Demoness, where are you Fleeing to?
Chapter 682 - 561: An Explanation is Needed_1

Chapter 682: Chapter 561: An Explanation is Needed_1

Wei Zhen didn’t hold back his lavish praise, complimenting Li Xuan as if he were a blooming flower before discussing another important matter, "Moreover, within the Capital City nowadays, many citizens are wishing to erect a ’shrine of the living’ in your honor. I had already instructed the Zhifu of Shuntian to prevent this from happening."

"But today, many people are attempting to forcefully build the shrine, creating uproar at the government offices. I suspect there is someone behind the scenes ulteriorly instigating them. So, I thought I should give you a heads-up."

Li Xuan’s eyebrows furrowed slightly at the mention of erecting a ’shrine of the living’, which, while not uncommon in The Court, was a matter of concern.

Locals would often pay their respects by building temples for influential officials with outstanding political achievements while they were still alive.

The Court officials considered this a great honor and a path to becoming a deity after death.

Logically speaking, Li Xuan’s accomplishments indeed made him a suitable candidate for having a ’shrine of the living’, but given his youth, this was somewhat controversial.

The previous ’Immortal Master Shuide’ was accompanied by a statue of the Lord himself, at most prompting a chuckle from others.

The most crucial point is that an excessive accumulation of faith and incense offerings would impact his cultivation of Hao Qi and Martial Law."

"Uncle Wei, you did the right thing. I will handle this issue personally," Li Xuan gave a slight nod, "It’s fortunate that you’re here today as I was about to ask you for assistance on another matter."

"Oh?" Wei Zhen instantly looked at him with curiosity, "Let’s hear it. Based on your serious demeanor, it doesn’t seem to be a minor issue."

Li Xuan let out a chuckle, then said solemnly, "Indeed, it’s not trivial at all. It concerns the Empress Dowager, Liang Heng, and Prince Xiang."

At this point, Wei Zhen couldn’t help but gasp, regretting his decision to visit Li Xuan that day.

But then Wei Zhen gritted his teeth, "Speak, what do you want me to do?"

He was fully aware that his fate was tied to Li Xuan’s, for better or for worse.

Just as Li Xuan was about to speak, another visitor arrived at his mansion.

The first was Zuo Daoxing, the Dudu Tongzhi of Xiuyiwei, and the other was the Lord of Xuanwu Palace from Jinque Palace, alleged to be the ’Lianling Immortal’, a powerful figure of the middle heavenly level.

Zuo Daoxing accompanied the latter, who had come to claim a copy of the Book of Jinque from the court.

Yu Hongchang completely ignored the request, even forgoing a meeting with the Palace Master of Xuanwu, and only instructed Zuo Daoxing to accompany the Lianling Immortal of Xuanwu Palace to Marquis Guanjun’s mansion.

However, upon seeing the two men, Li Xuan didn’t even spare a glance at the Palace Master of Xuanwu. He directly asked Zuo Daoxing, "Du Du Zuo, has Commandery Princess Yunhuang not spoken up yet?"

Commandery Princess Yunhuang had already been ordered by Yu Hongchang to be arrested and interrogated by Zuo Daoxing, and her position as head of the inner chang was seized.

Zuo Daoxing replied with a bitter smile, "Yunhuang insists that her ’palace token’ was stolen and that an insider was responsible. Given that she’s a princess, and her father is the esteemed Prince Xiang, we dare not punish her."

Li Xuan looked displeased, "There are other ways besides torture, surely the Xiuyiwei are not limited to this single method?"

Zuo Daoxing seemed quite helpless, "Well, there are other ways. However, a few days ago Prince Xiang sent a letter saying that if anything happened to his daughter, he would mourn her at the Grand Temple."

Upon hearing this, Li Xuan furrowed his brows. If Prince Xiang were really to pull such a shameless stunt, Zuo Daoxing would indeed be helpless.

Having a Prince mourning at the Grand Temple would be as damaging to Royal Family as when his Jade Qilin knelt before the Chengtian Gate a year ago, particularly now that Yu Hongchang is serving as Jianguo.

"The crux of the matter is that we’ve actually found the insider," Zuo Daoxing’s face turned grave, "It’s one of Yunhuang’s trusted attendants. She confessed to forging Yunhuang’s palace token when Yunhuang wasn’t paying attention."

This lady is now detained in the Zhao Prison. After soul searching and extracting, we definitely found that she had forged the palace token. We plan to proceed with the second round of soul search as soon as her Primordial Spirit recovers slightly."

Li Xuan couldn’t help but wonder if Commandery Princess Yunhuang really had nothing to do with the scheme against Yu Hongchang.

He then shook his head, "I must be present for the second soul search. As for Princess Yunhuang, no matter what, keep her detained and cut off her communication with the outside world. Can you do that?"

"That is not a problem!" Zuo Daoxing didn’t make any more excuses and said solemnly, "Yunhuang is being held at the bottom level of the Xiuyiwei’s Zhao Prison. I won’t let her have any opportunity to communicate with the outside world."

At this moment, he was filled with a sense of nostalgia.

When he first brought Li Xuan into Beijing, he saw Li Xuan as a promising young man, an emerging talent among southern nobles and military families.

Yet, in less than half a year, in some respects, Li Xuan had already become his semi-superior.

As long as the two cases of the Crown Prince’s sudden illness and the infiltration of a Demon Master in the palace remained unresolved, he would have to follow Li Xuan’s direction.

Considering all this, the impatient Palace Master of Xuanwu finally spoke, "Marquis Guanjun, I’m here for the Book of Jinque’s Duplicate in your possession. It is an artifact of Jinque Palace, not something for the average mortal to handle. Please return it immediately."

