Chapter 771: Intercepted Secret Letter

Pan Xiaohei dashed to Cao Jixiang's rooftop, gently lifted a tile, and peered down.

Cao Jixiang wasn't sleeping.

In fact, few people could sleep tonight.

Yang Shan was upright and incorruptible; he refused their banquet to welcome him, only registering and handing over duties as required—but even that kept them busy all day.

The gifts they brought from Wa Country, once inspected and confirmed, would be certified by the Maritime Trade Office, recorded in registers, and sent together to Jingcheng;

The Ryukyu Prince's delegation needed arranging; as soon as they landed, a new envoy team would be formed to travel to the capital to kowtow and pay respects to the Emperor;

The envoy team had been ambushed twice at sea by pirates; they needed to take testimonies and hand over captured pirates, physical evidence, and statements.

Oh, the third task wasn't finished, because the physical evidence included many items, including but not limited to cannons, matchlocks, and crossbows.

These items, let alone the Prefect's office and the Navy Command wanting them, even Cao Jixiang wanted to fight for them.

Not to mention, the four chief bandits locked together seemed to have confessed something extraordinary.

Cao Jixiang had glanced at their confession while standing beside Prefect Lu, and his heart had been pounding ever since—still pounding now.

What they said was vague, without detailed confessions, but the names of the Prince, the Wang family, and some other family made his heart feel clenched in a fist—he vaguely guessed something.

Cao Jixiang couldn't sleep, and Lu Mingzhe couldn't sleep either.

In his study, he complained to his secretary: "The sea ban hasn't been lifted yet, and all sorts of demons and monsters have surfaced. I already feel my official hat is in jeopardy—what if the sea ban is lifted? Will I even keep my head?"

The secretary said: "The most dangerous time is when the ban is about to lift but policy hasn't been decided; if the Emperor's decree comes, the danger becomes clear and manageable. If you don't wish to wade into this murky water, now is the time to step back."

Lu Mingzhe sat motionless in his chair, silent for a long while, then shook his head and sighed softly: "Enough. I'll do my best to hold things together—at least give the people of Quanzhou some assurance. The rebels are watching, and corrupt officials are lurking—if a new Prefect takes over now, who knows if he can hold Quanzhou?"

The secretary's heart jolted: "Are you afraid those people will open the gates to thieves?"

Lu Mingzhe: "I never underestimate their audacity. For profit, what won't they do?"

The secretary swallowed hard—he'd better stay.

The secretary paused, then asked quietly: "Should we send Lady and Young Master away?"

Lu Mingzhe thought for a long while, then nodded: "The New Year is coming; they should return to our hometown to honor ancestors and elders. Have Lady take the Young Master and Young Ladies back, and after the New Year, find an excuse to stay there."

He sighed softly: "I ask for little—only their safety."

Pan Xiaohei, crouched on the roof, suddenly realized: Wait, didn't she take my body? Why is she saying that about me?

She uses the Spirit Realm, she earns merit—but she's the one who suffers. When she drove me out of my body, forcing me to dwell in this cat's form, she looked like she wanted to exterminate me completely—only later did we reach a truce.

I'd be willing to work to break the seal—but only if she lets me return to my true body!

Even now, I need her permission to enter my body.

What kind of family is this? What kind of "you and I as one"?

Pan Xiaohei stared tearfully down at Lu Mingzhe—he's the kind of family…

Though resentment bubbled inside, Pan Xiaohei rose, replaced the tile, and went to tail the next person.

The next person was Yang Shan.

He was easy to watch—he was already snoring loudly, the only one among those Pan Xiaohei had spied on who was actually asleep.

Pan Xiaohei slipped off the roof and headed for the prison to check on the captured pirates.

Meanwhile, inside the Maritime Trade Office, Pan Yun was chanting a spell with the yellow talisman Wang Cong had left her. As soon as the spell took effect, a golden thread flashed before her eyes. She immediately got out of bed, opened the door, held the talisman to orient herself, then flew onto the rooftop and departed.

When Pan Xiaohei left, the Embroidered Uniform Guards in the Maritime Trade Office didn't react—but the moment Pan Yun departed, guards immediately emerged and followed her onto the rooftop.

But she flew too fast; he chased for a while, then lost her.

Embroidered Uniform Guard: …

He silently returned to the Maritime Trade Office and reported to Cao Jixiang.

Pan Yun followed the talisman's guidance all the way to Ping'an Inn.

Pan Yun raised an eyebrow, knowing the inn held an array; she carefully avoided the array nodes and slipped inside.

She turned the yellow talisman in her hand, then fixed her gaze on a window still lit.

She tucked the talisman away, glanced left and right, confirmed no one was watching, then leapt up and landed silently outside the window.

She gripped the wall and window frame, crept closer, pulled out a thin iron strip, slipped it through the window crack, gently pried it, then used her fingers to ease the window open—creating a narrow slit through which she could see inside.

Inside sat a middle-aged man, medium build, plump hands, plump feet, plump belly—round and amiable, the classic merchant appearance.

But now his face was grim; he bent over his desk, writing a letter, his expression darkening.

Pan Yun watched silently as he frowned, rewrote the letter, revised it again, until half an hour later he burned two discarded sheets, blew dry the final version, and slipped it into a bamboo tube.

He picked up the bamboo tube and walked toward the window.

Pan Yun flipped over onto the rooftop.

As he opened the window, he frowned slightly, glanced at the latch, then leaned out to look below and to either side—found nothing unusual. Just as he was about to pull his head back, he suddenly looked upward—the eaves jutted out, no anomaly.

Pan Yun lay perfectly still on the rooftop. After a while, she heard a soft flute whistle below, and a pigeon fluttered in.

Pan Yun glanced at the pigeon and thought: it was as plump as its master—looked kind of tasty.

The pigeon flapped its wings, landing uneasily on the windowsill, shifting its legs.

The sulfur merchant didn't notice anything odd—he grabbed it, tied the bamboo tube to its leg, gave it a bit of food, and released it.

The pigeon fluttered away. Pan Yun, still lying on the rooftop, smiled faintly, heard the window shut below, and immediately rose, flying after the pigeon's path.

She chased it all the way outside the city, then leapt from a tree, snatched it midair, and landed.

She untied the bamboo tube, examined it closely—found red clay sealing the end; any movement would leave traces.

"Quite cautious."

Pan Yun gave the pigeon some of Pan Xiaohei's snacks, tied its leg to the side, then pulled out a small knife and carefully scraped off the red clay, opening the seal.

She unfolded the letter.

"For over three months, silver totals between 180,000 and 210,000 taels, all delivered to the Maritime Trade Office for imperial submission;

Wang Cong is a promising talent, with great interest in sulfur;

The wolf has been captured; whether to rescue or silence it, please give your orders, Lord;

The mouse is trying to escape. 」(End of Chapter)