Cang Lan Dao - Chapter 38.1

Chapter 38.1 

She must find a new way between them–

Hearing this, Xie Heng said nothing. He rubbed his hand on Thousand Machines and observed Li Guiyu’s reaction. 

Li Guiyu seemed to know what he was thinking. He softly smiled and said: “Before I came here, I already let my servant go to the East Palace. If they didn’t see me, the East Palace and the Empress would investigate. Even though Department Master is high-powered, I’m the son of the Emperor. You haven’t completed your purpose, so you won’t be impulsive, right? Moreover,” Li Guiyu lightly glanced at Luo Wanqing, with disgust in his eyes, “To cultivate a similar woman in such a short time, Master has spent a lot of effort. This exchange, you must have long been prepared.”

Xie Heng fiddled with the string of beads without making a sound. Once Luo Wanqing considered it, she understood Xie Heng’s meaning. She immediately stepped forward and respectfully said, “This subordinate is willing to exchange with Agent Bai Li.” 

Xie Heng paused slightly at her words and glanced back at her. 

Beside him, Qing Ya coughed lightly and reminded, “Young Master.” 

Xie Heng did not respond. He withdrew his gaze and raised his eyes to Li Guiyu, pondering, “Your Highness has taken great pains to capture Bai Li, so you must have some plans. You know there is a deception, yet you still followed her, so you should not just be trying to ask for a person, right?” 

“Master Xie is overly concerned,” Li Guiyu laughed softly. “Master Xie has asked this girl to lure me here. You didn’t think I would hand over Bai Li for her?” 

Xie Heng shook his head and did not make a sound. 

Li Guiyu frowned slightly. Xie Heng raised his hand, and the people around him set their bows. Li Guiyu swept a glance, somewhat puzzled, “What does Master Xie mean?” 

“If I am exchanging people, I don’t need to go to such great lengths. I go directly to your residence.” Xie Heng’s voice was faint, “Luring you over here is not exchanging her for Bai Li. It’s exchanging your life.” 

“Master Xie,” Li Guiyu said coldly. “Do you know what you’re talking about?” 

Xie Heng nodded, his emotions non-fluctuated, “I know.” 

“Murdering the prince is a felony.” Li Guiyu reminded him. 

“And who killed you?” Xie Heng raised his eyes, and Li Guiyu froze, listening to Xie Heng ask word by word, “Who saw, who proved, who dared to say it was me, Xie Heng, who killed you?” 

Li Guiyu frowned as Xie Heng spoke calmly, “Tonight, Lord Zhang Yiran saw you send a hunter’s daughter into the mountains with his own eyes, and he brought the traffickers back to Dongdu, where the Master of the Inspection Department personally received him to deal with the relevant matters. And you suspected me of setting a trap for you? Sent someone to the East Palace as insurance to expose and prosecute me to the East Palace after your death? Do you think how much weight your servants’s words carry?” 

Li Guiyu did not say anything. Xie Heng analyzed, “In the eyes of the Emperor and others, your action is suspicious. Why did you come when you knew it was a fraud? Why did you suspect me from the beginning? How can the East Palace prove there is no problem with the people you sent to the East Palace? And how can His Majesty believe that this was not the East Palace bribing your people to frame me to cover up their murder of you?” 

Xie Heng pursued sentence by sentence, “Lord Zhang Yiran is famous for his honesty in the dynasty. He could never perjure himself for me, with Lord Zhang testifying for me, who then testified to your claim that would make His Majesty trust you more? Who saw me kill you with their own eyes, and what evidence is there to prove that it was my Inspection Department that killed you?” 

After this flurry of questions, Li Guiyu’s smile finally faded. He thought momentarily, reacted, and laughed softly, “You arranged Zhang Yiran early in the morning?” 

Xie Heng was not in denial. Li Guiyu sighed with emotion, “I didn’t expect Master Xie to go to this extent for a henchman.” 

“Where is Bai Li?” Xie Heng asked him. 

Li Guiyu did not answer directly. He said, “If this continues, we are both losers. Why don’t we go into the house?” Li Guiyu raised his hand and pointed to the hut lit with lamps. He sincerely said, “Let’s talk about it in detail.” 

Xie Heng raised his eyes to look at him. Li Guiyu only asked, “Does Master not want to know what exactly I want to do?” 

Xie Heng heard this, thought momentarily, and finally called out, “Xiniang.” 

Luo Wanqing looked at Xie Heng in confusion and saw him raising his steps, but no one else had moved. Zhu Que kicked her and softly reminded her, “Keep up.” 

Luo Wanqing immediately followed Xie Heng and entered the house together. Xie Heng initially used this house to ambush Li Guiyu. Tea and a chessboard were inside, which Xie Heng used while waiting. After they entered, Xie Heng sat down with Li Guiyu, and Luo Wanqing packed up the chess board, came to Xie Heng’s front, lifted up the teapot, and lowered her head to make tea for Xie Heng. 

Li Guiyu swept a glance and rose to take the teapot from Luo Wanqing’s hands and faintly said, “I’ll do it.” 

Luo Wanqing paused and glanced at Xie Heng.

Xie Heng didn’t make a sound. Li Guiyu lowered his eyes, poured tea for Xie Heng, turned over a tea bowl, and poured tea for Luo Wanqing before he poured some for himself. 

