Chapter 528: He Doesn't Have This Brain, but Others in Chang'an Do

Evening.

Chang'an Ghost Market.

The Qingshi stone slab road is darkened by dusk, and the shanty houses on both sides gradually light up with dim yellow oil lamps.

Between the flickering light and shadow, most of the passers are masked figures moving stealthily, whispering trades of various curiosities.

The air is filled with the scent of damp earth and a faint hint of spices.

Deep within the ghost market, a loft concealed by dense vines is especially hidden, its doors and windows tightly shut.

Inside the loft, the light is dim, and only a solitary lamp on the desk glows with a faint light.

Gao Changjing, dressed in Xuanse Jinshen, his long hair loosely tied, his handsome face tinged with melancholy, sits upright at the desk, leafing through a stack of old classics.

Suddenly, the loft's Hidden Door is gently pushed open, and Cui Yizong steps in lightly.

His expression is solemn, his hand tightly clutching a neatly folded hemp paper.

"Gongzi," Cui Yizong lowers his voice, his steps light as he walks to the desk, "This is the information gathered today from various channels, concerning the price trends in Chang'an's East and West markets and the surrounding neighborhoods."

Gao Changjing, hearing this, immediately lifts his head, a flash of urgency in his eyes; the prior calm of his study vanishes, and he urges, "Hand it over quickly!"

"Here," Cui Yizong hurriedly hands over the hemp paper.

Gao Changjing snatches it and quickly unfolds the paper.

On the paper, charcoal pencil densely records the prices of various goods: rice, flour, oil, salt, cloth, medicinal herbs…

From the silk manor of Dong Shi to the grain shop of Xi Shi, and further to the suburban market, the categories are meticulous and the annotations clear.

He lowers his head to examine carefully, his gaze lingering over each line of script.

Occasionally he taps the paper with his fingertip, comparing today's prices with records from previous days, his brows gradually knitting.

Only the faint crackle of the solitary lamp remains in the loft; Gao Changjing's expression grows ever more solemn, his already taut jawline tightening further.

After a while, he slams the hemp paper onto the desk, his brows furrowed, his voice low and hoarse as he mutters, "It's been so long, we've poured in so many counterfeit Buquan cash, why have Chang'an's prices risen only this little?"

The figures on the paper show rice prices up merely a ten percent, and cloth prices almost unchanged.

Even the previously most volatile salt price has only risen symbolically by a few points.

It's literally like a turtle crawling…

Such an increase is far from the "skyrocketing prices, people unable to make a living" scenario he expected!

"It's too abnormal!" Gao Changjing lifts his head and says, "When will this happen, so that Chang'an's livelihood can finally erupt into turmoil?!"

At this rate, achieving even a tenth of the set goal will take a monkey year and a horse month…

"Indeed!" Cui Yizong immediately agrees, his tone full of confusion and anxiety, "Gongzi, this really doesn't feel right!"

"The counterfeit Buquan cash we've been forging in secret is enough to disrupt the market's monetary balance."

"Normally, bad money floods the market, good money retreats, and prices should soar accordingly, but this situation..."

"It's certainly not the phenomenon that should follow a massive influx of counterfeit Buquan!"

Gao Changjing stands up, pacing back and forth within the cramped loft, his hands clasped behind his back.

A clear irritation surfaces on his face, resentment and doubt swirling in his eyes, and he grits his teeth, saying, "Indeed! No matter what, the increase should be at least twenty or thirty percent, right?"

"Now this sub‑one‑percent fluctuation can't stir any wave at all!"

Cui Yizong's brows knit tightly, his fingers unconsciously rubbing his waist, he lowers his head to ponder briefly.

The solitary lamp in the loft flickers, stretching its shadow long across the mottled Qiangbi, adding a weight of solemnity.

After a while, he jerks his head up, a flash of insight in his eyes, and says gravely, "The problem most likely lies in the channels through which counterfeit Buquan enters…"

Before the words finish, the face of a dandy scion suddenly appears before Cui Yizong's eyes; he freezes, then his face fills with astonishment, and he exclaims, "Could it be that Yuwen Ang, that brat, has set us up?!"

"He outwardly helps us circulate the fake money, but secretly manipulates things so that most of it never truly reaches the market?"

With those words, the temperature in the loft seems to drop suddenly.

Gao Changjing instantly radiates a bone‑chilling cold, his already Dark Hawk visage growing even icier, a cold grin curling at his mouth—though it never reaches his eyes, full of ferocity—as he grits his teeth and says, "We can't rule out that possibility!"

"That's impossible!" Cui Yizong's face is full of disbelief, his tone dripping with contempt and scorn, "Yuwen Ang, that fool, knows nothing; does he even have the brain to see through our scheme?"

"Could he even turn the tables and set a trap for us?"

"That's sheer fantasy!"

Gao Changjing hears this, gives Cui Yizong a half‑smile, half‑sneer glance, his eyes laced with mockery and understanding, "He lacks that mind, but the others in Chang'an have it…"

Then, he slowly walks to the window, peers through the narrow slit at the dim ghost market outside, his voice low and chilling, "Yuwen Ang is merely a pawn; someone behind him must be guiding him."

"To pinpoint our lifeline so precisely, silently neutralize it, and leave us unaware—that's beyond what an ordinary person could achieve!"

Cui Yizong listens, a thunderous clang rings in his mind, the previous confusion vanishes instantly, and he suddenly realizes something; his eyes bulge, his face awash with horror as he looks at Gao Changjing, his voice trembling, "Gongzi, you can't possibly be...?!"

Gao Changjing slowly turns, his eyes swirling with intense Dark Hawk fury and murderous intent, and he enunciates two words clearly: "Chen Yan!"

