There was singing and dancing on Splendid Plaza, and atmosphere of peace and prosperity.

Due to the arrival of the vassal kings in the capital and the festive season, the major restaurants and theaters had become more lively.

Even the court officials, who were rarely seen out and about on ordinary days, had been appearing more frequently due to their days off, and would often run into colleagues and exchange pleasantries.

It was no exaggeration to say that during this time, if one walked down the streets of the western market, they were likely to bump into an official at every turn.

Those, powerful, high-ranking officials, mindful of the stances of various factions in the Imperial Court, would try to steer clear of trouble.. Knowing that a vassal king was hosting a banquet at Mingyue Tower tonight, they gave it a wide berth.

Conversely, lower-ranking officials and members of certain prominent families risked going to catch a glimpse of the vassal kings.

The host of today’s banquet was none other than Dongjiang-wang Bai Lihe.

It was common knowledge that Bai Lihe’s fiefdom spanned across Guangdong and Jiangxi provinces. His maternal family was also a wealthy and influential local clan, and were quite prosperous due to resources such as porcelain and iron ore.

He was also a hedonist and was skilled at everything related to eating, drinking, and having fun.

He had built numerous gardens in his estate, including a menagerie housing countless rare creatures.

Having arrived in the capital city, such a person was naturally not content to stay put. Indeed, he had only arrived that morning, and was already hosting a banquet that very night.

Those he invited to the banquet included several other vassal kings, as well as the heads of the four great noble families and high-ranking officials of the Imperial Court.

He made no attempt to conceal his interactions with these people, but also wasn’t so foolish as to attempt to woo them over in public. This was just a casual get-together to discuss various topics. It could be considered a preliminary meeting, and if any ideas of collaboration arose later, they could proceed with them at that time.

About half of the people he sent invitations to accepted them.

Besides those high-ranking court officials, most of the vassal kings were present, with the exceptions of Pingxi-wang Bai Lizheng and Nanjiang-wang Bai Lihao.

But those two had always preferred to keep themselves apart, and didn’t interact much with the other vassal kings, so their absence today was understandable.

The heads of all four great families were present.

Even family head Qiu Xuanzheng, who had previously been strictly disciplined by his older brother for his impulsive and irascible nature, was present today.

However, he hadn’t come alone. He had brought an advisor from among Qiu Hongkuo’s staff, who would continuously monitor his words and actions to prevent him from causing trouble.

In the spacious main hall of Mingyue Tower, music and dancing filled the air.

Everyone took their seats at separate tables arranged around the dance floor in the center, with virtually no distinction in rank or hierarchy.

Bai Lihe turned his head to look at the row of vassal kings beside him.

Anhuai-wang Bai Liming belonged to a younger generation, and sat at the farthest end, along with the one vassal king who had yet to leave the capital – Bai Lihai.

Bai Lihai wore a gentle smile as he spoke with Bai Liming. The two were of a similar age and possessed rather soft personalities, so they seemed to get along well. 

Aside from the vassal kings, there were also the four family heads.

Bai Lihe raised his head and met the gaze of the handsome family head Xiao Yao, who was directing a smile in his direction. 

Maintaining his own smile, Bai Lihe raised his wine cup and mimed clinking glasses with him from a distance.

Xiao Yao’s smile deepened slightly.

Both men finished their drinks, and Bai Lihe then shifted his gaze across the other three family heads.

The aloof and dignified Wang Huanzhi, the imposing Lu Jinfeng, and the seemingly indolent but powerfully built Qiu Xuanzheng.

Although Lu Jinfeng was a martial artist, he still possessed the refined demeanor of a member of nobility, exuding an air of “righteousness.” Leaning against a low table and drinking heavily, Qiu Xuanzheng was his complete opposite.

With just a glance, Bai Lihe was able to discern the characters of these people before him.

He naturally wasn’t the only one doing so. Everyone at the banquet was sizing each other up.

The relationship between the vassal kings and the noble families had always been delicate.

It wouldn’t even be wrong to call it hostile.

However, they didn’t seem to have any compelling reasons to be at odds with each other. In fact, cooperation, provided that everyone’s interests were safeguarded, would be the ideal option.

Ultimately, it all boiled down to the fact that they now shared a common enemy – the person sitting on the throne.

And aside from these prominent figures, there were naturally some less important characters attempting to take advantage of the situation at this banquet.

But their courage was lacking, and they only looked on from a distance before turning and melting away from the crowd, fearful of accidentally causing trouble.

An Wuji had also received an invitation, but he had no intention of attending, and only stopped for a quick look when he happened by during his patrol. 

