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"Knew."

Responding to his attendant, Xu Qi'an sat up, threw back the covers, and began to get dressed.

Noticing the movement of the person beside him, Song Tingfeng opened his eyes, mumbled something, and then asked, "Where are you going?"

Xu Qi'an said in a low voice, "I'm going out for a bit, I'll be right back."

Song Tingfeng hummed in agreement.

The conversation ended, and the two of them suddenly froze, then simultaneously shivered.

"Get out! Get out! Get out!" Song Tingfeng rubbed the goosebumps on his arms and cursed, "You're disturbing my sweet dream."

After Xu Qi'an left, Zhu Guangxiao, who had been facing away from Song Tingfeng, silently turned around.

The moonlight was like water, and the stars were lonely.

The river was silent, its surface rippling in the moonlight like shimmering silver scales.

The light was on in Governor Zhang's room. Xu Qi'an knocked on the door, and after receiving permission, he pushed open the governor's door.

In the not-so-spacious room, Governor Zhang and Jiang Luzhong sat facing each other, drinking tea. The latter pointed to a seat beside him and said, "Sit down. Pour your own tea."

With his goatee and serious expression, Governor Zhang nodded slightly to Xu Qi'an.

Governor Zhang treated this legendary gong-wielder, who had twice appeared in the imperial court and twice defeated a minister, with the utmost respect and friendliness.

Drinking tea in the middle of the night, is it because you're having too much sleep? Xu Qi'an took his seat, his tone quite casual. "My lords, what brings you here?"

The Censorate and the Nightwatchers belong to different departments, but they share the same superior, Wei Yuan. Therefore, Governor Zhang can be considered one of their own, Xu Qi'an doesn't need to be too reserved or polite.

Governor Zhang smiled and said, "Lord Xu, your judgment is divine, and your abilities are extraordinary. I summoned you here late at night to discuss our mission to Yunzhou."

Xu Qi'an carefully considered his words before speaking, "What do you think, sir?"

Governor Zhang said, "I have read the case file. There are no flaws in Zhou Min's death. There are no wounds or signs of poisoning. It is a perfectly normal death."

"To die silently, without leaving any trace, is itself a flaw."

Zhou Min was the spy who died without cause.

Jiang Luzhong added, "Among all the major systems, only the Daoist School and sorcerers can do this. According to the feedback from the case of the Minister of Ministry of Works, the Qi faction colluded with the Witch God Cult, and the murderer is most likely a fourth-rank Dream Witch."

Xu Qi'an nodded, first acknowledging Governor Zhang's intelligence; he was a clear-headed official, not muddle-headed, and knew what he was about to face.

That's very comfortable.

What I fear most is encountering a superior who is more likely to cause trouble than to accomplish anything.

It's not the formidable opponent you fear, but the incompetent teammate. To be honest, Xu Qi'an did have this concern when he saw how weak Governor Zhang was.

Secondly, it confirms Jiang Luzhong's speculation.

Any method of murder leaves clear traces. This doesn't refer to leaving clues, but rather a direct impression that makes it clear that the victim was "murdered."

Even if the soul is destroyed using skillful methods, the deceased will still exhibit blank and fearful facial features.

Only the Daoist School and the Witch God Cult can make someone die as if they were asleep. It's a very simple deduction.

"Sir, what do you think we should do to investigate after we arrive in Yunzhou?" Xu Qi'an asked humbly.

He's skilled at investigating cases, but he's a complete novice when it comes to navigating the complexities of officialdom.

"Zhou Min is a seasoned undercover agent; he won't keep important evidence around. Our task is to uncover the evidence he's hidden. Lord Xu, you're an expert in this area, so I hope you'll put in the effort."

The governor said solemnly, expressing his great trust in Xu Qi'an's professional abilities.

"I'll do my best." Xu Qi'an suddenly thought of a problem and frowned, "Yang Chuannan is the commander of Yunzhou, wielding military and political power. Could we force him to rebel? If so, we'll be the first to be punished."

Officials who held military power were different from those in the capital. The six guards and three imperial guard camps in the capital were all under the control of the imperial family, and civil officials were powerless to resist.

But as the commander-in-chief of a prefecture, holding military power, he would not allow himself to be slaughtered.

"This is a risk we have to take. Jiang Jinluo and I will mediate and handle it. You just need to follow orders when the time comes." Governor Zhang accepted the responsibility.

"Once we get to Yunzhou, I might be able to bring in a group of helpers," Xu Qi'an said.

"Help?" Governor Zhang asked in a questioning tone.

"We'll see when the time comes," Xu Qi'an said, not daring to make a guarantee.

Governor Zhang nodded, not taking it to heart.

"Lord Zhang, how much do you know about Yunzhou?" Xu Qi'an asked cautiously. "I'm referring to the banditry."

Governor Zhang pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "There's a reason why Yunzhou is called the Bandit Prefecture. This has been recorded in history. It all started with the 'Purge of the Emperor's Evil Advisors' five hundred years ago."

Xu Qi'an was originally unaware of Emperor Wuzong's usurpation of the throne, and only learned about it after the Sangbo case.

"When Emperor Wuzong led his army into the capital, he quickly pacified the various prefectures. However, he encountered fierce resistance from the defending general in Yunzhou. The commander of Yunzhou at the time was a famous general who was skilled in warfare and even more adept at defending cities. Even with Emperor Wuzong's strategic acumen, he was unable to conquer Yunzhou in a short time."

"The two armies fought a protracted war for several years, which caused great suffering to the people, who then turned to banditry."

