The moment Jiang Wuyou’s words left her lips, the old woman, whose strength was as vast and unfathomable as the sea, immediately stiffened. Her gaze darted left and right, her aura surging, becoming acutely vigilant.

The reason being…

The “big brother” Jiang Wuyou mentioned was not the current Crown Prince, Jiang Wuhua, Master of the Chang Le Palace.

It was the deposed Crown Prince, Jiang Wuliang, imprisoned within the Qing Shi Palace!

He was a pain point in the current Qi Emperor’s heart, one that could not be touched.

That very year, his actions had directly led to the destruction of the Ku Rong Garden, triggered the death of Chong Xuan Futu, and indirectly brought about the rise of Xiong Tu.

Not long ago, merely the lingering aftershocks of those events had been enough to dismantle the Ju Bao Chamber of Commerce within Xuan He in a single swoop.

The old woman could not help but be nervous!

Only after repeatedly scrutinizing her surroundings did she address Jiang Wuyou, saying, “It is right and proper for you to visit that one in your leisure, a normal expression of human relations. But to take his words to heart is gravely improper!”

The old woman was both anxious and fearful. “This old body should not speak thus to the Palace Master, but the events of the past are clear before our eyes. Even I, this old bone, am still shaken when I recall them. How can you not be more cautious?”

Jiang Wuyou gently patted her back in comfort, her voice soft. “Nanny, you watched me grow up from a child. Say what you wish, there is no need for restraint.”

“However,” she explained, “I pay no mind to unrelated matters. But first, Jiang Wang has no connection whatsoever to big brother. Second, big brother merely offered a casual evaluation when I mentioned Jiang Wang. I already had high hopes for Jiang Wang’s future; big brother’s words merely strengthened my resolve. I had already made up my mind, and now that Jiang Wang has come seeking help with a difficult matter, what is there to hesitate about?”

Deep within the old woman’s wrinkles, unease still lingered. “This old body is only worried…”

“What is there for you alone to worry about?” Jiang Wuyou said comfortingly. “Every word big brother spoke to me, I have pondered over again with Mister Mo upon my return. There should be no problem. Father Emperor’s majesty has grown heavier in recent years; even a person like big brother has no room for resistance. He has been imprisoned for so many years and has not made the slightest move. The Qing Shi Palace is accumulating cobwebs and dust; he has likely resigned himself to fate.”

The old woman still hesitated. “Though the words are so…”

“The Ku Rong Garden perished, Chong Xuan Futu died, and Futu’s son clearly bears him enmity. At this moment, the person imprisoned in Qing Shi Palace is already alone, his heart like dead ashes.”

Jiang Wuyou continued, “Regarding the matter of Xu Fang earlier, I thought there would be waves, but in fact, big brother merely endured it silently. I specifically mentioned Chong Xuan Sheng, and yet saw no follow-up. This shows that Qing Shi Palace is already a pool of stagnant water.”

“If the Palace Master thinks clearly, then this old body will not indulge in unnecessary anxiety.” The old woman performed a respectful bow and then stood in her original place.

And Jiang Wuyou continued her forward stroll.

She walked alone, leaving the martial arts grounds and stepping onto a small path winding through flowers.

Before her eyes, that perpetually calm face seemed to appear once more.

“Big brother…”

She murmured, “I am so wary of you, yet I trust you so completely…”

***

In the north of the city, at the Capital Patrol Inspection Office.

Three days after returning to Linzi, Jiang Wang finally found the time to report for duty here.

When he left the Qi border, he was still tasked with pursuing Hell No Door. Because of his merit in assisting Divine General Yue Leng in the pursuit of Qin Guang King of Hell No Door, he was eligible to be promoted to a fourth-grade blue card catcher.

The seven great Yan Luo of Hell No Door had entered Qi and besieged and killed Zhao Xuan in the bustling market, shocking the Eastern Domain. But they had also paid an extremely tragic price; among the seven great Yan Luo, King Song Emperor, King Bian Cheng, King Tai Shan, King Du Shi, and King Ping Deng had all died within Qi territory. Only Qin Guang King and King Wu Guan had escaped.

Since Hell No Door had not been completely wiped out, it was natural for the Qi country’s blue card catchers to continue the pursuit. Therefore, Jiang Wang’s departure from the border was completely legal and reasonable. Not only that, when he returned to Linzi to report for duty, he could still receive a certain allowance. Since there were no results, he could only receive the lowest portion corresponding to the time spent, but it was still several dozen Dao Yuan Stones.

