7: Chapter 7 Manager Jiang

Over the next three days, everything in the capital remained as usual.

Only Miss Youyou, the top courtesan of Yihong Pavilion, claimed to be unwell and temporarily stopped seeing guests.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yingrao had changed out of her eye-catching red clothes and was now wearing a plain cloth skirt.

Wearing a bamboo hat on her head, she looked like an ordinary Jianghu heroine as she silently followed behind a middle-aged fat man.

This fat man was Shopkeeper Jiang, who was in charge of procurement for Yihong Pavilion.

He was also the spy planted in the capital by the Grand Elder, as mentioned by Chen Shanzhi.

Jiang Yingrao was very patient during these few days; she didn't alert the enemy, but instead observed the prey's every move from the shadows like a patient leopard.

On the first day, Shopkeeper Jiang went to Caishikou to haggle with several vegetable farmers, spittle flying everywhere.

He argued until he was red in the face over a mere two copper coins, appearing completely normal.

On the second day, he went to a gambling den, lost twenty taels of silver, and came out cursing and swearing.

He even drank two large bowls of wine at a roadside stall and returned to Yihong Pavilion tipsy.

Until the third day.

Shopkeeper Jiang, still maintaining his philistine appearance, drove a donkey cart to the western suburbs of the city to restock.

There was a vegetable field in the western suburbs that served as a fixed supply point for Yihong Pavilion.

Everything seemed very normal.

But Jiang Yingrao noticed an extremely tiny detail.

When Shopkeeper Jiang passed through an old locust tree forest, he deliberately slowed down the donkey cart and looked around several times.

That kind of look wasn't for taking in the scenery; it was as if he were confirming whether anyone was watching him.

“As expected, something is fishy.”

Jiang Yingrao let out a cold sneer, her figure vanishing into the treetops like a ghost.

The donkey cart stopped under the largest old locust tree.

Shopkeeper Jiang jumped off the cart, pretending to relieve himself.

While humming an unknown little tune, he very covertly slid a wax pellet out of his sleeve.

With a gentle flick of his finger, the wax pellet burrowed into a mud hole beneath the tree roots.

After completing this, he nonchalantly pulled up his pants and prepared to get on the cart to leave.

Just then, a figure descended from the sky.

“Shopkeeper Jiang, you went out to restock, so how did you end up restocking in this desolate wilderness?”

Jiang Yingrao's voice was clear and cold, carrying a hint of chilliness.

Shopkeeper Jiang's body stiffened suddenly, but as an old hand in the Jianghu, the panic on his face only flashed for an instant before being replaced by a flattering smile:

“Saint... Saintess? On such a hot day, why have you come to a place like this?”

As he spoke, he unobtrusively backed away, attempting to create distance.

“Stop pretending.”

Jiang Yingrao didn't bother wasting words with him. With a wave of her fair hand, a bolt of True Qi swept out, directly overturning the soil beneath the tree roots.

A wax pellet the size of a fingernail lay there quietly.

“I want to ask Shopkeeper Jiang, what is this? Why did you come here so sneakily to hide this mud pellet?”

Jiang Yingrao picked up the wax pellet and looked coldly at Shopkeeper Jiang: “Could it be that Shopkeeper Jiang is colluding with the enemy?”

The smile on Shopkeeper Jiang's face gradually faded, replaced by a calmness that was diametrically opposed to his philistine exterior.

“Saintess, I don't understand what you're talking about.”

He straightened his back, his eyes even carrying a hint of indignant anger from being wronged:

“I have worked diligently in the sect for twenty years; if I have no glory, I at least have the merit of hard work.

Today, I simply wanted to send a family letter to my elderly mother at home. Fearing it would be intercepted by the Jiantian Division, I used this covert method.

How does it become 'colluding with the enemy' when it comes from the Saintess's mouth?”

“A family letter?”

Jiang Yingrao crushed the wax pellet, took out the slip of paper inside, and unfolded it to look. Her elegant brows furrowed slightly.

The note indeed contained some mundane family talk, nonsense like 'the weather is turning cold, Mother should take care of her health' and 'your son is doing well in the capital.'

