Chapter 563

The Demon Emperor paced back, looked outside at the heavens, and saw the night had deepened: "Summon him in."

Before the sun had even set, the commoners of Lingxu City had already finished work and were returning home, so the main thoroughfares and deer-drawn carriages were entering their peak passenger period.

There was a regulation in the city: during the hours of Mao and Shen—that is, one hour each in the morning and evening—the main streets only allowed horse (bo beast) carriages, deer carriages, and demons to pass, to avoid traffic congestion.

Those who could ride in horse carriages and bo beasts were either wealthy or noble. To put it bluntly, these two time slots restricted commoners from traveling in private carriages; they could only ride the public deer carriages.

The deer carriage He He Lingchuan was riding in was packed with forty people; never mind seats, there wasn't even a place to put one's feet. Right next to him was a middle-aged woman of equal width and height, her head buried directly into his chest.

The joy of being in intimate contact with everyone during the evening rush hour, just like in his past life, had returned.

The main road was full of carriages and horses, and the deer carriage could only move in fits and starts.

It was only ten miles in total, but after bumping along for over an hour, He He Lingchuan finally reached his stop and squeezed off the deer carriage with great effort.

The middle-aged woman behind him looked a bit wistful.

After walking for another quarter of an hour and asking three passersby, He He Lingchuan finally arrived at his destination.

He looked up at the shop sign in front of him: Songyang Mansion.

The storefront of this branch was even larger and more polished than the headquarters Songyang Mansion had opened in Shihan City of the Yuan Nation. After all, in a prosperous capital of the world, the more impressive the display and the higher the prestige, the higher the status of the customers it would attract.

Entering through the eight-paneled double doors, the twenty-foot-tall shadow wall was carved with a map of the Wolong River; the waterfalls could flow, the cranes could fly, and the clouds and mist could drift, vividly condensing the majestic river scenery into a single wall.

The most magical part was that it also came with sound effects.

The waterfalls roared like thunder, and the birds cried out clearly; although it was a repeating loop, the sound alone was enough to attract people.

Many pedestrians passing by for the first time would stop to watch.

Songyang Mansion putting its signature craft right here was better than having clerks outside soliciting customers.

He He Lingchuan greatly appreciated this huge shadow wall; as long as he walked behind it, the prying eyes from outside would be blocked—if there were any, that is.

A clerk smiled and greeted him: "Is this your first time here, guest? Shall I introduce you?"

There weren't many customers in the shop. He He Lingchuan revealed his Poison Fang dagger and placed it on the counter under the clerk's wary gaze: "This is a knife custom-made for me by Songyang Mansion, but it's become dull. I heard the maker is here, so I came specifically to have it sharpened."

The clerk examined the Poison Fang dagger: "Which master's masterpiece is this?"

He He Lingchuan smiled: "Take it to the back, someone will naturally recognize it."

The clerk was skeptical but still took the knife and left.

He He Lingchuan wandered around the shop, but in reality, he was secretly keeping an eye on the entrance.

Several customers came in one after another, but none of them looked like secret agents.

After about a dozen breaths, the clerk hurried back, his smile even more obsequious: "Distinguished guest, please follow me!"

This branch also sold goods in the front, performed appraisals in the middle, and had a workshop area in the back.

It was just that the front area was the largest, while the middle and back areas were smaller than those in Shihan City; in other words, the facade was made to look beautiful, but the back wasn't as spacious.

After all, this was the main urban area of Lingxu's lower city; the rent for this shop for two or three days was enough to cover the expenses of He He Chunhua's family of four for an entire month.

He He Lingchuan walked up to the second floor of the workshop and saw Li Li Qingge.

She was wearing a plain, thin shirt with a peach-red jacket over it, which perfectly complemented the fiery red five-leaf ivy outside the window.

Was the person in the painting, or was the painting beside the person? He He Lingchuan couldn't tell for a moment.

