Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 1031 - 642: Questioning

Chapter 1031: Chapter 642: Questioning

Under the cover of the City Defense Canopy, the sunlight was no longer piercing and dazzling.

In a small bamboo courtyard, two handsome young men sat across from each other, playing a game of chess. Black and white pieces densely filled the board.

Sizi Jing’s expression carried a gentle sharpness, coupled with a touch of mocking humor:

"Little Qing, it looks like you’ve lost again."

Mu Qing silently raised his gaze, his tone tinged with helplessness:

"You’re in Jingji but somehow still have time to delve into these trivial pursuits. You must be truly idle."

Sizi Jing’s lips curved, his confidence almost overflowing:

"Oh? How did you know I often play against the Prime Minister?"

"..."

Mu Qing felt a wave of silent resignation in his heart, but outwardly rolled his eyes without any visible change:

"Bragging again, who even asked you?"

Sizi Jing shrugged, the amusement in his gaze unhidden:

"Back in Honglin Academy, every time you got to meet the Prime Minister, you’d flaunt it to all of us for half a month. Have you forgotten so quickly?"

Honglin Academy, alongside Hanlin Academy, was a revered institution for nurturing talent, exclusively under the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

Mu Qing pondered silently for a moment upon hearing this, then chuckled and shook his head:

"How many years ago was that? Still bringing it up?"

"What can I say? I’m the nostalgic type."

"That’s enough."

"You didn’t come to reminisce, did you? What’s the important matter?"

"Why can’t we reminisce? Among our cohort back then, only the two of us can still speak as equals. Let’s talk personal matters first; the official matters can wait."

"Fine, go ahead then."

"..."

Sizi Jing sighed softly when faced with this, then his expression turned solemn:

"The Prime Minister and Chief Lou Ji trust you greatly. You should not betray their faith."

As the words fell, Mu Qing’s mind momentarily blanked, but years of ingrained discipline kept his emotions from showing. He responded in a calm tone:

"Is that a private matter or an official one?"

Sizi Jing chuckled lightly and said with a smile:

"Of course it’s personal. If it were official business, someone else would’ve been sent. During the New Year Banquet, I didn’t care much about the dossiers, but visiting your territory now, it’s plain to see the dire state of things."

Mu Qing fell silent momentarily and snorted:

"This small domain is nothing compared to your Jingji. The resources here are stretched thin; what could be done?"

Sizi Jing ignored this remark, instead fixing his gaze on Mu Qing and speaking each word with emphasis:

"Mu Qing, if you keep on like this, Chief Lou and the Prime Minister might truly abandon you."

"Whether I’m abandoned or not doesn’t matter. I’m quite content staying in this little remote corner."

"Stop being sarcastic."

Sizi Jing sighed deeply and said sincerely: "What happened back then wasn’t your fault. But with your position, you should know that sitting where the Prime Minister does often means ignoring the facts to decide right and wrong."

"So you ran all the way here, Capital Lord, just to lecture me?"

"I simply don’t wish to see the former Chief of Honglin Academy fall to such a state."

"..."

"..."

"...Let’s speak of business now."

"Alright."

Sizi Jing looked at his former close friend directly, then nodded and said solemnly:

"You know I despise wasting words on official matters, so I’ll keep it brief. My visit here is due to one thing—the sects are planning to topple Zhenxi Prefecture. A certain heavyweight figure has already arrived here. I need you to mobilize all the Black Scale Guards stationed in Xize State, along with the complete reserves of source crystals and war provisions."

Mu Qing was silent for a brief moment upon hearing this. He casually took out a token from the Sumeru Ring and tossed it over:

"Zitan Road, Shop No. 7 under Category A, code word: Monkey Liquor."

"Good."

Sizi Jing rose, not bothering with courtesy. He waved nonchalantly as he turned and said:

"The Protective City Formation is already activated. The battle could break out any time. I’ll retrieve the goods first—you prepare yourself and meet me at the government office in an hour."

As he spoke, Sizi Jing’s figure vanished abruptly from where he stood, leaving Mu Qing alone amidst the bamboo grove.

After staring at the crisscrossed chessboard for a few breaths, Mu Qing slowly stood, his steps carrying him toward the courtyard’s exit.

Yet after only two steps, he halted abruptly, once again turning back to glance at the chessboard where the game had been played. A wistful sigh flickered in his deep, obsidian eyes.

When his figure disappeared at the corner of the courtyard, a gentle breeze blew through, shredding the chessboard in the pavilion to dust that scattered with the wind...

"...."

"...."

Watching this scene from a distance of a hundred meters, Sizi Jing exhaled lightly, lowering his gaze to the mark he’d subtly planted on Mu Qing’s palm during their dialogue. He murmured softly:

"As expected, there’s still more hiding beneath the surface. The Prime Minister’s decision to station you in Xize State was perhaps a test in itself. Walking the wrong path—don’t blame me on the Road to the Underworld..."

...

...

...

When Li Junwu arrived at the Xuanting Barracks, she found Lu Bozou already waiting, seemingly anticipating her arrival.

What surprised her even more was that beside Lu Bozou stood a group of senior generals she had seen earlier at the government office, including the loyal elder General Jin whom the Marquis had personally appointed as his confidant.

Jumping off her horse, Li Junwu’s fists tightened slightly beneath the tawny armor as she surveyed the generals gathered at the barracks’ entrance:

"This Princess recalls having already assigned city defense tasks. Why then are you all gathered here now, and for what purpose?"

Her cold voice echoed outward, reaching every ear present, though none responded.

In the silence,

Lu Bozou stepped forward, cupped his hands respectfully toward Li Junwu, and said in a deep voice:

"Princess, the streets are crowded and prone to loose talk. Please step inside the camp first."

"..."

Seeing this, Li Junwu felt perplexed by what was happening. She couldn’t fathom why these generals, who had been united earlier, now seemed inexplicably aligned with Lu Bozou.

Her mind spun rapidly as she frowned, swept her gaze across those present, and then took the lead in heading through the barracks doors. After she entered, the generals followed in sequence.

Surrounded—perhaps even guarded—by the group of generals, they traversed several courtyards, turned a corner, and as they stepped into the military drill ground, Li Junwu instinctively halted.

Within the drill ground, she saw thousands of soldiers standing like an imposing forest, clad in heavy armor, wielding sharp blades, and exuding an air of lethal resolve.

Lu Bozou crossed one further step ahead, gesturing for Li Junwu to ascend the Suwu Platform. As over ten people mounted the platform, tens of thousands of elite troops from Zhenxi turned their eyes toward them collectively.

After a momentary silence, Li Junwu spoke coldly:

"Commander Lu, for what purpose did you bring this Princess to this drill ground? Speak now."

Lu Bozou swept his gaze across the tens of thousands of elite soldiers below before responding in a loud voice:

"Princess, before your disappearance, you reported to the Marquis that you had captured the Great Desert Goddess alive. May I ask where the Great Desert Goddess is now?"

Saying this,

He didn’t wait for Li Junwu’s reply before adding:

"During today’s activation of the city gates, several soldiers spotted a woman accompanied by a wolf-shaped demonic beast entering the city, suspected to be the Great Desert Qilin Wolf. May I ask where that demonic wolf currently resides?"

"The Princess claims that Saints attacked the city. May I ask the source of your information?!"