Volume 3, Chapter 322 – Mountains of Ironclad Evidence

For today’s farce, Lu Zhuxin had nothing she needed to do.

She only had to sit and watch.

Sit quietly in her place. Play the part of a pitiful, helpless victim.

All the pieces had already been laid. What she needed to do was wait for the actors on this stage to play their roles, and let the situation drift, inch by inch, toward where she wanted it.

The Chi family was a merchant clan. They did not have the foundation to come to open blows with Lingxiao Sword Sect.

But that did not mean the Chi family was a soft target with no backbone.

If they truly had no backbone, the Chi family would never have risen to where they stood today.

Choosing not to turn on Lingxiao Sword Sect did not mean they had to give Lingxiao Sword Sect a pleasant face.

Wei Qingyu’s presence here was the signal the Chi family had sent to Lingxiao Sword Sect.

Under the Human Empress’s reign, it was not yet Lingxiao Sword Sect’s place to do as they pleased.

Every shameful thing Lingxiao Sword Sect had done today would pass through Wei Qingyu’s lips and reach the Empress’s ears without a single word missing.

With all the evidence stacked against them, Lu Guan was in no position to turn on the Chi family and press for advantage.

And all of this had been within Lu Zhuxin’s calculations from the start.

After Lingxiao Sword Sect lost Qu Qingtang, they had already lost the capital to lord over others.

Chi Xiyan turned and looked at Song Shutao. Her eyes held a cold stillness.

“Young Master Song. Muxue is untouched. Please refrain from saying things that might lead to misunderstandings.”

Song Shutao’s lips moved, but no words came.

She had hurt Chi Muxue. Even if it had not been her intention.

Hearing Chi Xiyan’s words, Song Shutao understood. Denying this, for the Chi family and for Chi Muxue, was the best resolution.

Chi Muxue’s gift was extraordinary. Her future held limitless possibility.

Chi Xiyan did not want a single stain to touch her.

Song Shutao lowered her head. Her hands curled into fists. Her heart was heavy with guilt.

“Hmph.” Lu Guan let out a cold laugh. “Just now, I had considered speaking up for my junior sister and having the Song family give the Second Young Miss a formal standing.”

“After all, this situation arose from my junior sister’s recklessness to begin with.”

“But it seems the Second Young Miss has no need of that standing now.”

Chi Xiyan heard this, and a flash of fury passed through her eyes.

Having Song Shixuan marry Chi Muxue?

Calling that compensation for Chi Muxue?

Lingxiao Sword Sect truly had no shame.

Lu Guan was unaware of Chi Xiyan’s thoughts. He turned to Chi Jingwen.

“Family Head Chi. The most important matter you spoke of has now been resolved.”

“Your daughter is untouched. She has not been involved with any man.”

“If there is anything else that needs addressing, say it all at once.”

Chi Jingwen looked at Lu Guan without expression, the way one might look at a jester.

He said lightly, “Everyone is already aware of what happened last night. Fortunately, Xiyan arrived in time. The Young Sect Master of Lingxiao Sword Sect was spared from losing something precious in a moment of impulse. That is a fortunate outcome.”

Lu Guan’s eye twitched.

A young master of Song Shixuan’s background had long since been no stranger to the company of women. What purity was there left to speak of?

Chi Jingwen was turning his own earlier words back on him with pointed sarcasm.

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“However.” Chi Jingwen shifted his tone. “There are still a few things I would like to verify with the Young Sect Master.”

“What things?” Song Shutao asked.

Chi Jingwen raised his hand slightly.

From outside the hall, an injured guard entered, supported by a fellow soldier. His face was pale, his blood and qi depleted, his breath faint as he addressed Chi Jingwen. “Family head.”

Chi Jingwen said, “Long Wu. Last night you stood guard alongside She Liu. Tell me. What happened?”

Long Wu nodded and said, “At the banquet yesterday, the Second Young Miss had too much to drink. A handmaid accidentally spilled wine on her…”

Long Wu gave a brief account of what had unfolded the previous night. This naturally included the moment they sensed the sudden eruption of fighting within the Chi residence, and She Liu leaving alone to investigate.

Lu Guan listened to the end and let out a cold laugh. “Family Head Chi. Your own estate’s guards were inadequate. Are you going to lay that at Lingxiao Sword Sect’s feet as well?”

