Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 224 Step by Step
Chen Ye tapped his fingers lightly on the table. It was obvious that Sun Demao was secretly colluding with the people of the Boundless Sands.

The problem is that there is no other evidence besides Bai Jie's testimony.

This amount of information is far from enough to bring down Sun Demao.

"Young Master, I've told you everything I know." Bai Jie looked at Chen Ye, her eyes filled with pleading. "Will...will you really save me?"

“Of course.” Chen Ye stood up and walked in front of her. “I not only want to save you, but I also want you to live openly and honestly in the sunlight.”

His voice carried a convincing power.

Bai Jie looked into his deep eyes, her heart fluttering.

Will he... will he really help me?

Can I really trust him?

Chen Ye once again activated the Heartstring Master's talent, planting a firm idea in her heart.

"Trust him, he is your only hope."

Bai Jie's eyes cleared instantly, and that last trace of hesitation vanished.

"Young master, as long as you can save me from this misery, Bai Jie is willing to serve you like a slave." She said, and was about to kneel down.

Chen Ye helped her up. "I don't need you to be my slave. I need you to do something for me."

"Master, please speak."

“Stay by Sun Demao’s side and pretend nothing happened,” Chen Ye said. “Next time he comes to you, you have to find a way to get more information about that Holy Sect and the mysterious man.”

"This..." Bai Jie's face showed a troubled expression.

She now feels disgusted just thinking about Sun Demao's hypocritical face, let alone continuing to feign politeness with him.

“I know this is difficult,” Chen Ye’s voice softened, “but it’s the most effective way to bring him down, and don’t you want to get your indenture back?”

Bai Jie's eyes lit up.

Yes, the indenture is still in Sun Demao's hands.

“A person like Sun Demao would definitely put the indenture in what he considers the safest place, which is very likely to be the same place where he hides his money.”

"So as long as you help me find where he hid his things, I can help you get back your indenture and regain your freedom."

free.

These two words held a fatal allure for Bai Jie.

"Alright!" She nodded vigorously. "I'll listen to you, young master."

"Remember, don't let him see any clues," Chen Ye instructed. "Especially about me, don't mention a single word."

"I see."

When will Sun Demao come next time?

"Not necessarily." Bai Jie shook her head. "His arrival times are never fixed."

Chen Ye nodded, having made up his mind.

"Okay, wait for my message."

After saying that, he didn't linger and turned to leave Bai Jie's residence.

Watching Chen Ye's departing figure, Bai Jie stood at the door for a long time without moving.

The winter sun shone on her, but it couldn't dispel the chill in her body. However, for the first time, a spark of hope ignited in her heart.

After leaving Cui Liu Lane, Chen Ye did not return to his residence, but went directly to Chunfeng Deyi Tower. He needed to immediately inform Hou En and Qian Yi of this newly obtained information.

In the private room, Hou En and Qian Yi stared wide-eyed after hearing Chen Ye's story.

"Damn, that Sun Tiezui actually has this kind of fetish? You really can't judge a book by its cover!" Hou En exclaimed in surprise.

"The Holy Sect? A mysterious person who is neither male nor female?" Qian Yi frowned. "Brother Chen, this sounds so mysterious."

“Whether it’s mysterious or not, we must stick to this line with Sun Demao,” Chen Ye said.

"So what do we do next? Just wait for news from Bai Jie?" Hou En asked.

"We can't wait." Chen Ye shook his head. "Bai Jie's side is an inside line, we also need an outside line."

"Outside line?"

“Yes.” Chen Ye’s gaze fell on Qian Yi. “Old Qian, isn’t your father in the Ministry of Personnel?”

"Yes what's the matter?"

"I want you to use your father's connections to find out about Sun Demao's recent activities," Chen Ye said. "For example, who he's been in close contact with lately, and whether he's been to any unusual places."

“This… is a bit difficult.” Qian Yi looked troubled. “My father’s official position is not high, while Sun Demao is the Censor-in-Chief. My father has no access to his level at all.”

“I’m not asking your father to investigate,” Chen Ye explained. “Officials in the Censorate and the Ministry of Personnel have records, so you can have your father check Sun Demao’s attendance, leave records, or whether he has applied for any official documents to leave the capital.”

"We might be able to find some clues from these subtle clues."

