Grow Bigger and Stronger, Reach New Heights [Bonus chapter for alliance leader Most Innocent]

Looking at the familiar figure ahead.

Xu Qingxiao could only feel that the road was narrow when enemies met.

For some inexplicable reason, Xu Qingxiao wondered whether Cheng Lidong was his nemesis.

Counting them up, they had met three times already, and every single encounter had meant trouble.

For a moment, Xu Qingxiao found himself reflecting that a man really should not show off too much.

Wu Yan had shown off in front of him, and now he was probably gone.

"Greetings, great talent Xu."

Cheng Lidong's appearance up ahead did not frighten Xu Qingxiao.

Things were different now. A great reputation had its drawbacks, but it also had its advantages. Had this been a few days earlier, Xu Qingxiao would indeed have been somewhat afraid to see Cheng Lidong.

But now it was different.

Never mind that the Prefectural Lord had already ordered Cheng Lidong to investigate only in secret-even without that order, Cheng Lidong would not dare lay a finger on him.

After the banquet, who in Southern Yu Prefecture did not know Xu Qingxiao?

If Cheng Lidong truly dared touch him, quite apart from anything else, the scholars of Southern Yu Prefecture would never let him off.

"You flatter me, Lord Cheng. I hardly deserve to be called a great talent."

Xu Qingxiao remained composed, cupping his hands with a smile.

"Who in all of Southern Yu Prefecture hasn't heard the name of Xu Qingxiao, the great talent Xu? How could you not deserve it?"

Cheng Lidong smiled, but his face was so deathly pale that even his smile made people uncomfortable.

"Lord Cheng, I still have things to do. If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way."

Xu Qingxiao had no desire to stand here trading empty words with Cheng Lidong. Even mutual flattery depended on the company, and Cheng Lidong was not worth flattering.

"Brother Xu, you're being rather unfriendly. Whatever else, we do know each other. Are you in such a hurry to leave because you're afraid of me?"

Cheng Lidong blocked his path. It seemed he had something to say.

"It's not that I'm in a hurry. The Prefectural Examination is approaching, and getting back early to prepare is my priority. I'd rather not waste time."

Xu Qingxiao smiled and answered naturally.

"I understand."

"But might I trouble you for half a quarter-hour, Brother Xu? I'd like to chat with you for a while."

Cheng Lidong clearly wanted something. Xu Qingxiao fell briefly silent, but rather than taking a hard line, he spoke.

"Go ahead, Lord Cheng."

Xu Qingxiao gave his answer.

"This is no place to talk. This way, Brother Xu."

Cheng Lidong gestured for him to follow.

Xu Qingxiao said nothing more and went with him.

After several turns left and right, they soon arrived outside a residence.

Cheng Lidong opened the gate and went inside.

Xu Qingxiao surveyed the residence. It was even larger than the one earlier, and land in Southern Yu Prefecture did not seem cheap.

He was looking over the residence.

Cheng Lidong turned back, noticed his gaze, and spoke.

"This residence was passed down by my ancestors. I'm usually away on duty and seldom stay here, so it's rather neglected. There isn't even any tea. Please forgive me, Brother Xu."

Cheng Lidong offered an explanation.

A trace of disappointment flashed through Xu Qingxiao's eyes.

He felt rather let down. He had thought Cheng Lidong had acquired this residence through corruption and abuse of the law. Great Wei law had over a hundred provisions for punishing corrupt officials, and any one of them could strip a layer of skin off Cheng Lidong.

Hearing that it was an ancestral residence naturally disappointed Xu Qingxiao.

"If you have something to say, Lord Cheng, please get to the point. I really do need to return and prepare for the Prefectural Examination."

Since he could not gather any evidence, Xu Qingxiao no longer wished to waste time.

If there was business, get on with it.

"Very well. You're a clever man, Brother Xu, so I won't beat around the bush."

"You have the item, don't you?"

With a smile on his face, Cheng Lidong questioned Xu Qingxiao.

