The Foolish Agent

Chapter 47

Leng Jie thought for a moment, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes. She smirked and said, "The Emperor hasn't contacted you in the years since he ascended the throne, yet he's still maintained a stable reign. Besides, what does it matter to me whether he suffers losses or not! Why don't you ask him to help your father break the curse!"

"How can that be? Didn't brother say that only you know how to break the curse?" Xingyue said anxiously. "Sister Leng promised Xingyue to cure Father's illness. How can you go back on your word?"

Duanmu Xingchen had already received Leng Jie's hint, and followed her lead, asking, "Miss Leng, please tell us your conditions, and we will definitely agree!"

"Since we're all on the same side, Brother Duanmu, could you drop the 'small' part when you call me? Just call me Leng Jie, or Sister Leng, that's fine too. As for the conditions, they're very simple: you have to promise that you'll follow my lead in all the actions of the Qingyi Sect from now on."

The Green Robe Sect listens to her! The brother and sister exchanged a glance, and Xingchen blurted out, "Are you sure you want to become the leader of the Green Robe Sect at this time?"

"I'm not stupid. Why would I become the epitome of a villain, hated and reviled by everyone?" Leng Jie rolled her eyes at him and stated clearly, "What I mean is, the leader is still your Duanmu family. You'll continue doing what you did before, the only difference is that your superior has changed. Before, you directly obeyed the Emperor. Now, the Emperor has entrusted me with the management of the Dark Guard, and I am fully in charge. You know, I'm just a lowly woman with little influence. If it weren't for that tight band binding you powerful men, who would even take me seriously? Otherwise, why do you think I would know how to break that curse?"

In Duanmu Xingchen's view, it seemed only natural that the Emperor would appoint a woman as the third sect leader of the Dragon Gate, entrust him and his fellow disciple with the important task of breaking the curse in the Dark Division, and then put the Dark Division under her management as well. Therefore, he firmly believed that the Emperor had already handed the Dark Division over to Leng Jie. He immediately raised his hand and swore, "I, Duanmu Xingchen, swear to the heavens! The Duanmu family will never betray the royal family and will always obey Leng Jie's orders!"

Chapter 83 The Promise of Reunion

The martial arts tournament has entered its tense countdown phase. The Shangguan family, the leading martial arts clan and the organizer, is working feverishly on final preparations. The tournament is scheduled to be held at the Shangguan family's villa, "Jianxing Manor," located three miles outside Jianzhou City. This manor covers a full 150 acres, with countless houses, courtyards, pavilions, and towers scattered throughout. The manor is surrounded by mountains on three sides and faces a lake on the other. On the lakeside lies an open space large enough to accommodate several thousand people—the main venue for the tournament. The temporary wooden fighting arena in the center of the arena is already taking shape.

More and more martial arts practitioners gathered in Jianzhou. Of course, there were also those who came to watch the spectacle, or to help the underworld figures of the Green Robe Cult. The Green Robe Cult seemed to be preparing for the martial arts tournament, remaining silent since the sword formation incident. The long-standing struggle between good and evil had now reached its climax. They were just waiting for the opening drums of the martial arts tournament to sound, at which point the real show would begin.

The Prince Ying's Mansion, long oppressed by a gloomy atmosphere, finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Their patriarch, Prince Ying, Xuan Yuan Xiu Yu, who had been missing for days, reappeared unharmed. Meanwhile, the aloof and arrogant Xiao Shi Yu had vanished from the world. After a heartwarming reunion and tearful expressions of joy following their near-death experience, the festive atmosphere was quickly replaced by a somber mood due to the anxious and cold expression on the Prince's face.

In the Prince's study, a middle-aged woman in her early forties, dressed in a dark green embroidered cotton-padded jacket and a light green floral skirt, still possessing a captivating charm, blocked the doorway and eagerly asked the Prince:

"Yu'er, tell your mother what happened? Where have you been these past two months? Why have you become so haggard? Where is Shi Fang? How has she been taking care of you? Why didn't she come back with you?"

Upon hearing the name Shi Fang, Prince Xuanyuan Xiuyu, who was engrossed in handling state affairs, involuntarily furrowed his thick, dark eyebrows. A cold, sharp glint, like ice blades, flashed in his deep eyes. In an instant, when he looked up at the newcomer, his expression had returned to calm. He then replied in an extremely calm tone:

“Mother, didn’t I tell you I went to inspect the people’s conditions? Shi Fang has found her family and left with them. Please don’t worry about her anymore. Aren’t Shi Xiu and Shi Li taking care of you? If that’s not enough, I’ll have the steward find you a few more clever maids.”

Although the cold glint was fleeting, the princess, who had been intently watching her son's reaction, couldn't help but shiver. She had already heard about Shi Fang's actions from Shi Wu. Although she also felt that Shi Fang had done wrong, considering that she had always been very obedient, she believed that Shi Fang had only acted out of momentary confusion. Besides, she hadn't succeeded! So she wanted to ask her son to retract his order. But seeing his expression when he heard about Shi Fang, how could she bring herself to say it? Now that her son had provided her with a platform, she had no choice but to accept it.

