Demoness, where are you Fleeing to?
Chapter 259 - 223: Confrontation_1

Chapter 259: Chapter 223: Confrontation_1

About an hour later, Gongsun Xue piled up several mountains of scrolls in front of Li Xuan and the others.

"These are the accounts of three kinds of supplies, paper, sulphur, and charcoal, for the past six months. They are all here. If you want to investigate any further back, you have to go to Zhuque House to get the files."

Li Xuan was shocked: "This much? Could there be a mistake?"

"It’s that much." Gongsun Xue explained with a bitter smile: "It’s impossible for us to create separate account books for these supplies, they are all mixed together. However, every piece of paper is recorded and then recycled one by one. How much charcoal is used every day, on every level, is also recorded. So our documentation here is very complicated."

Li Xuan silently looked at the small mountains before his eyes, thinking that both Peng Fulai and Zhang Yue would get dizzy at the sight of a book. Such a heavy workload would be unrealistic for him and Yue Qianqian alone.

He pondered: "Call some of your clerks from the record room, I need you to compile a summary register for me."

Gongsun Xue was surprised at his words and showed some resistance: "But we have other tasks on hand, especially after this incident, many supplies need to be re-counted. The demons in custody also need to be documented—"

"You can’t spare even three or five people?" Li Xuan gave her a stern look, brandishing the edict given to him by the Fumo Zongguan: "Anyway, first complete the accounts for these three kinds of supplies. By the way, are these the only clerks here? Call those who are off duty as well. Such a big incident has happened at Zhenyao Tower, how dare you slack off?"

Obviously, Gongsun Xue was in a dilemma, but she was clearly not the assertive type. Pressed by Li Xuan’s edict, she agreed hesitantly.

Luckily, Li Xuan gave her a solution: "If there’s a shortage of manpower, go and borrow some from Zhuque House and the book collection building, say it’s the will of the General."

——There were many clerks over there, and also managers of the documents, who were not busy.

Just as Gongsun Xue’s eyes lit up and she stepped toward the door, Zhang Yue took the opportunity to admire her figure, wistfully praising, "Lord Wang is truly lucky, with such a beautiful wife, what more could a man ask for? Look at her figure, her looks, her aura, she’s far more attractive than young girls. What a virtuous wife she is! Comparing her to the ladies of the Qinhuai River, the taste is incomparable."

"I feel the same! If I could experience her charm, I would be willing to live ten years less—nevermind!"

Peng Fulai suddenly remembered that Wang Shouyi could indeed make him live ten years less. He quickly shook his head, thinking that his life was more important. Then he said with some doubt: "But this Madam Wang, she looks somewhat absent-minded, doesn’t she? It seems like she has something on her mind."

Li Xuan glanced at him and thought that this guy wasn’t like Zhang Yue who only drooled over a respectable woman.

Yue Qianqian, on the other hand, could not bear to see Zhang Peng’s lustful behavior any longer. She glared at them with a wooden face and a displeased expression: "What are you talking about? Be respectful!"

Perhaps she felt her tone was too harsh, or perhaps due to the surprised looks from Li Xuan and Peng Fulai, Yue Qianqian felt a bit guilty. She softened her tone: "I advise you not to have unsuitable thoughts. You can’t afford to offend this Madam Wang. Her grandfather, Gongsun He, was the master of the White Tiger Hall thirty years ago. Although he has passed away, his disciples are placed throughout the Liudao Division.

Also, her sister, Gongsun Ling, is one of the seven Neijianchashi. Her brother-in-law is the Fumo Zhonglangjiang of Qinglong Hall, Lei Zhen. The whole family hold high-ranking positions. If you dare to offend her, those people will tear you apart."

Both Zhang Yue and Peng Fulai found it odd and exchanged puzzled glances. They felt that Yue Qianqian was not quite herself today, as if she had eaten gunpowder. Not only was she cold towards Li Xuan, keeping a distance of more than three feet at all times, but she was also blunt to both of them.

Li Xuan, however, thought Zhang Yue’s elder brother Lei Yun was the same Zhonglangjiang Lei Zhen, wasn’t he? The complex relationships in the Liudao Division were indeed complicated.

He then shook his head, focusing on an account book in his hands.

Li Xuan found that the consumption of charcoal and sulfur in Zhenyao Tower was quite large.

The environment inside Zhenyao Tower was damp, with no windows at all, all relying on arrays for ventilation. Coupled with the many demons and evil spirits locked up inside, it only increased the chill.

The chill and dampness of the place was too much for even the second-tier Wu cultivators to bear. So, they had to burn a large amount of charcoal everyday to keep warm. If not, ordinary people would not be able to stay there even for a day.

As for sulfur, it is a material of extreme yang, used externally it can drive away snakes and pests and kill evil spirits; ingested, it can supplement fire, assist yang, and treat cold diseases, so it is also a common item in Zhenyao Tower.

The jailers in the tower even drink sulfur wine, a secret recipe of the Liudao Division, every once in a while.

Scattering sulfur around the cells on each floor is a regular practice, especially for snake-like demons, sulfur can greatly suppress the karma and demonic nature in their bodies.

Actually, by investigating this far, Li Xuan had already confirmed his guess that gunpowder and God-fire Talisman could indeed be made inside Zhenyao Tower.

But Li Xuan still wanted to see if he could track down the true culprits through the records of the supplies’ accounts and usage.

