Yin Yang Soul Searcher

The next morning, at Zhengshan Hall.

Li Zhengshan, with his thick, dark eyebrows and eyes, held a teacup and frowned as he looked at his three subordinates.

"Where's Bai Jueming? Why didn't he come? I still have something to tell him."

Fatty Zhou Dahai said, "I didn't see him at roll call this morning. He must have overslept."

Wang Pang and Wu Yuanza nodded in agreement.

"Brother Shan, is there anything you can't tell us?" Zhou Dahai unconsciously straightened his chest and said somewhat unconvinced, "We're just as good at doing things as he is."

"You?" Li Zhengshan looked up at Zhou Dahai. Where did you get your confidence from?

He slowly put down his teacup, then nodded heavily: "I can leave it to you."

Zhou Dahai was stunned for a moment. Why was Brother Shan so agreeable this time?

Li Zhengshan then continued, "The Imperial Preceptor wants to see Bai Jueming. Go in his place. If the Imperial Preceptor asks, just say your name is Bai Jueming."

Pfft, pfft, pfft, Wang Pang and Wu Yuan took a half step back and hid behind Zhou Dahai's broad body, chuckling to themselves.

Li Zhengshan leaned back in his chair, watching Zhou Dahai with a relaxed air.

Zhou Dahai stood there stunned for a moment. After hearing the two men's laughter, he turned around and glared at his two colleagues, calling them disloyal.

Zhou Dahai forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, inwardly cursing, "Brother Shan really has no martial ethics, deliberately saying things to embarrass me. Daring to impersonate the person the Imperial Advisor wants to see? Do I have too many family members?"

"Brother Shan, I'd rather not go... find me something simpler."

"Isn't this great? We don't have to charge into battle or encounter any danger." Li Zhengshan glanced at Zhou Dahai.

"Brother Shan, please stop teasing me..." Zhou Dahai said with a hint of resentment.

Li Zhengshan snorted coldly, then said irritably, "All you do is slack off while patrolling the streets; not one of you gives me any peace of mind. Can't you let me learn from Bai Jueming..."

Zhou Dahai and the other two felt somewhat innocent: "Brother Shan, they didn't notify us to help when the incident happened in the Tuyun Mountains, otherwise I would definitely have been the first to lead the charge!"

Regardless of whether what they said was true or false, Wang Pang and Wu Yuan quickly nodded in agreement to show their loyalty!

Li Zhengshan rubbed his temples, feeling a bit of a headache. These three rascals...

"Brother Shan, how's this matter going?" Zhou Dahai asked in a low voice.

"He uncovered the demon clan's conspiracy and exposed the traitor within the imperial court..." Li Zhengshan had no choice but to explain Bai Jueming's achievements to them in detail, since they were all his subordinates.

Hopefully, he can learn a lot from Bai Jueming...

The three people listened with their mouths agape and their eyes widened like saucers. They were all of similar rank, so how were you able to see through this conspiracy?

You're kidding me? ...

Inside the small courtyard.

Bai Jueyu got up early and prepared breakfast for her family.

Waking up early is a good habit he developed at the Taoist temple.

The eldest sister and Xiaotang ate breakfast early and then went to work.

Bai Jueming, who was late to bed, had a steamed bun that Bai Jueyu had made stuffed in his mouth, and a satisfied look on his face.

I casually commented, "There was a bit too much fatty meat in the buns, and not enough seasoning, so they tasted bland. But it's still pretty good that you managed to make them like this; you deserve praise."

Bai Jueyu scoffed, his face showing disdain: "Big brother, you even know how to make steamed buns?"

Ha, your older brother knows more than just how to make steamed buns. There's nothing he can't cook—things that fly in the sky, run on the ground, or swim in the water.

"I know a little." Bai Jueming placed the empty bowl on the table, then stood up gracefully. "The Yin-Yang Palace will provide lunch, so I won't be coming back."

