Volume One: The Youngest Among Three Hundred Chapter 111: Verification

After half a month of assessments and the back-and-forth of officially "joining the ranks," the once-winding long alley had become as familiar to Chen Chang'an as the back of his own hand. He quickly arrived at the sixth floor of the Arsenal Tower and, under Cai'er's guidance, met with Cao Wu.

Closing the book she was reading and pushing it aside, Cao Wu slowly looked up. She appeared quite pleased by Chen Chang'an's visit, teasing, "You again? Don't tell me you've already reached the third-rank Enlightenment Realm!"

"Not yet, it's not that fast!" Chen Chang'an laughed. "Actually, Deputy Commander Cao, about that Eagle-Claw man who appeared at Princess Changning's estate and was later killed—by me—has his body been brought back to the Black-Clad Guard?"

"Yes, we are preparing to use him as a lead to unearth the power behind the scenes. Come to think of it, Liu Jianzhang was a member of the Hanlin Academy, so this organization is likely composed of political factions within the imperial court," Cao Wu answered in detail.

"Indeed!" Chen Chang'an agreed wholeheartedly. "From Princess Changning's disappearance at Sanyuan Temple to the subsequent Xiaolian case, their goal was to obtain the transcript left by Zhao Yantai and gain leverage over the officials of the Great Min. And this operation at Ganquan Village was aimed at the salt mines. Connecting these two threads, the true purpose is self-evident."

The secret regarding the family affairs of Zhao Yantai and Princess Changning was something Chen Chang'an had emphasized in the letter he sent to Cao Wu during the Xiaolian case, so naturally, there was no need to elaborate further.

Upon hearing his words, Cai'er, standing nearby, grasped the implication, her expression darkening slightly. "Gaining leverage over the entire court is to seize power, and since the salt and iron industries in Great Min are state-monopolized, seizing the mines is intended to hoard wealth. So, the forces behind them are recruiting soldiers and buying horses... they are planning a rebellion!"

"Cai'er is truly sharp-witted," Chen Chang'an offered the maid a colorful compliment.

Cao Wu's face, usually as cold as ice, grew solemn. "Then we must dig them out. We cannot let this malignant tumor continue its evil deeds and shake the foundations of the Great Min empire."

Her gaze lingered on Chen Chang'an, her lips curling into a faint, intrigued smile. "You rushed over to tell me this—do you have a lead?"

"Yes!" Chen Chang'an said mysteriously. "But I need to examine Liu Jianzhang's body first before I can confirm if the clue I've grasped is authentic."

"Very well, follow me." Cao Wu stood up.

About ten minutes later, she led him to the Black-Clad Guard's dedicated morgue—a cellar where the temperature contrasted sharply with the outside. The moment they stepped in, Chen Chang'an felt icy blades piercing his skin, the cold biting into his spine.

Cao Wu kindly reminded him, "If you can't handle it, tell me. I'll have someone bring in a couple of padded coats."

Chen Chang'an, his face turning blue and his body shivering, clutched his chest tightly and shook his head defiantly. "No... it's fine, no need. I'm at the peak of the second-rank Soul Cultivation Realm; I can take it."

"Alright. I didn't misjudge you; you really are a talented sprout. Even I, at the seventh-rank Life-and-Death Realm, am finding it a bit hard to bear." Cao Wu sighed, then shouted toward the outside, "Bring me a padded coat in here!"

Chen Chang'an: "..."

***

Moving another dozen meters inside, the two arrived at a simple iron-framed bed. Liu Jianzhang, the Eagle-Claw man who had died under Chen's "Immortal-Slaying" blade, lay quietly upon it, devoid of life, with thin wisps of cold air radiating from his frozen flesh.

Without further ado, Chen Chang'an took the half-piece of silk fabric given to him by Zhou Guifeng from his pocket and aligned it perfectly with the tear on the hem of Liu Jianzhang's garment; it fit flawlessly.

"It really was him!" he confirmed in the next second. His suspicions were correct.

Cao Wu asked, puzzled, "What is this about?"

Chen Chang'an explained, "It's like this, Deputy Commander Cao: I met a woman from Ganquan Village on the street named Zhou Guifeng. Her nephew, A'bao, had been taken away by a mysterious person and gone missing. This fabric scrap was left behind at the scene."

"It seems now that it was Liu Jianzhang who took A'bao. Today, when I went to the palace to treat Zhang Youzhi's illness, I discovered a new male favorite by the Empress's side named Bao'er. According to the clues provided by Zhou Guifeng, Bao'er is A'bao!"

"Oh? There is such a thing!"

The information provided by Chen Chang'an was treated with high importance by Cao Wu. If the opponent's ultimate goal was rebellion, why take an ordinary child from Ganquan Village, and how could a child become a male favorite by the Empress's side?

Taking advantage of the moment she was deep in thought, Chen Chang'an added, "Furthermore, Zhang Youzhi's illness was caused by poisoning. He had just fallen out of favor due to the illness, and then this Bao'er appeared by the Empress's side. It is truly suspicious."

