Chapter 169

Feng Feiyan's inquiry interrupted everyone's thoughts.

Sha Lifei's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained unchanged, and he blathered, "This thing is interesting. Didn't I get some money? I was thinking of getting a batch of goods to resell before the Lantern Festival."

"Since I'm going to sell them, I have to figure out what's going on."

"Don't even think about it."

Feng Feiyan shook her head, "I heard news that this time, private release of this item is not allowed among the people; only the theater troupes designated by the imperial court can do it. Anyone who resells it privately will be confiscated."

"There's even this!"

Sha Lifei widened his eyes, then said with a lucky expression, "Many thanks to Proprietress Feng for the reminder, otherwise I, Old Sha, would have lost money..."

As he spoke, he exchanged a glance with Li Yan.

Feng Feiyan's true identity was an undercover agent for the Commandant's Office.

Since she said she was going to investigate, there was no doubt about it.

The imperial court's strict investigation of "medicine-fired puppets" was probably also out of fear that Maitreya Sect members would use this item as a cover to cause trouble and save people during the Lantern Festival.

Feng Feiyan seemed to have something else on her mind, nodded slightly, and said, "Everyone, I have something to do, so I'll take my leave first. Sister Hong, you must be careful."

Having said that, she cupped her hands and left.

Watching the figure of the other person leaving, Li Yan frowned, "Sister Hong, this time you came to Chang'an, did you take on a mission?"

"That's right."

Red Yecha's expression became solemn, "The Profound Heaven Sect has summoned all the top-tier demon-catchers in the city to go to the City God Temple to suppress the corpse."

Sha Lifei became anxious upon hearing this, "Sister Hong, that thing is too dangerous; you must absolutely not go, find an excuse to decline."

After hearing this, Red Yecha laughed freely, shook her head, and said sternly, "If it were an ordinary errand, I would decline, but this matter won't do."

"I have already received news that it is a Drought Demon; it practiced evil arts while alive, and after death, it was sealed in a coffin with Seven-Star Soul-Suppressing Nails by someone, and buried in a yin-evil acupoint in the Qin Ling Mountains. If the resentment leaks, it will surely cause disaster!"

"I am a Chang'an native; how can I stand by and watch?"

Wang Daoxuan heard this and said thoughtfully, "Listening to the situation you described, I'm afraid someone is deliberately raising it; the intentions are malicious."

Red Yecha shook her head, "I don't know the specific situation yet. I came by to remind you all."

"I heard the Law Enforcement Hall suffered heavy losses in the Qin Ling Mountains; I estimate they will find people from other places to escort it. Only after that thing is transported away will Chang'an be safer."

"Since that's the case, Sister Hong, be careful."

"Hmm, farewell!"

Red Yecha waved and cupped her hands, carrying the big sword on her back and striding away.

Seeing her leave, Sha Lifei couldn't help but curse, "Which wicked ghost came up with this thing? Aren't they afraid of damaging their yin-virtue and ending their lineage?"

Wang Daoxuan sighed, "This kind of thing is inevitable in every dynasty; human disaster is sometimes worse than natural disaster."

"Fortunately, being able to discover it in advance makes it much easier to handle."

Qin Ling Mountains...

Li Yan suddenly thought of the precious painting that the Grave Snake Dugu Gan was plotting to seize.

He had an intuition that it was mostly related to that thing...

…………

On the other side, after Feng Feiyan went out, she took a small sedan chair and headed east, toward Chang'an Ward.

Chang'an Ward is connected to the East Market and is close to the city wall. Most of the residents are wealthy households in the city, with deep courtyards separated by long distances, separated by green-shaded canals, which is very imposing.

Just arriving at the entrance of the ward, Feng Feiyan got out of the sedan and walked.

She observed behind her calmly, paying attention at all times to whether anyone was following, and turned into a small alley, circling around a few times before arriving at the side gate of a large mansion.

Dong dong dong!

The knocking was long and short, with a rhythm.

The side gate creaked open, revealing a cold face, and said in a deep voice, "Go in, the Lord has been waiting for you for a long time."

Feng Feiyan didn't dare to say much, followed that person through layers of corridors, and arrived in the back garden of the mansion.