Seeing that these people were only making insincere and meaningless chatter, he withdrew.

Leaving Mingyue Tower behind, he led his troops to patrol the streets of Splendid Plaza.

The city had been busy lately with all of these various forces gathering together, and he was genuinely worried that something similar to what happened at the auction might occur again.

The group walked through the bustling streets and alleys, footsteps crunching in the snow as they passed the newly-renovated Nanjiang Silk Shop and Yaotai Bookstore.

Something suddenly caught his notice, and An Wuji looked up, his sharp eyes fixed on the second floor of the silk shop.

At the window, a boy with a high ponytail was leaning out and looking at him.

The youth was handsome and refined, wearing a long, tasseled earring unique to Nanjiang on his left ear that dangled down to his shoulder, along with an exquisite silver necklace around his neck.

Instantly guessing his identity, An Wuji calmly looked away and continued walking forward.

Situ Zhaoyao watched him leave, then turned his attention back toward the room.

A young woman clad in a light purple dress sat at the table, her silver ornaments and jade bracelets jingling as she spoke animatedly with the person opposite her: “This shop is even better than how you described it to me. Every corner of it is breathtakingly beautiful! Jiyue-gege is so amazing!”

Across from her, a young man in light pink robes fanned himself and said with a gentle smile: “I’m glad Xiao Ling likes it.”

“I absolutely love it! Plus, the second floor is directly connected to your bookstore, which makes it convenient for us to meet in secret.” Situ Zhaoling’s eyes gleamed brightly as she turned toward her brother. “A-Di, don’t stand by the window. You might catch a cold.”

Situ Zhaoyao closed the window and went to take a seat at the table, saying: “I just saw Commander An, the one who greeted us today. He just came out of Mingyue Tower.”

“Mingyue Tower?” Situ Zhaoling raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that where Dongjiang-wang is hosting a banquet?”

“En. I wonder what they’re talking about,” Situ Zhaoyao said with some curiosity.

Wang Qichen’s lips curved up as he said: “Under the circumstances, they’re probably just testing the waters today and won’t say anything useful.”

The siblings were still quite young, and hadn’t been raised in the cutthroat environment of the capital city, so their understanding of such matters was far inferior to Wang Qichen’s.

“Then  when will they say something useful?”

Situ Zhaoling voiced this question with humility.

“After they leave the capital,” Wang Qichen said, calm and collected. “The capital is full of spies loyal to Ning-wang, and with the current situation being this chaotic, it would be difficult for the vassal kings to get involved.”

Everyone was trying to gauge each other’s intentions on this trip to the capital, and it was impossible for anyone to stir up trouble or be the one to make the first move for the time being.

But after they all departed, cooperation between the vassal kings and the noble families would inevitably begin in secret.

As for who would cooperate with whom, and who would oppose whom, everything was still uncertain.

Ultimately, as long as their interests aligned, cooperation between anyone was a possibility.

At that time, all of the various forces would reveal their true intentions, and true chaos would descend upon Great Ning.

At the mention of Ning-wang, Situ Zhaoling couldn’t help but frown. She lowered her voice, saying: “With the Divine Lord here, Ning-wang should be healed soon, right?”

Wang Qichen nodded: “Perhaps he has already recovered, but the news hasn’t gotten out of the palace yet.”

Shortly after Qin Xiao returned from the Northwest, all of the Imperial Physicians had been summoned to Yangxin Hall. Some parties tried every means to extract information from those people, but they all maintained a consistent story and said that it was just a routine examination.

The suspicion was only that Qin Xiao might have been injured.

But when another two days passed with no appearance from Qin Xiao or Chu Jiubian, they all became completely certain that not only was Qin Xiao injured, but gravely so!

Otherwise, they would have never remained out of sight for so long.

After all, according to common sense, Qin Xiao should have summoned top officials of the first and second ranks to the palace for discussions after his victorious return, even if court was out of session.

Said discussion would naturally revolve around the matters of rewards and punishments, as well as how the Western Regions should be governed in the future.

Therefore, the fact that all of the vassal kings had arrived in the capital, yet Qin Xiao still had yet to appear, was the biggest point of suspicion.

However, with Chu Jiubian around, everyone also knew that Qin Xiao would be fine. He might just have to endure some amount of hardship.

However, what concerned Situ Zhaoling and Situ Zhaoyao was not this point, but rather…..

“Say, what is the relationship like between Ning-wang and the Divine Lord, ah?” Situ Zhaoling leaned in closer to Wang Qichen, lowering her voice even further.

Wang Qichen thought for a moment, then said: “There’s probably some affection involved.”