Cui Yizong shakes his head repeatedly, his brows knotting, "Impossible! Gongzi, this just doesn't add up!"

He steps forward two paces, his tone urgent as he throws his doubt, "Who doesn't know that Yuwen Ang's title was wiped out by Chen Yan?"

"With his vindictive temper, how could he possibly be willing to cooperate with Chen Yan?"

"Isn't this like conspiring with a tiger?"

Gao Changjing lowers his gaze, deep in thought, his fingertips lightly tapping the desk, producing a dull thud.

After a moment, he jerks his eyes up, his gaze sharp as a blade, and retorts to Cui Yizong, "Then, what if Chen Yan is using the restoration of his title as bait?"

"Restoring the title?" Cui Yizong's pupils contract, his voice trembling, "This... this... could indeed be possible!"

Earlier he only considered Yuwen Ang's hatred toward Chen Yan, forgetting that what Yuwen Ang values most has always been the title symbolizing status and privilege.

After losing his title, Yuwen Ang fell from the clouds to the mire; those who once fawned on him now shun him, his days become tight‑fisted, and his yearning to regain the title overwhelms everything.

Realizing this, Cui Yizong feels cold sweat instantly seep from the corners of his forehead, sliding down his cheeks, a chill spreading across his back, his hair standing on end.

His voice trembles, his tone full of lingering fear, "Indeed... Chen Yan has Yuwen Hu as backing; restoring Yuwen Ang's title is just a matter of words, it's far too easy to accomplish..."

"Facing the colossal temptation of regaining his title, Yuwen Ang wouldn't just cooperate with an enemy; even betraying his ancestors, he'd probably do it!"

Gao Changjing clenched his fists tightly, inhaled deeply, his chest heaving violently, and said in a deep voice, "We may have already been exposed, being toyed with by Chen Yan......"

The oppressive atmosphere in the attic had not yet lifted, and Gao Changjing and Cui Yizong were still immersed in the fear and anger of having been schemed against by Chen Yan.

Suddenly, the Hidden Door of the attic was slammed open, and a figure staggered in.

The newcomer was Li Shengchang, in charge of domestic communications; his hair was disheveled, his clothes soaked with sweat, his face full of a still‑shaken expression, extremely frantic, and as soon as he steadied himself he shouted, "Gongzi! Trouble! Something big has happened!"

Gao Changjing snapped his head up, the Dark Hawk in his eyes suddenly broken, and asked sharply, "What's wrong?"

Li Shengchang clutched the doorframe, gasping heavily, his chest heaving violently, taking a long time to catch his breath, his voice urgent with a sobbing tone, "It's the interior… the interior has an incident!"

"Hm?" Gao Changjing furrowed his brows, looked at him puzzled, his eyes full of doubt.

"The news just sent from Jinyang reports soaring prices, a decline in livelihoods, and even people inciting the populace to rebel!" Li Shengchang said at a rapid pace.

He paused, swallowed, his tone growing more frantic, "Now key locations such as Jinyang, Yecheng, Luoyang, etc., have all erupted into sizable uprisings!"

"What?!" Gao Changjing's complexion changed abruptly, and he leapt up from his chair, shouting in shock.

The Dark Hawk on his face was instantly replaced by incredulous shock.

He never imagined that the chaos he had painstakingly plotted to stir in Chang'an would first erupt within Great Qi!

Cui Yizong also widened his eyes, his eyeballs nearly bulging, his face full of shock and bewilderment, and said hoarsely, "How could this be possible?!"

"We planted so many fake cloth springs in Chang'an, yet not a ripple rose, and now Great Qi is in turmoil first?"

"What on earth is going on!"

The cold aura around Gao Changjing grew even more biting; he clenched his fists, his teeth chattering, his eyes filled with boundless hatred and resentment, and said in a deep voice, "Zhou State truly has excellent tactics!"

No need to think—it's most likely Chen Yan's handiwork.....

"Zhou State is really a scoundrel! So despicable!" Cui Yizong also reacted, trembling with anger, cursing loudly.

Gao Changjing's gaze swept over the attic's furnishings, then at the increasingly dense night outside, a flash of resolve in his eyes, he decided instantly, "No time for idle talk! We must evacuate immediately!"

Cui Yizong instantly grasped the seriousness, quickly nodded in agreement, his tone urgent yet firm, "Gongzi, your concern is spot‑on!"

Li Shengchang glanced around the attic and said, "Pack these things up, and we can withdraw within three days....."

Gao Changjing whirled back sharply, his gaze as sharp as a blade, and cut him off, "We must leave right now!"

"If we wait any longer, it'll be too late....."

Li Shengchang's eyes swept the attic corner, where a dozen heavy wooden crates stacked, filled with silver supplied by Yuwen Ang, his face showing hesitation, pointing at the crates and asking, "What about this silver…?"

Gao Changjing had no time for such external matters, waved his hand impatiently, his voice hoarse, "Discard them! All of them, discard them!"

Li Shengchang's complexion changed abruptly, his tone full of concern, stepping forward, he urged, "We can't just abandon so much silver!"

Then, staring at the crates, brow furrowed, after a moment's thought a glint of opportunism flashed in his eyes, and he hurriedly said, "Gongzi, you and Old Cui should go first!"

"I'll stay behind to sort these trinkets and silver, and transport them overnight!"

"Even if the Zhou State notices, they won't locate this hidden market for a while; once I've packed everything, I'll catch up and meet you, I won't be a hindrance!"

Hearing that, Gao Changjing didn't stop his steps, not even glancing back, leaving only three cold words, "Leave at once!"

Before the words finished, he strode into the secret passage, the dark figure vanishing swiftly into the dim corridor.

Li Shengchang looked back wistfully, then hurried after him......