Chaotic World Book-Chapter 248 - 243: Is This Pig Head Yours?

Regardless of what Huangfu Shaozong and Bao Qin were thinking, Tang Wanju and Vermilion Bird both smiled simultaneously as they watched from a distance.

The Capital was like a grand theater stage, where no one would easily reveal their true intentions; only the naively foolish would not survive up to this point.

Their invitation needed a grand, justifiable reason, and Zhao Changhe acted with complete clarity, treating everyone as if they were strangers, not giving any face. This was normal; everyone was merely playing a role in a play.

Of course, in Vermilion Bird’s view, Zhao Changhe truly was not close with the Imperial Concubine, which was even more normal.

They were not laughing at that, but at the Empress.

Where did she get the confidence to think Zhao Changhe would entertain her? This wasn’t even the right time for her to act; such impatience truly devalued her, and when Zhao Changhe rejected her face-to-face, what could she do? Assassinate him?

The two old women pondered for a moment and then quietly instructed their trusted aides, "Follow that eunuch, he might not truly be the Empress’s man."

Their aides were immediately alarmed.

It was indeed possible... If Zhao Changhe "went with the Empress’s men," and was found dead in the Palace by midnight, the blame would securely fall on the Empress. Unless Zhao Changhe was a fool, he wouldn’t likely follow them.

Tang Wanju whispered softly, "If he truly is the Empress’s man, so be it; if not, then this seems like something Huangfu Qing would do."

Vermilion Bird was also saying, "If he is the Empress’s man, so be it; if not, then someone is trying to frame me."

After speaking, she muttered to herself, "If he also thinks of this, could he suspect that the Imperial Concubine seeks to harm him?"

As she spoke, her beautiful eyes shimmered, revealing a trace of amusement. After a moment, she turned and entered the room, "I am weary, you all go attend to your tasks."

Her attendants obediently withdrew.

Vermilion Bird peered out, then quickly changed out of her palace attire, donned a red sacrificial robe, and put on a pig mask before swiftly leaping out the window, disappearing into the rainy night alleys.

Meanwhile, Zhao Changhe was in the VIP room of a gambling house. The room was not only fully equipped with gambling tables and tools but also had an inner chamber resembling a guest room of an inn, where someone was currently pouring hot water into a wooden tub.

Zhao Changhe, who had previously walked alone in the rainy night, looked quite dashing, but it turned out that being ostentatious had its costs; he now looked like a drowned rat.

The gambling house manager sat across from him at the gambling table, fiddling with a set of Pai Gow tiles, smiling at Zhao Changhe, "Young Master Zhao..."

"Ah?" Zhao Changhe’s hair was still dripping wet. He absentmindedly studied the Pai Gow tiles, "How do you play this?"

"...You really feel like playing cards in this state?"

"Why not?" Zhao Changhe secretly circulated his qi, turning the water vapor into steam, barely drying his face and body. His clothes, unfortunately, did not reach Miss Winged Fire Snake’s level of dryness, so he let them remain wet, "We’re in a gambling house to play cards, after all."

"That’s not necessarily so. When you went to the gambling house in Sword Lake City, you were after Sha Qi’s neck."

"Hey, your gambling house names sound so similar; isn’t that blatantly hinting at a chain? Might as well just use one name for all. Wei Zicai still pretends he doesn’t know who’s behind Kangle Gambling House?"

"Who said similar names mean it’s a chain store, so are you and Wang Dashan brothers?"

Zhao Changhe: "...I suggest you use lozenges next time."

The man couldn’t help but laugh, "We even don’t know why you think finding a gambling house means it’s ours, yet you happened to be right. However, that’s not important. Since your target is indeed to find us, we must be fated."

"Not necessarily." Zhao Changhe said slowly, "Since the young marquis adamantly refused to enter the gambling house, yet the first name he mentioned had to be the most famous in the Capital, and not just because it’s nearby... Why didn’t he mention any closer gambling houses while on the road? It only proves that this gambling house is distinct, specially marked in the young marquis’ mind."

The man nodded, "Makes sense. I am Jin Jiu, in charge of the Kangle Gambling House in the Capital, pleased to meet you, young master."

Zhao Changhe curiously asked, "Are all of your names a surname followed by an order? You’re a middle-aged man, managing a key place in the Capital, while Sha Qi is a young master in charge of Sword Lake City, how is this ranking organized?"

"We inherit these titles."

Zhao Changhe pondered thoughtfully, "So Ying Wu once had a group of brothers, some of which have faded away... the first four..."

"The first four have been gone a long time ago, with no one to continue," Jin Jiu sighed, "As the Worldly Society changes, who knows, Young Master Zhao, looking back in your old age, how many of your brothers will remain."

Zhao Changhe remained silent, feeling that although he had few friends, each of them had the air of a main character, not at all doomed to an early demise. Of course, this was something indescribable, and even he himself did not know when he might perish in an unknown place.

