Chapter 104: The Heavenly Barrier

Hearing this, Gong Lishan turned his gaze toward Fu Yu and said:

"But what if the Eighth Imperial Prince can't protect Captain Cang?"

Fu Yu waved his hand and said:

"Whether or not the Eighth Imperial Prince can protect Cang Cang Yin Yue, I have ways to ensure she comes to no harm—indeed, this matter can help Cang Cang Yin Yue see the true nature of that Eighth Imperial Prince."

As he spoke, Fu Yu slowly shook his head, his voice calm:

"Ever since Cang Cang Yin Yue brought back that Eighth Imperial Prince, she has resolutely demanded to break off our engagement—this matter is very likely tied to him."

"I know she once misunderstood me. Back then, because of Lady Zhu and Lord Marquis Marquis Cangyuan, I dared not act or explain myself—but now those obstacles are gone, and I have no need to hold back."

"I will make her see who truly cares for her. The protector she thinks she's found will abandon her without mercy when real interests and choices arise—and I will not."

Hearing this, Gong Lishan and Ji Feiyun exchanged a glance.

They knew of Fu Yu's former engagement to Cang Cang Yin Yue—perhaps to gain the influence of the Marquis Marquis Cangyuan Hou Fu—but now the Marquis Marquis Cangyuan Hou Fu is dead.

Yet he still refuses to let her go; the reason behind this, they frankly admitted, was unclear to them.

But trusting Fu Yu, they said nothing more.

At this moment, Fu Yu continued:

"As for the Hidden Assassination Order, we cannot intervene now—only watch and wait. Next, the Eighth Imperial Prince will face pressure from all sides; how long he can hold onto the Hidden Assassination Order remains uncertain."

…

The Great Li Imperial Palace.

Seated upon the gilded phoenix throne, the Wang Hou's expression was grim. She swept her gaze over those before her and asked:

"Are you certain the killer of Consort Ji was not someone from within the palace?"

Hearing this, Li Tianyi, the Grand Eunuch of the Office of Ceremonial, stepped forward, bowed low, and said:

"Your Majesty, after joint investigations by Shenbu's Chief Inspector Guan Tianqian and the Hidden Spy Bureau's Director Wu Gou, along with overnight searches by the Imperial Guard, no trace of the killer was found within the palace."

Yet the Wang Hou suddenly raised her hand and slammed it hard upon the white jade table, her face flushed with anger:

"Then tell me— if there's no problem inside this palace, how did news of Consort Ji's death spread so widely, stirring up such a storm across the city?"

At these words, Li Tianyi lowered his head and remained silent.

How had the news spread? He couldn't say.

Perhaps from the Third Imperial Prince and the Right Chancellor—or perhaps from some concubine or eunuch within the palace.

The Great Li Imperial Palace seemed like an impregnable fortress, yet if someone could sneak in and kill a consort, then merely spreading a rumor hardly seemed surprising.

"You're all useless!"

Seeing the silence, the Wang Hou hurled a teacup from the table to the ground.

Then she turned her gaze to Gong Lishan, standing respectfully nearby, and said coldly:

"Give me a deadline—how long will it take your Shenbu to capture the killer of Consort Ji?"

Hearing this, Gong Lishan's expression changed; he immediately bowed low:

"The killer infiltrated the palace, committed murder, and escaped unharmed—his martial prowess must be immeasurable. I cannot guarantee success, only that I will do my utmost."

The Wang Hou's face darkened. She turned to Director Wu Gou of the Hidden Spy Bureau, about to speak—then stopped, and said coldly:

"It would be pointless to ask."

Then she scanned the hall and said:

"Whether it's the Shenbu or the Hidden Spy Bureau, return to your Shenhou and Sizhu and tell them—if the killer is not caught before His Majesty emerges from seclusion, they will kneel before the Tianqian Palace and beg for forgiveness."

With that, the Wang Hou rose and swept out.

After a while, Li Tianyi slowly lifted his head. He turned to Gong Lishan and Wu Gou and said:

"You heard the Wang Hou's words. This matter concerns the honor of the Great Li imperial family—ensure the Shenhou and Sizhu handle it personally."

Hearing this, Gong Lishan and Wu Gou exchanged a glance, both stirred.

The Wang Hou appeared furious and desperate—but in truth, she saw clearly.

She understood this was beyond their ability to resolve, and thus deliberately pointed to the Shenhou of the Shenbu and the Sizhu of the Hidden Spy Bureau as the ones who must act.

And indeed, at least in Gong Lishan's mind, he had no desire whatsoever to wade into this murky water.

But now, the Shenhou of the Shenbu was not in the capital; even if Gong Lishan wished to send word, he could not do so immediately.

After leaving the palace, Gong Lishan looked weighed down by worries.

Even when Director Wu Gou of the Hidden Spy Bureau approached him to discuss capturing the killer, he had little interest in responding.

He simply boarded the imperial carriage prepared for him, along with two other Gold Medal Captains, and returned directly to the Shenbu headquarters.

At this moment, his mind was fixed on one thing: the young man accompanying Cang Cang Yin Yue, and his connection to the Marquis Marquis Cangyuan Hou Fu and Consort Ji's death.

Without doubt, he had vaguely grasped the truth of the entire affair—but he hesitated.

He understood the cost of confronting such a powerful expert; unless, as the Wang Hou suggested, he handed this over to the Shenhou, even if he found the killer, he would be powerless against him.

Moreover, Gong Lishan was still uncertain about another matter: the message the man had left behind in the Marquis Marquis Cangyuan Hou Fu.

If the man's words were true, then both Lord Marquis Marquis Cangyuan and the consort in the palace were grievously wicked.

His killing them, by the standards of the martial world, was righteous justice—punishing evil and promoting good.

Yet the victims were no ordinary people: one was a marquis with illustrious ancestral merit, one a court-appointed noble lady, and one even the Emperor's beloved consort.

Any one of these alone, under Great Li law, warranted the killer's execution.

But when Gong Lishan recalled the countless white bones of young girls buried beneath the Marquis Marquis Cangyuan Hou Fu, a thought unexpectedly rose in his heart:

He killed them well.

…

In his youth, Gong Lishan had once traveled the martial world, dreaming of becoming a righteous hero.

But the atmosphere of the martial world was poor—doing good did not guarantee reward, and helping others did not always mean saving them.

After enduring countless hardships, he finally understood the treachery of the Jianghu, gradually grew to loathe it, and subsequently threw himself into the Six Gates of Great Li.

The duty of the Six Gates was to pursue criminals and capture evildoers; although there were many rules and regulations, it suited his nature perfectly.

Guan Tianqian worked at this for several decades; during this time, he solved numerous strange cases and caught countless thieves, establishing the formidable reputation of the "Iron-Blooded Divine Constable."

Yet as the years passed, Guan Tianqian had long been smoothed by officialdom of his youthful chivalrous spirit, and weighing pros and cons had become his guiding principle in conduct.

The carriage wheels rolled forward, while inside, Guan Tianqian pondered uncertainly.

However, just then, when his gaze accidentally swept past the carriage window, he unexpectedly saw a figure.

"Cang Yin Yue? Why is she here?"

Guan Tianqian looked up and saw that the carriage he was riding happened to be passing in front of the main gate of the Tianjin Guard's headquarters.

(End of this chapter)