Stealing the Heavens and Swapping the Sun

Heaven Dou City.

An utterly unremarkable teahouse in the west of the city.

Inside a private room on the second floor, the windows and door were tightly shut.

Qian Jun casually set up a Soul Power barrier, completely isolating the inside from the outside.

Only five people sat at the table.

Lin Yuan.

Qian Renxue.

Guang Ling.

Qian Jun.

Jiang Mo.

Qian Renxue was no longer wearing Xue Qinghe's face.

Golden hair fell to her shoulders, and the bearing she had deliberately suppressed was now fully revealed.

Six years undercover.

This was the first time she had sat beside Lin Yuan in Heaven Dou City as her true self.

But no one was in the mood to reminisce now.

Slap.

A thick stack of files landed on the table.

"This is what I've uncovered in secret over the years."

Qian Renxue pushed it toward Lin Yuan.

"Combined with the statements you sent from Nuoding City, practically everyone in Heaven Dou City connected to the Hall of Relief is listed here."

Lin Yuan opened it.

The very first page was densely covered with names.

Nobles.

Officials.

Merchant associations.

Medicinal herb merchants.

There were even several generals in charge of the city's defenses.

Below them were the Hall of Relief's various properties.

Its public-facing medicine shops.

Its secret medicine warehouses.

The convoys transporting pills.

The residences used to hide people.

Thread after thread intertwined.

They had practically ensnared half of Heaven Dou City.

Lin Yuan turned the pages one by one.

Suddenly, he stopped.

"The Nine Heart Begonia Clan?"

This page was very clean.

Qian Renxue nodded.

"They weren't involved."

"And it wasn't just that they weren't involved."

"About three months after the Hall of Relief entered Heaven Dou City, Ye Lingqiu, the head of the Nine Heart Begonia Clan, issued an order."

"Everyone in the Ye Clan was forbidden from taking any medicine from the Hall of Relief."

Lin Yuan looked up.

"Three months?"

"Yes."

"Later, the Hall of Relief approached them three times."

"The first time, they discussed cooperation."

"The second time, they brought healing pills."

"The third time, they directly offered a batch of life-extending medicine."

"All of it was returned."

Guang Ling gave a soft sound of surprise.

"Other people can't get their hands on it even if they fight over it, yet they turned it away?"

Lin Yuan looked at Ye Lingqiu's name.

"Then it wasn't that they didn't want to take it."

"They couldn't take it."

Nine Heart Begonia specialized in healing to begin with.

For Ye Lingqiu to have forbidden his clansmen from coming into contact with the Hall of Relief so quickly, he must have discovered something.

Lin Yuan pulled out that report and placed it in front of himself.

"I'll visit the Ye Clan personally."

Qian Renxue took out another file.

"There's also Dugu Bo."

Lin Yuan opened it.

After entering Heaven Dou City, the Hall of Relief had also approached Dugu Bo.

They had even specially sent him a pill targeting poison-related ailments and hidden injuries.

"Did he accept it?"

"He did."

"And then?"

"Half a month later, the Hall of Relief visited again, and he threw them straight out."

"The next few visits ended the same way."

"The last time, Dugu Bo even declared that if they dared come again, he would poison them to death and hang them at his door."

Jiang Mo was amused.

"That sounds like something that old poisoner would say."

Lin Yuan, however, was looking at that half-month interval.

Accept the medicine.

Study it.

Then turn hostile.

The answer was already obvious.

"I'll visit Dugu Bo personally too."

"The Ye Clan first."

"Then him."

One treated illnesses.

The other played with poison.

Both had chosen to distance themselves from the Hall of Relief.

These two leads were very important.

Lin Yuan continued turning the pages.

Until the words "Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect" appeared.

"Does Ning Fengzhi know?"

"It's unclear."

Qian Renxue shook her head immediately.

"At least among what we've uncovered so far, there's no evidence proving Ning Fengzhi was involved."

"The one who's truly close to the Hall of Relief is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's grand elder."

"Ning Qianshan."

A rank seventy-four Soul Saint.

He oversaw some of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's medicinal herbs, merchant caravans, and outside businesses.

