Chapter 1579: You Should Have Said So Earlier

The manor gate. There’s only one road from the mountain hollow to the manor. If any rapid riders arrive, send a message or intercept them. He Lingchuan already had a plan. “Tonight, I’ll go drinking with Zhao Song. If he receives a magical message mid-way, I’ll immediately take control of him.”

If the situation escalated to that point, he only needed to buy time for everyone to escape.

Wanqiliang nodded, “Alright, I’ll go watch the mountain hollow.”

Wanqifeng also said, “I’ll have the brothers prepare for an attack tonight.”

“Let’s not scare ourselves unnecessarily,” He Lingchuan analyzed. “Since King Yao is hosting a banquet, Bai Ziqi, as the main guest, cannot easily leave the palace. Qingyang also attended, which means King Yao, Bai Ziqi, and Qingyang are all within the palace and in plain sight.”

Dong Rui asked, “So?”

“To capture the Great Emperor of Nine Hells, at least one of them would need to be present to oversee it, wouldn’t they?” He Lingchuan could still manage a smile. “Otherwise, it would be too childish.”

Was the Great Emperor of Nine Hells someone they could simply apprehend with a casual order and a dispatched team?

Dong Rui understood. “So that means you and I are relatively safe until the banquet ends?”

“From another perspective, if they plan to make a move, the real action will only begin after the banquet.” He Lingchuan looked at the sky. “There’s no need to rush. We still have time to prepare. Afeng, take your men and discreetly watch Zhao Song’s stewards. Be careful not to arouse their suspicion.”

“Understood!”

He Lingchuan then instructed Wang Fubao, “Go and watch the east gate of Tianshui. If the visitors are hostile, break the Qianqian Knot to give a warning.”

The Qianqian Knot was a pair of grass knots; if one was broken, the other would instantly break as well, as long as they were within a ten-li radius.

It was a very simple communication tool, but effective.

Wang Fubao acknowledged and turned to leave.

He Lingchuan then made a few more arrangements, saying, “Everyone act naturally and don’t draw attention.”

Everyone dispersed.

The moonlight was like water that night. He Lingchuan sighed as he looked at Tianshui City to the west.

He could sense that great turmoil was approaching the Yao Kingdom, and at this precise moment, the Demon Puppeteers organization appeared, with even Bai Ziqi rushing to join the commotion.

It was truly a chaotic dance of demons.

The night passed without incident.

In King Yao’s palace, Bai Ziqi, having finished drinking, watching performances, and conversing with the Yao Kingdom’s monarch and ministers, saw the gathering disperse and everyone return to their respective quarters.

There were no troop movements in either the palace or the city.

Wang Fubao guarded the East Suburb entrance all night. Only a few merchants entered and exited Tianshui City’s east gate.

At Yongquan Manor, Zhao Song and the others went to rest after drinking with He Lingchuan. No imperial guards sought him for messages, nor did any suspicious bird demons fly close.

In the early morning, He Lingchuan received three pieces of news:

First, during last night’s banquet, King Yao invited Bai Ziqi and Supervisor Qingyang to enter the palace this morning for breakfast.

Bai Ziqi immediately accepted.

Second, Qingyang stayed overnight at the palace after the banquet instead of returning to Youhu Villa.

Lastly, yesterday morning, immediately after the temple fair’s blessing ceremony concluded, Bai Ziqi suddenly appeared in Tianshui City and entered the main temple of Miaozhantian. However, King Yao only invited him into the palace several hours later.

It was at this point that the Yao Palace made the impromptu decision to host a welcoming banquet.

When He Lingchuan received these three messages, especially the last note, his hanging heart finally settled.

Dong Rui peered over from the side, “Well, are all three good news?”

“Yes, they’re all good news,” He Lingchuan said, pointing to the last note. “Especially the third one.”

“Bai Ziqi staying at the temple?” Dong Rui didn’t understand.

“Although he holds a high position, Bai Ziqi is quite straightforward, and his temperament differs from typical shrewd officials,” He Lingchuan analyzed. “He entered Tianshui City and went straight to the Miaozhantian Temple instead of first entering the palace for diplomatic protocol. You could say he doesn’t regard King Yao highly, but—”

Isn’t it normal for Beijia people to look down on Yao Kingdom people? It’s part of the natural pecking order. Besides, consider Bai Ziqi’s status: he’s a Heavenly Palace Cloud Emissary, a figure above tens of thousands in Lingxu City, beneath only a few.

Even when facing King Yao, he wouldn’t conceal the arrogance that stemmed from his very core.

This was, in fact, quite evident in Qingyang.

“But this also indicates that Bai Ziqi’s primary objective in coming to the Yao Kingdom is related to the temple; he must first meet with Chief Envoy Liang,” He Lingchuan said earnestly. “If he were here to capture me, he would have first sought King Yao to mobilize troops. But there’s no sign of that at the moment.”

Dong Rui hummed, “Perhaps he also wants to capture you, just not as urgently.”

“King Yao only met him several hours later? It sounds like King Yao wasn’t aware beforehand. And the notice for the banquet was issued on short notice, so many nobles weren’t present.”

The clues were incomplete, and He Lingchuan had to make a decision based on fragmentary hints, which was a huge gamble in itself. Then again, how could someone planning major affairs always have complete information available for analysis?

Stay or leave?

Withdrawing now might allow him to escape the Yao Kingdom quickly, but all the effort he had invested in his early arrangements would benefit others.

Choosing to stay would multiply the risk.

He Lingchuan deliberated for only a second before making his decision: “It’s not impossible; let’s see what happens today and tomorrow.”

He decided to stay.

Fortune favors the bold.

“Want peace, tranquility, and no risks or pain? Then go home and farm.”

The Yangshan guards, who had been on tense alert all night, finally dared to relax a little. He Lingchuan called them over again and made a fresh set of arrangements.

If Bai Ziqi set his sights on him, He Lingchuan would choose the best possible strategy.

After Wanqifeng and the others left, He Lingchuan made an overdue comment: “Actually, if they wanted to capture me, they could have simply summoned me to the palace banquet last night.”

As a foreign merchant with no official rank or title, attending a welcoming banquet hosted by King Yao for a Heavenly Palace divine envoy would ordinarily be improper. However, if King Yao approved, there would be no breach of etiquette.

He Lingchuan could only bring a few guards to the banquet, and once inside the palace, he would have been a turtle in a jar.

Dong Rui gave him a glare. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? You had me worried sick all night!”

He Lingchuan smiled.

He had thought of it from the beginning, but given the gravity of the situation, he couldn’t let Dong Rui and his subordinates lower their guard. Sometimes, crises erupt from the impossible.

This crisis arrived suddenly but also departed silently; most people had no idea what had transpired.

The period before and after last night’s banquet, when Bai Ziqi met and conversed with King Yao and Qingyang, was the most dangerous time for He Lingchuan.

If Bai Ziqi had identified He Lingchuan as the Great Emperor of Nine Hells, King Yao would most likely have immediately summoned or arrested He Lingchuan.

With that night over, the danger had significantly decreased.

Had Bai Ziqi not yet investigated He Lingchuan, or were they planning to wait until the Yao Kingdom’s political situation changed before making a move?

Thinking this, He Lingchuan suddenly slapped the table. “I understand!”

Their breakfast consisted of a stack of fried cakes with vanilla milk. The milk was served in basins, and the Yao people flavored it with vanilla extract, giving it an enticing sweetness. However, Dong Rui could only manage a few sips.