Chapter 582: Li Qingge's Request

Chapter 578: Li Qingge's Request

Li Qingge was slightly surprised. "How did you know... Oh!"

She recalled that before the Governor of Xiazhou left Shihuan City, she had asked the father and son if there was a bamboo tube among Sun Fuping's belongings.

It was a long time ago. This young man had an excellent memory and was very meticulous, quite different from the brashness he outwardly displayed.

Indeed, after leaving Governor He, he no longer seemed so brash.

"Yes, that's it."

He Lingchuan pondered. "How do you know it's truly in Nian Zanli's hands and wasn't taken by the Grand Marshal of Wuzhou?"

When the civil unrest broke out in Yuan, Grand Marshal Dong Haoming was the first to rebel. Nian Zanli held back, observing with his troops, and only took action after He Chunhua reported to the capital. However, both of them had close ties with Sun Fuping.

"I went to Wuzhou and checked thoroughly; it's not with the Grand Marshal," Li Qingge stated with certainty. "Furthermore, Nian Zanli used this item when he threatened Songyang Manor. So I can confirm it's in Nian Zanli's possession."

"He knows this item can be used to threaten you, so why would he return it?"

Li Qingge gave a wry smile. "That's the difficult part."

"I've observed that Nian Zanli isn't having an easy time in Lingxu City. Don't you, Your Ladyship, have any leverage over him?"

"I've tried a few times, but that fellow is impervious to persuasion; he refuses to return it no matter what. I'm afraid if I push too hard, he might just destroy the bamboo tube. I could find people to help, but this matter can't be too overt, or it would be like 'driving out a tiger only to invite a wolf'..." She smiled wryly. "After all, this is Lingxu City, not Yuan, and I don't have the home-field advantage here."

Her words made it clear that she didn't want to seek help from other powerful figures, lest inviting them prove easier than getting rid of them.

"Are you so trusting of me, Your Ladyship?"

Li Qingge smiled sweetly and charmingly. "Young Master He is not that kind of person."

He Lingchuan smiled too, putting away the inner armor. "What is Nian Zanli's purpose in coming to Lingxu City?"

Li Qingge had lent him the Purple Gold Pestle to deal with Bai Ziqi and also sent someone to deliver the Dragon Punishment Pillar to Wangge Marsh for him. Therefore, he owed Li Qingge at least two significant favors, which he felt obligated to repay.

"The Battle of Hanhe caused him heavy casualties, and his plan to cooperate with Grand Marshal Dong Haoming in attacking Xiazhou also failed. I see this has become a deep-seated grievance for him, leading to Lingxu City's cold attitude towards him."

He Lingchuan nodded upon hearing this.

He was no longer the naive young man by the Hanhe River who knew nothing about the northern demon kingdom just a few months ago. His travels through the vassal demon kingdoms and several near-death experiences had given him a deeper understanding of Beijia, especially Lingxu City, allowing him to see beyond the previous fog.

If He Chunhua had realized Lingxu City's attitude towards Nian Zanli as clearly as He Lingchuan did now, at the beginning of Nian Zanli's uprising, there would undoubtedly have been significant strategic adjustments.

"For the past two months, Nian Zanli has been spending enormous sums in Lingxu City, hoping to find influential figures to lobby the Demon Emperor."

"Has it had any effect?" He Lingchuan asked with interest.

"Yes, I heard a piece of news: he seems to have persuaded National Master Qingyang to act as his lobbyist."

He Lingchuan's eyes flickered. "National Master Qingyang? I remember Nian Zanli requested National Master Shuangye to allocate primal energy before the Battle of Hanhe. Why has he switched to National Master Qingyang now?"

"Perhaps it's because of the heavy losses in the Battle of Hanhe?" Li Qingge didn't state it too explicitly, but He Lingchuan understood.

Hong Chenglüe had betrayed Nian Zanli during the Battle of Hanhe, and Hong Chenglüe was sent by National Master Shuangye. Nian Zanli likely held a grudge because of this.

"So, has National Master Qingyang succeeded in persuading him?"

"It seems the Emperor's attitude has softened—"

He Lingchuan's heart sank. National Master Qingyang's influence was indeed formidable. Xiazhou of Yuan had only recently endured the Battle of Hanhe and was still recovering. Were they about to face another war?

As a transmigrator, he didn't have deep feelings for Yuan, but he also didn't wish to see its people suffer.

To his surprise, Li Qingge continued, "However, the elixir of immortality case suddenly erupted at this very moment, and the Qingfu Temple was also bombed. Although it outwardly seems unrelated to the Qing Palace, yet..."

"But the clues secretly point to the Qing Palace, so the Heavenly God must be furious, right?" He Lingchuan chuckled. "If the Heavenly God is displeased, the Emperor probably won't be able to consider National Master Qingyang's advice."

"Exactly. So Nian Zanli's plan was put on hold. He spent so much money and sought out so many people, only for it all to come to nothing!"

He Lingchuan understood. No wonder he had seen Nian Zanli looking haggard and gloomy at the Dunyuan auction.

It turned out he had hit a wall everywhere here.

He hadn't expected that his investigation into the elixir of immortality case would, by a stroke of luck, derail Nian Zanli's plan to borrow troops.

What was initially completely unrelated unexpectedly became intertwined.

His father really should send him a commemorative banner; otherwise, Beijia's iron hooves would soon trample the lands of Xiazhou in Yuan.

"He wants to borrow people and power from Beijia to make a comeback, and he's threatening Songyang Manor to provide money and resources," Li Qingge said, her smile fading. "I enjoy traveling the world, but I am still a person of Yuan. How could I cooperate with him to attack my own homeland?"

