Chapter 1454: Unexpected Encounter

"To the front-right?" He Lingchuan glanced over, startled.

The "He Rulin" mentioned by the mirror was an exquisitely fronted shop from which several customers had just emerged. Leading them was a beautiful woman in her forties, dressed in a brocade robe with her hair in a high bun. She wore only a few pieces of jewelry, but her every movement exuded an extraordinary grace and nobility.

Even her every strand of hair seemed to convey a cold aloofness.

He Lingchuan had seen that face only a few times, yet he had never forgotten it.

Qingyang!

She was usually a figure who resided in high halls, and He Lingchuan hadn't expected to run into her just by casually strolling through the streets of Tianshui City.

A luxurious carriage was parked outside He Rulin's entrance, and Qingyang, accompanied by a few attendants, was about to board it. She was naturally observant; a quick glance at the street from the corner of her eye caught sight of He Lingchuan.

Strictly speaking, Qingyang and He Lingchuan had met only once before, at the home of the wealthy magnate Ke Shouyi. Later, when He Lingchuan caused a disturbance in the Heavenly Palace, he wore a mask and was pursued by her and Bai Zhantian for half a day without revealing his face, so that didn't count.

But Qingyang's gaze sharpened, and her steps halted.

He Lingchuan knew she had recognized him.

He and Qingyang had only met once and hadn't exchanged any important words. Several years had passed, and Qingyang must have met countless important figures since then, so how could she still recognize him?

"Hmm," he mused, "that means Qingyang had taken notice of him beforehand."

With the Yangshan Archipelago's sudden intervention in the war between the allied forces and Bixia, perhaps she, as the Grand Regent of Yao State, was interested in learning more?

This sudden encounter was not the ideal scenario He Lingchuan had envisioned.

But as the saying goes, reality rarely unfolds according to the best script.

So when Qingyang beckoned to him, He Lingchuan strode forward confidently and greeted her openly:

"Grand Regent!"

"He... Xiao?" Qingyang scrutinized him from head to toe, her eyes and tone full of meaning. "The last time I saw you was in Lingxu City. I truly didn't expect to meet you again thousands of miles away."

The last time they met, she was still the powerful ruler of the Azure Palace, outwardly contending with Bai Ziqing of the Heavenly Palace, but secretly vying with Shuangye.

Shuangye had won that contest, bringing an end to the century-long struggle for the chief Imperial Advisor position.

Thus, when Qingyang suddenly saw He Xiao, the very person who had ignited the Immortal Elixir case, her emotions were quite subtle.

"Indeed, fate brings us together across a thousand miles," He Lingchuan replied, his smile appearing guileless. "Are you well, Grand Regent?"

"I'm an old woman nearing two hundred years of age; where could I not be well?" Qingyang said lightly. "How did you come to Tianshui City? I heard your whereabouts became unknown after you and Fu Shanyue left Lingxu."

"The Lord invited me to Tianshui City for the ceremony; I simply couldn't decline such an honorable invitation." Regardless of Qingyang's demeanor, He Lingchuan met her with a smiling face. After all, one doesn't hit a smiling person. "From what I've seen on this journey, Yao State is prosperous and peaceful. You've come to a good place, Grand Regent."

It seemed Qingyang had also inquired about his whereabouts and likely knew he was already the Lord of Yangshan, yet chose to feign disinterest.

Commander Zhao, standing nearby, also bowed to Qingyang. "Grand Regent!"

After all, he was facing the Grand Regent sent by Beijia, so he had to observe all proper etiquette.

Qingyang glanced at him. "And you are?"

"Imperial Guard with Blade, Zhao Song!" Commander Zhao replied solemnly. "We are here by the Lord's command to ensure the safety of Island Master He in Tianshui City!"

The Yao King actually sent Imperial Guards to protect He Xiao? Qingyang was somewhat surprised. "Oh? What have you done, He Xiao, to require special protection from Yao State?"

Qingyang wasn't concerned with Commander Zhao's cultivation level or how well he could protect He Lingchuan. However, the Yao King issuing such an order, the act itself, was peculiar, at least in that it highlighted He Xiao's importance.

As a newcomer and a stranger in Yao State, what enemies could He Xiao possibly have to necessitate the deployment of the Yao King's Imperial Guards?

"Heh," she thought, "is the Yao King preventing me from acting against He Xiao?"

"I haven't done anything yet," He Lingchuan chuckled. "It's simply the Lord's great favor, and I'm truly humbled."

Ostensibly, he hadn't done anything yet — he hadn't even started.

"Oh?" Qingyang raised an eyebrow. "How long have you been here?"

"I only arrived five days ago," He Lingchuan said truthfully. "It seems that was precisely when Tianshui City began its full lockdown."

At that time, Tianshui City had just received news of Xue Zongwu's death. While the entire royal court was in an uproar, many officials were also feeling uneasy.

Everyone knew best what they themselves had done.

Xue Zongwu had power and people at his command, his own cultivation was formidable, and he even had a father-in-law with similarly profound cultivation helping him. Yet, he was still butchered, and even his father-in-law wasn't spared.

What life could the Great Emperor of Nine Hells not take, then?

"Interesting," Qingyang observed, her gaze fixed on him. "Are you also from Mang Continent?"

Too many powerful figures had traveled via Mang Continent; suspects for Xue Zongwu's death could encircle Tianshui City twice over. But if He Xiao was also on Mang Continent when Xue Zongwu and Qi Yunsheng were killed...

There was a slight air of mystery about this person.

