Flanked by an entourage of subordinates, Commandery Prince Anshun left his residence and headed for Qiao Yi's manor.
The location Li Banfeng had chosen was exceptionally fitting; had it been anywhere else, Commandery Prince Anshun might not have dared to go.
Going to Qiao Yi's manor posed no issue. For one, it served as proof that Qiao Yi was still alive, helping Commandery Prince Anshun temporarily keep the other Cabinet members in line. Second, Qiao Yi's manor was staffed entirely with his own people, meaning he would have means to respond if anything went awry.
Upon reaching the study, the Commandery Prince dismissed all his subordinates. After a wait of some ten-odd minutes, Li Banfeng slowly manifested inside the room.
"Greetings, Your Highness Prince!" Commandery Prince Anshun bowed deeply.
"No need for ceremony, Commandery Prince." Li Banfeng made a token gesture of raising him up.
The two took their seats, and the prince asked, "Since Your Highness summoned me here, I won't beat around the bush. My current predicament is indeed precarious. May I ask what means Your Highness has to assist me?"
Li Banfeng said, "The way I can help you is by making you emperor. First, tell me: what capital do you possess?"
The Commandery Prince spoke candidly, "I don't have much capital, and I fear the throne is beyond me. I'd be content if I could simply control the Cabinet like Lord Qiao."
This single sentence revealed a crucial piece of information: Qiao Yi was truly gone.
Li Banfeng asked further, "Why couldn't you become emperor? Aren't you bona fide imperial blood?"
The Commandery Prince gave a bitter smile. "The imperial clan has its branches too. Mine is the most ostracized. Best not to dwell on that."
Li Banfeng wore a look of concern. "Taking control of the Cabinet won't be easy either. Do the Cabinet members listen to you?"
The Commandery Prince lowered his head without a word. Clearly, he couldn't keep the Cabinet members under control.
Li Banfeng said, "If manpower is lacking, you must at least have some material assets."
The Commandery Prince raised his head, a hint of majesty entering his expression. "There are so many first-grade weapons in Chaoge, and all of them are at my command."
Showing a trace of admiration, Li Banfeng chuckled. "With such resources at your disposal, why not move right into the imperial palace? Anyone who disagrees, just kill them."
The Commandery Prince's face darkened. "Li Qi, I came to see you because you're the one in charge of Puluo Province. I don't want to fight Puluo Province anymore. If I can take control of the Cabinet, our two sides can establish friendly relations in the future. This is serious business—I didn't come here to be mocked by you."
Li Banfeng put away his smile as well. "Shunzi, I want to help you because I think you still have some capability. When I ask about your capital, you'd better answer truthfully. Don't try to hoodwink me with nonsense."
Commandery Prince Anshun asked, "What kind of capital are you actually asking about?"
Li Banfeng replied, "Domestically, you need an imperial seal, don't you? Otherwise, you can't even issue an imperial edict! Externally, you need the Great Totem, right? Without troops, how could you ever maintain order at court?"
Commandery Prince Anshun hung his head. "I have neither. Both imperial seals were stolen by He Jiaqing, and as for where the Great Totem is located, I haven't the slightest idea."
Li Banfeng rose to leave. "Shunzi, this is where you're in the wrong. If not for the Great Totem, you would've died at Santoucha long ago. Now you're telling me you don't know where it is—isn't that showing a total lack of sincerity?"
Commandery Prince Anshun hurriedly stopped him. "I know where the Great Totem is! But I don't know how to control it!"
Li Banfeng smiled. "Now that sounds more like it. How to use the Great Totem can be figured out over time, but you must have an imperial seal. Back then, Duan Tielu crafted that seal for Qiao Yi. Can you find Duan Tielu? Just have him make another one for you."
Commandery Prince Anshun said, "I know Duan Tielu's whereabouts, but I don't know if he'd be willing to help me."
Li Banfeng said, "Duan Tielu definitely won't be willing to help you. A man as suspicious as him—who knows how many tricks Qiao Yi had to use to sway him. We'll have to figure this out together. After all, he's from Puluo Province. If he still wants to turn a profit there, he can't bypass me. If I give him convenience, he'll naturally have to look out for you."
