Chapter 538: Each Harboring Their Own Intentions

The relationship between this father and son, tsk! It seems even more complex and bizarre than that between him and He He Chunhua.

Bai Bai Ziqi also shook his head and sighed: "Who knows? It's truly a tangled mess."

While speaking, the two approached the Cen residence.

This place was still surrounded by Commandant Lu's men, but with government soldiers escorting people and goods in and out, it was far more brazen and uninhibited than the previous siege-without-attacking.

Among the powerful families of Lingxu City lingering in Baishajue, few held a higher status than Cen Boqing. Now that the Cen residence was in its twilight, neighbors had all come out to watch, and the street was bustling with crowds pointing and whispering.

It was livelier than the Lunar New Year; the only thing missing was a few strings of firecrackers.

As soon as Bai Bai Ziqi arrived, Commandant Lu strode out: "My lords, we have already taken the Cen residence and are currently searching for Cen Boqing."

He He Lingchuan frowned, and Bai Bai Ziqi asked directly: "Searching? Cen Boqing hasn't been caught yet?"

"The Cen residence is too large, but we have almost searched it from top to bottom and still haven't found any trace of Cen Boqing."

At this moment, the servants of the Cen residence had all been detained and brought out, from the errand boys to the kitchen maids, not a single one missed. What was somewhat surprising was that the person bustling about in charge of all this on-site was actually County Magistrate Tian.

Under the illumination of the government runners' torches, County Magistrate Tian held his head high and chest out, his tone even rising and falling with cadence as he gave orders; he was quite imposing.

Seeing Bai Bai Ziqi and He He Lingchuan, he immediately put on a smiling face: "The Crown Prince is in the back garden, my lords..."

Bai Bai Ziqi waved a hand to interrupt his pleasantries: "Regarding Cen Boqing's whereabouts, have you asked the servants?"

"Ah, we are currently interrogating them; those asked so far all claim to know nothing."

This was He He Lingchuan's first time entering the Cen residence; not to mention the exquisite construction and landscaping, the lotus flowers here were in full bloom, and a natural spring flowed through four gardens, raising koi fish that were five feet long—it was opulent and wealthy. There were even jellyfish of various sizes drifting in the spring, the small ones like fists and the large ones comparable to pumpkins; they emitted red, yellow, blue, and cyan light whenever they touched any object, which must be truly beautiful at night.

He didn't know what species this was; He He Lingchuan had previously assumed jellyfish only existed in the sea.

It was mid-August, the height of summer, and the weather was so hot that one would start sweating after walking two steps.

Yet, inside this massive Cen residence, a constant temperature of twenty-three or four degrees was maintained, with cool breezes blowing both indoors and outdoors, showing that the heat-prevention array was running well.

This kind of array consumed a lot of energy; at the very least, the household of the Xiazhou Superintendent of the Yuan Kingdom couldn't afford to burn it.

But here, even the outhouse at the very back could enjoy it.

Bai Bai Ziqi asked again: "Where is Commander Fan?"

"Commander Fan is carrying his axe, coming and going like a gust of wind; I don't know where he is now."

He He Lingchuan interjected: "Is Envoy Bai looking for him to capture someone?"

Bai Bai Ziqi did not hide it from him: "Yes, Cheng Yu."

He He Lingchuan's heart skipped a beat. This special envoy from Lingxu City had just arrived in Baishajue, so why was he fixated on Cheng Yu? "That spellcaster?" He asked with a curious expression, "Is there something special about this person?"

"His magic is unique; my next case might require his assistance."

"Envoy Bai's next case is already decided? You truly are a busy man."

Bai Bai Ziqi still wore his charlatan-like smile: "To share the burdens of the Holy Venerable and the Emperor is my bounden duty."

As the three of them just reached the back garden, they heard Fushan Yue's resonant voice:

"Smash the rockery open, I want to see if there's a secret passage!"

