Not to mention him, even Wu Jinliang suddenly reacted, shouting loudly: "Chuntian, someone's trying to frame us!"
Having a loud voice was useless. The leading armored soldier waved a hand, and immediately two men rushed out to seize Shi Chun.
Shi Chun’s face was dark, but he didn’t resist or try to escape. He knew resistance was futile; these armored soldiers were all High Martial cultivators at a minimum, and he was no match for any one of them.
Resisting in Zhixu City would only lead to a worse outcome, so he could only allow himself to be apprehended, being forcefully dragged down the steps.
However, he still had to defend himself, stating earnestly: “We don’t know this ruffian, nor have we stolen anything from him.
He is slandering us. I hope the heavenly generals will see clearly.”
But the Grimy Man shouted: “It must have been them who stole it! After they bumped into me, my Blue Jade Essence disappeared!”
The leading armored soldier waved his hand, “Search them!”
His subordinates immediately got to work, publicly frisking Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang. As a result, no suspicious items were found on either of them.
However, when searching the package Wu Jinliang carried, a chunk of glowing blue, ice-like stone fell out.
Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang’s faces immediately changed drastically.
They both knew this was not their item.
The Grimy Man immediately shouted: “That’s right, it’s this Blue Jade Essence! I dug this out while mining, many people know!”
A noisy murmur of pointing and gossiping immediately rose from the onlookers.
Many people scoffed and teased, mocking Shi Chun and the other for their audacity in seeking death.
Those who recognized the two, however, dared not speak, fearing Shi Chun’s grudge if they mocked too early.
In any case, it was none of their business, and they were just watching the show.
Wu Jinliang, his eyes red with anger, shouted: “Chuntian, someone is framing us!”
His shout was filled with more anger.
His cries of being framed were useless; at least the human and physical evidence in broad daylight was clear. The leading armored soldier waved his hand and ordered, “Take them away!”
Shi Chun, however, turned to look at the Far-Gazing Tower lobby, trying to find the proprietress’s figure.
At this point, he didn’t need to think further; he could guess that the forces behind Shen Youkun had made their move. His feared scenario had finally materialized.
He knew the forces behind Shen Youkun had extended their reach into the Land of Exile, but since it was an act violating heavenly laws and a guilty conscience, he thought they wouldn’t dare to be too reckless. He never expected them to openly act against them within Zhixu City, not even giving them a chance to leave the city.
At this juncture, throughout the entire Land of Exile, the only person who might be able to help them was the Far-Gazing Tower proprietress whom they knew. Everyone else was like an ant, not even qualified to speak with Zhixu City.
However, the lobby entrance was blocked by the crowded people, completely obscuring the proprietress from view.
But he firmly believed that with such a commotion happening right under the proprietress’s nose, it was impossible for her not to be startled.
He immediately shouted towards Far-Gazing Tower: “Proprietress, we didn’t steal anything! We were about to leave immediately; why would we cause trouble at this crucial moment? If we had stolen something, how would we dare to wander slowly here? We would have left long ago!” He then turned back and shouted to Wu Jinliang, “Quick, beg your mother!”
Wu Jinliang immediately stiffened his neck and yelled hysterically: “Mother, save me! Mother, we’ve been wronged, save us, Mother…”
The escorting guards evidently hadn’t expected such an outburst from them. Surprised, and finding them noisy, they quickly acted to seal their mute points, directly silencing the two, and even kicked them a few times publicly.
“Mother? Who is that big fellow calling ‘Mother’? The proprietress of Far-Gazing Tower?”
Discussions rose again among the onlookers, many turning their heads to look at Far-Gazing Tower situated there.
And this was the only self-rescue method Shi Chun could think of at this moment, using all his might.
He still held the same judgment: helping the forces behind Shen Youkun cause trouble here was an act that violated heavenly laws. Otherwise, their series of actions wouldn’t need to be so secretive, nor would they need to beat around the bush and fabricate excuses to arrest them.
Making a big fuss might make the dark hand hesitate to act for fear of repercussions.
If it truly came to that, he would have no choice but to bring out the purplish-glowing Nebula to save himself.
Though the repercussions would be endless, if things reached a desperate point, he would just have to take things as they came. In any case, he absolutely would not allow himself to fall here.
The two, full of resentment yet helpless, were thus escorted away.
The crowd watching the excitement gradually dispersed.
The Young Apprentice on the steps outside still had ink marks on the corner of his mouth, from when he had held his brush earlier.
He stared blankly for a while in the direction Shi Chun and the other were taken, then suddenly turned and ran.
He ran to the back hall, up the stairs, and into the hall on the second floor. He immediately saw the person he was looking for: Lan Qiaoyan and Old Tan were standing by the street-facing window lattice, looking out through the windowpanes at the gradually returning calm.
The Young Apprentice quickly approached them, saying, “Proprietress, Chun Chun and the big fellow were arrested by the city guards.”
Lan Qiaoyan turned around, not minding what he said, but pulled out a handkerchief from her sleeve and walked over to wipe the ink from the corner of his mouth, then said, “I know.
Go look at your ledgers.”
The Young Apprentice hesitated, wanting to speak, but finally, under the proprietress’s smiling gaze, he obediently mumbled, “Oh,” and turned to leave.
Lan Qiaoyan also returned to the window, looking in the direction Shi Chun was taken. She had been there when they were taken away, and had clearly seen the entire process.
But she didn’t need to, nor was she qualified to, come forward and stop the city guards from arresting people.
“Did they really steal something?” she muttered to herself.
Old Tan hesitated, saying, “Actually, what Shi Chun said makes a lot of sense. They’ve toiled so hard and are about to leave now.
