyang and Taiyuan only brought blood vials, and there wasn't a single person in sight. Why are you asking us to see people just because we brought blood vials from Zhou?"
The green-clad youth with a staff standing behind the Crown Prince of Yan glanced at the crowd with disdain. His features were flamboyant and unruly, exuding arrogance.
Zou Ye raised his eyebrows at Gu Gan: "And you, the document says you're a member of the He family, a thief who came to steal the Southern Jing lands, and you still dare to preside over the ceremony in place of the Holy Maiden, you've got some nerve!"
This confirms what Chuan Wen said.
Just as Gu Gan was about to speak, everyone's wind-listening rulers hummed and lit up.
New messages are flooding in.
Sheng Fei suppressed his nausea and picked up the Wind Listening Ruler to check. He had received two messages.
The first point reveals the rumors surrounding the He family.
The second article reveals that envoys from six countries are gathering in Nanjing with fragments of the Pagoda to lift the oath of non-aggression.
"Only by dripping the blood of the royal families of various countries into the seven pagodas and performing a seven-day blood-drip ritual can the fragments be reassembled." After reciting this, Qin Yidong asked with a cold smile, "You dare to leak this secret at this time? Aren't you afraid that the people from the Water Boat will arrive immediately?"
Zou Yexi exaggeratedly said, "The eldest princess is right! This contains the method to lift the oath of non-aggression. It's a secret! It's obvious that someone in this room, besides the eldest princess, leaked it. You all need to give the eldest princess an explanation right now!"
"You!" Qin Yidong was so angry that she almost smashed the Wind Listening Ruler in her hand at him.
"Yan Xiaochuan! Why aren't you disciplining your servants!"
The Crown Prince of Yan still did not react.
"Hey, I'm not his servant, I'm his benefactor! The Crown Prince's benefactor!" Zou Yexi corrected, dissatisfied.
"What crown prince?" Qin Yidong said disdainfully, "Just a puppet of the Yan royal family, an illegitimate child of unknown origin, can become the crown prince of Yan? Your Yan royal family's threshold is really low."
"Same here. Everyone knows what the situation is like in Dan Kingdom right now. Princess, if your Dan royal family had high standards, it wouldn't be controlled by outsiders. You even have to ask Lord Situ behind you for permission to go out," Zou Ye said with a smile.
Qin Yidong's face turned extremely ugly, but out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't help but look at the man who was dozing off in the distance behind her.
Situ Jin seemed not to have heard their argument. He looked as if he had just woken up and was holding a wind-listening ruler to see what was going on.
"Besides, I'm not a member of the Yan royal family. No matter how much you scold the Yan royal family, I won't get angry. I'm not even a citizen of Yan."
Zou Yexi twirled the wind-listening ruler in his fingers, looking relaxed and completely unconcerned about the commotion caused by the message.
"I think you're the one who leaked this information! If any of the Saints from the Water Boat come here, I'll have them kill you first!"
While Qin Yidong was arguing and bickering with Zou Yexi, Gu Gan and Sheng Fei exchanged a glance, both understanding what the other was thinking.
It is the year of Yu.
She must be the one who can send messages using the Wind-Listening Ruler without being detected.
They had met in the underground city. Yu Sui was at odds with the He family and also harbored hostility towards Gu Gan. That's why he revealed his malice towards Gu Gan in the letter, slandering him for trying to use Xun Zhiya to seize the Southern Jing territory.
Gu Gan's heart was filled with mixed emotions. He was both excited that he had guessed Yu Sui's thoughts and actions correctly, and heartbroken because of Yu Sui's actions.
Why did things have to come to this between him and Sui Sui?
What benefit would it bring her to prevent them from breaking the oath of non-war between the six kingdoms? Or does she still harbor resentment towards the Nangong family, and want to do the opposite of whatever the prince wants to do?
That's a bit childish.
Having met Yu Sui before, and after resolving the outbreak of orchid poison in the underground city, Gu Gan believed he still had a chance to change Yu Sui.
