Where Immortals Once Walked

Chapter 543: Those Drawn into the Game

Oh-ho, a female general!

“Of course, that isn’t the main point. Beijia has never lacked military talent. There are plenty of female generals stronger in combat than she is,” Fushan Yue said. “What gave her that extraordinary standing was the fact that she saved the prince’s life and grew up as his childhood companion.”

“Does the Lord Emperor have only one prince?” He Lingchuan asked in surprise. “Then that really is a heaven-shaking favor.”

“The higher one’s cultivation, the longer one’s life, and the weaker one’s ability to reproduce. That is the way of Heaven. Look at the former ruler of the State of Yuān, he had no offspring, which was why he passed the throne to a human. Fortunately, each generation of emperor receives the fortune of a great empire as a blessing, so they can at least produce one or two heirs and keep the bloodline from dying out. That truly counts as the gods’ blessing.” Fushan Yue laughed. “The current Lord Emperor has only one prince. More than twenty years ago, when he was first conceived, his life force was too weak, and he was unlikely to survive. Fortunately, the gods gave guidance. Yao Xingning’s physique is special, and so is the cultivation technique she practices. The yin and yang energies in her body are balanced and harmonious, making her perfectly suited to nourish the prince. She was only a few years old then, but she carried him with her at all times, eating and sleeping beside him. And sure enough, the prince’s condition gradually improved. Three years later, he successfully hatched.”

“Probably because he had grown used to Yao Xingning’s aura, once the little prince came into the world, he became close to no one else. Not even the Lord Emperor...” Fushan Yue coughed. “According to rumors, he bit several palace servants to death and ate them, but he alone allowed Yao Xingning near him, allowed her to accompany him.”

“So she went on caring for him for many more years. Even now, she still has to enter the palace twice a month to keep him company. Otherwise, that one and only imperial prince will throw a tremendous tantrum.” Fushan Yue gave a bitter smile. “With that sort of distinction attached to her, who would want to offend her before the prince comes of age?”

“Uh...” He Lingchuan did not quite know what to say.

With the future crown prince’s attachment and dependence on her, Madame Cen really could walk all across Lingxu City unimpeded. And more than that, her words and conduct would influence the little prince. That was an enormous political advantage.

No wonder even a cloud envoy preferred not to provoke her.

“When does the prince come of age?”

“He only began to develop awareness at thirty, so adulthood probably won’t come until at least sixty.” Fushan Yue coughed again. “The prince is still young, but the Lord Emperor already intends to reduce the number of times she enters the palace.”

He Lingchuan understood. “Madame Cen really is special. No wonder the people behind this case chose Cen Boqing as the front. Cen Boqing himself isn’t especially capable or clever, which makes him easy to control. And with both the Minister of Finance’s authority and Yao Xingning’s protection layered over him, the case becomes very hard to investigate.”

It was the Minister of Finance’s power, plus Yao Xingning’s influence as someone effectively tied to the imperial family. If the monster states discovered that their monsterfolk were being hunted, what could they really do?

Only now did he fully understand why Xiang Yan, a retired official, had wanted no part of the matter the moment he heard the Cen Family might be involved.

But that old fox had been slippery enough not to spell any of it out for him.

Fushan Yue said bitterly, “If Cen Boqing had just stayed a submissive, henpecked husband, wouldn’t that have been fine? He didn’t have the ability, yet he still insisted on inheriting such a massive dark enterprise!”

“You don’t think Yao Xingning was involved?”

“She’s overbearing, yes, but she hates evil and loves justice. She’s the sort who acts from temperament.” Fushan Yue shook his head. “She shouldn’t be able to accept something like hunting monsters for beads. Besides, those great forces in Lingxu City have countless properties and businesses under their control. Yao Xingning may not even have known that her husband had this particular industry hidden away in the dark. At first, I was wondering whether the Minister of Finance might cut off the tail to save himself and abandon Cen Boqing. That would have made the investigation much easier.” He paused, then added, “But now that Yao Xingning has come in person, it means the Minister of Finance wants to save his life. If not for husband-and-wife affection, Cen Boqing would be dead for sure this time.”