To steal something in Zhixu City, and then not leave quickly after stealing, but instead leisurely stroll around the city, not at all afraid of trouble — it truly seems illogical.”
Lan Qiaoyan looked out the window and asked, “The one who has a grudge against Shi Chun, is it Qi Yueru’s son?”
Old Tan: “Yes, his name is Shen Youkun.”
Lan Qiaoyan: “Is Qi Yueru still in the city?”
Old Tan: “Yes, she hasn’t left. It’s said she’s still handling the aftermath for her son and brother.”
Lan Qiaoyan mused, “Qi Yueru just entered the city, and her son and brother died. Shi Chun and the big fellow were about to leave but were arrested.
If they truly were framed, and someone dared to openly frame them in Zhixu City, then this matter is not so simple.”
Old Tan added, “The murder scene was personally investigated by Ba Yingshan with his men.
I heard that hundreds of people were buried in a mine shaft, seemingly having died from poisoning before being buried. Their deaths are very strange.
The skeleton of something brought back is now displayed in the palace city as a decoration. Du Huoguan is still here, and that ‘Jailer’ hasn’t left yet either.”
Lan Qiaoyan raised her chin, “Send a visiting card to Du Huoguan. It’s been a long time since I visited him.”
Old Tan paused slightly, “Proprietress, are you going to get involved in this matter? Our Far-Gazing Tower has a rule: here, we don’t intervene in matters that don’t concern us, especially those official duties over there.”
Lan Qiaoyan smiled faintly, “How can it be unrelated? People were arrested right outside my Far-Gazing Tower, and they were so noisy that they even dragged my name into it.
Surely I can go inquire about what exactly happened?”
Since she had said so, Old Tan could only give up. He bowed slightly and departed…
On a small gate tower in the inner city, Ba Yingshan, from his elevated position, personally watched Shi Chun and the other being escorted towards the prison.
Seeing that no incidents occurred, he slowly turned around and continued his patrol on the city wall. As for the interrogation of Shi Chun and the other, he had no intention of participating, nor did he intend to show his face to the two little rascals.
Midway along the wall, a subordinate suddenly appeared and informed him, “Lan Qiaoyan just entered the inner city and went to visit the Prison Inspector.”
Ba Yingshan was startled, then asked, “Why is she seeing the Prison Inspector?”
The subordinate replied, “I don’t know, only that she sent a visiting card.
However, among the people just arrested, I heard one might be Lan Qiaoyan’s future son-in-law. Could she have come in for this reason?”
Ba Yingshan was both annoyed and amused, “Nonsense! If Lan Qiaoyan would be willing to marry her daughter to such trash, I’d cut off my own head!”
Though he said this, he still felt a bit uneasy inside.
They had just arrested people, and Lan Qiaoyan immediately went to see Du Huoguan. Was there truly no connection between them? Thinking about it again, he still felt it was impossible.
He didn’t believe Lan Qiaoyan could truly consider such bottom-tier scum as a son-in-law. Besides, Far-Gazing Tower had never interfered with official business here.
Furthermore, the deed was already done; it was too late to regret. He could only instruct his subordinates to continue monitoring relevant movements.
Inside a building hall, it was spacious, ancient, and tranquil.
In the center of the main hall was a pool, two zhang in both length and width.
The pool held no water but was arranged with many irregular, multicolored raw gemstones. To the uninitiated, it looked chaotic and disorderly, but those who understood recognized it as a star map.
Du Huoguan, clad in green robes and exuding a formidable aura, paced by the edge of the pool. While scrutinizing the contents, he occasionally reached into a tall basin nearby to pick up a gemstone, bringing it into the pool from a distance, gradually completing the star map within the pool.
Outside the main door, someone led Lan Qiaoyan to the entrance, made a gesture to invite her in, then withdrew.
Lan Qiaoyan lifted her skirt, stepped over the threshold, and walked up to Du Huoguan, bowing respectfully, “Lan Qiaoyan greets the Prison Inspector!”
Seeing that he didn’t react, she simply followed behind the pacing Du Huoguan.
After examining the star map, she made a tutting sound and said, “The Prison Inspector truly has an amazing memory. This thing gives me a headache just looking at it.”
Du Huoguan didn’t even look at her, shaking a gemstone he held between his fingers. “State your business.
Save the flattery for later.”
Lan Qiaoyan: “Actually, it’s nothing much.
I just wanted to ask the Prison Inspector what happened with those two people the city guards just arrested right outside my Far-Gazing Tower?”
“Arresting people?” Du Huoguan stopped and turned his head. “Arresting whom?”
He genuinely didn’t know, nor could he keep track of every minute detail.
Lan Qiaoyan: “They said they were two thieves.”
Thieves? Du Huoguan looked her up and down, not believing she would specially visit him for common petty theft.
He resumed pacing and focusing on the star map in the pool, responding faintly, “I don’t have that much free time to even manage the city guards maintaining order in Zhixu City according to the law. You should go ask Ba Yingshan about this.” He raised his hand over his shoulder and made a dismissive gesture, signaling her to leave.
Lan Qiaoyan had already come; how could she leave so easily? Pretending not to understand his reaction, she continued rambling while following him: “The incident just happened.
The two were right outside Far-Gazing Tower when suddenly someone appeared with city guards to arrest them, accusing them of stealing his things. Later, the city guards publicly searched them and indeed found stolen goods on one of them.
This matter would normally be insignificant, but it’s rather strange. Those two had already accumulated enough Merit and were supposed to leave the Living Prison for the outside world today.
Logically, they wouldn’t cause trouble at such a critical moment. Even stranger, since they were leaving, if they had stolen something, they wouldn’t still be slowly wandering around the city, showing no fear of getting into trouble.
Of course, when they were arrested, they also loudly cried out that they were innocent and had been framed.”