Don't Provoke the Black Lotus O [Transmigration Novel] - Chapter 68

68: Building Relationships

The question from “Qin Shuang” sent a jolt of alarm through Jiang Ci.

Did she notice something?!

Jiang Ci thought she had hidden herself perfectly. Ever since encountering “Qin Shuang” she had deliberately kept a low profile, speaking as little as possible and even refusing tea to avoid exposing her chin.

She had wrapped herself up tightly, not even revealing a single hand—she wore gloves. Her mask completely concealed her face, with only two small round holes at the eye positions, just enough for her to see outside.

Disguised to this extent, even her own mother wouldn’t recognize her.

Jiang Ci couldn’t tell whether Xi Lingxue’s question was just casual or if she was already starting to suspect her identity.

“Qin Shuang’s” words also drew the attention of the others.

Sai Na snapped out of her daze and immediately cast a curious, gossipy look in their direction.

She knew very well that the Xiaoyao Sect had no connection with their bandit group, let alone with the Prince of Duan. So why had the sect leader appeared here? Why had she abducted the Prince of Duan?

…Was it related to “Qin Shuang”?

Was there an affair?!

Jiang Ci remained silent, feeling the weight of everyone’s intense gazes fixed on her. She felt as though she were sitting on pins and needles.

She still had to maintain her reputation outside, and with outsiders present, she couldn’t afford to reveal her identity now. So she feigned composure and replied in a deep, domineering tone, “This sovereign acts as she pleases. No explanations are needed.”

As her words fell, silence enveloped the room.

Xi Lanhua’s eyes darted back and forth between the two of them.

Wow… this Xiaoyao Sect leader is so arrogant!

Earlier, she had tried to take her away without any explanation, and now she was talking back to “Qin Shuang” like this. Even Hong San was nothing but trash in her eyes—who in the entire world could she possibly fear?!

Everyone was inwardly marveling, while Wei Yueyan quietly pursed her lips.

The sect leader is way too overbearing. She’ll have to explain herself to Officer Qin tomorrow…

Failing to get an answer, “Qin Shuang” frowned slightly and was about to press further when Jiang Ci abruptly stood up, avoiding her.

“Qin Shuang” froze, her gaze following Jiang Ci’s figure as the latter strode straight toward the tent’s entrance.

She’s leaving already?

Jiang Ci had already pieced together the whole story and didn’t dare stay any longer, afraid that Xi Lingxue might tear off her disguise at any moment.

Lifting the tent flap with one hand, Jiang Ci didn’t turn back. With her back to the group, she said in a low voice, “Where is A Ta? This sovereign will go assess the situation.”

A night breeze suddenly swept in, carrying a faint chill. The woman stood tall and graceful, her black robes nearly blending into the darkness outside, yet the firelight from the tent cast a dazzling golden outline around her.

Light and shadow intertwined mysteriously on her figure.

Xi Lingxue’s heart stirred.

It took Sai Na a moment to realize the question was directed at her. She hurriedly replied, “At Shuntian Tavern in the eastern town. Be careful—he’s—”

Before she could finish, the figure at the entrance had already vanished into the night.

Wei Yueyan bowed slightly to the group, then swiftly followed, darting out like a shadow.

Xi Lanhua stared blankly for a long while before exclaiming, “Heavens, what kind of people are in the Xiaoyao Sect… Liang Kingdom is truly full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers!”

…

Wu Yi’s troops would arrive by tomorrow, leaving little time.

Jiang Ci had never trusted A Ta and now intended to investigate his true intentions.

Back when Helian Ping had told her that A Ta was the eighth-ranked expert in Liang Kingdom, Jiang Ci had been no match for him. But now, things were different. She had already single-handedly killed Qi Zhan, who was ranked tenth, not to mention the elite members of the Dark Hall under her command.

As Jiang Ci and Wei Yueyan left the mountain stronghold, the hidden shadows lurking in the darkness swiftly followed.

A group of black-clad figures darted through the mountains, leaping over branches and leaves like ghosts.

The two had been gone for so long, yet they hadn’t brought the Prince of Duan back with them. It was truly strange.

Ji Shuibao asked, “Sect Leader, where are we headed?”

“Shuntian Tavern. We’re capturing A Ta.”

Yi Huoshe: “The Empress Dowager’s lapdog? What’s he doing here?”

They were still unaware of the situation, but Jiang Ci had already heard everything from Sai Na.

According to her, A Ta had been secretly facilitating their operations, ensuring they remained undetected by the imperial court.

So, the tavern was merely a front—the people inside were all A Ta’s subordinates, a classic case of “making a feint to the east while attacking in the west.”

From the Empress Dowager’s perspective, her desire to eliminate General Wu Yi and reclaim military authority was genuine—after all, he had always been a thorn in her side. But the idea of offering amnesty? That was undoubtedly a lie, especially under the guise of the Empress’s decree. There was no way it was well-intentioned.

