[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign":3,"chapter-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-196":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Eternal Green Immortal Sovereign",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2270204,4432,"Chapter 196: Everyone Is Pleased","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-196",196,"\u003Cp>“Hss, how did he say my words?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui, hiding in the shadows, let out a quiet hiss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man speaking before Chai Jinggong was not him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, it might have been him—but someone else got there first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since hearing the news from Fu Huan, he had spent every night lurking in the military camp, watching every move of the Ministry of Justice officers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong’s actions tonight had all unfolded under his very eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had it not been for Chai Jinggong’s pig-like nose, he could have followed even closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong was simply too skilled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With almost no clues, he still managed to find the scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was precisely where he killed Gao Zhen; Chai Jinggong was nearly touching the truth of the matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui could never allow such a thing to happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the problem couldn’t be solved, then the one who raised it must be eliminated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong was only sixth-rank, and his body shape was crippled—he should be easy to kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui quietly retracted his Zangfeng, its blade already half-drawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chose to wait and observe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not far away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong watched the masked stranger before him with caution; the man’s terrifying aura kept him from making any move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face turned grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes, being too absorbed in the case made him forget that his own cultivation was only sixth-rank—not fifth-rank like his official rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was ultimately just a civil official of the Ministry of Justice, not a warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had indeed been cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong believed he had been careful enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He checked several times—no one had followed him from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the mantis had caught the cicada, only to find the oriole behind him—he’d been cornered in the woods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No village ahead, no inn behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he screamed until his throat burst, Cao Wei and Jiang Lin wouldn’t hear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they did hear, by the time they arrived, he’d already be dead beyond revival—and his fate would mirror Gao Zhen’s exactly. The next Ministry officer might never find this place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stay calm, stay calm—there’s still a chance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong swallowed hard, his dry throat clicking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man had tracked him without his awareness—his strength must far exceed his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forcing his way out was impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He bore the Pig Form; he was excellent at solving cases, but in combat, he was practically the lowest of the sixth-rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If this man hasn’t killed me outright, then he doesn’t want to kill me—at least not yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong finally gathered the courage to meet the masked man’s gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before death, everyone is the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He forced calm, his mind racing—and as they faced each other, he blurted: “Are you from the Duke Prefecture?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Li Rui, hidden in the shadows, felt his pupils contract.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The masked man’s eyes flickered with surprise, then he chuckled softly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re clever.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, he pulled off his face covering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong reached out to stop him, but the man moved too fast—he was too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw the man’s true face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong’s expression turned utterly grim; after a long silence, he sighed: “So the Duke Prefecture wants to kill me to silence me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a Ministry investigator,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He understood criminal psychology too well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Often, murder doesn’t happen upon first meeting—it happens when one recognizes the other’s identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once your identity is known, why leave you alive to retaliate later?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He named the man’s affiliation only to intimidate him—not because he truly wanted to know his identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s eyes showed appreciation:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re quite impressive—you actually guessed my origin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He grinned: “Since you’ve seen my face, let’s be straightforward. I’ll give you two choices: one, die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong didn’t even care to hear the first option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just a scare tactic—common among criminals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was already straining his ears, ready for the second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s grin widened: “Two: blame everything on the Ghost Ming  Sect, then swallow this pill. If you keep quiet, you won’t die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man pulled from his sleeve a small, black, thumb-sized pill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong’s lips curled into a bitter smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the face of life and death, how could he choose?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No choice at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as the man didn’t demand treason or anything implicating his nine clans, he’d agree without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was obsessed with solving cases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to uncover the truth—and now that the truth was known, there was no need to uphold justice anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing mattered more than life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, the Duke Prefecture had already moved—justice was beyond the reach of a lowly Ministry official like him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, I’ll take it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong acted swiftly—barely had the man finished speaking when he snatched the pill and shoved it into his mouth without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It even looked, on the surface,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if he feared the man might change his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s expression turned even more startled, his smile broader: “Fascinating fellow—I almost hate to kill you. How about this: join the Duke Prefecture, and I’ll give you the antidote.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What he didn’t expect:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Chai Jinggong firmly refused: “The Duke Prefecture’s threshold is too high. I’m not worthy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man felt a pang of regret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, do as you wish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Chai Jinggong finally exhaled deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the man slowly vanish into the night,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His legs went weak; he slid down the tree trunk and plopped onto the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after a full quarter-hour did\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bitter smile appear on Chai Jinggong’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Close call—I nearly died.