Chapter 1136: Killed the Wrong Person

The Bo King finally gave a clear answer.

If he played dumb and insisted he didn't know what the Bright Lamp was, this matter would be a bit troublesome.

He Lingchuan didn't want to mention Imperial Physician Chen, lest the witness be silenced.

The Bo King saw their expressions and hummed, then sent palace servants out to summon the relevant people.

This took too long, so he let He Lingchuan and Dong Rui wait in the great hall, leaving first himself.

This wait lasted more than half an hour, with only hot water served twice in between.

But the three didn't touch it at all.

That morning, just after He Lingchuan and the three left the Rulin Inn, Han Kun of the Shadow Tooth Guards walked out of the inn, buying a pile of buns and several cold dishes.

When the guest room was empty, the window suddenly moved.

Han Kun ate breakfast with his companions and returned to his guest room, always feeling something was not quite right.

He scanned the room, nothing had changed.

Probably an illusion? Other Shadow Tooth Guards came to knock on the door, calling him over to play *shuanglu*.

The *shuanglu* they brought with them was just a small chessboard, not the giant one from Suoding Island.

Today the leader and the envoy went into the palace, so everyone was guarding the inn, and since they were idle, they might as well play a few rounds to pass the time.

Han Kun didn't think much, pinched his money bag, and went out.

At the same time, several slips of paper drifted into the Feather Guard station two hundred *zhang* away in Xuncheng.

The Feather Guards picked them up and saw only a few words: Ten members of the Mai Party are hiding in the Rulin Inn, disguised as guards from another country, with high cultivation!

Reports of rebel remnants were received every few days. Besides, the Mai Party had been causing trouble recently, becoming increasingly arrogant, and the Bo King had long ordered searches and strict investigations. Usually, when the Feather Guards received such reports, they handled them themselves, but today Nangong Yan happened to be there, so the slip was sent to him for a decision.

Nangong Yan only took one look: "Investigate!"

Soon, the Feather Guards reported back:

"The Rulin Inn's waiter says these people have been here for over half a month, often closing the door for secret discussions, not allowing anyone near. They say they are merchants, but haven't seen them bring in or ship out goods, though they are quite generous with money. Once when they went out, the waiter even vaguely heard them say something about a 'palace map', but as soon as he appeared, the other party stopped talking and even scolded him to leave."

Nangong Yan narrowed his eyes: "Very suspicious. Make some arrangements first, send more people."

Anyway, it was close by.

The subordinates took the order and left.

The master said to make arrangements first, which meant setting up ambushes, laying out arrays, and using a whole set of moves in advance. There was never a lack of practitioners among the rebels, and the Feather Guards had plenty of experience in dealing with them, so they had to ensure not a single one could run! Half an hour later.

Nangong Yan was about to get up and enter the palace when footsteps sounded outside, and a personal guard rushed in: "Superintendent, the rebels at the Rulin Inn are formidable; we suffered over seventy casualties and killed three of the other side!"

This was even while they had launched a sneak attack.

The slip hadn't been wrong; this group's cultivation wasn't weak. With the advantage of the first move, their side still suffered such heavy losses? Nangong Yan was startled and walked out with big strides: "Are they really rebels?"

A casualty rate of seventy to three; ordinary people didn't have that ability!

"They claim to be the Mou Nation guard unit and even produced official plaques."

Nangong Yan sneered: "Small tricks. Rebels have played that before."

Forging an official plaque and using illusion to make it glow.

"But we found these two things from the guest room we attacked." The Feather Guard took out a book and two red-inlaid blue round beads. "This is a book by the criminal Mai Liansheng! These remnants copy the text in the book to use as secret codes to contact each other; the beads are ornaments from the corridor of the old Mai mansion. I heard there were hundreds on one string, and the Mai Party members we've caught before used them as tokens for meeting."

Nangong Yan's gaze condensed: "Didn't let them run, did you?"

"We set up two arrays and a set of traps outside the inn before carrying out the arrest. They tried several times but couldn't break out." The Feather Guards were very skilled at catching rebels, but this time... "Even two Gold Feather Guards were injured."

The Gold Feather Guards were the elite Nangong Yan had trained himself, all possessing the strength to tear tigers and leopards apart, which was an upgraded version of ordinary Feather Guards, totaling twelve people, and were recognized as having formidable combat power in the Xuncheng army.

Hearing that the Gold Feather Guards were injured, Nangong Yan's face sank, and he pressed the ring on his ring finger: "Where are the other Gold Feather Guards? Also, call another hundred people to follow me!"

Arresting a dozen rebels actually required him to take action personally?...

