Search It All!

Cen Boqing spun around abruptly, his composed demeanor entirely shattered. "Fu... Crown Prince, my household's old servant has committed no crime; he has merely been framed! Under what charge is he being taken into custody?" "Anyone under suspicion must be summoned for questioning," Fu Shanyue replied unhurriedly. "This is standard procedure. Ask any resident of Baishaqu—who wouldn't know that?" Magistrate Tian gave a pointed look, and the bailiffs stepped forward. The Cen Residence was hardly going to allow this. Their guards instantly drew their weapons, blades ringing as they raised them in defiance. Commander Lu waved his hand, and hundreds of soldiers unsheathed their swords as well. In less than half a quarter of an hour, swords were drawn and tension flared once more before the gates of the Cen Residence. The watching crowd retreated two steps in unison, dreading getting caught in the crossfire. Fu Shanyue straightened up in the saddle, his voice turning sinister. "Cen Boqing, do you truly dare defy the law and breach imperial bans in my presence?" The moment his fury flared, an invisible, malevolent aura rolled out in all directions. Along the roadside, saplings and blades of grass sprouting from stone cracks—even the meticulously cultivated blossoms in the planters outside the Cen Residence walls—wilted and withered on the spot. The onlookers' mounts began neighing uneasily and stamping their hooves. He Lingchuan patted down his bighorn rock sheep, inwardly musing that Fu Shanyue's cultivation had managed to advance yet again in such a short span of time. That Emperor's Flowing Dew on Three Hearts Plain truly hadn't gone to waste. In a standoff like this, Fu Shanyue and the Chiyan authorities certainly wouldn't be the ones to suffer. One look at Fu Shanyue's unruffled confidence made that abundantly clear. Cen Boqing, by contrast, broke out in a cold sweat, his eyes shifting nervously. He drew a deep breath and suddenly declared, "Wu Kai is not here." "Oh?" Fu Shanyue's eyes narrowed. "Where did he go?" "I dispatched him back to Lingxu City. He has already departed ahead of us," Cen Boqing said with a grim face. "By now, he should already be out of the city. You won't catch him." "You're trying to flee yourself, yet he somehow left ahead of you?" Fu Shanyue marveled. "Why do I find that hard to believe?" He cast a glance at He Lingchuan, who shook his head. Naturally, not a single word of Cen Boqing's could be trusted. "Believe it or not, as you please," Cen Boqing said coldly. "I can swear to the heavens that he truly is not here. If I lie, may nine bolts of lightning pierce my heart and strike me dead!" "Let them pierce it or not, I don't give a damn." Fu Shanyue flicked his riding whip. As if he would believe some bullshit oath—he trusted only his own eyes. "Go in and search the entire place! Commander Lu, if anyone dares resist, strike them dead where they stand!" "Understood!" Backed by the Crown Prince, Commander Lu was thoroughly delighted. With a broad sweep of his arm, the Chiyan rank-and-file puffed out their chests and surged straight into the Cen Residence. Whenever a guard from the Cen Residence tried to bar their path, spears, halberds, and sabers greeted them without hesitation. These were men of Lingxu City. Usually, the ordinary Chiyan foot soldiers had to bow, scrape, and detour around them. When had they ever had such a chance to hold their heads high? At the thought, they drove their weapons forward with redoubled savagery. The Cen Residence guards originally wanted to fight back, but four or five opponents swarmed each one of them. Two fists were no match for ten hands, and in no time at all, they were beaten black and blue. Seeing that a bloody clash was brewing and that his side was getting the worst of it, Cen Boqing said through gritted teeth, "Everyone stand down! Let them search!" The final words squeezed through his jaws dripping with venom. The Cen Residence was sprawling, but it was no match for five hundred soldiers rampaging everywhere like wolves and tigers. These rank-and-file soldiers were crude to a fault. Searching was one thing, but they frequently 'accidentally' overturned furniture, trampled garden beds, and smashed fine vases and jars... The spectators gathered outside heard clatter after crash echoing from beyond the high walls, their faces filled with marvel. A few busybodies even clambered up into the tall trees, craning their necks to peer inside. By the time the five hundred men