Inside the room, Qian Bochou saw Xu Suwen say this and shook his head repeatedly. "Lord Xu, this isn't a problem that can be solved simply by running away."
"If you flee, hide, and change your name, at least you'll have a chance to live."
"If you don't run and they find you, you're dead."
As he spoke, Qian Bochou felt around his person and pulled out thirty taels of silver. It pained him, but he gritted his teeth and handed it to Jiang Yun. "Here's thirty taels."
"Together with the eighty taels you took from me earlier, it should be enough for you and your sister to live on for quite a while."
Xu Suwen reminded him, "Jiang Yun, you need to think this through. The moment you run, the charge of murdering Prince Su will be as good as proven."
"There are only eight princes in Great Zhou. The court will inevitably investigate this to the bitter end. Hiding at the ends of the earth won't help."
"We Imperial Guards have plenty of ways to find you. In the end, you'll still be dead."
Hearing Xu Suwen, Jiang Yun didn't reach for the silver. Instead, he turned around. "Miss Xu, do you have a way to clear my name?"
Qian Bochou, who had been anxious just moments ago, lit up too and slapped his forehead. "That's right! Look at me—I was so rattled by the news that I forgot you two are Imperial Guards."
"If you two testify..."
Xu Xiaogang nodded repeatedly. "Exactly, Sis. If we step forward and vouch for him, maybe..."
Xu Suwen shook her head. "Prince Su's death is a grave matter. What good will the testimony of just two Imperial Guards do?"
"Will Prince Su's Mansion let Jiang Yun off? You're making this sound too simple."
Jiang Yun pondered for a moment before saying, "I still have to run. If I'm discovered, Prince Su's Mansion won't give me a chance to explain. Besides, explaining won't help."
Xu Suwen frowned. "If you run, you're sure to die. If you stay, there's a glimmer of hope."
Jiang Yun asked, "Miss Xu, you have to tell me where that hope lies."
"Constable Qian, could you step out for a moment?" Xu Suwen said with a smile.
"Of course. You two talk." Qian Bochou smiled awkwardly and left the room.
Xu Suwen asked in a low voice, "Jiang Yun, have you ever heard of Tianqing Temple?"
Tianqing Temple?
Jiang Yun shook his head without hesitation.
Then Xu Suwen said gravely, "Back then, Tianqing Temple had a Third-Rank Grand Celestial Master who was reincarnated..."
After hearing her out, Jiang Yun stared at Xu Suwen in astonishment.
So Xu Suwen had mistaken him for that reincarnated Grand Celestial Master?
It was true that in his previous life, he had been a Celestial Master. That much was right.
But...
"Miss Xu, do you mean you sent a letter to Tianqing Temple?" Jiang Yun asked quietly.
"That's right." Xu Suwen nodded. "If you really are that Celestial Master reincarnated, the Taoists of Tianqing Temple will have a way to tell."
Hearing this, Jiang Yun felt somewhat reassured. According to Xu Suwen, he really couldn't run.
Otherwise, the Imperial Guards would hunt him to the ends of the earth.
There were countless experts like Xu Suwen and Xu Xiaogang among the Imperial Guards.
There was no point in fleeing anywhere with Jiang Qiaoqiao.
He only had to stay in Nanzhou Prefecture and wait for the Taoists of Tianqing Temple to arrive.
"All right. I'll stay." Jiang Yun nodded firmly, then glanced worriedly at the room next door, where Jiang Qiaoqiao knew nothing about what was going on.
He said, "Miss Xu, I'd like to ask you for one more favor. If something happens to me, I hope you can look after Qiaoqiao."
Xu Xiaogang shot Jiang Yun a look. "Brother-in-law, you don't have to be so formal..."
Xu Suwen kicked Xu Xiaogang in the rear again.
Rubbing his backside, he looked aggrieved. "These days, you can't even speak the truth."
Soon, Qian Bochou came back into the room and learned of Jiang Yun's decision.
"You're not leaving..." Qian Bochou took a deep breath, then nodded. "Then, Brother Jiang, don't leave Nanmanju Inn for the time being."
"Nanmanju Inn is a business run by our prefectural office, and the people staying on the third floor are all honored guests."
"Even if they search the place, they'll probably leave it for last."
"For now, it's still safe."
Jiang Yun cupped his hands in thanks. "Thank you, Constable Qian."
"Don't mention it. I, old Qian, may like silver, but I value loyalty even more. You and I have been through life and death together." Qian Bochou chuckled.
"All right, I'll get back to work. I still have to go around looking for you."
With that, Qian Bochou hurried downstairs and left.
Watching Qian Bochou's back, Xu Xiaogang said mildly, "He seems like someone worth befriending."
Xu Suwen smiled at that and didn't deny it. She simply said, "He's clever. What good would come of catching Jiang Yun?"
"At most, Prince Su's Mansion would give him a little reward money."
"That money would have to be split among several of Nanzhou Prefecture's officials first. There wouldn't be much left by the time it reached him."
"He knows that perfectly well."
Jiang Yun didn't mind. A gentleman judged a person by his actions, not his motives.
Soon, Jiang Yun asked, "Miss Xu, could you help me buy a few things?"
"Oh, Brother-in-law, just tell me what you need." Xu Xiaogang beamed.
"Three catties of gold."
"One piece of Southern Pear Wood."
"One bowl of Pure Water."
"Charcoal made from peach blossoms."
"Frozen Rare Earth."
Jiang Yun smiled. "Of course, you don't have to pay for all of it. Just help me get the three catties of gold. I'll pay for the rest myself."
Xu Suwen looked at Jiang Yun in confusion. "Gold, wood, water, fire, and earth? What are you planning to do?"
Jiang Yun took a deep breath. "Set up a formation and cultivate."
These things could be used to form a simple cultivation array.
The only downside was the cost.
In Great Zhou, one tael of gold could be exchanged for ten taels of silver.
One catty of gold cost a hundred taels.
Three catties would cost three hundred taels of silver.
That was an astronomical sum.
And that was only the bare minimum needed for this Five Elements Array.
Although Xu Xiaogang was from the capital, three hundred taels of silver was no small sum to him either.
His eyes shifted slightly, then he smiled. "Don't worry, Brother-in-law. I'll find a way to get these things."
With that, he quickly went out. Xu Suwen, however, said with interest, "You still have the heart to cultivate?"
"You can't let a little piss make you hold it in till you die." Jiang Yun was in a pretty good mood. "There's no harm in cultivating more Magic Power to protect myself."
It was already dark when Xu Xiaogang finally returned.
He carried a large chunk of gold, along with the things Jiang Yun needed.
"Brother-in-law, see if this will do." Xu Xiaogang hurriedly laid everything out on the table.
Jiang Yun inspected it carefully and nodded. "It's enough. But where did you get all this gold in the middle of the night? A gold shop?"
"How could it be? The Prefect gave it to me. Ever since my sister and I came to Nanzhou Prefecture, he's tried to give us silver every few days."
"I just went to see him and told him that the reason I hadn't accepted his gifts lately was that I didn't like silver."
"I like gold."
Before you continue