Chapter 143: As Dead

Dusk falls.

Li Gongpu, dressed as an ordinary Confucian scholar, confirmed no one was watching, then alighted from the carriage in a dark alley behind the Four Nations Hall, followed Vice Minister He Man, the Crown Prince's Steward, through the back door, with Du Mushan following behind.

The Four Nations Hall was quite large, filled entirely with envoys from foreign lands; the banquet had not yet begun, and the Crown Prince was resting in the Emerald Cloud Pavilion behind the banquet hall. As the heir to the throne, security was extremely tight.

Li Gongpu followed, winding left and right, quickly arriving outside the Emerald Cloud Pavilion. He entered the main hall alone, saw the Crown Prince wearing a bright yellow robe studying a chess game on a chess couch, and hurried forward to pay his respects. Although he held the rank of a Second-Rank official, he was as humble as a servant:

"Your humble servant Li Gongpu pays his respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Zhao Jinghuan studied the chess game, raised a hand to gesture toward the opposite seat:

"No need for formalities, Vice Minister Li, sit. Just finish this game with me."

Li Gongpu sat sideways opposite, his bottom touching only half the seat, glancing slightly at the chessboard...

What kind of lousy chess player set up this mess?!

There's no point in playing...

But Li Gongpu said nothing, picked up a white stone, and placed it calmly and slowly:

"Speaking of which, Your Highness has reached adulthood, and this is the first time we have spoken."

Zhao Jinghuan, with a vastly superior position, naturally played his moves swiftly:

"Not really. When I was six, I fell, and Vice Minister Li picked me up before the attendants could, and coaxed me with a few words back then. It's just that the Emperor disliked you, so you kept your distance."

Hearing these words, Li Gongpu felt tears welling up:

"So Your Highness still remembers. Alas... Your humble servant is just an old servant. Being able to serve the Emperor, the Empress, and even Your Highness well is enough for me. I hold no military power, seek no political influence, and have no ambitions.

"If the Emperor occasionally scolds me a few words, that is only right. As long as it makes the Emperor feel comfortable, even if Your humble servant is beaten with a bamboo stick every day, my heart would still be happy..."

The first sentence emphasized his lack of ambition; the second emphasized his willingness to take the blame.

Zhao Jinghuan knew Li Gongpu's role and replied:

"The Emperor only respects the Empress and is diligent in state affairs, so having an old servant like you to attend him is only natural. I have no interest in the things the Emperor likes; I only wish to do my utmost to be an enlightened ruler."

"If the Crown Prince has such ambitions, it is truly a great fortune for Great Qian. However, besides diligence in state affairs, one must also balance work and rest..."

In a few exchanges, the two played seven or eight moves, and the situation became deadlocked.

Zhao Jinghuan frowned, a hint of surprise appearing in his eyes. After pondering the chess game for a moment, he finally made his next move.

Li Gongpu had been speaking, but finally became completely focused, his gaze fixed entirely on the chessboard. The two battled fiercely for nearly two quarters of an hour before the endgame concluded with the Crown Prince winning by a narrow margin. Hmm...

A thrilling, heart-stopping, and exhilarating duel!

Zhao Jinghuan did not notice Li Gongpu letting him win. After the game ended, even the anger he had suffered from Zhao De was dispelled. He looked up at the old minister opposite:

"No wonder Vice Minister Li has been able to serve the Emperor for so many years. Your chess skill is truly not bad."

Li Gongpu showed a hint of reluctance: "Alas, this endgame was too difficult to solve, so I couldn't show my true level. Your humble servant's chess skill is far greater than this. Shall I accompany Your Highness for another game?"

Zhao Jinghuan felt that if they played another game, he would either win narrowly or lose but still be honored.

However, since he couldn't tell Li Gongpu was holding back, it was genuinely enjoyable. He shook his head and smiled:

"Calligraphy, painting, music, and chess are ultimately pastimes for leisure. There are not a few in the court whose chess skills surpass Li Gong's."

"Hehe~ That is natural."

While they were speaking, two sounds came from outside the main hall:

"Ji-ji~"

The pleasant chirping was faint yet clear.

Crown Prince Zhao Jinghuan's reaction was like a motorcycle enthusiast hearing an exhaust note, or Xie Jinhuan hearing a beauty's moan; he almost instinctively turned his head toward the source.