Commandery Prince Anshun nodded. "I believe you. If both of these things can be accomplished, I'm willing to sign a covenant deed with you. As long as I remain in office, the State of Shang will never attack Puluo Province."
Li Banfeng shook his head. "Shunzi, that bid of yours is too low. I help you pull off something this monumental, and all I get in return is peace?"
"Then what do you want?"
Li Banfeng said, "Dingye City looks pretty good to me. I want it as my fief from now on."
Commandery Prince Anshun's brows knitted tightly before slowly relaxing. "I agree to this."
"I'm a man who enjoys song and dance. Moyi is a city of song and dance; I want that as a fief as well."
Moyi was the capital of music and dance, home to half the music and dance houses in the State of Shang.
Commandery Prince Anshun gritted his teeth. "I agree to this too."
Li Banfeng produced covenant paper and wrote out the covenant deed. "Since you've agreed, press your handprint."
Commandery Prince Anshun pressed his handprint.
Li Banfeng stowed away the covenant deed. "First, tell me the location of the Great Totem. Don't you dare lie—it's stipulated in our covenant deed."
Commandery Prince Anshun said, "The Great Totem is located in Zhen, the capital of the former dynasty. The location of Zhen cannot be described in words, nor can it be drawn on a map, but I remember where it is. Let us choose a suitable date, and I will personally guide Your Highness to Zhen. What do you think?"
Li Banfeng pondered for a moment. "Once I've settled on a date, we'll set out."
Commandery Prince Anshun nodded. "Everything as Your Highness wishes."
With the matter properly settled between both parties, they left Qiao Yi's manor one after the other.
Back at his prince's residence, Commandery Prince Anshun rotated his shoulder and asked his right hand, "Is the hook removed?"
The right hand answered, "Removed right after leaving Qiao Yi's manor."
Commandery Prince Anshun smiled, detached his right hand, and placed it on the floor.
The right hand transformed into an attendant, standing respectfully at attention by his side.
This right hand was a first-grade weapon that possessed traits of both Peeping Cultivators and Martial Cultivators. Just moments ago, Commandery Prince Anshun had pressed his blood handprint onto the covenant deed using this very hand.
"Li Qi wanted to pry out the whereabouts of the Great Totem and Duan Tielu from me," Commandery Prince Anshun sneered. "Thinking he could gain such a massive advantage with just a few lies—he underestimates me far too much."
The attendant beside him asked, "Your Highness, why didn't you kill him earlier?"
Qiao Yi's manor housed numerous first-grade weapons, and Commandery Prince Anshun had also brought along plenty of weapons and personnel. Killing Li Qi wouldn't have been entirely out of the question.
Yet Commandery Prince Anshun had not wanted to take the risk—after all, he had been standing very close to Li Qi. Naturally, he couldn't say such things in front of a weapon. Moreover, he truly harbored other intentions in meeting Li Qi: "By borrowing Li Qi's reputation, we can accomplish a great deal. Many in the court are terrified of him, and this presents a fine opportunity to knock them into line. As for the matters he raised—the imperial seal and the Great Totem—those two points are indeed correct. Using his name, perhaps we really can see this through."
In Tianyi City, A'yu listened intently for a moment before telling Li Banfeng, "He says he wants to use your name to accomplish everything, both inside and out."
Li Banfeng nodded. "Let him do as he pleases. This hook won't be discovered, will it?"
A'yu shook her head. "He lacks the skill. This hook has three layers of shells in total. Even finding the first layer is quite an achievement for him."
Li Banfeng had known Commandery Prince Anshun wouldn't be easily duped. When arranging the meeting, he had never expected to directly extract the whereabouts of the Great Totem and Duan Tielu; his goal had simply been to plant the hook first.
Inside the study, Li Banfeng and the Heavenly Maiden had shielded A'yu together so she could plant the hook on Commandery Prince Anshun. To ensure the hook's safety, A'yu had crafted three layers of shells around it.
Li Banfeng was pursuing multiple angles, pulling out all the stops to gather intelligence: Zuo Anna, Yuan Miaoping, Luo Lijun, Pineapple, A'yu—it remained to be seen which avenue would turn up a lead first.
