"Good, good, good!" Feng Dehai pointed at Liao Jinzhong, laughing ironically in his rage, "I thought we were both grieving over the loss of elderly children and wanted to find a way to clear their wrongful deaths and avenge them. It seems I was wrong about the person!"
Liao Jinzhong's heart moved at these words, and he hurriedly said, "Don't say that, I'm just joking with you. You lost a son, I've lost a son too, we share the same plight. From my perspective, the true mastermind might be the same person, otherwise why would it be such a coincidence that everything happens in the Jin Sect?"
Feng Dehai's expression softened a bit, retracting his orchid finger and instead brushing a lock of hair beside his ear, "You make a valid point, it seems Liao Gonggong is still sensible."
The two eunuchs without sons discussed matters as they walked to the courtyard where Liao Jinzhong lived.
During their walk, Liao Gonggong asked, "Prince Zhu was ordered to go to the Northern Territory and has been out of touch for quite some time. Now the local fortresses in the Northern Territory are rallying troops aggressively. His Majesty is cautious and has formed the Mirror Investigation Division, intending to send trusted allies to the Northern Territory to investigate rebellion, if necessary, allowing them to act beforehand and report later... Given the newly established division, and the busy affairs Feng Gonggong must have, how do you have time to deal with Jin Sect matters?"
His Majesty cautious? Feng Dehai raised an eyebrow, isn't that just paranoia? At the end of the day, His Majesty is worried about Prince Zhu rallying Longting King's old forces and turning against the empire.
However, there's no rush about this matter, the journey to the Northern Territory is far, with opportunities along the way, it's unlikely anyone could capture Prince Zhu. Now, having reached the Northern Territory, he's in his element, attempting to remedy the situation might be too late.
"I came precisely for this reason, you know I can act first and report later now, and the Jin Sect happens to be the fiefdom of Longting King. I suspect the affairs in Jin Sect are perhaps related to the remnants of Longting King."
Liao Jinzhong pondered for a moment and said, "The young Wu is clever and charming, deeply favored by me, his martial arts realm is just one step away from the Grandmaster Realm. Such a person placed in the martial world, who could kill him? Even if surrounded, escaping wouldn't be difficult."
"Only a Grandmaster could kill him, and now that Longting King is dead, aside from us, how many Grandmasters are there in the world? Can their old forces really kill young Wu?"
Feng Dehai laughed, "Lou Xiaowu is your prized pupil, achieving such feats before fifty. Wouldn't Longting King, being a Grandmaster, nurture one or two adopted sons as confidants?"
"Prince Zhu didn't practice martial arts to avoid suspicion, but he surely would have prepared secret pawns for backup."
"Gonggong mustn't forget, although Prince Zhu is missing, the princess is still alive and well."
Liao Jinzhong frowned, "You mean the princess has a Grandmaster guard?"
What's the meaning of this, a Grandmaster not guarding the Crown Prince but rather left to guard a woman?
Even if the Prince and Princess truly love each other, they wouldn't let the Crown Prince risk his life and wander into the Northern Territory, would they?
"This I'm not sure of. When Longting King was alive, he planned meticulously; perhaps he had arrangements after his death too. A camel that starves but doesn't die is still bigger than a horse. Besides the royal mansion, where else could it be? It couldn't be ghosts causing trouble, with Ghost Messengers coming to capture people, right?"
"Ghost Messengers? Does Feng Gonggong believe in this?" Liao Jinzhong sneered, then turned into the study and took out a wooden box.
Opening the wooden box, inside lay a completely blackened axe.
"Feng Gonggong, take a look at this."
Liao Jinzhong wrapped the carbonized axe with a handkerchief and handed it to Feng Dehai, saying:
"My adopted son was good everywhere except being too greedy. In Wanshou County, the broker saw a Ghost Messenger carrying a coffin, but I don't believe it."
"If it really was a Ghost Messenger, why use this axe to kill? I received accurate information that young Wu was killed not by Divine Power or Demon Technique, but by a martial arts master who had at least reached Grandmaster Realm."
"Those Paperman Ghost Messengers are just tricks of the martial world, as for the white bone monsters taller than a house with cow hooves and demonic heads, they must be Eye Covering Technique, otherwise why use an axe to kill?"
Feng Dehai grabbed the axe handle, but before he exerted force, the wooden handle burned into charcoal broke into several pieces.
Picking up the similarly burned and deformed iron axe head, Feng Dehai examined it closely, discovering some small engraved characters on it.
"Axe Gang?"
"What's this gang, is there such a force in Jin Sect?"
