Chapter 70: Temptation

Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Temptation

Qi Linxian was speaking, getting angrier. "And that Instant Movement Array! I studied it for over half a year back then, yet the first time I used it, I was bound by that Zeng Anmin..."

"MMM MMM MMM..."

He opened his eyes wide, suddenly realizing he couldn’t open his mouth and could only make muffled sounds through his throat!

Without his noisy voice, Celestial Master Xu slowly closed his eyes. His voice was deep and drawn out. "Zeng Anmin... Heaven-Questioning Array..."

Silence filled the main hall.

After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes and looked at Sai Chuxue. "As your master, I must trouble you with one more matter."

Sai Chuxue was a bit dissatisfied and muttered, "You didn’t even give me any reward for going down to Jiangnan to catch the traitorous disciple..."

"Go to the Imperial Palace. Tell Emperor Jianhong that Qi Linxian colluded with King Jiang to rebel, and this traitorous disciple should be dealt with internally by our Profound Array Department."

In the Imperial Study, Capital City.

Emperor Jianhong sat calmly, reading a memorial delivered by express horse from Liangjiang Commandery.

The memorial was divided into two parts. The first part detailed everything from the case of the missing Dragon Inspection Map to the ultimate execution of King Jiang, as well as Liangjiang Prefect Qi Xiande leading troops to attack the Observation Department. It was written at length, containing at least two thousand words. The first five hundred words consisted of greetings from Zeng Shilin, the Governor of Fengqi Road, to Emperor Jianhong. The latter fifteen hundred words detailed the progression of events: the loss of the Dragon Inspection Map, the case involving Shuidu Academy student Zhang Lun, the assassination attempt on Zeng Anmin, the Left Chief Clerk of the Observation Department, by the Black Cat Martial Artist, followed by Zeng Anmin using clues to uncover King Jiang’s rebellion and secure evidence, and finally, the Demon Race attacking the Observation Department.

Through these clues, Zeng Anmin had connected all the evidence to solve the case of King Jiang’s rebellion. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell at a glance that Zeng Anmin deserved the most credit, followed by Zeng Shilin. The memorial also reported the battle deaths of two Martial Artists: Wang Deli, Commander of Liangjiang Commandery, and Lin Rong, Assistant General of Liangjiang Commandery.

"King Jiang’s rebellion." In the empty Imperial Study, the underlying emotion in Emperor Jianhong’s voice was difficult to discern.

After a long while, he slowly raised his head, his voice sounding as if he were asking the empty air, "Was it truly King Jiang who wanted to rebel, or was it Zeng Shilin who wanted to monopolize power and leave him no way out?"

No one could answer him. The entire Imperial Study remained deathly silent.

After a long time, Emperor Jianhong narrowed his eyes. "Since you wish to monopolize power..."

He slowly stood up, picked up a wolf-hair brush from the desk, and prepared to write his comments on the memorial. In a short time, he fluidly wrote out nearly a hundred words. The first part detailed the distribution of rewards based on merit, but he didn’t mention a single word about King Jiang’s rebellion. His final sentence was written in bold, sweeping strokes:

[Zeng Anmin is credited with solving the case. He is promoted to Imperial Censor of the Capital Prefecture and ordered to enter the capital within ten days.]

After finishing, Emperor Jianhong slowly set his brush down, a cold sneer appearing on his face.

At this moment, the sound of footsteps rang out.

"Your Majesty, Sai Chuxue from the Profound Array Department requests an audience."

Emperor Jianhong furrowed his brow slightly, then gave a faint nod. "Mhm."

Sai Chuxue entered the Imperial Study casually, looking around with great curiosity. It was her first time there, and she was intensely curious about everything. Finally, guided by a eunuch, she saw Emperor Jianhong.

"My master told me to come," she said, stating her purpose immediately upon seeing him. She neither bowed nor showed the slightest respect.

Yet, exceptionally, Emperor Jianhong showed no displeasure. Instead, he revealed an amiable smile and asked, "May I ask what matter Celestial Master Xu has in mind?"

Seeing his friendly face, Sai Chuxue blinked curiously. She thought, "This old man doesn’t seem as scary as the rumors say."

