Xi Qingyue stared at the Fat Shopkeeper for quite some time, frightening him into a cold sweat.
Suddenly, she shook her head and sighed. “Sigh, Heaven cherishes life. This commandery princess is still young and doesn’t want to kill anyone. How about this? Tell me where Luoxia Valley is, and I’ll spare your life.”
Mu Jin, standing nearby, quickly lowered her head when she heard this. Pretending to straighten her clothes, she concealed the smile on her face.
When she looked up again, her expression was stern and solemn. She was afraid she might burst out laughing.
Nan Yun and the others also turned away. The biggest joke they had ever heard was Xi Qingyue claiming that she did not want to kill anyone.
The Fat Shopkeeper, however, knew nothing about Xi Qingyue. He was afraid she was saying this because of the astonishing abilities she had just displayed, rather than because she was ruthless. After all, he had not personally witnessed her killing anyone.
Now, when he heard her words, a glimmer of joy appeared on his face. He even asked for confirmation. “Commandery Princess, you’ll keep your word, won’t you? If I tell you where Luoxia Valley is, you have to let me go.”
Xi Qingyue smiled and nodded. “Of course. This commandery princess always keeps her promises. If I say I’ll spare you, then I’ll spare you.”
The Fat Shopkeeper was overjoyed by her definite answer. He glanced at Mu Jin and the others again. Seeing their respectful, obedient expressions, he finally felt reassured.
As for the three-year-old child sitting beside Xi Qingyue and happily eating a lollipop, he did not take her seriously at all.
He immediately sold out the Master of Luoxia Valley and gave them the exact location. “Commandery Princess, the entrance to Luoxia Valley is at Golden Crow Mountain, thirty li outside Xin’an City. Deep in the forest, there’s a hidden cave. If you pass through it, you’ll reach another mountain. Luoxia Valley lies between the two mountains. There used to be a village there, but the people living in it were poisoned to death by the valley master. It now belongs to Luoxia Valley.”
Xi Qingyue listened thoughtfully. She had not expected such a hidden place to exist. But if that was all there was to it, it should have been easy for others to discover.
At that thought, a hint of scrutiny entered her gaze as she looked at the Fat Shopkeeper. That damn fat man had actually dared to play tricks on her. He certainly had nerve.
Just then, the madam of the Inviting Moon Pavilion suddenly interjected. “Commandery Princess, he’s trying to harm you. Golden Crow Mountain is extremely dangerous. I’ve heard that tigers roam the area, and the depths of the forest are filled with countless poisonous insects. There’s often fog as well. The Master of Luoxia Valley is an expert in poison arts—who knows how many traps he may have set?”
The Fat Shopkeeper flew into a rage when he heard this. “Shen Hanyan, stop slandering me! You’ve never even been there, so how would you know there are tigers? I’ve been there many times and never encountered one.”
Then, afraid that Xi Qingyue might not believe him, he hurriedly explained, “Commandery Princess, I really didn’t lie to you. If you don’t believe me, I can lead you there myself.”
Xi Qingyue nodded indifferently. “This commandery princess believes you. There’s no need for you to lead the way. Once you put your fingerprint on this statement, you can leave.”
The Fat Shopkeeper was overjoyed. He immediately pressed his fingerprint onto the paper Mu Jin handed him.
Then, he cast a smug glance at Shen Hanyan and prepared to leave.
Shen Hanyan was utterly confused. She did not understand why Xi Qingyue had not believed her. As she watched the Fat Shopkeeper walk away, resentment filled her heart. They had both committed evil deeds, so why was he allowed to leave while she was not?
Suddenly, the Fat Shopkeeper stopped in his tracks. His entire body pitched backward, and a bloody hole appeared in the back of his head.
Shen Hanyan froze on the spot. She swept her gaze across everyone present before finally fixing her eyes on the small hand holding a gun—Xi Weilan’s.
Xi Qingyue smiled and patted Xi Weilan on the head. “Weilan, well done.”
Shen Hanyan and the few remaining survivors were all stunned by the sight.
The next moment, Shen Hanyan looked at the Fat Shopkeeper’s corpse on the ground and burst into wild, unhinged laughter.