Cao Wu said solemnly, "You mean to say? It is highly likely that they were the ones who poisoned Zhang Youzhi."

"Yes!" Chen Chang'an connected the threads. "They first went to Ganquan Village to take A'bao, then had Zhang Youzhi fall out of favor, and subsequently sent A'bao to the Empress's side to become the new favorite, Bao'er. There must be a massive conspiracy behind this."

Cao Wu, naturally able to discern the implications, stated on the spot, "I will arrange for two Black-Clad guards of the 'Xuan' rank, four of the 'Di' rank, and several newcomers to intervene and assist in the investigation from all aspects. You keep searching, and if you find anything, come directly to the sixth floor of the Arsenal Tower to report it."

"Understood!" Chen Chang'an nodded, his expression resolute.

After reporting the matter and confirming his inner suspicions, he left Black-Clad Alley without lingering and returned to the Su family estate. Along the way, he pondered deeply. The group that had abducted Changning, taken A'bao to Bai Wan, and poisoned Zhang Youzhi—they were likely using his youthful beauty to cultivate an ear and eye right beside the monarch.

In that case, A'bao might already be under some form of mental control.

Of course, more importantly, what was their goal in doing this? It couldn't just be to plant a favored spy!

No... it couldn't be that simple.

Half-doubting, Chen Chang'an reached the Su estate. He passed through the front courtyard, planning to return to his room to sleep, but as he passed the room of the second daughter, Su Wanqing, he heard Zhu Jiawen's wailing from inside: "Ouch, ouch, lower, a bit lower!"

"It hurts, be gentle!"

Chen Chang'an: "..."

In broad daylight, could the sister and brother-in-law not encourage such deviant behavior? Besides, judging by the dialogue, Su Wanqing was the dominant one. 666...

Just as his imagination ran wild, a blue-and-white porcelain bottle was thrown out the window with a clatter, emitting a faint medicinal scent.

"They're even using medicine?"

Chen Chang'an cursed under his breath and quickly left, afraid that staying any longer would only stifle his temper.

Around 5:00 PM, the Su family prepared a sumptuous meal to celebrate Chen Chang'an curing Zhang Youzhi's illness. Except for Su Dingfeng, who was out wandering and hadn't returned, everyone sat around the table, laughing and chatting. Before this, everyone had been terrified, facing a problem that even the Imperial Medical Academy couldn't solve.

Zhu Jiawen quoted classics and recited poetry with ease, full of gratitude. Su Wanqing even had the servants buy wine, imitating the boldness of heroes from the world of martial arts, and drank three bowls in a row.

Afterward, the five family members asked in unison why he possessed medical skills. Chen Chang'an brushed it off, explaining, "I learned it from the divine doctor who cured my eyes!"

They foolishly believed every word.

After the meal, Qin Fuluo and Su Wanqing took Zhou Guifeng out for a stroll. Su Qingtang was in the front courtyard practicing the Tai Chi Chen Chang'an had taught him, while repeating his "Ben Cao Gang Mu" shuttlecock exercise, becoming a regular "Liu Genghong." Ever since he started these daily exercises, his body had undergone significant changes, and his relationship with his wife, Qin Fuluo, had deepened day by day.

Zhu Jiawen, looking refined, prepared to clear the dishes, but Su Wanqiu smiled and said, "Brother-in-law, go rest, I'll handle it!"

"Alright... alright!" He didn't refuse and returned the warm smile as he walked toward his room, limping slightly and pressing a hand to his backside.

"Damn, he has internal injuries. Is the second sister really that powerful?" Chen Chang'an's eyes widened, his values receiving a strong shock.

Su Wanqiu gave him a light tap on the head. "What are you muttering about?"

Chen Chang'an blurted out, "Second brother-in-law, he..."

Su Wanqiu blinked her wide, watery eyes, her lashes fluttering. "His butt is injured. He was pricked by fragments of a ceramic pot that broke when he was at the Baosheng Pharmacy. Second sister was applying medicine for him this afternoon."

"Eh... this... so... that's how it is!" A sense of guilt washed over Chen Chang'an; he seemed to have misunderstood the behavior of his sister and brother-in-law.

Su Wanqiu rested her chin on her hand. "What else?"

"Nothing... nothing... I was just saying!"

Chen Chang'an's words were messy and awkward. He repeated himself a few times before his nerves were suddenly pricked, and he frowned. Something wasn't right. The situation was that Zhu Jiawen had collided with a clerk just as he entered the Baosheng Pharmacy. How could there be shards under his buttocks? They should have been scattered only in the area opposite him!

Unless the clerk had intentionally smashed the pot, it didn't align with the principles of physics...

Just as he was analyzing this, a loud, heavy bang sounded. The gate of the Su estate was pushed open in a panic from the outside. Su Wanqing and her mother, Qin Fuluo, were supporting a blood-soaked Zhou Guifeng, their voices pale and urgent: "Quick... quick... save her!"