The workload, however, is undeniably enormous. Including the fifty-seven floors above and three floors below the ground level of the Zhenyao Tower, even if Li Xuan only reviews the documents from the past two months since Xue Wuya was imprisoned, there are still nearly seven hundred account books as thick as a finger to read through.

Although Gongsun Xue temporarily brought in twelve clerks from Zhuque House, they continue to tirelessly crunch numbers. Judging by their progress, finishing in three to five days might not be feasible.

What’s more troublesome is that they also need to send people to verify each floor and each storeroom. Due to the upheaval a day ago, there are now numerous discrepancies between the records in the books and the actual situation, all of which need to be checked one by one.

Li Xuan couldn’t sit still in the record room for more than two hours before Jianchashi Shi had already started interrogating those involved on the ninth floor of Zhenyao Tower, Li Xuan then unceremoniously went to sit in on the proceedings.

The inner department under Shi Xin’s command didn’t welcome him, initially refusing adamantly. Li Xuan didn’t argue with them, he simply rallied the Xiaowei and Duwei such as Jiang Hanyun, Ma Chenggong, and Lei Yun involved in the case under the pretense of interrogating them, and he wouldn’t let them go for half a day.

Just as Li Xuan told Shi Xin, co-interrogation could improve efficiency. But if Shi Xin refused, he had plenty of ways to upset the other side.

He had an order from the Fumo Zongguan, granted under the excuse of investigating the ’Zhenyao Tower Bombing Case’. Even Shi Xin himself couldn’t argue with that.

Eventually, Jianchashi Shi agreed to it, permitting Li Xuan to add tables to several interrogation rooms.

However, after Li Xuan took a seat, the way Shi Xin looked at him was cold as a knife, as if he wanted to peep into the depth of his marrow: "It seems Duwei Li didn’t understand my words, or it seems that you are determined to be the scapegoat for your superior. Are you not afraid of encountering ghosts when walking too much at night?"

Li Xuan responded with a grin that did not reach his eyes: "Indeed, I can’t understand what Jianchashi Shi meant. However, I, Li Xuan, always walk straight with my head high on the broad daylight path, so I am not afraid of any demons. I hope the same for Jianchashi Shi."

After a moment of silence, Shi Xin stared at Li Xuan for a few seconds and then indifferently said, "I will remember your words, Duwei Li", before starting the interrogation.

The first ones he questioned were the Xiaowei of Zhenyao Tower, the initial questions were quite normal and not far-off from what Li Xuan was interested in. These included questions like ’When was your shift?’, ’Who did you come into contact with?’, and ’Did you leave at any point during your shift?’ etc.

However, after that, Shi Xin’s questions began to stray and became trickier. For example, when he questioned Jiang Hanyun, he asked about matters that seemed to be related to the case of the insider, but whose real purpose was hard to gauge.

"I heard your father had a relationship with the Blood Blade Ancestor when he was young?"

"Two years ago, you spent 170,000 silver coins, along with nine Yuanqi Stones, to buy a Leilie Pearl at a hefty price, and at that time you were merely a Duwei. Where did you get that money from?"

"The Zhuque Hall Master is covertly sick and repeatedly asked your father for treatment. Jiang Hanyun, was your promotion to Fumo Xiaowei at the age of seventeen related to this?"

These were relatively polite questions, but he was even more harsh and tricky in his questioning towards individuals like Zhihuishi Fang Xiangshan, Treasure Tower’s Master Li Shoufang, Guixiu City’s Commander Zhen Shenlian, Huoya City’s Commander Lei Yun, and Black Snake Commander Shen Zhimou.

Especially Li Shoufang, Shi Xin interrogated him for a full seven hours with an accounting book in hand. In the end, when he couldn’t find any discrepancy, he let the matter rest.

And Ma Chenggong, who was left sweating profusely.

Despite being a bit greedy, this Duwei Ma never acted underhandedly nor extorted the civilians for silver coins in public. He was a gentleman who loved money but acquired it through proper channels. It was a close call, but no danger was met.

Li Xuan thought that Fumo Zongguan and the certain people in Zhuque Hall’s worries were not unfounded. This Jianchashi Shi was indeed up to no good.

But he didn’t prevent Shi Xin from proceeding, as long as the interrogation wouldn’t cross his line, he just stood by and recorded verbatim what was said by these people.

People like Fang Xiangshan had weathered many storms, and they wouldn’t be overwhelmed by this situation. And if they were indeed overwhelmed, then that would indicate a real problem.

Although Li Xuan disapproved of Shi Xin’s methods, he wouldn’t pervert justice for personal gain nor encourage wicked deeds. If the current Zhuque Hall is indeed harboring many unjust deeds, then it is indeed necessary to clean sweep it.

He assumed this to be the reason why Fumo Zongguan chose him to investigate the bombing case.

The reason why Li Xuan insisted on observing was merely as a precaution to prevent those from the inner department from using underhanded methods.

After interrogating people like Jiang Hanyun and Ma Chenggong, it was the jailer’s turns of each floor of Zhenyao Tower.

At that point, the enthusiasm of the inner department started to dwindle, with the only exception being Shi Xin who is seemingly still as energetic as before.

However, when Li Xuan was frowning due to the non-productive interrogations, the jailer who was in charge of the second basement level uttered something that startled everyone present: "On the night of the incident, I saw Xiaowei Lei leave the basement with my own eyes. He even used illusion techniques along the way, trying to conceal his tracks."