Xie Heng watched everything with cold eyes and waited for Li Guiyu to sit. He did not open his mouth, so the two were silent momentarily. Li Guiyu smiled and said gently: “I do not intend to oppose Master. All along, Master and I have the same purpose. I have long known that Bai Li is in my mansion, but I consider that Master intends to ally with me, so I keep her. But since Master is unwilling, it’s inappropriate to keep a person from the Inspection Department in my mansion, so I removed Bai Li.” 

“You don’t have to explain to me,” Xie Heng said nonchalantly. “Say the conditions.” 

“I want her.” Li Guiyu looked towards Luo Wanqing and spoke with certainty. 

“No way.” Xie Heng refused straight away. 

“Ten days later, Fang Fei Pavilion, we’ll switch.” Li Guiyu didn’t give him the space to refuse, “Otherwise, from today, every day, I will send a portion of Bai Li to the Inspection Department, and in ten days, I will send all of Bai Li’s parts back.” 

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing felt that the surrounding area instantly cooled down. Her heart was shocked. Ten days, every day, to send parts of Bai Li. It was a naked threat. 

“You can kill me,” Li Guiyu looked at Xie Heng and calmly said, “Anyway, I’m alone; there is no attachment. If you kill me, even if Father can’t get the evidence, he must be wary of you. My story is not enough to prove that you killed me, but do you think your story is perfect? I captured Bai Li, so I don’t need to say anything. If I’m dead, you’ll become the biggest suspect.” 

Xie Heng did not move. He rubbed the string of Thousand Machines, and one couldn’t tell if he was happy or angry. 

Li Guiyu continued, “My mother is difficult to deal with. The world has many grievances against you. In the future, your Inspection Department will be trapped internally and externally unless you can overturn the heaven. Otherwise, it is impossible for you to do what you want. “I don’t value my life,” Li Guiyu laughed softly. His gaze seemed poisonous. “But my people will pull Bai Li to be buried with me. She must die a more miserable death than me.” 

Hearing this, Xie Heng lowered his eyes and said, “You threaten me?” 

Li Guiyu smiled and spoke softly, seemingly nostalgic, “If I remember correctly, she was a female official from the Xie family. She even entered the palace to teach me a few lessons back then. Her future is unlimited, but for you, she followed you to the Inspection Department and never had a good day. She has a loving husband, and her son is almost as big as you. A few years earlier, she could have left the Inspection Department to spend her twilight years, but the Inspection Department lacks people, and no one can inherit the position of White Tiger, so she could only stay. She worked for you as an ox, but in the end, she had to die a horrible death at the hands of others for you,” Li Guiyu softly asked, “Will Master Xie not feel guilty?’ 

“I will naturally feel guilty.” Xie Heng lifted his hand to hold the teacup and lightly sipped it. Then, he raised his eyes, seemingly pondering something, and looked at Li Guiyu. “Exchange this night, exchange here.” 

“Ten days later, Fang Fei Pavilion,” Li Guiyu calmly said, “No negotiation.” 

Xie Heng stared at Li Guiyu. He looked at him for a long time and suddenly laughed out softly. Luo Wanqing rarely saw Xie Heng’s smile. His smile was charming, like fresh water with sparkling waves. He raised his hand and called out, “Xiniang.” 

Luo Wanqing stood at his side, and at the sound of his voice, she bent over in confusion and softly said, “Young Master?” 

Without turning around, Xie Heng brushed her cheek with his cold fingers. Luo Wanqing was stunned, and then she heard Xie Heng’s cold voice, “Your Highness has just returned to Dongdu. I’m afraid you don’t understand my temperament. Since I created the Inspection Department, I have always practiced fighting evil with evil, killing to stop killing. Many years ago, some people used to provoke the Inspection Department like you. Now, most of the world’s families are quiet because the ones who have provoked them,” He paused, speaking softly and slowly; his tone was flat, “are all dead.”

Li Guiyu did not speak. His gaze fell on Xie Heng’s hand. Xie Heng’s hand was stunning, with bone knots and white skin as jade; his fingertips should have been cold because when he touched Luo Wanqing’s face, she seemed unable to hold back a slight tremor, and then her paper-like face dyed red. 

Li Guiyu’s complexion turned cold. Xie Heng stroked Luo Wanqing’s neck and cheeks, rubbing her earlobe as if playing with jade. He said indifferently, “I do not care about Bai Li’s life and death. Her living is the best. If she died, I’ll avenge her. I do not like someone to challenge the Inspection Department, and even more, I do not like someone to threaten me.” Saying this, Xie Heng pulled Luo Wanqing into his arms. 

Xie Heng pressed Luo Wanqing to sit on his lap and face Li Guiyu. Xie Heng’s hand ambiguously encircled her waist, wrapping her tightly. The two stuck together as if he were enveloping her body in his, proclaiming some privilege. Luo Wanqing’s entire body stiffened, and she barely kept her composure. Her eyes drooped, and she did not dare to look any further. Xie Heng gently placed his face next to Luo Wanqing’s cheek, his breath spewing out on her ear as he calmly looked at Li Guiyu, “I think the same goes for Your Highness, right?” 

Li Guiyu’s eyes instantly exploded with murderous intent as he stared at the calm and provocative youth before him. He knew this was Xie Heng trying to provoke him; it was Xie Heng’s retaliation for threatening him with Bai Li. He used Bai Li to threaten him, and he used this phony in front of him to threaten himself in turn. Xie Heng would not allow this negotiation to get out of control. He wanted absolute dominance and arranged the pieces accordingly at every step.