Lu Jiaming had clearly come prepared and knew all about the changes on every front. By the time Cao Jinxing finished listening, he had a general understanding.
Apart from a few trivial matters, the main changes in Capital City were Qiu Luan's departure, the return of Yan Shifan and his son to imperial favor, the early lifting of Yan Shaoting's confinement, and the construction of additional walls around the capital and reinforcements to the Great Wall at Xuanfu and Datong, prompted by unrest in the north.
"The Ministry of Works has one project after another. As its minister, Yan Shifan is bound to gain more influence. Those Yan Faction men will be strutting around again..."
Cao Jinxing thought little of it.
Things were different now. When he had escorted the Fire Tortoise, he had only just reached Xiantian, which had given the Opera House's Twelve Zodiac the nerve to surround and attack him.
As he was now, even the top assassins from all four role divisions combined could not take him down.
The Bright Sect's cautionary example was still fresh. Yan Shifan would not fight him head-on...
His fool of a son was an exception, of course, but he alone probably could not mobilize their strongest fighters.
Back in Fang La's Underground Palace, the three top assassins of the Dan Role—Da Qingyi, Huadan, and Daomadan—had been haughty and dismissive even of their immediate superior. They probably were not under Yan Shifan's control through poison.
With nothing but money and rare treasures to offer, a wastrel like Yan Shaoting lacked the ability to make them obey. In short...
There was nothing to fear.
Cao Jinxing took a sip of wine.
Seeing him remain calm throughout, the other four relaxed as well.
Their superior now enjoyed the emperor's deep trust and favor