“Your mother has Shi Xiu and Shi Li, that’s enough. I was worried you’d be left without anyone to take care of you. Since you don’t need anyone else to serve you, then there’s no need to look for anyone else. You go ahead with your work. I’m going back now.” Just as she turned around, she suddenly turned back and said, “Don’t forget you promised me you’d get married this year. It’s almost the end of the year now, has that woman who can move your heart appeared yet? If she still hasn’t, then you’ll have to listen to your mother…”

"It's here!"

Three words, brimming with deep affection, interrupted the princess's incessant rambling.

"Uh! Has this stubborn rock finally been enlightened by a master? I can't believe it!" After a moment of stunned silence, the princess excitedly asked:

"Tell me quickly, which family's daughter is she? I'll go and propose marriage right now. Now, the Shi family no longer has to worry about having no heir. I can face your father and the ancestors of the Shi family even after I die..."

Looking at his mother, who was already lost in her dream of holding her grandson, Shi Yu shook his head and smiled wryly. He dared not tell her that nothing was even started yet! So, while she was fast asleep, he slipped out the window and made a quick getaway.

As soon as Wu Yun opened the door, she saw Shi Yu standing there with the bundle she had taken that morning. Startled, she asked:

"Hey! Your Highness! Didn't you just return to the palace? Why are you back again?"

Shi Yu shoved Wu Yun aside. He strode in and headed straight for the backyard, saying to Wu Yun as he went:

"I have decided to work here from now on. I will stay in my old room."

"Does he really think this is his royal residence?" Wu Yun paused for a moment. She thought to herself, "As long as the sect leader agrees, I have no objections." She then casually closed the door and quickly followed Shi Yu into the backyard.

"Where are your sect leader and Young Master Qingfeng?" Shi Yu knocked on two doors but received no response. He then turned to ask Wu Yun, who had followed him.

"In the council chamber," Wuyun replied truthfully.

You knew perfectly well why you kept knocking without saying a word! You knew nobody in Longmen cared about a prince like him. Shi Yu glared at Wu Yun, tossed the bundle in his hand to Wu Yun, and said:

"Put it in my room." He turned and walked towards the front hall.

Wu Yun innocently thought, "If I tell you, who knows if you'll let me take you to them? You were just chased back to the Prince's Mansion by the Sect Master this morning. And you're back again after only half a day. You're a Prince, aren't you afraid of being scolded by the Sect Master? I want to live a few more years! I dare not provoke the Sect Master and Young Master Qingfeng at a time like this! Ever since the Third Sect Master disappeared, those two have had a face that looks like they want to eat people, making people fear them. Their tempers are also as volatile as if they've gone mad, they can't stand anyone, and if they don't like someone, they'll kick them a long way. Now, you have to keep a distance of at least three zhang when you talk to them."

No, that's wrong. It should be that all three of them have gone mad. This prince is the same. Because the people he sent wanted to harm the Third Sect Master, the Sect Master and Young Master Qingfeng disliked him intensely. But no matter how much they provoked him or how harsh their words were, he refused to leave. He insisted on finding the Third Sect Master safely before returning. That's why the Sect Master kicked him out.

As Wu Yun had predicted, Xuan Yuan and Qing Feng exchanged a glance upon seeing Shi Yu return. Then, Xuan Yuan's face darkened, and he launched into a tirade of angry rebukes:

"Xuanyuan Xiuyu! Why aren't you dealing with your affairs? What are you doing here? Didn't we say that Longmen can't be associated with the government? We'll find Xiaojie ourselves. You get back to the palace!"

He was used to such roars. Shi Yu shrugged indifferently and replied calmly:

"I thought you were all worried sick about Xiaojie, so I rushed back as soon as I heard the news. Since you don't want to know, I'll just go back now!" With that, she turned and walked out.

"Wait!" In the blink of an eye, the two had already leaped in front of him, blocking his way.

Xuanyuan asked anxiously, "Do you have any news about Xiaojie? Where is she now?"

"Is she alright? Has her injury healed?" Qingfeng asked at the same time.

Shi met the four eager gazes and said solemnly:

"I met a kid at the door just now, and he gave me a letter. He said a pretty lady asked him to give it to me. When I looked at the envelope, it was addressed to Senior Brother Hu Qingfeng. I thought, isn't the one who calls Qingfeng 'Senior Brother' Xiaojie? So I quickly brought it to you." As he spoke, Shi Yu pulled a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Qingfeng.

Qingfeng snatched the letter and immediately began to read it:

"Senior brothers, Xuanyuan, Shiyu, and fellow disciples of Longmen:"

Greetings! On the day Shi Fang tried to harm me while I was unconscious, I was fortunately saved by kind people. Because of my limited mobility, I'm only now getting around to letting you know I'm safe. I deserve a beating for causing you all worry for several days. To atone for my mistake, I promise to bring you all a wonderful surprise at the martial arts tournament!

My injuries have healed completely, and I'm doing well now! Please don't worry about me! See you at Jianxing Manor outside the city in three days!