finished tearing through the Cen Residence, quite a few gold-inlaid fittings had vanished, the fine ornaments on the rockeries were nowhere to be found, and two roast geese not yet fully cooked in the kitchen had mysteriously disappeared. Even a couple of jars of pickled vegetables seemed to be missing... All told, Commander Lu gave a loud report: "Your Highness, we have searched every corner of the Cen Residence, but Wu Kai was not found." Fu Shanyue nodded, only then turning back to Cen Boqing. "It seems Wu Kai really did grease his soles and slip away. Well then, Lord Cen, please return inside. I'll come by later to share a drink with you." Cen Boqing flung his sleeve and, without sparing him another glance, wheeled around and strode back into his residence. The carriages of the Cen household also filed slowly back inside one after another. Commander Lu still posted men to guard the Cen Residence, sealing it three layers deep, inside and out, so tightly that not a drop of water could trickle through. The signal sent by these actions was virtually equivalent to the Crown Prince pointing straight at Cen Boqing's nose and shouting 'murderer.' No one could mistake it. The watching crowd was no longer content with merely pointing and whispering. Adults laughed, children frolicked, and wandering peddlers hawking melon seeds, baked flatbreads, and candied haws hurried over to join the bustle. "They're not giving the Cen Residence an ounce of face at all." "The Crown Prince is truly the Crown Prince. He won't coddle those bastards." "The Crown Prince's special envoy is formidable as well—he actually managed to drag the Cen Residence into the open!" "High time, too! They've strutted around lording it over everyone for years without anyone daring to touch them! I heard that when the Cen Residence's hound bit someone, the victim had to go to their door to apologize to the dog... Hey, give me a flatbread!" Some also voiced concern: "Can this really work? Won't there be trouble later?" "Even if there is, it's none of your business. The Crown Prince is right here." Ignoring everyone else, Fu Shanyue first ordered Commander Lu to launch an urgent citywide search for Wu Kai, and only then did he clap He Lingchuan on the shoulder. "Let's find somewhere nearby to talk." At once, six or seven local officials stepped forward, eagerly competing to invite the Crown Prince to stay at their private manors. "People coming and going at your places will only be inconvenient." Fu Shanyue glanced back and pointed casually toward the inn with the largest signboard on the street. "I'll stay there." No one dared object. *** A quarter of an hour later, Tongyun Inn was emptied of guests and designated as the Crown Prince's quarters. From that moment on, the Crown Prince had reserved the entire place; unauthorized persons were strictly forbidden from approaching. Fu Shanyue's guest courtyard was at least twice as large as He Lingchuan's guest room, and heavy guards were posted both inside and outside the inn. Compared to Fu Shanyue's current display of pomp, Zhongsun Mou's earlier airs paled in comparison. He Lingchuan had no choice but to pack his bedding and move over. Before checking out, he handed the basin holding the severed lotus root to the innkeeper's attendant, instructing him to take the basin to Magistrate Tian to claim a reward, saying that the Water Spirit might still be saved... Out of respect for Heaven's love of life—and because He Lingchuan was genuinely grateful to it for giving Fan Sheng such a sound thrashing—he had tossed a bit of spiritual medicine into the basin. Whether it survived from here on would depend on the lotus demon's own fate. The tiger Jiao Yu accompanied He Lingchuan into Tongyun Inn, promptly settling down beside the doorway. An attendant moved to serve tea, but Fu Shanyue waved him off. "Who drinks tea? Bring wine!" He grabbed two cups and personally filled one to the brim for He Lingchuan. "Come, this cup is to toast you..." "For cracking the case?" "No, to toast you for venting my anger on my behalf." Fu Shanyue slapped the table and laughed heartily. "Zhongsun Mou was always scheming to oppose me. Now he's dead—and good riddance! He died as he deserved!" Was 'died as he deserved' really the phrase to use here? He Lingchuan took a sip of wine. "This place faces the street. Aren't you afraid word will spread that you're using public authority to settle private grudges?" "So what if they do?" Fu Shanyue let out a cold chuckle. "Back when Fu