Here, a rockery stood with varying heights, like a maze; ordinary people would get lost just entering it. Seventeen or eighteen soldiers looped ropes around the highest peak and pulled with all their might, but it didn't budge.

It was no wonder Fushan Yue had such a sudden whim; many mansions liked to build secret passages under rockeries. Because the back garden was usually in a secluded location, separated from the outer street by only a wall or two, the commotion of digging a secret passage could be covered up under the guise of garden renovations.

In such deep, sprawling mansions, gardens had to be meticulously crafted, and it was common for renovations to take two or three years, with longer ones lasting up to twelve or thirteen.

Another dozen or so government runners went up to exert their strength. The craggy rockery, nearly two zhang high, finally toppled like a golden mountain collapsing and a jade pillar falling, shattering into eight pieces.

The soldiers swarmed into the mountain like wolves and tigers, trampling everything, but they didn't find any so-called entrance to a secret passage.

Bai Bai Ziqi's expression was grave: "When did the servants in this residence last see Cen Boqing?"

Commandant Lu came over to report: "The errand boy from the second courtyard said that about an hour ago, Cen Boqing had the servants collect some miscellaneous things, like materials for casting spells. But because the Cen residence was surrounded, they couldn't get any quail, so he had to come to the rockery to catch two magpies as substitutes... This was likely the last time they saw Cen Boqing, because the master went to find Cheng Yu in the side courtyard afterward, and dismissed all the servants when the two were talking."

At this time, County Magistrate Tian strode over to report that the Cen residence had been completely searched, and no trace of Cen Boqing had been found.

Fushan Yue said with a cold face: "Search, search again! Search more thoroughly for me."

County Magistrate Tian had no choice but to take the order and leave.

"The Cen residence is surrounded on all sides, with hundreds of eyes watching, not to mention the passersby..." Bai Bai Ziqi glanced at Fushan Yue, leaving one thing unsaid: the Crown Prince was also personally overseeing the operation, "Logically speaking, a living person like Cen Boqing shouldn't have had a chance to escape."

Fan Sheng appeared from nowhere and added: "There's also Cheng Yu."

Two living people, just gone like that? Fushan Yue's rage was practically visible. The duck that had finally reached his mouth had actually grown wings and flown away?

Then what was the meaning of him blocking Cen Boqing time and time again before? Was the man just playing with him? "Could it be a Mountain-Moving Array?" Fan Sheng said again, "That could allow for an instantaneous escape."

Fushan Yue said coldly: "We set up a restriction against escape arts; the Mountain-Moving Array cannot take effect either."

He He Lingchuan recalled something, and his heart stirred: "Right, the night I pursued Cheng Yu, his aura disappeared inexplicably once it reached Fu Fu Songhua's residence; no matter how I looked, I couldn't find him."

Fushan Yue immediately said: "He still has some tricks. It's useless to waste time here; go ask Wu Kai!"

Wu Kai was Cen Boqing's confidant; he should know better than anyone what methods the latter possessed.

Thus, Bai Bai Ziqi returned to the inn to interrogate Wu Kai.

Fushan Yue, meanwhile, called He He Lingchuan into the water pavilion in the Cen residence garden, dismissed the attendants, and casually cast a sound-insulating barrier.

Seeing his actions, He He Lingchuan couldn't help but become serious: "What is it, to be so cautious?"

"Bai Bai Ziqi's arrival is a bit suspicious; keep an eye on him for me these next few days."

"Suspicious?" He He Lingchuan was slightly surprised, "Isn't he here on orders to investigate the messenger case?"

"Bai Bai Ziqi says he came from the Twilight Plains. Hah, I don't believe he stopped at the plains."

He He Lingchuan said: "He entered Chiyan?"

"Ninety percent sure," Fushan Yue said, "When a Lingxu City high envoy enters a demon kingdom, they usually notify the local government first, so that there is someone to receive them and someone to cooperate with their work."

