"Young Master Li's renowned name can truly be said to have spread throughout the Four Seas and Eight Desolations by now."
Yu Su covered her mouth with a soft chuckle, her gaze toward Li Guanqi filled with palpable appreciation.
"My clan resides only a few hundred li from the Yongjiang River, which is why I know a little of Young Master Li's deeds."
Li Guanqi nodded slightly, though inwardly he was taken aback.
Judging by her demeanor, however, she likely did not know of his connection to Xutian Palace.
If she had, she would not have been the sole person sent to receive him today.
Xiahou Cang would certainly have treated him with utmost formality and come in person.
Still, since she did not know, so much the better.
Li Guanqi had no desire to expose his identity either, so he merely smiled and nodded.
The woman sat with poised and graceful posture, always looking directly at whoever she spoke with.
Perhaps because of Li Guanqi's eyes, her gaze remained centered on the space between his brows whenever she looked at him.
In doing so, she accorded him ample respect without appearing frivolous or rude.
Taking everything into account, Li Guanqi felt that the woman before him possessed an extraordinary mind.
Though her cultivation was not particularly high—only at the second layer of the Mystic Immortal realm—her speech, deportment, and the deliberate act of coming to seek him out struck him as anything but ordinary.
The moment Xiahou Cang had departed, she had come alone on his heels!
After a brief silence, Li Guanqi spoke softly.
"For Madam Yu to seek me out alone, I suspect it is not simply to invite me to sit in your manor, is it?"
"Besides, Castellan Xiahou had only just come to find me when you arrived..."
"If there is a matter at hand, why not speak plainly?"
Not a ripple of surprise appeared in Yu Su's eyes.
In her view, a figure of Li Guanqi's caliber ought to possess such shrewdness and depth.
A faint smile lingered on her face, and her gentle aura had a way of making people overlook the calculating mind beneath.
Sitting upright and dignified, Yu Su looked at Li Guanqi and said softly, "Young Master Li should already have a preliminary grasp of the balance of power in Dixiu Bay by now."
"Xialin City possesses a specialty item—the very stalk of Blood Calyx Flower my husband gifted to you."
Li Guanqi nodded slightly. He had already deduced a fair bit of this from the words of that manager at Wanbao Tower.
The woman kept her eyes on him, and seeing his calm composure, she felt an involuntary pang of admiration.
One had to remember that Li Guanqi had not arrived long ago; by all rights, he should not yet have been privy to such secrets.
Suddenly, as if a thought struck her, a faint glint flashed across her eyes.
*Could it be that he figured it out just from a single visit to Wanbao Tower?*
*How formidable...*
Yu Su realized that she ought to be more forthcoming in her speech.
"Young Master Li is indeed extraordinarily perceptive. Since that is the case, I will beat around the bush no longer."
"We will arrive at the manor shortly; let us sit down and discuss the details."
Li Guanqi gave a slight nod. He too wished to know why Yu Su had come seeking him.
Furthermore, she had not opened by offering thanks for the events of yesterday, which made it obvious that she had come for something else entirely.
Before long, the carriage halted in the courtyard of the Castellan Manor. Just as Li Guanqi stepped down, Xiahou Cang—whom he had met only moments earlier—approached to greet them.
Presumably, Yu Su had already informed her husband of the reason along the way.
Walking up to the carriage, the man personally stood below the vehicle and extended a hand to help his wife alight.
Then, looking at Li Guanqi as he stepped down, he cupped his hands with a warm smile. "I have presumed upon your patience to invite you back once more, young friend. Please forgive the imposition."
The servants throughout the manor were thoroughly astonished at the sight.
None of them could fathom why both the Castellan and the mistress of the house would show such deference to a mere youth.
Li Guanqi smiled, stepping down from the carriage and cupping his hands in return.
As for bowing?
He was a guest, someone who had been invited here; why should he bow?
Yu Su and her husband exchanged no unnecessary words, simply leading Li Guanqi toward the main hall.
Li Guanqi walked alongside Xiahou Cang, trailing just half a step behind.
The respect that was due still had to be given.
Xiahou Cang nodded inwardly, his impression of Li Guanqi's tact and sense of propriety quite favorable.
Upon entering the main hall of the Castellan Manor, one was greeted by magnificent luxury and an imposing aura.
Li Guanqi and the couple took seats opposite each other, and manor servants served spiritual fruits, tea, and refreshments.
Xiahou Cang waved a hand, dismissing all the servants and having the heavy double doors closed shut.
This sight caused Li Guanqi to raise an eyebrow as he took a sip of tea. It seemed this husband and wife truly had a favor to ask of him.
Xiahou Cang spoke up, sounding mildly puzzled. "Right, I remember you were accompanied by a senior elder, young friend. How is it that I do not see him?"
Li Guanqi set down his teacup and chuckled softly. "That elder of my clan went off to stroll on his own."
Xiahou Cang felt a sudden jolt in his heart. The entirety of Xialin City lay within his grasp; how could he not have noticed that an old man had vanished into thin air...?
The young man before him gave off an intensely enigmatic air.
Yu Su smiled at this point and said, "Young Master Li, please feel free to sample the pastries and tea of our manor; the flavor is quite delightful."
Li Guanqi waved a hand with a chuckle.
Looking straight at the two of them, he said candidly, "You two, if there is something to say, just say it. Let us be forthright."
At those words, the pair exchanged a glance, and Yu Su spoke directly: "Did you not discover that one of our manor's people had been killed, Young Master?"
Li Guanqi nodded slightly. "I did."
The woman signaled for Xiahou Cang to explain the rest.
The man pondered for a moment before speaking in a low, heavy voice. "That steward was indeed a manager from our manor, tasked specifically with the transport of Blood Calyx Flowers!"
Li Guanqi's brow knitted slightly as the scene of the elder's death played through his mind.
"That old man... was secretly pocketing the flowers and trading them behind the Castellan Manor's back?"
Li Guanqi's single remark struck Xiahou Cang's heart like a bolt of lightning, and he stared at Li Guanqi in disbelief.
Even Yu Su, seated beside him, said softly, "I told you long ago, Young Master Li is no ordinary person."
Xiahou Cang shook his head with a self-deprecating smile; it seemed he had truly underestimated his guest.
"What you say is correct, young friend. That steward had indeed colluded with outsiders for years, skimming Blood Calyx Flowers to trade with them."
Yet immediately afterward, Li Guanqi pointed out the crux of the problem.
"Since it was an underhanded collusion, the other party had no reason to kill him!"
"For a long-term partnership, how could they commit murder over a mere few stalks of Blood Calyx Flowers?"
Xiahou Cang's expression shifted repeatedly, any trace of his prior condescension completely erased.
His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest beside him. Only after the woman beside him gave his arm a gentle squeeze did the man slowly speak.
"Because... the mastermind behind it can no longer hold back from making a move against me!"
"A trade that can only take place once every few years is clearly no longer enough to satisfy them."
Li Guanqi closed his eyes in contemplation.
"No... that cannot be it."
Now even Yu Su looked at Li Guanqi with a startled gaze.
"Oh?"
"Then in your opinion, Young Master Li, what would be the reason?"
Li Guanqi opened his eyes and smiled, pointing a finger at Xiahou Cang. "If Castellan Xiahou does not lay out all the facts bare before me, I cannot analyze it either."
"Since you went to the trouble of inviting me back, why not explain everything clearly?"
"And besides... the reason you insisted on seeking me out is simply that I am an unfamiliar face and possess respectable strength, is it not?"
Chapter 1732