Chapter 734: The Conspiracy Begins to Emerge

West of the capital, at the end of Jiangmi Alley.

Inside the "Forget Worry" tavern, the lights were dim and yellow.

Outside the window, a fine rain was drifting; strings of dried chili peppers hung under the eaves, and the tavern was filled with the pungent smell of distilled spirits and the fragrance of braised meat.

Kuai Dayou and Kong Shangzhao sat opposite each other in a corner, with a plate of peanuts, half a pot of loose spirits, and braised beef and pork knuckles on the table.

Kuai Dayou's face was covered in stubble, his eyes bloodshot, and he slammed his wine bowl down heavily, causing the wine to splash out and wet his lapels.

He spat: "That dog-begotten Zhao Qingxu! We were only one step away, Brother Shangzhao, the wood of Mount Taodou was already in hand! If I had known, I would have gone straight to the execution ground; why waste this effort."

Kong Shangzhao lowered his head and sipped his wine, his fingers rubbing the edge of the bowl.

He was still wearing that washed-white Confucian robe and didn't answer, clearly distracted.

As the saying goes, a friendship forged in life and death; after experiencing a catastrophe, Fatty Lin and the three of them had become friends and would occasionally gather to drink.

Kuai Dayou admired Kong Shangzhao's knowledge, so he became closer to him.

Seeing Kong Shangzhao in such a state, Kuai Dayou leaned closer and lowered his voice: "Brother Kong, since returning from the Yin Ruins of the Nine Gates, you've been absent-minded. Earlier in the room, I saw your hand shaking even when you were copying the 'Examination of the History of the Caohe'."

"What's bothering you? Say it out. With our friendship, are you still hiding things?"

Kong Shangzhao let out a long sigh, pushed away the wine bowl, and bloodshot eyes appeared in his eyes: "Dayou, it's not that I won't say it, it's just this cage... I'm really fed up with it."

He looked around, and seeing that only their table was left in the small shop, and even the shopkeeper had gone to the back kitchen to doze off, he complained in a low voice: "The small courtyard of the Commandant's Office is not much better than this. Spending the whole day in that cramped corner, recording testimonies and checking case files for others, it's like being a machine for others to make contributions."

"A while ago, I racked my brains to find some clues about demon sacrifices, but the final signature on the contribution book was those yellow-robed sorcerers from the Clan Affairs Office!"

"I'm just a piece of paper, bowing and scraping in front of people, facing a withered lamp in the long night after returning to my room!"

Kuai Dayou was about to comfort him, but Kong Shangzhao suddenly clenched his fist, his voice hoarse: "I want to leave, Dayou! Like those people in the Twelve Yuan Chen, roaming the martial world, traveling north and south—that's what you call a life!"

"But... but I can't leave!"

"What do you mean you can't leave?"

Kuai Dayou rolled his eyes. "Your legs are on your own body; is it impossible to resign from the Commandant's Office? I said long ago that the officialdom is as deep as the sea and not a place to stay for long."

"However, following the Twelve Yuan Chen is not a good idea either. Look at the powerful enemies they provoke; with your small frame, you'll lose your life sooner or later!"

"In short, the Commandant's Office is definitely not a good place; it's better to leave early."

"It's not that easy."

Kong Shangzhao's voice dropped, full of shame. "You also know that I offended the main branch in Qufu back then. If it weren't for Master Luo Mingzi's mediation, I would have been expelled from the ancestral hall by the family long ago, reduced to a refugee, and might have already lost my life."

"The Master promised me personally: 'Shangzhao, stay in the capital with peace of mind, I will settle your family's disaster.' If I leave, wouldn't I become a rat who betrays his trust? The walls of this capital are thicker than the heavenly prison!"

Kuai Dayou's eyes lit up, and he slapped the table and laughed, shaking the bowls and dishes: "Just for this? You bookworm, you've been beating around the bush for half a day!"

He grabbed the wine pot, filled Kong Shangzhao's cup, and grinned, revealing a hint of cunning. "Master Luo keeps his word, and you keep your righteousness; that's all true. But can't we 'borrow the wind to sail the boat'?"

Kong Shangzhao was stunned. "What do you mean?"

Kuai Dayou drank the wine in one gulp and laughed: "Those people in the Twelve Yuan Chen are now regular visitors to the Commandant's Office—the steam engine case, the Eastern demon chaos, every major case is related to them."

"Tomorrow, you find an excuse to go to the case file library and spread the word that a 'Ghost Nuo Mask' has appeared on the Caohe, or that it's related to the theft of the wood of Mount Taodou; the Commandant's Office will definitely invite the Twelve Yuan Chen to take action!"

"Then I'll find someone to falsely report that the case involves ancient maps and scriptures, and it can't be solved without a master of ancient books like you, Kong Shangzhao!"