"Ten taels."

Xu Qingxiao held out his hand and spoke slowly.

"What do you mean?"

Cheng Lidong frowned, unable to understand what Xu Qingxiao meant.

"Clearing up someone's doubts costs money. Ten taels for an answer."

Xu Qingxiao was very direct. He and Cheng Lidong were hardly on good terms. Was he supposed to answer just because he was asked? Was his time not money?

Although he found Xu Qingxiao's behavior somewhat strange, Cheng Lidong still took out a banknote worth ten taels.

"I don't."

Xu Qingxiao shook his head.

"Heh, Brother Xu, I haven't even said what item I mean. How can you say you don't have it? Could it be that you know what it is?"

Cheng Lidong smiled.

But Xu Qingxiao held out his hand again.

"Ten taels."

Cheng Lidong: "..."

He was somewhat annoyed, but Cheng Lidong wasted no words and handed Xu Qingxiao another ten-tael banknote.

With the banknote in hand, Xu Qingxiao spoke again.

"I don't know."

Xu Qingxiao gave his answer.

Cheng Lidong: "..."

You don't know, and you charged me ten taels?

No, twenty taels.

Do you think this is funny?

"Brother Xu, we're both intelligent men. Since I've come to you, I've come with complete sincerity. Wu Yan had contact with you before he died. He already gave you the item."

"But I can say with certainty that you don't know what it is. I can tell you, however, that this item is extremely significant. It's connected to a treasure."

"Brother Xu, let me be frank. This item can change both our destinies. If you're willing, we can work together, and I will never again bring up your practice of Unorthodox Arts."

"What do you say?"

Cheng Lidong spoke quickly, and his deductions were also very precise.

But without hesitation, Xu Qingxiao held out his hand once more.

"Ten taels."

Cheng Lidong: "..."

"Enough. If you keep playing the fool like this, Brother Xu, don't blame me for pursuing the investigation to the bitter end."

"Though you've now made a name for yourself in Southern Yu, practicing Unorthodox Arts is a crime punishable by death-even becoming a Grand Confucian wouldn't save you."

"Moreover, you abandoned martial pursuits for scholarly ones. After thinking it over, I believe you intend to use Confucianism's righteous Haoran qi to suppress your demonic nature."

"In Ping'an County, you recovered without treatment, and you cannot explain that. Then you abandoned martial pursuits for scholarship, using righteous Haoran qi to suppress your demonic nature. Though I've never heard of such a thing, it makes perfect sense."

"Those two points alone are enough to keep your heart hanging in fear. But as long as we cooperate, I can be open with you and do everything in my power to help you. In return, you must help me."

"And one more thing-I have no silver left to spare."

Cheng Lidong was getting angry.

He was trying to discuss serious business with Xu Qingxiao, yet Xu Qingxiao just kept playing the fool, charging ten taels for every answer. His monthly salary was only ten taels of silver, meaning Xu Qingxiao had pocketed two months of his pay for nothing.

How could he not be angry?

Alas.

Hearing Cheng Lidong say he had no money, Xu Qingxiao could not help feeling disappointed again. It seemed Great Wei really was poor. A Probationary Hundred-Household Officer could only produce twenty taels of silver.

Gathering evidence of Cheng Lidong's corruption would probably be difficult.

He sighed.

Xu Qingxiao shook his head. "Lord Cheng, I didn't understand a single word you just said. However, I'm willing to investigate secretly on your behalf. An investigation does require funding, though."

"Whatever else, I did serve as an officer before, so I have some experience. As long as you provide sufficient funds, I'll do my best to get to the bottom of it."

Xu Qingxiao spoke with a perfectly earnest expression.

"Are you making a fool of me?"

Cheng Lidong's gaze turned cold as he stared at Xu Qingxiao.

Feeling Cheng Lidong's stare, Xu Qingxiao very much wanted to nod, but considering his insufficient strength, he swallowed the urge.

