The gatekeeper, Aniu, studied him with suspicion. "Saving the fallen sovereign is a long-planned masterpiece by the Qinglong Sect. You've let him go—don't you think Xu Elder will still hold it against you?" Wang Beiwang held his neck stiffly, insisting, "Who says he won't forgive me? I've served Xu Elder for over a decade—both as his subordinate and as his disciple. Our relationship is deep and close." Aniu glanced at him sideways. "Then what about the Master?" Wang Beiwang shrunk back again. With the Master's temperament, once he saw him, he'd likely send him off with a big earful. At that moment, the steps leading to Xu's residence seemed like a mountain range of blades and flames, perilous and impassable. Yet recalling the sovereign's instructions, he pressed on, with a firm smile, saying, "Aniu, this is simply the difference in our outlook. I'm aiming for something grand—willing to take risks and make sacrifices. You, on the other hand, are content to stay just a gatekeeper." Aniu, who had known him for over a decade, didn't show any irritation. Wang Beiwang stepped over the steps and crossed the threshold, walking side by side with An Niu, who said, "The senior monk and the master are holding a meeting in the hall; I'll go inform them." Wang Beiwang quickly grabbed his arm, exclaiming, "Are you trying to kill me? With the master's temperament, upon hearing that I've arrived, he'll surely send down a blazing heavenly fire to incinerate me right away." An Niu shook off his hand, impatiently responding, "I don't care about you. Do what you like." Wang Beiwang strode forward, took a deep breath upon seeing the grand hall with its eaves projecting outward, and then declared loudly, "Senior Monk, Master, Wang Beiwang has something to report..." Before he finished speaking, the lattice door of the hall crashed open with a loud bang, and a fiery dragon, surging with intense heat, lunged at him with fierce movements. "I know exactly where the incompetent king is!" Wang Beiwang hurried to finish his sentence. The powerful dragon suddenly dissolved, transforming into a surging wave of heat that swept across the hall. Wang Beiw "Xu Elder's voice rang out from within the hall. Wang Beiwang, trembling with fear, touched his face—only the residual heat of the flames had scorched him; should he be struck by a dragon fire, he would likely be reduced to ash on the spot. He crossed the foreyard, stepped over the threshold, and entered the main hall. Wang Beiwang bowed deeply and spoke with a strong voice: "Master, forgive me. I know I've made a mistake. For years I've served the association, and though I may not have achieved great accomplishments, I have certainly contributed tirelessly. Please allow me to explain." Yet in his heart, Wang Beiwang felt strong resistance—men's knees are worth gold, and they kneel only to heaven and their parents. Even the Master could not make him bow so completely. Nevertheless, the weak ruler insisted on this gesture, claiming throughout history that anyone proud and lofty had always been defeated by it, and it had proven effective time and again. Duan Huoshen coldly remarked, "You released the weak ruler on your own initiative, and now you wish to justify it?" His tone and expression were cold, though the intensity of his anger had slightly softened. Wang Beiwang first glanced at Xu Elder, who gave a slight nod, and then continued: "Master, you may not know this, but the imperial officials seized my younger sister. The weak ruler promised to help me rescue her daughter, Xiao Shi. With no other options, I was forced to release him." Duan Huoshen replied cold They had already heard from the gatekeeper, Ah Niu, that Wang Xiuxiu, Wang Beiwang’s younger sister, had been selected by lot, and knew the reason Wang Beiwang had released the incompetent emperor. In the eyes of Xu Elder and Duan Master, Wang Beiwang was acting out of desperation—his judgment clouded by the emperor’s influence. Wang Beiwang immediately said, "Of course, it's not merely a promise. Master, Elder, I have returned today to deliver a message from the incompetent emperor." Pausing, seeing that neither Master nor Elder had spoken, he continued, "At the ceremony of the next day's heavenly sacrifice, the emperor will appear to obstruct the proceedings. He hopes to rescue the three hundred young boys and girls, thereby demonstrating his sincerity to the Qinglong Clan. After the Zheng family's rebellion, he has wandered through the countryside for several days, deeply realizing his past incompetence and sins. The current state of the Southern Dynasty is the direct result of his favoring corrupt ministers and neglecting governance. 'The emperor wishes to radically reform and return to the capital to address the deep-rooted maladies of the state,' he said. 'However, the Zheng family's power now poses a serious threat to the very foundation of the realm. Alone, he cannot withstand this challenge and thus seeks assistance from the people.' At this point, he glanced at Master Duan and Elder Xu, both of whom remained coldly indifferent. Wang Beiwang then declared loudly, "The emperor says that the Qinglong Clan is full of noble hearts and steadfast righteousness, and Master Duan "I hope Master Duan will consider the common people of the Southern Dynasty and lend him a hand." Xu Elder asked, "What exactly does he wish the Qinglong Clan to do?" Wang Beiwang replied, "Hold their ground and wait for further instructions." Duan Master sneered, "Such a grand posture!" He neither accepted nor declined, merely waved his hand and said, "You may go." Wang Beiwang turned to Xu Elder, who shook his head in silence. Disappointed, Wang Beiwang rose and left the hall. After he had gone, Duan Master murmured softly, "The great heroes are those who serve the country and the people..." ... Wang Beiwang rode back to the 'Abandoned Mansion,' surveying the desolate