The garden was not large, but it was arranged quite exquisitely, with rockeries and ponds, the winter snow had not yet dissipated, the pond water was steaming, and red fish were swimming back and forth.

By the pond, a man was feeding the fish.

He was not tall, but he was sturdy, wearing casual clothes, his eyes gloomy, and there were two vertical lines on his forehead, as if he always had something on his mind.

Feng Feiyan hurriedly stepped forward, knelt on one knee, bent over and cupped her hands, "Subordinate, Feng Feiyan of the Listening Wind Squad, greets the Battalion Commander."

The man was none other than the Battalion Commander of the Shanzhou Battalion, Guo Yuhua.

According to the Great Xuan system, the Commandant's Office sets up a battalion in every state, with three battalion commanders in each battalion, one of whom holds the seal and is the leader.

Hearing the voice, Battalion Commander Guo Yuhua didn't look back, was silent for a long time, and then suddenly said, "Did you find out?"

Feng Feiyan trembled and lowered her head, "Subordinate is incompetent."

She secretly complained, her heart full of fear.

The original company commander, Chang Xuan, solved the gunpowder theft case and also took down her immediate superior, Yu Chen, and was highly valued by those above; now he had threatened the Battalion Commander Guo Yuhua.

She was under Chang Xuan's command, which was originally nothing, but she didn't expect Guo Yuhua to suddenly come looking for her, asking her to investigate the place where Chang Xuan tested firearms.

Feng Feiyan dared not offend either side.

She was afraid of being discovered by Chang Xuan, and didn't dare to inform, because Guo Yuhua also sent people to monitor her; she hadn't been able to sleep for these few days.

Unexpectedly, Guo Yuhua was not angry, but said lightly, "You just joined his command, it's understandable that you aren't trusted. Don't worry, I won't blame you."

"Many thanks, Lord."

Feng Feiyan breathed a sigh of relief and thanked him hurriedly.

Guo Yuhua scattered another handful of bait and sighed, "You are also an old member of our Shanzhou Battalion; how did Yu Chen treat you back then?"

Feng Feiyan was silent for a moment, gritted her teeth and said, "Lord Yu had a kindness of appreciation to the subordinate, I dare not forget."

"Yes."

Guo Yuhua said calmly, "I am in charge of the Shanzhou Commandant's Office; in everything, I seek stability. Just like this pond, there is grass and insects, so the fish can live well, and it looks decent."

"Peaceful and calm, how good."

"Yu Chen did indeed make a mistake; his mistake was that his hands were not clean, and he gave people a handle, but he never treated his brothers badly."

"I want to save his life, but Chang Xuan's movements are too fast; he just wants the heads of the brothers to dye his official robe red."

"Do you understand the danger in this?"

Feng Feiyan lowered her head, "Subordinate understands."

"Understand?"

Guo Yuhua finally turned around, his eyes full of mockery, "No, you don't understand!"

"With Chang Xuan's watertight personality, would he continue to let you hold the position of Listening Wind Squad leader?"

"You are just an unused chess piece; he just hasn't found an opportunity yet. When the time comes, he will use your head to pave the way for his subordinates and erode the power of the Shanzhou Commandant's Office step by step."

"This time the imperial court's firearm test, you are also considered his subordinate; have you ever heard him mention this?"

Feng Feiyan's face turned pale, and she shook her head.

"That's right."

Guo Yuhua said indifferently, "You were promoted by Yu Chen; Chang Xuan never thought about keeping you. Do you understand?"

"Please save my life, Lord!"

Feng Feiyan hurriedly bent over and cupped her hands.

Guo Yuhua nodded slightly, "So, you have to be careful in what you do and figure out what Chang Xuan is doing, so we have a chance."

"I received news that Chang Xuan takes people out every night to the mass grave south of the city; you go and investigate tonight."

"Remember, be careful in everything and don't alert the enemy."

"Yes, Lord!"

Feng Feiyan cupped her hands sternly and turned to leave.

Half an hour after she left, the cold-faced young man came to the pond and said in a deep voice, "Lord, she didn't lie; she has already disguised herself and left Changancheng." "Two brothers are following, and they will intercept and kill her halfway."