After saying that, Bai Jueming left.

Bai Jueyu glanced at the empty bowl on the table and curled his lip: "Acting like a big shot, doesn't even clean up his own dishes..."

By the time Bai Jueming wandered into the Yin-Yang Hall, the roll call had already ended. Bai Jueming didn't mind; he was gradually realizing that these things were just formalities.

Anyway, Brother Shan won't deduct his salary.

As soon as Bai Jueming entered the room, he found that Jia Qingshan had already arrived early and was sitting on a stool with an anxious expression.

Seeing Jia Qingshan's appearance, Bai Jueming couldn't help but tease, "Young Master Jia, do you have heat rash on your butt?"

Jia Qingshan was taken aback, then, as if he had seen his pillar of support, he hurriedly stepped forward and pulled Bai Jueming aside: "Brother Bai, you've finally arrived! You must help me!"

"What happened?" Bai Jueming asked, looking puzzled.

Jia Qingshan's expression was serious: "Old Bai, I thought about it all night yesterday, and I think my father might be in danger!"

Oh? You thought of that too? Well, your brain is really a bit slow. You really needed to think about this all night?

Bai Jueming stretched leisurely, signaling him to calm down: "Take your time."

Why don't you seem surprised at all? Jia Qingshan was a little puzzled but didn't ask further. Instead, he shared his analysis.

"Just as you said, Brother Bai, I should have clarified things with the Imperial Advisor immediately after learning the news from the capital, but he didn't do that. Instead, he sent me a letter home with a hint."

"I thought about it all night and it dawned on me that there are two reasons why my father didn't do that. First, it's very likely that my father had already sent the message, but the Imperial Advisor didn't receive it!!"

"If that's the case, then it's very bad. It means someone is monitoring my father, preventing him from talking to the Imperial Advisor, and trying to make the Imperial Advisor misunderstand my Jia family! To stir up conflict!" Jia Qingshan said, his voice trembling slightly.

"Yes, that's a reasonable and well-founded analysis." Bai Jueming nodded, then asked, "What about the second possibility?"

"The second possibility is that my father has encountered some trouble, or he has realized that there is some danger around him, and he doesn't dare to send a letter to the Imperial Advisor so openly! So he is hinting at it to me through a letter from home!"

"Whichever scenario it is, my father's situation is dire!" Jia Qingshan sighed, pacing anxiously back and forth in the room. "Brother Bai, what should we do?"

Bai Jueming gestured twice to calm Jia Qingshan down, saying, "Brother Jia, I have a question I'd like to ask you, I wonder if you've considered it."

"Tell me, tell me."

Bai Jue narrowed his eyes, his gaze suddenly sharpening: "If the Imperial Advisor didn't receive the letter your father sent, then why were you able to receive the letter sent to you?"

"This problem is very simple."

Jia Qingshan spoke quickly: "This is my father's and my secret way of communicating. Only my father and I know this method. Moreover, this method doesn't go through anyone else in the mansion; it's all secretly sent out by my father alone."

Bai Jueming nodded in sudden realization: "I see."

"If that's the case, your father's situation might be worse than you think."

"What did you say?" Jia Qingshan stopped abruptly, grabbed Bai Jueming's shoulders and shook him frantically. "What happened, Brother Bai? Tell me, tell me!"

"Please, I'll talk, I'll talk!" Bai Jueming grinned, "Can you be a little gentler? I'm just an eighth-rank official."

Realizing he had lost his composure, Jia Qingshan released Bai Jueming's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Brother Bai."

It's alright, we can just compensate with some gold ingots...

Bai Jueming rubbed his shoulders before saying, "Your analysis is correct. The fact that your father used a method known only to the two of you to contact you means that the enemy may have already infiltrated your father's inner circle!"

"They are monitoring your father's every move. Every message he sends out passes through the enemy's eyes, and if the enemy finds a message that is unfavorable to them, they will stop it from being sent out!"