"We can also play some 'tricks,' like 'losing' a few key talisman orders during the handover, or having the demon people pretend to attack, forcing you to follow the team out of the capital—halfway through the case, wouldn't you be able to follow Li Yan logically? You'd save face and fulfill your wish!"

Kong Shangzhao was stunned, the wine's heat rising, his cheeks flushing red:

"This... isn't this deceiving Master Luo?"

Kuai Dayou was about to explain in detail, but the tavern's wooden door was bumped open with a "creak," and Fatty Lin rushed in wrapped in dampness, shaking off his oil-paper umbrella and placing it to the side. "Bad luck! Investigating boat materials in the East City, hit a wall again. It's a pity you two are hiding here for leisure!"

He patted the rainwater off his sleeves, sat down, and without being polite, picked up Kong Shangzhao's bowl and drank.

Kuai Dayou's eyes moved, turning to Fatty Lin: "Just in time, I really can't stand this silly bookworm, help me persuade him together..."

As he spoke, he recounted what had just happened.

Fatty Lin pondered for a moment and shook his head: "This method is inappropriate."

"What kind of place is the Commandant's Office? They can see through your little tricks at a glance. If you fall out with them, the past friendship won't be of any use. It's just that I have something here that I need your help with."

"Although my Lin family is a great clan in Jiangzhe, sea transport has risen, the imperial court's sea tax is heavy, the sea fleet has suffered disasters, and coupled with the invasion and looting by Japanese pirates, the losses have been heavy, and the situation in the clan is very bad now."

"Although I don't like to get involved in these things, I can't bear to see my father's hair turn white with worry, so I have to find a way to help the clan get through this disaster."

As he spoke, he turned and stared at Kuai Dayou: "Brother Dayou, you understand Mystic Crafts and can refine water and fire spiritual artifacts. Are you willing to help me? Seek spiritual wood to make the ship's keel. Ancient books record that there are many spiritual woods in ancient times that can bear the two Qi of Gang and Sha. If we can find them, the ship can split the waves like a god and pass through those dangerous areas."

"Easy to say!"

Kuai Dayou slapped his chest generously. "But there is one thing: ordinary spiritual wood cannot withstand the wind and waves of the ocean; we must find good materials. We are familiar, but I cannot smash my own signboard."

Fatty Lin smiled bitterly: "I was looking for the wood of Mount Taodou for this, but unfortunately..."

Hearing the words of the two, Kong Shangzhao was thoughtful, fished out half a volume of "Mountain and Sea Map Examination" from his bosom, the corners of the pages scorched yellow, and read in a low voice: "This rare edition of 'Hailin Guangji' mentioned that 'Bohai Qiu Wood reaches the Nine Abyss,' it seems to be over there in Jin Ling."

"Oh?!"

Fatty Lin's eyes lit up, and he smiled: "Brother Kong, don't worry, I will handle this matter; it can both let you escape the sea of bitterness and be justified!"

…………

Emperor Xiao Qixuan's determination was like a mountain collapsing and the sea roaring.

Less than half a day after Zhao Wujiu left, a vermilion gold-stamped secret order spread like thunder to the Ministry of Revenue and the Inner Court's Grand Warehouse, and in an instant, the resources of the entire capital region began to tilt toward the Qiankun Academy.

On the avenue from Chengtian Gate to the academy, there were unprecedented carriages like dragons.

Heavy wooden wheels rolled over the blue stone slabs, making a continuous muffled sound. What was being transported were not ordinary goods, all covered with thick felt, escorted by elite troops of the Capital Battalion wearing iron armor and sharp eyes.

A special carriage pulled by six strong horses slowly drove into the side gate of the academy, and dozens of bare-chested big men shouted in unison, carefully unloading a huge object covered with oilcloth.

The oilcloth was lifted, revealing a whole piece of strange stone the size of a water vat, with a color as dark as ink but faintly revealing golden threads.

This was the Sea-Suppressing Stone Essence newly discovered in Lingnan, which could not be damaged by blades or swords, nor invaded by water or fire, and what was more precious was that it contained a trace of innate Water Qi, a top-grade treasure material for carving the base of the god idol.

Another team of horses was escorting rare treasures contained in purple sandalwood boxes.

The boxes were opened, and the Qi of mist permeated.

Suet white jade condensed from the essence of thousand-year-old ice deep in the Kunlun Snow Mountains of the Western Regions; "Cloud Thunder Crystal" formed by tempering for a thousand years under the thunder-fire rock layer of Sichuan; a whole piece of moist green jade mined from the old pits of Liaodong...

Every piece was worth a fortune, but at this moment, they were transported here without any stinginess. ===== CHAPTER 735 =====