"Hmm."

Guo Yuhua continued feeding the fish and said calmly, "Since Chang Xuan is reluctant to use this chess piece, then we will reluctantly use it first."

"Also, spread the news; Bai Ruoxu of the tooth-brokerage is also a Maitreya member. We haven't moved him for many years, so it's just the right time to put him to use."

"The Maitreya Sect stole the firearms, and Chang Xuan's subordinates colluded with the bandits to escape; let's see how he plays this time!"

"Yes, Lord!"

The cold-faced young man turned around immediately, entered a side room in the back house, dressed up, and became a disheveled Jianghu guest with a beard, went out of the ward, merged into the crowd on the street, and disappeared...

…………

Pingkang Ward, outside the Jin Bao Gambling House.

Today is the fifth day; whether it's brothels, taverns, or gambling houses, they have all opened for business. Every year from now until the Lantern Festival, there are the most wealthy and idle people in the city, and it is also the busiest time for business.

Added to the Drum King Assembly this year, it is even more lively.

!.

It is now near dusk, the lanterns are just being lit, and the entire Pingkang Ward is already crowded with people; amidst the noise, there are also mixed accents from the north and south.

"Is this Pingkang Ward?"

"Tsk tsk, it doesn't look like much; compared to our Qinhuai banks, it's much worse."

"You don't understand this; in the Tang Dynasty, this place was unique. Haven't you heard of the young men of the five tombs fighting for the head-wrapping? Today we will also be aristocratic sons for once..."

"Big brother, this place isn't cheap, right?"

"Why think so much? Today I'll take you to open your eyes..."

Because of the Drum King Assembly, there are many Jianghu guests from various states in the city, and even people from the Mystic Sect.

Having finally come to Chang'an, how could they not visit Pingkang Ward.

In the crowd, a sedan chair moved slowly forward.

Inside the sedan, Bai Ruoxu's brows were tightly furrowed, and he was absent-minded.

Sou!

Suddenly, he heard that the wind was wrong, his right hand shook, and with a clatter, the iron fan in his hand unfolded abruptly, blocking his side.

"Someone is attacking!"

"Protect the White Tangzhu!"

Outside the sedan, it was immediately in chaos.

"Stop arguing!" Bai Ruoxu lifted the curtain and scanned the area, saying in a deep voice, "Jianghu riffraff, no need to pay attention, keep going."

Having said that, he put down the curtain.

The tooth-brokerage gang members looked at each other and had to continue forward.

And in the sedan, Bai Ruoxu reached out and picked up a small stone from under his feet, smelled it first, and then unfolded the note on it.

Seeing the handwriting above, Bai Ruoxu was lost in thought, muttering, "It seems I was exposed long ago; is it infighting so soon..."

As he spoke, his eyes were already filled with coldness.

Arriving at the Jin Bao Gambling House, Bai Ruoxu led his subordinates into the casino; just as he lifted the door curtain, a waiter stepped forward to report:

"White Tangzhu, Manager Wu from Xianyang is asking to see you."

"Hmm."

Bai Ruoxu naturally already knew, strode to the second floor, let his subordinates wait outside, and then pushed the door and entered.

In the room was Manager Wu, who had been waiting for a long time.

"Greetings..."

He bent his hands, making a lotus hand gesture, but before he could finish half a sentence, he was stifled by Bai Ruoxu's fierce glare.

Bai Ruoxu didn't pay attention to him, first rearranged the positions of several screens in the room, then hung up peach wood charms one by one, and then said in a deep voice, "Many Mystic Sect people have come to the city recently; be careful of walls having ears."

Manager Wu's forehead immediately broke out in cold sweat, "It was subordinate's recklessness."

Bai Ruoxu didn't continue to reprimand him, but said calmly, "I already know about the matter. Why, do those people suspect I have ulterior motives?"

"How could that be..."

Manager Wu forced a smile, but seeing Bai Ruoxu's expression, he felt empty in his heart and shook his head helplessly, "The White Tangzhu didn't follow the Sect Leader's wishes, so they are indeed suspicious, but how could they know the complexity of Changancheng today."

