Chapter 153 The Hidden Bond of Cause and Effect

Qi Huan's joy was palpable. When he looked back at Chen Mu, he saw Chen Mu slowly concluding his cultivation, his face even paler than before.

"How are you?"

Chen Mu waved his hand and adjusted his breathing for a moment. Finally, some color returned to his pale face.

"It's fine, just some consumption of cultivation. Now that my Spiritual Qi has recovered, there is something I need to discuss with you."

He recounted the matter of Xu Changze hosting a banquet and his own speculations regarding the man's intentions.

After listening, Qi Huan's brow furrowed deeply.

"It is undoubtedly a 'Hongmen Banquet.' The person Xu Changze wants to eliminate most right now is you or me. For him to dare to host a banquet openly, he either has absolute certainty or another agenda, forcing us to attend."

Chen Mu pondered for a moment and said in a heavy voice.

"We must go. Not going would be a sign of weakness and would provide him with leverage. Xu Changze could easily use it to cause trouble, accusing us of disrespecting a superior and neglecting official duties."

"The situation in Yunmeng is currently unclear. Although Wen Jingxing has left, his lingering influence remains. We cannot give him such an excuse for the time being."

Qi Huan deliberated and nodded slightly.

"Reasonable. But going is like entering a dragon's pool or a tiger's den; Xu Changze will surely have arrangements. Given his cautious and vicious nature, I'm afraid he won't just arrange axemen in plain sight."

Chen Mu's gaze turned slightly cold.

"So before we go, we need to understand a few things clearly—about the City God, about Old Wang the Lame, and also about Jiang Xiong."

Qi Huan was startled. "Jiang Xiong?"

"Yes, we're going to see him. Some things need to be asked clearly to his face."

...

At the start of the Hour of the Monkey, the sun was already slanting westward.

The two arrived at the Peony Pavilion and were led directly to a spot in the backyard by a servant. It was a secluded small courtyard, filled with lush green trees and trailing vines swaying in the breeze.

Jiang Xiong was unhurriedly scalding the cups and warming the pot. The tea fragrance curled in the air, and water vapor drifted mistily. His expression was focused, as if the troubles of the outside world had nothing to do with him.

Hearing the footsteps, Jiang Xiong did not even look up.

"Brother Chen, Officer Qi, please sit. Taste this tea; this is Snow Bud from the summit of the Cold Mountains in the north. Only a few taels are produced a year. It clears the heart and washes away worries, making it most suitable for discussing business."

Qi Huan and Chen Mu sat on the prayer mats opposite him. Qi Huan was impatient and was about to speak when Chen Mu stopped him with a look.

Jiang Xiong's technique was skilled: pouring water, decanting the brew, and serving the tea. His movements were fluid as he pushed two cups of clear, emerald-green tea soup in front of them. Only then did he look up.

"Officer Qi's complexion looks excellent. It seems the effect of the Medicinal Pill was acceptable."

"Thank you for the medicine, Lord Jiang."

Qi Huan cupped his hands, his tone sincere, but the searching look in his eyes did not diminish.

Chen Mu picked up the tea cup but did not drink, his calm gaze looking toward Jiang Xiong.

"Brother Jiang is well-informed; surely you already know what happened in the City God Temple this morning."

Jiang Xiong took a sip of tea and smiled leisurely.

"I've heard a little. Magistrate Xu is indeed resolute and efficient, finding someone to temporarily act in the divine office so quickly. Old Wang the Lame... Hehe, he is quite suitable."

"Suitable?"

Qi Huan finally couldn't help but speak, his voice full of doubt.

"Lord Jiang, that Old Wang the Lame is but a disabled old man. How can he hold the divine office of the City God? Xu Changze's move is clearly..."

Jiang Xiong interrupted him, his smile unchanging.

"Is what? Deceiving superiors and subordinates, desecrating the divine office? Or... maintaining the overall situation?"

"Officer Qi, you have been in the Prefecture for a long time; you should understand that some things don't weigh four taels when off the scale, but once they're on the scale, even a thousand catties can't hold them down."

"The City God fell suddenly. If the order of Yin and Yang is disrupted, Yunmeng will instantly become a ghost realm. Xu Changze pushing Old Wang the Lame forward, while an expedient measure, is also the most stable method for now. As for how long this expedient measure can last, and whether it is a blessing or a curse for Old Wang the Lame..."

