Chapter 1645: Now Immediately

The people had no choice but to pay up.

At this moment, a Yangshan guard approached from behind. Wanqifa asked him in a low voice, “Where’s Fubao?”

“He’s already at the location, and the person has been found. Everything is ready.”

The street was crowded, making it difficult to speak openly, but Wanqifa still understood:

Wang Fubao had arrived at Shuangshan Villa.

“Alright, let’s wait too,” he said.

He was in the large restaurant directly opposite the palace gate, having secured a window seat on the second floor.

Commerce in Tianshui City was particularly sluggish now; only shops near the royal palace were still thriving, as consumption there remained largely unaffected.

The moment He Lingchuan’s collected evidence reached Yuwen Xu, He Lingchuan’s plan officially began.

In fact, his plan was remarkably simple, with only one core idea:

Disrupting the plans of other factions—

Disrupting Qingyang’s plan.

Disrupting Bai Ziqi’s plan.

And even disrupting King Yao’s plan!

Each faction here had their plans ready; by introducing a slight alteration or an unexpected variable, he could trigger a series of remarkable chain reactions.

In this fierce struggle, if King Yao ultimately emerged victorious, He Lingchuan would have delivered an immense achievement to Yuwen Xu.

If Qingyang and Bai Tan won, then regardless of whether Yuwen Xu submitted the evidence, the outcome would be the same.

About half an hour later, a contingent of palace guards suddenly charged out of the palace city's west gate, whipping their horses and galloping down the main road, kicking up clouds of dust.

Pedestrians hastily scattered, while the palace guards shouted, “Make way, make way! Urgent official business!”

Hoofbeats thundered, rapidly fading into the distance.

Watching this scene from the restaurant, Wanqifa let out a long sigh of relief:

It’s done. The most crucial step is complete!

His master’s plan was about to take effect.

He reached into his robe, quietly snapped a Qianqian grass knot, then stood up and called, “Check, please!”

North of Tianshui City, Shuangshan Villa.

This villa was not merely one of Tianshui City's most exclusive inns; its exquisite gardens, maintained with magical formations to keep plants green and flowers blooming even in winter, also concealed two famous scenic spots within the city, accessible only to its esteemed guests.

The panic over food shortages had not spread to the city's north; people on the streets remained composed, and the attire and makeup of dignitaries and noblewomen were still exquisite. Shuangshan Villa, in its tranquil beauty, remained unaffected by the outside world, as always.

Just then, a loud shout shattered the tranquility:

“Get out, get out, all of you, get out!”

A man burst out of Shuangshan Villa's side gate, wildly dashing onto the street.

Two people were knocked aside, but he didn't look back.

Suddenly, dozens of palace guards poured out from the street corner, blocking his path. The man immediately turned and darted into an alley, but figures were also moving there.

Immediately afterward, over a hundred more palace guards rushed out of Shuangshan Villa. Their leader pointed at him and roared, “Surrender now, and I guarantee you'll suffer less!”

The man suddenly pulled out a knife, held it to his throat, and bellowed, “Why are you arresting me?! I am Shi Songwei—cousin to Shi Song’en, Steward Shi! You've got the wrong person, the wrong person! Shi Song’en is my cousin, do you hear me, my cousin?!”

“Do you dare to bring Shi Song’en here? He’ll beat the snot out of you!”

Ugh, this guy was yelling his name and title on the street; it was unbearable. What's more, there was a tall rock formation behind him, and his hoarse shouts echoed around, creating a reverberating sound.

“Wei—Wei—”

The palace guard captain angrily commanded, “Seize him!”

The orders from above were to quietly apprehend Shi Songwei at Shuangshan Villa and immediately escort him back for interrogation.

However, no sooner had they arrived at Shuangshan Villa than Shi Songwei ran to the side gate, avoiding being trapped inside. Now, he was screaming wildly in the street, alarming countless pedestrians and residents.

The city's north was a residential area for high-ranking officials and nobles, with numerous exquisite residences and mansions near Shuangshan Villa.

How many people must have heard Shi Songwei's words?

Overly agitated, he tripped on a roadside stone curb while retreating, stumbling.

The palace guard leader seized the opportunity to throw a flying locust stone, knocking the knife from his hand. The others swarmed him, pinning him to the ground and tying him up securely.

Strangely, after Shi Songwei was pinned down, he instantly stopped struggling, a bewildered expression on his face:

“What’s going on?”

But then he immediately started yelling again, “Hey, hey, what are you, what are you doing?”

The palace guard captain, annoyed by his clamor, took a strip of cloth and gagged him, then ordered his men, “Escort him back to the palace, quickly!”

The palace guards hoisted the captive onto a horse and rode off at full gallop without the slightest delay.

Before pedestrians and nearby residents could fully grasp what was happening, the palace guards had already vanished into the distance.

They had come and gone in a hurry.

Only after they had left did Wang Fubao emerge from the street corner and follow.

He followed them all the way to the west gate of Yao Palace.

Wang Fubao personally witnessed Shi Songwei being escorted into the palace by the guards. Only then did he turn, mount his horse, and gallop towards the northern suburbs of Tianshui City.

His master had said that once Shi Songwei was taken into the palace, Regent Qingyang would not have time to silence him.

This meant his master’s plan had successfully begun!

It was past midday, lunchtime.

The chef at Youhu Cottage already understood Qingyang's palate well, even able to prepare several specialty dishes from Lingxu City that tasted almost identical.

Qingyang preferred light meals and disliked overly strong flavors. Thus, for lunch today, there was a dish called "Original Flavor Golden Needles."

