Chapter 151: Wind Sighs and Cranes Cry (A State of Extreme Panic)

People who are unreasonable fear those who are even more unreasonable than them.

Not only are they unreasonable, but their fists are hard, and their fierce reputation precedes them!

Truly, the moment Master He saw Fu Ju, he wished that it had been Wen Gu who came looking for him instead.

The atmosphere, of course, was not good.

Yet the process was very smooth.

Old He is a person who can discern the situation well; he knows when to yield and when to stand tall.

Fu Ju was also very satisfied.

As expected, this style suits me better!

The exchange between Wen Gu and Lao Zhuo also went very smoothly.

Pei Jun, Lao Zhuo, Old He, and other families who had members serve as high-ranking officials or had marital ties to the imperial family, one after another, were visited by the Patrol Guard Division for questioning.

Everyone felt insecure.

Some even suspected that the next level of the Xinzhou City "Elimination Game" was coming.

But in this serious and tense atmosphere, the Patrol Guard Division did not draw their sharp blades.

Patrol Guard Division Office.

Wen Gu and the two Commanders, Ming Tiao and Yu He, were organizing information.

Screening the identities of dignitaries and tracing the origins of objects. Confirming those who had already died for their country, died of illness, or met with accidents, and deleting them from the list.

After one round of screening, they continued to comb through the relationship charts of these people.

Looking at the personnel changes in Xinzhou over these years, the evidence already provided by the Gao Family, plus the clues mastered by Lao Zhao, and the information gathered from Pei Jun's in-depth investigation—

Connecting all the clues together allowed them to infer a more precise direction.

It might not be entirely correct, and it might not necessarily yield the desired results, but at least there was a general direction.

This process is very grueling.

The subordinates had long been waiting anxiously, but they dared not urge Wen Gu directly, so every day they egged Ming Tiao and Yu He on to ask again: when can they set off?

All kinds of tools were already prepared!

"Patience!" Ming Tiao scolded.

Do you think I am not anxious?

But Deputy Envoy Wen said we must wait for the letter from Shuo City!

Young Master, you must be reliable!

On the other side, Shuo City.

Upon receiving the secret letter, Zhao Shaozhu immediately led his men to take action.

Wen Gu told him to dig up a small jar containing a Protective Talisman under the peach tree in the backyard of the Gao Family Old Residence.

He not only had people dig up that jar, but he also had them dig up the entire garden of the Gao Family Old Residence!

However, it was clear that the two Gao brothers were very cautious in this regard and would not bury important things at home.

Therefore, after much digging, Zhao Shaozhu only unearthed a pile of miscellaneous items, none of which were related to this matter.

The small jar containing the Protective Talisman was also dug up, but the seal pasted on the outside had long since rotted away due to the passage of time.

But due to his reservations about mystical arts, Zhao Shaozhu still had someone perform a Dharma Assembly before opening the jar.

The good thing was that the quality of the talisman paper used for the talisman inside was decent, and since the small jar had been sealed tightly at the time, it was relatively well-preserved.

Carefully unfolding the folded talisman, Zhao Shaozhu made a copy and had a messenger bird send it back first.

The original talisman was also sent by the garrison, though it would arrive a few days later.

The bird carrying the letter flew from Shuo City to Xinzhou City, and as soon as it landed, someone immediately took the secret letter and delivered it to Wen Gu.

Ming Tiao and Yu He were even more eager.

Wen Gu read the secret letter, then took paper and a brush to enlarge and redraw the miniature diagram from the letter.

"Is this the Protective Talisman that Gao Lao Er used to carry with him?" Yu He looked left and right, unable to discern anything of value.

Ming Tiao felt dizzy looking at the talisman markings on the paper: "Deputy Envoy Wen, are we going to interrogate Gao Lao Er?"

"We won't be able to get anything out of Gao Lao Er." Wen Gu put away the drawn diagram and called the two of them, "For this kind of thing, one must find a professional."

Qingyun Temple.

The young Daoist had a serious face and walked into the room with heavy steps: "Master—"

Qingyi Daozhang knew what was coming the moment he saw his expression and said directly: "Who is here?"