"Yunzhou has many mountains, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. In addition, the land is fertile, which has become a breeding ground for mountain bandits and outlaws. When Emperor Wuzong recovered Yunzhou, he found that Yunzhou was already full of mountain bandits."

"A bitter war that lasted for several years severely weakened the Great Feng, leaving it unable to suppress the bandits. Emperor Wuzong had no choice but to withdraw his troops and return to the capital, intending to recuperate before dealing with the matter."

"Later, the imperial court organized several campaigns to suppress the bandits, each time suffering heavy casualties. One group of bandits in Yunzhou would be wiped out, only to be replaced by another, like spring breezes blowing and the grass always turning green, eventually turning it into a paradise for wanted criminals and outcasts of the martial world."

Governor Zhang lamented, "The chronic illness is difficult to cure."

It turns out to be a historical problem. If the founding emperor couldn't solve it, it was almost impossible for later emperors to do so. Firstly, they lacked the ability, and secondly, they were prone to indulging in pleasure. Xu Qi'an nodded slightly, indicating that he understood.

The three talked for a long time before parting ways.

Returning to the room, as expected, they woke up Zhu Guangxiao and Song Tingfeng again. Experts at the Qi Refining Realm have keen senses, and they will be alerted by the slightest disturbance.

The two colleagues didn't pay any attention and soon fell into a deep sleep.

Xu Qi'an didn't sleep. He lit an oil lamp, sat down at the table, and took out a small jade mirror.

[Three: On the 2nd, I just received news that the imperial court has dispatched a governor to Yunzhou.]

Sending a mass message late at night is really unethical. The members of the Earth Book chat group were all awakened, and each of them took out their Earth Book fragments with different emotions to check the messages.

[5: Number 3, you're so annoying! Don't bother me to sleep in the middle of the night!]

A young girl from Southern Frontier sent a letter of protest.

The others did not pass on messages, but silently watched from behind the screen.

[II: Is it related to the Qi faction?]

[Thirdly: Cleverly, the Nightwatchers's spies within the Commander-in-Chief's Office discovered that Yang Chuannan, the Commander-in-Chief of Yunzhou, was secretly aiding mountain bandits, supplying them with military provisions, and supporting them for his own gain. By the way, this Yang Chuannan was Qi's representative in Yunzhou.]

[Second: That's impossible. I don't know if Yang Chuannan is a member of the Qi faction, but I know he's definitely not the kind of person who harbors bandits for personal gain or supplies them with military provisions.]

Number Two's reaction was a bit intense. She knew Yang Chuannan, and they seemed to have a good relationship?

Xu Qi'an was glad he hadn't given his assurances to Governor Zhang, otherwise he would have been in serious trouble. At the same time, he was secretly on guard, knowing he had to be careful about his identity once he arrived in Yunzhou and not expose himself.

First, identify who number two is, then observe their relationship with Yang Chuannan. Confirm whether number two is a werewolf or a villager.

[Four: Nothing is impossible. The Minister of Ministry of Works has fallen, so he should have to confess something. Number Two, think about it. The Qi faction colluded with the Witch God Cult and secretly supported mountain bandits, but they are in the capital, thousands of miles away. If they want to get things done, they need a spokesperson.]

[If it can be proven that Yang Chuannan is a member of the Qi faction, then he can never be innocent.]

[Second: I have a good eye for people; Yang Chuannan isn't that kind of person.]

Is Number Two really that subjective? It feels like she's a woman, and women are usually emotional and subjective. Xu Qi'an thought to himself, but didn't say it aloud. After all, if Number Two were a feminist, she would be trembling with anger by now.

[5: Number 3, why do you always have so much information? Are you a broker who sells information?]

Number Five couldn't help but complain. She was a little discouraged. She had finally managed to "sell" the news of the Gu God's revival, but now everyone owed her a debt.

And Number Three would occasionally drop bombshell news in the group.

Everyone tacitly chose to ignore the pointless remarks made by number five.

Xu Qi'an sent a message teasingly: [Huh, Number One should have known this news already. Didn't Number One tell you? Tsk tsk, Number One, that's not right of you.]

Number One is quite cunning; those who remain silent are always the most insidious and shrewd.

[One: Get out of here.]

Xu Qi'an originally thought that Number One would ignore him, but he didn't expect such a strong reaction, and he spoke eloquently.

Did I offend Number One? It was just a casual joke, why such a strong reaction?

Xu Qi'an was somewhat bewildered and angry, so he ignored Number One and sent a message: [Number Two, if you don't believe me, wait for the imperial inspector to arrive, and you can cooperate with them in the investigation. If Yang Chuannan is innocent, this will clear his name.]

[Two: Okay.]

That's it, number two is now tied to the chariot! Xu Qi'an nodded in satisfaction.

[Second: By the way, how is Emperor Yuanjing's health?]

[Three: You seem to be in good health, why ask this?]

[Two: Bah! Daoist Master, you're blind! How come the old emperor is still alive?]

"The Daoist Master is blind? Number Two is a rebellious old man. I'm getting more and more curious about his (or her) identity. What if I find out you have an official position?" Xu Qi'an chuckled three times.

After successfully "greeting" Number Two, Xu Qi'an remembered the second purpose of starting the group chat.

[Part Three: Oh, right, I don't think I told you about the true form of the sealed artifact beneath Sangbo.]

The true form of the sealed artifact beneath Sangbo?!

Now, not only the other members of the Heaven and Earth Society, but even Number Five was wide awake and his spirits lifted.

P. S.: Oops, I've fallen out of the top ten on the monthly ticket ranking! Please give me your monthly tickets!!!!