Chapter 407: The Undercover Mission
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Without concrete evidence, Tang Jinghong wouldn’t jump to conclusions. “It’s unclear if there’s collusion, but there’s definitely a connection,” he stated cautiously.
Chu Qingzhi whispered, “Hl go and inquire with the Minister of War about the exact situation.”
Tang Jinghong grasped Chu Qingzhi’s hand, his grip tightening gently, “Qingzhi, thank you.”
Chu Qingzhi touched his face and smiled, “No need to thank me, let’s go.”
Tang Jinghong followed Chu Qingzhi’s lead to the residence of the Minister of War, which had been sealed off, hiding a secret nobody expected.
In a moderately sized courtyard by the lake, a lamp shone on a table where two people sat, surrounded by a dozen others, seemingly awaiting something.
Suddenly, footsteps approached. The group in the courtyard tensed, their eyes fixed on the entrance. Recognizing who it was, they hurried forward to greet them.
“One” looked at “Nine” and asked, “Did everything go smoothly?”
“Nine” nodded, “All went well.”
“Two” gestured and ordered, “Sieve out the contents inside.”
The subordinates responded in unison and began sifting poppies from salt.
Chu Qingzhi and Tang Jinghong watched from the shadows. Chu Qingzhi had already briefed Tang Jinghong about the poppies.
Chu Qingzhi said, “Jinghong, I had planned to use ‘Nine’ to trace back to the source. But now, with there being nine other lines of poppy goods, we can’t show ourselves.”
If the “Yun” faction realized their operations were exposed, they would certainly retreat or flee. Given their ability to hide themselves, finding them again would be challenging.
A thought struck Tang Jinghong, “Qingzhi, are you thinking of…”
“I’m thinking of going undercover,” Chu Qingzhi said. “Jinghong, you’ll need to support me from the outside. We’ll aim to uproot the ‘Yun’ faction in the capital completely.”
Tang Jinghong was adamantly against it, “It’s too dangerous.”
Chu Qingzhi reassured him lightly, “Trust me, no one in this world can harm me.”
If Chu Qingzhi didn’t undertake this mission, it would fall on Tang Jinghong, a general duty-bound to protect his country. She couldn’t bear the thought of him risking his life, especially since this task was well within her capabilities.
Tang Jinghong pulled Chu Qingzhi into his arms, his voice tinged with unspoken emotion, “I’ll do it with you.”
Chu Qingzhi said, “Who will support me from the outside then?”
Tang Jinghong remained silent, feeling guilty for not being able to provide a stable life for Chu Qingzhi. Since being with him, she had been constantly on the move, facing danger. “Qingzhi, I still can’t agree to let you risk your life alone.”
Chu Qingzhi asked calmly, “Then how do we resolve this?”
Tang Jinghong, with a hint of obstinacy, suggested, “I’ll send someone else to do it.”
Chu Qingzhi insisted, “Jinghong, no one is more suitable than me. You know what failure would mean.”
Tang Jinghong didn’t respond.
Chu Qingzhi continued, “Jinghong, I promise I’ll be safe. Moreover, I’ll try to resolve everything within five days.” She needed to return for her brother’s wedding and couldn’t afford a long delay.
Tang Jinghong finally resigned himself to her decision.
“Can it be resolved in five days?”
Chu Qingzhi nodded firmly.
The situation was more perilous than any they had previously faced, and with Tang Jinghong unable to accompany her, he was reluctant to agree, “Qingzhi…”
Chu Qingzhi stepped back slightly and looked into Tang Jinghong’s eyes, “My brother’s wedding is on the 25th of August. Do you want to go back with me to attend?”
Without hesitation, Tang Jinghong nodded, “Yes.”
Chu Qingzhi asserted, “Then let’s not argue anymore. Follow my lead.”
She knew Tang Jinghong was worried about her, but she wanted to resolve the situation quickly so they could return to Chu Village and live a peaceful life.
Tang Jinghong finally resigned himself to her decision.
They continued to secretly observe “Nine” and his group.
Half an hour later, the poppies were completely sifted from the salt, packed into three boxes, and carried into a room.
Chu Qingzhi’s divine sense followed them into the room, which, to her surprise, turned out to be an incense workshop.
Inside, ten people worked in tandem, using poppies as a key ingredient to produce incense.
Five large boxes were positioned against the wall, and the workers stacked the three boxes on top of them.
“One” entered the room and said, “You may rest for today. Continue tomorrow, and remember, we need to ship out fifteen kilos of product. Everyone, please work hard.”
The ten workers respectfully stood up and replied, “Yes.”
They left the room and headed to their quarters in the adjacent courtyard, each entering their own room.
“One,” “Two,” and “Nine” arranged for ten subordinates to guard the place, then left with the rest of the group.
Chu Qingzhi observed that among the three, “Nine” spoke the least, making him the ideal candidate for her to impersonate.
The two followed them…
After leaving through the back door, “One” and “Two” took some subordinates and went one way, while “Nine” headed in a different direction alone.
“Nine” traversed several alleys and entered a wealthy household, moving with familiarity. He entered a courtyard and then a room.
Chu Qingzhi asked Tang Jinghong, “Whose house is this?”
Tang Jinghong surveyed the surroundings, “This is Prince Rui’s Mansion.”
Chu Qingzhi pointed to the room that “Nine” had just entered. “Is that the room where the servants live?”
Tang Jinghong nodded.
Chu Qingzhi observed the area. The defense was tight, but “Nine” had entered unobstructed, suggesting the place might have become a stronghold for the “Yun” faction.
“Jinghong, let’s enter the room.”
“Okay.”
The defense was tight, but it could not stop Chu Qingzhi, this female lead with cheats. She casually raised a strong wind to distract the others while sneaking into “Nine’s” room with Tang Jinghong.
She held a bell in her hand and gently shook it beside “Nine’s” ear.
Before “Nine” could react, the sound flooded his mind, leaving him dazed and standing there, unfocused.
Tang Jinghong watched “Nine” in amazement.
Chu Qingzhi waved her hand, covering the room with spiritual energy to prevent their voices from leaking out. She then sat down and began questioning “Nine.”
“Nine,” whose real name was Qu Xinwei, came from a humble background in the eastern border. He had been a street urchin, skilled in gathering information, and had joined the “Yun” faction seven years ago.
Qu Xinwei was ambitious and gradually caught the attention of the higher-ups as his abilities became apparent..
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