Qian Renxue continued:

"He's been taking the Hall of Relief's pills for three years straight."

"He was also the one who threw open the doors of several of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's medicinal herb trade routes to the Hall of Relief over these years."

Lin Yuan asked:

"How much did he get out of it?"

"Not much money."

"Mostly medicine."

"Ning Qianshan is already very old, and he has old injuries."

"After taking the Hall of Relief's pills, his old injuries eased, and his health improved considerably."

Guang Ling sneered.

"In the end, he just doesn't want to die."

"There's nothing wrong with fearing death."

Lin Yuan closed the file.

"But fearing death so much that you pave the way for Evil Soul Masters is another matter."

"Leave Ning Fengzhi alone for now."

"Preserve all the evidence against Ning Qianshan."

"Once we finish drawing in the net, deliver it straight to Ning Fengzhi."

Jiang Mo asked:

"What if he protects him?"

Lin Yuan did not even lift his head.

"Then settle accounts with him too."

One sentence.

Nothing more followed.

Qian Renxue spread out a map of Heaven Dou City.

A large number of red dots had already been marked on it.

Every red dot was one of the Hall of Relief's properties or secret bases.

"The people Grandpa Qian Jun and Grandpa Jiang Mo brought have all dispersed into the city."

"The Soul Douluos are watching the core areas."

"The Soul Saints are responsible for the exits."

"Once we act, we can uproot all these places in a single night."

Jiang Mo stroked the Coiling Dragon Staff.

"I've been waiting for ages."

"When do we kill them?"

"It's not time yet."

Lin Yuan reached out.

His hand passed over all the red dots on the map.

Finally, he pressed it onto the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.

"First, we replace this."

Everyone's gaze fell there at once.

Qian Renxue spoke.

"Xue Ye?"

"Yes."

Lin Yuan said flatly:

"First, have him fall gravely ill."

"So ill that he can't attend court."

"So ill that he can't even see his ministers."

"Use that time to prepare a double."

Guang Ling raised an eyebrow.

"And then?"

Lin Yuan looked up.

"Death."

One word.

So decisive that there was not the slightest hesitation.

"Let him stay ill for a while."

"Then die of his grave illness."

"Dispose of the body in secret."

"Then have the double we've prepared take his place."

The private room fell briefly silent.

Jiang Mo was the first to laugh.

"You're not even changing the emperor's name."

"Why should I?"

Lin Yuan looked at the imperial palace on the map.

"A new emperor ascending the throne would inevitably shake Heaven Dou."

"But Xue Ye recovering from a grave illness wouldn't."

"The man will still be the same man."

"The throne will still be the same throne."

"Only someone obedient will have replaced what's inside."

Qian Jun nodded slightly.

"The illness will give the double enough time to learn Xue Ye's habits."

"Once he reappears, any discrepancies can be covered up as changes in temperament after his illness."

"It can work."

Lin Yuan looked at him.

"I'll leave this to Sixth Grandpa and Seventh Grandpa."

"The candidate must have a clean background."

"And Xue Ye must truly die."

"We can't leave trouble for the future."

Qian Jun answered with just one word.

"Good."

Qian Renxue suddenly spoke.

"What about Xue Qinghe?"

Lin Yuan turned his head.

"Replace him too."

Qian Renxue froze for a moment.

"What do you mean?"

"Find someone to keep playing him."

"His identity won't change."

"The crown prince won't change."

"Xue Qinghe will still attend court and meet people every day as he should."

"But you won't be needed anymore."

Qian Renxue stared at Lin Yuan.

"Then what will I do?"

"Stay with me."

Lin Yuan answered extremely quickly.

The coolness in Qian Renxue's eyes melted almost instantly.

"Really?"

"No."

Lin Yuan remained expressionless.

"Go back and keep being the crown prince."

"I'm not going back."

Qian Renxue refused outright.

"Too late."

She had even started gathering the things on the table.

"You just said you'd have someone else play him."

Guang Ling finally couldn't help laughing aloud.

"I said it long ago. Xiao Xue must have been stifled half to death these past six years."