“Ah?!” Situ Zhaoyao exclaimed in surprise. “Didn’t A-Jie say that the Divine Lord and that person have a very deep relationship?”

‘That person,’ of course, referred to the High Priest.

In the Divine Realm, Wang Qichen had discussed the relationship between “the High Priest” and “Grand Tutor Chu” with Situ Zhaoling, which had excited her immensely at the time.

However, the closer she got to the capital after leaving home, the more rumors she heard.

These included stories about the “romantic entanglement” between Grand Tutor Chu and Ning-wang, portraying their relationship in a very suggestive and ambiguous light.

Situ Zhaoling naturally sided with the High Priest, and therefore had a negative impression of Qin Xiao, believing that he was competing with the High Priest for the Divine Lord’s affections.

However, Ning-wang was a person who acted for the good of the nation and its people, and he had even conquered the Sai Kingdom. After hearing about his deeds, Situ Zhaoling was unable to bring herself to dislike him any longer.

All she could say was that “attraction” was such a mysterious thing.

Love, too, was beyond anyone’s control.

If the Divine Lord truly fell in love with Ning-wang, the High Priest would likely be left heartbroken.

Wang Qichen fanned himself and let out a sigh: “We mere mortals cannot comprehend the Divine Lord’s mind.” He added, “But hopefully the High Priest will be able to.”

The three of them chatted for a long time about a variety of topics, and soon became as close as family. 

Only when the streets were nearly deserted and the snow and wind intensified did they reluctantly part ways.

Wang Qichen returned to his bookstore through the secret door on the second floor, while Situ Zhaoling and her younger brother left the silk shop and returned to their residence in a carriage.

After a long time had passed, when the night was late and the streets were quiet, Wang Qichen finally left the bookstore. This was to ensure that nobody noticed his meeting with the Situ siblings.

Meanwhile, inside the Imperial Palace…..

Chu Jiubian donned his robes and a thick cloak, completely ensconcing himself in the black fabric before venturing out into the wind and snow.

Lying in bed, Qin Xiao listened to the sound of the door closing.

After just a moment or two, he got to his feet.

Outside, Chu Jiubian walked all the way to the main chamber of Yangxin Hall and saw that Qin Chaoyang’s nose was red from the cold. He had likely been waiting for some time.

When he saw him coming, Qin Chaoyang stepped forward and respectfully asked: “Young Master, shall we go now?”

Ever since Chu Jiubian saved Qin Xiao’s life, Qin Chaoyang’s already deferential attitude had become even more pronounced, and he seemed to want to worship Chu Jiubian at all times.

“Let’s go,” Chu Jiubian said.

Qin Chaoyang turned around and went down on one knee, saying: “Please excuse me.”

Just as Chu Jiubian was about to climb onto his back, he heard footsteps behind him.

Qin Xiao, who had changed into a black outfit at some point, had arrived in the falling snow without even a cloak.

“What are you doing here?” Chu Jiubian’s tone was somewhat chilly.

As Qin Xiao approached, Qin Chaoyang had already gotten up and retreated back a little, lowering his sense of presence until he was nearly imperceptible.

“I’ll take you,” said Qin Xiao.

Chu Jiubian glanced at his chest: “How do you expect to take me in that condition?”

According to the latest intelligence, Nanjiang-wang and his wife had left their palace and secretly gone to the Qin family’s prison where Cheng Shuo was being held.

Chu Jiubian’s plan was to go and check on Cheng Shuo’s situation, mainly to keep an eye on the couple’s actions and ensure that no unexpected incidents arose.

But this was a confidential matter. Chu Jiubian needed to leave the palace in the middle of the night, and the more secretly he could do so, the better.

Thus, he planned to have Qin Chaoyang carry him out directly. He was a skilled martial artist, and the dark, windy night suited their plan perfectly.

Qin Xiao looked at Chu Jiubian and said somewhat stubbornly: “I’m feeling much better. Martial arts will not be a problem for me.”

There was a moment of silence, and when Chu Jiubian spoke again, his tone was even more unpleasant: “Why do you actually want to go?”

There was no point in saying that he didn’t want Qin Chaoyang to be the one to carry him. Even Qin Xiao himself wouldn’t believe it if he said it out loud.

Qin Xiao wasn’t that foolish, and finally spoke after a pause: “I want to know if he was truly under the control of an external force.”

If that was the case, it would only prove that Cheng Shuo was weak in willpower. Qin Xiao wouldn’t entrust him with important tasks in the future, but he also wouldn’t do anything to harm him.

However, if that wasn’t the case, then Cheng Shuo truly held a grudge against Qin Xiao.

