Chapter 1582: He Xiao Is Indeed a Talent

Qingyang also raised an eyebrow. As expected of Bai Ziqi; even after serving as Duduyun Envoy for so long, he still hadn't shed his straightforward, outspoken habit. If the Chief Duduyun Envoy were here today, he would certainly not ask such a question.

As a result, Bai Ziqi continued to press: "When did this happen? Which immortal was it?"

"Over sixty years ago, wasn't it?" King Yao said with a smile. "The palace has no record of which immortal the late king dreamed of; I wasn't even born yet at that time."

Bai Ziqi stopped asking questions and simply praised the deliciousness of the ice dessert in his hand.

King Yao smiled and said, "Since Envoy Bai enjoys it, I'll have someone copy the recipe for you. However, making this ice dessert requires the freshest vanilla beans; long-distance transport might cause it to lose some of its flavor."

Just then, the old palace attendant Qiu Long entered the Qingyin Pavilion and quietly stood by King Yao's side.

"Master You is here to report on the project's progress and is waiting in the Imperial Study."

Every five to seven days, the progress of the Tianshui East Expansion project had to be summarized and reported. This was currently the top priority for Tianshui City, and King Yao, being in charge, naturally oversaw it personally.

However, upon hearing that You Rongzhi had arrived, he frowned and said, "Why isn't it He Xiao?"

He Xiao was originally scheduled to report to the palace today.

"The new government office building had its outer walls constructed, but this morning the ground suddenly collapsed, and the entire building sank into a pit. He Xiao is chairing an emergency meeting to assess the damage and investigate the cause, which is why Master You came to the palace to report," Qiu Long continued. "Master You said that the rainy season has passed, and the ground is no longer damp, so a collapse at this time is highly unusual, requiring a thorough investigation into the materials."

With a project of this magnitude, pushed to meet tight deadlines, problems naturally arose constantly. King Yao, initially displeased, had now grown accustomed to it; when problems appeared, they were simply dealt with, as issues of all sizes never ceased.

"Tell You Rongzhi to wait; I'll go over later."

Bai Ziqi and Qingyang had keen hearing, and Qiu Long had not set up a barrier, so both could hear the content of his report.

So Bai Ziqi smiled and said, "Your Majesty has a discerning eye for talent; He Xiao is indeed capable."

King Yao clapped his hands: "Envoy Bai and I see eye to eye."

He used He Xiao to defeat Qingyang, and Shuangye also used He Xiao to undermine Qingyang. Even Bai Ziqi took over a case from He Xiao, and by continuing it, he sent Qingyang to the Heavenly Palace's prison.

He Xiao truly was Qingyang's nemesis! Thinking of this, King Yao couldn't stop smiling.

Qingyang, however, slowly said, "He Xiao harbors ill intentions. He appears to act in your best interest in every matter, but in reality, anyone who uses him suffers repercussions. On this point, Grand Master Shuangye should have the most to say."

King Yao chuckled: "Anyone who uses him comes to misfortune? Not necessarily. I think Crown Prince Fu Shanyue of Chiyan Kingdom is doing quite well."

The immortal elixir case was initiated by the disappearance of the Lingxu courier. That was a case Fu Shanyue personally handed to He Xiao, and it seemed he supported He Xiao throughout. Isn't he perfectly fine to this day?

This remark truly hit a blind spot, and Qingyang found it difficult to retort for a moment.

Fortunately, Bai Ziqi spoke up: "I heard from Chief Envoy Liang that the Goddess's new temple is about to begin construction. I'd like to go and see it."

As a divine envoy, this request was reasonable. King Yao readily agreed: "I'll have You Rongzhi serve as Envoy Bai's guide."

After the meal, he first went to hear You Rongzhi's briefing; Bai Ziqi, meanwhile, strolled through Yuquan Palace with Qingyang, reminiscing about old times.

The place was freezing cold, covered in a blanket of snow. Normally, no palace attendants dared to linger here, which coincidentally left a quiet spot for the two of them to talk.

Qingyang was the first to speak: "You still haven't gotten rid of your straightforward nature; no wonder the Chief Envoy sent you to Shanjin Plain."

Bai Ziqi gave a wry smile, realizing Qingyang had seen right through him again. "It's been decades; I can't change it."

He casually pointed towards the wall: "Has the cause of death for that old pear tree been found yet?"

"King Yao has repeatedly flown into rages, but the tree doctors' opinion is that it was a rapid decline, not caused by human intervention. Look at the environment of Yuquan Palace; even a tree demon would struggle to survive here. For it to have endured for sixty years was already remarkable," Qingyang shook her head. "I've been wondering why King Yao insists on living by Yuquan Palace. He's clearly old and frail and can't stand the cold."

When the old pear tree was still there, King Yao could just about make an excuse, claiming he was infatuated with trees.

Now that the old pear tree is gone, what is King Yao still doing staying by Yuquan Palace?

"The old pear blossoms withered precisely on King Yao's birthday celebration?" Bai Ziqi stroked his chin, habitually pondering. "Recently, why are things always dying mysteriously in Yaoguo?"

Qingyang knew the other "thing" he referred to as having died mysteriously was Xue Zongwu.

"You could volunteer to investigate the cause. King Yao would be overjoyed to have you as a free helper," Qingyang said leisurely. "Anyway, you don't have much to do these days."

"How do you know I have nothing to do?" Bai Ziqi, sharp as he was, immediately realized. "Oh, you're involved in the Goddess's plans too?"

Qingyang remained noncommittal: "What plans?"

Having been away from Lingxu for too long, she had almost forgotten that one always had to be extra cautious when speaking with Bai Ziqi.

Hmm, it was the same when dealing with He Xiao.