On the way back to Puluo Province, Li Banfeng asked A'yu, "Where is Zhen'e, the capital of the former dynasty?"
A'yu shook her head. "Zhen'e is a legendary realm. I've only heard the name; I don't know where it actually is."
Li Banfeng reflected for a moment: *Once I find a chance to visit the Outer States, perhaps there will be leads over there.*
A'yu advised against it. "If you're going to search for clues at the Dark Star Bureau, don't bother. The Dark Star Bureau has pitifully little information on Zhen'e. Rather than heading to the Outer States, you'd be better off seeking out Zhou Wencheng, known as Zhou Badou. In Puluo Province, only he has any real grasp of history, and he has collected quite a few books on the Xia Dynasty..."
A'yu paused, her thoughts seemingly disrupted.
Pineapple stepped forward and asked, "Senior, are you sensing something?"
"The hook picked up something!" A'yu looked at Li Banfeng.
It was truly unexpected: Commandery Prince Anshun was the last one Li Banfeng had contacted, yet information came through from him first.
Word for word, A'yu repeated the Commandery Prince's speech:
"'Whatever Qiao Yi gave you, I'll give you double... You don't have to worry about any of that, I've already talked it over with Li Qi... Let me tell you, if you want to return to Puluo Province, you need Li Qi's nod. He's the Grand Chief; you have no other choice... Naming those people is useless, those old fogies all listen to Li Qi now... Don't worry about Li Qi's cut, I'll provide it myself. Right now, all I want is the imperial seal... Your benefits are right in front of you. As long as you make the imperial seal for me, from now on, whether in Great Shang or in Puluo Province, no one will ever cause you trouble. I'll look out for you in Great Shang, and Li Qi will look out for you in Puluo Province. You can live wherever you please... Your past agreement with the Peddler no longer counts. Li Qi is the master now. Truth be told, Li Qi answers to me! If you refuse to cooperate with me, don't even dream of getting anywhere with Li Qi. If you go to Puluo Province, he will definitely take your life—'"
The communication cut off. A'yu relayed everything she had heard to Li Banfeng.
Yuan Miaoping cursed the Commandery Prince, "That shameless bastard! Our chief answers to him? What's he thinking? He's blowing so much hot air the cows are flying!"
Li Banfeng didn't care how much Commandery Prince Anshun bragged; what he cared about was why A'yu had only relayed the prince's words. "What about Duan Tielu? What did he say?"
A'yu remained silent for a long while. The Heavenly Maiden explained on her behalf, "There's no need to repeat Duan Tielu's side. One can pretty much guess the gist of it."
"Guess what gist?" Li Banfeng pressed impatiently. "Why not just say it directly?"
A'yu shook her head. "I didn't hear it."
Li Banfeng froze. "What do you mean, you didn't hear it?"
"I didn't hear a thing!" A'yu shook her head repeatedly. "I didn't even hear Duan Tielu's voice."
Li Banfeng was taken aback. "No way. Was his voice encrypted?"
Ba Suan interjected from the side, "Even if it's encrypted, that's nothing to fear! Even if it were a sheet of static, we'd have ways to decrypt it!"
A'yu activated a Peeping Cultivator technique: Isomorphic Reproduction.
She replayed the sounds she had heard in full fidelity, background noises included.
The sound of Commandery Prince Anshun sipping tea, slapping the table, and pacing back and forth could all be heard with crisp clarity.
Ba Suan asked, "Where is this encrypted voice of Duan Tielu's?"
Pineapple, also a top-tier Peeping Cultivator, listened for a long while before whispering, "The other party's voice truly cannot be heard."
The Heavenly Maiden surmised, "I suspect this Commandery Prince is bluffing. He can't reach Duan Tielu at all. He said all that just to test us."
Yuan Miaoping chimed in, "You mean he noticed Sister A'yu's hook, so he put on a show for us?"
The Heavenly Maiden said nothing.
A'yu shook her head vehemently. "It's impossible for him to see it. He doesn't have the skill. Duan Tielu replied just now—I sensed his reply! But I couldn't hear it. I don't know what method this is. Duan Tielu certainly doesn't possess such power; he couldn't evade my ears. I was just careless a moment ago!"