The clerk left quickly.

Li Li Qingge smiled: "Come, come, come, Special Envoy, please sit!"

He He Lingchuan sat down and saw a bright red drink on the table, its color like blood.

"Is this for me, or for Fu Fu Shanyue?"

"Don't you like pomegranate juice?" Li Li Qingge pulled half a pomegranate from somewhere and shook it at him. "In this season, the pomegranates in Lingxu City are the sweetest and reddest."

Indeed, the pomegranate seeds in her hand were so red they were almost purple.

By the way, her pretty face was also white with a rosy flush.

He He Lingchuan watched as she opened a paper packet and poured the light yellow powder inside into the cup.

This? He almost stared in disbelief: "You're adding ingredients right in front of me?" Was she too lazy to even cover it up?

"What are you thinking?" Li Li Qingge giggled. "This is orange powder; it adds flavor. Would you like to try it?"

What kind of fruit juice would a man drink? He He Lingchuan still picked it up and took a sip: "Mmm, good." Too sweet, he didn't like it.

"Are the Lord and Shi Er doing well on the journey?"

He had parted ways with Li Li Qingge and Second Master Shi in Tai'an City of the Chi Yan Nation, with the two groups continuing toward Lingxu City while he went to investigate the case for Fu Fu Shanyue.

"Very well. As expected, after parting ways with you, the journey was smooth sailing."

With her coming to such a conclusion, He He Lingchuan could only smile bitterly.

It really seemed to be the case.

"Is Second Master Shi still in Lingxu City? Have you seen him?"

He He Lingchuan shook his head: "Not yet."

"Do you want me to pass on a message?"

"No need. It's better if he doesn't get involved in my affairs for now." Second Master Shi knew part of He He Lingchuan's background, and now that he was being closely watched by Bai Bai Ziqi, it would be bad if Shi Er were to be tracked down through him.

He He Lingchuan took a small cloud-brocade flag out of his storage ring: "In a few days, please ask the Lord to give this flag to Shi Er; he will naturally understand."

When he left the Demon Nest Swamp and was looking for a caravan to Lingxu City, he had agreed with the Stone Gate Chamber of Commerce that once he arrived in Lingxu City, he would give them Zhu Yao Erniang's pass. From then on, the Stone Gate Chamber of Commerce could pass through the Demon Nest Swamp and act as the sole agent for the unique business of the Earth-Hole Spiders.

However, there had been many changes along the way, and He He Lingchuan had even parted ways with the Stone Gate caravan in Tai'an Town of the Chi Yan Nation. Now that he was in Lingxu City, he had to fulfill his promise to the Stone Gate Chamber of Commerce.

Li Li Qingge didn't ask further, took the flag, put it away, and sighed: "You're afraid of troubling Shi Er, but you're not afraid of troubling me?"

He He Lingchuan smiled: "Songyang Mansion has a storefront here; I'm here to buy things."

Li Li Qingge had been observing him: "I've also heard a bit about Young Master He's actions in Bai Sha Fu Jue."

"So soon?" He He Lingchuan was very pleased. This wasn't the Yuan Nation, yet Li Li Qingge's information was still very well-informed.

For someone like him who was unfamiliar with the place, this was a good thing.

"Lord Zhongsun Mou went missing in Bai Sha Fu Jue, the Minister of Agriculture's son-in-law was arrested, and the Qingfu Temple was burned to the ground; these things have been circulating in Lingxu City for the past few days," Li Li Qingge smiled. "Tell me, are these things all related?"

"Yes." He He Lingchuan didn't elaborate: "How much do you know about the details of Lord Zhongsun Mou's disappearance?"

"What I heard is that Lord Zhongsun Mou was kidnapped by a monster in Bai Sha Fu Jue, and that monster was Cen Boqing's subordinate."

"Anything else?" He He Lingchuan pointed to himself. "Was I mentioned?"

