Far-Reaching Plans

Xiahou Di actually knew more than Xue Mu did. Xue Mu had only a limited understanding of the Star Moon Sect's structure and was merely guessing based on common sense. But Xiahou Di's position gave her a clear picture: the Star Moon Sect relied on its brothels spread throughout the land and had long since built a sizable intelligence network. Brothels were among the most chaotic places in the jianghu, where people came and went from every walk of life. If one made the effort, one could gather an unimaginable amount of information and learn every detail about the local area. Their regulars in each region included plenty of high-ranking figures, and the famous courtesans moved among celebrated men, learning who knew how many secrets between the sheets.

The Star Moon Sect had flourished in recent years largely because its intelligence was a step ahead of everyone else; the income from its brothels was only a secondary benefit. Yin Ye was the soul of the Star Moon Sect's formations. Before her divine art was complete, she had hurried south and spent several months tinkering with things. Xiahou Di didn't believe she had gone there for fun. Most likely, she had been strengthening some aspect of the intelligence network, but Xiahou Di couldn't get her to say.

But Xiahou Di had never imagined that intelligence could be used so openly...

What Xue Mu proposed was simple, but his intentions ran much deeper. In truth, it was the earliest form of entertainment media, with the cultivation of star figures as its selling point. If it developed over time, it could evolve in all sorts of ways... What kinds of branches might grow in this different cultural soil remained to be seen.

The people of this world couldn't yet understand the power of media. For example, given the backward speed of information in this era, a major event that shook the jianghu might not make its way into the Six Fan Gates' verified Chronicles of Major Events until two years later... If, one day, they could produce timely news in some form, the terrifying changes it could bring to the jianghu's balance of power would be impossible to judge in the moment. Even Xue Mu couldn't foresee the outcome.

For another example, the people of the jianghu now only cared about jianghu affairs. But what if, one day, the news began intruding into the private corners of people's lives... With a media outlet that had already earned enough public trust, in a world untouched by paparazzi... You could easily raise a piece of trash onto a saint's pedestal, or just as easily knock a true hero down into the dirt. In this world, where literature was looked down upon, no one could yet imagine that a pen could kill. Xue Mu would never reveal this idea now, either. The power to turn the tides with a blade or pen—that was the deepest ambition hidden in his scheme.

But there was no need to bring up such distant matters for now. Just this plan, a shortcut to fame for promising newcomers, had already set Xiahou Di's heart racing.

This would be very easy for the Six Fan Gates to put into action. Their position made them the perfect people to do it, and there would be little resistance from the court or the public. They already had the foundations of the Chronicles of Major Events, so they could get started at once. The potential benefits, however, were beyond measure. It was truly a plan tailor-made for them.

Xiahou Di also knew that Xue Mu hadn't come to offer advice out of kindness. Whether he had other far-reaching plans or not, at the very least, he had come to rescue Yin Ye. If Xiahou Di wanted to pursue this, she really couldn't do without the Star Moon Sect's cooperation. Even if she could get intelligence elsewhere, she would still have to rely on Xue Mu's detailed planning. That meant she had to let Yin Ye go... It was a fair and square exchange, impossible to criticize. She could hardly believe such a scheme had come from a disciple of the Demon Sect. Weren't they famous for being devious and ruthless?

Beside them, Xue Qingqiu watched the plainly tempted expression on Xiahou Di's face and sighed softly.

At first, she had also been reluctant to let Xue Mu help the Six Fan Gates grow. Once the Six Fan Gates grew stronger, they would become a sword hanging over the Demon Sect's head, a trouble without end. But for the sake of rescuing Yin Ye, she couldn't afford to worry that far ahead.

Only at the end did she realize that Xue Mu's brilliant idea was far from that simple. If this plan were truly put into practice, the Six Fan Gates would certainly benefit, but the Star Moon Sect might gain even more—so much more that she couldn't begin to sort it all out.

