Chapter 55: Enter Brother Chun

The head of the Spring Breeze Hall bore a unique name—identical to that of a famous star in Gao Wu’s previous life—Li Yuchun! The revered Li Yuchun, believed by many to grant eternal life.

When Gao Wu first saw Li Yuchun, she was gripping her sleeves, hands on hips, one foot resting on a table, berating someone loudly.

And the target of her scolding was none other than all the deputy hall masters, including Feng Ge.

“Brother Chun, it’s not fair! We’ve all been working diligently without a moment’s rest!” Cheng Qingfeng burst in, sniffling and tearful, pleading his case.

“Brother Chun, look! We recently cracked a gruesome family massacre! Even Lord Cao praised us!”

“Also, Brother Chun, we discovered traces of the Demon Clan, but that scoundrel has now hidden in the Wanyi Pavilion. This calls for your personal intervention!”

Cheng Qingfeng, with a few words, not only boasted of their achievements but also steered the conversation toward the main issue—he was quite sharp.

“Wanyi Pavilion, you say? Is there any evidence?”

“Gao Wu, step forward!”

“Cough, subordinate Gao Wu, reporting to the hall master!”

“Yes, I’ve heard of you. Your aptitude in the literary examination is commendable.”

“Hall master, last night I secretly scouted the Wanyi Pavilion and indeed found signs of the Demon Clan. I request permission to search the pavilion.”

“You’ve already warned the snakes in the grass—why do you think the Demon Clan members remain in the Wanyi Pavilion?”

“I have a friend who also entered the Seven Star Tower. However, she belongs to the Li Feng Hall.”

“Li Feng Hall, huh? They’ve been busy hunting spies lately. Collaborating with them isn’t a bad idea. But why not let the hall master of Li Feng Hall take charge?”

Gao Wu felt a headache coming on; Li Yuchun’s endless questioning was tiresome and indecisive.

Of course, he only thought this internally and replied, “This case falls under our Spring Breeze Hall’s jurisdiction. The perpetrators must be caught by us. At most, we’ll share a small part of the credit with them. But if we alert their hall master and let them lead, we won’t even get a taste.”

“Ha! Not bad—clever little move!” Li Yuchun had no further objections and immediately sprang into action.

“Gather all brothers remaining in the tower and surround the Wanyi Pavilion! I’ll go fetch the imperial decree!”

Cheng Qingfeng responded loudly and hurried off with Gao Wu to rally the men.

Li Yuchun moved swiftly; by the time Cheng Qingfeng and his team had encircled the Wanyi Pavilion, she had already secured the imperial edict and rode to the scene.

Upon arrival, she saw the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites reprimanding the Seven Star Tower members.

“Lawless, utterly lawless! The Wanyi Pavilion is a place specially sanctioned by the court. How dare you flaunt your power here?”

“Where is your hall master? Where is Lord Cao? Bring them to me!”

“Hmph! What audacity!” Just then, Li Yuchun galloped up. “Lord Cao is here—do you dare to meet him?”

Without waiting for a reply, she dismounted and brandished the imperial decree high.

“By the emperor’s order, conduct a thorough investigation of the Wanyi Pavilion. No one is to interfere!”

“Search!”

With the edict in hand, the Seven Star Tower members’ attitudes shifted instantly. Having long endured the Vice Minister’s arrogance, they surged into the pavilion like wolves, leaving no envoy—be they of the demon, monster, or foreign clans—uncaught.

Gao Wu and Cheng Qingfeng headed straight for the Demon Clan envoy’s quarters, but after a thorough search, found nothing.

Not even the distinctive greatsword was there.

How could the culprit simply vanish?

Gao Wu trusted that with Zhou Zhiruo guarding outside, the killer could not have escaped unnoticed.

Thus, the suspect must still be hidden inside the Wanyi Pavilion.

Yet, after turning the pavilion upside down, they found no trace of the murderer who had visited the Gui Xiang Tower.

Could there be a secret tunnel leading outside?

It wasn’t impossible. These foreign envoys had long treated the Wanyi Pavilion as home, and with no strict control measures, it was only natural they’d have dug a secret passage over time.

Gao Wu shared this speculation with Feng Ge, who nodded lightly. But it was only conjecture; rash accusations could offend the Ministry of Rites terribly, possibly drawing the Minister himself into the fray.

Still, if the culprit remained at large, the Seven Star Tower would not fare well. Gao Wu and Cheng Qingfeng, who had advocated searching the pavilion, might also suffer repercussions.

Seeing the fruitless search, the Vice Minister of Rites grew agitated again.

“I shall report you harshly to His Majesty. You act without law, recklessly and wantonly!”

Although the Vice Minister’s insults were fierce, Li Yuchun remained unmoved and steady as Mount Tai. Standing in the courtyard, she drew a crimson whip and cracked it against her palm.

Her threatening stance silenced the Vice Minister, whose voice grew weaker until he dared no longer confront her openly, seething quietly inwardly.

“Leave!”

Li Yuchun’s whip paused mid-air as she bellowed.

Though begrudging, the envoys had no choice but to withdraw from the Wanyi Pavilion.

Back at Spring Breeze Hall, Gao Wu immediately apologized to Li Yuchun.

“I’m sorry, hall master. I was careless.”

After causing such a commotion at the Wanyi Pavilion but finding no clues, the foreign envoys would likely retaliate against the Seven Star Tower.

Judging by the Vice Minister’s demeanor, he would surely file a complaint against them.

Yet Li Yuchun blamed neither Gao Wu nor Cheng Qingfeng, instead musing thoughtfully, “Vice Minister Zhou Huairen seems deeply entangled with the foreign clans.”

Both men were surprised that she paid no mind to finding the culprit, focusing instead on the Vice Minister.

Cheng Qingfeng cleared his throat, cautioning, “Brother Chun, the Vice Minister is a high-ranking official. We cannot investigate him lightly.”

“If he truly conspires with the Demon Clan, rank won’t matter.”

“You might not know, but recently our court’s intelligence has repeatedly been intercepted by those foreign clans. The events at the recent court session—before we at the Seven Star Tower knew, they already had the news. The court is like a sieve, leaking secrets everywhere.”

“The emperor has ordered the Seven Star Tower to focus on rooting out foreign spies and internal traitors!”

“The Li Feng Hall is responsible for this task.”

Her tone softened, becoming grave. “Our premature move has roused the Li Feng Hall’s madwoman…”

Before she could finish, a sharp sound broke the air outside.

“You, Li Yuchun—how dare you speak ill of me behind my back! You’re the real madwoman!”

The door to the official chambers was flung open. A young woman in red, clutching a long spear, stormed in.

Li Yuchun slammed the table.

“Li Hongyi, how dare you barge into my chambers and break the door!”

Li Hongyi slammed her spear onto the floor carelessly.

“You were heartless first; don’t blame me for being ruthless in return!”

“What nonsense are you spouting? Where did you learn such lines?”

“Ah, Brother Chun, turning hostile and denying your own people. My men watched the Wanyi Pavilion, yet your Spring Breeze Hall rummaged through it in no time and found nothing?”

Li Yuchun felt a headache coming on. She wasn’t afraid of the emperor or Lord Cao’s reproach, but feared this little madwoman’s relentless pestering.