Volume 5, Chapter 284 – “If She Can Enter the Palace, I’ll Eat My Hat”

Liu Yingyue’s beautiful eyes flickered slightly as she offered a polite yet not overly awkward smile. “Young Master, what are you thinking? I was merely curious, that’s all.”

“That’s good. If I had ill intentions, why would I have helped you in the first place?”

Qi Huang let out a slight sigh of relief.

“Young Master speaks wisely!”

Liu Yingyue gave a noncommittal smile before continuing, “However, Yingyue must still ask, how exactly did you overhear our conversation? It’s not that I distrust you, but I wish to understand where my security measures failed.”

Qi Huang hesitated briefly before replying, “Let me put it this way, your so-called ‘security measures’ might work on ordinary people, but to powerful cultivators, they’re practically useless. Certain special magical artifacts can also bypass them. In my case, I used one such artifact to listen in.”

“Young Master is truly unfathomable. As expected of someone acquainted with Fairy Qi.”

Liu Yingyue’s flattery carried a faintly mocking undertone.

“Of course! Who do you think Fairy Qi is? What kind of treasure doesn’t she possess?”

Qi Huang began boasting without restraint.

“Are such artifacts common in the cultivation world?”

Liu Yingyue pressed, her sense of security thoroughly shaken.

“That was something Fairy Qi developed herself. There’s no second one like it.”

Qi Huang continued spinning his tale.

“That’s a relief.”

Liu Yingyue relaxed slightly before steering the conversation back. “Let’s return to the matter at hand. Since Young Master suspects the informant is the murderer, what do you plan to do about it?”

Qi Huang pondered briefly before grinning mischievously. “Easy! We’ll just sneak into the Governor’s office and eavesdrop. Don’t forget, I have my artifact.”

“And once you find the murderer? Can you handle a cultivator above the Unity Realm?”

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Liu Yingyue frowned, her unease evident.

“Relax. If I know Fairy Qi, do you really think I lack powerful friends?”

Qi Huang flashed a confident smirk before decisively striding toward the exit.

“Young Master, where are you going?”

Liu Yingyue hurriedly called after him.

“To catch the villain for you, of course! Wait for my good news. Oh, and don’t forget what you promised me.”

Without looking back, Qi Huang left. She had no time to waste here.

Exiting the auction house, Qi Huang made straight for the Governor’s office. Once there, she immediately unleashed her divine sense to probe the premises. If she could directly hear the information she sought, it would save her a great deal of trouble.

At that moment, inside the Governor’s hall, Constable Peng was reporting to Governor Niu—though his account was half-truths and half-lies.

“I told you to take the ‘Eternal Prosperity Scroll’ and leave. Why did you provoke a conflict with Qi Huang’s people?”

Governor Niu frowned, his tone accusatory. All he wanted was money, not to shut down the Golden Fortune Auction House. As Qi Huang had surmised, that didn’t align with his interests.

“That’s exactly what I did, Your Excellency! But who could’ve guessed that female auctioneer would be so insolent and uncooperative? That’s why things escalated. Later, that Qi Huang’s lackey showed up and beat my men without even asking for an explanation!”

Constable Peng lied without batting an eye.

“What a shameless bastard! You were the one who aggressively tried to shut down their auction house, and now you dare twist the truth?”

Qi Huang gritted her teeth in fury.

“What exactly is that man’s relationship with Liu Yingyue? Why would he step in for her?”

Governor Niu muttered to himself.

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“I wouldn’t know, Your Excellency. But given Liu Yingyue’s looks, it’s hardly surprising she has a few lapdogs.”

Constable Peng sneered.

Governor Niu fell silent for a long moment before sighing. “In that case, let’s drop the matter. Pretend it never happened.”

“Your Excellency, we can’t do that! That brat assaulted government constables in broad daylight! If we don’t teach him a lesson, how will you maintain your authority as Governor? If even a mere Imperial Consort candidate can intimidate you, how will you command respect in the future?”

