Volume 3, Chapter 297 – It Was Just a Misunderstanding

The outer hall of the Chi residence was lively with guests.

Wei Qingyu had also been invited to attend Chi Xiyan’s engagement banquet.

At the moment, she stood in the hall exchanging pleasantries with Chi Jingwen.

A trace of worry had crept into Wei Qingyu’s expression. “Family Head Chi, in my estimation, someone must have aided those wolf demons. Someone with intimate knowledge of Beihe Commandery. Otherwise, it would be impossible for them to vanish without leaving a single trace.”

Over the past stretch of time, Wei Qingyu had led her subordinates in combing through nearly the entire Beihe Commandery city. They had found no trace of the wolf demons. Not a track, not a stray tuft of fur.

Those wolf demons, who had crossed over from the Demon Territory, had seemingly vanished in a single night without a trace.

It didn’t add up. The wolf demons were newcomers to Beihe Commandery. Simply blending into human society would have been a challenge for them. How could they have concealed themselves so thoroughly?

Earlier, the intelligence gathered from that girl had pointed to Sin Moon Tower as the force behind the wolf demons. Sin Moon Tower was an assassin organization, stealth and assassination being their specialties. Hiding a few wolf demons was well within their capabilities.

What Wei Qingyu couldn’t figure out was why Sin Moon Tower would do such a thing.

Chi Jingwen stroked his beard and said thoughtfully, “I have heard some mention of this matter from the elders who serve our family.”

“That those wolf demons could evade the Chi family’s tracking within this city is no small feat. There is indeed something unusual at work.”

“Capturing the wolf demons is an imperial decree,” Wei Qingyu said. “They are extremely dangerous. By any measure, they cannot be allowed to continue roaming freely within Beihe Commandery.”

“And so, I would like to ask for the Chi family’s assistance.”

Chi Jingwen reflected on this briefly. “The wolf clan is a great enemy of humanity, and capturing wolf demons falls within the duty of every cultivator. However…”

“Is there a difficulty, Family Head Chi?” Wei Qingyu asked.

Chi Jingwen gave a small wave of his hand. “Nothing I would call a true difficulty. It’s just that the Chi family has recently had some… disturbances. Someone has been spreading baseless rumors outside, and we are currently investigating the source. It would be difficult to spare the hands.”

“Ah,” Wei Qingyu said, understanding dawning. “You’re referring to those rumors claiming the Chi family has produced the reincarnated Venerable Saint?”

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“I hadn’t realized Inspector Wei had also heard such things.” Chi Jingwen sighed helplessly. “It is embarrassing to speak of. I have no idea who harbors such ill intent toward the Chi family, spreading something so absurd… If this matter isn’t investigated and resolved, how are we to carry on?”

Wei Qingyu understood. Chi Jingwen had politely declined.

Still, the rumor itself did pique her curiosity. Who had spread something so outrageous, and to what end? To make the Chi family a laughingstock?

Just then, a Chi family guard hurried over and whispered something in Chi Jingwen’s ear.

Chi Jingwen’s brow furrowed. His eyes went cold.

Something had happened.

Wei Qingyu caught the shift in Chi Jingwen’s expression, a man who rarely let his feelings show had visibly been caught off guard. She wondered what could have done it.

Before the thought had fully formed, a Demon Suppression Bureau officer came rushing in.

“Inspector Wei! Someone has spotted the wolf demons!”

Surprise flashed through Wei Qingyu’s eyes. “Where?”

The officer, however, didn’t answer immediately. He turned and glanced at Chi Jingwen.

Chi Jingwen, still stroking his beard, said evenly, “In one of the Chi family’s private properties. Someone stumbled upon the wolf demons’ hideout, and discovered human remains they had left behind.”

Wei Qingyu’s eyes widened. “So the wolf demons were hiding in Chi family property all along? No wonder the Demon Suppression Bureau couldn’t find them.”

She paused. “Those who didn’t know better might assume the Chi family was the one hiding them.”

Chi Jingwen’s eye twitched slightly. “Inspector Wei,” he said in a measured tone, “there is something suspicious about all of this. That property does belong to the Chi family, however—”

“I understand, Family Head Chi.” Wei Qingyu waved a hand. “That property, while technically Chi family land, falls under a branch family’s name and has nothing to do with the main line. That is what you mean, yes?”

“Family Head Chi, I trust in your integrity. I know you are not the sort of man who would collude with demon clans. I hold no suspicions toward you whatsoever.”

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“There is no need to explain yourself to me.”

A vein twitched at Chi Jingwen’s temple.

