Chapter 686: Dark Infiltration Information

The jailers here were no different from those on the outside, and prisoners sent to Yang Palace rarely left. As a result, it was common practice to cut back on prisoners’ provisions and food.

However, even the head jailer showed Master Qingyang a measure of deference, to say nothing of his subordinates.

Master Qingyang picked up her food box, walked to the table, and sat down to eat.

While most prisoners found it hard to eat due to fear and anxiety during their first few days in Yang Palace, she ate and slept soundly, as if she had come to terms with her situation.

Today’s prison meal consisted of two large, fluffy yellow steamed buns, each bigger than her palm, served with a slice of fragrant, braised pork belly (half fat, half lean) and stir-fried bean sprouts.

There was also a large, rosy apple and a bowl of chicken soup stewed with lion’s mane mushrooms.

Such a meal would make other prisoners’ mouths water, but for Master Qingyang, it had been many years since she had eaten such “down-to-earth” food before her incarceration.

The chicken soup was so full that, whether due to the attendant or the jailer handling it roughly, it had spilled all over the bottom of the food box.

Master Qingyang had barely taken a bite of her bun when she noticed the soup at the bottom of the food box beginning to recede.

This could have been a natural phenomenon, as the bottom of the box was lacquered red and impervious to water.

However, Master Qingyang’s gaze subtly shifted from the jailer’s back outside her cell to the candle by the wall. She then casually placed the lid halfway over the food box, perfectly obscuring the changes occurring at its bottom.

The gesture appeared entirely natural, as many people rest lids in the same manner.

To Master Qingyang, the candle by the wall was more cause for concern than the jailer. The Ever-Burning Candles of the Heavenly Palace possessed various mystical properties, the most fundamental being surveillance and clairvoyance.

Being imprisoned in Yang Palace meant her every movement was under the watchful eye of the gods.

However, at that moment, it was likely that only Master Qingyang noticed the hidden message at the bottom of the box:

The liquid swiftly coalesced, forming dozens of characters.

“Nanzinzhuang Warehouse of Nian Zanli: Snails and toads present, large quantities of self-heal found, inventory records exist, witnesses available.”

Few words, yet great implications.

The words “snails and toads” and “self-heal,” in particular, caused Master Qingyang—a woman known for her composure—to experience a subtle narrowing of her pupils.

After only a few breaths, the liquid dispersed, and the words vanished.

This magical display left no trace.

Master Qingyang slowly nibbled on her bun, then blew on the chicken soup to cool it before drinking, her mind swiftly churning with thoughts.

As the architect behind the demon-slaying and pearl-retrieving operation, she knew full well that Nian Zanli had no connection whatsoever to the snails and toads, to the self-heal herb, or even to the entire immortality elixir case.

The sudden appearance of snails, toads, and self-heal in Nian Zanli’s warehouse strongly suggested he was being framed.

Why choose this specific moment?

Was it because the heavy rain made it easier for the snails and toads to emerge?

No, it couldn’t be that simple. She had only been arrested a few days prior, and now snails and toads, missing for two months, suddenly appeared in Lingxu City?

Wait a moment, could it be because she implicated Dong Rui?

To outsiders, the discovery of snails and toads in Nian Zanli’s warehouse would, at most, suggest General Nian’s involvement in the immortality elixir case.

However, to Master Qingyang and other informed individuals, the current focus of this case was the source of the divine blood!

She had already informed the Heavenly Palace that Dong Rui was the source of the divine blood and that he was likely hiding in Lingxu City.

The snails and toads were, moreover, Dong Rui’s most prized creations.

Yet now, these very creatures were found feasting on self-heal in Nian Zanli’s warehouse.

This equation directly implies a connection between the divine blood and Nian Zanli, doesn’t it?

Let’s not forget that just days ago, an old oak tree in a private residence on Xiangmai Street suddenly mutated. A neighbor’s goat demon, after consuming its leaves, went berserk, causing deaths and destruction across the street, creating a significant disturbance.

Subsequent investigation revealed two key points:

First, the oak tree’s mutation was likely caused by divine blood.

Second, the source of the chaos was the house staff, who, while clearing out items left by the previous owner, accidentally broke something onto the oak tree’s roots.

This indicated that the previous owner had secretly possessed divine blood.

And who was that person?

Nian Zanli.

Both cases were connected to Nian Zanli. In plain terms, the divine blood and the immortality elixir case—two highly sensitive issues that even high-ranking nobles wouldn’t dare touch—were now entirely centered on Nian Zanli.

Her first thought was that this was a deliberate act by Master Shuangye. After all, Dong Rui and Xi Yunhe were both under his command, weren’t they?

Should she comply with his intentions?

Yet, it felt strange, as she knew in her heart that Master Shuangye desperately wanted to use this opportunity to uncover the deity backing her.

He had gone to such lengths to set this trap; why would he abandon it halfway?

Or, with the advantage now on his side, why would he let the matter rest lightly?

Furthermore, Master Shuangye also had a deity backing him. Given this turn of events, was he acting on his own accord, or did the deity behind him intend to de-escalate?

The struggles between deities, much like her relationship with Master Shuangye, could be sometimes mild, sometimes cunning, and sometimes utterly relentless.

After she finished her meal, a jailer came in to collect the remains.

Master Qingyang wiped her mouth with a soft cloth, then walked to the glazed window and sat, facing the mountain scenery.

Or perhaps, other factions within Lingxu City had also become involved?

Should she seize this opportunity?

She had practiced the art of assessing a situation for nearly two hundred years. Yet, at this moment, she remained deeply conflicted and torn.

