Cang Lan Dao - Chapter 27.2
Chapter 27.2
I’m Your Shadow, Cui Heng
When Luo Wanqing was asleep, on the other side of the Inspection Department, the lights were on.
Xie Heng kneeled in front of the desk while tapping the desktop, “So no one has seen the bodies of the Luo family members?”
“Yes.” The person who returned from Lingnan seriously said, “The landslide happened suddenly. By the time we got the news, they had all been buried. There should be no survivors.”
Xie Heng did not say anything. Xuan Shan, next to him, glanced at Xie Heng and whispered, “My Lord, do we need to send more people to search?”
“Send someone to keep an eye on them,” Xie Heng lowered his eyes. “They were not martial artists. If nothing unexpected happens, they won’t be able to escape. Let someone keep an eye on them, find the bodies, and bury them in the ground.”
When these words came out, no one made a sound. Xie Heng sat quietly in place, and everyone could feel this superior’s depression.
It was he who was too self-conceited. Xie Heng looked at the tea before him, remembering the last time he met that woman. Across the screen, that woman told him with mockery, “My Lord, some results that come too late are meaningless.”
At that time, he didn’t care and just took it as a complaint from her. However, thinking about it now, she was right. It was indeed meaningless for the Luo family to have results now. If he intervened and allowed the Luo family to stay, there might have been a better ending.
It was he who owed her. Xie Heng’s heartstrings trembled slightly. Silently, he took a sip of tea and adjusted his emotions. Then, he turned to the other side to look at the green-clothed youth and asked, “Qingya, how is Qin Jue?”
“He didn’t have any serious injuries on him. He’s already settled down.” Qing Ya replied flatly. His voice was gentle, “The people from the Feng Yu Pavilion had been arrested, and their identities have been verified. The one who died today, Zhao Yuyan, must have been the right envoy of the Feng Yu Pavilion. Now, the Feng Yu Pavilion and the Ming Pavilion, which have the power to fight in the battle, should have been almost annihilated. It will be difficult for them to make waves again within a few years. But there is one person …… “
Qing Ya hesitated. Everyone looked over, and Qing Ya frowned: “Although Qin Jue didn’t say much and only told me that it was the newcomer, Liu Xiniang, who saved him, I think this Liu Xiniang is a bit strange.”
Xie Heng didn’t say much, only saying, “Tell me more about it?”
“A small leader of the Salt Gang, able to kill the Right Envoy of the Feng Yu Pavilion,” Qing Ya raised his eyes and looked around, “Isn’t that strange?”
“Then what do you think? What might she be trying to do?” Xie Heng asked indifferently.
Beside him, Xuan Shan spoke calmly, “Making such an investment could only be for one purpose-“
With this, everyone looked at Xie Heng together.
Qing Ya’s gentle voice was unusually solemn: “Young Master.”
Xie Heng lowered his eyes as he listened to these words. He lightly tapped the desktop and said softly, “I connected all her tendons. I molded all of her bones. I explored, and she doesn’t have the Feng Yu Pavilion’s parasites.”
“My Lord, controlling a person is not always dependent on parasites.” Xuan Shan reminded.
Xie Heng looked at Xuan Shan and asked, “You suspect she is someone from the Feng Yu Pavilion?”
Xuan Shan hesitated for a moment. Although Liu Xiniang was very strange, there wasn’t any direct evidence at the moment that could prove she was someone from the Feng Yu Pavilion. She hadn’t harmed them, and even more so, she had done them a lot of favors along the way. If not for her, Qin Jue might not have survived.
Xuan Shan pursed his lips and answered softly, “It’s hard to say.”
“Indeed, it’s hard to say, but try it, and you’ll know.” Xie Heng dusted off his sleeves. His expression was light, “She is a good seedling, and she has not harmed us along the way. Instead, she has helped a lot. Cultivate her properly, and in the future, she might even be able to take over Aunt Bai Li’s position. I won’t give her up so easily.”
Xie Heng analyzed and made a decision. He raised his eyes and said, “I’ll take care of her personally. Go make the arrangements.”
Hearing this, a look of surprise appeared on everyone’s faces. Qing Ya immediately frowned and dissuaded him, “My Lord, if she is here to kill you, it would be improper for you to place her by your side.”
“What’s not proper?” Xie Heng laughed softly, “If she is here to kill me, she can use me as a target and practice how to assassinate in advance. If she can injure me, then she can sit in Bai Li’s position.”
“Young Master still wants to keep her even if she wants to harm you?” Qing Ya was surprised.
Xie Heng was puzzled, “Why not?”
“But she might be from the Feng Yu Pavilion ……”
“I don’t care which pavilion she’s from, anyway, if she enters my Inspection Department’s door, she’s my person. If someone wants to snatch her,” Xie Heng glanced at Qing Ya, interrupting him, and fiercely said, “They can try.”
Seeing Xie Heng’s determination, everyone present quieted down.
Xuan Shan pondered before saying, “How does Young Master intend to lead her?”
