“You are a drifting outsider with no fixed roots, and your situation in Lingxu City is already worrying. Danger lies on every side. One careless step, and you may lose your life. What future is there to talk about?”

He Lingchuan stretched lazily. “Me? I only know how to live in the moment. Drink today’s wine today, worry about tomorrow’s troubles tomorrow. You took such a huge risk to come see me. Surely you didn’t come just to wag your tongue a little?”

Risk and reward ought to be proportional, after all. If the other side had bargaining chips, this was the time to start laying them out.

Sure enough, Xi Yunhe continued, “If you help me handle this matter properly, I can ensure you remain safe and sound in Lingxu City.”

“Oh?” He Lingchuan’s gaze focused. “How?”

“I have my own methods.”

“I don’t believe you.” He Lingchuan picked up a spoon and stirred the bowl of sweet rice wine.

He could not drink it, but at least he could stir it.

“You’re a wanted criminal who can barely protect himself, and you want to keep me safe?” He Lingchuan burst into laughter. “Who do you think you are, a state preceptor?”

The puppet controlled by Xi Yunhe stood woodenly, not even blinking.

He Lingchuan watched him at leisure.

Xi Yunhe asked, “What state preceptor?”

“Who knows? It just slipped out.” He Lingchuan smiled. “Am I wrong?”

Why could he guess? Because of Dong Rui, of course.

Naturally, he could not casually sell out a comrade from the same trench. “Come on. Since you came to find me today, you clearly came prepared to lay your cards on the table. Let’s save ourselves some time, all right?”

Xi Yunhe sighed. “You truly are a clever man.”

“So which state preceptor is your backer?” He Lingchuan guessed it was the Autumn Palace State Preceptor. “Don’t worry, I have a barrier here.”

Xi Yunhe did not hesitate for long. “State Preceptor Shuang Ye.”

Heh, as expected. He Lingchuan gave a faint snort. “I figured as much.”

A wanted criminal like Xi Yunhe had no qualifications to make a deal with him on his own. At a time like this, the power standing behind Xi Yunhe had to show itself.

The fact that he had evaded Bai Ziqi’s capture until now, hiding east and west without being caught, naturally meant he could not have been fighting alone.

“What deep hatred does he have with State Preceptor Qing Yang, for you to go after her so ruthlessly?”

No matter how beautifully Xi Yunhe had arranged things, the direction in which his clues pointed was very clear, and it was toward none other than Spring Palace.

In a place like Lingxu City, anyone capable of targeting Spring Palace like this—or rather, anyone capable of opposing a colossus like Spring Palace—could only be the Heavenly Palace, some alliance of ministers, or another state preceptor.

Xi Yunhe said coldly, “Public grievance and private hatred both.”

“Was asking me to find another clue and pass it to Bai Ziqi also State Preceptor Shuang Ye’s intention?” He Lingchuan asked him. “He has plenty of people under him. Why must he ask me to do it?”

“First, you were the original investigator of this case. Any clue you submit will be the most convincing. The gods and Bai Ziqi will both find it easier to believe and will not dig too deeply into it.” Otherwise, if every random stray dog and alley cat went to make reports and send clues, they would only be beaten out of the Heavenly Palace. “Second, you and the Crown Prince of Chiyan are currently in the limelight in Lingxu City. If you can add further momentum to the elixir of youth case, no one will dare touch you in the short term.”

“So considerate of me? You have my thanks.” He Lingchuan nodded politely at him. “Now, what’s the real reason?”

“We need to stay out of it,” Xi Yunhe said. “We cannot be connected to the elixir of youth case.”

“Why?” He Lingchuan did not understand. “Does no one in Lingxu City know about the conflict between the Autumn Palace and the Spring Palace?”

“It’s precisely because there is conflict that we cannot make the move ourselves.” Xi Yunhe shook his head. “Otherwise, even if the elixir of youth case is solved, the Lord Emperor will be displeased.”