Tianshui City specialized in a type of river fish that fed primarily on snails and other shellfish, giving it a rich, sweet flavor. The chef used three catties of large fish to make a broth, simmering it until both bones and flesh dissolved. After straining out the dregs, he mixed it with pork bone soup, pigeon soup, and a little milk, then slowly stewed golden needles, chicken drumstick mushrooms, and bamboo pith—three types of edible fungi.

Golden needles, also known as daylilies.

This dish, served with broth, looked plain at first glance. Upon tasting, it was mild and balanced, but with careful savoring, a burst of umami flavor would suddenly unfold between the lips and teeth.

Qingyang was nearly two hundred years old; what good things hadn't she eaten in her life? Her preferences had long since shifted from rich, heavy flavors back to pure, authentic tastes.

However, using daylilies in a dish carried an inauspicious connotation for her. The chef, after all, was not from Beijia and was unaware of these taboos.

As one ages, one becomes more particular.

Still, the soup was excellent. Qingyang was about to take another few sips when Yuan Xuan strode in, urgently exclaiming, “Palace Master, a message from Tianshui City via the Water Mirror: a member of the Shi family has been arrested!”

He rarely displayed such impropriety. Seeing his anxious face, Qingyang’s heart sank. “A member of the Shi family? Who?”

It was such an abrupt statement; how was she to know which Shi family member?

Yuan Xuan quickly explained, “The Shi brothers from Xincheng were once General Bai's subordinates, and they participated in the grain collection efforts over the past few months. Just now, their cousin, Shi Songwei, was arrested at Shuangshan Villa in northern Tianshui City and has already been escorted into the palace!”

Participated in grain collection?! Qingyang sprang to her feet. “I distinctly told Bai Tan not to get involved in grain collection!”

If he hadn't interfered, he wouldn't have been implicated.

“That was… that was three months ago, before you gave him those instructions. The Shi family stopped afterward.”

“Fool!” Qingyang slammed her hand down on the table with such force that the sturdy wooden surface instantly cracked and splintered into pieces.

Details, details! How many times had she emphasized that a dike of a thousand miles could be destroyed by an ant’s nest!

These Yao people truly couldn't be relied upon.

She suppressed her anger.

What good was anger? The immediate problem was the urgent matter at hand. “Is Shi Songwei an insider?”

“Yes,” Yuan Xuan replied. “The Shi brothers are both warriors, completely clueless about business. It was the Shi clan leader and Shi Songwei who managed the family's assets. So, yes, they were the ones who actually collected the grain.”

Qingyang immediately sensed something was wrong. “At this time, why would Shi Songwei be in Tianshui City?”

“That, I don’t know.”

“Who uncovered the Shi family?” Qingyang asked just that, then waved her hand. “Never mind, that’s no longer important.”

Shi Songwei had already been arrested; pursuing that was pointless. What mattered was what to do next!

“Where is he being held? Can he be silenced?”

Yuan Xuan immediately scribbled on the Water Mirror, relaying her question.

A moment later, a reply appeared on the mirror's surface:

“Difficult. Shi Songwei was not taken to the imperial dungeon but directly to the Imperial Study!”

Qingyang cursed under her breath, “Damn it.”

Too many officials had "died accidentally" recently, and King Yao knew there were spies in the palace. He interrogated any arrested person himself, giving them no chance to silence Shi Songwei!

Therefore, King Yao would soon know that the Shi brothers were involved in creating the grain shortage in Yao.

“Where are the Shi brothers?”

This time, the Water Mirror art took a long time to respond: “Shi Song’en is in eastern Tianshui City, and Shi Songyang is in Xincheng.”

This is bad.

Before Qingyang could speak, small characters continuously appeared on the Water Mirror:

“Someone has already been sent to find Shi Song’en.”

Qingyang shook her head. “Silence him!”

At this critical juncture, Shi Song’en must die!

He absolutely must not be allowed to implicate Bai Tan.

The Water Mirror quickly replied, “Understood.”

Qingyang stood up and quickly paced a couple of times.

Yuan Xuan had never seen her so grave. This Shi Song’en—the Palace Master hadn't even known his name fifteen minutes ago, yet now he was causing her such immense trouble?

Qingyang was indeed facing a major dilemma:

Her pre-arranged plan had been disrupted!

Indeed, ever since the Elixir of Immortality case, her luck had consistently been poor; not a single one of her plans had been executed perfectly.

However, she needed to make a decision immediately!

There was no time for delay.

Qingyang took a deep breath, making up her mind. “Notify everyone: our plan begins!”

She decided to go all in and proceed ahead of schedule!

Yuan Xuan looked up in surprise. The Water Mirror, too, remained still for several breaths before text appeared:

“When?”

“Now! Immediately! At once!” Qingyang stated gravely. “Not a moment can be wasted!”

The handwriting on the Water Mirror was somewhat scrawled, clearly indicating the writer's agitated and incredulous state:

“Why?”

“The Shi brothers have served in official capacities as warriors for many years, dealing with countless officials, but their origins have always been tied to Bai Tan!”

Qingyang understood the intricacies of court politics and origins better than anyone.

No matter how impressive the Shi brothers' achievements had been over the years, they always carried a distinct mark:

They were former subordinates of General Bai Tan!

The hundred officials at court were divided into factions, and allegiance was paramount. Master-disciple relationships, blood ties, marriage alliances, and superior-subordinate connections were all strong bonds that maintained the interests between individuals and officials.

An official's background could not be easily changed.

To change it meant betrayal.

From then on, it would be difficult for them to be accepted within the bureaucratic system.

Therefore, even if the Shi brothers ultimately avoided capture, King Yao would still eventually suspect Bai Tan!