It truly appeared to be just an ordinary family letter.

“Saintess, you've seen it yourself.”

Seeing this, Shopkeeper Jiang gained more confidence, and his voice rose a few notches:

“Although I, Jiang, am just a shopkeeper, I have also bled for the Holy Sect.

For you to follow me indiscriminately and seize my family letter like this, isn't it a bit too discouraging for the brothers?”

He used this tactic of 'retreating to advance' quite skillfully.

Had she not known the information beforehand, she might have actually been fooled by his act of being an insulted loyal official.

“Discouraging?”

A flash of ruthlessness crossed Jiang Yingrao's eyes: “Since you're afraid of being discouraged, then I'll let your body warm up first.”

Before her voice had even faded, her figure blurred, and she appeared directly in front of Shopkeeper Jiang.

With a crisp 'crack,' one of Shopkeeper Jiang's arms was forcibly dislocated.

“Ah!” The scream startled the birds in the forest into flight.

“Take him back.”

Jiang Yingrao didn't even spare a glance at Shopkeeper Jiang rolling on the ground as she coldly gave orders to the empty air behind her.

Several men in black appeared silently and dragged Shopkeeper Jiang onto the donkey cart like a dead dog.

...

Yihong Pavilion, underground secret chamber.

Shopkeeper Jiang was hung on a torture rack, his body covered in blood, but his fat face remained tight, even carrying a hint of a mocking smile.

“Saintess... cough cough...”

He spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm, his voice weak yet firm:

“I said, it was just a simple family letter.

As the Saintess, to use private torture on a sect veteran without evidence... if this gets back to the Headquarters, the Grand Elder's side... might be hard to answer to, right?”

Jiang Yingrao sat in a grand armchair, playing with the blood-stained slip of paper in her hand, her expression so dark it could practically drip water.

She had already used several types of torture.

But this fat man's mouth was harder than a stubborn rock.

This kind of tough nut was either truly wronged or had undergone professional training.

“No evidence?”

Jiang Yingrao slapped the slip of paper onto the table, feeling extremely frustrated.

Could it be that Chen Shanzhi had simply made up a lie to trick her just so he could engage in Dual Cultivation with her?

But her intuition told her that this Shopkeeper Jiang definitely had a problem!

Could there be a secret code in this family letter?

But she knew all the White Lotus Sect's secret codes by heart, and none of them matched.

“Damn it.”

Jiang Yingrao stood up and paced back and forth in the torture room.

Shopkeeper Jiang had been in the sect for decades; if she couldn't pry his mouth open to prove he was a spy,

her actions would surely discourage the hearts of the sect members in the capital.

At that time, the Grand Elder's people would further instigate them, saying things about her being bloodthirsty, which would likely cause widespread panic.

Her subsequent plans would definitely be affected.

Suddenly, Chen Shanzhi's smirking face flashed through Jiang Yingrao's mind.

“Since he knew the name, he must know the trick behind this.”

Jiang Yingrao gritted her teeth. Although she really didn't want to go and beg that playboy, right now, besides him, it seemed no one could resolve this deadlock.

“Someone, come in.”

Jiang Yingrao called toward the door.

“At the Saintess's command.” A trusted maidservant walked in.

“Go to the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion and invite the Heir Apparent to come over. Say... I have important matters to discuss.”

“Yes.”

The maidservant took the order and left.

Jiang Yingrao sat back in her chair, looked at Shopkeeper Jiang who was still sneering, and said calmly: “Don't be in a hurry; someone will be here to deal with you shortly.”

An hour later.

The maidservant hurried back, but there was no one behind her.

“Where is he?” Jiang Yingrao's brow furrowed.

“Reporting to the Saintess.” The maidservant cautiously took out a folded piece of Xuan paper:

“The Heir Apparent said... he said he's busy with Cultivation and has no time to come to such a bloody place. He also said... if the Saintess doesn't go to invite him personally, he doesn't want to come.”

“That bastard!”