"Oh, right..."

Li Gongpu seemed to just remember something, stood up, took small steps to the door, took the birdcage from Du Mushan's hands, and placed it on the chess table:

"Your humble servant recently acquired an ornamental bird but does not know how to raise it. Today, I brought it along for Your Highness. I wonder if Your Highness likes it."

Zhao Jinghuan frowned slightly, hesitated for a moment, then lifted the black cloth covering the birdcage.

A small bird with a body of purple and cyan appeared before his eyes. Seeing a stranger, it spread its wings, its feathers shimmering with a metallic luster, and then:

Zzzt~

Purple sparks, as thin as a hair, appeared from the tips of its feathers, striking the edge of the birdcage. Although the power was enough only to electrocute insects, the scene was indeed magnificent and mysterious.

The Purple Thunder Sparrow is a spiritual bird of mountains and marshes, carrying the meaning of purple qi arriving from the east. Once found, it is usually presented as an auspicious beast, making it extremely rare.

Zhao Jinghuan showed surprise the moment he saw it:

"Is this the one from Li Chi Mo?"

Seeing the subtle change in the Crown Prince's expression, Li Gongpu knew the matter was nine times out of ten settled, and smiled:

"Your Highness has keen eyes. There are fewer than ten Purple Thunder Sparrows remaining in Great Qian, and this one has the finest appearance."

Zhao Jinghuan examined the bird in the cage and even teased it with his finger:

"The Emperor does not like me to get involved with such things. Does Li Gong not know?"

"I know."

Li Gongpu spoke in a low voice: "But Great Qian has only one heir. Regardless, the burden of Great Qian's thirty-two provinces will eventually fall on Your Highness's shoulders. This item was sent without any outsiders knowing. Raising it in your spare time will cause no harm."

"Heh..."

After teasing the little sparrow for a while, Zhao Jinghuan looked up at the crouching, submissive Li Gongpu, pondered for a moment, and suddenly asked:

"Does Vice Minister Li think the Emperor's time is near?"

Li Gongpu was stunned, then quickly bowed:

"Your humble servant dares not. This item is simply intended to honor Your Highness the Crown Prince..."

"The Emperor has immortal pills offered by the Emperor's father-in-law to preserve his health; his dragon body is fine."

Zhao Jinghuan covered it with the black cloth: "But with your cautious and timid nature, you would never take such a risky step unless you were absolutely certain. Therefore, you must have fallen into a trap."

"Hm?"

Li Gongpu's eyes held a hint of confusion.

But at that moment, the street outside rang with a rapid clatter of hooves:

Taptaptap…

Then hurried footsteps arrived at the door, and He Man bowed respectfully to report:

"Your Highness, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, the Red麟 Guard, and the county government office have all arrived in force. They claim the Four Directions Pavilion may harbor demonic entities, and ask whether the Crown Prince permits entry to conduct a search."

"Ah?"

Li Gongpu's face changed instantly; he rose to his feet at once:

"Er… shall this humble minister withdraw for now?"

Zhao Jinghuan paused briefly, then looked out the window:

"Is Xie Jinhuan leading them?"

"Yes."

Zhao Jinghuan nodded, turning to Li Gongpu:

"This is 'catching a turtle in a jar.' Go out yourself. Don't disturb the envoy's peace."

"Your Highness!"

Li Gongpu shuddered violently, sliding to his knees, mouth opening but no words coming out.

Zhao Jinghuan handed him the birdcage:

"Life is like a game of chess—one misstep, and you're doomed forever. You set a trap to kill Xie Jinhuan, but Zhou Ming'an died, and you caught no one. Now they've set a trap to lead you straight to your death—and you walked right in."

"They've surrounded the Four Directions Pavilion under the pretext of hidden demonic entities, screening everyone inside—legally, openly. If I refuse entry, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau will petition the Emperor."

"The Emperor values the Mingshen Sect's unrest and admires Xie Jinhuan's abilities. I can't stop him. They're targeting you. If they don't find you tonight, they won't leave. You're no fool—go out yourself. It'll be more dignified."

