svetikya Chapter 156 The Origins of the Military Equipment and the People Behind the Scenes
Chapter 156 The Origins of the Military Equipment and the People Behind the Scenes
Chapter 156 The Origins of the Military Equipment and the People Behind the Scenes
The two talked for a while, venting their emotions from the past few days.
Although for Mo Di, he had only been separated from Su Youli for a little over a month, for the latter, they had not seen each other for more than three years.
The latter's inner emotions were undoubtedly heavier than the former's.
Thankfully, she didn't have a seed of the soul; otherwise, I shudder to think what she would be in now.
Modi's usually indifferent gaze softened slightly as he looked at the girl leaning against him... Perhaps, in terms of physical age, this form of address isn't quite appropriate.
"By the way, do you have anything else to do at the Zhao family?" Su Youli raised her head, a hint of anticipation in her eyes. "If you don't have anything to do, or if you've finished your business, come to my house. You've just arrived, so you probably don't have a place to stay yet."
"Alright, but before that, I need to see someone and talk to him about... the collusion with the Zeshan bandits." Mo Di smiled and nodded, taking her hand as they walked deeper into the Zhao residence.
His spiritual senses were firmly locked onto a study and an old man lying inside.
The old man had just inhaled an excessive amount of blood mist and, like some other servants who didn't deserve to die, had fallen into a deep coma. The two men walked past the people lying on the ground and, with light steps, headed towards the study.
"It's perfect timing; I also need to settle accounts with the Zhao family for kidnapping my niece."
Compared to their first meeting, Su Youli's aloof demeanor had diminished considerably, but her words still inadvertently revealed a chilling murderous intent.
She looks just like someone who's with her right now.
The once grand Zhao mansion is now eerily empty. Apart from the servants and guards, most of the Zhao family members have been slaughtered by Mo Di, leaving only a few who have committed less serious crimes.
After today, they will inevitably face retaliation from the Zhao family's hostile forces, but that's not something Mo Di can concern himself with.
Even if they did not do evil, they all enjoyed the favors brought by the Zhao family, and these favors were all built on the suffering of ordinary people.
Good deeds should not extend to family members, nor should misfortune befall family members.
"We've arrived."
Modi kicked open the study door with one foot, his movements practiced and skillful, as if he had done it many times before.
The door was wide open, and the layout of the study was revealed to the two of them.
Upon entering, a calligraphy scroll hangs on the left wall, inscribed with the words "Loyalty to the Emperor and Service to the Country."
On the right, there is a wooden desk facing the calligraphy and painting. On both sides are wooden cabinets with some books inside, which look a bit messy, as if someone had just rummaged through them.
In front of the desk was a brazier, and next to it lay a slightly plump old man wearing a brocade robe with a kind face.
The fire in the brazier had gone out, and there was still ash inside, indicating that something had just been burned.
Judging from the corner of the book page that remained in the ashes, what was just burned was probably the paper of the book.
The old man was holding a thin book in his hand. Judging from his posture, he must have tried his best to throw the book into the fire pit before he fainted.
Modi stepped forward, rummaged through the brazier, and picked out a few pages that hadn't been completely burned.
"North...acquired ten pieces of Xuan Iron Armor...an abandoned farmhouse on the southern outskirts of the city?"
"In the north of the city, Zhang Qing, unable to repay his loan, took his only daughter as collateral and sent her to Daze Mountain..."
"Ten broken crossbows were found in the dense forest on the northern outskirts of the city..."
After reading these fragments, Modi raised an eyebrow, a question arising in his mind.
"Who is so bold as to provide the Zhao family with standard Zhenwu Guard equipment?"
Just by looking at the tattered pages, you can tell that the Zhao family had a master behind them, otherwise how could they have found Zhenwuwei military equipment in various places?
This isn't a PUBG world where loot drops everywhere, so why would someone put it there on purpose? It's more likely that someone deliberately placed it there, intending to use the Zhao family to transfer the Zhenwu Guard's military equipment to Daze Mountain.
What is the mastermind behind this, Zeshan Dao, planning to do next?
"It's a pity I didn't find any letters in Zeshan Village, so I have no idea what they're up to. Maybe the Zhao family and those bandits were only in contact one-way, which is why they didn't leave any records."
Su Youli speculated, "Could it be that the Zhao family, representing the Qingming Palace behind them, is funding the Zeshan bandits to launch a rebellion in order to test the court's bottom line?"
"It's possible, but we can't draw a conclusion yet."
Modi picked up the book from the old man's hand, flipped through it, and quickly glanced at it. In just a few seconds, he had read it through.
"What's written on it?" Su Youli asked curiously as she leaned closer.
"From the beginning until now, the amount of supplies the Zhao family has provided to the Zeshan bandits." Mo Di handed her the ledger, recalling the amount of military equipment he had counted in Zeshan Village, and nodded.
