Isn't this exactly what you like?

"This... isn't a good idea, is it, Acting Depot Lord?"

Upon learning of Chen Yi's request, the Recorder spoke hesitantly.

Chen Yi asked:

"What's wrong with it?"

That assassination attempt had already made the Ding'an faction's intentions clear to Chen Yi.

Those Confucian scholars who claimed to worry for their country and its people had resolved to topple the Lin faction by any means necessary. When the city gates caught fire, even the fish in the moat suffered; they would probably spare no one who had ever served the Lin faction.

The attempts on his life would certainly not end here.

Instead, they would come in wave after wave.

To protect himself, he either had to leave Capital City immediately and live under an assumed name from then on, or make the Ding'an faction pay a tremendous price before they killed him, forcing them to weigh just how much killing him would cost.

Naturally, Chen Yi could not leave Capital City. Aside from the strange poison in his body, there was the approaching Suppress Bandits and Exorcise Demons Blessing Ritual. Neither matter permitted him to simply leave like this.

That left him with only one option: make trouble for the Ding'an faction.

The Recorder hesitated, then offered a reminder:

"Acting Depot Lord, Director Xue has read most of these files. He thought there was essentially nothing wrong with them."

How could Chen Yi fail to hear the warning that even Director Xue dared not offend the Ding'an faction too deeply?

Watching his expression and seeing that Chen Yi remained silent, the Recorder continued:

"Could there be some misunderstanding? Acting Depot Lord, if possible, why not send a visiting card to Prince Jing's Manor and explain everything in detail?"

Chen Yi sneered repeatedly.

Anyone could send a visiting card to Prince Jing's Manor, but he could not—not now.

He had killed more than ten members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in that village. There was no longer any room to maneuver.

The Ding'an faction would not take Xue Youge's life, so of course he could coexist peacefully with them.

The Ding'an faction had not moved against Xue Youge for two reasons. First, he was a fifth-rank expert, and eliminating him would cost too much. Second, he was a brush-holding eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial. Killing him would amount to openly challenging the empress dowager who ruled from court.

His own situation was different. Though he had the Lin faction behind him, his footing was unstable. He was a pawn the Lin faction could discard at a critical moment, and he was not the official Depot Lord, merely the Acting Depot Lord.

What was more, Grand Secretary Lin would die after the ritual at the Prayer Daoist Grounds. Once the great tree of the Lin faction fell, he would inevitably be discarded. If he did not act now, his situation would become even more dangerous.

"If I tell you to investigate, investigate. If you won't, I'll do it myself."

Chen Yi pushed the Recorder aside and spoke coldly.

Hearing this, the two Recorders immediately knew that Chen Yi had made up his mind. Not daring to delay, they hurried to search through the File Room.

Chen Yi silently watched them.

After he had stood there for roughly an hour, the two Recorders had picked out nearly all the files concerning Prince Jing's Manor and piled them on the desk.

Chen Yi was just about to step forward when a knock suddenly sounded outside the File Room.

Who is it?

With that thought, Chen Yi opened the door.

Min Ning stood outside with her arms folded across her chest, her face expressionless.

She said coldly:

"I need to speak to you."

Confusion appeared on Chen Yi's face before he turned to the two Recorders.

"Leave us."

The two Recorders nodded meekly and hurried out of the File Room without delay.

Min Ning turned around and slowly shut the door.

"What's wrong?"

The words had barely left Chen Yi's mouth.

"What else could it be?"

Min Ning strode forward, drawing close to Chen Yi.

Her footsteps were firm and crisp.

The striking woman dressed as a man raised her hand and pressed it against Chen Yi's shoulder, then abruptly exerted force, shoving him hard against the wall.

She bent her arm and pinned Chen Yi's shoulder, as though keeping him from running away.

A wall pin?

Before Chen Yi could react, Min Ning glared at him resentfully, closed her eyes, and crashed her thin lips against his.

I've been... pinned against the wall?

Chen Yi could hardly believe it.

As the thought crossed his mind, she leaned forward, her chest beneath her official robes pressing tightly against him. A faint softness nestled against his chest, her entire lovely face crowded before his, and she kissed his lips of her own accord as though possessed.