Qian Yi understood. "Okay, I'll go back and tell my dad."

"Remember, the same old rule applies: probe indirectly, and don't reveal your true intentions."

"Don't worry, Brother Chen."

"Hou En." Chen Ye looked at Hou En again.

"Brother Chen, I'm here!"

"Don't you have a few brothers who are particularly good at surveillance?"

“That’s right!” Hou En nodded.

"Alright, have them keep an eye on the area around Cui Liu Lane," Chen Ye instructed. "Don't keep too close an eye on them, just see if there are any other suspicious people entering or leaving that house besides Sun Demao. Also, if Sun Demao goes there, notify me immediately."

"no problem."

With all the tasks assigned, Chen Ye finally felt a little more at ease.

However, three days passed without any response from Sun Demao.

The brothers from the Drunken Cloud Society who were keeping watch reported that no one had entered or left the house in Green Willow Lane in the past few days.

Meanwhile, Qian Yi also encountered a setback.

His father spent a long time checking at the Ministry of Personnel and found that Sun Demao's attendance was normal. He was on duty and left work on time every day, with no abnormalities.

The only discovery was that Sun Demao had recently become very close to several other officials in the Censorate, and they often went to the teahouse to play chess together after their shifts.

"Playing chess?" Chen Ye frowned as he looked at the intelligence report in his hand.

“Yes, it’s chess,” Hou En said from the side. “I sent someone to inquire at that teahouse. They always go to the same private room and stay for one or two hours at a time.”

"Which teahouse?" Chen Ye asked.

"Guanyun Tower".
-
Chen Ye sat in the carriage, lifted a corner of the curtain, and looked at the elegant three-story teahouse not far away.

This is a famous gathering place for literati and scholars in Yunzhou City. The tea is excellent, the scenery is beautiful, and the prices are naturally high.

It was rather strange that Sun Demao, an imperial censor known for his integrity, frequently visited such places.

"Brother Chen, are we just going to wait here like this?" Hou En asked from the side, somewhat bored.

"Otherwise what?" Chen Ye lowered the curtain. "Rush in and arrest them? On the charge of playing chess too often?"

Hou En chuckled, "I'm just in a hurry."

"There's no use in being anxious." Chen Ye leaned back on the cushion, his mind racing.

Sending people to keep watch directly is definitely not an option. Those who can enter those private rooms are all regular customers of Guanyunlou, and any unfamiliar faces will be discovered as soon as they enter.

Chen Ye was somewhat uneasy about letting Hou En and Qian Yi go in, so after a moment's thought, he made up his mind.

"I'm going down for a walk," Chen Ye said to the two of them. "You two wait in the car."

After saying this, Chen Ye got off the carriage, straightened his scholar's robe, played with a folding fan in his hand, and walked towards Guanyun Tower.

He was still dressed as a scholar today, and apart from being a bit more handsome, he didn't attract any attention at all.

Upon entering Guanyunlou, a refined aroma of tea mixed with a faint scent of ink wafts towards you.

There weren't many guests inside; they were gathered in twos and threes, all well-dressed literati and scholars, speaking softly as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility.

A well-dressed female manager immediately came forward with a professional smile on her face.

"This young master looks unfamiliar. Is this your first time visiting Guanyun Tower?"

"Hmm." Chen Ye waved his folding fan, adopting the air of a traveling scholar. "I've heard that Guanyunlou is the most elegant place in Yunzhou, so I came here to enjoy some tea."

“Young master, you’ve come to the right place.” The woman smiled even more warmly upon hearing this. “Our Yunding Snow Bud tea is so delicious that even the nobles in the palace praise it highly.”

Chen Ye remained noncommittal, his gaze sweeping around the lobby before casually asking, "Manager, I prefer quiet. Do you have any private rooms upstairs?"

"Yes, of course," the innkeeper quickly replied. "There are still a few private rooms upstairs that are empty, with the best views, offering a view of half of Yunzhou City."

"Then let's have one." Chen Ye said, taking out a small silver ingot from his sleeve and handing it over.

The shopkeeper's eyes lit up, and his smile became more genuine. He personally led Chen Ye upstairs.

"Master, please come this way."

As he walked up the carved wooden staircase, Chen Ye silently activated his Heartstring Master talent, planting a thought in the mind of the swaying female shopkeeper in front of him. Then, seemingly casually, he asked, "I just saw some guests downstairs who spoke with great eloquence. They must be important figures, right?"