The Bo King appeared again, accompanied by a woman.

Although she was a national beauty, she was like a weak willow in the wind; as soon as she appeared, everyone felt this magnificent hall was even more empty and cold.

How many people did He Lingchuan recognize here? Yet this was also a familiar face.

Consort Mei.

She was in a peach-pink dress today, gorgeous just right, and her small face finally had more color than the previous few days.

Standing beside the Bo King, who was already showing signs of old age, she was like a new tender peach blossom blooming on a withered old tree.

Consort Mei also saw He Lingchuan and Dong Rui, and her gaze turned to Jin Bai, her beautiful eyes widening slightly.

But this slight abnormality flashed by, and she looked back at the Bo King.

In Consort Mei's eyes, there was only this old man who could be her grandfather, so focused, and so admiring.

He Lingchuan noticed that the Bo King also held her hand after sitting down.

After she sat down, the Bo King summoned someone from behind and said to He Lingchuan: "Three months ago, the Lone One sent an envoy to order the Bright Lamp from the Carefree Sect. This is the envoy at the time, Luo Jingzhou. Come, tell the Mou envoy about the process of this matter."

"Yes. This subordinate conveyed the King's order to the Carefree Sect, but Sect Master Li refused, calling the Bright Lamp a treasure of the sect that would not be leaked. This subordinate tried to persuade him for three days to no avail and had to return, but before leaving the Carefree Sect's territory, Elder Cao Yanhua came to me privately, claiming the Bright Lamp would mature in another twelve days and he was willing to offer it to our country."

"Elder Cao Yanhua?" He Lingchuan's thoughts raced. "What was his asking price?"

"Thirty-five thousand *liang* of silver."

He Lingchuan raised an eyebrow, not expensive at all. After all, it was such a precious medicinal herb.

"A bargain. Did the King agree?"

The Bo King said lightly: "Why not agree? It's just a little money."

As the dignified monarch, couldn't he afford thirty-five thousand?

He Lingchuan asked immediately: "Aren't you worried there's a trap?"

Luo Jingzhou answered on his behalf: "Elder Cao agreed with this subordinate at the time: goods first, money later. After the Bright Lamp matured, he would send word to my King and set the time and place for delivery."

Goods first, money later; what was the Bo King afraid of?

It should be Elder Cao Yanhua who was worried about not getting the money.

The more He Lingchuan heard, the more wrong it felt: "Where was the delivery?"

"Forty-two days ago, at the Old Banyan Inn in Xuncheng." Luo Jingzhou said. "This subordinate also took people to pick it up, and the Bright Lamp was hidden under the bed in a guest room on the second floor. I took the Bright Lamp back and handed it to Imperial Physician Chen for refining."

The transaction location was actually chosen in the capital of his own country; the Bo King was naturally more at ease.

"Forty-two days ago!" He Lingchuan calculated the days, his face dark as water. "That day, the Shadow Tooth Guards had just arrived at Giant Deer Port!"

The Bright Lamp matured forty-five days ago, and Jin Bai picked it with his own hands that day, then rushed to Giant Deer Port without stopping.

The transaction time Luo Jingzhou mentioned happened to be after Jin Bai and the others arrived at Giant Deer Port.

Cao Yanhua first stole the Bright Lamp from him, then sold it to the Bo Nation? "Later, did you pay?"

Luo Jingzhou nodded: "Imperial Physician Chen successfully refined the Heart Lamp, and this subordinate then obeyed my King's order to send thirty-five thousand silver to the Old Banyan Inn, still in that same guest room."

"So it was paid only after it was refined; Cao Yanhua really did this business with sincerity." This was also a huge doubt.

Dong Rui couldn't help but cough lightly behind him; He Lingchuan knew what he wanted to say.

Why wasn't Cao afraid that the Bo King would black his money? This old man's reputation seemed not very good.

Knowing they didn't believe it, the Bo King said proudly: "Let you know, our country doesn't steal or rob, and doesn't do such base things!"

The Heart Lamp his son used was indeed refined from materials from the Carefree Sect. But so what?

He bought it with money!

The Soul-Sucking Mirror sneered in He Lingchuan's bosom: "Just bought stolen goods."

But He Lingchuan could understand the Bo King's logic:

No stealing or robbing, so he was worthy of the Mou Nation.

If the Mou Nation and the Carefree Sect wanted to blame someone, they could only blame their own people for stealing from themselves.

Sure enough, the Bo King continued: "The grievance has its head, the debt has its owner. Instead of seeking it here, the envoy had better return to the Carefree Sect and find Cao Yanhua."

