Hu Xiaotian already knew most of what Hu Zhongyang had told him. He smiled. "It seems Island Lord Yan still bears a grudge over this and still has his sights set on the throne."
Hu Zhongyang said, "I don't know whether he has ambitions to seize the throne, but things have taken a very bad turn in the Bohai Kingdom lately."
"How so?"
"Haven't you heard, my lord? Yan Dongsheng, the King of Bohai, recently had Chancellor Yuan Tianzhao arrested. Dozens of court officials have already been implicated, and when Yuan Tianzhao's estate was searched and confiscated, Ling Sanniang, Python Jiao Island's second-in-command, happened to be there."
Hu Xiaotian started slightly. "Ling Sanniang? Their second-in-command is a woman?"
Hu Zhongyang chuckled. "She has always been a woman. Never anything else. But wherever she goes, people respectfully call her Second Brother, so plenty of people assume she's a man."
Hu Xiaotian said, "Who would have thought a woman could be so fond of being called Second Brother?" He could not help laughing.
Hu Zhongyang smiled. "Actually, Ling Sanniang rarely stays on the island. She handles their various connections in the Bohai Kingdom. Although Yan Tianlu left the kingdom, he still owns a great many secret businesses there. Naturally, someone has to manage them."
Hu Xiaotian nodded, wondering what any of this had to do with Xue Shengjing. Then he remembered Xue Shengjing's Treasure-Gathering Studio, and understanding began to dawn. If Hu Zhongyang could help Yan Tianlu fence stolen goods, so could Xue Shengjing. Xue Shengjing was greedy by nature, endlessly pursuing rare treasures and wishing he could claim every precious thing under heaven for himself. It would hardly be surprising for such a man to have connections with Yan Tianlu.
Hu Zhongyang said, "Yan Dongsheng, the King of Bohai, is a