Gu Gan put away the Wind Listening Ruler and said to everyone, "The person behind this must be in Nanjing. Now that things have been exposed, you'd better not leave the palace to prevent any unforeseen events."
“What’s the point of not leaving the palace? The Water Boat will definitely come!” Qin Yidong asked. “What should we do then? The Water Boat might snatch the fragments from us. We might as well complete the ceremony quickly and break the oath before the Water Boat arrives.”
“The blood-dropping ceremony takes seven days, and we are still six days short. Six days is enough time for the people from Shuizhou to arrive.” Tu Miaoyi looked unhurried. “Let’s see what news the Communication Academy has. Since the person who sent the message knows about the blood-dropping ceremony, they may also know our identities and locations. You all need to be careful.”
Qin Yidong seemed ready to give up and directly asked Situ Jin, "What do we do now?"
“If we can’t complete the ceremony today, let’s go,” Situ Jin said.
Qin Yidong didn't dare to refuse at all, and followed behind Situ Jia with a cold face.
Tu Miaoyi also got up and left with her people.
Zou Yexi patted Prince Yan on the shoulder, and the young man opened his clear, indifferent eyes and stood up.
"Who is the one with royal blood from the Zhou Dynasty?" Sheng Fei asked the Crown Prince of Yan.
Prince Yan did not stop walking, showing no intention of answering.
Sheng Fei released the five elements' energy, its pressure directly hitting Crown Prince Yan. Zou Yexi followed behind Crown Prince Yan, twirling his staff behind his back to dissipate the pressure; neither of them turned around.
To break the oath of non-aggression through the Pagoda, a blood-dripping ceremony must be performed with the living blood of the Zhou royal family.
Unfortunately, the Zhou royal family was wiped out by the strange fire, and now the Crown Prince of Yan has the knowledge of the whereabouts of the Zhou royal bloodline.
"Tell the shadow guards following them to be careful," Gu Gan instructed.
"Have you found out who the Zhou bloodline is?" Sheng Fei then asked Gu Gan.
Gu Gan shook his head.
"We still have no clue. We've checked everyone who's been in contact with him, and it's not him."
“Didn’t you two have a good relationship before? Why don’t you go and ask him yourself?” Gu Gan suggested.
Sheng Fei didn't answer, looking down at the Wind Listening Ruler on the table. Zhong Li Que put the Wind Listening Ruler away and prepared to leave.
"Give it to me." Sheng Fei reached out his hand to her.
Zhong Lique looked up in confusion.
Sheng Fei said, "Since the other party can control the Wind Listening Ruler to know our whereabouts, then stop using the Wind Listening Ruler to contact us and send all the Wind Listening Rulers to the Communications Institute for inspection."
"Are you only checking mine?" Zhong Lique asked.
“Not only that.” Sheng Fei took the wind-listening ruler from her hand.
Zhong Lique did not stop him.
Sheng Fei handed the Wind Listening Ruler to Gu Gan. The moment their eyes met, Gu Gan understood his meaning.
Zhong Lique's Wind-Listening Ruler was sent to the Communications Institute, where all the messages inside were checked, and nothing was found to be abnormal.
Gu Gan told Sheng Fei that Zhong Li Que's message to his family to let them know he was safe did not contain a single bad word about him.
“I didn’t ask you to look up this.” Sheng Fei was speechless.
“Then there’s nothing worth investigating further,” Gu Gan said.
“I heard that it was Chu Jin who insisted on investigating Zhong Lique’s Wind-Listening Ruler, which led to all those events. Chu Jin suspects that there is some kind of evidence in Zhong Lique’s Wind-Listening Ruler that is related to the Communication Academy’s manipulation of the Wind-Listening Ruler,” Sheng Fei said in a low voice.
The two stood at the corner of the gate outside the Communication Institute, with the Hundred Insects Division guarding the institute beyond.
Zhong Lique waited in the carriage and did not come over.
"You suspect that Zhong Lique and Sui Sui are secretly communicating through the Wind Listening Ruler?" Gu Gan asked.
“They used to have a good relationship,” Sheng Fei said.