Constable Peng fanned the flames. His motives were clear—first, revenge, and second, dragging Governor Niu into the mess. After all, the law couldn’t punish everyone. Even if Qi Huang became Empress one day, she wouldn’t risk alienating so many officials over a single underling.

“You fool! Qi Huang was personally selected by His Majesty as an Imperial Consort candidate. Nine times out of ten, she’ll become Empress! Am I supposed to throw away my future for the sake of pride? If you want to die, don’t drag me down with you!”

Governor Niu was nothing if not pragmatic, and he flatly rejected the provocation.

“But—”

Constable Peng wanted to argue further, but the Governor’s refusal was so absolute that he was momentarily at a loss.

“Enough! Get back to work!”

Governor Niu waved him off impatiently.

With a resigned sigh, Constable Peng led his men out of the hall.

Once outside, his expression darkened. His plan to rope in more accomplices had failed, meaning if that woman ever came after him, he wouldn’t even have a scapegoat.

“Boss, didn’t that guy tell you to resign?”

One of his dim-witted subordinates brought up the sore subject.

“Oh? Are you that eager for me to quit?”

Constable Peng’s glare was venomous.

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“No, no! I’m just thinking of your safety! If you resign now, at least you’ll keep your life. But if Qi Huang ascends and finds out you defied her friend’s orders, things won’t end well.”

The subordinate spoke with earnest concern.

“Hah! Ascend? You think it’s that easy? Do you know how many Imperial Consort candidates His Majesty has selected in the thirty to forty years since he took the throne?”

Constable Peng’s rhetorical question left the constables exchanging blank looks before shaking their heads.

“Four! One every decade or so, not exactly few, right? And what happened? The short-lived ones didn’t even make it out their front gates before meeting their ends. The slightly luckier ones died on the way to the capital. Not a single one ever stepped foot inside the palace, let alone became Empress. So mark my words, if she can enter the palace, I’ll eat my hat!”

Constable Peng’s laughter was thick with scorn.

“Why is that?”

One constable looked puzzled.

“Isn’t it obvious? Everyone knows an Imperial Consort candidate favored by the Emperor will threaten certain factions’ interests once inside the palace. Snuffing her out in the cradle is the safest move.”

Constable Peng’s answer came without hesitation.

“Ohhh…”

The constables nodded in sudden understanding.

“But Qi Huang’s different, isn’t she? She’s a cultivator.”

“Yeah, and her true form is Cheng Hongling, the famous Fairy Hongling!”

“I’ve heard that a cultivator’s main body and avatar share glory and ruin, she wouldn’t just stand by and watch.”

Several constables voiced their thoughts, sparking a round of agreement.

“So what if she’s a cultivator? Don’t forget, this world has martial artists strong enough to rival cultivators. And the palace is crawling with martial masters, like Chief Steward Zhong, the Inner Palace Supervisor. He’s someone who can crush nearly any cultivator!

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“And Cheng Hongling? At best, she’s a talented upstart. How could she possibly contend with those old monsters in the palace? Just watch, Qi Huang will soon follow in the footsteps of those other candidates. That androgynous brat waving her name around like a banner? He’s digging his own grave!”

Constable Peng’s sneer was icy.

“So… Boss, you’re not resigning?”

The first constable sought confirmation.

“Of course not! By the time that brat realizes what’s happening, Qi Huang will already be dead. What can he do to me then?”

Constable Peng scoffed before adding with mock solemnity, “Ah, I’d love to retire and farm, but alas—he won’t get his wish.”

“Oh? Then let me grant your wish right now.”

Qi Huang’s eyes glinted with disdain as she strode openly toward the Governor’s office. She had few hobbies, but fulfilling others’ “wishes” was one of them.

“Government premises—no unauthorized entry!”

Two constables at the gate moved to block her path.

“I am a close friend of Qi Huang of the Honghua Sect. Tell your Governor to crawl out here and greet me.”

Qi Huang flashed her token. Knowing the Governor was corrupt, she saw no need for courtesy.

“Qi Huang?”

The constables exchanged bewildered glances before their faces paled in recognition.

“P-Please wait a moment!”

One constable hastily bowed before scrambling inside.