Chapter 402

Seeing Pei Ye had just regained his senses and, not expecting to hear such praise right off the bat, smiled with some embarrassment: "More excellent than you?"

"Hahahaha." Sui Zaihua looked up and laughed, "Much more excellent than me."

Feeling that lying down was disrespectful, Seeing Pei Ye braced himself to sit up against the headboard, looking at the old man's newly changed clothes: "Did Inspector Sui just go to pursue the remaining culprits?"

"Yes, after sending you all back, we went straight to Jin Jin Yuzhai."

"Jin Jin Yuzhai?"

"Inspector Wu guessed that it was the retreat for Huan Si Lou and left a trap there—actually, it wouldn't have mattered if I hadn't stopped Sima at the time; the end of that formation was most likely still near Jin Jin Yuzhai."

"And what was the result?"

"Very effective," Sui Zaihua said. "Indeed, almost all the Huan Si Lou sleeper agents in the entire Shao Long area sent their strength toward Jin Jin Yuzhai and Yin City at that time; it could be called a clean sweep."

Then he turned his head back, looking at the young man who was hesitating to speak: "But there was no 'Shadow-Face Sima'."

"."

Seeing Pei Ye looked at the old man, waiting for his next sentence of reversal, but there was none; just that one statement.

"We didn't find his traces, nor did we find the 【Xi Ting Heart】 on Sima," Sui Zaihua said. "We think he left with the 【Xi Ting Heart】—leaving earlier than anyone imagined."

"."

Sui Zaihua looked at the silent young man: "Hard to accept?"

Seeing Pei Ye pursed his lips and looked under the eaves with an expressionless face. After a long while, he lowered his head and smiled slightly: ". It's alright. I was very obsessed a few days ago, but now. We came back alive, that is the most important thing. Hatred will not be more important than those who are alive."

He lowered his eyes again: "Anyway. there is plenty of time in the future."

"We will continue to find ways to pursue him," Sui Zaihua looked at him, "You can also recall and look for his whereabouts."

". Mm." Seeing Pei Ye took a deep breath, remembered the old man's words just now, and changed the subject, "What did Inspector Sui just say about 【White Dragon Pill】 and 【Silver Jade Weaving Life】? How much money would that cost?"

"How much money it costs is for the government office to pay; could they let you carry a debt on your back?" Sui Zaihua laughed, "Young Hero Pei should think about his own bright future instead."

". What?"

"'What'?" Sui Zaihua repeated with a light laugh, turning his head to look at him, "Young Hero Pei, haven't you thought about what would be waiting for you if you survived?"

"."

Sui Zaihua counted them one by one for him: "Seeing Pei Ye, starting from winning the Bowang Autumn Championship, you first killed Huan Si Lou's 'Zhang He', 'Guo Huai', and the four 'Play Ghost' and 'Play Guest' members with a single sword in Xiangzhou, and then crashed through the entire Yi family with Li Piaoqing. This achievement is the award grade that the Immortal Platform has just decided to grant; later, it was precisely because you rushed back in time on the rainy night in Bowang that 'Shadow-Face Sima' left with regret; after arriving in Kongdong, before I and Inspector Wu arrived, everything here relied on you alone to support it. You cracked the suspicious cases of Zhang Meiqing and Ji Feng, revealed the appearance of the 'Demon Sword', and killed Xi Tianji and Jiang Yitong at the back cliff, directly implicating the identity of Xiao Tingshu; then later, you fought 'Shadow-Face Sima' several times with one person and one sword, narrowly escaping death, causing him to leave with heavy injuries, creating a lot of space for other places."

He paused: "Not to mention what happened later."

"You broke the 【Mirror Dragon Sword Sea】 and rescued Ming Qitian, forcing Ji Changyun to be exposed; and later in Great Kongdong, with no one to rely on, you alone defeated the two 'Yue Que' members, Sima and Yi Duanzhi, directly frustrating Huan Si Lou's plot." Sui Zaihua looked at him with a smile, "Such a major case that affected the entire Shao Long area ended under your hands. Kongdong, Yunlang Mountain, the government office, and the Immortal Platform all have countless honors waiting for you to claim—Young Hero Pei, do you know what 'rising straight up to the blue clouds' means?"

