Chapter 124 Heaven's Will Remains With Me
Chen Yi's unexpected late return this time probably really worried the people in the Xiao family.
So much so that when he came out after washing up and changing his clothes, Xiao Wan'er couldn't help but say a few more words.
The explanation of what happened was: "When Guanli and Huatang came back in the evening, they waited and waited but didn't see you, so they found me."
He then distanced himself from the situation, saying, "I thought you would be fine, but Wu Ge was a little worried, so he sent Hua Tang and the others to look for you."
Xiao Wuge: ? ? ?
Xiao Wan'er ignored his gaze and continued to remind him:
"Next time, remember to take the main road. After all, you don't leave the manor often, and you're always accompanied by the manor's guards. It's easy to get lost when you walk through the streets and alleys at night."
Towards the end, her tone inevitably carried a hint of lingering fear.
"If something happens to you, how am I supposed to explain it to my second sister? After all, I'm the one who sent you to Baicaotang."
Chen Yi agreed to everything, behaving obediently and honestly.
At times like this, saying anything else will likely displease those who care about him.
It's best to remain silent and then smile.
Not long after, Xie Tingyun and Shen Huatang returned, and both breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing him.
But upon learning that he had gotten lost in unfamiliar streets and alleys, Xie Tingyun, with his carefree nature, bluntly stated:
“Young master, you’re not familiar with the roads in the city, so it’s best if you stay home as much as possible.”
Chen Yi nodded with a smile, but his eyes were fixed on Xiao Wan'er.
See? I told you I should stay in the manor.
Xiao Wan'er noticed his gaze and, unusually, rolled her eyes and turned her head away from him.
"It's getting late, let's eat first."
Chen Yi smiled and immediately picked up his chopsticks to eat a bowl of rice.
He had been very active tonight and was starving.
Even Xiao Wan'er, Xiao Wuge, and Xiao Die, perhaps because of their fluctuating emotions, ate more than usual.
Only Pei Guanli, who already knew Chen Yi's martial arts cultivation level, remained completely calm.
When they were waiting for Chen Yi to return, Pei Guanli was the least worried among them.
We've had dinner.
The group dispersed.
Xiao Die and Xiao Wuge returned to their room to rest.
Chen Yi then carried a teapot to the pavilion and enjoyed the summer night breeze.
Perhaps it had been a long time since he had come here this late, for the golden carp seemed to have a memory of it, jumping and splashing water all over him with their tails.
"You hold a grudge, huh?"
"Just you wait..."
Chen Yi chuckled and cursed under his breath, but his mood completely relaxed.
Martial arts are ultimately a means of killing.
He was aware of this during his cultivation and had prepared himself mentally long ago.
Besides, he killed someone like Liu Jing tonight, so he can consider it as ridding the people of a scourge.
However, Liu Jing's death in Shu Prefecture at this time may change the course of events.
Even if the people in the Criminal Investigation Department or the Liu family did not find anything on him, they would still suspect that it was the Xiao family who did it.
There is no doubt about that.
The Xiao and Liu families had just experienced a minor conflict.
Although it was only a preliminary probe by the Liu family, and apart from the dead Qian Kuan and others, neither side suffered much loss.
However, at this critical moment, the sixth son of the Liu family in Jingzhou died in Shuzhou.
Then things will develop in ways that those in the know will not expect.
"Originally, the Xiao family and the Liu family should have tacitly downplayed this matter..."
Chen Yi sipped his tea while watching the golden carp in the pond.
He appeared calm on the surface, but his mind was in turmoil.
On that unseen chessboard, he picked up and put down white pieces one by one from the chess box.
The positions of the black stones are constantly changing, leading to several possible scenarios.
"The worst outcome would be to become the trigger for a war between the Xiao and Liu families."
"Secondly, the Xiao family should bow down slightly and join forces with the Ministry of Justice to find the murderer of Liu Jing, which is me."
"The second option is for the Liu family to admit defeat, take the initiative to back down, and temporarily keep this grudge in their hearts, waiting for an opportunity to make a comeback."
"The best outcome would be for the Xiao and Liu families to shake hands and make peace..."
However, Chen Yi knew the truth in his heart.
The Liu family of Jingzhou wanted to take advantage of the situation, and Liu Hong, the Left Envoy of the Shuzhou Provincial Administration Commission, was their sharpest weapon.
Although the Liu family of Jingzhou was probably dissatisfied with Liu Hong's handling of Linglan Pavilion, they were all of the same ilk.
Whether it's the Liu family of Shu Prefecture or the Liu family of Jing Prefecture, if they want to deal with the Xiao family, they must cooperate with each other.
"Therefore, if the Xiao and Liu families really go to war in the future, the key point will be Liu Hong."
As Chen Yi assigned Liu Hong the identity of "Hei Zi," he recalled the political situation in Shu Prefecture that he had learned about recently.
The Shu Prefecture Provincial Administration Commission, the Provincial Surveillance Commission, and the Provincial Military Commission were all one commission with two commissioners.