Bai Ruoxu's expression was indifferent, and he continued, "We'll talk about this later. What exactly happened in the mountains? Have you found out clearly?"

"Found out clearly."

Manager Wu smiled bitterly, "I'm afraid we've been tricked."

"After the Sect Leader deciphered that precious map, he and Long Sanjiu subdued the bandits on Ox Back Ridge and entered the deep mountains to dig for treasure."

"I don't know how the news leaked, but the Law Enforcement Hall went out in full force, with the cooperation of the troops from the two mountains of Zhongnan and Taibai, to conduct a search and arrest."

"The Sect Leader led the brothers and circled with the Law Enforcement Hall; although he borrowed the momentum of the Qin Ling Mountains, he was gradually bitten by the other party."

"Later, the Sect Leader was ultimately more skillful, luring the people away himself and letting Long Sanjiu take people to the treasure hiding place to dig."

"Did they dig it up?"

"Hmm, they found it, but it was a trap!"

"There was no treasure at all in that place; it was a strange underground palace, filled with coffins. As soon as it was opened, numerous zombies appeared. Apart from the experts, the remaining bandits were almost all dead."

"Of course, the corpse tide also alarmed the Law Enforcement Hall; they turned back and used troops to suppress the corpse tide."

"The Sect Leader reunited with us and inquired about the situation, only then did we figure out that this was a malicious trick left by someone who harbored resentment before the fall of the Great Xing Dynasty."

"They turned that place into a corpse-raising ground, borrowing the Drought Demon suppressed long ago to infect the Qin Ling dragon veins and trigger natural disasters."

"The so-called treasure was just to lure people to open the underground palace in the future."

"To suppress the corpse tide and that Drought Demon, the Law Enforcement Hall suffered heavy losses and suppressed it at all costs. The Sect Leader was captured to cover for everyone."

"A trap?"

Bai Ruoxu was first surprised, then sneered, "Sure enough, those masters always think the world belongs to them."

"When they were in power, they made the people miserable; when they lost the country, they turned into demons to cause trouble. They deserve to die!"

"They indeed deserve to die!"

Manager Wu also echoed, "Which of the brothers in the sect who took this path wasn't forced by those corrupt officials?"

"But White Tangzhu Bai, saving the Sect Leader is the priority right now. Long Sanjiu and the others are waiting outside the city and want to see you to discuss countermeasures. What do you think..."

"See me?"

Bai Ruoxu laughed, his eyes cold, "I'm afraid they want to kill me!"

Manager Wu's body stiffened, and he shook his head, "They are also suspicious; if the White Tangzhu meets them, the misunderstanding will naturally be resolved..."

Before he could finish speaking, looking at Bai Ruoxu's cold face, Manager Wu also closed his mouth and sighed, not knowing what to do.

Logically speaking, he was more familiar with Bai Ruoxu, but he was more anxious to save Dugu Gan and didn't want the two sides to fight internally, so he was already anxious and angry.

Seeing Manager Wu's troubled face, Bai Ruoxu said coldly, "These idiots, they just want to break out of prison, but others have already set up a net; how could they succeed."

"You go tell them, if they want to save the Sect Leader, there is only one chance now. Wait for me tonight, rest well, and prepare to act!"

Manager Wu's eyes lit up and he nodded, "Good!"

Having said that, he hurried out of the Jin Bao Gambling House.

After he left, Bai Ruoxu was silent for a long time, then stood up, looked around somewhat reluctantly, and muttered, "Dugu Gan, your work is a mess; where did you get the guts to call yourself Sect Leader?"

"It's a pity my identity is exposed; I can't stay in Chang'an anymore..."

Having said that, the dark energy in his legs erupted, and he jumped up, jumped onto the beam, and lifted a piece of wood, which was surprisingly a secret compartment.

Inside the secret compartment was a lacquered wooden box.

After opening the wooden box, a stack of silver notes was neatly piled inside.

Stuffing all the silver notes into his bosom, Bai Ruoxu came to the window again, looked at the lively casino below, sighed, and then entered the secret passage through the wardrobe and disappeared...

That night, killing intent soared outside Changancheng.

The third chapter will be posted half an hour late.

(End of chapter)