Liao Jinzhong said, "The Jinmen Gang was slaughtered by one person, Long Engui died on the spot, along with the Lingchild from the Celestial Master's Mansion. Celestial Master Lü refused to go to Jin Sect to investigate for unknown reasons. I went to ask him, he said outsiders don't concern themselves with mundane matters. Do you think it's laughable?"
Feng Dehai's heart moved at these words, "I've heard that Celestial Master Lü is highly skilled in the Tao, a truly advanced cultivator. Has Gonggong asked him about the true identity of the mastermind?"
Liao Jinzhong shook his head, "Celestial Master Lü is unfathomable, unwilling to speak directly. When I inquire, he either nods or shakes his head, but at least it counts as a response."
"How did Gonggong ask? How did Celestial Master Lü respond?"
Liao Jinzhong fell into recollection, "I asked if the mastermind was a formidable demon, and the Celestial Master chuckled and shook his head; I asked if the villain was someone from the martial world, and the Celestial Master pondered and nodded; I asked if I could find the real culprit and kill them quickly, and the Celestial Master smiled widely, without answering."
"Finally, I took a crafty approach, asked the Celestial Master, between the mastermind and me who is stronger? Celestial Master Lü pointed his finger at me..." Liao Jinzhong laughed, "Even among Grandmasters there are ranks, I entered the palace to learn martial arts at a young age, now looking across the world, who dares say they could defeat me?"
"As long as Feng Gonggong spares no effort in finding the villain, we'll team up when the time comes, what have we to fear of a snake or rat hiding in the dark?"
"That's rational." Feng Dehai agreed verbally, but his mind was crystal clear.
If Liao Jinzhong truly had confidence, why would he let go of his mistrust and cooperate with him?
Ultimately, it's because he's uncertain.
...
In Linjiang County, Xu Qing happened to pass by the largest grain shop of the broker while on his way to Yu Qiulan's funeral.
The broker in Linjiang, Xu Qing selected was the only one surviving to date, merely because Lord Li Si does not partake in human trafficking, doesn't interfere in Salt Gang affairs, and doesn't exploit severe interest rates in lending.
In Xu Qing's eyes, he's undoubtedly a model of conscience in the industry, yet we don't know if Lord Li Si's name is Donglai, anyway in a rotten commerce, he certainly earns the word 'kindness'.
Xu Qing has already decided, when the day comes that Lord Si kicks the bucket, at the very least he would craft a grand two-layered coffin for him.
The hearse stopped at the grain shop entrance, Xu Qing called out the Shopkeeper, took out two hundred taels of silver notes, and instructed to purchase them all into grain for delivery to the Funeral Shop.
Shang Shaoyang, puzzled, asked Xu Qing who replied: "This isn't a funeral for high-ranking officials, no matter the case it won't require spending two hundred taels of silver coins."
"I imagine she in heaven would not wish for too much unnecessary spending on the funeral. Instead, it's better to buy some grain to relieve those affected by natural disasters or calamities who can't eat their fill."
Xu Qing doesn't lack money, not to mention, just the golden and jade utensils accompanying Fragrance Concubine's coffin itself are worth more than a hundred thousand taels.
Royal funeral standards are always luxurious and extravagant, even if many people can't eat their fill on the earth, it wouldn't affect the treatment of a royal concubine after death.
Xu Qing was pondering how to justifiably spend silver coins to buy grain, now with Shang Shaoyang sending two hundred taels of silver coins, he naturally intended to spend them all.
This money came honestly, with Shang Shaoyang, a noble scion backing it, he's not afraid of others coming to question.
"Xu Boss, are you really intending to convert all these silver coins into grain?"
Faced with the grain shop Shopkeeper's inquiry, Xu Qing laughed, "Convert! This money was given by Young Master Shang, it's not stolen or robbed. Are you afraid someone would come to hold you accountable afterward?"
The grain shop Shopkeeper laughed, "Of course not, Xu Boss is a familiar face in the brokerage, even if bringing a thousand taels of silver, the grain shop would dare accept. I'm only asking Xu Boss to make sure I'm not mistaken, thinking wrongly, and accidentally embarrassing myself should it be two taels worth of grain!"
Beside, Shang Shaoyang looked at Xu Qing with bright eyes, finding this person interesting.
"Shopkeeper, count all the silver coins, and send the grain entirely to Xu Boss's shop!"
Shang Shaoyang threw the money pouch to the Shopkeeper, containing a mix of silver notes and silver weighing at least five hundred taels.
Xu Qing glanced at Shang Shaoyang, the latter raising an eyebrow indicating he wants to compete.
"Brother Shang, you're righteous, I admire!"
Xu Qing praised verbally, yet inwardly he was chuckling.
This son of a wealthy family was competing with him, but having just released tens of thousands of stones of grain from the relief warehouse, it won't be easy for the wealthy son to catch up to him.