"Of course." The woman was momentarily dazed, but then she found the scholar pleasing to the eye and felt a strong urge to confide in him. So she lowered her voice and spoke with a hint of boastfulness.

"Our guests at Guanyunlou are all wealthy and powerful. Even Lord Sun from the Censorate often plays chess with a few colleagues in room number three of the Tianzi building."

"Oh? Lord Sun?" Chen Ye paused, feigning curiosity. "Is it Lord Sun Demao, the Censor-in-Chief known as 'Iron Tongue'?"

"It is indeed Lord Sun." The woman nodded. Chen Ye's heart stirred, but he remained calm on the surface and continued to ask, "To be favored by Lord Sun like this, your service here must be excellent."

"Young master is too kind." The innkeeper was modest, but his face was full of pride. "We may not be good at other things at Guanyunlou, but our tea servers are all carefully selected. They are skilled and discreet."

"Especially the one who serves Lord Sun, he is even more reliable."

"Oh? What's so special about it?" Chen Ye pressed, while simultaneously implanting a thought into the woman before him using his professional talent once again.

The woman's eyes grew increasingly unfocused, then she leaned close to Chen Ye's ear and whispered, "To be honest, young master, the tea server who serves Lord Sun is mute."

Dumb?

Chen Ye raised an eyebrow.

"How can a mute person serve guests?"

“Young master, you may not know this,” the female shopkeeper explained. “This girl is called Xiaoya. Although she cannot speak, she is quick-witted, nimble-fingered, and her tea-making skills are truly masterful.”

"The most crucial point is that she can hear but cannot speak, so whatever the guests discuss in the private room cannot be heard. This is what officials like Lord Sun value most."

"I see." Chen Ye nodded.

Sun Demao, that old fox, was indeed extremely cautious.

Finding a mute woman to serve you ensures both enjoyment and that the conversation remains perfectly confidential.

For outsiders, trying to extract information from a mute girl would be nothing short of a pipe dream, but for Chen Ye, it was a golden opportunity.

After all, his profession as a Casanova is specifically for dealing with all kinds of women.

Whether you are eloquent or taciturn, you have to lay bare your deepest secrets in front of him.

"It seems that Guanyunlou truly lives up to its reputation, even its personnel selection is so meticulous," Chen Ye remarked.

"You flatter me, sir."

Before they knew it, the two had reached the third floor.

The woman pushed open the door to a private room. "Young master, please come in."

Chen Ye walked in and found the private room spacious and bright, with a bustling street scene of Yunzhou outside the window.

"Not bad." He nodded in satisfaction.

"What kind of tea would you like, sir? I'll have the tea server bring it to you right away," the female shopkeeper asked, bowing.

Chen Ye sat down at the table, tapped his folding fan lightly in his palm, and slowly began to speak.

"As for tea, I'll have a pot of your signature Yunding Snow Bud. But I have a few requests regarding the tea server who will serve me."

The female shopkeeper was taken aback. "Please speak, sir."

Chen Ye looked at her, a playful smile playing on his lips.

"I want that mute girl named Xiaoya that you just mentioned to serve me."

The woman's smile froze for a moment. "Young master, this... is probably a bit inconvenient."

"What? You look down on me?" Chen Ye's tone was calm, but it carried an undeniable air of authority.

"No, no." The female shopkeeper quickly waved her hand, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead. "Miss Xiaoya is Lord Sun's personal tea server. There are rules in the establishment that she cannot be changed at will..."

This is true.

Sun Demao and his group had sensitive identities, so Guanyunlou naturally had to be careful in order not to offend them.

Chen Ye simply smiled, then took out a silver ingot and placed it on the table, while subtly changing the other party's mindset once again with his professional talent.

Sure enough, influenced by Chen Ye's professional talent, after a struggle between his own mind and his body, the female shopkeeper gritted her teeth and stuffed the silver on the table into her pocket.

"Young master is too kind. Our rule at Guanyunlou is to satisfy our guests." She bowed, her attitude several times more respectful than before. "I will make arrangements right away and have Miss Xiaoya come over."

"Go ahead." Chen Ye waved his hand.

"Okay, please wait a moment!" With that, she turned and left.