Bai Ziqi scooped up a handful of snow from the railing: "Chief Envoy Liang said the Goddess has an important plan. If even the Goddess considers it 'important,' then this plan will require a powerful executor and coordinator, and Chief Envoy Liang—"

He shook his head: "—Chief Envoy Liang is not skilled at this."

In fact, it wasn't just Chief Envoy Liang; the entire Heavenly Palace wasn't skilled in this.

Therefore, the Heavenly Palace needed Lingxu City, needed Beijia, and needed a powerful and complete administrative system.

"Qingyang the Regent is a ready and excellent candidate. Besides, your relationship with the Goddess has always been quite harmonious. Such an important responsibility will most likely fall to you."

The number of Lingxu deities was considerable; each Heavenly God was an independent entity with their own temperament and inclinations. Bai Ziqi understood well that although Qingyang was a confidante of the Demon Emperor, her relationship with Miaozhan Heaven was actually quite good; otherwise, the Demon Emperor would not have sent her to oversee Yaoguo.

King Yao's son died in the immortal elixir case, so he naturally harbored resentment towards Qingyang. If Qingyang also had a poor relationship with Miaozhan Heaven, the Demon Emperor sending her here would be akin to sending her to her death.

Furthermore, Qingyang herself had served in both the military and government, possessing two centuries of experience—wasn't she the best candidate for planning and organization?

Qingyang shrugged: "Heaven indeed bestows great responsibilities upon such people. What exactly are you doing in Yaoguo? You're not really here to investigate Emperor Jiuyou, are you?"

"Emperor Jiuyou is certainly to be investigated, but I received a more important lead on the way," Bai Ziqi said, lifting his chin slightly. "Master Qianhuan!"

Qingyang's expression remained neutral: "I've heard no fewer than seven versions of the legends and stories about Master Qianhuan in Yaoguo."

"This time it's reliable because I've found Master Qianhuan's Spirit Gathering Array!"

Qingyang's tone finally rose: "Where is it?"

"Baimao Mountain."

"...Isn't that in western Shanjin?"

"The Spirit Gathering Array is there, but Master Qianhuan himself might not be, or rather, there's a ninety-nine percent chance he's not there," Bai Ziqi said seriously. "I came to Yaoguo precisely to seek the Goddess's help."

"That's right, Miaozhan Heavenly God's divine attribute is 'reality,' which is exactly contrary to Master Qianhuan," Qingyang mused. "Did the Goddess tell you to wait a while longer?"

"Precisely," Bai Ziqi said. "I plan to make a trip to Mangzhou to see the crime scene at Xiaotao Mountain Villa."

Mangzhou was very close to the capital.

He thought for a moment and then said, "Regarding Emperor Jiuyou, I'd like to hear your deductions."

Qingyang said indifferently: "I'm not investigating this case."

She had always maintained a detached, observer's attitude regarding Emperor Jiuyou's actions.

"In your mind, is there no one who stands out as a suspect?" Qingyang was, after all, Qingyang. Bai Ziqi believed that an experienced person like her would have her own basis for judgment, and even her intuition was often accurate.

A name suddenly flashed through Qingyang's mind.

But she didn't voice it, because Bai Ziqi would press her for a reason, and she couldn't explain why.

"What about you?" Qingyang countered. "After investigating for so long, who do you think is the most suspicious?"

"I've only been in Shanjin Plain for a little over two months; how many people could I possibly recognize?" Bai Ziqi chuckled. "Along my journey, I've only noticed that Shanjin Plain is vastly different from before, and even Julu Port shows signs of prosperity—though when things get chaotic, it's still as chaotic as ever."

"Emperor Jiuyou's methods are unlike any before him. It's laughable that King Yao still doesn't take him seriously; how superficial!" Qingyang also said. "If we could discover his motives, perhaps we could reveal his true identity."

Bai Ziqi confirmed again: "Truly no clue?"

Qingyang shook her head: "I told you, I'm not paying attention to it."

Eastern suburbs of Tianshui, expansion project.

As soon as He Lingchuan's meeting concluded, Wang Fubao rushed in, reporting urgently: "My Lord, Master You has returned, but he has dozens more people with him! The person leading them is about forty, with an unpleasant expression, and Master You constantly stays half a horse-length behind him!"

Wang Fubao, having traveled extensively with He Lingchuan, was no longer the naive boy from Rong Mountain he once was. His eyes had become sharper, and he knew how to identify key information when scouting for enemy intelligence.

Simply put, You Rongzhi accompanying an important guest to the project site, staying half a horse-length behind, was a sign of respect.

As soon as these key details were mentioned, He Lingchuan's heart slightly tensed, realizing Bai Ziqi had arrived.

"How many soldiers did he bring?"

"There appear to be about forty guards, but their uniforms differ. The rest are attendants."

"Calm down," he said, seeing Wang Fubao was a bit nervous. "Lead them to Gangxi."

The number of people in the East Expansion Project Department was growing, and the existing buildings could no longer accommodate them, so four or five new city offices under construction were temporarily requisitioned. Wang Fubao, having received the order, rushed off.

Without a word, You Rongzhi immediately led Bai Ziqi and his companions there.

Gangxi was located by the Chun River, with beautiful scenery. It was logical that He Xiao wanted the Heavenly Palace envoys to see the best aspects of the new city's construction.

As Bai Ziqi approached Gangxi, he saw a vast, surging river whose waters did not freeze. The government office stood by the river, with rows of tall pines diagonally behind it, resembling an ink painting.

He Lingchuan led his people out to greet them, his face wreathed in smiles.

"Envoy Bai, long time no see!"

With a quick glance, he took in the party opposite him. The visitor was indeed Bai Ziqi, accompanied by You Rongzhi, with fifty to sixty attendants behind them, roughly twenty of whom wore the uniforms of temple guards.