Chapter 142: with translation of chapter title

Chen Wuji and Qin Zhanhong slipped through Yunan City's gate at the last moment and entered the city.

Qin Zhanhong, knowing the way, walked into the Drunken Eight Immortals Tavern and asked for two rooms.

This tavern combines food and lodging, is much larger than Li Si Fencha, stands five stories tall, and is one of the few high‑rises in Yunan City.

Qin Zhanhong's room is on the top fifth floor; opening the window gives a view of half of Yunan City.

Chen Wuji's room window faces north, offering a clear view of East Market, the Xianya, and Li Si Fencha—places he knows well.

Even the flickering flames rising from in front of Yangji Tiejiangpu can be faintly seen.

As expected, Old Yang is surely still hard at work right now.

Given the iron pots he owes, resting these few days is impossible.

The door was suddenly pushed open; Qin Zhanhong walked straight in without any courtesy.

She set down a pot of tea on the table, her alluring, bewitching posture collapsing onto the couch like a willow in the breeze, propping her right arm on the windowsill, turning her head to look at the somewhat deserted street outside: "Aren't you curious why I called you into the city today?"

"I don't want to pry into the Imperial City Department's affairs; I'd like to live a few more years, so don't tell me about it," Chen Wuji said.

Qin Zhanhong chuckled lightly, "It's fine to tell you; no need to be so tense."

Yunan leans against Shenxian Ling; the mountains hold many treasures—something you, as a hunter, should know. Speaking of which, why do you only hunt and never think about gathering valuable medicinal herbs? As far as I know, some people have made a fortune gathering herbs.

Chen Wuji looked at Qin Zhanhong somewhat bewildered: "You're drinking tea, yet you talk as if you're drunk—first you mention mountain treasures, then you suddenly bring up medicinal herbs."

"Medicinal herbs are treasures too—I just happened to think of them," Qin Zhanhong said lazily.

Chen Wuji shook his head: "Who actually made a fortune gathering herbs in the mountains? Is luck really that good? Common herbs are plentiful, but I've yet to encounter any truly valuable ones."

However, his usual range is fairly fixed, so not encountering them isn't really surprising.

Qin Zhanhong gave a light laugh: "Some people."

Chen Wuji was speechless: "What's the difference between saying that and saying nothing?"

"Then have you encountered any minerals in the mountains, like iron?" Qin Zhanhong asked.

Chen Wuji bluntly replied, "I don't know it."

This really falls into his blind spot of knowledge.

If you put iron ore in front of him, he might be able to guess a bit.

But if he encounters it in the wild, there's a ninety‑nine percent chance he won't recognize it.

Qin Zhanhong didn't dwell on that question; instead, she abruptly asked, "Do you know who owns this tavern?"

Chen Wuji stared at Qin Zhanhong up and down and said, "Come on, it's not like I messed up your brain, right? Why are you speaking all over the place? What exactly do you want to say? Get to the point!"

He was almost confused by Qin Zhanhong's jumping thoughts.

Qin Zhanhong rolled her eyes and said, "I've recently discovered some things: the Drunken Eight Immortals Tavern is a trading post for the Zhang Family and the Southwest Barbarians. Each month in mid‑month, the Southwest Barbarians' caravans come from Hezhou, pretending to trade spices, loiter around, then rest here before hauling away iron ore, salt, and precious medicinal herbs."

"The 'some people' I just mentioned are the Zhang Family; they've long sent people to mine and gather herbs in the mountains, then smuggle them to the Southwest Barbarians. This trade route is a very important source of income for the Zhang Family; to protect it, they spare no expense in raising bandits along the way to loot others."

Chen Wuji's face instantly turned solemn.

The Southwest Barbarians is a collective term for several small states southwest of Da Yu; regardless of what they call themselves, in Da Yu's official records they are all labeled 'Yi'.

"Is it okay for you to tell me all this?" Chen Wuji asked in a low voice.

"No problem, what could happen? At worst I'll just cut you down with one blade." Qin Zhanhong chuckled, her smile alluring and captivating.

Chen Wuji: …

Qin Zhanhong giggled, "Since I'm telling you, it's naturally okay to say."

"So today is the day the Zhang Family trades with the Southwest Barbarians?" Chen Wuji asked seriously.

Qin Zhanhong pointed downstairs and said, "The guests staying on the second floor are precisely those Southwest Barbarians."

Chen Wuji roughly guessed why Qin Zhanhong brought him here today, but found it strange: "Salt and iron are state monopolies; having this evidence should be enough to get Zhang Mingyuan killed. Yet I don't understand—since you've already grasped the clues, even knowing the exact date of their transaction, why not bring people to secretly surround this place, catch them red‑handed, instead of coming alone?"

"My identity isn't ready to be revealed yet," Qin Zhanhong said, shaking her head. "Today it's not me coming alone; it's you coming alone, and you're the one supposed to investigate this case."

Chen Wuji's brows knit together instantly: "What kind of joke are you playing on me?"

Is this woman crazy?

"Don't you want to bring down the Zhang Family? As far as I know, Zhang Mingyuan has issued a death order against you." Qin Zhanhong said softly.

Zhou Buping was cultivated by the Zhang Family at great expense; his position in Yunan is crucial. You may think you're a nobody, but to Zhang Mingyuan you're a hated little figure who ruined his plans.

"I have a better way; I don't need to charge into this dragon's pool and tiger's den." Chen Wuji shook his head.

"I think you just want to kill me; I'm already on my last legs, and you're digging this pit for me. Even if I could find something in their lair, and even if I lucked out, any leak would get me killed by Zhang Mingyuan without hesitation—I wouldn't see dawn."

"Unless you have a completely convincing reason, I won't wade into these muddy waters."

The Zhang Family's trade with the Southwest Barbarians is necessarily cautious, and there will definitely be both open and covert guards.

Charging in like a fool— isn't that just seeking death?

This woman seems to have an excessively high opinion of him.

"When you forcibly took my virginity on the mountain, you weren't this timid!" Qin Zhanhong said angrily.

Chen Wuji felt embarrassed.

This leverage Qin Zhanhong will probably hold over him for life.

"First tell me what you plan to do." Chen Wuji sighed.

Considering he's a high official of the Imperial City Department, who hasn't demanded his life and even regularly sends warmth, let's hear him out first.

Setting aside that physical relationship, this woman is actually more difficult to deal with than the Zhang Family.

Can't afford to offend her!

Qin Zhanhong smiled brightly, a touch of coquettish pout in her voice: "That's about right."

"Don't worry—I couldn't bear to see you die; who'd warm my bed if you were gone? Ideally we won't alert them this time; both the Southwest Barbarians and the Drunken Eight Immortals' accounting office have a ledger they use for balancing accounts. Our goal today is those two ledgers; getting just one will suffice."

"We're acting with purpose—not sending you around like a headless fly; all we need is the ledger!"