Greed That Reached the Heavens, Collusion with the Tatars; Sun and Moon Hung Together over Great Qian

"Hyah!"

Jia Huan led his men on horseback back to the capital.

He had personally spent five days staking out and pursuing two vicious Daoists, finally bringing them to justice.

After they were taken into the Imperial Prison and immediately beheaded, images of the two Daoists flashed across the panel in Jia Huan's mind.

[Sin level-middle seventh rank, middle seventh rank]

[Participation-55%]

[Reward-Orchid Point-Sealing Hand, proficiency-pinnacle mastery]

[Experience Points-2005/10000]

Boom!

His acupoints hummed as power poured into him. The Inner Qi in his Dantian surged, finally breaking through to the second level of the Innate Realm.

Just as he left the Imperial Prison, Fathead Fish reported:

"Boss, Gao Youjin wants to see you."

"Gao Youjin?" Jia Huan asked, puzzled.

Fathead Fish explained, "The one nicknamed the White-Haired Killing Demon. He's come to the office several times over the past two days."

Jia Huan laughed.

"I spared his life. What's he so eager to come back for?"

Returning to the Celestial Pivot Guard's offices, he ordered the man brought in.

Half a quarter-hour later, Gao Youjin came to pay his respects.

His white hair was tied up beneath a black hat, and a mask covered his mangled face. Clearly, he had become much more discreet.

"Speak." Jia Huan leafed through the case files.

Gao Youjin was silent for a while before cupping his hands.

"At the end of last year, I was keeping watch at the border one night when I saw a caravan of several hundred people heading onto the grasslands to trade with the Tatars. Their wagons weren't carrying tea or porcelain, but little girls as delicate as carved jade-fifty or sixty of them."

Jia Huan immediately set down the files.

Gao Youjin continued:

"They had strength in numbers, and I was watching alone, so I didn't dare show myself. All I heard was several of their leaders speaking with capital-region accents, and I saw an emblem on a wooden crate."

"When I returned to camp and reported it to my superior, he said soldiers on the battlefield should follow orders, not meddle. Anyone with trading permits at the border had connections reaching all the way to the heavens."

At this point, Gao Youjin gave a bitter smile.

"After coming to the capital, I wanted to investigate in secret, but I overestimated myself. Though my name is on the Dragon-Tiger Ranking, here at the heart of power I'm only a lowly pawn. I hit walls everywhere and found no leads."

Jia Huan's expression turned grave, and he asked urgently:

"The emblem?"

Gao Youjin took a sheet of paper from his sleeve. Only a few intertwined strands were drawn on it.

"You're certain?" Jia Huan studied the design closely, then suddenly knitted his brows.

I've seen this somewhere before!

"There's no mistake!" Gao Youjin said firmly.

Then he added solemnly:

"Selling little girls and secretly colluding with the Tatars-these people have lost every shred of humanity. I lack the ability to handle this, so I'm entrusting the case to you, Lord Jia. I hope you can bring the perpetrators to justice."

Jia Huan was still staring at the design. He racked his brains, but could not remember.

He walked over to Gao Youjin and declared with absolute resolve:

"Rest assured. I will never let these people remain beyond the reach of the law!"

Traffickers selling Great Qian's little girls to the Tatars and conspiring with the grassland barbarians-and apparently there was a hidden hand behind them as well. Solving this case would earn considerable merit!

Gao Youjin nodded.

The man before him hated evil with a vengeance. He held the rank of Hundred-Household Commander and possessed both courage and resourcefulness. There was no one better to entrust it to.

"I'll take my leave."

Gao Youjin cupped his hands and departed, setting off to roam the Jianghu.

Jia Huan watched him go, then called loudly:

"Someone come here!"

Twin Whips, Scholar, and Fathead Fish entered the office.

Jia Huan ordered:

"Have the guards of the Celestial Pivot Office set aside their current duties for now. Investigate this design in secret first."

"Yes, sir!" Everyone grew solemn. Each copied the design and left to carry out his orders.

Jia Huan paced back and forth.

Why does it feel so familiar?

Where exactly have I seen it?

"Boss."

Skinny Monkey returned and reported:

"Hundred-Household Commander Yan is here."

"Show him in."