He Lingchuan said, “Oh, you mean the Lord Emperor dislikes State Preceptor Shuang Ye even more?”

“Do not presume to measure a ruler’s intentions.”

He Lingchuan truly did not know much about State Preceptor Shuang Ye. Seeing that Xi Yunhe was about to speak, he cut in first, “Right, tell me about your grudge with State Preceptor Qing Yang.”

“What does that have to do with you?”

Even through a puppet, He Lingchuan could feel his displeasure.

“If you want me to do something for you, you need to explain the whole story.” He Lingchuan smiled. “Call it a token of sincerity.”

The puppet stood rooted in place for a long while before finally speaking.

“State Preceptor Qing Yang is elegant, warm, virtuous beyond reproach. She treats others like a gentle spring rain and enjoys the greatest support among the common people out of the Four Grand State Preceptors. I entered the Spring Palace because I admired her reputation. I worked hard, struggled my way up, and finally became Qing Yang’s personal disciple. In those years, my master was my sky. Her every word and deed was like divine radiance shining down upon me; nothing about her was wrong.”

“But there were some rumors outside that were unfavorable to my master. I even overheard Spring Palace disciples discussing them in private. In a rage, I reported all of it to my honored master.”

“My master merely smiled and said that clear waters stay clear, and mountain winds pass over the ridges. Why pay attention to such things?” A faint sound came from Xi Yunhe’s throat. “She was so magnanimous that I naturally admired her even more.”

“Not long afterward, I discovered that someone in Spring Palace was stealing treasures. After carrying out an investigation, I learned that several senior brothers had been stealing when it was their turn to keep watch. On the surface, they registered the treasures as damaged and discarded; privately, they transported them out and sold them. I thought, How can this be allowed? So I seized two of them and presented them, along with the evidence, to my master.”

“My master read it and said their crime deserved death. But in consideration of years of master-disciple affection, retrieving the stolen goods, severing their hand tendons, and expelling them from the sect would be enough.” Xi Yunhe’s voice darkened. “She was softhearted and merciful. I had no objection. But while arresting them, I discovered new clues. Following the trail, I successively exposed four more cases, involving over thirty people in total.”

“If you caught over thirty people, that was a whole nest of corruption. Right under your master’s eyelids. With that many people stealing from under their own watch, you didn’t suspect anything?” He Lingchuan crossed his legs. “You were headed for disaster.”

Xi Yunhe tilted his head slightly. “My honored master also praised me, greatly commended me, and then assigned me to Qionglin Garden in Lingxu’s western outskirts to manage the Spring Palace’s properties there. She said I had sincerity in excess but urgently needed tempering, so that I could stand on my own in the future.”

Hearing this, He Lingchuan could not help but laugh and say, “She thought you were an eyesore and threw you far away, out of sight and out of mind, so you wouldn’t keep getting in the way. Honestly, that’s not bad. You ruined her business, and she still didn’t take your life.”

“At the time, I was blinded by stupidity. I wholeheartedly thought she wanted to promote me.” Xi Yunhe’s voice grew even colder. “In my fourth year at Qionglin Garden, the local nobles had already become familiar with me. On one occasion, one of them came to me to buy an elixir of youth. I was utterly shocked, but by then, I was no longer a hotheaded youth. I did not report it to my master at once. Instead, I buried myself in investigation.”

He Lingchuan pressed his fingers against his temple. “Playing like that really could anger your master to death.” You were already exiled to Qionglin Garden, and you still refused to settle down!

Judging from Xi Yunhe’s performance in Chiyan, this man was highly capable, clean in his methods, and a true doer. It was just that back then, in youthful ignorance, he had been too stubborn and too sincere.

“Yes. So when I traced the matter to Qingfu Temple, someone ambushed me from behind.”

He Lingchuan let out a surprised sound. “With preparation against no preparation, State Preceptor Qing Yang’s assassin still failed to kill you?”

