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

Chapter 73 An Attempt to Cover Up the Truth, the Locust Tree First Appears

"No?"

Pei Yun raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.

"The handwriting and cover style of this file clearly indicate that it was personally collected and stored in the secret archives by the Northern Garrison Command's Embroidered Uniform Guard eighteen years ago."

"Who has such great authority to take the files from the Embroidered Uniform Guard's secret vault?"

"As far as I know, even the Commander-in-Chief probably doesn't have this authority—"

The old shopkeeper's expression grew increasingly solemn.

"Your Excellency, the Garrison Commander has no right to take away the core files from the secret vault without authorization."

Pei Yun's heart skipped a beat, and he instantly understood.

The pacification commissioner is not an option.

That would only apply to those with higher positions of power.

Among the Embroidered Uniform Guards, the only one who could rise above the Commander was that elusive and mysterious Commander.

Or perhaps————

Pei Yun's gaze suddenly deepened.

Is it the will that comes from that majestic palace?

Pei Yun's mind raced, but his face remained impassive.

What secrets did Su Wenruo have that would prompt such a high-ranking figure to erase her traces in the Jinyiwei's files?

This matter is probably a hundred times more complicated than he had anticipated.

Pei Yun remained silent for a moment, then took out a small ingot of pure gold from his pocket and subtly pushed it in front of the old shopkeeper.

"The old man has been sitting here for many years; he must be living a very hard life."

"This is just a small token of my appreciation."

The old shopkeeper's one eye lit up, but he didn't immediately take the silver.

Because he knew that the young centurion had not finished speaking.

Pei Yun changed the subject, his tone becoming slowly but with a hint of the chilling presence characteristic of the Embroidered Uniform Guard: "I do not wish for a third person to know about what happened today."

"If word gets out—"

Pei Yun's gaze fell on the old boss's one eye, and he smiled meaningfully.

"Then it must be that you, sir, accidentally let it slip."

One hand holds a radish, the other a big stick.

The old shopkeeper has been in the secret vault for a long time, welcoming and seeing off all kinds of people. What kind of people haven't he seen?

He naturally understood Pei Yun's meaning.

This young Commander Pei looks kind, but he is actually ruthless.

After a brief moment of contemplation, the old shopkeeper put the gold into his sleeve, and then a smile appeared on his face.

"Commander Pei is joking. At my age, my memory is not what it used to be."

"Whom I met today, what I said, I forgot in the blink of an eye, I forgot!"

Seeing this, Pei Yun said no more.

She gave him a deep look, then turned and left.

They're all smart people, no need to say too much.

Pei Yun strolled back to the Hundred Households Hall.

After emerging from the secret vault, the gloomy expression that had lingered on his handsome face had quietly transformed into a faint smile.

Like the sun breaking through the clouds, although the clouds were still thick, a ray of sunlight had already pierced through.

In the old shopkeeper's eyes, his trip was probably fruitless, or even a complete failure.

After all, the dossier about Su Wenruo was so incomplete that it was almost useless.

But Pei Yun knew that the game had only just begun.

The way the other party erased the traces had a familiar feel to it.

The resistance he felt last time in the secret vault when he tried to investigate the deliberately buried past events of the previous dynasty was exactly the same.

It was as if they came from the same invisible giant hand.

With the same iron fist, all the unnecessary sharp edges were smoothed out.

"interesting."

Pei Yun tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, producing a rhythmic, soft sound.

What is the significance of the events of the previous dynasty?

That is a taboo that could shake the foundations of the nation and overturn conventional wisdom.

Perhaps the charlatans in the Imperial Observatory, who claimed to "know the world by observing the stars," might have hidden some vague records in their secret archives.

After all, their duty is to record, even the taboo.

But what about Su Wenruo?

Eighteen years ago, a mere seventh-rank civil official was as insignificant as a speck of dust in the capital.

The Imperial Observatory wouldn't even spare a glance for such a nobody.

Therefore, it seems unlikely that it will be possible to obtain even a few words of information from the Imperial Observatory as before.

but----

"If you don't want others to know, then don't do it in the first place."

Pei Yun muttered to himself softly, with a hint of mockery.

He did not emerge from the secret vault empty-handed.

The other party's methods of erasing clues, seemingly flawless, were actually a cover-up that only served to expose their true intentions.

It's like a complete book where someone has torn out the most crucial page.

At first glance, the information is broken and all clues are lost.

However, it is precisely that abrupt blank space and the rough, torn edges that become the most conspicuous mark.

"Blank space can sometimes tell a better story than words."

Pei Yun's lips curled into a knowing smile.

He doesn't need to search for that torn-out page.

By carefully examining the content before and after the blank space, one can roughly outline the missing part.

He didn't believe that the other party could really erase all the clues completely.

The water leaves its mark, and the wild geese fly by without making a sound.

Anything that has ever existed will leave a trace.

Following this line of thought, Pei Yun repeatedly searched the edges of the seemingly thoroughly cleaned files.

Like searching for gold in sand, it tests not only eyesight but also patience.

Finally, in the corner of a seemingly unrelated file, he found a name.

Canghuai Academy.

Unlike the Langya Academy, which was mostly staffed by Confucian scholars, this was different.

Su Wenruo was born into an inconspicuous little academy in the capital.

If Pei Yun hadn't scrutinized every clue concerning Su Wenruo with an almost harsh eye...

This existence is easily overlooked.

"Canghuai Academy —"

Pei Yun's eyes gleamed with the excitement of a hunter discovering his prey.

This is not conclusive evidence, nor even a direct clue.

But for Pei Yun at this moment, this was enough.

Once you grasp a single thread, you can easily unravel the intricate web behind it.

The capital city, the residence of the Marquis of Jing'an.

The mansion has deep courtyards, rockeries and flowing water, creating a unique and elegant atmosphere.

Inside the study, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.

Li Xuanping, a true disciple of the Xuan Shu Sect, dressed in a moon-white Taoist robe, was reading an ancient book by the window.

His expression was calm, and a Taoist aura flowed between his brows.

It's as if there's an invisible veil separating it from this world, making it difficult for the hustle and bustle of the world to disturb it.

"Master Li! Master Li!"

A series of slightly hurried footsteps approached from afar, accompanied by joyful calls.

Shen Zhaoyuan, the young master of the Jing'an Marquis's mansion, strode in with a beaming smile.

Li Xuanping put down the book in his hand: "Young Master Shen, what makes you so happy?"

Shen Zhaoyuan's face showed an undisguised excitement.

"Master Li, the matter you asked me to inquire about has finally yielded some results!"

Li Xuanping's fingers, which were holding the scroll, paused almost imperceptibly, and he looked up at him.

It has been more than half a month since he left the capital and entered the capital.

He hadn't expected that, given the influence of the Marquis of Jing'an's mansion in the capital, it would take so long just to inquire about one person.

Shen Zhaoyuan seemed to see through Li Xuanping's thoughts, and the excitement on his face lessened, replaced by a wry smile.

"Master, you are wise; this matter is indeed quite complicated."

>