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d solved cases for years and faced many dangers, but most were controllable. After all, in imperial investigations, few dared to kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This had bred his reckless habit of chasing cases at all costs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A terrible habit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I must change this habit from now on!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong resolved inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had an eighty-year-old mother, a beautiful wife, and three sons and four daughters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He absolutely could not die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the sake of a case unrelated to him, his wife would remarry, his sons would call another man father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just thinking of it made him ache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was certain—if he hadn’t named the man’s identity tonight, he’d almost certainly be dead by now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Duke Prefecture merely avoids politics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>=9+ Shu _ Ba\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the former dynasty’s influence in Yu State has always been strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killing a lowly sixth-rank official would be effortless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Gao family would turn a blind eye for the sake of the greater good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s just a minor official—why risk his life for a cause that isn’t even his own?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s not even dying for his own Dao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gao Zhen must have colluded with the Ghost Ming  Sect. After discovering this, the Duke of Wei sent assassins to kill Gao Zhen, to avoid drawing fire onto himself—yes, it must be exactly like this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong’s mind involuntarily conjured up his analysis of the entire case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the one who killed Gao Zhen was the Duke of Wei, then everything suddenly made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The process was dangerous, but the thrill of solving the case left Chai Jinggong’s whole body tingling—he couldn’t get enough of this feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe next time he’d dare again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong slapped himself hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He must eradicate such terrifying thoughts from now on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he ever encountered a situation like this again, he wouldn’t be so lucky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt his strength returning and hurriedly rose to his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Go down the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The forest returned to silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui’s gaze turned strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Duke of Wei.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had heard every word of the two men’s conversation. Perhaps the man in the Duke of Wei’s mansion hadn’t realized there was another old fox just like him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Duke of Wei’s interference likely led Chai Jinggong to believe everything was the Duke’s doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had, by sheer accident, been cleared of suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No need to wonder—he’d soon be announcing it to the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Zhen was killed by the Ghost Ming  Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He no longer had to worry about this matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But why did the Duke of Wei interfere?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui knew perfectly well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Zhen had died by his hand; the Duke of Wei had almost nothing to do with this affair—yet he had forcibly intervened at this very moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, a flash of understanding lit his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Duke of Wei is also colluding with the Ghost Ming  Sect!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, the Duke of Wei was a former official of the fallen dynasty who had surrendered, while the Ghost Ming  Sect were remnants of the defeated dynasty who had fled south.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t strange at all that the two had connections—and as for what ties Gao Zhen had to the Duke of Wei...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chaos, chaos, chaos.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui rubbed his temples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Great Yu appeared prosperous on the surface, but its shadows held many dark things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stayed until the horizon turned pale with dawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After confirming no other cultivators were around, he descended the mountain and returned to the military camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five days later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong sought out Cao Wei:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Cao, your foresight is uncanny—the one who killed Gao Zhen was indeed the Ghost Ming  Sect. Here is the compiled dossier and the evidence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Wei stared at the thick stack of documents in Chai Jinggong’s hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He grinned broadly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought to himself: this official Chai was truly cooperative.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s the spirit. Is the truth even important?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not important at all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened the dossier and saw nearly ten thousand characters written densely, the evidence thorough, the logic clear—no flaw could be found.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Official Chai, you truly handle affairs with skill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Wei sincerely complimented him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this dossier and the evidence, he could present it to General Xue and the imperial court—and surely satisfy those high-ranking figures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very least, it would turn a grave crime into a minor one and preserve his official post.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These past days, I owe you much, General Cao. I recall you said when I first arrived that we’d drink until we passed out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he gave a knowing smile, the kind only men understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Wei raised an eyebrow. He’d always thought Chai Jinggong was a stern, upright official—turns out he was quite a character.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course not forgotten.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Teaching Bureau received another big order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chai Jinggong led the Ministry of Justice personnel to Yunzhou to report their findings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Huan also left Qinghe that same day, returning to Jingcheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before leaving, he made sure to pay Li Rui a farewell visit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Li Rui had firmly secured the Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s lead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The matter was perfectly resolved—at least on the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Annan Army was satisfied, the Ministry of Justice was satisfied, the Duke of Wei was satisfied, the Gao family—perhaps satisfied too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the Ghost Ming  Sect, no one in Yu cared whether they were satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone was pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since returning from the forest to the military camp, Li Rui had remained exactly as before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one could detect any anomaly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deep night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sat cross-legged on the mat in his room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A line of small characters appeared before his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Congratulations, Host! Achievement completed: “From General to Chancellor” — Initial Plot: “Still as a Mountain.”】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1892,"2026-06-19T22:01:09.077Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","23fbe31d05642a81667c2f2ead4798f4b775075913b6cac77de6c29e79f5d67f","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-197","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-195",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feternal-green-immortal-sovereign-cover.jpg"]