And Qin Xiao would not allow such a person to live.

Chu Jiubian gazed steadily into the man’s deep, inscrutable eyes.

A moment later, he heaved a sigh: “Let’s go.”

Just as Qin Xiao turned to kneel down, Chu Jiubian took his hand and led him to the staircase.

He positioned himself on the steps, then reached out and wrapped his arms around Qin Xiao’s neck from behind.

Qin Xiao wasn’t wearing a cloak, but with Chu Jiubian draped over him like this, the other’s body heat and cloak dispelled the chill from Qin Xiao’s body.

The young man’s warm breath tickled his ear, and Qin Xiao’s eyes darkened slightly.

He softly grasped the other’s knees and lifted him onto his back. Then, with a light step, he leaped over the courtyard wall.

Qin Xiao walked steadily along the wall with Chu Jiubian on his back, hiding among the shadows cast by the wall and trees.

His steps were so quick that Chu Jiubian felt the wind stinging his face, so he lowered his head and buried his face in the neck of the person beneath him.

Breathing in that faint, pleasant scent, he was momentarily disoriented.

Qin Xiao was a man of great loyalty and integrity, but at every turn, Chu Jiubian still found him somewhat difficult to understand.

Cheng Shuo was a close friend of Qin Xiao’s parents, a kind uncle who had been there for him throughout his childhood, showering him with affection and support, and even fighting battles on his behalf.

Even with the knowledge that this military expedition was likely to end badly, he had still followed him without hesitation.

Qin Xiao had never imagined that this person would betray him, and was deeply affected when it actually happened.

His had insisted on coming tonight solely because he wanted answers.

He wanted to know if the man had actually betrayed him, or if it was unintentional.

A ringing sound echoed in his ears, and a dazed look spread across Chu Jiubian’s face.

He seemed to be looking at a little boy.

The child knelt by a bloodstained bed amidst scattered pieces of flesh, stubbornly clutching a woman’s cold, clammy arm as he asked her why she had given birth to him.

He asked her why she didn’t want him.

His body jolted abruptly, and Chu Jiubian awoke with a start, instinctively tightening his arms around Qin Xiao’s neck.

Qin Xiao didn’t pause in his steps, but his voice, gentle and low, reached Chu Jiubian’s ears.

“Were you asleep?” he asked.

Chu Jiubian’s grip had almost loosened completely just now. Had he not hefted him up slightly, the young man would have slipped from his back.

Chu Jiubian rubbed his face against the man’s slightly cool ear and softly murmured: “En.”

The man smiled, and a few leaps and bounds later, they finally came to a stop in a courtyard.

This was a side building in the Qin family compound, specifically used to provide food and lodgings for the family’s private guards.

However, there was also a prison within the compound used to confine assassins, spies, and other criminals who were guilty but could not yet be sent to the Ministry of Justice or Dali Temple.

There were currently only a few people being held in the prison, so the sounds coming from one of the cells were exceptionally clear.

Chu Jiubian went with Qin Xiao into the prison and followed the sounds to their source. There in the cell, Cheng Shuo was rolling around on the ground, clutching his head in pain.

Outside his prison cell were two figures, one tall and one short, standing side by side. Several Qin family guards stood to their left and right, watching them intently with their bodies tensed in defensive postures.

When he heard a sound behind him, the tall man turned around.

He had a handsome, elegant face, with deep-set eyes and an impressive bearing. 

The other party revealed no surprise upon catching sight of them, and didn’t approach them to exchange greetings. Instead, he turned back to watch the person in the cell.

And the shorter person beside him was Situ Anli, the Saintess of Nanjiang.

She didn’t turn around, remaining entirely focused on the prison cell as she murmured some sort of complex, ancient incantation.

Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao exchanged a look, then approached without a hint of caution.

They didn’t believe that this king and queen would harm them. After all, judging from their actions in the past, it was clear that they weren’t the sort of people who prioritized personal gain above all else.

Of course, even if they did try something, Chu Jiubian wasn’t worried. After all, he had the Situ siblings as his Believers, didn’t he? He would be able to utilize his relationship with them to resolve such a crisis. 

And even if using the two children was ineffective, he could also learn several relevant books on the spot from the System Mall and integrate the knowledge.

Upon reaching the prison cell, the two of them noticed that Situ Anli’s face was covered in a thick layer of sweat.

Cheng Shuo writhed in pain inside the cell as a small green snake slithered around him, its cold eyes scrutinizing his form.

Nobody spoke. They simply watched in silence.

Then Cheng Shuo let out an abrupt scream, and a centipede about the thickness of a pinky finger rapidly crawled out of his nostril.