Gu Gan nodded, vaguely remembering: "But that was when we were kids. Later, Madam Su intervened, and Sui Sui broke off all contact with Zhongli Que."
“Neither of us were in the capital during that time, so how would we know the truth?” Sheng Fei squinted and pondered. “Besides, my second brother was very willing to act as a go-between for the two of them.”
“That only means we are suspicious,” Gu Gan said. “We haven’t found anything useful in the Wind Listening Ruler, so there’s no evidence.”
After thinking for a moment, he guessed, "Could it be that you have another purpose for making this trip?"
It is related to Zhongli Que, or rather, to the Zhongli family.
Sheng Fei did not answer.
Someone came looking for Gu Gan, and he left temporarily. He returned a while later and said, "Li Jinshuang is imprisoned in the Criminal Investigation Department. If Sui Sui has already arrived in the capital, she might go to find her."
"This is the pass for entering and exiting the Criminal Investigation Department." Gu Gan handed the pass to Sheng Fei.
Sheng Fei reached out and took it.
"Go back and wait for news. His Majesty is calling me, so I have to go there," Gu Gan said again.
Sheng Fei led Zhong Li Que out of the palace.
Zhong Lique asked, "Has the contents of the Listening Wind Ruler not been completely checked yet? I haven't sent out many messages."
Sheng Fei, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them and looked at her.
Zhong Lique peeked out from behind the carriage curtain without turning around.
She realized that Sheng Fei was using this as an excuse to check her "listening to the wind" (a metaphor for investigating someone's abilities).
Sheng Fei, instead of being embarrassed by Zhong Lique's directness, said, "Why don't you tell me what the problem is? That way I won't have to find someone to investigate."
Zhong Lique was shocked by Sheng Fei's shamelessness: "Third Young Master, what is your status and purpose in knowing this?"
Sheng Fei wore a cold, fake smile as he stared at Zhong Li Que's every expression: "You didn't use the Listening Wind Ruler to contact Nangong Sui?"
"No." Zhong Lique was surprised that he would ask that.
"Why did Chu Jin insist on checking your Wind-Listening Ruler before?" Sheng Fei asked again.
"Is that so?" Zhong Lique said. "I thought she was just targeting the Zhongli family to curry favor with her father and prove herself."
"Perhaps you are right, but the fact is that you and Nangong Sui, who is still in Taiyi, were secretly communicating with each other using the Listening Wind Ruler. Chu Jin discovered this and that's why he attacked you, wanting to get your Listening Wind Ruler to find evidence."
“Nangong Sui possesses the power to control the Listening Wind Ruler in Taiyi, which is very similar to the mysterious message that appeared today. It is even very likely that she is the one behind the scenes, in order to oppose the Nangong family.”
Sheng Fei presented his speculation as if it were fact.
“You never broke off your friendship with Nangong Sui. You just pretended not to know each other in front of others, but you kept in touch in private. When Nangong Sui went to Taiyi, you told her about what happened in the capital through the Listening Wind Ruler, and Nangong Sui told you about the cultivation method.”
When Zhong Lique heard him say these words, his face was filled with the word "absurd".
“I used to think that the Third Young Master was a boring person, but I didn’t expect you to have hysteria. I really can’t imagine the world in the Third Young Master’s mind,” Zhong Lique said.
"I don't know how your Nine Schools of Arts explains this, but I do know how to use the Wind Listening Ruler. At that time, the communication institutes of the six countries were not interconnected, let alone Taiyi on the other side of the ocean. How could she contact me through the Wind Listening Ruler?"
"Third Young Master, I cannot imagine how Nangong Sui accomplished what countless Communication Academy sorcerers and numerous saints could not."
Sheng Fei did not refute, but only said, "So you admit to your relationship with Nangong Sui?"
“There was such a time.” Zhong Lique frowned, his eyes showing obvious displeasure. “The Prince’s Mansion was wary of her relationship with the General’s Mansion and restrained her. Even if my second brother lobbied on her behalf, why would the Third Young Master think that I would gamble the safety of the General’s Mansion on this friendship?”
"You don't dare?" Sheng Fei sneered. "I think you're quite bold."