Nominally, the Left Envoy is the head and the Right Envoy is the second, but their official positions are the same.
The Provincial Administration Commissioner was a second-rank official, in charge of civil administration and taxation in the prefecture, and had a "Taxation Office" and a "Household Registration Office" under him.
Such regulations allow the left and right to check and balance each other.
However, Yang Ye, the current governor of Shu Prefecture, is already old and about to retire to his hometown, seemingly indifferent to political affairs.
Therefore, Liu Hong, who was in his prime, could be considered to have "absolute power" within the Provincial Administration Commission.
"We must put pressure on Liu Hong."
"Otherwise, without anyone to restrain him in Shu Prefecture, he would pose too great a threat to the Xiao family."
After a moment's thought, Chen Yi placed the most crucial white piece on the chessboard.
That is—Yang Ye, Right Envoy of the Shu Prefecture Provincial Administration Commission!
An elderly man who was originally completely unrelated to this matter may become a key pawn in the conflict between the Xiao and Liu families.
After having a general outline.
Chen Yi put down the teapot in his hand, let out a long breath, and stood up to look at the night sky.
Then a thick, dark cloud appeared beneath the originally bright full moon.
Then, raindrops began to patter down on the pavilion.
Chen Yi raised an eyebrow slightly. "It seems that fate is on my side."
The rain will cover up the atmosphere of that house, and even the traces of him after leaving Baicaotang will be erased.
Isn't this fate?
I stood still for a moment.
Chen Yi put away the teacups and returned to the wooden building to rest, several thoughts swirling in his mind:
"It will be difficult to get Yang Ye to side with the Xiao family, but it is not impossible."
"I might need to spend some time getting to know Li Huaigu."
There's no other way.
The most direct way to manipulate Yang Ye is through Li Huaigu.
Who could blame him when his wife was Yang Ye's goddaughter?
However, the quickest way to motivate Li Huaigu was through his teacher, Mr. Yue Ming of Guiyun Academy.
Thinking about it, Chen Yi couldn't help but grimace as if his teeth ached.
After going around in circles, he seemed to have returned to the same question he hadn't wanted to think about these past two days—
Should I go to Guiyun Academy to serve as a teacher?
"It seems I have no choice but to go."
...
It was just past the hour of Yin (3-5 AM).
Thunder rumbled incessantly over the city of Shuzhou, and lightning flashed one after another, illuminating the night.
Even in this torrential downpour, pedestrians' vision was still obscured by the rain.
It was in a house five miles away from the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence.
However, a group of more than ten criminal investigators, dressed in raincoats, with long knives at their waists and rain boots on their feet, were busy working in the heavy rain.
"Damn it, why does this rain have to keep falling at this time of year?"
A lean police chief walked around the courtyard, reminding his colleagues to be careful to avoid the central area.
"Watch out, everyone, don't smudge the footprints."
"It's already chaotic enough. If you keep stepping on things like this, how am I supposed to investigate any cases?"
The people around him laughed and cursed a few times, but then stopped causing trouble.
He hurriedly entered the main hall, bowed to a woman inside who had removed her raincoat and was dressed in red brocade, and said:
"Lord Centurion, I have already searched the surrounding area and have not seen any suspicious persons passing by last night."
"Only one person heard the noise, but because it was too far away, they thought it was someone arguing."
The woman in red hummed in agreement, her gaze still fixed on the five corpses in the hall, her true essence circulating as she probed the surrounding spiritual energy fluctuations.
It's just that so much time has passed that she hasn't noticed anything.
However, some clues can be gleaned from those few corpses.
"The murderer acted decisively, and each time he killed someone with a single blow. Clearly, his skill and technique far surpassed those of these people."
"Middle grade three or... at least upper grade seven."
"In addition, he is skilled in palm techniques and body movements, and has great strength."
"He must be a person with strong bones and muscles, tall and robust, whose standing meditation skills are of a high level."
The woman in red had someone write it down, then she went up to the study on the top floor.
She glanced past the two frail elderly men and looked at Liu Jing lying on the ground, letting out a soft exclamation.
She crouched down and observed him carefully for a moment, then touched Liu Jing's neck, her brows furrowing slightly.
"The murderer and this person had a grudge."
Upon hearing this, the supervising officer next to him asked in confusion, "Lord Fang, how did you determine that he had a grudge against these people?"
The woman in red stood up, glancing around as she spoke:
"The murderer first crushed his throat bone before killing the others, clearly wanting him to live a little longer."
She paused, then looked at the forensic officer and said seriously, "At a time like this, his life will only be more painful."
The chief magistrate suddenly realized what was going on and immediately began to flatter him: "As expected of Fang, the renowned centurion of the Shu Prefecture Criminal Division."
"Just tell me, what do you want us to do?"
The woman in red pondered for a moment, then said, "Let's check these people's identities first."
"Judging from their clothing and the layout of this place, they must be someone important."
(End of this chapter)
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