"The fact that your father can contact you in this way shows that he has realized this."

"The enemy's knife may already be at your father's throat. It could be stabbed at any moment..." Bai Jueming whispered in Jia Qingshan's ear, deliberately speaking very softly, which sounded like a devil's whisper to Jia Qingshan.

Jia Qingshan's eyes widened, and he stood there stunned for a moment, not knowing what to do. After a long while, he finally came to his senses, grabbed Bai Jueming's shoulders and shook them frantically, his expression extremely agitated: "Brother Bai, you have to help me! My father can't die!"

"I haven't returned to Shangzhou to take over the family affairs yet. If something happens to my father, I'm afraid I won't be able to sit on the throne of the Prince of Yu Nan."

Holy crap! Is this what you're focusing on?

Bai Jueming looked at Jia Qingshan in great surprise. "I thought you were really afraid that something might happen to your father. I didn't expect you to be the kind of person who would laugh at the death of his father."

Bai Jueming, slightly speechless, gestured for him to stop swaying. Then, with a hint of helplessness, he explained, "Brother Jia, I fully understand and sympathize with your father's unfortunate experience."

Then, changing the subject, he said, "But I really can't help you with this. I'm just an ordinary Onmyoji at the Yin-Yang Palace. Your father is thousands of miles away, and even if I wanted to help, I'm powerless to do so."

Jia Qingshan had already prepared a plan. He leaned close to Bai Jueming and whispered, "Brother Bai, can you help me think of a way to get me to see the Imperial Preceptor? Didn't you say he's your godfather? If you, his godson, take me there, the Imperial Preceptor should be willing to see me, right?"

"?" Bai Jueming was stunned. Was this something he could actually do? Also, I said the Imperial Advisor was my godfather, and you can't see that? I think you're doing this on purpose, aren't you?

Jia Qingshan, oblivious to Bai Jueming's expression, continued, "I want to be frank with the Imperial Advisor about my father's situation and ask him to help him. My father is still somewhat useful; he's managed Shangzhou for so many years without making any major mistakes and has been utterly loyal to the Great Xia. Even if he hasn't achieved great things, he has certainly put in a lot of hard work."

"Every year, in addition to paying the full amount of taxes to the court, the imperial treasury is also filled with rare and precious treasures, gems, and jade artifacts from all over the country..."

"Stop, stop, stop. There's no need to say anything more." Bai Jueming raised his hand to interrupt Jia Qingshan's speech. There was no need to say any more about his achievements, because such words would only disgust the higher-ups.

Because they can easily replace someone who likes to boast about their achievements, and then put someone more obedient and less resentful in their place. Unless you have an irreplaceable role, or wield military power! It seems the Prince of Yu Nan has neither of those...

"Brother Bai, please help me. Take me to see the Imperial Advisor, and ask him to help my father..."

"Tsk," Bai Jueming twitched his lips, looking somewhat troubled. Let alone wanting to see the Imperial Advisor, even the hall masters probably didn't have the face to do so.

Although I keep saying that the Imperial Advisor is my godfather, I've never actually met him...

Looking at Jia Qingshan, who was full of expectation, Bai Jueming could only sigh helplessly: "Brother Jia, have you ever thought about this?"

"What?"

"So, do you think the Imperial Advisor knows about your father's situation?" Bai Jueming asked, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"If we can think of something like this, do you think the Imperial Advisor wouldn't? Or do you think we have more information than the Imperial Advisor?"

"What do you mean?" Jia Qingshan asked, his voice trembling slightly.

"You used my mouth to convey your father's hints to the Imperial Advisor. I think the Imperial Advisor could easily have figured these things out."

"But the Imperial Advisor hasn't made a move yet. Do you think he would want to help your father?" Bai Jueming looked at Jia Qingshan with sympathy.

"If the Imperial Advisor truly wants to help your father, he might help him naturally without you having to beg him."

"but..."