“A great estate like the Chi residence, and you could not even keep watch over your own young miss, let alone catch the intruder who slipped inside. Are you not afraid of people laughing at you?”

“Elder Lu, I must say a word or two on the family head’s behalf.” Wei Qingyu said. “Last night, I borrowed a number of the Chi family’s people for my own purposes, which weakened the defenses here. That is what gave the intruder the opening to slip in.”

Lu Guan looked at Wei Qingyu, frowning. “The Demon Suppression Bureau borrowed men from the Chi family?”

Wei Qingyu smiled with a trace of resignation. “It is an embarrassing thing to admit. Apprehending demons is the Bureau’s responsibility.”

“But that wolf clan princess is exceptionally cunning. She had been hiding within Beihe Commandery, and after the Bureau’s first failed attempt to capture her, it became clear we could not manage it alone. I had no choice but to borrow people from the Chi family.”

“Before Xiyan’s engagement banquet, someone spotted traces of the wolf demon. Family Head Chi dispatched the Chi family’s strongest fighters, and that is how the situation today came to pass.”

As for the Bureau’s pursuit of the wolf demon, Lu Guan had some passing knowledge of the matter. “And was the wolf demon captured?”

Wei Qingyu still wore that resigned smile. “No. Those wolf demons are formidable, and they know the layout of this commandery city with great familiarity. They slipped away like eels in mud.”

“After a brief skirmish, they took advantage of the chaos and vanished.”

Lu Guan pressed on. “And what does any of this have to do with Lingxiao Sword Sect?”

Wei Qingyu was quiet for a moment, then said, “Although we did not capture the wolf demons, we did come across something rather unusual.”

As she spoke, she produced half a torn talisman paper from her hand.

“I wonder if Elder Lu might recognize where this talisman came from.”

Lu Guan took the talisman from her with a cold expression and rubbed it between his fingers.

A faint smell of wood ash drifted from the paper.

His expression shifted at once.

This was a talisman that had already been used.

The paper and the spirit ink were both ordinary materials, the kind found anywhere.

But the sword inscription etched into it was far from ordinary.

Under normal circumstances, a talisman turned to ash after being activated. But the great demon who had used this one was unfamiliar with how talismans worked. Their demon energy had clashed with the pure yang sword qi sealed within it, and the talisman had failed to activate properly. That was why half of it remained intact.

And on this remaining half, there was a very distinct sword inscription.

Lu Guan’s expression grew ugly. “This is a sword talisman from a sword sect…”

To be precise, it was a sword talisman that only inner disciples of Lingxiao Sword Sect were permitted to study.

That unique sword inscription matched the Sword Concealment Art.

Within Lingxiao Sword Sect, only two lineages used this kind of inscription.

How had a Lingxiao Sword Sect talisman ended up in the hands of wolf demons?

Had Song Shixuan gotten himself entangled with wolf demons?

Could it be because of that wolf clan princess, the one rumored to be devastatingly beautiful?

Lu Guan could not help glancing back at Song Shutao.

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He met Song Shutao’s blank, bewildered stare looking back at him.

Chi Jingwen said, “Well, Elder Lu. Can you tell the origin of this talisman?”

Lu Guan drew a slow, steadying breath.

This talisman had been produced by Wei Qingyu. Wei Qingyu was an inspector of the Demon Suppression Bureau. She was not someone who could be easily fooled.

The trap Chi Jingwen had laid today had never had good intentions behind it.

“This is a sword talisman from Lingxiao Sword Sect. I do not know how it came to circulate outside.”

Lu Guan paused, then continued, “A traitor has emerged from within the sect. Lingxiao Sword Sect has long been investigating the possibility of spies. This talisman was likely leaked by one of those traitors.”

“I see.” Wei Qingyu said with apparent surprise. “A traitor within the sword sect. That is no small matter. Elder Lu must be sure to root them out.”

Lu Guan’s expression darkened further.

Just moments ago he had mocked the Chi family for their lax defenses and letting an intruder walk in unchallenged. Now that same barb had swung back and struck him in the face.

Lu Guan felt that this Chi family estate had a deeply unlucky air that was constitutionally opposed to him.

Wei Qingyu smiled and said nothing more.