"My master told me to say that Qi Linxian, an expelled disciple of our Profound Array Department, colluded with King Jiang to plot a rebellion. We have already caught him, and our Profound Array Department will handle him ourselves." Sai Chuxue spoke with an air of absolute certainty, completely oblivious to Emperor Jianhong’s suddenly clenched fists.

"Why aren’t you saying anything?" Sai Chuxue asked, looking at the emperor curiously.

Emperor Jianhong took a deep breath and forced a smile. "I understand."

"Oh, then I’ll be going now." Just as Sai Chuxue was about to walk out, she suddenly stopped. Her bright, watery eyes looked at him with an innocent smile. "You’re actually quite nice."

With that, she stuck her tongue out at him and left the Imperial Study.

Emperor Jianhong was stunned at first, watching Sai Chuxue’s departing back. After a long while, he lifted his eyelids and reached out with his somewhat blackened hands. He grabbed the freshly written memorial comments from the desk, crumpled them into a ball, and tossed them into the burning brazier nearby.

SIZZLE.

It turned into a wisp of black smoke, as if it had never existed.

In the Liangjiang Prefecture Governor’s Mansion.

"How is it?" Zeng Anmin asked, putting away the slightly hot Jade Rod in his hand. He raised an eyebrow at Bai Ziqing, who was sitting in a chair with his back to him.

A full-length mirror stood in front of Bai Ziqing. In the mirror, his flowing long hair had been permed into small, wave-like curls. Even his hair color had turned blonde.

"This..." Bai Ziqing’s eyes went wide as he stared at his reflection. He hesitated for a long time before looking up to ask, "Is this right?"

Zeng Anmin was extremely satisfied. He nodded affirmatively, "Absolutely right!"

On the table beside them sat a thick, green liquid that looked like glutinous rice paste. This viscous substance was Zeng Anmin’s homemade, all-natural hair dye, mixed from osmanthus leaves, aloe vera juice, and thick rice porridge.

"Look, the white hair dye you made is not only unstable, but it also flakes off..." Zeng Anmin explained patiently. "But my all-natural hair dye not only lasts a long time, but it also won’t flake off and get all over your body after it dries."

As he spoke, Zeng Anmin rubbed his hand over Bai Ziqing’s blonde hair to show him.

"You’re right!" Bai Ziqing muttered, his eyes brightening considerably when he saw Zeng Anmin’s clean hand. "This way, I won’t have to constantly use my Martial Arts Aura to isolate my hair from my clothes..."

"And trust me, walking down the street like this, you’ll definitely be the most eye-catching guy around. The moment you appear, everyone else will pale in comparison!" Zeng Anmin confidently patted his own chest. "Especially with this unique perming technique. Let alone the Great Saint Dynasty, you won’t find this anywhere else in all of Kyushu! Just tell me, does it look good or not?"

Zeng Anmin lifted a strand of Bai Ziqing’s waterfall-like curls and raised an eyebrow at his reflection in the mirror.

"It looks good!" The more Bai Ziqing looked, the more delighted he felt.

"Just imagine. Every time you go on a mission and your subordinates can’t defeat the criminals, you descend onto the battlefield like a heavenly god. Your flowing, highly exotic blonde hair... these curls will instantly grab everyone’s attention!

"At that moment, you calmly utter a line: ’Having fought across three thousand miles, my sword’s light chills nineteen provinces! Criminals, now that you’ve seen me, quickly surrender!’

"That scene... rest assured, everyone will be utterly captivated by you!" Zeng Anmin’s voice was like a devil’s whisper.

His words caused Bai Ziqing’s face to flush red. His eyes were filled with incomparable eagerness and anticipation, and he spoke somewhat incoherently, "Good... good... brilliant! Absolutely brilliant..."

"Ahem." Having said that, Zeng Anmin raised an eyebrow slightly and asked, "I heard from my father that your Arrow Skill, as well as your Hidden Weapon Technique, are quite good?"

Hmm?

Bai Ziqing looked up blankly, not knowing what Zeng Anmin meant by this.