Chapter 1301 – Defeating Huang Song, Unifying Dongqing (Part 43)
Feng Gui immediately gathered his belongings and rushed to the front line.
Xiangyang was not far from the front lines; with a swift horse, it would only take three to five days to get there. Feng Gui arrived quickly.
Upon hearing Feng Gui’s visit, Qi Guanrang couldn’t help but smirk. It seemed his judgment was correct—the Feng family had not betrayed them.
After some small talk, Feng Gui got straight to the point and asked Qi Guanrang for that letter.
Qi Guanrang replied, “This letter was found on a spy.”
Feng Gui took it carefully, took a glance, and his eyes widened in shock.
“What handwriting is this—”
The characters on the letter were evidently his, and certain writing habits were unmistakably familiar to anyone who knew him well.
Feng Gui set the letter down and stated candidly, “To be honest, this letter was definitely not written by me, but the person who forged it is truly skilled. Even I was deceived. If it weren’t for the horrifying content, I might have thought I wrote such a letter myself.”
Feng Gui’s own words illustrated just how profound the forgery was.
It was convincingly realistic!
Qi Guanrang said, “At first glance, the letter was chilling, but upon reflection, it felt off. There must be some petty person working behind the scenes. Master Feng, you should investigate those around you; few will be familiar with your writing habits.”
Feng Gui sincerely thanked Qi Guanrang, grateful that the other’s trust spared the Feng family from an unwarranted disaster.
If this matter reached Jiang Pengji’s ears, who knows what calamity would ensue.
The Feng family had been keeping a low profile for years, but low profile didn’t mean they were uncompetitive.
In chaotic times, power dynamics shift dramatically; who could guarantee that today’s favored would not be the heads on stakes tomorrow?
The Feng family acted cautiously, even their alliances were ambiguous and discreet; how could they boldly communicate with Feng Jue to determine their stance?
Currently, the Feng family favored Jiang Pengji and held specific expectations for Feng Jin.
As long as Feng Jin could establish a foothold with Jiang Pengji and maintain her trust, how could the Feng family worry about future opportunities for development?
The Feng family wouldn’t abandon their longstanding principles and change allegiance to Huang Song for the sake of one Feng Jue!
Even thinking about it was ridiculous—this was merely a scheme by someone with ill intentions.
Feng Gui nodded seriously in agreement.
To avoid suspicion, he didn’t dare to ask too much about his younger brother Feng Jue.
Qi Guanrang discreetly probed further, ensuring that the Feng family had no suspicion before finally feeling at ease.
After Feng Gui left, Qi Guanrang called over a few people and asked, “Has that woman shown any abnormalities?”
Ta Xue was being closely monitored, but this woman’s gaze was uncanny; her enchanting eyes could easily ensnare a commoner’s mind, causing the weak-willed to be manipulated. To prevent Ta Xue from escaping, Qi Guanrang ordered a small black room to be covered with blue bricks.
After tossing Ta Xue inside, they sealed the exit, leaving only small ventilation holes and a door for food.
Even with those measures, Qi Guanrang was still uneasy and set shifts to monitor her around the clock.
The young soldier reported, “No irregularities observed.”
Qi Guanrang asked, “No irregularities?”
He personally went to interrogate her. Ta Xue’s response was cold and indifferent, displaying a reluctant attitude as if using silent treatment.
“Lady Ta Xue, you share a master-servant bond with the Lord. If you encounter any difficulties, you can speak up—surely, the Lord would not neglect you?” Qi Guanrang persuaded Ta Xue. “This place is very secure; no one can threaten you; you can…”
Some words struck a nerve with Ta Xue, eliciting a derisive laugh. “What master-servant? That’s just a monster!”
Qi Guanrang froze, his expression darkening.
How dare she slander his master in front of him? Who gave her such courage?
Ta Xue’s voice rose, “The real Liu Xi has long been usurped! This one is just a monster causing chaos in the world!”
Qi Guanrang’s gaze darkened, and he raised his right hand, gently waving his feather fan to signal the soldiers beside him to retreat.
Knowing too much could lead to a quick demise.
Qi Guanrang stated sternly, “Don’t speak of supernatural forces; what do you know of usurpation and monsters? Lady Ta Xue, betraying your old master is a capital offense, and now to smear their name is unforgivable. If you wish to live, it’s best to behave and not pull any tricks.”
Ta Xue shouted, “The real Liu Xi is dead! This one is a delusional monster! Since she was usurped, everywhere she goes brings chaos and war; the upheaval in the capital is due to her stealing the national fortune! You people are aiding her tyranny—may you die an unpeaceful death!”
Qi Guanrang gripped his hand tightly, almost breaking the handle of his fan.
Ta Xue seemed to regain her clarity, sneering, “How well do you know Liu Xi? I was her personal maid; I know everything about her since childhood. Liu Xi is gentle and reserved; she wouldn’t dare kill a person, let alone swat a mosquito… The real Liu Xi was killed by bandits! This one is merely a usurper, causing war and slaughter—a wicked monster of catastrophe!”
Qi Guanrang said nothing as Ta Xue continued, “That monster is terrifying, having taken over another’s body, stealing family, and using Liu Xi’s identity to act with impunity! I hate, I hate not being able to expose this monster; she dares to scheme for the national fortune… We are not of her kin, her heart must be different. You should all be cautious; she might reveal her fangs and harm you one by one!”
Qi Guanrang replied, “No evidence, no proof.”
Ta Xue flashed a seductive smile, casually saying, “If I remember correctly, Mr. Qi Guan is the son-in-law of Wei Yuan. Haven’t you heard what he said about the original Liu Xi? Wei Yuan was Liu Xi’s teacher; what I say cannot be false, and your father-in-law’s words could also be forged? You’ve all been deceived—she is the monster stirring the world into chaos—”
Even though sages advise against speaking of supernatural forces, ancient people were quite superstitious, or else the emperor wouldn’t have needed to “divinely justify” his rule over the people.
With the fall of five nations and continuous warfare, ordinary people hearing Ta Xue speak this way might very well believe it.
But who is Qi Guanrang?
He was a man hailed as a “big shot” by the Audience; how could he be brainwashed?
Attributing war and chaos to a “monster” was exceedingly ridiculous.
Even if Liu Xi wasn’t the current Lord, so what?
From beginning to end, the only person he cherished as a close friend was this current Lord.
“You are the true monster, aren’t you?” Qi Guanrang said in a low voice. “It’s just a pity your skills at inciting discord aren’t up to par. Blaming the unrest of war on a single person is the biggest flaw you could make. Spend more time studying; don’t come out here and flaunt your half-baked skills.”
Ta Xue flushed with indignation and shame at Qi Guanrang’s ridicule.
“She really is a usurping monster!” Ta Xue exclaimed. “The Old Patriarch knows this, which is why he has kept his distance from her all these years!”
Qi Guanrang laughed, “How fortunate, the Lord knows too.”