They all match.
The only question is, where did the person behind the scenes get such a large amount of Zhenwuwei military equipment?
Could they have looted the entire Zhenwuwei armory?
"This quantity... is too much." Even Su Youli noticed something was wrong, her eyebrows furrowing slightly.
"To acquire so much Zhenwu Guard equipment quietly, either they had to piece it together from various Zhenwu Divisions across the Great Qian Dynasty and then transport it here, or the mastermind behind it had an inside agent in the Zhenwu Division."
"The former is too troublesome and difficult, and it's not practical to operate. As for the latter... if that's the case, then the inside man must be in a high position and it's unlikely he would bother with the Zhao family."
"Or, there is another possibility."
She narrowed her eyes slightly and met Mo Di's gaze.
The unspoken understanding between them made Mo Di instantly realize what she meant.
"You suspect that the Zhao family are actually affiliated with the imperial court?"
“Yes,” Su Youli shifted her gaze to the calligraphy and painting on the wall that read “Loyalty to the Emperor and Serving the Country,” “If all of the Zhao family’s actions were tacitly approved by the Zhenwu Guard, then it makes sense.”
Today, Tianyong City is already under the control of Cangjian Peak, one of the five major sects. Through coercion or bribery, all the officials in the city, big and small, are now pro-Cangjian Peak.
The Zhenwu Guard within the city had long been ousted, and Cangjian Peak would not allow this violent institution of the imperial court to exist.
If the imperial court wants to reclaim this city, it must first drive out the Hidden Sword Peak forces and then carry out a major reshuffle.
"That makes sense, but we can't be completely sure yet. Perfect timing, the old man is awake, let's ask him first."
Modi grabbed the old man who had just opened his eyes and was still a little dazed, showing no pity and no respect for the elderly whatsoever.
"Master Zhao, is that right? I have a question for you."
The red-robed Taoist smiled and waved the account book in his hand.
"Tell me, what happened?"
The moment he saw the account book, the confusion on Master Zhao's face vanished, and he instinctively reached out to retrieve it.
But he overestimated himself; his short, stubby hands clearly couldn't reach it.
Mordy grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up slightly, like Darth Vader, the famous philanthropist who helped others stand taller.
Master Zhao froze. He realized he couldn't control his body. His limbs no longer belonged to him; only his mouth remained to speak.
Reason returned to his mind. Seeing the red-robed Taoist priest in the study, he immediately realized what had happened, but still clinging to a sliver of hope, he asked:
"How is Feng'er now?"
"Zhao Chenfeng? He's dead, smashed to pieces."
With the intention of leaving the dying man with some last beautiful memories, Modi truthfully answered his questions.
However, after listening, the old man looked dazed, his eyes seemingly covered with a layer of mist.
Mo Di was a kind-hearted man who couldn't bear to see anyone cry in front of him, so he simply deprived Master Zhao of the ability to produce tears.
"You, you evil Taoist! Feng'er is dead. The Azure Nether Palace will never let you go. Aren't you afraid of their revenge?!"
Mr. Zhao was filled with rage, just like an ordinary old man who had just experienced the pain of losing his son.
Mo Di smiled dismissively, while Su Youli said coldly beside him, "If they want to do this, they'll have to ask my sword for permission first."
A chilling sword light surrounded her, with eight layers of divine energy clearly visible on it.
"Speaking of which, I haven't settled accounts with you yet for the Zhao family kidnapping my niece and colluding with the Zeshan bandits."
Upon hearing this, Master Zhao finally noticed her, a hint of surprise flashing across his face, and he immediately asserted:
"What kidnapping? What collusion with the Zeshan bandits? Those are all slanders! On the contrary, Elder Su, you colluded with outsiders and plotted against your fellow disciples. These two points alone are enough for Hidden Sword Peak to take back your position as elder and expel you."
"You won't admit it?" Mo Di wasn't surprised; there were plenty of stubborn people out there. He decided to play hard to get: "Your Zhao family has the imperial court backing you, right?"
Almost instinctively, Master Zhao quickly lowered his eyes, trying to hide the fleeting panic in them.
"I don't understand what you're talking about. Our Zhao family is only loyal to Hidden Sword Peak. You can't just make baseless accusations!"
"My eyelids drooped unconsciously, my facial muscles trembled unnaturally, and my heart raced involuntarily. This is... the smell of a lie."
Modi became even more certain of this guess; at the very least, the Zhao family and the imperial court were definitely connected.
"I will truthfully report to the clan leader that your Zhao family has connections with the imperial court. By the way, from now on, the Zhao family will probably cease to exist, since only a handful of people have survived."
Su Youli spoke in a flat tone, her words resembling those of a villain who had wiped out an entire family.
"You!" Master Zhao's eyes widened, turning bloodshot, but the next moment, his breath hitched, the light in his eyes faded, and his head drooped.
