Chapter 387
The Grand Tutor bowed respectfully and explained:
"Recently, this old minister has found a powerful ally codenamed Zhongli. He is incredibly strong, capable of single-handedly withstanding a massive Sandstorm Catastrophe. We can now summon the Celestial Masters back to the capital to prepare for awakening the Sui Beast and sealing it, but..."
"Just what?"
"This foreign aid was recommended by several fragments of the Sui Beast. Although he is performing well so far, we must be cautious. In my opinion, it is not advisable to alert him now. We should proceed as planned, but we need to take into account the possibility that he may be on the opposing side."
Upon hearing this, the Great Yan True Dragon nodded in agreement:
"The Grand Tutor is absolutely right. It is not an overreaction to be cautious. I will immediately issue an edict summoning all the Celestial Masters back to the capital."
The Grand Tutor had anticipated this, and replied with clasped hands:
"No need for that, Your Majesty. I had already informed them beforehand that all the high-ranking Celestial Masters are expected to arrive in the Capital City in two or three weeks."
The Great Yan True Dragon was quite surprised by this, feeling that he had rushed the summoning too quickly:
"Grand Tutor, is it really necessary to rush like this? It will take at least a month for all the Celestial Masters to gather, won't it?"
"Your Majesty, delay could lead to unforeseen consequences."
The emperor thought about it and realized that this made sense. Currently, 100,000 Imperial Guards were Capital City. They only needed to wait for the arrival of a few key celestial masters to begin the plan ahead of schedule.
He patted the other person's hand lightly twice, as if a leader were showing concern for a subordinate, and said with care:
"If that's the case, then we'll do as the Grand Tutor says."
Wei Wudi kept his head down the whole time, staring at the tips of his shoes, and his heart began to panic more and more.
Once all the old celestial masters return to the Capital City, the difficulty for the Sui Beast to escape after it awakens will greatly increase.
What to do.
What to do?
If Wei Wudi wanted to achieve his imperial dream, he had to awaken the Sui Beast before the Grand Tutor. He needed to let it escape the imperial mausoleum to recuperate for a few days, after which it could return and wreak havoc.
But now, time is becoming increasingly scarce.
"Speak if you have something to say, otherwise the court is adjourned!"
The Great Yan True Dragon glanced at the Prince of Xian, but found that the prince was still keeping his head down and did not dare to step forward.
Since Uncle Si is undecided, let's wait until he's thought it through before making a decision.
"Court adjourned!"
At the old eunuch's call, the emperor turned and left through the passageway to the side of the throne. The other ministers, who had been tense, relaxed and left in groups.
"King Xian!"
Wei Wudi walked out somewhat absentmindedly, not even hearing the Left Vice Minister of War calling him. Seeing his appearance, the latter hesitated for a moment and then did not follow.
The Prince of Xian is now in a real predicament. He has to be faster than the Grand Tutor while also avoiding suspicion afterward.
So, what should we do?
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June 2nd, 9:05 AM
Wei Yi, son of Wei Wudi, wore a black mask that completely covered the lower half of his face. Taking advantage of his father's absence at the morning court session, he went to the rooftop of a house in the city.
Even if Prince Xian left court early and didn't see Wei Yi when he returned to his residence, he would only assume that this playboy had gone out to play again and wouldn't take it to heart.
Today the sun is shining brightly and the sky is clear.
With few clouds in the sky, people feel hotter than usual under the blazing sun.
After Wei Yi climbed onto the rooftop, he looked around and quickly spotted the person he was meeting in the open area.
The other person was standing by the railing in the northwest corner, wearing not only a black mask but also a black straw hat.
"How's the investigation into last night's incident going?"
The man in the straw hat had a low, deep voice, and sounded like a middle-aged man around forty years old.
"I'm very sorry, sir."
Like a child who had done something wrong, Wei Yi lowered his head and apologized to the other person:
"I returned to the Prince Xian's Estate immediately after receiving the message, but it was too late. There was no way to confirm the list of people who attended the gathering last night."
The man in the straw hat stared intently at the son of Wei Wudi, the man whose eyes were visible through his mask.