Or, to put it bluntly, Xue Mu's goal from the very beginning hadn't been to help the Six Fan Gates. He had been planning for the Star Moon Sect all along.

"If developing your sect matters more to Madam than unleashing a plague, perhaps I can be of far greater use than you imagine." Those were Xue Mu's words on the day she picked him up. Remembering the scene of him dropping from the sky, Xue Qingqiu lost herself in thought for a moment... Could this man really have been sent by the heavens to help her?

As she recalled that scene, something she had long since forgotten suddenly rose to the surface of her mind...

Back then, Xiao Chan and she had both been bathing in the nude...

Xue Qingqiu stared off into space, an almost imperceptible blush rising on her face.

It might have been a rare sight, one she had never experienced in her life.

"This matter involves cooperation with the Demon Sect, and its impact will be far-reaching. I must report it to His Majesty first. If he agrees, then you and I can discuss the details of our cooperation." Xiahou Di stopped pacing and spoke courteously. "Mr. Xue's insights are truly thought-provoking. Whether or not this comes to pass, you will always be an honored guest of mine."

Xue Mu cupped his hands and smiled. "I'm equally grateful for Chief Constable Xiahou's esteem. Even if we can't make a deal, we can still become friends."

Xue Qingqiu, still lost in thought, suddenly snapped back to her senses and blurted out, "What are you two selling each other for? Xiahou Di, are you trying to become my younger brother's wife?"

"..." What on earth was she talking about? Xiahou Di stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter. Rather than deny it, she deliberately said, "That's not a bad proposal. I look forward to it."

Realizing she had let herself get carried away, Xue Qingqiu quickly composed herself. She gave Xiahou Di's long legs an ambiguous look, studied them for a long while, then chuckled. "I never would have guessed that Chief Constable Xiahou was still a virgin. You're qualified to serve my younger brother, after all."

Xiahou Di was a proper court official, and a maiden besides. How could she possibly match this wicked woman when it came to lewd jokes? One remark from Xue Qingqiu sent her face scarlet, her veins almost showing. Her eyes blazed as she prepared to lash out.

This was getting more and more ridiculous. Were they still going to cooperate or not? Xue Mu awkwardly tugged Xue Qingqiu aside, then quickly said to Xiahou Di, "Then we'll await good news from you, Chief Constable. Also, there won't be any more girls in constable uniforms at the Hundred Flowers Garden tonight. Consider it a small gesture of goodwill from us."

Xiahou Di was, after all, a chief constable and managed to keep her emotions in check. With Xue Mu having changed the subject, she forced a smile at him to save face, then added, "In return, I have a gesture of goodwill for you, Mr. Xue."

Xue Mu smiled. "I'm all ears."

Xiahou Di said, "The First Prince is preparing to join several senior ministers in petitioning the throne. They intend to claim that the clothes at the Hundred Flowers Garden corrupt people's morals and disrupt the peace of the court and country, and that the place should be shut down. If not for Mr. Xue's sake, I would have signed the petition alongside them. In that case, the matter would almost certainly have been settled. His Majesty wouldn't reject the opinions of so many senior ministers for the sake of one little business of yours."

Xue Qingqiu raised an eyebrow. "I've made the Righteous Path lose face. What does that have to do with Ji Wuyong? Is he really not afraid he might die mysteriously one day?"

Xue Mu nearly spat up a mouthful of blood. What was the First Prince's name again? Chicken Useless? The emperor sure knew how to pick names. Impressive, truly impressive. Even more impressive was this sister of his, casually voicing an intent to murder the First Prince right in front of the chief constable of the Six Fan Gates... One could only say that the peak combatants of this world were truly unreasonable. A sword could topple a city and all that... As long as they didn't care about their followers' businesses, they could do whatever they pleased. If they couldn't maintain their dignity, it certainly wasn't the court's fault.

Xiahou Di said calmly, "It has everything to do with him—and a great deal, too. Do you know who's behind the Pleasure-Seeking Pavilion of the Joyous Union Sect?"