Zhong Lique pursed her lips. She looked quiet, but her words were resolute: "For the sake of the General's Mansion, I can indeed do as you say."
“You seem to have a lot to say about Nangong Sui,” Sheng Fei inquired.
Zhong Lique replied, "This is the only topic that the Third Young Master and I can talk about."
The two people inside the carriage had become tense for some time now, and after a brief silence, Zhongli Que's words reignited the atmosphere:
"Was this trip ordered by His Majesty or the Prince, to provide evidence that you wanted to frame me for secretly learning unorthodox martial arts?"
Sheng Fei's gaze suddenly sharpened: "In such a short time, you've suddenly lost your mind and started talking nonsense?"
“The one who offered the plan was the Prince, and the one who gave the order was His Majesty,” Zhongli Que said, looking directly into his eyes. “My father and brothers are all in the six states of Yan. After the Azure Dragon Army is worn down by the tribes of the six states and the oath of non-war is lifted, the sorcerer who can hold the border will become His Majesty’s new help. There is no need to fear my father anymore and use my weakness as leverage to eliminate the Zhongli family in a legitimate way.”
"You've got a lot on your mind, but if you were completely innocent, how could I have caught the Zhongli family red-handed?" Sheng Fei said, no longer trying to hide anything after she had spoken frankly.
"Did Venerable Qin really not teach you any of the Nine Schools of Arts? Did Nangong Sui really not provide you with any help?"
"Do you dare swear on the lives of everyone in the General's Mansion?"
Zhong Lique said, "I don't need to make any promises to you."
“You’re guilty,” Sheng Fei laughed. “You can use those sophistry words when I take you back to Qingyang to see His Majesty.”
“Third Young Master,” Zhongli Que also smiled, “you can’t go back to Qingyang.”
"What, you want to kill me here?" Sheng Fei said dismissively, his eyes mocking Zhong Lique's overestimation of her abilities.
Zhong Lique gently shook her head.
She stopped speaking to Sheng Fei, turned to look out the carriage window and closed her eyes. Outside, separated by a curtain, the rain continued to fall. The carriage left the palace walls and passed by the people kneeling outside once again.
Yu Sui stood in the distance among the crowd, holding an umbrella, her gaze passing over the people as the carriage drove away.
Wang Jun gradually came out to maintain order, driving away the crowds who wanted to come forward to watch the commotion and warning them against shouting while holding wind-measuring sticks.
Now the whole city has received mysterious messages about the He family and the Nanjing royal family, which has sparked many rumors and speculations.
The current head of the Criminal and Water Affairs Department in Nanjing is Ji Gushun, mentioned in the text.
Yu Sui did not linger. She put on a black robe and disappeared into the crowd, heading towards a more secluded spot near the palace wall.
The Four Directions Sky-Reaching Array
This is a treasure left behind by six generations of sages in Nanjing.
There is even a saying among the people that "whoever possesses the key to the Four Directions Heavenly Array possesses the throne."
The Four Directions Heaven-Reaching Array covers the entire palace, and the five elements of heaven and earth can only enter with the permission of the array's master.
Anyone entering or leaving the palace must obtain the master's permission; otherwise, even a saint would not be able to set foot here.
Before leaving, Shen Tianxue told Yu Sui, "The power of this Four Directions Heaven-Reaching Array is the same as that of the Taiyi Earth Core. He Xinsi was destined to die, but as long as he was within this Four Directions Heaven-Reaching Array, he could prolong his life."
“From then on, He Xinsi never left the palace again.”
“Once he let me and Aqing in, and we both felt a power similar to the power of the earth’s core, but that was the only time.”
"If you want to know more, find a way to see him yourself. You can also try to get He to open up his mind."
Yu Sui looked up at the high palace walls and gently touched the cold surface. There were signs of repairs on the walls; it was said that the sacred stones given by the water boat had been used to repair all parts of the palace.
The Four Directions Heaven-Reaching Array, according to records, was supplemented and modified by sages from Taoism, Yin-Yang School, School of Names, and Legalism. It possesses the power to manipulate the five elements and also has the strongest defensive barrier.