"Whether you arrived late or deliberately went late, believe in yourself; everyone will know the answer."
"No, sir, you've misunderstood..."
Wei Yi hurriedly carried it away, quickly offering an explanation:
"I heard from Young Master Liu that a brothel recently opened in the west of the city, so I went to check it out. He can testify to that; it wasn't my idea to go. Sir, I won't go to a brothel that far away next time."
"Next time? You want a next time?"
The man in the straw hat looked down at the prince with disdain, showing no respect whatsoever, which clearly indicated his powerful background.
"Back then, you violated innocent women in the Capital City, committing a capital offense. If it weren't for the Grand Tutor's strong opposition in taking the position, would Childe be alive today? You yourself guaranteed that Prince Xian wouldn't rebel, and that you would actively help collect evidence if he did. But now he's already holding a mass gathering at his home, and what are you doing?"
What a coincidence! They went to a brothel that was far away. Even more coincidentally, they left and you immediately returned to the Prince Xian's Estate. Do you think this is clever? Or do you think we're all three-year-olds?
Wei Yi wanted to explain, but after hearing the other party's last few words, he chose to remain silent.
"Childe, I despise people who try to argue their way out of things. If you messed up, you messed up; don't keep trying to find excuses to shirk responsibility."
His Majesty the Emperor recently issued Tui En Policy, intending to lighten the burdens on the various vassal kings. Your father is the most powerful, which inevitably attracts those eager to rise in rank. Last night's events were your last chance. If a similar situation occurs again, you know the consequences.
"I know, sir, it won't happen again."
Seeing the other person's sincere apology, the man in the straw hat took out a letter from his pocket and threw it over.
Wei Yi bent down to take the envelope, opened it, and examined it. He found more than twenty photos inside.
The footage includes Female Lupo, a white-haired Sarkaz, Dragon Girl in Qipao, and a young man whose race is unclear. Based on the shooting angle, it can be confirmed that the footage was taken from a distance, without consent.
"The man in the photo is one of those who will be involved in sealing the Sui Beast. What you need to do is try your best to befriend them. This kind of thing is not suitable for the staff of the Si Sui Tai or the subordinates of the Grand Tutor."
Wei Yi looked through the photos, his expression somewhat blank:
"So, did the Grand Tutor want me to befriend him in order to gather some information?"
"You could say that, or you could say that. What you need to do now is find a way to get to know them and maintain good friendships. I can't tell you what specific information you need to gather yet. Otherwise, if your intentions are too obvious, they'll easily see through it. We'll contact you again when the time is right."
Wei Yi nodded as if he understood, vaguely guessing why the Grand Tutor had made such an arrangement.
Those people at the Si Sui Tai are too bureaucratic; making friends is something only a rich Childe like him can do effortlessly.
If anything major happens in the future, even if the investigation goes through my own connections, it won't lead back to the Grand Tutor.
"Yes, sir, I understand."
"They are currently staying at Drunken Immortal Residence. Find out their next move yourself. Burn the photos after you've looked at them. Don't leave any evidence that could expose them."
After speaking, the middle-aged man lowered his straw hat and turned to leave the rooftop. Only Wei Yi remained, looking at the candid photos taken by Shi Lei and the others with a complex expression.
"Come on, gentlemen, give me a smile."
Lao Ba acted as the tour guide, leading the five people to a historically significant tourist attraction in the city. He not only helped them carry their belongings but also organized photo sessions, providing excellent service.
Shi Lei and his companions were very satisfied. While visiting the third attraction, he gave the other party half of Pure Gold. They agreed that the remaining half would be given after the matter was settled.
Old Eight held the gleaming Pure Gold, his Dominus Lapidis pounding with joy. A single, intact gold bar could be exchanged for tens of thousands of dollars.
He bit the Pure Gold with his teeth before excitedly placing it into his inner pocket. He then worked even harder as a tour guide.
"Click".
"Sir, let's try a different pose and take another one."
Seeing Texas and Mudrock, they took many photos with Shi Lei using their phones. Nian felt that Xi's younger sister was being quite disappointing, so she nudged her with her elbow and urged her:
"Tsk, what are you doing standing here? Hurry up and go take a picture with them."