courtyard. He called out loudly, "Your Majesty... the weak ruler, is still here?" The withered branch standing in the courtyard wrote on the ground, "How did Master Duan respond?" Wang Beiwang said, "He didn't agree." The branch asked, "Nor did he decline?" Wang Beiwang nodded. Then the branch leaned over and snapped to the ground with a soft 'plink.' … In another abandoned manor, Zhang Yuanqing swallowed the drifting spirit and returned to the house, then addressed Jiang Jingwei, who was feasting in the hall: “Jingwei, stop eating. I’ve got a task for you.” Jiang Jingwei bit into a roasted chicken, her voice slightly muffled: “What kind of task?” “Do you know how to contact the soldiers of the Shen Rui Army?” Zhang Yuanqing asked. Jiang Jingwei tilted her head, pondering: “I only have a token.” With her oil-stained right hand, she reached into the inventory and produced an old military banner—yellow with black characters reading “Shen Rui.” Zhang Yuanqing took it and reviewed the item details, which simply stated: “The banner of the Shen Rui Army may serve as a token.” Only a token, then. Jingwei’s memories were limited; it would be impossible for her to reach out to the Shen Rui Army on her own… Ah, Jingwei is the daughter of a hunter’s family. The palace should be able to locate their household address. Zhang Yuanqing intended to make initial contact with the Shen Rui Army. Since the Qinglong Clan can be brought under our control, why not the Shenrui Army? After learning the true story of the Shenrui Army's downfall from Wanmu Lady, and upon receiving the quest line "Conquering the Qinglong Clan," Zhang Yuanqing suddenly realized that the Shenrui Army is indeed a viable faction to be won over. As long as the truth is uncovered, this force can be made to serve our purposes. Of course, if this connection had gone unnoticed from the outset, without prior intelligence gathering, the opportunity to win over the Shenrui Army would be lost, and they would ultimately become a hostile faction. I'll entrust the investigation to Guan Ya Sister—she is not only the Empress but also the legitimate daughter of the Yang family, and with Yang Zheng as a central minister, she has the authority to access the Shenrui Army's records. Meanwhile, I will personally carry Chu Lady as a "token" to meet with the survivors of the Shenrui Army. Thus, both Wang Ge-jia and Chu Lady emerge as crucial "tokens." It's no surprise that the quest has arranged them as opposing factions—this is, in fact, an implicit hint suggesting that the underlying factions behind these Thinking of this, Zhang Yuanqing immediately communicated with the imprint within his consciousness, sending a portion of his spiritual body to sink into the imprint, thus establishing residence within the shadow corpse remaining at Yang's estate. Yang's Estate. The shadow corpse assigned to the queen's private chamber now sparkled with life in its hollow eyes, and the stiff neck creaked and became supple, turning smoothly to gaze around. Guan Ya was not in the chamber; only a young, graceful attendant was wiping the round table and round stools. Zhang Yuanqing raised the trumpet in his hand: "Where is the queen?" The attendant jumped slightly, gently brushing her chest, and said softly, "The lady is in the inner hall, holding discussions with her guests." Zhang Yuanqing said, "Call her here." The attendant nodded, carefully observing the shadow corpse several times, then hurried out of the room. A few minutes later, Guan Ya entered the threshold in a richly adorned Han-style robe, her skirt flowing gently. Her body was graceful and elegant, with a refined, oval face, appearing perfectly suited for a well-bred noblewoman. "Go ahead and step out." "Guan Ya sent aside the attendants and produced a music box, letting the delicate 'ting-ting' sound flow through every corner of the room. Zhang Yuanqing held up a small megaphone and said, 'Help me investigate the truth behind the downfall of the Shen Rui Army.' 'Shen Rui Army?' Guan Ya furrowed her brows. 'The organization that attacked you at the Hong Xiu Hall? I heard from Ling Xi that the Shen Rui Army had disappeared over ten years ago.' Old cases are difficult to unravel—they take time and effort. 'The killer is Zheng Wenhan,' Zhang Yuanqing stated directly. 'What I need isn't just clues—I need solid evidence.' Guan Ya nodded in understanding. 'That makes it much easier. You'd like to bring the Shen Rui Army under your own command, wouldn't you?' 'The Shen Rui Army has been gone for many years,' Zhang Yuanqing explained. 'With the main body gone, the remaining members are scattered—few in number, but all outstanding talents.' 'We don't lack ordinary soldiers,' he added, 'but we're short on elite officers.' Guan Ya nodded in agreement, recalling their earlier discussion "We've worked out a plan: you can transform into a shadow corpse and assume your own identity, taking over the jade seal and jade pendants to remain stationed in the imperial palace. Then, you can re-emerge in civilian life, leveraging your skills as a magician and a night-wanderer. The State Councillor won't be able to locate you without being able to predict your movements." Yin Shi Zhang Yuanqing gave a neutral shrug. "Given the Zheng family's style, as soon as they notice you're a shadow corpse, they'll likely move swiftly to seize the jade seal, eliminate you, and claim the emperor has been betrayed by a traitor—using the shadow corpse as a puppet. Yang family won't be able to refute that." Guan Ya chuckled wryly, "I myself thought this plan wouldn't work, but Xiao Yuan and the Palace Mistress believe it will." She didn't need to say the second part—the plan was probably conceived by Xie Lingxi. Xiao Yuan and the Palace Mistress wouldn't be that naive. When did you activate your domestic-court skills, Guan Ya? Zhang Yuanqing lowered his small trumpet. "I already have a solution!"