He Lingchuan smiled. “If that’s really the case, the Zhongsun Family won’t let them off either.”

“Zhongsun Mou is dead, so of course, the Zhongsun Family’s resentment runs deep. They’re one of Lingxu City’s leading aquatic clans.” Fushan Yue looked even more delighted than He Lingchuan. “But Wu Kai already confessed that Zhongsun Mou gave false testimony on Cen Boqing’s behalf, and that the Zhongsun Family privately purchased the elixir of youth. Those two matters will soon reach the Lord Emperor and the gods, and that alone will be enough to make them choke on it. In any case, nobody knows how many rich and powerful families are going to get dragged into this rotten account over the elixir of youth!”

He Lingchuan reflected for a moment, then shook his head instead. “If there really are too many aristocratic families privately purchasing the elixir of youth, then in the end, there’s a good chance the major matter will be reduced to a minor one.”

“Oh?” Fushan Yue was no fool. He quickly caught the meaning. “You mean, when too many are involved, the law won’t punish everyone?”

“The exact meaning of too many remains to be seen.” He Lingchuan let out a short laugh. “If they’re all common nobodies, then killing until corpses pile like mountains would be no problem. After the State of Yuān fell, Lingxu’s army carried out a massacre for thirty straight days. Millions of civilians died under the blade, and the Twilight Plains remain a wasteland to this day. That shows just how merciless those at the top can be.”

Fushan Yue pressed his lips together.

Facts spoke louder than arguments. He had nothing to say.

He Lingchuan continued lightly, “But if they’re all the great families of Lingxu City, the pillars of the state, then it becomes a matter of being led astray by greed and delusion. They would arrest those who privately refined the medicine, arrest those who bought and resold it in large quantities, and punish them openly and severely to set the tone right. As for the rest, when too many are involved, the law won’t reach everyone. A light punishment and stern warning would be enough. Otherwise, you’d risk shaking the foundations of the state.”

Fushan Yue gave a bitter smile. “You make it sound so effortless...”

“Shall we wait and see?” He Lingchuan glanced at him. “Want to bet?”

“No need.” Fushan Yue sounded faintly emotional. “I think you’re right.”

“Tch.” So he knows he’d lose for sure, eh?

“Is the State of Fu the same way too?”

“Isn’t officialdom everywhere the same?” He Lingchuan said lazily. “After all, everyone says water that’s too clear holds no fish.”

When they returned to the inn, Fushan Yue asked him, “You really don’t want some late-night food? I heard this inn’s perpetual stew has been kept going for fifteen years without ever letting the fire die. They say even the table legs would taste good if you simmered them in it. I already had someone go buy some.”

At this hour?

“No.” He Lingchuan yawned. “I’m tired. I’m going back to rinse off and sleep. Tomorrow I still have to keep accompanying you and Deputy Cloud Envoy Bai around while you two stir up trouble.”

Fushan Yue gave him a suspicious look. “Back when you used to fight me at every turn, you weren’t this easy to tire out. Tell the truth, was half of Cheng Yu’s life really worn away by you?”

To this day, he still had not figured out just how many real skills He Lingchuan had hidden up his sleeve.

He Lingchuan had known Fushan Yue would definitely grow suspicious.

This man had never been easy to fool.

He glanced left and right. No one was nearby.

The moment Fushan Yue saw that little movement, he knew He Lingchuan was about to reveal something. He immediately leaned in and pricked up his ears. “What?”

“What I told Bai Ziqi just now was basically true. I just didn’t mention that what Cheng Yu sent to ambush me was a yin spirit!” He Lingchuan lowered his voice to a near-whisper. “And Cheng Yu really did burn that yin spirit’s vessel. Wasn’t it only natural for the thing to go back and settle the score with him?”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.” He Lingchuan smiled. “What, do you need me to swear it to Heaven?”

Right now, the ruler of the State of Chiyan and his son were his backers and his allies. He could not keep them entirely in the dark, or suspicion and distance would grow between them.

A sworn oath to Heaven would certainly have been nice. Fushan Yue shook his head. “No need. I believe you.” Then he asked He Lingchuan, “What further moves do you think Bai Ziqi will make?”