Jiang Yingrao was so angry that she smashed the tea table beside her with a single palm strike.

That damn playboy was actually putting on airs with her.

“However...” The maidservant swallowed hard and continued: “Although the Heir Apparent didn't come, he had me give this to you, saying the Saintess would understand once she saw it.”

“What is it?”

Jiang Yingrao's brow furrowed as she took the Xuan paper and unfolded it.

There was only a single line of bold, flowing calligraphy on the paper. One had to admit, this playboy's handwriting was indeed excellent.

Jiang Yingrao looked at it and saw the content was:

“Stupid woman, don't you even know how to read an Acrostic Poem? Treat the second sentence as the first, then take the first character of the first sentence, the second character of the second sentence, and so on. Remember, you owe me one Dual Cultivation session!”

Jiang Yingrao felt her face burn.

Stupid woman?

This bastard—no one had ever dared to call her that!

But she couldn't afford to be angry; she hurriedly picked up the blood-stained 'family letter' on the table and began reading it according to Chen Shanzhi's method.

First sentence: The weather is turning cold (Tian Qi Zhuan Liang)...

Take 'Qi'?

No, the first character of the first sentence is 'Tian' (Weather)?

That's not right either; Chen Shanzhi said 'treat the second sentence as the first, first character of the first sentence, second character of the second sentence'.

Jiang Yingrao took a deep breath and re-examined the letter.

Second sentence: It is already autumn, Mother is well (Yi Jing Ru Qiu...).

Take 'Yi' (Already).

Third sentence: I am with friends in the capital, very happy (Wo Yu You Ren...).

Take 'Yu' (With).

Fourth sentence: Do not tell the child my whereabouts (Qie Mo Dui Hai Zi...).

Take 'Dui' (Towards/Against).

Fifth sentence: The capital is very prosperous in all aspects (Jing Cheng Ge Fang Mian...).

Take 'Fang' (Aspect/Side).

...

As the characters were picked out one by one, Jiang Yingrao's expression became increasingly grave, and finally, she even turned a bit pale.

When linked together, it shockingly read: Already in contact with the other party, plan proceeding as normal.

This was no family letter; it was clearly ironclad evidence of treason!

“Shopkeeper Jiang.”

Jiang Yingrao walked slowly to the torture rack, pressed the slip of paper against Shopkeeper Jiang's face, her voice as cold as ice from the Nine Netherworlds:

“'Al-ready', 'with', 'oth-er', 'par-ty', 'con-tact-ed'. This little game of hiding your head but showing your tail is played quite smoothly, isn't it?”

Shopkeeper Jiang, who had been full of mockery, had his pupils instantly contract to the size of pinpricks upon hearing those words, and the color drained from his face in a heartbeat.

“How... how is it possible...”

He looked at Jiang Yingrao in disbelief.

This set of secret codes was personally designed by the Grand Elder; the rules for each letter were different. Today might be '1-1-2-2', tomorrow might be 'counting back 3-3'.

Unless someone leaked it, it was absolutely impossible to decipher!

That playboy Heir Apparent gave a slip of paper, and after the Saintess read it, she could see through it at a glance?

Could it be that there was a spy from the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion within the Grand Elder's lineage?

“Nothing is impossible.”

Jiang Yingrao gave a cold snort and questioned: “Tell me, who does this 'other party' refer to? What exactly is the Grand Elder's plan?”

Shopkeeper Jiang gritted his teeth hard and closed his eyes: “I don't know anything.”

“You don't know anything?”

Jiang Yingrao's voice was gentle, yet it made one's skin crawl:

“I recall you have a grandson back in your hometown who just turned a year old? He looks quite sturdy and cute...”

“You wouldn't dare!”

Shopkeeper Jiang snapped his eyes open, his eyes nearly bursting from their sockets as he struggled frantically, the iron chains clattering loudly:

“Misfortunes should not involve one's wife and children! Jiang Yingrao, you are the Saintess, how can you do something so low!”

“Low?”

Jiang Yingrao laughed, her laughter seductive and cold: “Shopkeeper Jiang is confused; we are the Demonic Sect.