"It is!" The young Daoist kept a straight face, feeling nervous inside.

Qingyi Daozhang sat casually, looking slightly weak. To be honest, he actually felt a sense of calm at this moment, as if to say, "It's finally here."

"How many people?" he asked again.

"Three," the young Daoist said.

"Three?!" Qingyi Daozhang's back, which had been a bit slumped, straightened visibly.

"Wen Gu only brought two people?" He had to confirm again!

"Yes, he only brought two Commanders," the young Daoist said again.

Qingyi Daozhang let out a breath of relief without anyone noticing and became happy again.

Then it's fine!

When the Patrol Guard Division raids a house, they always bring a whole crowd!

Like a pack of dogs rushing out, the commotion is always huge.

Bringing only two people, no wonder it's so quiet outside. That is to say, is there something else going on?

"Invite them in!"

Qingyi Daozhang even has the strength to shout now.

Sigh, it's all too much of a nervous reaction.

A gambling ring recently opened in town, betting on who Wen Gu will swing his first blade at after becoming the Patrol Guard Division Vice Commissioner.

There's no result yet.

Someone previously guessed it was Princess Guangning, but that seemed to be just a feint, with nothing happening.

Qingyi Daozhang is indeed worried that Wen Gu might swing his blade at him, but looking at it now, it seems he can still afford to give a little more trust.

Soon, Wen Gu and the two others entered.

They didn't engage in any hypocritical beating around the bush; they were in a hurry. Wen Gu directly took out the copied drawing.

"There is a drawing, I must ask Daozhang to help take a look."

Qingyi Daozhang's gaze swept over it.

At a glance, it was clearly drawn by someone copying something, the ink was fresh, and the paper was the kind newly made in Xinzhou City.

Looking at the content of the drawing, Qingyi Daozhang's brows instantly locked tight.

Those seemingly profound patterns and symbols—

Ordinary people would look at them and feel they are impressive without knowing why.

A practitioner looks at them and thinks, "What kind of nonsense is this!"

Qingyi Daozhang already had suspicions about Wen Gu, and now seeing this, anger rose in his heart.

Who are you looking down on?!

Heh, could it be that you are questioning my professionalism?

It's like putting a sloppy drawing of a chick eating rice in front of a master of calligraphy and painting, and asking them to appraise it!

He felt insulted!

Qingyi Daozhang wanted nothing more than to slap this drawing onto the other person's face.

Testing a Daoist with this?

Which Daoist couldn't withstand such a test?!

As soon as Wen Gu saw the change in expression on this Gou Shusheng's face, he knew the other party had misunderstood.

People with many hidden agendas are just prone to overthinking.

He explained, "I discovered a fake Daoist and felt this thing might have some issues, so I asked you, Daozhang, to distinguish the true from the false."

Qingyi Daozhang's anger vanished instantly.

Oh, investigating a fraud—

You should have said so earlier!

Only then did Daozhang pick up the drawing with a look of disdain.

Who is so foolish as to try and scam Gou Shusheng?

Whatever!

As long as the blade isn't swung at me, I am very happy to provide an assist.

While looking, he commented aloud: "This is worthy of being called a talisman?"

"Hmph! Mere parlor tricks!"

"Full of flaws, even the copying was done wrong!"

At first glance, the person who drew this talisman might have copied it from a Protective Talisman of some large Danguan.

Not referring to Wen Gu, but the person who made the talisman. If the copying was accurate, that is.

After a while longer.

"A bit interesting. If the original talisman looks like this, this person was very serious when drawing the talisman."

"Even the mistakes were made very seriously."

With Qingyi Daozhang's discernment, he could tell whether the person drawing the talisman was serious or perfunctory, how much force was used in the strokes, and what their writing habits were.

The original talisman is still on the way, and although it passed through the hands of two people for copying, there will inevitably be differences in the details. But Zhao Shaozhu has a foundation in calligraphy and painting, and Wen Gu does as well; they have tried their best to draw it according to the original, scaling it up or down proportionally.

Therefore, the evaluation Daozhang gave after seeing this drawing has sufficient reference value.

Wen Gu nodded in satisfaction.