Jin Jiu spoke, "Enough idle chatter. Master Zhao has come specifically to find us, what is the matter?"

"If I haven’t guessed wrong, you are actually a professional intelligence organization... I also suspect that Listening Snow Tower is one of your subsidiaries, similar to the Blood God Sect and the Four Symbols Sect."

"You’ve guessed half right. We are indeed a professional intelligence organization, but Listening Snow Tower is only a long-term collaborator. If they can’t find someone to kill, they come to us for information. There is no subordination relationship, and we have no interest in the business of killing," Jin Jiu chuckled, "So, between us and you, there truly are no grievances or grudges."

"I reckon you initially started looking for clues about the Ancient Era and eventually transformed into possessing all sorts of information, developing into a business organization, right?" said Zhao Changhe. "I refuse to believe that the elites of the Heavenly List are only specialized in spying."

"Indeed," Jin Jiu did not deny, "We not only sell information but also buy it. The most important information concerns the Secret Realms of the Ancient Times and various lost Otherworldly Spaces. Everything else only comes as a secondary gain. To put it bluntly, worldly affairs are none of our business... So whatever status you hold, to us it’s merely a piece of information that can be traded, and it won’t affect our stance in any way."

"So even if I don’t give them face and step into your territory, you’d actually dare to receive me."

Jin Jiu clapped and laughed, "Of course. In the world of Martial Arts, seekers of divinity make merry above princes and lords, are you not one of them?"

Zhao Changhe nodded, "Since that’s the case... then I come to buy information, would you engage in this business?"

"If the information you want is about the recent conditions of the Emperor, we are ignorant of it, and thus cannot make this deal," Jin Jiu sighed, "We value our credibility and would not rashly concoct a plausible-sounding information just to swindle our clients’ money."

"What about the superficial conditions? That shouldn’t be a problem, right? How much?"

"This information in the Capital is basically known to all. Such information isn’t worth much—it’s free. Let it be a token of friendship."

"Thank you."

Common knowledge wasn’t something one could just ask anyone... Moreover, the information from your side can be verified with what others know; having a specialized source for information is quite advantageous.

Jin Jiu said, "At a glance, the Emperor spends most of his time in seclusion, only leaving seclusion to handle some affairs during court sessions, and he looks normal. What makes people uneasy is his somewhat listless spirit and lack of vitality in his voice, he does not at all possess the aura of the foremost figure under heaven. Coupled with frequent poor decisions, he shows none of his former brilliant strategies, so everyone suspects something went wrong. It’s not like the rumors that he’s disappeared completely—that isn’t the case."

This matched perfectly with the information from Tang Wanju, with no particular discrepancies.

Zhao Changhe stroked his chin and thought for a moment before suddenly asking, "Do you know anything about the inner details concerning the death of the Crown Prince?"

Jin Jiu smiled, "We only have speculations on that, and speculations aren’t worth much, just take them as they are."

"Your speculations, I believe, are quite valuable."

"Our guess is that it was the Emperor himself who did the deed."

Even though Zhao Changhe had anticipated numerous possibilities, he had never considered this one and was shocked, his eyes widening.

Damn, if Xia Longyuan could kill his own son, then me sitting here is akin to an old general on stage - am I just presenting myself to be taken?

Seeing Zhao Changhe, who had always been composed, finally showing a change of color, Jin Jiu felt inexplicably pleased and chuckled, "As I said, it’s merely a guess. As for why we suppose so, it wouldn’t be convenient to disclose to you unless you pay more... Oh, right, such matters don’t involve money."

Zhao Changhe glared at him, not saying a word.

"Alright," Jin Jiu leisurely looked towards the inner room door, where a beauty in a light gauze and corset by the name of the dealer had been standing by for a long time. Seeing Jin Jiu look over, the dealer softly said, "The bath water is ready. Let this servant assist the master in bathing..." fгeewёbnoѵel_cσm

Before Zhao Changhe could speak, the door was suddenly pushed open; a pig-headed figure burst in, knocking out two guards, clapped his hands, and walked in, "Assist vigorously, let me see how you bathe."

Jin Jiu looked towards Zhao Changhe with a half-smile, "I heard that Master Zhao in Sword Lake City was together with a pig-headed figure. Is this the one? If not, we would have to treat this as provocation and causing trouble."

The pig-headed figure looked up at the ceiling, with a disdainful expression showing unwillingness to converse.

Zhao Changhe’s sweat dripped down, "Um, it should be, yes, this is the one."

Jin Jiu rose leisurely, "Since Master Zhao already has attendant, then we shall not disturb any further. May the guest find peace and joy at Kangle Gambling House."

————

PS: I see some brothers are confused by the term "enigmatic"; it does not signify a lovestruck state when describing the doe-eyed mistiness. It’s just a way to depict a smoke and mist-like elusive description; don’t misunderstand.

R𝑒ad lat𝒆st chapt𝒆rs at f(r)eew𝒆bnov𝒆l.com Only