The kiss carried courage and resolve gathered through long hesitation.

After a moment's surprise, Chen Yi slowly enfolded the little serpent's tip that had thrust its way in, wrapping both arms around her trembling back.

A long time passed before their lips parted.

"What... has gotten into you?"

Chen Yi recovered a little and asked in surprise.

"Repaying a kindness..."

Her face flushed crimson, Min Ning said fiercely:

"You bastard... isn't this exactly what you like?"

After his initial astonishment, Chen Yi immediately understood.

So it was because of the Fist Manual he had left at her home...

Chen Yi could not help breaking into a helpless laugh.

"What are you laughing at?"

Min Ning's face reddened further as she demanded in a hushed voice.

Her question only made Chen Yi laugh harder.

Both embarrassed and furious, Min Ning had already placed one hand on her saber's hilt, wishing she could take his head off with a single stroke.

Chen Yi hurriedly stopped laughing and struggled to keep his facial muscles taut. Only at this sight did Min Ning's expression ease a little.

She pushed Chen Yi away and folded her arms across her chest.

"Thank you... thank you for returning it to me."

Chen Yi touched his lips and said softly:

"You really don't have to repay me..."

Min Ning did not look at him, merely lowering her eyes.

"If I don't, my conscience won't rest easy.

"Besides, you... you're still thinking of making a move on my sister..."

Chen Yi understood at once.

This kiss was not merely repayment, but also a way of protecting her sister. She hoped to use it to awaken his intense desire for her, thereby weakening her sister's attraction for him and diverting his attention until his interest faded.

Min Ning longed to protect Min Ming like a hen shielding her chicks. Presumably, Min Ming also... felt the same way. Now that Min Ning was sinking ever deeper, it seemed he was getting closer and closer to his goal of a perfect save with all the heroines.

At this thought, Chen Yi could not help feeling profound tenderness alongside his desire.

Yet aloud, Chen Yi said with a smile:

"If you insist on repaying kindness, you'll have plenty more to repay in the future."

Min Ning's face was crimson, her lovely features losing their composure.

Chen Yi strolled leisurely up to her ear and teased in a whisper:

"When Young Hero Min makes her name in the martial world and ascends the Martial Ranking, perhaps some busybody will ask: why does Young Hero Min keep that dark chapter of her time in the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

Startled, Min Ning immediately retreated several steps, red to the tips of her ears. She glared fiercely at Chen Yi, but could only curse helplessly:

"You're truly mad!"

Suddenly, urgent pigeon calls came from outside.

Min Ning's ears twitched. She hurriedly pushed Chen Yi aside, went to the window, and opened it. A gray pigeon flew onto her arm, a small tube tied beside its claws.

Min Ning tipped a slip of paper out of the tube. Once she made out the writing, her expression abruptly tightened.

"My sister's in danger!"

Hearing this, Chen Yi immediately looked over. A line of tiny writing on the slip read: Urgent. Hundred Flowers Tower.

Dusk lay heavy, and autumn was in full sway.

Min Ming rested her fingers on the zither strings, occasionally glancing at the white-robed woman carefully preparing tea.

Beside the woman, two maidservants knelt with their eyes closed, seemingly resting. Yet a closer look revealed that their faces were as white as paper, without the slightest trace of life.

Viewed from the side, the two maidservants could be seen to be nothing more than two human-shaped sheets of rice paper.

And it was precisely this Paper Effigy Craft that had utterly defeated all the martial fighters concealed within the Hundred Flowers Tower.

As the piece ended, Min Ming asked hesitantly:

"Might I ask what brings Immortal Maiden Yin to this pleasure house of ours?"

Yin Weiying chuckled softly.

"Just keep playing, young lady. Do you know the Guangling Melody?"

Min Ming nodded. Sharing a room with this woman always made her scalp tingle faintly.

It was not merely because she had forced her way into the Hundred Flowers Tower and defeated its many hidden experts with her Paper Effigy Craft, but also because of the innate indifference toward ordinary mortals that emanated from this Daoist nun.

She always felt that this Daoist nun looked upon the people below the mountain as though they were animals muddling through their lives.