Chapter 491: Heading Toward the Capital 8

Qi Qingyao nodded furiously like she was mashing garlic, then asked suspiciously, “Could it be that… the person isn’t you?” That seemed to catch him by surprise.

Jiang Yeqian’s deep eyes and sword-shaped brows gave off an expression of gloom. “Why would you think that the person is me?”

“Because…” ‘You resigned out of nowhere, and you seem very relaxed…’

No, his expression had looked too surprised for that to be the case.

Could it be…

Qi Qingyao took a deep breath, not wanting to believe in that reality. She said softly and helplessly, “Judging by how shocked you are, could it be that it really wasn’t you?”

Jiang Yeqian’s eyes widened slightly and his expression was cold. He looked at her deeply before closing his eyes, and his voice was controlled when he spoke.

“It’s not me.”

“…”

Qi Qingyao was shocked into silence.

Jiang Yeqian had a thought. “Do you have someone in mind?”

Qi Qingyao shook her head, her expression deathly gray. “No.”

Jiang Yeqian immediately lit the paper on the candle fire and burned it. After the rice paper was reduced to ashes and making sure that there was nothing left, he spoke in a calm manner.

“Stay mum about this news for the time being. Keep it a secret for now.”

“…”

Qi Qingyao nodded carelessly.

Jiang Yeqian grabbed his crutch and glanced at her once more before turning around and walking outside.

Qi Qingyao wanted to ask him something, but could not get a single word out.

When Jiang Yeqian reached the door, Qi Qingyao recalled that he still had not given her the money.

At the same moment, Jiang Yeqian turned around.

“I’ll get someone to send the money over tonight,” he said.

Qi Qingyao, “…”

The two went down the building one after another. Qi Qingyao stood in the back courtyard alone, contemplating for a long time before eventually returning to the hall. She glanced at Li Ruoxuan with a complicated expression. Li Ruoxuan noted her gaze but did not ask anything.

Night.

Zhao Xin carried a wooden box filled with ten thousand taels worth of gold and knocked on Qi Qingyao’s door. Qi Qingyao had just fallen asleep not too long ago, but she was not deeply asleep as she had too many things on her mind. She did not bother to light the candle after hearing the knock on the door. Using the shallow moonlight, she put on some clothes and went to the door. When she opened it, the light in the corridor shone in, shrouding the girl in a layer of clean and celestial air.

Momentarily stupefied, Zhao Xian hurriedly shoved the box of gold into Qi Qingyao’s arms.

Qi Qingyao hugged the little wooden box absent-mindedly, looking at Zhao Xin’s retreating figure blankly as he turned around and ran.

She shook her head wordlessly and went back in. After closing the door, she unfastened the iron shackle of the wooden box. The gold inside shone like the sun, golden spray in the moonlight.

The gold he promised…he had delivered. He had kept his word.

The same night.

Jiang Yeqian left the inn in secret and immediately went to a branch of the Zhaixing Administration in the city.

Bai Mei had been following Jiang Yeqian in the dark. After learning that Jiang Yeqian had gone to the branch, she immediately hurried over to meet him.

Jiang Yeqian took off the black mask on his face and revealed his actual handsome and beautiful face.

Bai Mei lost herself for a second when she saw her master’s face.

Jiang Yeqian’s expression was livid as he barked, “Bai Mei, summon Na Lanjie for me.”

“Master?” To summon Na Lanjie at a time like this… Could it be that he wanted someone assassinated? However, the Xuanwu Administration had always been responsible for assassinations.

That had always been the case, despite the head of her administration also having similar authority.

However, the head of the Xuanwu Administration had always disliked the unauthorized transfer of Na Lanjie that bypassed the Xuanwu Administration.

Jiang Yeqian said coldly, “An eighth grand master has appeared on the mainland!”

“Ah!” Bai Mei was instantly dumbfounded.

Jiang Yeqian’s tone became colder and more bitter than ever. “It might be Li Ruoxuan.”

“T-t-this is impossible.” Bai Mei found the news simply too shocking.

It was said that only a grand master could sense that another had ascended into grand mastership… So, Shang Li should know about this, and the little empress also likely knew.

Jiang Yeqian’s gaze was deep and bottomless. “This information was bought at a high price. If Gongsun She was the one who leaked it to her, it wouldn’t be wrong. My leg still hasn’t healed yet. If I were to test Li Ruoxuan, I would undoubtedly fail and my injury would be aggravated.” In the vicinity of Qingzhou City, those who can test Li Ruoxuan and get away unscathed are only rank-nine archers.”

Jiang Yeqian’s gaze was deep as he said, “Na Lanjie is likely in Ningyang recently. Send a messenger eagle and ask him to come over. I want him to carry out a long-distance test on Li Ruoxuan.”

“Understood, Master,” Bai Mei said as she bowed.

“Tell him it’s urgent and that he must come to see me in three days,” Jiang Yeqian added.

Bai Mei answered in the affirmative.

Jiang Yeqian continued, “If an eighth grand master has really appeared, then Shang Li likely knows, the little empress too. The emperors of the other major nations must have also gotten the news by now! Collect all the information on this matter as soon as possible and send it to the other administration heads in the building to review.”

“Understood.”

After Bai Mei left, her expression was ashen and taut.

For someone else to inform an administrative head of such a grave matter yet herself still not knowing anything of it…

This was a major catastrophe!

An eighth grand master on this mainland…

There were only seven with Pang Juan’s death, even including Si Jin.

Now someone told her master that the eighth grand master was suspected to be Li Ruoxuan…

The State Preceptor of Northern Liang.

If that were true.

Bai Mei thought anxiously to herself that her master’s life was in danger…