Wei Dao Si prison.
Chu Shiqing, dressed in a night robe with his hair disheveled, looked dazed and no longer carried his former lofty air.
Outside the prison cell, Liu Qing emerged from the darkness. Beneath her mask, only her pair of deep, gloomy eyes could be seen.
When Chu Shiqing saw Liu Qing, he demanded, "What exactly is going on? Didn't I tell you to stop Xia Qi'an from investigating the tax silver?"
Liu Qing shook her head slightly and said slowly, "All these years, you've held absolute sway over Jinling... It's made you more and more reckless."
"The brothers... are very disappointed in you!"
Hearing this, Chu Shiqing realized that Liu Qing had betrayed him. "You ungrateful wretch... If I hadn't cultivated you, you'd be nothing but a beggar on the street."
Liu Qing said flatly, "If I hadn't remembered the kindness you showed me back then... do you think you could have become the Snake Guard Commander?"
"In terms of ability or martial cultivation... you, Chu Shiqing, are nothing... If the brothers hadn't run themselves ragged for you, could you have enjoyed all these years of wealth and glory?"
"What made you think you were somebody? Without the Snake Guard brothers working for you, what would you, Chu Shiqing, amount to?"
"You..."
At this, Chu Shiqing dropped heavily onto the floor, his expression utterly dejected.
Yet Liu Qing still felt dissatisfied and continued, "Take Li Gen, for example! He ran himself ragged for you for over a decade, and after he died, he didn't even receive a death benefit! His elderly mother couldn't even afford to eat. If the brothers hadn't taken turns helping her, she would probably have starved to death long ago! You knew perfectly well what the brothers were going through. But did you, Chu Shiqing, ever ask?"
"And Su Mu... He wasn't a Snake Guard, but he still worked for you... What did he end up with?"
"Don't blame the brothers for being ungrateful! The truth is, you, Chu Shiqing, aren't worth us risking our lives for!"
Listening from behind to her exchange with Chu Shiqing, Xia Qi'an felt as if a five-flavor jar had been overturned inside him. His feelings were complicated.
He knew very well that the reason they had been able to capture the Four Ghosts of Xiaoxiang so smoothly this time was clearly because Liu Qing and the other Snake Guards had been working behind the scenes.
Liu Qing had used Xia Qi'an.
However, he didn't care.
Because in any world, people used one another.
Chu Shiqing's downfall was unquestionably a good thing for him.
For both sides, this was the best possible outcome.
Afterward, Xia Qi'an came out supporting himself on his saber and said sternly to Chu Shiqing inside the cell, "The Tiger Guard has issued an order! Chu Shiqing is to be interrogated immediately for directing the Four Ghosts of Xiaoxiang to seize the tax silver. Chu Shiqing, come with me!"
Xia Qi'an wore an expressionless face and spoke in the tone of someone impartially carrying out official business.
He didn't have much of a grudge against Chu Shiqing. He simply didn't want to be controlled by him in the future.
Thus, Xia Qi'an had nothing to say to Chu Shiqing, much less any intention of mocking him while he was down.
Inside a Wei Dao Si branch.
The atmosphere was solemn and grave.
Tiger Guard Si Nanzhai Xing and Ye Qiutong sat together on the elevated dais, radiating authority without anger.
The remaining six Snake Guard Commanders stood below, each of them imposing and solemn.
Every Wei Dao Si member within Jinling had already arrived.
The Wei Dao Si branch was packed with people, yet the scene was so quiet that even a needle dropping to the floor could be heard.
As a result, Xia Qi'an could only stand outside the main entrance and listen to the proceedings.
The Tiger Guard held a high and powerful position within the Wei Dao Si.
Only martial artists of the Fortune Creation realm could hold the post.
The requirements for a Snake Guard's promotion, however, were not as strict in terms of martial cultivation.
Thus, all six Snake Guard Commanders possessed Dragon Transformation cultivation.
Si Nanzhai Xing looked to be around thirty, with a tall, broad-shouldered build. His handsome, masculine features resembled Si Nanyue's by about seventy percent.
Si Nanzhai Xing's gaze was as sharp as a torch, like two bolts of lightning. Looking at the trembling Chu Shiqing below, he said, "Our department has always been relatively lenient in its daily supervision of its personnel.
"But there are certain lines that cannot be crossed! As the commander of an entire commandery, don't you even understand that?"
"Today you plotted to seize the tax silver! Does that mean that one day you'll dare to overthrow the Great Li Dynasty Court?"
Hearing this, Chu Shiqing begged in a trembling voice, "This subordinate wouldn't dare! I was merely temporarily blinded by greed! My lord, please consider that I've worked for the department for many years. Even if I have no great achievements, I've certainly endured hardship. Please spare my life!"
Tiger Guard Ye Qiutong sneered when she heard this. "You endured hardship? Nearly a hundred Snake Guards under your command jointly reported you... With just that alone, you wouldn't be wrongfully killed today!"
"To have served as a commander to this extent... you, Chu Shiqing, are truly one of a kind!"
At this, Chu Shiqing fell into complete despair.