He Lingchuan pondered: "How many times have you contacted Cao Yanhua?"

"Just that once." The Bo King looked at Luo Jingzhou, who immediately took over: "Cao Yanhua said in advance that taking this Bright Lamp was not easy. To avoid falling short of success, he asked us not to contact him halfway."

"I wanted to see what medicine he was selling in his gourd, and it turned out to be real medicine." The Bo King said lightly. "I shouldn't have made this transaction public, but the matter is of great importance, so I won't cover for Cao Yanhua."

Dong Rui's eyeballs rolled a few times, and he held back his urge to complain.

Killing the donkey after the millstone is removed. Was Cao really that stupid? For thirty-five thousand *liang* of silver, he dared to bet that the Bo King wouldn't turn around and sell him out?

Why did he have such confidence in the Bo King's character?

Well, of course, for ordinary people, thirty-five thousand *liang* of silver was a huge sum they couldn't earn in a lifetime.

"Strange." The Soul-Sucking Mirror also clicked its tongue. "No wonder you said this case is full of doubts. Cao doing this, it's full of flaws everywhere, as if he's rushing to find death."

"To the Carefree Sect, the envoy naturally has to go." He Lingchuan took a deep breath, knowing tonight's focus was here. "However, how does the King plan to deal with the stolen tribute of the Mou Nation?"

The Bo King stared coldly at him: "I bought it with money, I use it myself, is there a problem?"

"The Emperor instructed to retrieve the tribute." He Lingchuan looked him in the eye. "Now the stolen tribute of our country is in the Bo King's palace!"

Relying on a great power is tough; even as an envoy, one can be aggressive.

He Lingchuan finally experienced a little bit of Yu Zecheng's feeling when facing the Yangshan Archipelago years ago.

"You lost the tribute, what does it have to do with our country?" The Bo King didn't care, waving his hand. "I'm not unreasonable. How about this, I've written a letter to the Mou Emperor, you just take the letter back."

A case of such importance, and he wanted to dismiss it so lightly? Did he think the anger of a great power could be easily wiped away? This old man was playing dumb and being shameless; Dong Rui and Jin Bai standing behind were speechless, and He Lingchuan was straightforward: "The matter is of great importance, please think twice, Your Majesty."

"Important, what is important?" The Bo King rolled his eyes. "The Bright Lamp is related to the country's foundation for our nation! What use does it have for the Mou Nation that can be greater than the country's foundation? This thing matures every thirty years; you've collected four or five in the past, isn't that enough?"

The Soul-Sucking Mirror: "This old thing, taking others' things without returning them, and still able to speak so righteously?"

He Lingchuan kept smiling. The Bo King's logic was often used by cultivators of the past, called "Heavenly materials and earthly treasures, those with virtue (use) reside in them."

"I don't know how the Mou Nation uses the Bright Lamp; but historically, this thing is prone to disaster, so the King must be careful."

Was this little guy threatening him? The Bo King's gaze was fierce; this kid whose hair hadn't even grown fully, relying on being from the Mou Nation, dared to threaten him?

"Disaster or not, what does it have to do with the Bright Lamp? I think, having no gate on one's mouth is the way to take one's own life!"

"You are just a messenger, and I don't want to make things difficult for you." The Bo King leaned back, listless. "Take the letter back, and your business is done. Do you understand?"

A palace servant brought out a tray with a letter on it.

Since the Bo King treated the warning as a threat, He Lingchuan didn't say more, reaching out to take the letter and tucking it into his bosom.

At this moment, the Bo King changed his sitting posture, as if he were uncomfortable. Consort Mei supported his back shoulder with concern. He stroked Consort Mei's hand and patted it twice gently.

This old husband and young wife fed everyone in the hall a mouthful of dog food.

The Bo King smiled at He Lingchuan again: "You can stay in Xuncheng for a few more days, I'll send people to escort you to Giant Deer Port, to avoid trouble on the way."

"I appreciate the kindness, but we still have to go to the Carefree Sect to find Elder Cao."

The Bo King said "Oh": "Right, you still have to investigate the case."

So He Lingchuan and the others took their leave.

Consort Mei looked up, secretly watching their backs as they left.

Perhaps the gaze was a bit too long, but when Consort Mei looked away, she suddenly found the Bo King staring at her, and couldn't help but be startled.

The Bo King's eyes were full of displeasure: "What are you looking at?"

His little consort was indeed kind, but she had stood up to a tiger's mouth a few days ago, and today she was looking at someone's back; could it be? Consort Mei whispered: "This concubine is just worried, if the Mou Nation loses the Heart Lamp, will it... not give up?"

