Chapter 75: She’ll Enter the Palace If I’m Wrong
Liu Yingyue’s beautiful eyes flickered, and she smiled politely and without awkwardness, “Where is your mind going, young man? I’m simply curious.”
“That’s good. If I had ill intentions, why would I still help you?”
Qi Huang relaxed slightly.
“You speak the truth, young master!”
Liu Yingyue smiled noncommittally and continued, “However, Yingyue still needs to ask, how exactly did you hear our conversation? It’s not that I suspect you, but I want to figure out what loophole has appeared in my security measures.”
Qi Huang hesitated for a moment, then said, “Let me put it this way, your so-called security measures are indeed useful for ordinary people, but for powerful cultivators, they are like nothing. Moreover, some special magic treasures can’t block them either. I heard it using a certain magic treasure.”
“Young master truly is unfathomable, worthy of knowing Immortal Qi.”
Liu Yingyue flattered, but her tone sounded somewhat sarcastic.
“Of course, who is Immortal Qi? What kind of magic treasure does she not have?”
Qi Huang began to boast about herself.
“Are such magic treasures common in the Cultivation World?”
Liu Yingyue asked worriedly, as she was currently lacking a sense of security.
“That was developed by Immortal Qi herself, there is no other like it.”
Qi Huang continued to brag.
“That’s good then.”
Liu Yingyue breathed a sigh of relief and continued, “Let’s get back to business. Young master suspects that the informant is the murderer. What are your plans?”
Qi Huang pondered for a moment and then said with ill intent, “That’s easy! We can just go to the Governor’s Mansion and eavesdrop. Don’t forget, I have magic treasures.”
“And after finding the murderer? Can you deal with a cultivator at or above the Guiyi Realm?”
Liu Yingyue pondered for a moment and asked worriedly.
“Don’t worry, I even know Immortal Qi. Don’t I have several powerful friends?”
Qi Huang smiled confidently, then decisively walked outside.
“Where are you going, young master?”
Liu Yingyue quickly asked.
“Of course, to help you catch the bad guy. Wait for my good news! Oh, and don’t forget what you promised me.”
Qi Huang left without looking back, she didn’t have much time to waste here.
Qi Huang exited the Auction House and immediately went to the Governor’s Mansion. Then, she released her spiritual sense to explore. If she could directly hear the information she wanted, it would save a lot of trouble.
Meanwhile, in the main hall of the Governor’s Mansion, Constable Peng was reporting to Governor Niu, but his words were half true and half false.
“Didn’t I tell you to just take the ‘Chang Sheng Tie’ and leave? Why did you get into a conflict with Qi Huang’s people?”
Governor Niu frowned and questioned after hearing this. He only wanted money, not for the Juyin Auction House to close. Just as Qi Huang had guessed, this did not align with his interests.
“Your subordinate did as ordered, but who knew that the female shopkeeper of Juyin Auction House would speak rudely and refuse to cooperate, which led to the conflict. Later, that lackey of Qi Huang arrived and beat up my brothers without distinguishing right from wrong.”
Constable Peng lied with a straight face and without batting an eye.
“What a shameless scoundrel! You were clearly the one being aggressive, trying to shut down their auction house, yet you dared to bite back.”
Qi Huang gritted her teeth in anger.
“What is that person’s relationship with Liu Yingyue? Why did he step in to help her?”
Governor Niu muttered to himself.
“Your subordinate doesn’t know about that. However, with Liu Yingyue’s looks, it’s normal for her to have a couple of admirers.”
Constable Peng speculated.
Governor Niu was silent for a while, then sighed and said, “Since that’s the case, let’s let this matter go. Pretend it never happened.”
“My lord, that won’t do! That young man beat up our Prefecture Office constables in broad daylight. If you don’t show him some color, what face will you, the Governor, have? If you are afraid of a mere Imperial Concubine, how will you command respect in the future?”
Constable Peng fanned the flames. His motive for doing this was clear: first, to retaliate, and second, to drag Governor Niu down with him. As the saying goes, the law does not punish the multitude. Even if Qi Huang eventually became Empress, she wouldn’t dare to offend so many people for a mere lackey.
