Chapter 32: Go Soak Her!

Ji You was then asked to leave the Office of Affairs, and as he departed, he called out Xiang Kuangcheng to come with him.

The last time they met, Kuangcheng said he had joined the Office of Immortal Supervision, but he still couldn’t fathom why the Heavenly Book Academy had summoned him.

“On the day you were attacked, I was just investigating another missing persons case.”

“Another one?”

Ji You was greatly surprised upon hearing Kuangcheng’s words—how could there be so many missing persons cases these days?

Kuangcheng saw the question in Ji You’s eyes and immediately said: “After the Office of Immortal Supervision was established, His Majesty intended to use tax embezzlement as an entry point, ordering us to thoroughly investigate Wei Li’s collusion with Prince Chong. One of the cases involved a missing persons incident.”

“Aren’t you a civil official? You’re supposed to just dabble in literature—why are you personally investigating cases?”

“My colleagues in the Office think that even if we uncover the truth, it won’t hurt Prime Minister Wei at all, so they’re unwilling to dig deeper. I’ve had to search for clues during my off-hours.”

Ji You looked at him: “What missing persons case?”

Kuangcheng lowered his voice: “Do you remember I mentioned to you that there’s an orphanage for the destitute in Xicheng?”

“I remember—you spent all my money there.”

“That was my money!”

Kuangcheng retorted, then continued: “Before we came to the capital, that orphanage lost many children in a single night—mostly abandoned infants. I was investigating the streets when the Heavenly Book Academy summoned me for questioning.”

Ji You frowned deeply—he wondered whether it was just because Yuyang County was isolated, or whether real suspicion had truly begun to stir during this period.

First, students went missing from the academy; then, Old Qiu wrote saying livestock vanished from Thirty-Mile Post; now Kuangcheng told him many children had disappeared from Shengjing.

These missing persons had nothing in common—people, cattle, and horses couldn’t be lumped together.

Yet for some reason, their disappearances all occurred with uncanny timing, as if deliberately arranged in sequence, inevitably sparking associations.

After long thought, Ji You snapped back: “Have you found any clues?”

“Because I once donated quilts to the children there, some of them aren’t wary of me. They told me privately that on several nights, they heard people coming and going through the door, and the sound of large carriage wheels.”

Kuangcheng rolled up his sleeves: “Only post stations or major trading houses have large carriages. Trading houses are hard to investigate, so I plan to start by probing the post stations.”

Ji You frowned at this: “Going alone like this, with no backup, is far too risky.”

“That’s precisely why you need to become the head of the Heavenly Book Academy as soon as possible.”

“I already told you—I can’t outlast him.”

Ji You frowned and thought for a long while: “Tell me, does Prince Chong have a daughter?”

Kuangcheng paused: “Prince Chong’s mansion has a princess, but she’s said to have exceptional cultivation talent—one of the rare gifted ones in the imperial family—and later took up the Daoist lineage of Spirit Sword Mountain.”

Wait a minute—Ji You interrupted him—“The Heavenly Book Academy is the Great Xia Sacred Sect—how is Prince Chong’s daughter practicing the Spirit Sword Mountain lineage?”

“It’s said His Majesty forbids imperial relatives from cultivating, but Prince Chong is cunning—he invited a highly accomplished Daoist from Spirit Sword Mountain to reside in his mansion.”

Prince Chong has always been pro-immortal, coveting the throne; clearly, the Emperor isn’t foolish—he forbade anyone in the mansion from cultivating to curb him.

After pondering, Ji You looked up: “Then the princess isn’t suitable. What about Wei Li? Does he have a daughter?”

“Yes—she’s the same age as my mother. She married an official from the Ministry of Revenue long ago. We’ve already identified Wei Li’s daughter as one of our investigation targets.”

“Do you mind… older? Older’s actually better—they know how to care for you.”

Ji You gave up immediately.

This era was still feudal—no room for such shocking ideas.

Kuangcheng was utterly confused—he didn’t understand what “older” meant, what “older” referred to, or how Wei Li’s daughter had anything to do with him.

After a moment, Ji You spoke again: “Does Wei Li have a granddaughter, then?”

Kuangcheng thought: “Yes—he has a granddaughter. She’s said to be well-read, gentle, and refined.”

Ji You nodded, studying Kuangcheng: “Has anyone ever told you that handsome men like you and me—even looking at a dog feels tender?”

Kuangcheng blinked: “What do you mean?”

Ji You pulled him down into the grass by the mountain’s foot and crouched: “Find a chance to bump into her—kick her calf, or just pick up something and ask if it’s hers. Just create some connection.”

Kuangcheng crouched in the grass, bewildered: “And then?”

“After you know her, show off your charm—compose poetry, flirt, be aloof yet close, make her fall for you.”

Kuangcheng immediately flushed red: “I haven’t achieved anything yet—how can I even think of romance!”

Ji You sighed: “Power spreads in only three ways: sex, blood, mother-child. You’re alone now—even if you uncover something, can you survive? To make Wei Li hesitate, you must do this.”

Kuangcheng thought long and hard: “Ji brother, do you like older women? Does your headmaster have a daughter?”

“Hah—you learn fast. Guess you’ve figured it out. Get lost!”

Watching Kuangcheng descend the mountain, Ji You planned to return to the Azure Lake Villa, when suddenly a group approached him.

These were the wandering cultivators from other sects who had watched the battle on the street—now each held their swords and bowed deeply before him, over twenty in total.

“Young Master Ji, I’m Bai Xi, a wandering cultivator from Spirit Sword Mountain.”

“I’m Chen Buwang of the Chen Immortal Clan—honored to meet you, Brother Ji.”

“Qiu Ni of the Mountain Sea Pavilion!”

Ji You looked at them: “What do you all want from me?”

Bai Xi respectfully replied: “After seeing your sword on the street, I’ve been unable to forget it—do those three strikes have a name?”

Ji You thought: “Three Swords Return to Origin.”

Those around exchanged glances and nodded in admiration—what a mighty name.

Bai Xi then asked: “May I ask, Young Master Ji, who was your sword master?”

Ji You instantly understood—they wanted to learn swordplay: “My master is the sword master Wang Xin’an, who loves his job. If you wish to learn, I can arrange it on his behalf—one tael per person.”

At this, the group froze for a moment, then quickly pulled silver taels from their sleeves and belts…

Wang Xin’an had been having an absolute blast these past few days—sipping tea and slacking off daily in the Sword Trial Grove, utterly delighted.

But just then, a group of disciples from other sects stormed toward the Sword Trial Grove.

The noisy footsteps grew louder, waking Wang Xin’an from his tea meditation.

What the hell is going on?

Wang Xin’an rose from his wicker chair and saw a crowd rushing toward him, kneeling on one knee, begging him to teach them swordplay.

Seeing this, Wang Xin’an immediately understood—Ji You’s battle yesterday had stunned them, and now they’d learned he was his sword master, so they’d come to learn.

Wang Xin’an laughed for a long while: “Though I do love teaching swordplay, and I’ve never grown weary of it daily, you’re not students of the Heavenly Book Academy—how can you learn here?”

“But Brother Ji already took money.”

“?????”

(End of Chapter)