Was it more crucial to implicate Master Shuangye, or to conclude the case swiftly and reclaim her freedom?

Unless this chapter closed, her new one would not begin.

Two hours later.

Bai Ziqin walked deep into Yang Palace, where he found Master Qingyang sitting with her back to him, facing the setting sun.

He deliberately made his footsteps louder, but she appeared not to notice.

As Bai Ziqin drew closer, the jailer promptly opened the cell door for him.

He stepped into the cell, stopping beside the prisoner, and gave a light cough. “Master Qingyang,” he said.

Only at his second call did Master Qingyang slowly open her eyes and turn her head slightly.

“Commissioner Bai.”

“Have you been comfortable these past few days?” Bai Ziqin glanced outside. “Has Yang Palace been remiss in its treatment of you?”

“Everything is well,” Master Qingyang replied, looking at him. “Has something happened?”

Bai Ziqin raised an eyebrow. “You know?”

“If nothing had happened outside, how would a busy man like Commissioner Bai find the time to visit a useless old woman?” Master Qingyang replied with a self-deprecating smile.

Bai Ziqin observed her closely.

Even with the setting sun casting a warm glow, the face of the world-renowned Mistress of Qing Palace had lost its former rosiness, and it seemed two more wrinkles had appeared at the corners of her eyes.

Her beauty was fading, along with her once formidable aura.

Bai Ziqin, of course, felt no sympathy. He wondered if Master Qingyang, despite being confined here, was truly completely cut off from the outside world.

“Regarding the list of those who purchased the immortality elixir…”

“I’m afraid I’ve already confessed that it was burned along with the Qingfu Temple,” Master Qingyang replied with a light sigh. “Why would I keep evidence that would incriminate me?”

“Master Qingyang didn’t happen to memorize the major clients?”

Master Qingyang smiled. “Qingfu Temple handled all those minor details. How could I have time to go through them page by page?”

Bai Ziqin also smiled. “That’s truly unfortunate. King Baoshu’s memorial arrived today, mentioning several names on a suspicious list of those who have taken the immortality elixir. He requests the Emperor’s assistance in vetting them after the mastermind is apprehended.”

With that, he produced a memorial, laid it open on the table, and pointed out several lines marked in red ink for Master Qingyang to see.

Master Qingyang approached, and the names instantly sent a tremor of surprise through her.

King Baoshu was certainly kicking her while she was down.

Bai Ziqin, composed, stated, “I am relaying the Emperor’s inquiry: do you recognize any of these names?”

Master Qingyang’s eyes flickered subtly.

The Emperor’s words?

She didn’t doubt that these were indeed the Demon Emperor’s intentions; the matter was too significant for Bai Ziqin to misrepresent the royal will.

Yes, there were many buyers of the immortality elixir, and a few arrests were necessary to show accountability. Neither the common people nor the gods would be satisfied otherwise.

Countless thoughts raced through her mind, and after several moments of deliberation, she pointed out a few names on the list. “Now that you mention it,” she said, “I do recall. Yes, these families made purchases, and more than once.”

Bai Ziqin meticulously questioned her about these families’ purchasing activities, and Master Qingyang withheld nothing.

Commissioner Bai personally completed the record, then presented it to Master Qingyang. “Confirm it’s accurate, then affix your signature,” he instructed.

The moment Master Qingyang signed her name and affixed her fingerprint, it sealed the fate of certain individuals within the royal court.

The wealth, power, and prestige that these aristocratic families had accumulated over decades, even centuries, were about to be entirely swept away by Master Qingyang’s seemingly casual identifications.

This sensation of holding such immense power… Master Qingyang exhaled softly. *What a pity,* she thought, *this is the last time I will experience it.*

“I also came today to inquire about someone,” Bai Ziqin said, pulling a pot of wine and two silver cups from his storage ring. “Care for a drink?”

Master Qingyang smiled faintly.

Bai Ziqin poured her a full cup. She picked it up, took two gentle sniffs, and identified it: “Man Ting Fang, at least thirty years old.”

The Mistress of Qing Palace was, of course, always particular about her food and drink. This “Man Ting Fang” was one of her favorite fine wines, known for its smooth, mellow taste, long-lasting finish, and Eastern origin.

In the future, she likely wouldn’t have many more opportunities to drink it.

Master Qingyang, of course, remained outwardly calm and composed while sipping her wine. Bai Ziqin, seated opposite her, was a smiling tiger—amiable on the surface, but in reality, a sharp blade of the Heavenly Palace.

The two had sparred over the immortality elixir case through several rounds of exchanges.

Before the temple priest Kong Jiaxiang, a survivor from Qingfu Temple, was found, Master Qingyang had consistently been one step ahead of Bai Ziqin, meticulously eliminating almost all clues. This left him with no leads, facing immense pressure from the Heavenly Palace, the Emperor, and public opinion.

Now that she was apprehended, Bai Ziqin’s visit was, in itself, a display of power.

She also wouldn’t bring up the veracity of Kong Jiaxiang’s identity; it was meaningless now.

“Regarding General Nian Zanli, how much does Master Qingyang know?”

Just as she suspected, he had come for this. Master Qingyang, her cup still in hand, replied, “I know him.”

“I heard he has always wished to counter-attack Yuan Country, and that Master Qingyang even acted as a lobbyist for him on several occasions to secure troops.”

“He possesses a resolute mind and is highly skilled in troop deployment and training.”

Bai Ziqin smiled. “They say Beijia is abundant with renowned generals.”

Master Qingyang cast a glance at him. “A thousand soldiers are easily acquired, but a single general is hard to come by. What nation would be so complacent as to not desire more formidable generals?”