Not long after, the door to the private room was gently pushed open.

A young girl dressed in a light green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) walked in carrying a tea tray, her head bowed.

She was slender and moved with light steps. She walked to the table and arranged the tea set one by one. The whole process was silent and her movements were elegant and skillful.

At the same time, Chen Ye was also sizing up Xiao Ya.

Xiaoya was quite pretty, with an oval face, willow-leaf eyebrows, and fair skin. However, there was always a sense of timidity and inferiority in her eyes, which made her appear somewhat timid.

From beginning to end, she kept her head down, not daring to look at Chen Ye even once. Her long eyelashes cast a shadow under her eyelids, obscuring the emotions in her eyes.

Chen Ye didn't say anything, but just watched quietly as she boiled water, scalded the cups, washed the tea, and brewed it. Every movement was pleasing to the eye, and it was clear that she had put in a lot of hard work.

Soon, she presented a steaming cup of fragrant tea to Chen Ye with both hands.

After serving the tea, she took a half step back, stood quietly to the side with her hands at her sides, as still as a shadow.

At the same time, Chen Ye activated the Heartstring Master talent.

Instantly, a wave of emotions mixed with tension, fear, and inferiority entered his senses.

Why...why is he staring at me?

Will he try to touch me inappropriately like other customers do?

Why did the shopkeeper make me serve him? Will Lord Sun be angry if he finds out?

【what do I do……】

Her heart was filled with unease.

Chen Ye remained calm and took a small sip of tea.

"Good tea," he praised, then put down his teacup and looked at her gently.

Xiaoya's body tensed up almost imperceptibly, and then she secretly glanced at Chen Ye.

This was the first time she had looked Chen Ye in the eye since entering the room.

When she saw the gentle smile on Chen Ye's face, her nervousness dissipated a little. She then took a pen and wrote two delicate characters on a piece of paper she carried with her.

"Thank you."

Her handwriting is beautiful and has a scholarly air about it.

"Don't be shy," Chen Ye said with a smile. "I prefer quiet and just want to enjoy some tea. I won't make things difficult for you."

His words, delivered with eloquence, further softened Xiaoya's guard.

She could sense that the man in front of her was different from the greasy men she had served before.

Because his eyes were very clear, without the slightest desire or frivolity.

Xiaoya's tense body gradually relaxed, and she picked up her pen again.

"Young master is a good person."

Chen Ye laughed; they were quick to issue the "good guy" card.

"Your name is Xiaoya?"

"Hmm." (Responds in writing, the rest omitted)
"A very nice name."

Xiaoya's cheeks flushed slightly, and she lowered her head.

At that moment, Chen Ye quietly plucked the string in her heart that represented loneliness, planting a tiny thought.

"This man is very gentle."

In an instant, he sensed that Xiaoya's wariness towards him was rapidly dissolving, replaced by a hint of curiosity and closeness.

She began to add tea for Chen Ye on her own initiative, her movements still gentle, but no longer as stiff as before.

Chen Ye knew that the time was almost right.

"Miss Xiaoya, you seem to have something on your mind?"

Xiaoya paused for a moment while adding tea, almost spilling it from the cup. Then she looked up, her eyes filled with surprise.

How...how did he know?

Was my expression that obvious?

Her panicked thoughts reached Chen Ye's ears clearly.

Chen Ye didn't look at her, but said to himself, "Although your tea skills are superb, there is a hint of bitterness in the tea. This is not a problem with the tea leaves, but rather the bitterness in your heart has seeped into the tea soup."

These words were purely Chen Ye's serious nonsense, but with his silver tongue, everything he said had a magical power to convince people.

Xiaoya's eyes immediately welled up with tears.

No one has ever said anything like that to her in all these years.

Everyone just treated her as a convenient, confidential tool. They enjoyed her services but never cared about her joys and sorrows.

She was like a transparent person, living in her own world, ignored by everyone.

But today, this man she met by chance revealed the deep-seated bitterness in her heart.

Chen Ye sensed her inner turmoil and once again activated the Master of Heartstrings, gently plucking the string of hope in her heart.

“He can help me.”

This thought was like a spark ignited in the darkness, causing Xiaoya to finally hold back her tears, which fell in a flurry.

Then she hastily wiped her eyes with her sleeve and started writing quickly.

(End of this chapter)