A'yu replayed the exchange once more, listening to it over and over dozens of times.
Li Banfeng felt that something was wrong with A'yu. "Elder Sister, that's enough for now. We can study it slowly later."
The Heavenly Maiden stepped right in front of A'yu to stop her. "There's no need to take it to heart. This isn't a big deal. If you can't hear it, so be it. There will be plenty of chances later—"
"Get away!" A'yu shoved the Heavenly Maiden aside, blood vessels bursting across her eyes.
The others didn't understand why A'yu was being so obstinate, but the Heavenly Maiden did. To sense that someone was speaking yet not hear a single sound—this was the first time A'yu had ever encountered such a thing.
After another ten-odd minutes, A'yu collapsed to the ground with a thud, unable to rise.
The Heavenly Maiden supported A'yu and told Li Banfeng, "Take her back to the dwelling! She's injured!"
Li Banfeng returned to the companion dwelling, then used Broadening the Bridal Chamber to bring A'yu back to the house in Hulu Village.
Ba Suan couldn't comprehend it. "Is this an obsession among Peeping Cultivators? The moment you can't hear something, you have to torture yourself like this?"
Pineapple shook his head. "This isn't an obsession of Peeping Cultivators; it's her obsession. She is the strongest Peeping Cultivator in the world. If she loses to Duan Tielu, it means the entire Dao lineage has lost to Duan Tielu."
Li Banfeng settled A'yu back in the house. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he went to ask his lady about the imperial seal.
The Heavenly Maiden stayed behind to look after A'yu. From within the house, the chuckle of an old man echoed: "A dwelling spirit ought to guard the house. Running outside for no good reason—this is what you get."
An old woman upstairs sighed. "You can't blame A'yu for this. The master of the house told her to go."
The old man gloated, "I didn't say who's to blame. I'm just reminding her: no matter how big the matter is, she'd best stay home in the future. A dwelling spirit wandering around outside all the time—what kind of decorum is that!"
"Silence!" the Heavenly Maiden snapped.
The old man was startled. "Who do you think you are, telling me not to speak?"
*Whoosh~*
A gentle breeze swept through, lifting strands of the Heavenly Maiden's hair. A chill, murderous aura permeated the entire room.
"What are you trying to do?" The old man grew tense, but he didn't back down.
A woman next door warned, "Everyone, be careful. She's an extremely formidable Dwelling Cultivator. Beware of her usurping our nest."
"You dare!" the old man gritted out. "We'll fight you to the end!"
The Heavenly Maiden said slowly, "I have no desire to fight you, nor do I wish to waste words on you. I have an agreement with Li Qi. As long as that agreement stands, I will not seize his dwellings."
The ten dwellings listened to her in absolute silence, poised at any moment for a bitter battle.
The Heavenly Maiden indeed had no intention of battling them. "You have only this one dwelling spirit, and your master is not a man content to stay guarding the hearth. If anything happens to your dwelling spirit, none of your future days will be livable. Put all your abilities to use and help A'yu recover as soon as possible. She pushed her techniques too hard; she may have already injured her soul."
Zhao Xiaowan followed Li Banfeng back to the companion dwelling and rolled out the Dark Bridge Cannon.
Seeing the Dark Bridge Cannon, A'yi was overjoyed. "Sister, this is marvelously made! Isn't this just an enlarged imperial seal?"
Qiu Luoye froze. "What connection does this thing have to an imperial seal? They don't look remotely alike!"
A'yi said impatiently, "They don't say you have a long nose and short wit for nothing. Go home and cook dinner; don't make trouble here."
Qiu Luoye stalked off in a huff. Zhao Xiaowan activated the Dark Bridge Cannon and said to A'yi, "It's not quite the same as an imperial seal. You'll understand once you see it."
Although there was no Boundary ahead, the Dark Bridge Cannon still erected a dark bridge. Zhao Xiaowan took out two imperial seals and handed them to Li Banfeng.
After about two seconds, the imperial seals lit up.
Li Banfeng was surprised. "Why is that?"
According to Li Banfeng's understanding, the imperial seals only lit up when encountering the entrance or exit of a road.