He Lingchuan lowered his gaze, thinking to himself, *How clever*.

Li Qingge spoke only of herself, yet from beginning to end, she was reminding He Lingchuan that people of Yuan should help people of Yuan, and that his helping her retrieve the bamboo tube would be helping his own homeland avoid the calamity of war.

With such a grand moral imperative invoked, He Lingchuan had little reason to refuse.

Li Qingge continued, "Xiazhou is already weak and has been ravaged by war for a year, still greatly wounded and far from recovery. The last time I passed through the suburbs of Dunyu, I saw that people's lives were still difficult; elderly people over fifty had lost all their teeth and couldn't even afford porridge." She shook her head. "If we can stop Nian Zanli here, it would also be a great help to your esteemed father."

He Lingchuan replied solemnly, "Setting aside these grand matters of patriotism, Your Ladyship has helped me several times; this favor should be repaid. However, I've just arrived, having been in Lingxu City for less than ten days. Do you truly believe I can be of assistance?"

Favors are reciprocal; only through give and take can they grow and be used more effectively.

"Young Master He is now a close friend of the Crown Prince and an envoy of Chiyan, and you've become famous in Lingxu because of the elixir of immortality case and the inn explosion," Li Qingge said, resting her chin on her hand. "The fact that Nian Zanli proactively sent you a gift indicates he believes you're worth befriending."

She leaned slightly towards He Lingchuan. "Do you know that the Demon King of Chiyan has a good relationship with Xuluo?"

Both Xuluo and Baoshu border Yuan.

"I don't know," He Lingchuan admitted frankly. "Three months ago, I couldn't even recite all the names of Beijia's vassal demon kingdoms. But regarding Nian Zanli, I will do my best."

Li Qingge immediately stood up and bowed deeply to him. "Young Master He, your righteousness is profound; Qingge is immensely grateful."

"We are all people of Yuan; why speak of such formalities?" He Lingchuan returned her words. "However, I've just arrived in Lingxu and am short-handed."

"Whatever you need, Young Master He, just say the word." Li Qingge offered him a cup of wine softly, then continued, "Songyang Manor also has several astute individuals in Lingxu City who have been operating here for over three years. You may use them as you wish."

He Lingchuan raised an eyebrow. "Your Ladyship, you started operating businesses in Lingxu City a long time ago?"

"We opened our first branch here five years ago."

"That's rapid progress," He Lingchuan chuckled. "I went to Dunyuan a few days ago, and that misty mountain screen was quite imposing." It was also very eye-catching; guests passing by would take a second look, and Songyang Manor's signature and emblem were in the bottom left corner.

Was General Golden Horn's Dunyuan a place where any small vendor could advertise?

Lingxu City had developed for six hundred years, and its commercial ecosystem was likely solidified. For Songyang Manor to carve out a niche and penetrate it in such a short time showed that Li Qingge's tactics were far from simple.

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, revealing a hint of distress. "We've worked so hard for these meager achievements, but the timing is unfortunate. Nian Zanli needs to make arrangements throughout Lingxu City, so he treats my establishment like a bank, constantly coming to demand money and goods."

He Lingchuan picked up a piece of pine nut fish, chewing it slowly. "To treat Songyang Manor merely as a money tree, he truly underestimates Your Ladyship."

In his opinion, Li Qingge's ability to make money was secondary.

For example, Songyang Manor had opened a branch in the capital of the northern demon kingdom years ago. At that time, the relationship between Yuan and Beijia was already very poor. Songyang Manor, originating as a Daoist sect in Yuan, and Li Qingge, a Marquis of Yuan, were openly conducting business on both sides, yet Yuan allowed it.

Meanwhile, Li Qingge's husband was executed for treason and colluding with the enemy.

From any perspective, she didn't seem like someone who could remain uninvolved.

Yet, she managed it. Not only was Songyang Manor unaffected, its business grew even larger.

Any other ordinary merchant would have lost their head multiple times over.

He Lingchuan boldly guessed, did this woman have some private agreement with the Yuan court?

Li Qingge wasn't modest at all, furrowing her slender brows. "Nian Zanli has lived in Xunzhou for a long time and rarely returns to Shihuan. I suspect he doesn't know much about Songyang Manor or me, and Sun Fuping didn't reveal too much to him. Currently, he only extorts money from me. But once he gets the bamboo tube, he'll likely have the leverage to investigate. After that... it could be troublesome."

He Lingchuan said earnestly, "Allow me to find a way."

"Oh, and be careful. Don't let Nian Zanli destroy the bamboo tube, or even remove its stopper."

He Lingchuan nodded in affirmation. He likely guessed what was inside the bamboo tube.

"By the way, I have a newly made contraption here. Would you like to try it, Young Master He?"

A contraption? A new contraption to try?

He Lingchuan quickly dismissed any strange thoughts. "Yes, I'd love to!"

Li Qingge took out a small box. "This is a 'Tracking Bee.' You can guess its purpose from the name, can't you?"

The octagonal box looked like it was designed to hold a pocket watch. The filigree on its lid depicted a winding bee, and the entire piece was elegantly refined.

Since it was called a "Tracking Bee," He Lingchuan expected two small bees to fly out when he opened the box. However, none did.

Inside was a compass-like device with a sandalwood panel, marked with scales and characters. In the center were two small needles, one long and one short.

Isn't this just a... compass? Though the box was beautiful.

"Interesting. How does it work?" Li Qingge was very thoughtful; although she relied on favors, she didn't forget to offer him something tangible in return.

She turned the box over, and He Lingchuan saw a hidden compartment on its back.

(End of Chapter)