"Hmm—no." Li Li Qingge thought for a moment. "What I heard was that Lord Zhongsun Mou wanted to handle this case as a spy case, but was obstructed in every way by the Chi Yan Crown Prince. As for you, the great hero, you've been made invisible."

What kind of figure was He He Lingchuan to be qualified to be placed on the gossip table of Lingxu City?

"If you ask me, this is a good thing for you." Ordinary people should stay away from the whirlpool of the imperial capital.

"Where did the Lord get this information?"

"Everyone knows it." Li Li Qingge found it funny. "What, do you want to investigate my source of information?"

Young Master He had always been a very tactful person.

"There will always be many versions of rumors." Especially for such big news.

Li Li Qingge said meaningfully: "From beginning to end, I have only heard this one version."

"Then perhaps someone deliberately spread it to keep the story consistent."

"Who knows?" Li Li Qingge adjusted her sitting posture, looking even more languid.

"In that case, the Lord Zhongsun family might not know there's someone like me?"

"Hard to say. Didn't Lord Zhongsun Mou take attendants with him to Bai Sha Fu Jue?"

"He did."

"If these attendants return to Lingxu City, the grudge between you and Lord Zhongsun Mou will have nowhere to hide." Li Li Qingge picked a pomegranate seed and put it in her mouth. "Are you afraid they'll come looking for trouble?"

"I want to ask the Lord for a favor." He He Lingchuan smiled. "Let them know that I have arrived in Lingxu City."

Li Li Qingge's cheeks froze, and the look she gave him was one of astonishment.

He He Lingchuan's answer was truly beyond her expectations.

"You still want to notify them?"

The Lord Zhongsun family still had some foundation in Lingxu City.

"Yes." He He Lingchuan asked her, "Would it be very difficult?"

"It can be done, but in the process of spreading the news, others might find out too."

He He Lingchuan frowned.

Li Li Qingge thought he found it difficult, but to her surprise, He He Lingchuan clapped his hands and laughed: "Wonderful, the Lord's reminder is wonderful! It would be best if everyone in Lingxu City knew! Why didn't I think of that before?"

If you're going to make a scene, make it a big one.

Li Li Qingge put down the pomegranate and said seriously: "Young Master, playing with fire is dangerous."

"I've already been in a dangerous situation; one step back is the abyss." He He Lingchuan also restrained his smile. "The more public this matter is, and the more people who know about me, the safer I will be."

He thought for a moment: "What is Lord Zhongsun Mou's reputation in Lingxu City?"

Li Li Qingge covered her mouth and laughed: "His great-grandfather, Lord Zhongsun Chi, was quite famous. In his early years, he even persuaded two aquatic tribes to surrender to Between Beijia, which greatly increased Lingxu City's underwater power. But as for Lord Zhongsun Mou's generation, he's just an ordinary official's son, nothing outstanding."

A merman swimming in the water named "Chi"—He He Lingchuan thought it was truly interesting.

"Lord Zhongsun Mou was also appointed as an Inspector." He He Lingchuan didn't know enough about the official system of the Lingxu Nation, but seeing Lord Zhongsun Mou holding this title, even Fu Fu Shanyue didn't dare to kill him easily.

If it hadn't been for the fugitive Mai Xuewen taking action, Lord Zhongsun Mou could have actually walked sideways in Bai Sha Fu Jue.

"If an official's son wants to be an official, how can he do it without a resume?" Li Li Qingge had a deep understanding of Lingxu City. "If it were three or four hundred years ago, the Inspector would have to be a confidant of the Emperor or a Censor, going down to inspect the local areas, understand the people's feelings, and verify the implementation of policy guidelines to prevent bureaucrats from deceiving the Emperor; but the greater the power of the Inspector, the more disputes they get involved in, and the less the Emperor trusts them. Today, the Inspector is just an empty title; the Emperor has long since started using other means to verify local areas."

(End of Chapter)