Zhao Xiaowan explained, "The reason is that the imperial seals have discovered the road."
"Discovered the road? Isn't it the entrance to a road?" Li Banfeng asked, puzzled.
Zhao Xiaowan said, "At first, I also assumed the imperial seals sensed entrances. But there are far too many entrances, all bizarre and varied, impossible to distinguish. The reason the seals can identify each entrance is that they recognize the road—because all these entrances connect to the very same road."
While Li Banfeng was still pondering the theory, A'yi was already eager to get her hands on it. "Xiaowan, let me try!"
She shifted to a different spot and fired up the Dark Bridge Cannon once more.
After the dark bridge manifested, the imperial seals lit up again two seconds later.
Even granting that the seals recognized the road, Li Banfeng still didn't quite understand. "The dark bridge is a temporary road we built. The seals even recognize this?"
Zhao Xiaowan shook her head repeatedly. "My precious husband, the bridge is temporarily built, but the road is not temporarily constructed. Your servant has told you many times, but you never take it to heart. This road has existed for ages, just as Professor Yu Yaoming, the wormhole expert, described in his lecture notes: wormholes were there from the beginning, and all we found was a method to enter and exit them. Even though your servant crafted the Dark Bridge Cannon, I could never figure out which road the dark bridge was being erected across. Thinking about it now, it seems clear."
Li Banfeng was astonished. Something Yu Yaoming hadn't figured out in half a lifetime, his lady had solved?
Just as he was about to press for details, A'yi stopped Zhao Xiaowan. "Sister, I've researched this matter for many years too. We can't talk about it out here. Some things shouldn't be overheard. Let's head inside."
Li Banfeng stowed away the Dark Bridge Cannon and followed A'yi and his lady indoors.
His lady hung blueprints of the Dark Bridge Cannon and the imperial seals on the wall. "Don't you think these two diagrams look very similar?"
A'yi said, "I don't need blueprints; just looking at the real things told me they were alike. Leave those diagrams for your man to look at."
Li Banfeng shot A'yi a glare. He stared intently at the blueprints—the drawings really were quite pleasing to look at!
"Actually, the principle here is very simple," his lady said, pointing to each blueprint in turn. "There is only one road, but it has many entrances and exits, just like the expressways in the Outer States. These entrances and exits are fixed. To open them, you need a key to the door, and the imperial seal is that key."
Li Banfeng thought for a moment. "Without a key, is there no way onto the road?"
His lady shook her head. "Without a key, there are other methods. For example, building a bridge from the outside to force a way onto the road—that is the Dark Bridge Cannon."
A'yi gazed at the Dark Bridge Cannon for a long time, still turning over Xiaowan's words in her mind.
Li Banfeng didn't quite grasp it. "My lady, are you saying the road from the Inner States to Santoucha and the road from the Inner States to Scoundrel Ridge are the very same road?"
His lady nodded. "They are the exact same road. The imperial seals have a special resonance with this road, which is why they light up near entrances and exits."
"That can't be right..." Li Banfeng recalled the Heavenly Maiden's explanation of roads. "Different regions being connected by different roads—that I can understand. But different regions all being connected by the very same road? That makes no sense to me."
Zhao Xiaowan understood how he felt. "Certain things here cannot be reasoned out by sheer intuition; they require calculations, extensive derivations, and experiments. There are aspects my husband might not understand just yet..."
Li Banfeng bristled. "What kind of talk is that? Looking down on me? I went to university!"
Zhao Xiaowan quickly soothed him, "Your servant was only worried she was too clumsy with words to explain it clearly. In a couple of days, once your servant compiles the derivations, you'll understand at a single glance."
Li Banfeng wasn't certain he could actually understand the derivation process. "My lady, didn't you mention experiments too? Run an experiment for me to see."
Zhao Xiaowan said, "That is simple. Husband, no matter where you move the Dark Bridge Cannon, as long as it generates a dark bridge, the imperial seals will resonate. That proves the dark bridge connects to the exact same road every single time."
Li Banfeng shook his head. "When the Dark Bridge Cannon fires up, it's accompanied by violent electromagnetic induction. Maybe it's just electromagnetic induction causing the seals to glow."