"…"

Li Gongpu felt as if plunged into an ice cellar, speechless, even forgetting propriety—he scrambled up, snatched the birdcage, and ran out…

——

Boom boom boom…

Night had fallen. Outside the Four Directions Pavilion, hooves thundered like rolling drums. Large detachments of Red麟 Guard and Imperial Astronomical Bureau astronomers sprinted through the streets, wielding various magical artifacts, searching nearby buildings. Over a hundred government office Runners stood guard along the roads, tightly sealed.

Cao Huai'an, Commander of the Red麟 Guard, rode a black stallion outside the pavilion's grand archway, his expression hesitant:

"The Crown Prince is hosting foreign envoys inside. If we disturb his peace and find nothing, it'll be hard to explain."

Xie Jinhuan, dual weapons slung at his waist, rode beside him and pointed to the black hawk in the sky:

"My hunting hawk has exceptional vision. In the past, it's spotted many demonic bandits first. Now it says there's a demonic presence here—I dare not ignore it. I wanted to investigate alone, but since the Crown Prince is inside, I dared not disturb him, so I summoned you all to assist."

Monk Jingkong turned his prayer beads and interjected:

"Caution is wise. Better to make a wasted trip than let a demon harm the envoy and disgrace the Great Qian."

Cao Huai'an had been genuinely startled when he first heard the pavilion might harbor demons. Had anyone else reported it, he might not have mobilized so heavily—but the informant was Xie Jinhuan!

Since appearing, Xie Jinhuan had slain countless demons without ever missing. Even if the intelligence seemed absurd, he dared not doubt it.

After all, if he missed, it was Xie Jinhuan's error.

But if he didn't come—and something happened—it would be his fault!

If demons disturbed the Crown Prince or foreign envoys, exile to Lingnan would be lenient.

The Imperial Astronomical Bureau and county government office had rushed over for the same reason: they feared nothing more than being absent when disaster struck.

Because the Crown Prince was hosting envoys inside, the three violent institutions dared not storm in. For now, they only sealed the perimeter, forbidding even birds or beasts from entering or leaving.

If anyone possessed the Art of Observing Qi, they'd see from above: the residual ripples of demonic-detection techniques crisscrossed and overlapped, turning the entire Four Directions Pavilion into boiling water.

With this show of force, even if Li Gongpu showed up, let alone Wei Yunya, he'd have no place to hide—only capture awaited him.

After waiting a while, they received no permission from the Crown Prince to search—instead, two figures hurried toward the main gate. The lead figure called out from afar:

"Cao Huai'an, the Crown Prince is hosting foreign guests inside the Four Directions Pavilion. Why have you surrounded it?"

At the voice, many officials present froze slightly.

Cao Huai'an, mounted on his horse, stared in surprise at Li Eunuch—who should never have been here:

"Vice Minister Li, why aren't you home tonight with your… Lady? What are you doing at the Four Directions Pavilion?"

Behind Li Gongpu walked the Western Rong envoy, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, his braid neatly plaited. He quickly interjected:

"Vice Minister Li came to discuss the tribute horses. Our king has acquired a fine steed and adores it—but Vice Minister Li wishes to purchase it to present to His Majesty."

"Oh…"

Cao Huai'an, head of the Crimson Robe Plague, was no fool. He turned instantly to Xie Jinhuan:

"Young Master Xie, is the demon you're here to capture… Li Gong?"

"Commander Cao, you jest."

Xie Jinhuan, mounted on his horse, studied Li Gongpu's forced composure:

"My hunting hawk doesn't mistake humans for demons. Once the Crown Prince grants permission, I'll enter and search. Finding him won't be hard."

Li Gongpu turned to the envoy: "Since this mishap occurred, let's discuss the tribute horses tomorrow at my residence. I, Li Mou, must take my leave."

"Hey!"

Xie Jinhuan spurred his horse forward two steps, blocking his path, speaking solemnly:

"Ghost cultivators can 'borrow shells to reincarnate.' To prevent demonic escape, everyone inside must be thoroughly screened. But your status is noble—we must first petition the Emperor. Only after his approval may we search your person. Until your identity is verified, please remain inside the pavilion."

?

Li Gongpu's eye twitched at these words. He spread his arms wide:

"I, Li Gongpu, act with open integrity. Why would I fear a government office search? To disturb His Majesty late at night—is that proper conduct?"

Xie Jinhuan hurriedly said, "I am not a reckless fool who disregards the law; how would I dare rashly search a close minister of the Son of Heaven? To prevent demons and evil from escaping, I hope Li Gong will calm down and wait for the Imperial Decree."