Yu Sui used his Heavenly Eye to observe the Four Directions Heavenly Array, and made a preliminary analysis of its characters and incantations. In the process of dismantling it, he felt the same amazement he had felt when he first saw the mountains.
Everything she looked at turned into golden characters and incantations.
The stacked palace walls, the paving stones, the planted trees, the fish in the ponds, and the magnificent palaces are all disassembled into groups of characters and arranged in Yu Sui's world.
Within the Four Directions Heaven-Reaching Array, everything, whether living or dead, can be dismantled.
Even Wang Jun, who was standing on the city wall.
It's like a fake world that can be dismantled and manipulated.
Yu Sui was surprised by this.
She tested the magic array by targeting several mountains, but she didn't expect that everything within the array could be dismantled.
Without a doubt, this is a representation of the Five Elements.
But was the entire palace constructed using the five elements?
If the five elements of the physical objects disappeared, would the royal palace instantly become a barren wasteland with nothing in it?
Everything else can be explained, but how can the royal army standing on the palace wall be dismantled?
Is it that my Heavenly Eye has evolved, or is He Xinsi using the spirit puppet as a royal army?
The magnificent array that stretched to the heavens in all directions before him piqued Yu Sui's interest.
She used her clairvoyance to continue observing and dismantling the device.
The man sitting by the window wore a dark blue sable coat, and the magnolias planted outside the window were all white, creating an elegant and tranquil atmosphere.
As He Xinsi picked up his pen to write, the moment the dark ink dripped onto the white paper, he suddenly looked up and gazed outside, his pale face resembling the white magnolias outside.
This thin, broken body contained a pair of incredibly sharp eyes.
Yu Sui noticed a set of incantations suddenly appearing and approaching, and immediately left. After He Xinsi's gaze swept around the southwest palace wall, she saw nothing.
"His Majesty."
A palace maid's voice came from outside the door: "The head of the Punishment Department has arrived."
He Xinsi put down her paintbrush and turned around. The fierce aura she had just exuded was completely gone, replaced by a gentle and humble smile, and her eyes were filled with loving compassion: "Come in."
"Your Majesty!" Ji Gushun knelt down as soon as he reached the desk, looking anxious and fearful. "I, the civil official, will certainly investigate the truth and give Your Majesty an explanation!"
"No rush, let's put it aside for now." He Xinsi waved her hand. "Let me give the others an explanation first, and then find out the truth."
"Your Majesty!" Ji Gushun exclaimed in despair.
He Xinsi just smiled, but Ji Gushun felt a pressure descend upon him, rendering him unable to move.
Before Ji Gushun could finish speaking, "Your Majesty," a palace maid with a knife cut off his head from behind, and blood splattered on the spot.
Xun Zhiya, sitting behind the screen, witnessed this scene and quietly clenched her five fingers under her clothes.
“Zhiya,” He Xinsi turned her head and coughed twice.
The palace maid Yu Yuan, who had been holding the knife, put it away expressionlessly, turned around, picked up the medicine bowl, and walked towards He Xinsi.
Xun Zhiya stepped forward in response: "Father."
He Xinsi took the medicine bowl with both hands, looked at the woman standing below the steps, and said, "From today onwards, you are the head of the Punishment Department."
Xun Zhiya's eyes showed astonishment.
"You don't want to?"
Xun Zhiya then came to his senses and hurriedly bowed his head: "Your subject is willing."
“You’ve grown up now. You don’t need others to make decisions for you in everything. It’s time for you to make your own decisions.”
"The Criminal Investigation Department must be very busy right now, you can go." He Xinsi turned around, picked up the bowl and drank her medicine.
Xun Zhiya held her breath and retreated, only regaining her senses and beginning to breathe again after leaving the Magnolia Hall. The moment Ji Gushun died flashed through her mind, her nails digging into her flesh, forcing herself not to show any surprise or fear.
She was very afraid of He Xinsi.
He is a man who can be gentle and loving towards you, or extremely cruel.
Xun Zhiya recalled her father's words just now. Did he want her to deal with Li Jinshuang, or to find out the mysterious message from the Communication Academy?