It wasn’t that Jiang Wang, having become the lord of Qing Yang Town in Qi, couldn’t casually leave the border, but where he went and what he did would inevitably face scrutiny, though not necessarily strict, it was troublesome nonetheless. Being tasked as a blue card catcher could exempt him from these troubles.

His fourth-grade blue card had been handled for him by Yue Leng, so of course, there were no procedural issues.

The so-called reporting for duty was originally just a formality; no one was going to demand results from him regarding the pursuit of Hell No Door.

Of course, blue card catcher Jiang Wang was not completely without gain. In the task file, it was simply recorded that he had discovered the trace of Chu Jiang King of Hell No Door in a place called Tuo Feng Mountain in the Middle Domain.

This was a completely verifiable fact. Although hindered by strength, Catcher Jiang had not been able to grasp more specific traces of Chu Jiang King, but a catcher in the Inner Mansion realm being able to track a top-level Outer Building realm expert and twice discover a Yan Luo of Hell No Door truly lived up to the name of a blue card catcher!

A crowd of catchers flattered him, but Jiang Wang did not take it seriously.

Human relationships were unavoidable everywhere. Why did he receive such fawning at the influential Capital Patrol Inspection Office? Of course, it wasn’t because he genuinely possessed outstanding case-handling abilities that convinced these old hands. It was because of the talent he displayed and his friendly relationship with Chong Xuan Sheng.

He had merely come to the Capital Patrol Inspection Office to report his work and get some allowance. Yet, one praised him for having the style of a young catcher god, while another praised him as the future of the North Yamen…

The “true future of the North Yamen” just walked past him.

“Brother Jiang.” Zheng Shang Ming’s eyes held a complex emotion.

A year prior, he had been schemed against by Wen Lian Mu, sent to track and investigate Jiang Wang. Fortunately, Jiang Wang was cautious and released him on the spot, preventing Wen Lian Mu’s scheme from succeeding.

He had gone to the Residence of the Great Marshal who Towned the Country to seek justice, only to fall into another layer of scheme. Thanks to Chong Xuan Sheng’s timely reminder to the North Yamen Commandant Zheng Shi, he had not become a prisoner.

But his pride had already been shattered. It was no longer a matter of being slapped; it was a matter of being heavily stepped on several times by Wang Yi Wu.

In contrast, Jiang Wang had defeated Wang Yi Wu in one move, his name shaking Linzi.

He should have thanked Jiang Wang and Chong Xuan Sheng, but out of some inexpressible psychology, he had never taken the initiative to visit.

Wen Lian Mu’s use of “awkward” to describe his character could be called precise.

Finally, it was Chong Xuan Sheng who took the initiative to request a blue card, resolving the grace on both sides and preventing Zheng Shi from finding it difficult to handle the matter.

After the incident, Zheng Shi mentioned Chong Xuan Sheng many times in front of Zheng Shang Ming, praising this direct descendant of the Chong Xuan family without end.

Regardless of whether he faced Jiang Wang or Chong Xuan Sheng, the formerly proud Zheng Shang Ming inevitably felt inferior in comparison.

After the Wang Yi Wu incident, he could also be considered to have let go of some stubbornness. He simply left the military and returned to the Capital Patrol Inspection Office, developing within the main yamen of his own family’s lineage.

This time, seeing Jiang Wang, his mood was complex, yet he still took the initiative to greet him, a kind of progress.

Jiang Wang extricated himself from the several catchers who had surrounded him and smiled as he replied, “Brother Zheng’s demeanor is still the same.”

“I ate quite a bit of wind; my demeanor is gone instead.” Zheng Shang Ming self-mockingly said, then asked, “Is Brother Jiang here to report for duty?”

“Yes,” Jiang Wang sighed, “I went out for a turn, with no harvest.”

“The work at the Patrol Inspection Office is roughly like this. There are no ups and downs without major or important cases, but for this kind of major or important case, it’s best not to encounter it.” Zheng Shang Ming sighed along, then said, “Since Brother Jiang has formally taken up a post in the Patrol Inspection Office, if you need my help in the future, just say the word.”

As the only son of Zheng Shi, he naturally had the qualification to say such words. But if it were the former him, he would absolutely not have been willing to rely on Zheng Shi.

Perhaps this was a kind of growth.

But one did not know if, in the depths of his heart, he had any regrets.