Seeing Pei Ye was speechless for a moment, but at the same time, blood boiled in his chest. It took a long time before he said: "This, Inspector Sui, you've attributed all the credit to me alone. You, and Inspector Wu. Especially, I relied on Miss Ming's 'Cutting Heart Glaze' to."

"Naturally, Huan Si Lou is far more terrifying than you imagine," the black-clothed, grey-braided back looked at the curtain of rain and said softly, "This is a poisonous sore that all of us have exhausted our efforts to gouge out, but it definitely wouldn't have worked without you, would it?"

". It wouldn't have worked without you either."

Sui Zaihua laughed again: "Of course, it definitely wouldn't have worked without me."

Toppling the behemoth that Huan Si Lou and Kongdong had colluded to create, the greatest merit indeed fell upon this old man and this young man.

Seeing Pei Ye also smiled, feeling more relaxed, and rested his two arms on his legs: "Inspector Sui seems to be in a good mood."

Sui Zaihua was silent for a long time before sighing softly: "Twenty years of old hatred, washed away in one morning. Naturally, it's gratifying."

"How did Inspector Sui discover that there was a problem with Ji Changyun?"

"I didn't investigate Ji Changyun; I investigated Bai Tianqu."

"Bai Tianqu?"

"Bai Tianqu knew long ago that Huan Si Lou was going to make a move on the 'Sword Strategy', didn't he?"

Seeing Pei Ye nodded. He remembered this part; Bai Tianqu told Chi Jianzong, who controlled the mountain formation, about this matter, and Chi Jianzong disagreed, which was why they killed him.

But.

"But this is the greatest evidence of Kongdong colluding with Huan Si Lou," Sui Zaihua said. "If Bai Tianqu was in seclusion in the sword formation built by Huan Si Lou, then when Ming Qitian was harmed, why would people believe that Kongdong was unaware?"

"."

"Bai Tianqu and Ji Changyun would not truly break off relations," Sui Zaihua sighed softly, "Unlike Xiao Tingshu, Bai Tianqu was a disciple whom Ji Changyun had truly raised since childhood and felt like a father and son."

Seeing Pei Ye was stunned: "But they were indeed fighting for the position of Li Li Zhangmen for the sake of the Sword Treasury at that time."

"Of course, master and disciple who are as close as father and son can also have irreconcilable differences," Sui Zaihua said softly, looking at the rain curtain and falling silent for a moment, "Quarreling loudly, refusing to give in to each other, slamming the door and leaving, and then both lying on their beds feeling miserable—these are all common occurrences."

He was quiet for a moment, then suddenly looked at Seeing Pei Ye with a smile: "Have you had such an experience?"

Seeing Pei Ye was stunned. His own elder was stubborn, of course, but it was hard to quarrel loudly and slam the door.

Sui Zaihua withdrew his gaze and smiled: "No, that is also a kind of luck—however, most of the time they still won't truly 'break off relations'."

"Actually, if you look closely, you will know that their struggle for the position of Li Li Zhangmen was all to implement their own path of the Sword Treasury; they each thought the other was wrong, but it was not for the sake of fighting for power and profit." Sui Zaihua leaned against the bed, "The position of Li Li Zhangmen was just a tool for their struggle; neither of them really took it to heart."

"So when they discovered that the other party was the correct one. they could immediately return to being on good terms." Sui Zaihua looked at him quietly.

Seeing Pei Ye was shocked: "So."

"So, Bai Tianqu died voluntarily and unconditionally believed that Ji Changyun would implement their common philosophy," Sui Zaihua turned his head back, "So, Ji Changyun was so easily impulsive and out of control—for ten years, he had not set his mind right; he could not accept that his beloved disciple's death had exchanged for nothing."