Shanji was still around, everyone assumed he would eventually inherit the throne. The likes of Zhongsun Mou treated me with utter disregard and contempt back in Lingxu City. Did they ever imagine they would suffer this fate today? It serves as a lesson to them; otherwise, those fools will rely on their pedigree and never learn reverence!" He Lingchuan frowned. "The courier case was an absolute mess. Why did Zhongsun Mou go out of his way to shield Cen Boqing?" "Only he himself could know the true reason, but if I had to guess, it probably has something to do with his great-grandfather." Fu Shanyue stroked his chin. "His great-grandfather is over two hundred years old and has long been retired. A few years ago, word had it he fell gravely ill twice and nearly didn't make it. Later, somehow or other, he gradually recovered, and he's still alive and kicking to this day." There was no need to spell it out; He Lingchuan understood at once. "You believe his great-grandfather took the elixir of immortality?" "How else would he prolong his life and extend his years?" Jiaoren naturally had longer lifespans than humans, and with the elixir of immortality, one could extend their days even past two hundred. "That old man has vast connections in Lingxu City and frequently associates with high-ranking officials; he remains the pillar of the Zhongsun clan. Would it be any surprise if he procured the elixir?" "My guess is that Cen Boqing used this matter to blackmail Zhongsun Mou, demanding that he take Fu Songhua back as a scapegoat to close the case. That way, the truth about Cen Boqing slaughtering demons for their pearls and secretly refining the elixir of immortality would remain buried beneath the surface." A treasure like the elixir of immortality, if consumed without an imperial bestowal, had certainly been obtained through illicit channels. "The Cen Residence had long prepared the evidence to frame someone." "Exactly. If you hadn't barged in and disrupted everything, given the spineless nature of these Chiyan officials, their scheme would have gone off without a hitch." Fu Shanyue raised his cup again. "Come, a toast to you." He Lingchuan could hardly refuse. "Before ever arriving in Baishaqu or meeting Cen Boqing, Zhongsun Mou had already meddled in the courier case. Why was that?" "Didn't I say the man was utterly petty?" Fu Shanyue sneered. "He must have heard that the case had been assigned to me, so he rushed over in a panic to seize it, wanting to show me who was boss. And what happened? In the end, he ended up with a fistful of shit he couldn't shake off. He must have regretted it to death afterward." At this, he downed three cups in succession. "The Inspector was abducted and his whereabouts are unknown. I have already sent a flying dispatch to Lingxu City." Fu Shanyue knew that such matters could not be delayed. "This is of grave consequence; Lingxu City will definitely dispatch officials down to conduct a thorough investigation." "With his son-in-law under investigation, the Minister of Agriculture in Lingxu City can't possibly sit by without reacting, can he?" "He isn't just a figurehead. You were right to send for me." The situation had escalated beyond what a so-called special envoy of the Crown Prince could handle. "Over the next few days, we must move fast—arrest whoever needs arresting, and interrogate whoever needs interrogating." "Couldn't you have delayed reporting to Lingxu City by a few days to buy us some time?" "No! Cen Boqing has probably already sent people to Lingxu City to seek help. The earlier this is reported, the better; otherwise, we'll lose the initiative." Fu Shanyue scoffed. "Besides, there's no telling when Lingxu City will actually dispatch someone down here. I wager it won't be anytime soon." "Why?" "Bickering back and forth over the choice of envoy alone will take at least several days, won't it?" Fu Shanyue smiled. "And for that envoy to travel from Lingxu City all the way to Baishaqu will take quite a few days more, won't it?" Considering Fu Shanyue's background, He Lingchuan was convinced he understood these inner workings thoroughly. At this point, Fu Shanyue's smile faded. "Just now, I questioned several guards by the lake. After Zhongsun Mou was swallowed by the snail-toad, they saw Wu Kai still accompanying Cen Boqing as they withdrew and left. Which is to say, Wu Kai was still present back then. Yet less than an hour and a half later, Cen Boqing claimed he had already sent Wu Kai off to Lingxu City ahead of them."