She had not been surprised by Lu Guan’s answer.

Chi Jingwen offered no comment on Lu Guan’s response and continued. “She Liu failed in her duty as a guard and abandoned her post. She has already gone to accept punishment.”

“Long Wu. You remained behind to guard the Second Young Miss alone. What did you encounter?”

Guard Long Wu said with a bitter expression, “After She Liu left, someone attacked me from behind. What came after that, I no longer remember.”

Beside him, Wei Qingyu asked, “Do you remember how you were attacked? Was it a technique, or a weapon?”

“A sword!” Long Wu pointed to his own chest. “Someone struck me from behind with a sword.”

Wei Qingyu turned to Lu Guan. “Elder Lu. You are a sword cultivator. You understand swords far better than any of us. Would you care to examine this and tell us what manner of person attacked the Chi family’s guard?”

Lu Guan looked at the expression on Wei Qingyu’s face and felt his scalp prickle.

What scheme was this woman running now.

But with Wei Qingyu’s words hanging in the air, every set of eyes in the room had turned to him.

Lu Guan had no choice but to steel himself and step forward.

The guard’s qi was weak. His heart meridians had taken severe damage. That he could speak this freely meant the Chi family had given him a high-grade healing elixir.

Lu Guan marveled inwardly. The Chi family’s wealth was truly staggering. Elixirs of this caliber were things even the elders of Lingxiao Sword Sect would not squander lightly, and yet the Chi family had used one without a second thought on an ordinary guard.

This guard’s underlying constitution was deep. Before the injury, he had likely been at the Fourth Realm.

That was no small feat.

To inflict a wound this severe on a Fourth Realm warrior in an instant required someone who far surpassed him.

Wei Qingyu had deliberately directed me to examine this guard. There is certainly something hidden here.

Lu Guan was thinking exactly this when, very quickly, he found what he had feared.

Inside the guard’s wound, traces of Lingxiao Sword Sect’s distinctive sword qi still lingered.

At that moment, Lu Guan no longer merely wanted to curse someone. He wanted to kill.

He suddenly understood why Chi Jingwen had wanted to raise this matter with Song Shixuan specifically.

Among all the Lingxiao Sword Sect disciples who had come to Beihe Commandery, Song Shixuan was by far the strongest.

As the Young Sect Master of Lingxiao Sword Sect, he was entirely capable of this.

Lu Guan suddenly saw it clearly.

From Chi Chun at the beginning, to the sword talisman just now, to the guard before him.

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Chi Jingwen had been laying out Lingxiao Sword Sect’s crimes, piece by piece, before Lu Guan and everyone in this hall.

He had never directly accused Lingxiao Sword Sect. He had even declared in front of everyone that Chi Chun’s death was a suicide out of guilt.

But this soft, deliberate slap made people want to cough up blood from the frustration.

To say nothing of Wei Qingyu, the Empress’s loyal hound, standing alongside the Chi family.

Lu Guan knew that if he did not make some gesture of accountability now, today’s matter would not end cleanly.

Lu Guan drew a long breath. “Family Head Chi. Inspector Wei. I will report the events of today to the Sect Master. Lingxiao Sword Sect will give you an accounting.”

Wei Qingyu said, “Only an accounting?”

Lu Guan’s face turned ashen.

Wei Qingyu was the Empress’s person. Lu Guan understood what she meant.

“Lingxiao Sword Sect may have been infiltrated by demon clan spies. Once this matter is investigated, Lingxiao Sword Sect will report directly to His Majesty.”

Lu Guan cupped his hands toward those assembled. “Today’s affair has made a spectacle of us before everyone. I will not impose further.”

With that, Lu Guan led the Lingxiao Sword Sect disciples away in a disheveled retreat.

Before Song Shutao left, she stole a glance at Lu Zhuxin. Her eyes were full of guilt.

She passed by Lu Zhuxin. Her lips moved. She said quietly, “I’m sorry.”

Lu Zhuxin kept her head lowered and did not look at her.

Chi Xiyan shot her a cold glare.

Song Shutao felt the chill in that gaze. She gave a bitter smile.

“Forgive me, Xiyan. I did not think things would come to this.”

The cold in Chi Xiyan’s eyes deepened. “Young Master Song. Is this some kind of joke?”