Jiang Xiong paused and looked at Chen Mu.

"That is not something you or I should worry about."

Chen Mu was silent for a moment before suddenly speaking.

"Not something to worry about? Or is it that Old Wang the Lame was originally one of the Jiang Family's people? Does Xu Changze's move play right into Brother Jiang's hands?"

The tea room suddenly went silent. The tea fragrance still curled, but the atmosphere abruptly tightened.

The smile on Jiang Xiong's face froze slightly, but it vanished in an instant. He gave a light chuckle and shook his head.

"Brother Chen, some things are uninteresting if said too clearly. You only need to know that Old Wang the Lame acting as the City God is beneficial to the Yin and Yang order of Yunmeng and the stability of the overall situation; that is enough. As for whether he is Magistrate Xu's pawn or something else... does it matter?"

Chen Mu remained silent.

Jiang Xiong's words were equivalent to admitting the relationship between Old Wang the Lame and the Jiang Family, and also hinted at the Jiang Family's acquiescence or even promotion of Xu Changze's move.

They didn't care what tricks Xu Changze played, as long as the final result aligned with their interests.

As for Xu Changze using this to seize power or having some selfish motives, in the eyes of the Jiang Family, those were likely tolerable or even exploitable.

What a classic aristocratic family style.

Qi Huan also understood. His expression shifted, eventually turning into a bitter smile.

He was, after all, a person within the imperial system. He felt instinctively uncomfortable with this style of aristocratic families overriding the government. But right now, they needed the Jiang Family's intelligence and support, so some words had to be kept to himself.

Chen Mu set down his teacup and asked the most crucial question.

"Then Brother Jiang, will this acting City God affect my killing of Xu Changze?"

Jiang Xiong pondered for a moment and said slowly.

"Xu Changze... this person has complex roots; pull one hair and the whole body moves. Brother Chen, take my advice: do not take action against him for the time being."

Chen Mu frowned slightly and pressed further.

"Why? Yesterday Nie Feng died, and Xu Changze lost a strong ally. It is exactly the right time to prune his wings."

Jiang Xiong was silent for a moment before saying slowly.

"Yesterday was yesterday, and today is today. If you had acted yesterday, perhaps there would have been a chance, but today... it's difficult."

"Although my Jiang Family has some power, we are also subject to many constraints. Interfering in the personnel of the local government involves the imperial legal system and the Karma of the divine way. Unless absolutely necessary, we will not easily step in. Moving against him now involves too many variables."

Chen Mu listened quietly, then suddenly asked.

"When Brother Jiang speaks of Karma, do you mean the Karma of the divine way, or the Karma between the Jiang Family and Xu Changze?"

Jiang Xiong was taken aback, then suddenly laughed.

"Brother Chen, you are truly very clever. Once some Karma is touched, it is difficult to escape. My Jiang Family is unwilling to touch it, and I hope Brother Chen does not touch it lightly either."

As he spoke, his tone had clearly taken on a hint of warning.

"Tonight, Xu Changze is hosting a banquet at Zuixian Tower, inviting the entire Demon Suppression Division. This banquet is likely no good feast. If Brother Chen goes, you must be extremely careful."

Chen Mu met his gaze and saw a trace of... regret in Jiang Xiong's eyes?

"Thank you for the reminder, Brother Jiang. I know what I'm doing."

Chen Mu cupped his hands, while Jiang Xiong leaned back in his chair and began brewing tea again.

"That is good. Come, drink tea. Once the tea is cold, it loses its flavor."

Chen Mu picked up the tea cup and drained it in one gulp.

He knew that he could not get anything more out of Jiang Xiong. The Jiang Family's attitude was already clear.

The matter of the City God was settled, and the transaction was complete. The Jiang Family would likely not openly interfere in the muddy waters of Yunmeng next, at least not for now. And Xu Changze had become a hedgehog that could not be touched for the time being.

Watching the two of them talk in riddles, Qi Huan was surrounded by a thick fog of confusion, but he also knew this was not a place to stay long, nor was it a place to ask deep questions.

The three of them sat for another fifteen minutes. Jiang Xiong only talked about the scenery and no longer mentioned serious matters.

Chen Mu took the appropriate moment to stand up and bid farewell.

Jiang Xiong saw them to the door of the tea room. Watching the backs of the two as they departed, the smile on his face gradually faded, and the expression in his eyes shifted unpredictably.