He Lingchuan thought a moment. “Leaving aside whatever other agenda he may have, Bai Ziqi came to Baishajue for no more than two things: first, to investigate the elixir of youth case; second, to track down Zhongsun Mou’s whereabouts. The elixir of youth case is basically clear now. The key raw material, the jiang beads, was unquestionably obtained by Cen Boqing sending people out to kill monsters and harvest them. That’s nailed in place and cannot be escaped. As for the abducted Zhongsun Mou...” He shrugged and said, “Well, I think that guy is already dead.”

The moment that came up, Fushan Yue looked delighted all over again. “I think so too.”

“Mai Xuewen didn’t leave behind many traces. He’d been plotting for years. My guess is that after succeeding with one strike, he fled a thousand kilometers away and won’t reappear any time soon.” He Lingchuan laid it out calmly. “Which means Bai Ziqi probably has no chance of catching Mai Xuewen. If so, then all his effort can only be poured into handling the Cen Boqing case.”

Fushan Yue nodded. “Zhongsun Mou helped Cen Boqing provide false testimony, only to be killed by Cen Boqing’s own people. If the Zhongsun Family hears that this is the investigation’s conclusion, how could they possibly accept it?” He could not help but laugh and add, “Best of all, the case was personally investigated by Bai Ziqi. If they want justice, they’ll have to go argue with a cloud envoy... and everyone in Lingxu City knows that questioning a cloud envoy is just asking for death!”

This time, he would not have to bear the pressure himself. Bai Ziqi had directly taken the whole burden onto his shoulders. Otherwise, even the King of Chiyan would have felt strain from it.

This time, the Monster Emperor had shown very good judgment in choosing the man to handle the case.

“The gods won’t be satisfied either, because Cen Boqing also doesn’t truly count as the mastermind,” He Lingchuan said slowly. “The elixir of youth case is worth digging deeper into, but from the look of it, the roots all lie in Lingxu City. What comes after likely has little to do with us anymore.”

“How could it end here?” Fushan Yue let out a cold laugh. “I’m just starting to enjoy myself.”

“The complaint letter your father sent only just landed before the Lord Emperor, and not even a few days later, Qingfu Temple caught fire. All the physical evidence and witnesses were burned clean away in one blaze.” He Lingchuan smiled faintly at him. “Have you ever been to Qingfu Temple?”

“I have. It’s large, and the incense offerings are always flourishing.” Fushan Yue thought for a moment before adding, “You’re right. What sort of place is Lingxu City? Qingfu Temple would have had fire-prevention measures. An ordinary fire could never have burned it down so quickly and so completely.”

“The people behind this have connections and means. Which is to say, they have status.” He Lingchuan spoke unhurriedly. “To dare kill monsterfolk in monster states and harvest beads from them, committing an outrage under all Heaven, shows how ruthless and vicious they must be. I’d say the waters here are too deep. Does the State of Chiyan really want to wade into such muddy waters?”

The deeper the investigation went, the deeper the case became. Cen Boqing, the son-in-law of the Minister of Finance’s eldest daughter, was only a front.

So what kind of identity did the true mastermind have?

When the ruler of the State of Chiyan and his son first began investigating the case, they surely could not have imagined it would spread this deep and this wide.

“If you want to stop, now is the chance.”

That was what Fushan Yue said. He Lingchuan had already turned that thought over in his own mind, but had never spoken it aloud. He could not be the one to say such words.

“Even if Bai Ziqi is the one investigating, if my father doesn’t insist and Lingxu City wants to keep the peace, then the true culprit will end up being Cen Boqing alone.” Fushan Yue actually let out a deep sigh. “But my father will definitely insist on pursuing this to the end, because this is no longer a matter concerning only the State of Chiyan.”

He Lingchuan rolled that sentence over in his mind, and his expression shifted slightly.

“You mean other forces have already been drawn into this?”

“From what I know already, Baoshu King has just submitted a petition to Lingxu City saying that monsters from his own territory have also been hunted and killed for beads. The matter has enraged both gods and men alike, and it must be investigated thoroughly.”