Zhao Xiaowan pressed her lips tight, her nose twitching for a moment before she nodded. "What my husband says makes sense too."
Li Banfeng said indignantly, "What, looking down on me again?"
"Husband, you misunderstand! How could your servant ever—"
A'yi cut in, "Brother, stop talking. Even I'm looking down on you now. Do you think the imperial seal is a lightbulb? Do you think Xiaowan wouldn't have thought of something so obvious?"
Li Banfeng looked at Zhao Xiaowan. "My lady, did you think of it?"
Zhao Xiaowan lowered her head. "Before my husband mentioned it, your servant certainly hadn't thought of it."
A'yi grew exasperated. "You coddle him like this? Don't you know doting mothers spoil their sons? If my mother hadn't spoiled me rotten, would she have ended up turning into my sister?"
Li Banfeng fell silent. Compared to these two, he was indeed an amateur in this field.
A'yi stared at the two blueprints, lost in thought for a long while.
Zhao Xiaowan said, "I have only deduced a theory, and much of it still needs verification. It is only right that my husband raises questions."
A'yi pinched her chin. "I actually have a splendid experiment in mind, but I don't know whether I should run it. If I do, the very foundation of my livelihood will be handed over to you. But if I don't, it really itches at my heart."
Li Banfeng urged, "Then do it. It's miserable leaving an itch unscratched."
A'yi looked at Li Banfeng. "We do it right now?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "What are we waiting for?"
Zhao Xiaowan said, "Then I shall watch closely—"
Weighing the matter again and again, A'yi led Zhao Xiaowan and Li Banfeng to a cavern.
This mountain sat at the edge of the gourd's belly. Though Li Banfeng had lived in Hulu Village for some time, he remained completely unfamiliar with this mountain.
The cave was exceptionally narrow, with myriad forks. Following A'yi for over half an hour, the two finally reached a slightly roomier spot.
"Roomier" meant a mere five or six square meters. A'yi opened a secret panel in the stone wall, revealing three valves inside. She shut two of them.
The instant those valves were shut, Li Banfeng sensed an ominous danger. "Elder Sister, what are you doing?"
A'yi turned back to look at Li Banfeng and Zhao Xiaowan. "Normally, the gourd is cloaked from village head to village end beneath hundreds of layers of curtains, specifically to keep others from sensing it. Brother, do you understand what that means?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "Of course I understand. Stealth and shielding!"
Zhao Xiaowan praised him, "Well said, husband!"
A'yi pointed to the third valve. "If this valve is also shut, the curtains will be drawn back, and Hulu Village will be exposed. Brother, you catch my drift?"
Li Banfeng nodded. "I get it. Stop asking me every two seconds."
Zhao Xiaowan explained, "A'yi, my husband is just afraid I won't understand."
A'yi rested her right hand on the valve. "Hulu Village is something I created. The Peddler lent a hand, and Old Train lent a hand too. And precisely because they helped, certain things became all the more complicated. For all these years, Hulu Village has traveled through secrecy, but what 'secrecy' truly is—to be frank, even I don't understand."
This time Li Banfeng really didn't understand. "You don't understand what secrecy is, yet you can navigate Hulu Village through it?"
A'yi nodded. "It's the same principle as people from the Outer States. Many of them can write programs on a computer, but how the computer actually runs via electricity and magnetism is something they don't truly understand. Now, I want to figure it out!"
As she spoke, A'yi began slowly turning the valve. "I can only keep the valve shut for two seconds, or Hulu Village might be exposed."
Li Banfeng understood what she meant, and he took out the imperial seals.
With a flick of A'yi's wrist, the valve was completely shut.
Li Banfeng looked down at the imperial seals.
At first, the seals showed no reaction. After nearly a second, they began emitting a faint light.
After nearly another second, the imperial seals grew steadily brighter.
Li Banfeng was astonished.
A'yi was equally astonished.
She immediately turned the valve back, and the glow of the imperial seals vanished at once.
Zhao Xiaowan murmured under her breath, "So Hulu Village... is also on this road."
P.S.: Besides Hulu Village, what else is on the road?
Chapter 850