"Is that so."

Seeing Pei Ye was silent for a moment, lowered his head, and suddenly saw the old man's legacy sword placed by the bed, regaining his senses: "By the way, Inspector Sui, isn't this sword too precious?"

Sui Zaihua did not turn his head: "Whether it is precious or not, it was Inspector Wu who specified that it be left to you."

"Does Inspector Wu not have other younger friends? This also."

Seeing Pei Ye still remembered the uniqueness of this magical artifact. This was almost the condensation of the grey-eyed old man's twenty-year career as a Crane Inspector. 【Tugging Silk】 was one of the main components of the 【Mirror Dragon Sword Sea】, and the highest achievement of this formation pattern was this sword. It was specially commissioned to be designed and cast by the Great Master Nangong Zhai of the East Sea Sword Furnace and two great artifact masters of the Nourishing Intent Pavilion. It was almost a representative of the fusion of the artifact and sword paths.

"As far as I know, he has always been a loner. He has some friends, but he really doesn't have any close younger generation."

"." Seeing Pei Ye lowered his eyes.

"What's wrong? Do you feel that you are not suitable to receive it?"

"It's that I am a bit sad, Inspector Sui." Seeing Pei Ye took a light breath and blamed himself in a low voice, "I didn't treat Inspector Wu as a very close elder, I didn't expect him to leave the sword to me."

Sui Zaihua was quiet for a while, looking at the drizzling rain curtain: "I have indeed never seen anyone like Crane Inspector Wu who makes his opponents tense at all times. Being his companion must be very reassuring, and being his enemy must also be very troublesome."

The old man smiled slightly: "I met him when I first arrived at the government office. We were nodding acquaintances for twenty years. In the end. although we were not close, we could be considered to know each other."

"Inspector Wu said he trusted you. You did not let down his trust."

"What he didn't say is that he also 'trusted you'." Sui Zaihua turned back and tapped the 【Jade Tiger】 scabbard, smiling, "Having taken his sword, you must fulfill his last wish."

Seeing Pei Ye was stunned: ". Does Inspector Wu have any last wish?"

"Then I don't know. You are the one who saw him for the last time, aren't you?" Sui Zaihua withdrew his gaze with a smile and looked under the eaves. The sky was brightening, and the rain lines were almost invisible.

The two were quiet for a moment, with only the sound of the fine rain.

"Seeing Pei Ye." Sui Zaihua suddenly spoke, his voice carrying a gentle seriousness.

"Mm?"

"I am going back to Shao Long Prefecture tomorrow."

"Ah? So urgent?"

"I was not originally a person from the Immortal Platform." Sui Zaihua turned his eyes, "Do you know my official position?"

"." Seeing Pei Ye didn't react for a moment, "You, you are. the Supervisor of the Sword Academy."

"I hold the two positions of Chief Clerk of the Government Office and Junior Minister of the Ritual Terrace, and concurrently serve as the Supervisor of the Sword Academy." Sui Zaihua looked at him seriously, revealing an unprecedented directness to the young man, "—I am going to be promoted."

Seeing Pei Ye was stunned.

"Do you know what the Junior Minister of the Ritual Terrace does?"

"Manages the schools.?"

"More or less, in charge of the cultivation and selection of Shao Long's civil and military officials, various sacrificial rites, etc. Because it involves personnel appointments, this is a position with real power, very critical, and decent." Sui Zaihua said, "In terms of rank, 'Junior Minister' is a deputy position, but Minister Gongsun of the 'Minister' rank is advanced in age, and the Ritual Terrace has been managed by me alone for many years, which people are also clear about."

"."

"The Supervisor of the Sword Academy is a position respected by the sects." Sui Zaihua continued with his back to the young man, "I have also done very well in these years, gathering all the sword sects of Shao Long to the prefecture city to unite them, and jointly selecting sword students, which is something the Dao Enlightenment Society has not done."