Qian Renxue glanced over.

"Fifth Grandpa."

"Keep laughing, and I'll tell Grandpa you secretly drank along the way."

Guang Ling's smile vanished at once.

"Utter nonsense."

Beside him, Jiang Mo's shoulders shook uncontrollably.

Lin Yuan couldn't be bothered with them.

"Xue Qinghe's double won't need to make any major moves."

"He only needs to maintain his identity."

"Once the false Xue Ye takes power again, the entire Heaven Dou Imperial Family will already be in our hands."

"Then we'll uproot the Hall of Relief at the same time."

Qian Jun said:

"If the Medicine King Holy Church discovers something has happened to the imperial family, they may flee ahead of time."

"That's why we won't alert anyone before we make our move in the palace."

Lin Yuan swept his finger over the red dots on the map.

"Keep watching every base."

"Who goes in."

"Who comes out."

"Where the pills are sent."

"Record everything clearly."

"I'm not looking to take down a few medicine shops."

"I want the web they've spent years building in Heaven Dou City severed completely, all at once."

Jiang Mo licked the corner of his mouth.

"We can finally fight this time, right?"

"Wait for the signal."

Lin Yuan said:

"If anyone acts early and scares them away, I'll have Fifth Grandpa watch him for six months."

Jiang Mo's smile stiffened.

Guang Ling slowly turned his head.

"Seventh."

"I happen to have plenty of free time lately."

"Get lost."

The matter was settled.

Qian Jun and Jiang Mo left the teahouse first.

Preparations on the palace side began from that moment.

Xue Ye would fall ill.

He would die.

And he would appear in Heaven Dou's court again.

Only the next person to open his eyes would no longer be him.

As for Xue Qinghe.

This crown prince would likewise continue to exist.

But Qian Renxue could finally remove the mask she had worn for six years.

When they walked out of the teahouse.

The sky had already darkened.

The matter was settled.

Qian Jun and Jiang Mo left first.

The two were responsible for the palace side.

Xue Ye would first become "gravely ill."

Once the double was ready, they would have the real Xue Ye die on his sickbed.

As for the Hall of Relief.

Keep watching.

Make no move for now.

Lin Yuan put away the dossiers on the table and was just about to rise when he saw Qian Renxue put on her Xue Qinghe disguise again.

Her golden hair disappeared.

Her features changed.

In mere moments, the person sitting before him had become that refined and courteous Heaven Dou Crown Prince again.

Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't you want to stop playing him?"

"I wanted to stop playing him all the time."

Qian Renxue adjusted her sleeves.

"The double isn't here yet."

"If I suddenly disappear now, it'll only arouse suspicion."

"I'll endure a few more days."

Lin Yuan nodded.

True.

The game had already been arranged down to its final stage.

There was no need to expose a flaw at a time like this.

Qian Renxue looked at the dossiers in his hand.

"Are you visiting the Nine Heart Begonia Clan tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Then go in my name."

Lin Yuan glanced at her.

The corners of Qian Renxue's lips lifted slightly.

"The Nine Heart Begonia Clan has never liked getting involved in power struggles."

"If you visit them directly, they might not see you."

"But someone personally recommended by Xue Qinghe..."

"The Ye Clan will at least open the door."

Lin Yuan smiled.

"Your Highness hasn't spent these six years for nothing."

Qian Renxue shot him a glance.

"Don't pocket the benefits and still play coy."

The next day.

A gold-embossed visiting card was delivered to the Nine Heart Begonia Clan.

It bore only a brief signature.

-Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.

But the person actually requesting an audience with the Ye Clan's head on the visiting card was not Xue Qinghe.

Lin Yuan.

An hour later.

The Ye Clan sent a reply.

The clan head invited him over.

Lin Yuan put away the reply and stood up.

Qian Renxue was still sitting beside him, wearing Xue Qinghe's face.

"Want me to come with you?"

"No need."

Lin Yuan put on his outer robe.

"You're too conspicuous as the crown prince right now."

"Borrowing your name is enough."

He pushed the door open and left.

Next stop-

The Nine Heart Begonia Clan.