Xia Qi'an hadn't expected Liu Qing to have arranged even this move. He couldn't help secretly giving her a thumbs-up.
Liu Qing acted as if she hadn't seen it.
Si Nanyue happened to glimpse Xia Qi'an's little gesture, and her brows drew together slightly.
At this moment, the witnesses and evidence were all present.
There was also the joint report from the Snake Guards.
Chu Shiqing's fate had already been decided.
Immediately afterward, Si Nanzhai Xing shouted, "Our Wei Dao Si members have always been deeply respected in the secular dynasties, and in the course of our daily duties, we may exercise many special privileges!"
"Precisely because of this, as members of the Wei Dao Si, we must guard our bottom line even more firmly. If everyone acted as recklessly as Chu Shiqing, what face would our Wei Dao Si have left? What authority or prestige could we claim?"
"Given the vile impact of this matter, regarding Chu Shiqing's attempt to seize the tax silver, there will be absolutely no leniency!"
"Xia Qi'an, Liu Qing, where are you?"
"This subordinate is here!"
"This subordinate is here!"
Xia Qi'an and Liu Qing stepped out from the crowd!
When Si Nanzhai Xing saw the two of them come forward, he nodded and said, "The two of you shall be credited with a major merit!"
"This subordinate..." Xia Qi'an had been about to exchange a few polite words, but Liu Qing stopped him with a look.
Si Nanzhai Xing then said, "Chu Shiqing deserves his death! Today, the two of you will carry out the law in his place!"
"Right here in this Wei Dao Si branch, before all your colleagues... behead him and display his head as a warning!"
Xia Qi'an hadn't expected this development.
He knew that Liu Qing and Chu Shiqing's relationship ran deep. After glancing at Liu Qing, he called out loudly, "My lord! One subordinate is enough to carry out the execution!"
Si Nanzhai Xing nodded at this. "Then you shall execute it!"
Liu Qing merely nodded gratefully at Xia Qi'an.
Then Xia Qi'an raised and dropped his saber in one swift motion, drawing the blade at his waist and cleanly chopping off Chu Shiqing's head as easily as cutting vegetables.
Once the execution was complete, the people in the Wei Dao Si gradually dispersed.
Seeing that the matter had come to an end, Si Nanzhai Xing rose and walked toward Si Nanyue, his eyes earnest and filled with longing and tenderness.
Si Nanyue, however, seemed completely unaware.
Ignoring Si Nanzhai Xing's earnest gaze, she instead called out to Xia Qi'an, "Come with me!"
Xia Qi'an had been planning to return home and practice Ghost Shadow Traceless.
But Si Nanyue suddenly called him over. Unclear what was going on, he could only obediently follow her to a secluded corner.
"What orders does Lord Sinan have?" Xia Qi'an asked cautiously.
Si Nanyue spoke softly, "As for the sale of scented soap! Call Yang Wei to my manor tomorrow so we can discuss this together!"
Since Si Nanyue had brought it up herself, she must have already made her decision.
Overjoyed, Xia Qi'an said, "Lord Sinan truly has a discerning eye!"
Si Nanyue suddenly changed tack and questioned him, "You seem to have been getting quite close to the Snake Guards lately..."
Xia Qi'an looked flustered and hurriedly explained, "Not really... It's just that Liu Qing's help was indispensable in carrying out my recent missions successfully. She and I merely have a personal friendship."
"She used you to bring down Chu Shiqing and become the new Snake Guard Commander... Can't you see that?" Si Nanyue advised him kindly.
"I know... But it doesn't matter... Everyone benefits from Chu Shiqing being gone!" Xia Qi'an said indifferently.
"Perhaps the relationship between the Hound Guard and the Snake Guard won't remain as tense as it is now," he added.
"From what you're saying, are you implying that this current situation is my fault?" Si Nanyue narrowed her eyes and asked pointedly.
Xia Qi'an gave a sheepish grin and said obsequiously, "It's all Chu Shiqing's fault... It has absolutely nothing to do with you, Lord Sinan!"
"But Liu Qing is different from Chu Shiqing! With her commanding the Snake Guards, perhaps our Hound and Snake Guards can work together with one heart in the future, without any more friction!"
Si Nanyue pondered this and said, "Perhaps."
The next morning, the sun shone brightly.
Xia Qi'an and Yang Wei arrived at Si Nan Manor on time with their arms around each other's shoulders.
They had carefully discussed the specific plans for selling scented soap the night before and drawn up a written agreement.
He had also entrusted others to prepare all the manpower, facilities, tools, and other necessities for making scented soap.
Today, as long as Si Nanyue agreed to sign the written agreement, production could officially begin.
After entering Si Nan Manor, Xia Qi'an and Yang Wei unexpectedly encountered Si Nanzhai Xing.
This unquestionably confirmed the father-daughter relationship between them.
Yang Wei couldn't help sighing, "Brother! I never thought I'd get to ride on the coattails of a major figure like Lord Sinan. I really have you to thank for that!"
"That's enough! The good days are still ahead..." Xia Qi'an said with a smile.
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