These words caused Xie Heng to pause. He pondered, “I still want to test and train her using the identity of Xie Heng, so it’s not appropriate for me to step in directly.” Xie Heng said, thought of something, and raised his eyes to Qing Ya: “Did Qin Jue tell you if she recognized us?”
“Yes,” Qing Ya said truthfully, “She recognized that the Qin Jue on the road from Yangzhou to Dongdu was another person but did not know your true identity.”
“It’s that’s so.” Xie Heng nodded with what appeared to be some regret, then thoughtfully said, “Then has her Shadow been arranged?”
“Not yet.” Xuan Shan frankly said, “Still being organized. She has just joined the department and needs a more mature Shadow, but the mature ones now all have their Agents, so I’m still coordinating.”
“How about this,” Xie Heng smiled, seeming to have come up with a brilliant idea, happily saying, “I’ll be her Shadow!”
Hearing this, the crowd glanced at each other, not daring to say anything more.
Xie Heng felt that this idea was excellent and was about to speak when the sound of Zhu Que’s footsteps came from the side. He turned his head and saw Zhu Que walk into the room, salute, and then sit down on his knees in front of the desk with a big grin, ask for a cup of tea with the maid, and look at Xuan Shan, “Xuan Shan, have you arranged for that Liu Xiniang’s Shadow?”
When these words came out, everyone looked over, and Xie Heng was puzzled: “Why are you asking this?”
“Just now, Liu Xiniang told me,” Zhu Que took a sip of tea and said with some distress, “She wants Qin Jue. But Qin Jue is also a newcomer. I said she should find an experienced person to guide her. Why did she choose Qin Jue? Did she develop feelings after taking the test?”
Listening to Zhu Que speak, Xie Heng’s facial expression faded a little, and everyone realized something was wrong, only to see him intentionally rambling, “Which Qin Jue does she want?”
“Huh?” Zhu Que didn’t react. He pondered about it, speculating on the context of Luo Wanqing’s conversation. She first asked if Qin Jue was injured, that asked for the genuine Qin Jue, so sorting it out, the one she wanted —
“Should it be the genuine one?” Zhu Que hesitated.
“Is that so ……” Xie Heng picked up his teacup and lowered his head to fiddle with the green leaves in the tea bowl with the lid. His tone was meaningful.
Xuan Shan and Qing Ya were keenly aware of Xie Heng’s emotions. They both averted their gazes and began to lower their heads with a cough to remind Zhu Que.
But Zhu Que was oblivious and continued: ”The matter of Liu Xiniang wants Qin Jue, I also think it is possible. Now, our staff was tight, and it just happened that these two passed the exam. Qin Jue’s character is gentle, and Liu Xiniang is sharp. The two will be suitable partners. It’s just that both of them are newcomers. Is it appropriate for them to go on a mission together?” Zhu Que looked to Xie Heng, who lowered his head, asking for advice, “What do you think, Young Master?”
“It is improper.” Xie Heng nodded and turned to look at Xuan Shan, “You arrange for a proper person.”
Xuan Shan immediately responded respectfully, “Yes.”
Zhu Que looked at Xuan Shan in confusion, “En? Didn’t you say that there aren’t enough Shadows? Who is more appropriate?”
“Zhu Que,” Xie Heng called to him.
Zhu Que turned his head and saw Xie Heng smiling. The latter suddenly asked, “Did you close early during the registration for the examination yesterday?”
Zhu Que’s face stiffened and hesitated, “Young Master, this matter ……”
“Punish half a year’s salary.” Xie Heng lowered his head and sipped his tea. Then, he got up and said, “If there’s nothing to do, go to bed early. Have a good rest.” With that, Xie Heng left with his hands behind his back.
Zhu Que stiffened his body and only reacted after a long time. He looked at Qing Ya in shock: “I just wrapped up a bit early. Is it necessary to punish me so heavily?!”
“You know Young Master’s temperament,” Qing Ya looked at Zhu Que in pity, “If he’s not happy, no one can be happy.”
“What’s he upset about?” Zhu Que couldn’t figure it out. Qing Ya sighed and didn’t say much as he got up to leave.
Zhu Que looked at Xuan Shan blankly, “What did I do wrong?”
Xuan Shan didn’t reply and stood up. He patted him on the shoulder and said, “Don’t snatch things from Young Master.”
Zhu Que was dumbfounded in his spot, watching the people present leave one by one mysteriously. He sat in place for a long time thinking but couldn’t comprehend why he was penalized for half a year’s salary.
While Zhu Que thought in confusion for the night, Luo Wanqing had a good night’s sleep. After sleeping till the second day, she felt rejuvenated, and after freshening up, she heard someone knocking on the door. She opened the door and saw a young man, splendidly dressed with a jade crown, wearing a gilt mask that covered half of his face, standing in the doorway with a smile. He was wearing jade-colored clothes, flowing in the morning light.
Luo Wanqing froze, then she heard a familiar tone ring out, “Greetings to Agent Liu.”
Luo Wanqing’s eyes widened, then reacted, “You ……” She opened her mouth, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to address the other party.
The other party smiled faintly and said, “I am your Shadow, Cui Heng. My courtesy name is Guanlan.”