A moment later, Yan Pu entered the office. They had not seen each other for days, and his face was haggard. Not a trace of a Hundred-Household Commander's bearing remained.

He cupped his hands in apology.

"I've been despondent lately, drinking all day. I haven't even congratulated you on your promotion, little brother."

Seeing his condition, Jia Huan asked with concern, "Brother Yan, what happened?"

"Ah!" Yan Pu sighed heavily. "Tomorrow, I have to leave for my new post in Ya Prefecture."

"Who did you offend?" Jia Huan asked in surprise.

Ya Prefecture was a place of demotion and exile, south of Lingnan, with a harsh environment, humid heat, and rampant miasma.

Yan Pu made no attempt to conceal it.

"Thousand-Household Commander Cao fell from power and was executed by His Majesty. As one of Lord Cao's trusted men, I'm lucky to have escaped with a demotion and banishment."

Jia Huan had nothing to say for a moment.

He could hardly call it sympathy or regret. This was simply a case of sharing glory and ruin alike.

That was why he never attached himself to anyone in the office.

He needed no patronage. His ability and achievements would speak for themselves, and he would not be caught in someone else's downfall.

"What did Thousand-Household Commander Cao do?" Jia Huan was curious.

As the sharpest blade of imperial power, what boundary could a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard have crossed to make the emperor order his death?

"He was the Retired Emperor's man," Yan Pu said succinctly.

Jia Huan understood at once.

As the saying went, sun and moon hung together over Great Qian. The imperial family still had a Retired Emperor, who resided in the Eastern Palace and retained his prestige.

One could scour the history books and scarcely find such a thing. How ridiculous!

The two fought bitterly, standing by as Great Qian's strength declined, its officials grew corrupt, and its people's livelihoods withered!

Yan Pu studied his young friend's face and warned him quietly:

"As the emperor's personal troops, we in the Embroidered Uniform Guard need fear neither civil officials nor military officers at court. But the moment you're promoted to Thousand-Household Commander, you must choose a side-either the reigning emperor or the Retired Emperor. There's no option to be grass swaying atop the wall."

After saying this, he suddenly smiled again.

In his eyes, his young friend had boundless prospects. In another eight or ten years, he might well have a chance at promotion to Thousand-Household Commander.

But whether the Retired Emperor would still be alive then was another question.

Jia Huan nodded without speaking.

He was still a Hundred-Household Commander, with only one gold thread adorning his sleeves and shoulders. The rank of Thousand-Household Commander was too far away to warrant so much thought.

When that time truly came, he would find a way to handle it.

"Little brother, may your future unfold like splendid brocade. When your name shakes the world someday, I'll raise a pot of wine to you from distant Ya Prefecture."

Yan Pu bowed slightly in salute, his eyes damp. Clearly, he could not accept his fate, yet was powerless to change it.

"Brother Yan, take care!" Jia Huan sincerely returned the salute.

He sighed inwardly, more determined than ever to remain a lone wolf apart from the pack, beholden to none of the office's higher-ups. As long as he slapped his achievements onto the desk, promotion would come naturally.

Yan Pu left with faltering steps.

Jia Huan returned home after finishing work.

"Where's Mother?"

"My lord, she's busy overseeing the start of construction on the new residence." Caiyun helped him change.

"I'll go take a look." Jia Huan had just stepped out of the courtyard.

He came face-to-face with Jia Zheng, with Jia Baoyu behind him.

Several days had passed, but both cheeks were still red and swollen, and his chin was purple with bruises. His lips bulged like sausages, and medicinal plasters still covered his forehead and temples. He would not recover in less than a month.

"Apologize!" Jia Zheng pointed at Jia Baoyu and scolded:

"You shameless, witless little beast! If you ever dare plot against Huan again, I'll kick you straight in the heart and kill you!"

These words were really meant for Jia Huan. The implication was that Baoyu had already been beaten so badly that he should hold no further resentment; the matter should be laid to rest.

Jia Baoyu forced down his hurt and resentment. With several teeth missing, air leaked through his mouth as he spoke in a tearful voice:

"S-sorry. I... I let pig fat clog my heart."

"There won't be a next time." Jia Huan's face was expressionless.

Suddenly, he stared hard at that broad face.

Now I remember!