Sai Na, having no experience with court politics, was no match for these schemers.

Jiang Ci asked, “What about the explosives?”

During the assassination of Liao Yi, the Minister of Works, they had obtained a secret letter from him, revealing that the Empress Dowager had ordered the covert production of a batch of explosives. The location wasn’t in the capital, so Jiang Ci had sent people to investigate, but they hadn’t reported back yet.

“Just got word,” Lou Jingou said. “Our people arrived too late—they’d already cleared out. Once Liao Yi died, all the explosives were moved.”

Yi Huoshe cursed, “Those bastards! They’re worse than dogs!”

“…” Lou Jingou: “Watch your language. Don’t insult dogs.”

Ji Shuibao: “That old woman is definitely up to no good. She must be plotting something again.”

Wei Yueyan: “Oh, how surprising. As if she hasn’t plotted enough already?”

Jiang Ci: “Enough chatter! Move faster—we’ll know once we capture A Ta!”

The group: “Makes sense!”

…

Jiang Ci’s group acted swiftly, leaving without hesitation. Back at the stronghold, the others were lost in thought.

After a long silence, Xi Lingxue was the first to snap out of it. She asked Sai Na, “Do you have ties with the Xiaoyao Sect?”

“No,” Sai Na frowned, her eyes filled with confusion. “Today was the first time I’ve met this sect leader… She truly lives up to her reputation.”

Xi Lanhua said, “That person was so weird! She just told me to go with her out of nowhere! Didn’t even say who she was—I don’t even know her!”

Sai Na was equally puzzled. The sect leader’s actions were truly beyond conventional reasoning.

But right now, she had no time to dwell on it. What concerned her more were Jiang Ci’s words.

“Officer Qin, is A Ta really loyal to the Empress Dowager?”

If that were the case, even if their plan succeeded tomorrow and Wu Yi was eliminated, would they actually honor the promise of amnesty?

Sai Na was now utterly distressed. She didn’t understand these intricate schemes and had thought she’d found a way out—until the sect leader’s words struck her like a bolt of lightning. If this was all a trap, hadn’t she doomed everyone?

As a native of Yu Kingdom, Xi Lingxue’s understanding of Liang’s court politics was limited. She could only analyze things from her own perspective.

“In my opinion, if you want to take the amnesty route, Wu Yi cannot be killed.”

If the “proof of loyalty” were the head of a rebel leader, that would be one thing. But killing a highly respected general in the court? How could that lead to amnesty? The entire court would label you a traitor.

From the Empress Dowager’s perspective, once Wu Yi was dead, her goal would be achieved. As for Sai Na and those loyal to the Empress—wouldn’t eliminating them in one fell swoop be even better?

This plan killed two birds with one stone.

Sai Na’s heart sank to the depths.

Even without concrete evidence, she now believed “Qin Shuang’s” words, because this analysis made far more sense.

She had only wanted to prove her loyalty to the Empress. With A Ta presenting a secret decree and continuously aiding them in the shadows, she had trusted him.

With nearly a thousand followers, including many elderly and children, they couldn’t keep living as fugitives forever. When this opportunity arose, she had naturally seized it.

Unfortunately, her thinking had been too naive.

Sai Na propped her forehead with one hand, her long, curly hair falling over her brows. Her entire demeanor radiated fragility.

When they’d first met, she had been so vibrant. Now, she seemed utterly defeated.

Xi Lanhua’s gaze lingered on the woman, her heart inexplicably pricked by an indescribable pang of discomfort.

“Boss Sai Na,” Xi Lanhua called out softly, trying to comfort her. “This isn’t your fault. The other side is just too cunning! Don’t look at me—even though I’m the Prince of Duan, if I were in your shoes, I’d have been fooled too!”

Jin Yu glanced at her, thinking, At least the Prince has some self-awareness.

But the attempt at comfort clearly didn’t help. Sai Na remained despondent, until “Qin Shuang’s” next words made her eyebrows rise slightly.

The woman smirked, her tone cool and detached. “The Empress Dowager is indeed cunning, but isn’t there someone here who’s even more cunning?”

Xi Lanhua blinked. “Who?”

Jin Yu: “The Xiaoyao Sect leader…”

That person had already gone after A Ta. Time was of the essence—they couldn’t afford delays.

Xi Lingxue still had the hired rebel army at her disposal and could mobilize them for assistance. She asked Sai Na about their battle plans, and the group gathered around a table to study the map and strategize.

“According to the plan, we’ll negotiate with Wu Yi,” Sai Na said, pointing to a spot on the map. “Right here. We’ll bring the hostage, and A Ta’s men will ambush him, waiting for the chance to assassinate him.”