Or perhaps... her father was reminding her that she shouldn't let Gu Gan interfere too much.
Xun Zhiya felt dizzy, as if she were lacking oxygen, and had to force herself to stop thinking. She saw Yu Yuan and his group bring out Ji Gushun's body, and her eyelids twitched.
She clearly remembered that Ji Gushun was her father's confidant and a tool to help him consolidate his prestige.
But...
"Where are we sending him?" Xun Zhiya asked.
Should we take him back to the Ji residence or to the Criminal Investigation Department?
Yu Yuan stopped in front of her and bowed: "As Your Majesty commands, the corpse of the disgraced official Ji Gushun shall be hung on the palace wall for three days."
The people who were making trouble outside the palace gates with their wind-listening rulers saw Ji Gushun's corpse hanging on the high wall, with blood flowing down with the rain at their feet. The agitated atmosphere of the crowd instantly quieted down.
These people either had been imprisoned in the Criminal Investigation Department or had relatives and friends imprisoned there. They used the "rumors" in the article to cause trouble, but they didn't expect He Xinsi to kill Ji Gushun directly to refute the rumors.
Does he not care at all about those who follow him?
Xun Zhiya stood on the high wall, looking at Ji Gushun's head, and took several deep breaths to suppress the nausea in her heart.
"Your Highness, please." Yu Yuan gave her directions and led her to the Criminal Affairs Department.
Xun Zhiya glanced at Yu Yuan. This person was not only He Xinsi's head palace maid, but also the deputy director of the Hundred Insects Bureau.
"His Majesty hopes Your Highness will handle General Li's matter as soon as possible." Yu Yuan's voice was calm, revealing no hidden meaning. "His Majesty also wants Your Highness to order the Ministry of Justice to maintain order inside and outside the palace, and restore peace to the palace gates."
The palace gates opened, and Xun Zhiya saw Tian Youping and others kneeling outside, pleading for Li Jinshuang.
Yu Yuan spread his hands and presented Xun Zhiya with the jade tablet of the head of the Punishment and Water Division.
Xun Zhiya hesitated, her outstretched hand hovering in mid-air, still undecided.
What should we do?
Tian Youping and the others were all imprisoned in the Criminal Affairs Department.
But if she did that, she would offend the Tian family and others.
Before Xun Zhiya returned, Li Jinshuang was a favorite of He Xinsi, and she almost took control of half of the capital's military force.
Everyone could see how much He Xinsi valued Li Jinshuang, and many people took the opportunity to curry favor with her, but Li Jinshuang did not show any intention of befriending anyone.
Aside from the personal grudges in Taiyi, Xun Zhiya was also afraid that Li Jinshuang would not be willing to follow her, so if she couldn't have her, she would destroy her.
They have a clear goal in mind, but are also afraid to take action.
Xun Zhiya originally thought that after she exposed what happened in Taiyi, He Xinsi would take direct action against Li Jinshuang.
He even killed Ji Gushun directly.
Why insist on leaving Li Jinshuang to handle this?
Is it that Father Emperor doesn't want to kill Li Jinshuang?
Or perhaps the Emperor wanted to see if she was capable of serving as the head of the Punishment and Waterways Bureau?
Is this yet another test?
Xun Zhiya couldn't help but try to guess He Xinsi's thoughts. Her fair skin was damp with sweat, but she kept a straight face, cold as ice, to cover up her inner confusion and hesitation.
"Your Highness," Yu Yuan urged in a low voice.
After hesitating, Xun Zhiya did not choose to meet with Tian Youping to talk. Instead, she picked up the jade tablet and said, "Take them to the Criminal Affairs Department."
The guards of the Criminal Investigation Department arrested those who were causing trouble with the wind-listening ruler. In the chaos, they also took Tian Youping and others away under the same pretext.
After handing the jade token to Xun Zhiya, Yu Yuan left and went to inspect the southeast for a long time. Only after finding nothing unusual did he return to report.
[Author's Note]
Wishing everyone a healthy and prosperous New Year!
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