After laughing, she snorted and kicked the corpse. “Damn fat man. That’s more like it. The wicked things you did were no fewer than mine. If we’re going to hell, we might as well go together.”
Then she looked at Xi Qingyue and smiled faintly. “Commandery Princess, aren’t you afraid that we’ll refuse to confess after putting on this little performance right in front of us?”
Xi Qingyue looked completely unconcerned. “Whether you confess or not makes no difference. Aside from the location of Luoxia Valley, nothing else matters. You’re all going to die anyway. If you confess, you’ll simply die more comfortably.”
Shen Hanyan suddenly gave a seductive smile and sat down on the floor in a languid pose. “Since the commandery princess has put it that way, I’ll tell you. The true master of the Inviting Moon Pavilion is the magistrate of Xin’an City. I merely followed his orders. I just wonder—do you dare to deal with him?”
She spoke casually, but her gaze remained fixed on Xi Qingyue’s face. She wanted to know how Xi Qingyue would react to the news.
Xi Qingyue smiled calmly. “Why wouldn’t I dare? Of all the magistrates I’ve killed along the way, they make up the majority. If you produce evidence, I’ll give you the most beautiful death possible—one without pain, only happiness.”
Shen Hanyan was stunned for a moment, then smiled and nodded. “Of course I have evidence. Every time I delivered banknotes, I recorded it in the account book. I also tucked away some letters the magistrate sent into the same book. I find you rather pleasing, so I’ll tell you where it is. The things are in a secret compartment beneath the bed in my room at the Inviting Moon Pavilion.”
Xi Qingyue gave Mu Jin a look, and Mu Jin immediately sent someone to retrieve the evidence.
She glanced at Shen Hanyan, who sat on the floor with an easygoing expression, ready to face death, and shook her head. “What a pity. If you had done a few fewer wicked things, I might have spared you.”
Shen Hanyan ran a hand along the hair by her temple and straightened her clothes before giving her a radiant smile. “Commandery Princess, I came to terms with everything long ago at the Inviting Moon Pavilion. You can do it now.”
Xi Qingyue gently shook her head. “Not yet. We still have to go to the county office. You can repeat what you just said in front of the magistrate and the people.”
“All right.” Shen Hanyan did not refuse. She was doomed to die anyway. The bigger the commotion, the better. It would be nice to have a few more people accompany her to the grave.
Xi Qingyue then turned her gaze toward the five people remaining in the Ten Directions Teahouse. They had long since been rendered speechless with shock.
She asked only one question. “Is the person behind the Guangling Pavilion truly the Inspector of Xinzhou?”
The five men nodded repeatedly. Although they did not know the specifics now that the teahouse manager was gone, they had always acted on the inspector’s orders. The mastermind behind everything had to be the Inspector of Xinzhou.
Xi Qingyue could not be bothered to ask any more questions herself. Instead, she had Mu Jin and Nan Yun interrogate them carefully. They questioned the men while recording their answers, then had all five press their fingerprints onto written statements.
Everything proceeded smoothly, and the account book was soon brought over from the Inviting Moon Pavilion.
Xi Qingyue flipped through it for a while, then closed it and prepared to head to the county office. Since it was not dark yet, it would be best to deal with the magistrate immediately.
Just then, the county lieutenant of Xin’an City arrived at the teahouse with dozens of soldiers.
The county lieutenant quickly ordered the soldiers to surround the teahouse entrance. With a vicious expression, he shouted into the teahouse, “The magistrate has ordered us to arrest everyone inside! You have brazenly murdered the people of Xin’an City in broad daylight. Your crimes are unforgivable. Anyone who resists is to be executed on the spot!”
Xi Qingyue took a seal of office from her sleeve, the corners of her lips curving upward. “They arrived sooner than expected. Mu Jin, go out there.”
Mu Jin acknowledged the order and accepted the seal. “Yes, Commandery Princess.”
Then she strode toward the entrance.
Looking at the soldiers and gathered townspeople outside, she raised the seal in her hand and declared in a clear voice, “By order of Princess Wenqing, effective today, Xinan City shall be placed entirely under the administration of Commandery Princess Cenyue and Commandery Princess Suwei. Whatever the commandery princesses decide is as the princess herself has decreed. Within their fief, the commandery princesses have authority over all matters.”