Xi looked at Shi Lei with envy in her eyes, but showed no intention of participating actively.
"No need, it's fine as it is."
Nian rolled her eyes at this, thinking her younger sister was just too weak-willed. Perhaps even after Texas and Mudrock finally got together, she would still be in a wait-and-see mode.
No, this can't be done!
For her younger sister's happiness, Nian had gone to great lengths. Since Xi was unwilling to go, it was no wonder that she took some forceful actions.
"Hey, what are you doing?!"
Xi was forcibly dragged by Nian to the vicinity of Shi Lei and the other two. Facing the gazes of everyone, she felt extremely embarrassed and wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground.
"Zhongli, my sister really wants to take pictures with you, but she's just too shy. If you don't mind, could you take a few pictures with her?"
"Haha, what are you saying? What kind of talk is that?"
Shi Lei knew that Xi was socially awkward and would feel uncomfortable in crowded places, so he took the initiative to go over and take a photo with her.
Texas showed great generosity by posing for a photo with Xi in the past, her smile in the picture was radiant.
Before we knew it, it was noon.
Fearing that these distinguished guests would not be used to the Capital City douzhi (fermented mung bean juice) and ludagun (glutinous rice rolls), Ao Lao Ba took them to the most upscale Beijing cuisine restaurant in the city— Heavenly Realm.
Whether it tastes good or not is another matter, but the price is much higher than outside, with a small plate costing over a thousand yuan.
Although the food here is outrageously expensive, Shi Lei isn't short of money. As long as the food tastes good, he doesn't really care how much it costs.
A moment later, the waiter brought the dishes over.
Ao Lao Ba got to enjoy the delicious food at this Heavenly Realm. He would never normally come here to eat; one dish there cost him more than half a month's salary.
To be honest, the taste was alright. But in terms of value for money, it wasn't that great. Seeing that everyone had put down their chopsticks, Texas took her wallet and went to the counter outside to pay without Shi Lei having to tell her anything.
He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window and looked out at the street, where the bustling crowds were even more congested and prosperous than those at Lungmen.
Checking out shouldn't take much time, but Shi Lei waited for several minutes and she didn't return. He immediately used his Psychic Power to scan the area outside the private room.
Texas had a Rock Constructs accessory on her body, and she immediately spotted the other person near the counter.
"Let's go for a walk after we've eaten."
"Okay, sure."
The others followed suit, and as soon as they stepped outside, they saw Texas entangled with a well-dressed Childe man. The latter held his hands in front of him, waving them repeatedly and saying:
"No need, no need, I don't need that little bit of money."
"This isn't about money, it's about..."
Seeing Shi Lei and the others come out, Texas took the initiative to explain:
"I just came out to pay, but the shopkeeper said this gentleman had already paid. I wanted to give him a refund, but he refused to accept it. The shopkeeper also said that the bill was settled and they couldn't accept any more money."
Wei Yi held a folding fan in his hand, looking quite elegant. Upon seeing the person in question, his gaze, however, fell upon the two sisters, Nian and Xi, behind Shi Lei:
"Hello, I am Wei Yi, son of Prince Xian. I saw these two Dragon Girl while passing through the market today and was amazed by their beauty. So I took the liberty of paying your bill and hope to make friends and get to know you."
After receiving the mission, Wei Yi carefully considered how to approach Zhongli. If he immediately said he wanted to get to know her, it would feel awkward and forced.
Therefore, he adopted a roundabout tactic, using the pretext of wanting to get to know Nian and Xi. He then used them as a springboard to find an opportunity to befriend Zhongli.
"Forehead."
Hearing that a man wanted to get to know her, Xi awkwardly hid behind her sister. Even if she didn't have a sweetheart, she didn't want to meet this son of the Prince of Xian.
Human lifespan has a limit.
She is Great Beast, Zhongli is also Great Beast. These two are truly a match made in heaven.
If you make friends with ordinary people, they might die of old age and be buried in the ground while you're asleep.
Why bother?
As the saying goes, everyone has a love for beauty. Shi Lei could completely understand why the young master would offer to pay the bill just to get to know the two of them.