As long as we can achieve our goals, the means are not important.

I'll give you three breaths of time. Either confess, or I'll have someone chop off your grandson's fingers one by one and send them to you.”

“One.”

“Two.”

“I'll talk! I'll talk!”

Shopkeeper Jiang completely broke down.

An old hand like him wasn't afraid of death or pain; he was only afraid of his family line being cut off.

“I am the Grand Elder's man, but I haven't seen the Grand Elder. There is a single line of contact that takes the initiative to reach me. My mission was to hide the letter under that locust tree.”

Shopkeeper Jiang slumped down like a puddle of mud:

“I don't know anything else. Those letters were all found by me in a specific basket of cabbages while I was restocking.”

“Cabbages?”

Jiang Yingrao's brow furrowed: “Who gave you the cabbages?”

“It's that old farmer in the west of the city! But he most likely doesn't know there's anything in the cabbages.”

Jiang Yingrao spoke to the air behind her: “Send people to secretly observe that old farmer. If there's any movement, immediately take him into custody.”

“Yes.”

A response came from behind, followed by the sound of footsteps leaving.

“What is the purpose of the Grand Elder's arrangements for you? Do you know of anyone else he has planted in the capital? Also, who is that 'other party'?”

Gasping for breath, Shopkeeper Jiang spilled everything like beans from a bamboo tube:

“I only know that the Grand Elder's purpose is to make the Holy Sect's plans here in the capital fail, using it as a means to force the Sect Leader to step down.

As for that 'other party', I don't know who it is, only that it's a connection the Grand Elder made. It seems to be a major power in the capital that can help the Grand Elder achieve this.”

After hearing all this, Jiang Yingrao only felt cold in her hands and feet.

For the sake of seizing power, the Grand Elder actually didn't hesitate to collude with outsiders and sabotage the Holy Sect's century-old grand plan!

Even more terrifying, who exactly was that mysterious 'other party'?

To be able to say they could help the Grand Elder complete his plan in the capital, this was definitely not something an ordinary power could do.

“Lock him up, don't let him die.”

Jiang Yingrao waved her hand wearily and walked out of the torture room.

The night outside was deep and the cold wind was biting.

Standing under the corridor and looking at the waning moon in the sky, Jiang Yingrao couldn't help but let out a sigh.

The enemy is in the dark, and I am in the light.

With an internal traitor and external powerful enemies,

the Holy Sect's plans in the capital are likely going to be difficult.

“Chen Shanzhi...”

She involuntarily thought of that name again.

Since he could expose Shopkeeper Jiang's identity with a single word and even easily decipher this top-secret code,

did that mean... he knew far more than she had imagined?

That so-called 'other party', did he also know who it was?

“Just how deep is this bastard hiding?”

Jiang Yingrao bit her lip, a complex blush rising on her face.

To break this situation, it seemed she would still have to rely on him.

But there's no such thing as a free lunch, especially when dealing with that playboy who won't do anything without a profit.

If she wanted to get more information out of him and have him help her deal with the Grand Elder and that mysterious power, it seemed the only way was...

“Dual Cultivation...”

Jiang Yingrao looked down at her own exquisite figure, a flash of shame and anger in her eyes, followed by deliberation.

The Heir Apparent of the Zhenguo Marquis was notoriously lecherous, as was publicly known in the capital.

She, Jiang Yingrao, still had plenty of confidence in her own beauty.

Since she had decided to use her charms to obtain information from that Heir Apparent,

then why not try to make that Heir Apparent a slave to her skirt?

If she succeeded, wouldn't the power of the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion effectively become her trump card?

At that time, she could not only more easily complete the Holy Sect's plans in the capital but also conveniently eliminate the Grand Elder's lineage.

But she couldn't be too hasty; for men, only what they can't get is the best.

Only by keeping him on the hook and occasionally giving some benefits can the interests be maximized.

With this thought, Jiang Yingrao returned to her bedroom and began to bathe and change her clothes.

Since that Chen Shanzhi wanted her to invite him, then she would give him a proper invitation.