The way Wei Qingyu kept emphasizing that she harbored no suspicions was, somehow, precisely the kind of thing that made people suspicious.

“Inspector Wei, this has come to light quite suddenly, and there are many unclear points. Once the Chi family has completed its investigation, we will give Inspector Wei a full accounting.”

Wei Qingyu shook her head. “Family Head Chi, you are too formal. The Demon Suppression Bureau has no intention of meddling in the Chi family’s internal affairs.”

“Capturing demons is our duty. Now that the wolf demons have surfaced, I should not linger here any longer.”

“Only… these wolf demons are ferocious, and they have had several days to recover within the city. I can’t say with certainty how smoothly this will go.”

She sighed. “What a pity. Xiyan’s engagement… I’ll have to come back another day to offer my congratulations.”

With that, she clasped her hands toward Chi Jingwen and turned to leave.

“Oh, and please do investigate thoroughly, Family Head Chi. Root out the rot within the branch families soon. The sooner the main line’s name is cleared, the better.”

Chi Jingwen watched her retreating figure, his gaze flickering.

Wei Qingyu’s implication had been unmistakable.

Colluding with demon clans was a grave crime. Regardless of who had hidden those wolf demons there, the fact that they were discovered on Chi family grounds made it impossible for the family to completely distance itself from the matter.

And now, Chi Jingwen had just moments ago declined Wei Qingyu’s invitation to help apprehend the wolf demons. Only for them to turn up in his own family’s private property.

Under these circumstances, anyone would suspect a connection between the Chi family and the wolf demons.

Whether or not there was any truth to it, once word spread, the damage to the Chi family’s reputation would be severe. The Chi family could not afford such an accusation.

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“Inspector Wei, please wait.”

Chi Jingwen called out to Wei Qingyu, who had already stepped through the gate.

***

Lu Zhuxin tapped the tabletop lightly with her fingertips.

With the spiritual consciousness of an Eighth Realm great demon, she could sense several deep, powerful auras quietly slipping away from the Chi residence.

‘So the plan outside is going smoothly.’

The Chi residence’s security had been far too tight. If the family’s defenses weren’t reduced somewhat, Qin Qingfen’s scheme to poison Chi Muxue would have had little hope of succeeding.

And so, to ensure the minor villains’ plot could actually be carried out, Lu Zhuxin had borrowed a few people from Bu Lianshuang in advance and had them stir up trouble at one of the Chi family’s properties, drawing some of the guards away from the residence.

‘Qin Qingfen, oh Qin Qingfen. I’ve gone and made the opportunity for you. Don’t waste it.’

She was still murmuring to herself when a group of young people approached.

“Miss Muxue.”

Lu Zhuxin looked up. It was Chi Zhong with his usual band of followers.

Bu Lianshuang stood behind Lu Zhuxin. She looked at the young men and her brow furrowed slightly. From them, she caught the faint scent of ill intent.

“My lady.” Bu Lianshuang stepped in front of Lu Zhuxin and lowered her voice. “These people… something’s off.”

Lu Zhuxin already knew exactly why they had come. She smiled lightly and gave Bu Lianshuang’s sleeve a gentle tug.

“Shuang’er, don’t be nervous. I know them.”

Then she turned to face the group.

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“Was there something you needed?”

Chi Zhong glanced at Bu Lianshuang standing beside Lu Zhuxin. Something about this perfectly ordinary-looking maidservant set off a faint flicker of unease in him, an inexplicable sense of danger.

But the feeling vanished as quickly as it came, as though it had been a trick of the mind.

Chi Zhong quietly dismissed it. He’d just been too on edge.

She was just a maidservant. Not even a particularly attractive one, at that. He wouldn’t want her even if she were handed to him as a gift. What was there to be wary of?

He composed himself and turned to Lu Zhuxin with a regretful smile.

“Miss Muxue, I’ve come to apologize for what happened before.”

“Apologize?”

“At the Chi family’s recognition ceremony, I acted rashly and without thought. I caused trouble for you, Miss Muxue.”

“After returning home, I reflected long and hard and came to recognize my mistake.”

“I had blindly believed in rumors and formed a misunderstanding about you. The trouble I caused you was entirely my fault.”

“So I wanted to come and offer you a proper apology.”

The words coming out of this young man’s mouth sounded sincere enough but Lu Zhuxin found it hard not to laugh.

Chi Zhong certainly had a talent for rewriting history. What he had done at the recognition ceremony had been an outright attempt to destroy Chi Muxue.

And now, in his telling, it had become nothing more than a simple misunderstanding.

How amusing.