Song Shutao startled. She bit her lip.

She knew it. At this point, there was nothing left to say.

She lowered her head and followed the Lingxiao Sword Sect disciples out, deflated.

Chi Jingwen watched Lu Guan go, his eyes following until every figure had disappeared. Only then did he turn to address the Chi family elders gathered before him.

“With this, the Chi family’s crisis has passed.”

“Disperse for now.”

***

After the others had filed out one by one, Lu Zhuxin tugged at Chi Xiyan’s sleeve and asked, “Sister. Is it really over?”

“More or less.” Chi Xiyan let out a quiet sigh. She reached over and ruffled Lu Zhuxin’s hair. “What comes next has nothing to do with us.”

In truth, Chi Xiyan had not done very much today.

Chi Jingwen and Wei Qingyu, between the two of them, had left Lu Guan with no ground to stand on.

Chi Xiyan had not expected that, aside from what had happened to Chi Muxue, so many other things had unfolded the night before.

Wolf demons who had slipped away from the Bureau and the Chi family’s fighters. Chi Chun, struck down by sword qi. A Chi family guard ambushed in the dark.

Was Lingxiao Sword Sect truly this lawless?

Chi Xiyan’s thoughts turned to Qingshan, whose fate remained unknown.

“Xiyan. Muxue.” Chi Jingwen called after the two who were about to leave. “Come with me.”

Chi Xiyan paused. She turned to look at Chi Jingwen.

Chi Jingwen and Wei Qingyu were walking toward them together, both of their faces equally grave.

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Lu Zhuxin shrank slightly behind Chi Xiyan. She could feel Chi Jingwen’s scrutinizing gaze on her.

This old fox. He’s coming for me?

He suspects me?

I gave him so much evidence to work with, and he still suspects me?

Tsk.

Lu Zhuxin grumbled silently, feeling put out.

Was it because she had given too much evidence?

Too much of a good thing. Evidence this overwhelming, and it actually made a person suspicious?

But then again, Lu Zhuxin could understand that kind of thinking from someone like Chi Jingwen.

This sort of old fox only trusted his own judgment.

Even with mountains of ironclad evidence, if it ran contrary to what he had already concluded in his mind, he would question it. Then question it again.

No matter. Let him suspect all he liked.

The more he suspected, the more evidence he would find. And it would only point in one direction.

Lu Zhuxin smiled quietly to herself.

The few of them moved together into a side hall.

Chi Jingwen said, “I had you come here simply to ask about what happened last night.”

He looked at Lu Zhuxin, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Muxue. Do you remember anything from last night?”

Chi Xiyan was puzzled. She frowned. “Father. Was not everything from last night already addressed?”

“Xiyan.” Wei Qingyu stepped in gently. “Your father simply wants to hear how things unfolded from your sister Muxue’s perspective.”

“But…” Chi Xiyan’s brow stayed furrowed.

She remembered that Chi Muxue had been through something deeply painful in connection with matters like this before.

She was a little worried that Chi Jingwen pressing her with questions might stir up memories better left undisturbed.

“I’m fine, sister.” Lu Zhuxin took Chi Xiyan’s hand. “I remember a little of what happened yesterday. Whatever the family head wants to know… I will do my best to recall.”

Chi Xiyan sighed inwardly.

Chi Jingwen continued. “Muxue. Do you know how you came to be poisoned?”

Lu Zhuxin shook her head. “I don’t remember. I only remember being very thirsty. Sister Chun brought me warm water.”

“After I drank it, I just felt very hot. So hot.”

“What came after that, I don’t remember anymore.”

Chi Jingwen fixed his gaze on Lu Zhuxin’s face. “You truly remember nothing?”

“Mm.” Lu Zhuxin nodded.

She was not afraid of Chi Jingwen’s suspicion.

Because from beginning to end, she had not done anything that could be considered suspicious.

Every movement she had made, within the scope of intelligence Chi Jingwen could gather, could be traced back and assembled into a complete and coherent timeline.

The idea of Chi Jingwen finding any evidence against her was nearly impossible.

Chi Jingwen kept his expression cold. He pressed on. “And before you were poisoned?”

“Where was your personal handmaid?”

“Where did she go? Why was she not by your side the entire time?”