"You..."

Just as the two were exchanging words, footsteps echoed inside the hall. He Man, the Crown Prince's Attendant, stepped out carrying a birdcage:

"Li Gong, you seem to be in a great hurry; it appears you left something in the banquet hall."

Li Gongpu realized the Crown Prince was helping him save face; his expression stiffened instantly. He turned his gaze toward the Western Rong envoy:

"Did you not pack up the items presented to your tribe?"

The Western Rong foreign envoy slapped his forehead, hurried forward, and took them:

"Oh my, I completely forgot..."

Hoo~

Before the words had fully faded, a white figure flew over their heads, landed before He Man, and took the birdcage.

The Western Rong envoy's steps halted; everyone shifted their gaze over, only to see that beneath the black cloth covering the cage, purple and white lightning flickered faintly, and a buzzing sound could be heard.

Xie Jinhuan, as if facing a great enemy, carefully lifted the black cloth to reveal the small sparrow inside emitting a 'buzzing' electric discharge. His gaze narrowed slightly:

"This is a demonic beast! No wonder the hunting falcon took notice. Is this Li Gong's possession?"

??

The crowd from the various government offices, seeing this 'pointing at a spirit and calling it a demon,' fell silent for a moment.

But demonic beasts and spiritual birds are essentially the same thing, distinguished only by whether they harm people. Xie Jinhuan insisting that the hunting falcon mistook the Purple Thunder Sparrow for a juvenile demonic beast was not entirely without fault.

Li Gongpu's face turned iron-green; he gritted his teeth:

"This is an item I, this official, presented to the Western Rong! Does Young Master Xie intend to frame Li Mou for secretly harboring demons and evil?"

"Oh~ Li Gong speaks too heavily."

Xie Jinhuan carefully held the 'great demon' that was buzzing with electric discharge and handed it to Monk Jingkong:

"Ghost cultivators can hide souls within birds and beasts, making them difficult for ordinary people to distinguish. I hope Master Jingkong will present this item to the Director of the Imperial Observatory for personal inspection. If no abnormalities are found, regarding the commotion today and the offense caused to Li Gong and the envoy, I will request Her Highness the Princess to enter the palace and personally explain the full circumstances to the Son of Heaven."

Monk Jingkong understood what Xie Jinhuan was doing; he held the birdcage, examined it, and pondered briefly:

"This humble monk senses no abnormalities. Perhaps Young Master Xie should explain the circumstances directly to the Son of Heaven?"

?

Xie Jinhuan felt this monk was somewhat cheeky and said with grave seriousness:

"Government offices must follow procedures; decisions cannot be made based on subjective feelings."

Monk Jingkong nodded, said no more, held the birdcage, mounted his horse, and departed.

Cao Huai'an, as the adopted son of Cao Fo'er, knew the story behind the 'Purple Thunder Sparrow.'

In the past, the Southern Border presented a Purple Thunder Sparrow as tribute. The four-year-old Crown Prince cried for a long time. The Empress wished to bestow it, but the Son of Heaven feared it would lead to indulgence in trifles and refused. To prevent the Crown Prince from dwelling on it all day, they ultimately bestowed the Purple Thunder Sparrow as a reward to a foreign tribe.

Now, seeing Li Gongpu holding this object and appearing before the Crown Prince, Cao Huai'an knew that although this man appeared alive, his soul was already lining up in the Underworld waiting for his number to be called. Immediately, he turned his horse's head:

"Since the source of the anomaly has been found, withdraw the formation. Do not disturb the Crown Prince or the envoy."

Feiji, who had been watching the show from behind, also waved his hand. The government personnel withdrew accordingly, and the Imperial Observatory officials departed one after another.

Xie Jinhuan, riding his horse, glanced at Li Gongpu standing alone at the gate, said nothing, and lightly urged his horse's flank:

"Giddy-up—"

Clip-clop, clip-clop...

Li Gongpu's face shifted from iron-green to pale. He clenched his fists tightly, gazing at the white-clad figure galloping away, his heart filled with resentment yet utterly helpless.

Just as Xie Jinhuan knew he was setting a trap but could do nothing about him...

—

Requesting monthly passes or 2~

(End of Chapter)