Xi Lingxue studied the terrain. If archers were ambushed on both sides of the mountain, Wu Yi would be in grave danger. Once chaos erupted, even the Prince of Duan might not escape unscathed.

If anything happened to Xi Lanhua, the blame would fall entirely on Sai Na. A Ta would walk away scot-free, mission accomplished.

How ruthless.

Xi Lingxue’s eyes darkened. Fortunately, she had arrived tonight—there was still time to fix this.

After some discussion, as dawn began to break, someone suddenly rushed into the tent.

“Boss! The Xiaoyao Sect has captured A Ta! They’ve also brought several carts of explosives!”

Earlier, Sai Na had informed everyone that the Xiaoyao Sect was on their side and not to be wary.

Of course, even if they were, there was no stopping them.

The people inside the tent were stunned.

Sai Na: Weren’t they just going to assess the situation? They’ve already captured him?!

Xi Lanhua: There were explosives too? “Qin Shuang’s” mention of arrows was an understatement!

Amid their astonishment, a black-clad woman strode in, dragging A Ta by the collar before tossing him onto the floor.

“Keep him. The plan proceeds as scheduled.”

Jiang Ci’s tone was casual, as if the man in her grasp wasn’t the eighth-ranked expert of Liang Kingdom but a mere cabbage, entirely at her mercy.

Jin Yu’s eyes widened in shock. When she looked at Jiang Ci again, her gaze was practically sparkling with admiration.

Jiang Ci exchanged a brief glance with “Qin Shuang” before averting her eyes. She turned her back and declared, “This sovereign will be the hostage.”

Xi Lanhua, who had just recovered from her shock, was stunned once more.

“…You?”

“Qin Shuang” stared at her for a long moment, her eyes deep and unfathomable. “Sect Leader, without A Ta’s cooperation, do you truly believe you can capture Wu Yi in one move?”

“Why not?” Jiang Ci smirked arrogantly. “If Officer Qin doubts us, step outside and see for yourself whether the Xiaoyao Sect has the capability.”

Xi Lanhua immediately rushed to lift the tent flap.

Jiang Ci snapped her fingers, and in the next instant, figures emerged from seemingly nowhere—each dressed in eccentric attire, their movements agile.

The sight was overwhelming, the sheer number impossible to estimate.

Ji Shuibao darted up to “Qin Shuang” striking a deliberately cool pose. “Murder, arson, corpse disposal—we excel at it all. If Officer Qin ever requires our services in the future, don’t hesitate to commission us. Satisfaction guaranteed.”

He raised an eyebrow and handed her a card.

Jiang Ci’s eye twitched. Suppressing the urge to smack him, she glared and flicked her wrist: Get lost! Stop advertising!

Ji Shuibao pouted: But she’s our future sect leader’s wife! It’s a greeting gift!

Jiang Ci gritted her teeth: Unnecessary!

“Qin Shuang” hesitated for a moment but actually accepted the card.

Ji Shuibao spread his hands: See? She wants it!

Jiang Ci: “…”

Xi Lanhua tiptoed over to “Qin Shuang” and whispered, “Build good relations! We absolutely must stay on the Xiaoyao Sect’s good side—we can’t afford to offend them!”

The woman glanced meaningfully at Jiang Ci before murmuring, “Indeed… especially this sect leader. She’s remarkably capable.”

Jiang Ci’s back inexplicably chilled. The woman’s tone felt oddly sarcastic—it didn’t sound like praise at all.

…

By the time the sky brightened fully, Wu Yi’s troops had finally arrived at the mountain’s base.

By now, Jiang Ci had already asked Xin Yuehu to disguise her as Xi Lanhua.

Everything proceeded according to plan. Sai Na brought the “hostage” to the designated negotiation spot, while Wu Yi only brought a small contingent of soldiers.

Xi Lingxue observed from a distance. In addition to the Xiaoyao Sect members, the rebel army she had hired was also in position, ready to surround the area at her command.

The woman narrowed her eyes, her gaze fixed on the “hostage.” As the two sides talked, Wu Yi suddenly turned hostile. He drew his blade and cut down one of Sai Na’s men before lunging forward to seize the “hostage.”

Once the “Prince of Duan” was in his grasp, Wu Yi discarded all restraint.

The burly, bearded man threw his head back and laughed. “You worthless scum! What gives you the right to negotiate with me?!”

He waved his hand and roared, “Kill them all! Leave none alive!”

Before the words had fully left his mouth, a cold, sharp dagger pressed against Wu Yi’s throat.

The man froze, slowly turning to meet the “Prince of Duan’s” gaze, utterly disregarding the blade nicking his skin and drawing a thin line of bl00d.

“…You dare play me?”

From afar, the woman’s lips pressed into a tight line, her heart leaping into her throat.

Beside her, Jin Yu couldn’t help but tense up. “Is this Wu Yi’s skin made of steel…? How is he not afraid of death?”