This Gou Shusheng is truly worthy of having "trained" in the secular world; he is just so familiar with these tricks!

He pondered in his heart and said, "These 'very serious mistakes,' I must trouble Daozhang to draw them out."

Qingyi Daozhang was actually not very willing; he felt that drawing such dog-shit things would defile his own brush.

Just as he thought this, a Commander opposite him handed over paper and a brush.

Qingyi Daozhang clicked his tongue.

They came prepared!

Forget it, forget it; I'll perform a ritual to drive away the bad luck and purify the place after these few leave.

The symbols and patterns that made others feel dazzled were drawn extremely smoothly under the hand of a professional.

Wen Gu consulted a few more professional questions before leaving with the two Commanders.

Returning to the Patrol Guard Division, the two Commanders were even more excited.

The letter from Shuo City has been received, and what needed to be asked has been asked; is it time to take action!

Surely we don't have to keep waiting for the original Protective Talisman to be delivered?

"While the second wave of the Ghost Tide hasn't arrived yet, we can go and return quickly!"

"I have already asked the people from the Xianshou Army; they have indeed made a round trip there recently. The Plague Ghost threat is not great!"

It is the rest period for the Mishou Army, but it doesn't mean they aren't doing anything, just that they aren't going on long journeys.

They also hunt along the main routes within Xinzhou, especially after the recent Ghost Tide, patrolling several important lines to hunt down Plague Ghosts wandering about and clearing threats near the farmlands.

Jinchan Hu is not far from the official road between the two cities and falls within the patrol range.

The scouts ahead have not yet sent any warning of a second Ghost Tide, so if we are to act, we must seize the time, therefore—

"Deputy Envoy Wen, we can go!"

"So much evidence points in that direction; there must be a problem at Jinchan Hu!"

The goods must be there!

Even if they aren't, someone needs to go and check.

"Deputy Envoy, why don't I go take a look first?"

"Deputy Envoy, I'll go!"

The two of them scrambled to be first.

If they could really make a discovery, what a great merit that would be!

He who is slow to act gets nothing!

Wen Gu looked at the small stack of drawings that had accumulated and said, "Make preparations; we depart tomorrow."

"Yes!" the two replied with exceptionally loud voices.

Wen Gu needed to go to Zhao Fu first; he had to inform Lao Zhao about this assignment.

As for Ming Tiao and Yu He, they had already quickly taken their subordinates to make preparations for the trip.

West Office.

A subordinate of Fu Ju trotted into the room and whispered a few words.

Fu Ju's eyebrows twitched.

"Since we are helping, we must help to the end!"

He knew that Wen Gu, being a new official, wanted to establish his authority, but he wouldn't just stare at his own small plot of land.

To be so young and trusted by the father and son of the Zhao Family, blood relations alone were not enough; "That kid has a huge appetite!"

"The East Office must be planning something big, and Pei Jun's people are following along—if there's a good thing, our West Office cannot be left out!"

Fu Ju could not leave, but he had subordinates who could!

After Wen Gu found out, he did not refuse.

Jinchan is not a small mountain; if a large warehouse were truly hidden there, even if another team came along, there would be enough merit to share.

But if there was nothing hidden there, having more labor would still be a great help.

The next day.

On the main thoroughfare of Xinzhou City, the members of the Patrol Guard Division rushed past in a flurry.

Each one was fully equipped and in high spirits.

Someone could not help but be curious, peeking and craning their neck: "What is the Patrol Guard Division doing? Who are they targeting this time?"

"So eager to handle business, as if they're afraid of being left behind—they only run this fast when there's a benefit; are they targeting another wealthy household in the city to raid?"

"It's not necessarily a raid. There are many things the Patrol Guard Division can do; how could they be raiding houses every day!"

We cannot have stereotypes!

"But looking at this formation, it's like they're going somewhere to dig something up."

Amidst the public's attention and various speculations, the people from the Patrol Guard Division ran out of Neicheng and headed to the Outer City District.

Although they did not know what the Patrol Guard Division was going out to do with such a big commotion, but—

As everyone knows, when hunting dogs charge fiercely toward a place, it proves they have found their prey!