Li Xin repeatedly circled the alleyway three times to make sure no one was following him, then exited the alleyway and tumbled into the courtyard of an abandoned house outside the alleyway.
He entered the house through a hole in the roof, so that outsiders could not see through the doorway to see if anyone was inside.
Inside the house, Qing Yu paused to tune in and looked at Li Xin who had landed in front of him.
“Did it go well?”
“Very well. Your Excellency must not have thought of Song Ziqi’s true identity.” Li Xin smiled.
“Oh,” Qing Yu laughed and scolded, “you kid, you’re still playing a riddle with me. Speak up, there’s no time for blind guessing here now.”
Li Xin curbed his smile, he too had just gotten too excited, things were going well, beyond his imagination, otherwise with his deadpan nature, he would not have easily joked with his respected gongzi.
“Song Ziqi, who knows the Zhenshan Zhang family’s secret mastery ‘Tiger Whistling to Set the Mountain’, is both the daughter of Zhenshan Monarch Zhang Huchen who is not shown to the public.” Li Xin said with a straight face.
“Zhang Huchen’s daughter,” Qing Yu rubbed his chin, “that’s interesting, Song Ziqi is over twenty years old, when did she replace the real Song Ziqi? Or maybe ——”
Qing Yu’s eyes widened, “Zhang Huchen’s daughter has always been unknown, what if she became Song Ziqi from a young age. What if, there was no real Song Ziqi at all, it was always this Song Ziqi ——”
“My lord means that the Song family has never had a grand lady, Song Ziqi, has always been a fake.” Li Xin is also a smart person, a little bit of penetration.
“Then why does she have to hide her identity, is it bad to be the first lady in the Zhang family?” Li Xin asked.
Also being a grand lady, the Song family and the Zhang family were completely incomparable and could be said to be in the clouds. The Song family, so to speak, were all household slaves of the Zhang family, guarding Yangcheng for the Zhang family, and the Song family’s eldest lady was nothing more than the daughter of a household slave.
“If that were true, Zhang Huchen would have already started plotting twenty years ago. Twenty years of planning, and now that he has unleashed it, he must have a foolproof grasp. This time Department Six is afraid that they will lose.”
“No way, my lord, Department Six found out Song Ziqi’s identity in advance, and Luo Yan also said that there are still experts above the Xiantian level watching in the shadows. Even if Song Ziqi is desperate and wants to take over Yangcheng, there is no way he can succeed.”
“How is it impossible,” Qing Yu sneered, “An ordinary person who has been lying in wait for twenty years might stir up the clouds, let alone Zhen Shanjun. In a contest of this magnitude, the influence of individual power is minimal. Besides, didn’t the court know from the beginning that Zhenshanjun might plot a rebellion?”
Yes, the imperial court had known that Zhen Shanjun might rebel. A frontier general of this level could never be negligent even if it was possible.
On the other hand, Zhenshan Jun, knowing that the court was already suspicious, was still poised to strike, so he must have been sure of victory.
“Zhenshanjun, who has been preparing for twenty years, has a better chance of winning than the imperial court, which has acted in haste.”
“In this battle, Zhenshanjun will win.” These words came from the mouth of a white-clothed scribe.
“Master, Song Ziqi’s identity has been exposed and Zhenshanjun has already lost a good opportunity, why do you still say that Zhenshanjun will win.” Luo Yan said in a suspicious voice.
Luo Yan’s master, it seemed that this white-clothed scribe was Lu Qi Feng, one of the Four Divine Constables of Department Six. However, it was difficult for people to imagine that such a refined scribe would be one of the decision makers of such a violent organ of Department Six. The people of Yangcheng would not have expected that Lu Qifeng would have arrived in Yangcheng long ago.
Lu Qifeng said, “Yan’er, you still don’t see clearly that this battle, from the very beginning, the imperial court has already lost. Zhenshanjun’s family has been operating in Qingzhou for three hundred years and has long since built it into an iron barrel. What Zhenshanjun wants is not to enter the Central Plains through Yangcheng, but to keep the court within Yangcheng. As long as Qingzhou breaks away from the Great Qian, the court loses, no matter what the outcome is.”
“If that is the case, why did you arrange for Song Ziqi to lurk in Yangcheng, and why did you put her in danger if you had no intention of doing so?” Luo Yan could not figure out, Zhen Shanjun Zhang’s family had a single lineage, this generation of Zhen Shanjun had never pa*sed on an heir, Song Ziqi, should be Zhen Shanjun’s only daughter. To send his only daughter into danger just for this unwanted Yang Cheng, Luo Yan couldn’t imagine how hard Zhen Shanjun’s heart, would be.
“That’s why I said, Yan’er, you can’t see.” Lu Qifeng shook his head, this apprentice of his was smart, but sometimes it was because he was too smart that he was in turn blinded by a leaf, “Since Zhen Shanjun can hide one daughter, how do you know he won’t hide another daughter, or even a son. Besides ——”
Lu Qifeng sneered, unable to tell whether it was mockery or anger in his eyes, “Those who want to achieve great things, the closest relatives can also be killed. Not to mention just using, Song Ziqi is not dead yet.”
“The most important thing is that you can kill your relatives. ——” Luo Yan only felt a cold air rise from his tailbone and run straight to his head. He was usually ruthless and had no mercy for others, but he could never kill his relatives.
He thought of the woman who was close to his age, but who had easily repelled him. Although she was an enemy, Luo Yan admired her for her uncommonness, but of course he would still strike if he had to. Nor did he know how sad she would be if she learned the truth. Inevitably, Diem felt a little sad for the woman.
At the same time, he felt icy unease at the words that had spilled from the mouth of his beloved master.
Lu Qifeng saw the expression on his beloved disciple’s face and knew the uneasiness in his heart. His disciple had been adopted by him since his parents died at a young age, and he had taught him martial arts and nurtured him to become a master.
Now, when he heard such heartless words from his own mouth, who was like a teacher and father, he was afraid that he would be frightened.
With this in mind, Lu Qifeng’s heart softened and he said softly, “I will never give up on you.”
Luo Yan was silent, and the master and disciple enjoyed this rare warmth in silence.
“By the way, Master, I get credit for uncovering Song Ziqi’s identity.” Luo Yan suddenly called out.
“Don’t worry, I won’t let your injuries go to waste. Department Six preaches that those who are able will rise and those who are weak will fall. Your ability to uncover Song Ziqi’s identity is your skill, and if Department Six does not reward you, I will reward you.”
“And Li Xin ——”
“Agreed, those who are capable, Department Six will not reject them.”
“Master ——”
“Very impressed?” Lu Qifeng raised an eyebrow.
“When will you get rid of this eavesdropping problem.”
Lu Qifeng, the Wind Chaser of Department Six, in addition to his excellent lightning skills, was most adept at the art of listening to the wind and loved to listen to corners, no matter what the news was, and was himself the head of intelligence for Department Six. He did not need his report at all, including Song Ziqi’s identity. For, the whole of Yang City was within his listening range.
Except, for a small building halfway up the hill outside the city.