Her eyes were indeed full of worry.

The Bo King narrowed his eyes and sneered disdainfully: "Receiving the Mou envoy today is giving them some face. Otherwise, the Mou Nation is thousands of mountains and rivers away, and it's fighting Beijia itself, so what qualifications does it have to make things difficult for us?"

Consort Mei was confused, but still nodded: "The King is wise."

￥￥￥￥￥

Out of the palace, Jin Bai immediately thanked He Lingchuan.

The Bo King's clear stance, just as He Lingchuan predicted, meant the Shadow Tooth Guards could report the Bo King's attitude to the Mou Nation.

What to do next was up to the Mou Emperor, not for them to decide on their own.

He Lingchuan had also completed the mission of acting as envoy and meeting the Bo King, so he handed the Bo King's letter to Jin Bai: "You handle it."

Jin Bai solemnly put away the letter: "I'll rush back to the inn to write the letter, the two of you?"

Dong Rui turned his back to Jin Bai and kept winking at He Lingchuan: Hurry up, hurry up, lest these guys ask them to work for free again.

"We're going straight to the Carefree Sect." He Lingchuan was thinking about White Hair Mountain and wanted to go see it first. "Let's meet there."

"Good." Jin Bai handed the Carefree Sect's token to He Lingchuan, and the two sides parted ways there.

They had come out early in the morning, and now the sun was beginning to set in the west.

Jin Bai was preoccupied and had no heart to linger outside, walking into the inn with big strides.

But as soon as he entered the hall, he felt something was wrong and paused: two Shadow Tooth Guards should have been sitting in the hall, so why were they gone? He turned to look at the shopkeeper, who was in the shop but avoiding his gaze.

There's a problem! Although he didn't know what was going on, Jin Bai turned on his heel and walked out.

Unfortunately, he was one step too late; over a dozen figures rushed in from outside the door, blocking him in the courtyard.

The leader was Nangong Yan.

His gaze was gloomy, his face iron-blue, and he pointed at Jin Bai and gave an order: "Take the rebels!"

Inside and outside the inn, two or three hundred plainclothes men rushed out, surrounding him in the middle.

Jin Bai held up his official plaque and shouted angrily: "I am the Mou Nation's Martial..."

As soon as he opened his mouth, over a dozen arrows shot over with a *whoosh*.

The pedestrians around the inn fled in all directions, and the shopkeeper closed the doors and windows tightly.

There was no one on the street, only the roar of Jin Bai echoing.

In an instant, he had injured several people.

"A bunch of trash!" Nangong Yan stepped forward, wiped his finger on the ring on his ring finger, and a faint shadow appeared behind him.

At the same time, the eyes of the dozen or so sturdy Feather Guards behind him glowed with a faint red light.

"Quick battle, quick decision!"

A quarter of an hour later, the Rulin Inn finally returned to quiet.

The shopkeeper and waiter had long since lost their color, shrinking behind the counter and trembling.

The Feather Guards cleaned up the battlefield, carried their own wounded and dead out, and then moved the Shadow Tooth Guards' corpses into the courtyard, arranging them neatly.

A total of six, including Jin Bai.

There were also five Shadow Tooth Guards who were injured and bound, with hemp balls stuffed in their mouths. Their gaze toward Nangong Yan was full of hatred.

Nangong Yan wiped the blood from his hands, grabbed the official plaques and documents handed over by his personal guard, and looked at them, his face gloomy.

As soon as he caught these Shadow Tooth Guards, he knew these "rebels" were indeed Mou Nation guards.

He had caught the wrong person.

No, more than that, he had killed the wrong person! If he let them go now, the Shadow Tooth Guards would definitely not let it go, and the Mou Nation would definitely negotiate with the Bo King, demanding the handling of Nangong Yan.

Since that was the case, he might as well make it bigger!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 1137 =====

Six in total, including Jin Bai.

There were five other Shadow Tooth Guards who were injured and bound, with hemp balls stuffed in their mouths. The looks they cast toward Nangong Yan were filled with hatred.

Nangong Yan wiped the blood from his hands, grabbed the official tokens and documents handed over by his personal guards, and took a look; his face was grim and sinister.

The moment he captured these Shadow Tooth Guards, he knew these "rebels" were truly guards from the Mou Nation.

He had captured the wrong people.

No, more than that, he had killed the wrong people! If he released them now, the Shadow Tooth Guards would certainly not let the matter rest, and the Mou Nation would inevitably seek out the King of Bo to negotiate, demanding that Nangong Yan be dealt with.

Since that was the case, he might as well make a bigger scene!

(End of chapter)