“What do you know! Qi Huang is an Imperial Concubine personally appointed by His Majesty, and she will most likely become Empress in the future. Am I going to lose face for the sake of a little dignity? If you want to die, don’t drag me with you.”
Governor Niu was a man who knew his place and thus decisively refused to be egged on.
“But…”
Constable Peng wanted to say more, but Governor Niu refused so decisively that he didn’t know how to proceed.
“Stop talking nonsense and go do what you should be doing!”
Governor Niu commanded impatiently.
Constable Peng sighed helplessly and then led his brothers out of the hall.
Outside the hall, Constable Peng’s expression was extremely grim. He had planned to drag more people down with him, but his plan failed. This meant that if that woman were to pursue the matter in the future, he wouldn’t even have a scapegoat.
“Boss, didn’t that person tell you to resign?”
An oblivious brother next to him couldn’t help but bring up the sensitive issue.
“What? Do you want me to resign very much?”
Constable Peng asked with a displeased expression.
“No, brother, I’m thinking of you. If you resign now, you can at least save your life. If that Qi Huang ascends, and finds out you were insincere towards her friend, it might be difficult to resolve.”
The brother said earnestly.
“Hmph! Ascend? Is it that easy to ascend? Do you know how many Imperial Concubines our Sage has appointed in the thirty to forty years he has been on the Dragon Throne?”
Constable Peng retorted. The few constables looked at each other, then shook their heads in confusion.
“Four have been appointed! Although one is appointed only about every ten years, that’s not a small number, is it? But what’s the result? These four Saintesses died young before they could even leave their families, and the ones who lived a little longer died on the way to the Imperial Capital. Not one of them managed to enter the Imperial Palace, let alone become Empress. Therefore, if she can enter the Palace, then I have lost.”
Constable Peng laughed mockingly.
“What’s going on?”
Some constables were puzzled.
“Isn’t the reason obvious? Everyone knows that the appointed Imperial Concubines are highly favored by the Emperor. Once they enter the Palace, they will inevitably threaten the interests of certain people. It’s the safest approach to nip them in the bud.”
Constable Peng answered without hesitation.
“So that’s how it is.”
The constables suddenly understood.
“But that Qi Huang is different, after all. She’s a cultivator.”
“Yes, although we don’t know her strength, her main body is the well-known Hong Ling Immortal.”
“I heard that the main body and clone of a cultivator share honors and suffer together. She definitely won’t stand by and watch.”
…
A constable immediately thought of this, and it drew a round of agreement.
“So what if she’s a cultivator? Don’t forget, there are many powerful warriors in this world who can contend with cultivators, and the Palace lacks nothing more than martial arts masters. For example, Eunuch Zhong, the chief of the inner court, is someone who can crush almost all cultivators.
And as for Cheng Hong Ling? She’s at best a genius. How could she handle those old monsters in the Palace! Just watch, Qi Huang will soon follow the path of those appointed Imperial Concubines. That effeminate brat thinks he can swagger around with her waist token, truly not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth.”
Constable Peng sneered repeatedly.
“Then, boss, have you decided not to resign?”
The constable who spoke first confirmed.
“Of course. By the time that brat knows, Qi Huang will probably be dead and gone. What can he do to me then?”
Constable Peng said disdainfully, then pretended to sigh and lament, “Alas, I wish I could go back to farming, but unfortunately, he cannot fulfill my wish.”
…
“Oh? I’ll fulfill your wish right now.”
Qi Huang’s eyes showed contempt, and then she brazenly walked towards the Governor’s Mansion. She didn’t have many hobbies, except for satisfying other people’s wishes.
“This is a restricted area of the Prefecture Office. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed in!”
The two constables at the entrance immediately stepped forward to block her.
“I am Qi Huang, Immortal Qi, from HongHua Sect. Tell your Governor to come out and welcome me.”
Qi Huang showed her waist token. Since she had already learned that the governor was a corrupt official, she did not hold back.
“Qi Huang?”
The two constables first exchanged confused glances, but then their faces quickly showed astonishment.
“Please wait a moment!”
One constable respectfully cupped his fists and saluted, then ran in as if fleeing for his life.