He is probably indeed dead.
"How did you kill him?" Su Youli looked at Mo Di in confusion, only to see the latter shake his head.
"I didn't do it. Actually, he died so quickly that even I didn't have time to react."
Mo Di casually tossed aside Master Zhao's corpse, looking completely innocent.
"He had poison hidden in his mouth, but under my control, he had no chance to take it and therefore could not commit suicide. So someone must have been behind it all to cause his death."
Su Youli said, "I suspect it is the application of some kind of divine will. The divine will of each Divine Gang Realm is different, so it is not surprising that they can kill people from a distance."
"Could it be that the imperial court, fearing the matter would be exposed, deliberately killed them to silence them?"
Mo Di's first thought was of the imperial court. Judging from what the Zhao family had done, if they were really backed by the imperial court, then the imperial court was no good either.
"It's possible. Perhaps the imperial court is planning to take action against Tianyong City, but it's uncertain whether the Qingming Palace knows about it."
Zhao Chenfeng is a direct disciple of the Qingming Palace and holds a high position of power within the palace. If the Qingming Palace is also involved in this matter, then the nature of the matter changes.
What started as the actions of individual disciples escalated into a rebellion by an entire faction.
This is something that has never happened before in the history of Cangjian Peak.
"Let's leave here first. Didn't you say you were going to take me to your house?" Mo Di had no good feelings towards the imperial court, nor towards the sect. He was investigating this matter purely out of convenience.
Now that it has been discovered that he is closely related to the imperial court, further investigation would not align with his original intention of acting on impulse.
Overthrowing the entire imperial court would be too difficult for him. He would have to wait for the Zeshan stronghold to develop for a while before considering doing so.
Or perhaps this matter involves Su Youli.
"Well, once I've brought the officials from Tianyong City here to handle the aftermath, the elders' authority will be put to good use."
She directly used divine will to summon the highest-ranking official in Tianyong City.
The privileges of the elders of Hidden Sword Peak are to order people around at will and even appoint officials. The sect has already formed a situation of division, so it is no wonder that Mo Di thinks that the Great Qian Dynasty will be doomed sooner or later.
The city lord, who had rushed over, quickly bowed to Su Youli. When he saw the red-robed Taoist standing beside her, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he didn't ask any questions.
Su Youli didn't exchange many pleasantries and went straight to the point, presenting the evidence they had found in the study.
"The Zhao family kidnapped a woman and colluded with the bandits of Zeshan. They have now been executed. You can handle the rest."
Upon hearing the first half of the sentence, the city lord of Tianyong City was startled and quickly lowered his eyes to his nose and his mind.
He had already heard about the Zhao family's kidnapping of civilians, but he had always turned a blind eye due to their status and background.
Unexpectedly, the Zhao family was so audacious, not only colluding with the Zeshan bandits but also framing the Su family, who had elders as their backers.
Judging from the evidence found in the study, the Zhao family seems to want to frame other families for this matter so that the Su family can fight with them.
Unexpectedly, this newly appointed Elder Su acted with such ruthlessness, slaughtering the Zhao family, including the Qingming Palace's direct disciple, without a second thought, and showing no fear of being held accountable by the Qingming Palace.
By the way, who is that Taoist priest next to Elder Su? Why are the two of them so intimate?
The city lord grumbled inwardly, but outwardly maintained a serious expression and repeatedly agreed.
After watching the two leave the Zhao residence, the city lord turned around and ordered his men to take away all the surviving servants and members of the Zhao family for interrogation.
"This is a headache. Afterwards, the Qingming Palace will probably come too. I'll have to figure out how to deal with them. If things go wrong, I might lose my job."
Thinking of this, the city lord showed a helpless expression. Perhaps this was the retribution for his turning a blind eye to the evil deeds of the Zhao family.
"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river; never underestimate a young man's potential! One day, I will personally avenge my family's blood feud!"
A burst of excited voices rang out, and the city lord stopped in his tracks. He saw a young man with an indignant expression swearing an oath to the heavens, and a hint of mockery appeared on his face.
This child probably has no idea what his life of luxury is built on.
"Take them all away," the city lord said coldly, then ignored the boy and returned to the city lord's mansion in his carriage.
The carriage gradually disappeared into the distance.
No one noticed that outside the Zhao residence, among the crowd watching the commotion, a peddler carrying goods had a sinister look in his eyes. He glanced at the Zhao residence and then turned and left shortly afterward.
Not far from the Zhao residence, on the upper floor of a restaurant, two men in brocade robes exchanged a glance, left money for their drinks, and hurriedly departed.
On the street, a woman praying for skill received a copper coin from someone. She quickly bowed her head to express her gratitude, but secretly glanced at the Zhao family mansion not far away. She then picked up the broken bowl and disappeared into the crowd.
At the same time, Mo Di brought Su Youli to the Su family.