That wretched vixen has disguised herself as my wife!

Chen Sha stood up and gave Lu Zhao, who was cowering on the balcony, a cold look.

Lu Zhao felt like the sky had fallen the moment he saw his boss. He was holding his head and pretending to be a turtle, hoping that the other party would not see him, his defector.

"Commander Lu, you have truly lived up to expectations."

In the end, he still couldn't escape Chen Sha's sarcastic remarks.

Lu Zhao gritted his teeth, knelt down with a thud, and shouted:

“Vice Envoy Chen, I am ashamed to have failed your cultivation and trust, sir! But please, sir, hear me out! The massacre of the entire family has a different origin. You cannot let your hatred for the Demonic Sect cause you to ignore the truth!”

"..."

Chen Sha listened to his heartfelt words, snorted coldly, took off his sword and smashed it on the ground with a clang, then sat down on the spot.

His actions caught everyone off guard, leaving them looking at each other in bewilderment.

Chen Sha poured himself a cup of tea, then glanced at Jiang Jingming and gestured for him to sit down as well.

Jiang Jingming was skeptical, so he sheathed his sword and cautiously sat down cross-legged opposite him.

At this moment, Xie Yunqi suddenly had a flash of inspiration, realizing that Chen Sha was not only skilled with a sword, but also had first-rate palm techniques. So he immediately slammed his fist on the table and shouted:

"Jingming, don't fall for his trick! Be careful, he might kill you with one blow!"

"..."

Hearing his young mistress's confident voice, Chen Sha closed his eyes, his expression filled with a sense of powerlessness and weariness.

After a while, he tossed the tea out of his cup and poured himself a glass of wine.

It was like a silent reconciliation.

Wen Fuxiao and the others exchanged glances, and finally sat down and filled their wine glasses.

"What does Vice Envoy Chen mean by this?"

"what for?"

Chen Sha took a sip of wine and narrowed his eyes slightly:

"Chief Secretary Wen took in a first-class fugitive from the city late at night. I haven't yet asked you, Chief Secretary, what your intention is?"

"Wen Changshi didn't know what a first-class fugitive was, he only knew that this was the rain master chosen by the people of the city today."

Jiang Jingming picked up his wine glass, smiled slightly, and gestured for him to look to the other side.

"Greetings, Lord Chen."

Fang Zhiyi sat down gracefully and raised her glass to him in a toast.

"..."

Chen Sha had no choice but to give in after Chen Sha's feigned madness and downed the wine in his cup.

"Vice Envoy Chen."

Jiang Jingming, his eyes hidden behind his wine glass, stared silently at Chen Sha and spoke in a deep voice:

“During this escape, I realized that if Vice Envoy Chen truly wanted to arrest us, we would never have arrived at Tingpu Manor so easily to investigate. Vice Envoy Chen’s solitary attendance at the banquet today has only strengthened my judgment. Since there are no outsiders here, Vice Envoy Chen, could you perhaps say a few words from the heart to us?”

"You're quite clever."

Chen Sha glanced at him, then lowered his head and drank.

Xie Yunqi suddenly leaned closer mysteriously and nudged him hard with his elbow.

"Hey, Chen Sha, tell me honestly, did you suddenly have a change of heart, realize you've gone astray, and know that we're the ones on the side of justice?"

"What do you mean? What wrong path did I take?"

Chen Sha choked on his drink after being rebuked by her, coughing several times before he had the strength to ask a question back.

"Jingming told me everything. The uncle who forged the sword for me is dead. Is it because you want to avenge him that you haven't been investigating the case properly, and are you just waiting to frame the Duyue Sect?"

Xie Yunqi pursed his lips, his voice unusually cautious.

After all, a cold and aloof person like Chen Sha rarely has a close friend, so the departure of his friend makes it even harder for him to get over it.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Chen Sha coldly shook his head in denial without hesitation:

“What kind of person does Miss take me, Chen Sha, for? Even if I wanted to avenge him, I would never wear the cloak of the Deputy Envoy of the Divine Capital Guard.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jingming was slightly taken aback, realizing that he had been wrong all along.

Chen Sha did want to avenge his old friend, but this would not supersede the truth and justice he believed in. Therefore, he would not use this opportunity to provoke a war between the Duyue Sect and the Righteous Path Alliance.

This was merely a personal grudge, so even if he wanted to take revenge, he would only do so in the name of Chen Sha alone.

No wonder he let them escape; he needed someone to find out the truth for him!

Chapter 127 A Chaotic World of Discord Between Ruler and Minister

So what is the real reason preventing him from investigating this case?

Jiang Jingming vaguely felt that he had touched the answer behind the fog, and suddenly looked up, meeting Chen Sha's gaze.

"The Shun family has long been in contact with the current emperor; I think you already know this."

Chen Sha's expression was very resolute.

"Because of the Corpse Demon Technique."

When Chen Sha uttered this word, everyone was taken aback.

Wen Fuxiao stroked his beard, squinted at the corners of his eyes, and quietly observed him for a long time.

Chen Sha felt uneasy under the watchful eye of this cunning old man, and frowned, saying:

“Wen Changshi, you don’t need to stare at me like that. Since I’ve drunk this pot of wine tonight, it means I’m not here to be your opponent.”

"Ok."