"On the contrary, I feel you're making a fool of me, Lord Cheng."

Xu Qingxiao answered calmly.

Cheng Lidong clearly takes me for an idiot, doesn't he?

Cooperate?

How?

First we cooperate, I hand the item over to you, and then, once the cooperation ends, you kill me.

Brilliant.

Who could have imagined that little Southern Yu Prefecture would produce a Sleeping Dragon like you?

"Brother Xu, I know you're prejudiced against me, but before, I was only acting under orders."

"Brother Xu, I can tell you this: Wu Yan's item is worth cities. But with your strength alone, you can never obtain the treasure. You may even bring a fatal disaster down upon yourself."

"Working with me is your best choice."

"Moreover, I can swear an oath that we will live and die together. I absolutely will not harm you."

"There's another point. You now follow the Confucian Dao, and your future prospects are boundlessly bright. I follow the Martial Dao. Our paths don't conflict, but they can complement each other. There are things you cannot conveniently do that I can do for you."

"All you need to do is secure your position at court and give me a helping hand. With us working together from within and without, I'll stand above all the military officers, and you'll stand above all the civil officials. Then all of Great Wei will answer to us. Wouldn't that be glorious?"

Cheng Lidong spoke earnestly, even beginning to paint enticing pictures of their future.

To be honest, Xu Qingxiao was astonished.

Good lord.

Good lord.

You're incredible at painting pies in the sky.

Give you a rifle and get me an AK, and step by step, couldn't we grow bigger and stronger and unite the land?

To be fair, when it came to ambition, Cheng Lidong was simply the most ambitious person Xu Qingxiao had ever met.

A mere Probationary Hundred-Household Officer dreamed of uniting the land.

Had this fellow not been so morally crooked, Xu Qingxiao really might have considered working with him.

For no other reason than his ambition.

"What do you think, Brother Xu?"

Cheng Lidong asked again. His voice had softened considerably, and he looked at Xu Qingxiao with an expectant expression.

Xu Qingxiao remained silent. He merely glanced at the sky, then spoke slowly.

"Your half a quarter-hour is up, Lord Cheng. We'll meet again if fate allows."

With that, Xu Qingxiao turned and left.

He did not want to stay here any longer.

Cheng Lidong had gone mad. That alone would have been one thing, but he also took Xu Qingxiao for an idiot, and that was intolerable.

"Brother Xu, hear me out."

"Brother Xu."

Cheng Lidong had not expected Xu Qingxiao to leave so decisively and called after him several times.

Xu Qingxiao simply made a run for it.

He muttered some strange words under his breath.

Something like, "Not listening, not listening-a turtle's chanting scriptures."

Cheng Lidong stood rooted to the spot.

Only after a full half-quarter-hour had passed.

Inside the residence.

Cheng Lidong clenched his fists, his gaze terrifyingly cold as he stared ahead.

"Xu Qingxiao."

"I already gave you a chance."

His voice was as faint as a mosquito's, but a volcano seemed to burn in his eyes, thick with fury.

He hated it.

Hated that Xu Qingxiao would not believe him.

He was furious.

Furious that Xu Qingxiao had played the fool.

Why?

Why?

Why won't you believe me?

Cheng Lidong clenched his fists.

At almost the same moment.

The same thought surfaced in both Cheng Lidong's and Xu Qingxiao's minds.

Kill him.

Since Xu Qingxiao refused to cooperate no matter what, Cheng Lidong abandoned any hope of it. He had to find evidence of Xu Qingxiao practicing an Unorthodox Art, or he would never be able to vent his fury.

Xu Qingxiao's thinking, meanwhile, was simple.

As long as Cheng Lidong lives, I won't have a moment's peace.

This was a ruthless man, and a madman to boot. Cooperating with him would be like bargaining with a tiger for its hide; refusing meant he would sink his teeth into Xu Qingxiao like a rabid dog.

So let's cut through the complications and make him disappear.

As for how to make Cheng Lidong disappear, that would take some careful thought.