"The Chief Clerk of the Government Office is where the real foundation is seen." The old man said again, "As the saying goes, the Chief Clerk is the head of the staff, and it is about the same now. This position has great power and responsibility. All the hundred businesses and affairs of the fifty prefectures of Shao Long, and the trivial matters of the prefecture city itself, are gathered here, pragmatic but not showing merit—I have also done quite well."

"."

"Unlike having an Inspector pressing on one's head in the prefecture, the position of Prefecture Magistrate is generally a nominal position hung under the Great Official or Imperial Relative, so the Chief Clerk can be considered to have reached the end of the political path."

"Then are you going to be the Minister of the Ritual Terrace?"

Sui Zaihua laughed: "Minister Gongsun is indeed about to retire, which can be considered as adding a title to what I have been doing all along—but this is a matter of time."

"." Seeing Pei Ye was bewildered for a moment; he really didn't understand at all.

"What is truly critical is that this time, I have also established good trust with the Immortal Platform." Sui Zaihua looked at him, "We just said that this is a case that the Immortal Platform could not have handled without the two of us, isn't it?"

Seeing Pei Ye was speechless. Sui Zaihua turned his head back, tapped the sword hilt, and sighed softly: "A person who started from the Artifact Bureau, walked steadily in the government office for twenty years, served as Junior Minister, had the most outstanding political achievements in the Ritual Terrace; served as Chief Clerk, and all the affairs of the hundred officials had to pass through his hands; understands formation techniques and the artifact path, and the Engineering Terrace still relies on him from time to time. The only voices criticizing him for only being able to hold civil positions should now also be eliminated under the destruction of Huan Si Lou and the praise of the Immortal Platform."

"Having done things for so many years, one should finally get a truly high position."

"Wh-what high position?" Seeing Pei Ye was bewildered. With his knowledge of only two months since leaving a small county, Magistrate Chang and Bai Sibing were big officials, and Inspector Zhao Zhang was the end of it. A high-ranking Shao Long official like Inspector Sui, whom everyone respected, was simply something to look up to.

How could it not be considered a "truly high position"?

Facing the young man's confused gaze, Sui Zaihua smiled slightly: "Inspecting the lower officials of the fifty prefectures, managing the six terraces, the peak of political affairs in one path, the behind-the-scenes great demon in the eyes of the Jianghu people—Shao Long Governor."

"."

"What, scared?"

"No, Inspector Sui, what is a 'Governor'?"

"Hahahahahaha, you can simply take it that if the Shao Long Path does not set up a Military Commissioner, then except for military affairs, everything else is decided by this position." Sui Zaihua laughed, "In short, it's changing from doing things to making decisions."

Seeing Pei Ye felt a sense of awe in his bewilderment. He remembered Wu Dong telling him that the old man in front of him also came from a humble background, had no one to rely on in the officialdom, and relied entirely on his later skills and connections to climb up step by step. Now that he finally had the opportunity to transform from a carp into a dragon, Seeing Pei Ye was genuinely happy: "Congratulations, Inspector Sui!"

However, Sui Zaihua just looked at him with a smile: "I didn't just come to say goodbye to you."

". Mm?"

"The gathering of the Shao Long Sword Sects will be held in four days. I told you all this because I want you to go to Shao Long Prefecture within three days."

"Ah?"

"What's there to be surprised about? Huan Si Lou was won by us together, wasn't it?" Sui Zaihua smiled, "Remember what we talked about at the Bowang Prefecture Office? — 'You are so determined now, just because you haven't truly obtained them yet.'"

". 'Them'?" Seeing Pei Ye didn't react for a moment.

"Future, reputation, power, status, gold and silver, wonderful swords, respect, envy." Sui Zaihua said casually, "Now, you can truly obtain them in a justified way."

"Before many rewards are added to you, I must first make Shao Long recognize you," Sui Zaihua smiled slightly, "The future number one sword talent, the young Crane Inspector who destroyed Huan Si Lou, the White Crane under the wings of the new Governor—Young Hero Seeing Pei Ye."

(End of chapter)

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