Only then did Li Xuan look at her, raising his hand slightly and asked, "Are you referring to this?"

Li Xuan held the duplicate of the Book of Jinque in his hand, but paused, realizing that its golden glow had faded and it no longer held its previous luster.

The master of Xuanwu Palace, Lianling Immortal, was slightly taken aback when she saw that the energy stored in the Heavenly Book’s Duplicate had been completely drained.

She still reached out, intending to return the duplicate of Book of Jinque to its original form.

However, the duplicate of the Book of Jinque seemed to have rooted in Li Xuan’s hand, and despite its constant tremor, it refused to budge.

"You~" A displeased look appeared in the eyes of Lianling Immortal, the master of Xuanwu Palace.

"Did you really think I would simply give this back to you?"

Li Xuan sneered, tucking the Heavenly Book’s Duplicate back into his sleeve: "I obtained this item from the hands of a monster who colluded with the White Lotus and attempted to assassinate a government official. Thus, it is naturally mine.

The Court cannot take my personal belongings from me, who does Jinque Palace think they are? Do you simply wish to take this from me without offering anything in return?"

He had Li Dalu serve them tea, yet there was not a single cup placed before Lianling Immortal.

"What monster?" Lianling Immortal, the Master of Xuanwu Palace, furrowed her brows in anger: "That was Gong Nianci, our Heavenly Market Palace Master from Jinque Palace--"

As soon as she said this, she realized that she had fallen into his trap.

However, Lianling Immortal, the Master of Xuanwu Palace, did not appear to care: "Return the duplicate of the Book of Jinque immediately, otherwise, you, the Marquis of Guanjun from a mortal dynasty, will not be able to bear the consequences."

Upon hearing this, the ridicule in Li Xuan’s eyes deepened: "So the one is your Heavenly Market Palace Master?"

He picked up his teacup and gently blew on it: "Well then, I would like to know why your Heavenly Market Palace Master attacked me, especially during my suppression of the Saintess of the White Lotus. She also injured my mount, causing it to remain unconscious till now, and severely wounded my friend, Ao Shuying.

It happened in broad daylight, under the watchful eyes of the public. I’d say that I would very much like to know what I have done to offend Jinque Palace enough for you to invoke heavenly law and regulation to punish me. Jinque Palace owes the world and me a satisfactory explanation for this matter, and neither the Jin Dynasty Court nor I will let this matter rest."

Lianling Immortal was increasingly displeased, but then she saw a woman with a graceful figure, but brimming with heroism and hidden dominance, striding in from outside.

Lianling Immortal recognized the woman as the Immortal Master Shuide, Ao Shuying, who sat directly in a seat next to Li Xuan.

"What Li Xuan means, I mean as well. If Jinque Palace does not give an account of this matter this time, my dragon race will no longer follow the ancient oath."

Lianling Immortal could not help furrowing her brows, giving Ao Shuying a cold look: "Immortal Master Shuide, do you realize what you just said? Are you speaking for yourself, or for the entire dragon clan?"

Ao Shuying merely smirked: "I represent all the dragons of the Two Rivers and Five Lakes. If you are asking about the East Sea Clan and my father, the answer would not be any different. I assume their condemnation letters have already been sent to Jinque Palace by now."

Lianling Immortal finally sensed something was not right: "You—" She was cut off by the arrival of a spiritual beast with six ears similar to a lion that appeared before them through the Void.

This was Shi Liuru, the spirit pet of Zhonglie Duke Wen, the Duchenghuang Beijing. He placed a letter on the table in front of Lianling Immortal.

"Regarding the incident two days ago in which Jinque Tian Palace assisted the Saintess White Lotus, Duke Wen Zhonglie, on behalf of 3,797 city gods, earth gods, and mountain gods north of the Yangtze River, asks Jinque Palace about its intentions.

This is a joint letter written by Duke Wen Zhonglie and the gods, please give it to Dasiming. Duke Wen Zhonglie wants to ask him, if we violate heavenly rules, we will be punished by Heaven Palace. But what will happen if you breach the rules?"

A cold sweat broke out on Lianling Immortal’s jade-like forehead.

She now understood why Gong Nianci was so wary of Li Xuan.

Lianling Immortal, with a pale face, said, "The master of Heavenly Market Palace, Gong Nianci, did indeed carry the Duplicate of the Golden Que Book to Beijing under the command of Dasiming to investigate the recent anomalies in the capital. She may have acted improperly, but she has already been killed by Li Xuan.

It’s precisely because of this that our Jinque Palace has not pursued the matter. What else do you want?"

According to the investigation within their palace, Gong Nianci was likely the one who colluded with the ’Saintess of White Lotus’ and ’Master Zhongliu’.

But in front of Li Xuan and Ao Shuying, Lianling Immortal couldn’t possibly admit it.

However, Li Xuan sneered, picking up his teacup once again: "If that’s the case, there’s no need for further discussion, please return, Palace Master. I neglected to mention, by tonight at the latest, our Regent will also issue a condemnation letter.

If Jinque Palace does not offer a satisfactory explanation, soon the Court will issue an edict that henceforth, dragons and the gods of the world no longer acknowledge the authority of Jinque Palace."

"You!" Lianling Immortal was filled with rage, but she couldn’t retaliate under the cold gaze of Li Xuan.

She then took a deep breath and continued, "What do you want and what will it take for you to return the duplicate?"

"That depends on you."

Li Xuan took a sip of his tea with a smile: "First, you must satisfy the Court and the gods of the world, then think about what kind of price you are willing to pay to redeem this item from me."

He thought that if he didn’t get a good haul from Jinque Palace this time, he would never return this item.