The little green snake slithered over at lightning speed and swallowed the small centipede in one gulp.

The nearby guards all wore rather grim expressions, and when they saw the little green snake slither back to Situ Anli’s head and hide in her hair, their faces went ashen, their gazes toward her filled with shock and terror.

Even Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian had never witnessed such a scene before, and their expressions shifted as they stared at Situ Anli.

Bai Lihao supported his wife, tenderly wiping the cold sweat from her forehead as he said softly: “How are you, Li’er? Do you want me to carry you?”

Situ Anli shook her head and said with a weak smile: “I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

She forced herself to stand upright and looked at Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, saying: “Greetings, honored lords.”

She placed her hands in front of her chest and performed a traditional Nanjiang greeting.

“No need for formalities, Saintess.” Qin Xiao looked toward Cheng Shuo, who had lost consciousness, and said with a frown, “What happened to him?”

“He will survive, but there was damage to his brain, and he will likely suffer some memory loss in the aftermath,” said Situ Anli.

Chu Jiubian asked: “What kind of gu was he infected with?”

That centipede just now was a gu insect used in witchcraft, but the person controlling it was unknown.

“It was a type of parent-child gu. The mother is able to control the behavior of the host carrying her offspring, but only to a limited extent and for short periods of time. For example, making a person sit or lie down is a fairly common use.”

Situ Anli said with a somewhat imposing expression: “Only a gu master with profound abilities would be able to exert enough control on the lieutenant general to force him to kill someone.”

Chu Jiubian nodded: “Then do you know of anyone with such abilities?”

“There are a few other candidates aside from me, but they are all members of my clan.” Situ Anli said earnestly, “They have never left the Nanjiang region, so it couldn’t have been them.”

“Escort Lieutenant General Cheng to a guest room to rest,” Qin Xiao instructed his guards, and only after the man had been carried away did he turn to the others and say, “There are some reclusive families and sects in the jianghu. Perhaps a clue can be found among them.”

“Does My Lord not suspect us?” Bai Lihao spoke up suddenly, directing his mild gaze at Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao’s lips curved slightly, and he said: “I had my doubts.”

Bai Lihao smiled back at him.

“Thank you both for taking the time to come and help today. This lord will surely reward you handsomely in the future,” Qin Xiao said, offering them a formal bow.

This statement was, in fact, a promise.

Regardless of how he might target the powerful noble families and the vassal kings in the future, Nanjiang would remain a safe zone.

Both Bai Lihao and Situ Anli understood this, and after bowing in return, they took their leave.

Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian returned to the palace soon after.

A wave of warmth enveloped them when they entered Yangxin Hall, making them both feel much more comfortable.

“System, scan his injury,” Chu Jiubian said internally.

[The wound is healing well, and the internal injury is not serious. Please rest assured, Host.]

It seemed that Qin Xiao was in excellent physical shape. After carrying him on his back for a round trip, he was still perfectly fine.

It was getting late, so Chu Jiubian said: “Go and wash up.”

Qin Xiao had already removed his outer garment, which was soaked from the snow. Hearing this, he turned and asked: “What about you?”

“I’ll wash up too.”

“Don’t you take a bath every night?” Qin Xiao asked.

Chu Jiubian gave him a look: “Did Xiao Xiangzi tell you that?”

“En.”

Chu Jiubian let out a light snort. He must have reported that in the initial period after Chu Jiubian’s arrival.

“That’s not necessary during winter,” he said.

Thus, just as they had done in the morning, both of them washed their faces and brushed their teeth, then gave themselves a quick wipe-down and got in bed.

Chu Jiubian still kept to the inner side.

But this time, he had learned his lesson. As soon as he crawled in, he turned his back and faced the wall to avoid any awkwardness.

Qin Xiao chuckled softly as he watched him huddle under the blankets.

Chu Jiubian ignored him and closed his eyes.

The lights in the room went out, and the bed jostled slightly.

Then Chu Jiubian felt the blanket being lifted, and the body heat of another person entered the bedcovers.

It was nice and warm.

Chu Jiubian closed his eyes and compelled himself to fall asleep.

But the presence of the person beside him was so strong that he was unable to.

Qin Xiao turned his head to look at him in the darkness, similarly unable to sleep.

Chu Jiubian had disdained him eating in bed earlier, so he had ordered the bedding to be changed. For this reason, his own scent had faded, but the faint fragrance emanating from Chu Jiubian lingered in his nose.

Qin Xiao felt a little parched. Just as he was considering getting up to fetch some water, he heard someone knock softly and rhythmically on the window outside.

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Chapter 73 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 75