Chapter 146

Chapter 146: Clues

Di Kang Nian’s brows were already lifted with delight. He never expected tiny Jin Shan County to give him such a big surprise. He licked his lips and said with a leering smile, “You were sent by County Magistrate Zhou?”

Yu Qing Cheng covered her mouth as she smiled, and her phoenix eyes glanced lightly at Di Kang Nian. “My lord, of course we were sent by the county magistrate to serve you. Don’t disappoint County Magistrate Zhou’s good intentions.”

Di Kang Nian grew even happier and immediately waved his hand. “Hahahaha! Good. All of you, come inside. Let this lord see what you can do. Serve me well, and I’ll take you to the capital.”

“Yes, my lord,” the four of them replied perfunctorily, then followed behind Di Kang Nian into the room.

Liu Hao Tian was the last to enter. He turned and shut the door, blocking every prying gaze.

Once the door closed, the servants who had been staring blankly finally came back to themselves and began whispering.

“Our lord really has great luck this time-four peerless beauties at once.”

“Of course. Wherever Lord Di goes, isn’t he always surrounded by beauties? It’s just the madam who suffers, having to settle the new beauties into the household again.”

“No choice. County Magistrate Zhou’s gift hit the lord right where he liked.”

“Tsk tsk, you know, even if you add up all the beauties in Lord Di’s backyard, they still don’t compare to these four. I wonder where County Magistrate Zhou found them?”

“Why care about that? As long as he can keep his official post, people underneath have plenty of ways.”

“Enough, enough. With four beauties with him today, the lord probably won’t step out of that room. Let’s find a place to have some fun too!”

“Yeah, we aren’t the personal attendants anyway. Let’s go drink.”

After that, the off-duty servants in the courtyard called to friends and left together.

Only the guards on duty at the door suffered. Listening to the coquettish laughter and playful noises coming from inside, their hearts itched, but they did not dare peek. They knew their master’s temperament well-if he found out they coveted beauties, they probably were not far from death.

But the real situation inside the room was completely different from the sounds being heard outside.

Yun Xi and the other three each sat in the seats of honor, while Di Kang Nian stood before them with a dull, blank gaze.

Dian Dian circled Di Kang Nian, twitching its nose, as if trying to smell something out.

Liu Hao Tian studied Di Kang Nian’s face thoughtfully.

Yu Qing Cheng said with clear disgust, “One look and you can tell he’s all show and no substance. That face of his screams indulgence. It’s disgusting.”

Xia You also looked down on someone like this. She asked curiously, “Is there really nobody in the mortal world? Trash like this can be an imperial censor? What a waste for whoever is in power.”

This time, Yun Xi put away her casual expression. She beckoned Dian Dian back, then turned to the other three and said, “Dian Dian says this Di Kang Nian had contact with an evil cultivator a long time ago. It’s been too long, so it can’t track the trail.”

Yu Qing Cheng and Xia You both sobered, frowning. “So there really are evil cultivators laying out plans in the mortal world. They’re counting on the fact that high-level cultivators won’t stay in the mortal world for long, so they’re acting without restraint.”

Liu Hao Tian, however, was pinching his fingers as if calculating something. The three of them stopped talking and looked at him.

When Liu Hao Tian finished his calculation, he turned and said, “Di Kang Nian’s face is wrong. It looks like his fate has been interfered with by someone. And he was never meant for great wealth and rank in the first place-he shouldn’t be holding an important office. Something is off here.”

Yun Xi immediately said, “Dian Dian says he had contact with an evil cultivator. Could it be the evil cultivator promised him the benefit of changing his fate, and then gained some benefit from him in return?”

Xia You said, “Ask him and we’ll know.”

“If only we could soul-search him.”

“He’s a mortal. He can’t withstand a soul-search. If he dies in Jin Shan County, it would drag County Magistrate Zhou down instead.”

Yun Xi said this with a smile and started rummaging through her storage pouch. She remembered she had drawn Mind-Confusion Talismans before. They could make low-level cultivators lose themselves briefly and follow the talisman user’s commands.

Back then, she drew a few for practice. Because her divine sense was strong enough, briefly interfering with low-level cultivators was no problem, so she never used them. Now, they finally had a use.

The three watched Yun Xi search for a while before she took out a first-rank talisman.

Yu Qing Cheng, sharp-eyed, recognized it at once. “Sister Yun Xi, that’s a Mind-Confusion Talisman. I didn’t expect you to have that kind of talisman.”

“It was just practice when I was drawing talismans. After I finished, it sat in my storage pouch gathering dust. I didn’t expect it would be useful today,” Yun Xi said.

After explaining, Yun Xi slapped the talisman into Di Kang Nian’s chest. A moment later, Di Kang Nian’s eyes regained their light, but he looked at the four of them with deep respect.

Liu Hao Tian asked directly, “Ten years ago, what major event happened to your Di family?”

Di Kang Nian thought, then said, “We moved our ancestors’ graves.”

“Why did you move them?”

“My father was guided by an expert. He said there was a feng shui treasure land. As long as our ancestors were buried there, it would bless our descendants. Every descendant would become rich and noble, gain official rank, and have a smooth career.”

“After the ancestral graves were moved there, how did your family develop?”

“After we moved them, the Di family slowly rose. Especially in the last ten years, many talents came out of the family and all managed to get some sort of official post. Especially our main branch-we thrived like fish in water. I even made it to the position of imperial censor.”

“The expert who guided you-did you ever see him again?”

“No.”

“Since he found such a feng shui treasure land for the Di family, did he set any conditions?”

“He didn’t mention payment. He only made us promise to help him once. As for when we’ll help, and what exactly we’ll do, we don’t know.”

Yun Xi kept shaking her head after hearing that. It was obvious the other party could name whatever condition he wanted, and they weren’t even afraid of being schemed until there was nothing left but bone dust.

“Why did you come to Jin Shan County this time?”

“To pay respects to my ancestors, and to make the rounds and squeeze money,” Di Kang Nian answered without hesitation.

“Your family’s ancestral graves were moved to Jin Shan County?”

“Yes, they’re near Jin Shan County.”

Yun Xi asked with some curiosity, “If you’re paying respects to your ancestors, why are you being so sneaky about it?”

“Some people know how our Di family rose, and they all covet the feng shui treasure land where our ancestral graves are. So the clan usually worships in the family ancestral hall. We almost never go to the graves in person. This time, I came personally because my father told me to.”

After Liu Hao Tian finished asking what needed to be asked, he said, “Tomorrow we’ll go take a look at the Di family ancestral graves. There’s probably something wrong there.”

“Fine.”

Yu Qing Cheng waved her sleeve and made Di Kang Nian sleep on the floor. The four of them took over the room. Since they didn’t need to eat, they each sat down to meditate and cultivate.

But to Di Kang Nian’s subordinates outside the door, it looked like he had enjoyed four beauties all night and then collapsed from exhaustion, never even stepping out of the room.

When the news reached County Magistrate Zhou, he knew his official post was secure. Madam Yu, beside him, said worriedly, “Those four immortal cultivators are like gods. If Di Kang Nian takes advantage of them, wouldn’t that make me sick to death?”

County Magistrate Zhou waved his hand. “You’re worrying for nothing. That idiot Di Kang Nian probably can’t even touch the hem of the four immortal cultivators’ clothes.”

“That’s best. I just hope that plague god leaves Jin Shan County quickly.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve secretly spread the word. These next two days, any household with children who are especially good-looking won’t be going out.”