They were all officials; shouldn't work be conducted with cooperation between superiors and subordinates?

"But this time, Bai Bai Ziqi is sneaking around; no one knows he entered Chiyan, and no one knows where his destination is. If not for Lord Zhongsun Mou's accident and the Emperor's urgent summons, I wouldn't even know he had come," Fushan Yue said slowly, "What is he trying to do?"

He He Lingchuan replied with two words: "Official business."

"Nonsense, of course it's official business; do you think he wanted to come himself?" Fushan Yue sneered, "Don't look at how approachable he is; these Lingxu City people think they are born noble and, deep down, look down on everyone. Unless they are coming to a scenic spot like Baishajue for recuperation, they don't want to step foot into a vassal demon kingdom at all."

He He Lingchuan's face was full of "I understand"—isn't this just a chain of contempt? The Between Beijia people look down on the people of Fu and Yuan, and the Lingxu City people look down on the people of the vassal demon kingdoms.

"This Envoy Bai seems quite capable." Bai Bai Ziqi was amiable to people, unlike the likes of Cen Boqing and Lord Zhongsun Mou who liked to look down their noses at others.

But He He Lingchuan could feel that his amiability was all on the surface, merely to make people lower their guard.

Bai Bai Ziqi had been carefully observing the people and things around him the whole time.

Every time this man's gaze swept over, it made He He Lingchuan uncomfortable, feeling as if he were prying into the secrets of his heart.

And yet, He He Lingchuan really was a man with secrets.

"The status of a Dao Envoy is transcendent; they only listen to the orders of the Heavenly Gods and the Emperor, and can even ignore the State Preceptor. Is that a position an ordinary person could sit in?" Fushan Yue paced a few steps, "This Bai Bai Ziqi is low-key and doesn't make a fuss, and most of the errands he runs are secret; I haven't heard of many. But ten years ago, the White Elephant Kingdom was on the verge of civil strife, and the Emperor sent Bai Bai Ziqi to persuade them; in the end, both sides shook hands and made peace. Five years ago, something happened in the Imperial Capital, and it was still Bai Bai Ziqi who stepped in to resolve it."

"Sounds like a capable problem-solver." Whether it's a country or an organization, there will always be such figures.

"Hmm, his methods are diverse," Fushan Yue frowned, "But under normal circumstances, the errands he runs are related to the Heavenly Gods. Why come to Chiyan this time?"

He He Lingchuan smiled: "If he wants to get things done in Chiyan, he might eventually come to you for help."

His own heart gave a jolt.

Bai Bai Ziqi snuck into Chiyan; what was he originally ordered to do?

If it were related to the Heavenly Gods, this was the Between Beijia Kingdom, a famous place for worshipping gods. Why would the Heavenly Gods need to instruct an envoy to act in secret on their own turf? "At least for now, only this Envoy Bai has arrived in Baishajue; the Lord Zhongsun family, the Grand Minister of Agriculture, and other factions haven't arrived yet."

Fushan Yue said in a low voice: "I think the good show is yet to come!"

On the way out of the Cen residence, He He Lingchuan was carefully recalling his actions since he began pursuing the case.

It seemed he hadn't revealed any flaws.

"Does that Emperor of Lingxu City really want to investigate the case impartially?" the mirror suddenly asked him, "Isn't this a good thing for you? You are acting in accordance with the Emperor's will, and the pressure is suddenly reduced."

"How is it not impartial?"

"He directly sent the most unrelated person over," the Soul-Stealing Mirror said, "Otherwise, the Lord Zhongsun family would want to complain, the Grand Minister of Agriculture would want to defend himself, and perhaps other factions would want to interfere with the selection of the special envoy."

"Impartial and most unrelated? Do you really think so?" He He Lingchuan smiled, "Do you think that because you've followed two generals and several great powers, you understand human hearts and worldly affairs?"

(End of chapter)