Wen Fuxiao shrugged and exchanged a glance with Jiang Jingming.

"Then, Vice Envoy Chen, why don't you tell us how you learned about the Corpse Demon Technique?"

"I think I know more about this than you do."

Chen Sha flicked his sleeve, and Lu Zhao, who was standing by, rushed over to pour him wine.

"The art of the Corpse Demon uses blood and soul as a medium to summon the souls of the dead back to the world for one's own use. It is the most sinister and mysterious art in the world. Legend has it that it was presented to the late emperor by a sorcerer from another region. The late emperor scoffed at it as a heretical art and disdained it, hiding it among the secret scrolls in the deep palace. Later, when the current emperor ascended the throne, he once summoned people to search through ancient books, actually to find the scrolls that recorded the art of the Corpse Demon."

"I see."

Wen Fuxiao's face gradually turned ashen. Back then, he was the one responsible for inventorying the ancient books, and he was the one who had seen the Corpse Demon Technique at that time.

At the time, it seemed like a fantasy, but now it seems to be more than that.

"The emperor secretly kept this file. At that time, no one knew what he was thinking—Miss, even your father didn't know about this."

As Chen Sha finished speaking, he looked at Xie Yunqi with a complicated expression.

"what?"

Xie Yunqi raised his head in a daze:

"If I don't know, I don't know. My father isn't the empress; how could he know everything?"

"..."

Chen Sha clutched his chest, nearly choking on his breath.

Wen Fuxiao came over and patted his back to comfort him.

"It's alright, Deputy Envoy Chen. I understand you, I understand you so well."

In this serious and somber atmosphere, Jiang Jingming couldn't help but chuckle softly, then tugged at the young lady's braid.

"what?!"

Xie Yunqi winced in pain and glared angrily.

"What Vice Envoy Chen means is that even between a ruler and his subject like Commander Xie and the Emperor, there are secrets, suspicions, and distrust."

Jiang Jingming patiently explained to her.

"Oh, I see!"

Xie Yunqi suddenly realized, and then tilted his head to look at Chen Sha:

"So, the emperor chose you to handle the matter of the Corpse Demon Technique for him?"

"not quite."

Chen Sha shook his head:

“Jingming is right, but this suspicion and distrust is not just directed at Commander Xie, but at the entire Divine Capital Guard.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhao frowned deeply, finding it hard to believe:

"But the Imperial Guard was established to protect imperial power! Why would the Emperor suspect his closest military force?"

Chen Sha glanced at him and gave a cold smile:

"You might want to think about it carefully: how many of the scions of noble families in the capital regard the Divine Capital Guard as a sacred place because they want to serve the Emperor? And how many of them simply admire the charisma of the great hero Xie Jichuan?"

"..."

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhao was speechless.

That's right. Xie Jichuan is an absolute idol in the hearts of young people. Just his presence is the most powerful symbol of the Divine Capital Guard.

The original intention of establishing the position, namely "to be loyal to the emperor," has been forgotten.

Jiang Jingming listened silently to Chen Sha's words, lost in thought.

In this light, it was only a matter of time before the emperor began to suspect Xie Jichuan.

He never achieved the same great accomplishments as the late emperor, and in people's hearts he could never compare to his father. His status and prestige among the younger generation were far inferior to Xie Jichuan's.

Over time, suspicion and distrust naturally arise.

You, Xie Jichuan, appear to be upright and honest, but after all, you can't see into someone's heart. How can you know if you are truly loyal if you don't dig out your heart?

"joke!"

Xie Yunqi said irritably:

"Does the emperor really think everyone wants to sit on his dragon throne? Father is already exhausted just managing the Divine Capital Guard. He keeps saying he wants me to grow up quickly so he can take over his throne. How could he possibly have the mind to covet his throne?"

"That's true, but emperors are inherently suspicious and distrustful. Since His Majesty has given Commander Xie such a position, he will certainly always harbor an equal amount of suspicion towards him."

Wen Fuxiao sighed and silently drank her wine.

"In truth, Xie Jichuan was well aware of the emperor's suspicions. This man is simply blindly loyal!"

Chen Sha slammed his wine glass down, his eyes filled with anger:

"I have advised him countless times to relinquish his power and retire, but he can never let go of his so-called sense of national duty. He is always worried about everything, as if the capital would collapse without him, Xie Jichuan!"

"Well said!"

Xie Yunqi slammed his hand on the table, seemingly sharing the same sentiment.

The reason she was so naughty when she was a child was largely because she felt that her father was too busy and spent too little time with her.

So she was always thinking of causing a ruckus, and the busy Commander Xie naturally came to discipline her.

Unexpectedly, this tactic not only failed to work, but also fostered such a lawless personality in him.

"So, it's precisely because the Emperor no longer trusts the Divine Capital Guard that he's so interested in the Corpse Demon Technique? Could it be...?"

Wen Fuxiao stopped abruptly halfway through her sentence.

"Yes."

Chen Sha quietly continued his words.

"The emperor wants to build himself an army of ghouls, that would be true loyalty, serving only him."

"absurd!!!"

Wen Fuxiao, who was usually peaceful and kind, now had eyes that looked like they were about to burst.

"How could the Emperor, as the ruler of a dynasty, so easily believe in such vile and evil arts? How could he possibly believe in them?"