“I fled to the lakeside, gravely wounded and near death, but someone rescued me. That person also forged the illusion of my death, deceiving the assassin Qing Yang had sent.” Xi Yunhe said, “That person was State Preceptor Shuang Ye.”

“He told me State Preceptor Qing Yang had ordered everything, but I refused to believe it, no matter what.” Even the puppet’s voice carried resentment. “Yet not two days after I ‘died,’ Spring Palace announced to the outside world that I had stolen an important treasure and been killed while fleeing!”

“Twelve years! I devoted myself completely to Spring Palace for twelve years, and this was what I received in return!” Xi Yunhe’s voice turned dark and eerie. “The day I saw Qing Yang’s true face, I swore that if I could spend twelve years serving Spring Palace, then I could spend twenty years repaying Qing Yang with hatred!”

He Lingchuan raised a thumb. “Brother, you’re ruthless even to yourself.”

Xi Yunhe had infiltrated Wu Kai’s side ten years ago, patiently collecting clues and weaving charges all these years. He had even personally participated in the crime of hunting monsters and harvesting beads. He truly did what he said.

Ruthless toward others, and even more ruthless toward himself.

He Lingchuan also grew wary in secret. If even one subordinate of State Preceptor Shuang Ye was such a talent, what level must the state preceptor himself be at?

When dealing with this kind of power, He Lingchuan had to be careful, and then more careful still.

“I’m telling you all this in detail not to win your sympathy, but to make you understand Qing Yang’s malice and viciousness. You and Fushan Yue investigating the elixir of youth case means ruining her plans. Once she gets through the present difficulty, she will retaliate madly afterward. Fushan Yue at least has his identity as the Crown Prince of Chiyan to protect him, but you—” the puppet continued coldly, “you are nothing but rootless duckweed. If Lingxu City’s waves rise a little higher, you will be smashed to pieces.”

He Lingchuan opened his mouth to speak, but Xi Yunhe had already continued.

“In Lingxu City, Chiyan’s power cannot protect you. Surely you have experienced that deeply these past few days?” In the past few days, this young man has been bombed and poisoned; everyone in the upper circles know about this. “By your strength alone, how will you withdraw safely?”

Xi Yunhe’s meaning was clear. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

State Preceptor Shuang Ye’s thigh had already been extended. Hurry up and cling to it.

“You pursue cases relentlessly. When I look at you, it is like seeing myself from back then.” That was why he had warned He Xiao in Baishajue. As expected, the young man had not listened. “I do not want you to repeat my mistakes.”

He had done his best to appeal to reason and emotion.

He Lingchuan thought hard for a moment, his expression solemn. “It’s not impossible. But as I said, cooperation requires sincerity.”

“Speak.” Xi Yunhe suddenly felt that he had misjudged this fellow. Compared with himself back then, this young man before him was far slicker. He was someone who would not release the hawk until he saw the hare.

He Lingchuan said seriously, “State Preceptor Shuang Ye’s divine techniques are vast. Something harder than climbing to heaven for us should be as easy as turning over a hand for a state preceptor.”

This was no flattery. It was fact.

Xi Yunhe was not annoyed; instead, he was pleased. “What do you want?”

If this young man had no desires at all, that would be the greatest trouble.

“Have you heard of Nian Zanli, the surrendered general from Xun Province?” He Lingchuan was certain Xi Yunhe knew. Though this man could not show his face in public, with State Preceptor Shuang Ye’s eyes and ears, he had surely been watching all sides. “He wants to borrow troops to attack Yuan again, but he still hasn’t managed to get any.”

“There is such a matter.” Xi Yunhe recalled for a moment. “He first went to ask State Preceptor Qing Yang for help, and it seemed he was close to succeeding. But just then, the elixir of youth case was exposed. State Preceptor Qing Yang had no time left to help him, and the Lord Emperor also rejected her proposal to dispatch troops.”

“As luck would have it, a friend of mine needs something from him, so I have to find a way to help him borrow elite soldiers.”

Xi Yunhe’s brow furrowed. “A friend of yours?”