"No, Zhuo'an," He Lingchuan shook his head. "We originally intended to go to Mang Continent, but we heard the inns there were fully booked with no room, so we had to stay in Zhuo'an. While there, I also visited a few local gentry."

Qingyang was slightly surprised then. So this young man hadn't even been near Mang Continent?

Zhao Song also corroborated from the side: "I was with Island Master He the entire time. Indeed, we rested in Zhuo'an during those days."

As a guard sent by the Yao King to He Xiao, he had no authority and no need to lie for He Xiao. Qingyang was well aware of this, so she smiled. "That saves quite a bit of trouble. Very well, let's meet again in a few days."

With that, she turned, boarded the carriage, and drew the curtains.

The carriage started smoothly and quickly disappeared around the corner.

He Lingchuan watched the carriage depart, feeling as though Qingyang inside was also watching him intently through the curtains.

"Let's head back too," he said to Commander Zhao.

Back at the Sanmentou Inn, He Lingchuan entered his room and closed the door.

One of Commander Zhao's subordinates whispered, "Boss, it seemed Grand Regent Qingyang was quite amicable towards Island Master He."

"Not as confrontational as expected."

"You saw?" Zhao Song glared at him. "With your 'dog eyes,' what could you possibly see? Our Grand Regent has arrested so many officials; was she ever anything but amicable to them at first? Then she'd act with swift force right after!"

Besides, was that really amicability from Grand Regent Qingyang? It was clearly the aloofness of a superior, something Commander Zhao was quite familiar with.

She didn't deliberately appear unfriendly to anyone; she simply ignored everyone equally.

At dinner, when Dong Rui heard about He Lingchuan's chance encounter with Grand Regent Qingyang, the roasted chicken leg in his bowl suddenly lost its appeal.

"Damn, Tianshui City is so big, and you just happen to run into her while strolling down the street? What kind of luck is that?"

"Unbelievable luck." He Lingchuan didn't feel unlucky, as he would have to face Qingyang sooner or later anyway.

"What if she's determined to go after you? How can a small itinerant merchant like you escape the Regent's grasp?" Dong Rui racked his brain, pondering deeply. "How about you make the first move, and 'blow yourself up' again?"

Years ago, upon his arrival in Lingxu City, He Lingchuan had been caught in the whirlwind of power struggles. To avoid being torn apart, he had acted before Qingyang, arranging an explosion in his inn room.

After that, both he and Fu Shanyue had enjoyed higher levels of protection, making it difficult for Qingyang to move against him again.

He Lingchuan shook his head. "Qingyang is no ordinary person; if I use the same trick twice, she'll most likely see through it."

"Then what should we do?"

"Because of the deaths of Xue Zongwu and Qi Yunsheng, and also because the Yao King's birthday celebration is approaching, the capital of Yao is currently under full lockdown. Qingyang won't move against me at this time, or she risks falling into the Yao King's trap," He Lingchuan had thought this through before coming to Tianshui City. "We still have some room to maneuver and time. We need to push the plan forward quickly."

"Qingyang is already watching you; can the plan still proceed?"

"Why not? We're taking every step in broad daylight; why should we fear being watched?" He Lingchuan smiled. "My plan is simple: to become famous as quickly as possible, to be known by everyone in Tianshui City."

"But unlike in Lingxu City, this time, I won't appear as a 'victim'," He Lingchuan finished eating, rinsed his mouth, and stood up. "The Glittering Gold Plains is a place where evil preys on good. Therefore, we must make the people of Yao know that we are undeniably strong!"

Qingyang returned to Quiet Lake Villa. Just as she had changed her clothes, He Yang arrived to report on the intelligence from the Yao King's palace over the past two days.

The sources of intelligence were complex.

Qingyang naturally had informants within the palace. Although they might not know the exact content of meetings between the king and his ministers, she would quickly learn whom the Yao King had met and what decrees he had issued.

Of course, the Yao King also kept a close eye on her actions. After all, she was on his territory.

If either side made a move, as long as it wasn't done secretly, the other would know.

General Zhongwu's transfer to the Northern Frontier caused a huge stir in the royal court, with the Yao King's decree provoking strong opposition and heated debates among many elder ministers.

In truth, these seasoned officials might not have been ignorant of the underlying motives, but that didn't stop them from expressing their profound indignation.

In the history of Yao State, a foreign general had never been appointed to guard the borders—never since ancient times!

Why? Because those not of one's own kind are sure to have different intentions.

However, the atmosphere in the court was also relatively relaxed and lively because General Zhongwu's northern transfer was a clear signal: Grand Regent Qingyang would not be causing trouble for everyone for a while.

Many people, both openly and secretly, could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"The special envoy sent by the Yao King also brought back the investigation report on the Xiaotao Mountain Villa murder case. At that time, Xue Zongwu fell into the trap of the Black Armored Army leader and pursued him to the northern mountain of Xiaotao Mountain Villa before he could even rendezvous with his own subordinates. He later burst out of the fire and was then slain by the Great Emperor of Nine Hells in front of his more than a hundred elite soldiers and the villa guards, his soul even taken away. These reinforcements were only a few dozen *zhang* away at the time. Many who witnessed that scene couldn't sleep at night and still recount it with lingering trepidation."

"Xue Zongwu didn't leave any useful clues?"

"Before he died, he let out a roar, but his neck injury had made his voice hoarse and broken. The imperial envoy questioned all the eyewitness guards. Some said he merely screamed, while others claimed General Xue tried to leave a dying message, seemingly uttering 'Na Shi'."

"'Na Shi'? Or 'That's it'?"