Three punches shattered the demonic soul, young hero, I'm an honest man!

We returned to the small courtyard of the Baihu Office.

Pei Yun sat in the main seat, while Zhang Quan spread out a thick stack of documents and account books on the table.

"My lord, as you instructed, I led my men to search all the major spice shops in the capital, especially those that dealt in exotic fragrances from the Western Regions."

Zhang Quan pointed to the account book.

"This is a record of all the major transactions related to 'Drunken Dragon Incense' in the past two weeks. The identities of the buyers and their intended uses are all recorded here."

"Thanks for your hard work."

In short, it's neither salty nor bland.

Zhang Quan, however, seemed to have received a great compliment, and straightened his back a bit.

Pei Yun picked up the top ledger and casually flipped through it.

The list is very long.

In the capital, people like to show off their refined tastes and use expensive exotic fragrances from the Western Regions, such as "Drunken Immortal Saliva," to perfume their residences.

Or it was used by high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants in private banquets and boudoirs, which was quite common.

The records are detailed, including the purchase time, quantity, person in charge, and purpose.

At first glance, every transaction seems reasonable and there are no obvious flaws.

Zhang Quan and several trusted captains held their breath, not daring to make a sound.

They knew that this young centurion had lost his cultivation.

But those eyes were sharper than those of an eagle.

These past few days, following their "lazy" boss Pei Yun, they've heard plenty of gossip and rumors from the outside world.

Pei Baihu has lost all his cultivation and is now giving up entirely.

This time, we're definitely going to fail miserably, bringing shame to the entire Northern Garrison.

They were holding their breath, waiting for Pei Yun to show his true skills and slap those people in the face!

Pei Yun traced the names with his finger, at a moderate pace.

His brain was racing, comparing this information with the complex network of power distribution and relationships in the capital.

Soon, he crossed out several minor characters who seemed to have some connection with the demonic path.

These people neither had the guts nor the ability to rob the Imperial Observatory.

Time passed little by little.

The courtyard was so quiet that only the rustling sound of turning pages could be heard.

Zhang Quan and the others started sweating.

Could it be... that this clue is also wrong?

Just then, Pei Yun's finger stopped on a name.

"Jia Zhengchu".

"A wealthy merchant from the south of the city, known as Master Jia."

Pei Yun's tone was flat, revealing no emotion.

Zhang Quan quickly went over.

"Sir, is there something wrong with this Master Jia?"

"The records show that his family was in the silk business, was quite wealthy, and enjoyed indulging in refined pursuits, so it's normal for them to buy expensive spices..."

"Normal?" Pei Yun raised her eyelids and glanced at him.

"Take a close look at these records."

Zhang Quan and several other captains quickly approached and carefully checked all the transaction records related to Jia Yuanwai.

Upon closer inspection, they also noticed something was amiss.

Records show that this wealthy man, surnamed Jia, was involved in the theft of the star sand three days before the incident.

They secretly purchased an astonishing amount of "Drunken Dragon Incense" through different managers, in several separate transactions, and from different spice shops!

Moreover, each purchase was cleverly mixed into the shopping lists for other luxury goods such as precious spices, silks, and jade.

At a glance, each stroke is unremarkable.

If Zhang Quan and his team hadn't compiled all the records into one place and compared and verified them one by one...

This kind of ant-like hoarding is extremely difficult to attract attention.

"hiss!"

Zhang Quan gasped, his eyes instantly lighting up.

"My lord! There's definitely something fishy about this Master Jia!"

"They stockpiled so much 'Drunken Dragon Incense' before the theft even happened; this is clearly premeditated!"

A captain next to him also gripped the hilt of his sword with excitement.

"My lord, give the order! I'll take men right now to ransack the Jia mansion and bring that old bastard back for interrogation!"

"Let those gossipers see what Lord Pei is capable of!"

The captains chattered excitedly, eager to charge over immediately.

The Imperial Observatory was pressing them relentlessly, and rumors were swirling in the government offices, with everyone eager to see their centurion make a fool of himself.

Finding the clue of Master Jia was undoubtedly like a shot in the arm.

Pei Yun looked at their excited expressions and slowly shook his head.

A familiar, faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"No rush."

"Things are going too smoothly for us."

His words were like a bucket of cold water poured on the excited crowd.

Zhang Quan was stunned: "Sir, you mean...?"

Pei Yun stood up, walked to the window, and stood with his hands behind his back.

"Even if a wealthy merchant who deals in silk secretly has some connections with the Huanxi Zen sect, helping them sell stolen goods or providing some funds."

"Does he have the guts to directly participate in robbing the Imperial Observatory's star-guiding sand?"

"Does he have the ability to silently eliminate a Foundation Establishment stage Star Guardian and his twelve guards?"

Pei Yun's voice wasn't loud, but it calmed everyone present down.

Yes.

Everything went too smoothly.

The clues are clear, and the motive seems plausible.

But upon closer inspection, there are too many loopholes.

This is more like... a bait deliberately thrown out.

Zhang Quan frowned: "Does Your Excellency mean that this Master Jia might just be a decoy?"

"Possibly."

Pei Yun nodded.

"But it's also possible that he did participate, but in a role that might be different from what we think."

"No matter what, rushing in to arrest them is the stupidest thing to do."

"Not only would we alert them, but if it turned out to be just a decoy, then the real leads would be completely cut off."

Several captains looked ashamed; they had indeed been blinded by excitement.

Zhang Quan took a deep breath, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your Excellency has considered this matter carefully. I have been foolish. So, shall we now..."

Pei Yun turned around, a playful smile on his face.

"Now?"

"Since someone wants us to go to the south of the city, then let's go."

"And we should go see it in a grand and impressive way!"

He looked at Zhang Quan, his tone calm but carrying an unquestionable command.

"Pass down the order: mobilize as many people as possible."

"Under the pretext of assisting in the investigation of smuggling and apprehending fugitive criminals, conduct a comprehensive search of the entire southern part of the city!"

"Make a bigger fuss! Create a bigger spectacle!"

"Pay special attention to the streets and alleys surrounding the Jia mansion. Thoroughly check everyone entering and leaving!"

"Remember!" Pei Yun emphasized.

"What we need is to surround it without attacking, and tighten the breach! We must be prepared to dig three feet into the ground and not give up until we find it!"

Zhang Quan was stunned.

What... what kind of operation is this?

Why not directly arrest Jia, the prime suspect, instead of making such a big fuss in the entire southern city?

Isn't this blatantly telling the other party, "We've got our eyes on you, run!"

"Sir, is doing this...wouldn't it be...?" Zhang Quan hesitated.

Pei Yun waved his hand, interrupting him.

"We want them to know that our Embroidered Uniform Guard has its eyes on the southern part of the city, and on the area around the Jia family mansion."

"Some people, if they have nothing to hide, have nothing to fear."

"But what if you've done something wrong?"

"The bigger the commotion we make, the more panicked they become."

"People are more prone to making mistakes when they panic."

Pei Yun walked to the window, looked at the bright autumn sun outside, and murmured to himself.

"The sun is shining brightly today."

"It's a good opportunity to expose the scheming in some people's hearts."

Zhang Quan watched his parents' backs as they walked away.

Although he didn't quite understand the deeper meaning behind this operation, the air of strategic planning and complete control put him at ease.

Zhang Quan nodded vigorously: "Yes! I'll take care of it right away!"

Zhang Quan accepted the order and hurriedly left with the other captains.