I Only Know That Heaven Never Seals Off Every Road

Clatter!

At the same time, Ye Liuyun took out the token on him and tossed it before Yan Shuzhu.

"Since the money has been paid, I'll return the token to you."

Perhaps Yan Shuzhu had not expected Ye Liuyun to be so decisive.

She took the token and toyed with it for a moment before speaking to Ye Liuyun with great interest.

"Do you know that with this token, you can come and go freely within the imperial palace, even mobilize the Imperial Guards? Isn't it a pity to return it just like that?"

As soon as those words were spoken, Shi Sheng frowned and looked over.

Even Si Nan sobered up a little.

If this was not boasting, then Yan Shuzhu, who possessed such a token, must have an extraordinary identity.

Ye Liuyun was rather surprised as well, but—

"I heard that Great Grandmasters can also come and go freely within the imperial palace, treating an army of a million as if it were nothing."

In the current Great Qian Dynasty, there was only one Great Grandmaster known to the public: the current prime minister, the foremost of all civil officials.

Yan Shuzhu understood. Ye Liuyun wanted to become a Great Grandmaster. Even Lü Lan could not help casting two extra glances at him.

"Brother Ye, do you know that all the Great Grandmasters across the Fourteen Prefectures combined do not even number a hundred?"

There were countless martial artists in the world, yet only a tiny handful could break through to the Great Grandmaster realm. That alone showed how arduous the path of Martial Arts was.

Yan Shuzhu was not mocking him. She was simply curious where Ye Liuyun's confidence came from.

"I only know that Heaven never seals off every road. If you do not even dare to try, then failure is what you are destined for."

"..."

Ye Liuyun's words made Yan Shuzhu think of herself.

Wasn't her desire to cast off her identity as a puppet also deemed a wild fantasy by many? But if she did not even have the courage to try, then she would truly have no chance at all.

"Brother Ye, you really are nothing like the information I investigated."

Thinking of how the reports said Ye Liufeng was a man skilled at currying favor and scheming for advancement, unfit for any great responsibility, Yan Shuzhu could not help smiling and shaking her head.

Were the people around her all such useless fools? They could not even gather intelligence properly.

Had she investigated his identity? Well, she was from the palace. It was hardly strange that she had such capabilities.

"To be born humble is not shameful. To bend when needed and stretch when needed—that is what makes a true man."

Before his transmigration, Ye Liuyun had always liked that saying.

Yan Shuzhu pondered Ye Liuyun's words carefully. After savoring them, her expression became far more enlightened.

She clasped her hands toward Ye Liuyun and said,

"I have been taught!"

In Yan Shuzhu's view, perhaps Ye Liuyun's former behavior had merely been an expedient measure.

Before one had the power to change the present, one had to endure and survive, hide one's brilliance and bide one's time, waiting for the day the hidden dragon plunged into the sea.

"..."

What exactly had she imagined?

Ye Liuyun merely glanced at Yan Shuzhu and paid it no mind, continuing to drink.

Yan Shuzhu began chatting with Ye Liuyun, though they spoke only of miscellaneous trivial matters. It seemed she deliberately wished to befriend him, even asking him questions from case files.

Fortunately, Ye Liuyun had read quite a few case files recently.

Moreover, with a transmigrator's perspective, his angle on matters was ultimately different from that of people in this era, so answering was effortless.

"Brother Ye, I once encountered a difficult case. An Imperial Concubine in the palace was poisoned, but after investigating every angle, we found not a single clue. None of the eunuchs or palace maids around the Imperial Concubine noticed anything. It was as though the poison had truly fallen from the heavens."

"Brother Ye, do you know how such a thing could be done?"

Are you testing me here?

He had clearly come here to drink and relax, so how had it turned into something like a graduation defense?

"Either it was a martial artist skilled in qinggong and concealment, or everyone was involved in the poisoning!"

When Ye Liuyun gave the first answer, Yan Shuzhu was somewhat disappointed. She had thought of that possibility as well, but it had led nowhere.

But when she heard the second answer, Yan Shuzhu froze.

"Everyone was involved?"

"Isn't that perfectly normal? Everyone participated, so naturally everyone covered for one another."

Did you think I watched all those detective shows for nothing?

"Brother Ye is truly a great talent!"

Seeing that Yan Shuzhu still wanted to ask more, Ye Liuyun rose directly to his feet.

"Alright, it's about time today. I'll be heading back first!"

Tch, there was not even a courtesan queen performance. What a bore.

Seeing Ye Liuyun about to leave, Yan Shuzhu hurriedly stood as well.

"Then when will Brother Ye be free to come out again?"

"When there's a courtesan queen performance!"

After saying that, Ye Liuyun left at once. Shi Sheng and Si Nan quickly followed. While Ye Liuyun had been speaking with Yan Shuzhu, neither of them had said a word.

"A courtesan queen performance? Brother Ye is a man of temperament too!"

Lü Lan, standing nearby, could not help feeling a little speechless at her Your Majesty's sigh.

Wasn't he simply lustful?

"Lü Lan!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

Lü Lan immediately dropped to one knee and clasped her hands.

"Make the arrangements. Have the courtesan queen of the Imperial Brothel perform sometime in the next few days."

Courtesan queens did not perform every day. The courtesan queen of the Imperial Brothel only performed once a month, and the date was not fixed.

But the Imperial Brothel had always been backed by the royal family. With Yan Shuzhu's authority, arranging one performance was simple enough.

"Understood!"

Lü Lan had no doubts.

After all, she had stood nearby while Ye Liuyun spoke. Some of his remarks even gave Lü Lan the feeling of clouds parting to reveal the sun. He truly was a great talent.

Yan Shuzhu said nothing, merely savoring Ye Liuyun's earlier answers.

Even her eyes became much brighter.

"My lord, who do you think that Yan Shuzhu really is?"

Only after they left the Imperial Brothel did Si Nan finally fail to restrain his curiosity and ask.

"Who knows? Maybe she's some prince from the palace or something."

Since Yan Shuzhu wished to disguise herself as a man, Ye Liuyun would not expose her.

Gasp!

A prince.

Si Nan could not help drawing in a sharp breath. He felt that the other party's status was as far above theirs as clouds from mud.

"So what if she's a prince? If she commits a crime, I'll arrest her all the same."

Shi Sheng said this beside him with utter indifference.

Si Nan had still been sighing to himself, but those words abruptly cut him off.

He immediately turned and glared at him.

"You've got the nerve to talk about arresting others? I'd love to arrest you. Remember to pay back my three hundred taels."

If he had known, he would not have come. He had lost three hundred taels for nothing.

"Didn't I say I'd treat you to steamed buns tomorrow?"

Knowing that he was somewhat in the wrong, Shi Sheng muttered.

"Steamed buns my ass."

What kind of steamed buns cost three hundred taels?

"I can see it now. You only look honest on the surface, but your heart is black as ink."

It was clear that losing three hundred taels had left Si Nan with a great deal of resentment.

Shi Sheng did not care. He had heard this kind of painless scolding countless times already.

Say whatever you want. He would not listen anyway.