Respectfully submitted by Leng Jie!

Knowing she was alright, the three of them simultaneously let out a long sigh of relief...

From the day she disappeared, they first went to the Qingyi Sect to demand her return, only to be met with a straightforward search. Their men turned the Qingyi Sect upside down but found not a single clue. Then, the Longmen, the government, and the entire secret service were mobilized. The entire city of Jianzhou was thrown into chaos, with people and horses scattered everywhere. They searched almost every inch of Jianzhou, but still found no trace of her. Now they have expanded their search area to outside Jianzhou city. If they still don't receive any news of her, they are prepared to search the entire country.

And none of them had a single peaceful meal or a good night's sleep. Every time they saw food, they wondered if she had anything to eat, if she was hungry. Every time they closed their eyes, they saw her, covered in wounds, pleading for help…

Xuanyuan and Shiyu were slightly better off. After the Qingyi Sect's failed attempt, they concluded that Leng Jie's kidnapping was related to her fiancé. Because ordinary thieves wouldn't take their hostages with them. But no matter how they questioned Qingfeng, he refused to say who the man was. His only answer was always, "He doesn't know." Therefore, although they worried about Leng Jie's injuries and whether she would be forced into marriage, and missed everything about her, they at least didn't need to worry about her life. Because even if that man disliked or hated her, since he had saved her from someone else's knife, he surely wouldn't want to kill her again!

Qingfeng, however, was different. He was genuinely worried about her life. Would he ever see her again? Would she be...? In short, he worried about everything terrible a girl could encounter. This worry was like a vengeful ghost, slowly devouring his mind, making it impossible for him to think clearly or concentrate. And this worry was growing stronger with each passing day.

That's why, upon suddenly learning of her safety, his first reaction was relief, followed by joy, and then anger. He then gritted his teeth and cursed:

"That damn girl! She can't move, couldn't she send someone to let her know she's safe? Doesn't she know that would scare or torture someone to death?"

“Exactly! Knowing we’d be worried, they’ve dragged it out for so long,” Shi Yu complained.

Xuanyuan said with a worried expression:

"It's good to know she's safe! But why didn't she come back after delivering the letter to the door? What is this surprise she mentioned? I'm a little excited, but I'm worried about whether she can handle it all by herself. What if she runs into some danger again?"

After Xuanyuan reminded him, the other two immediately showed the same expression as him.

After bowing his head and remaining silent for a moment, Qingfeng shook his head and sighed.

"Sigh! There's no use worrying now. Fortunately, the martial arts tournament is in three days. I hope to see her unharmed then! Since she was fine even when she was covered in injuries and unable to move, she should be even more fine after she recovers!"

The other two people agreed. Now they just wish time would pass quickly...

In a quaint little villa outside the city, Leng Jie was having a private conversation in the study with Duanmu Jianhun, the current head of the Duanmu family and the Grand Master of the Qingyi Sect, the first leader of the secret service she had recruited.

"Miss Leng, thank you for lifting the curse from my body! Chen'er's promise to you is the promise of the Duanmu family. From now on, the Duanmu family will obey your every command!" Duanmu Jianhun solemnly promised Leng Jie.

Leng Jie stared at the tall, elegant man before her, who, though over fifty, was still handsome and dashing. She simply couldn't reconcile him with the Qingyi Sect leader, whom everyone described as a venomous snake and a ferocious beast.

But thinking back to the sight of him when the curse was lifted, he truly resembled a demon. He was dressed in tattered clothes, his dry, tangled hair a chaotic mess. His face was completely obscured by a thicket of unruly sideburns. His only visible feature was his unfocused eyes, filled with a savage, bloodthirsty gaze. His body was firmly bound by two cold iron chains threaded through the pipa (a type of Chinese lute) on his shoulders. All around were the corpses of rats, cockroaches, and various other wild animals he had killed, robbing him of their carcasses. A stench that would reek for days filled the air. Even now, just thinking about it sent a chill down Leng Jie's spine.

Duanmu Jianhun was also carefully observing this woman, whom Chen'er called an extraordinary woman and her benefactor. From her clear, intelligent black eyes, he already agreed with Chen'er's assessment. Seeing her staring at him absentmindedly, he couldn't help but smile and gently remind her:

"Miss Leng!"

"Oh!" Leng Jie paused, then responded crisply. She looked up and saw the person opposite her smiling broadly. Suddenly feeling like she'd been caught doing something wrong, she awkwardly chuckled:

"Hehe, although Miss and Xiao Jie are pronounced the same, I get goosebumps when I hear people call me Miss! Uncle Duanmu is an elder, so just call me Xiao Jie."

So that's why she shivered! He thought his appearance had frightened her! He couldn't help but laugh heartily:

"Haha, then this old man will call you Xiao Jie since I am old and frail."

If he knew that Leng Jie shivered because she was thinking about his pathetic state when he went crazy, I wonder if he would still be able to laugh so heartily?

Leng Jie said with a grin:

"That's right. May I ask what instructions Uncle has for Xiaojie?"

Duanmu Jianhun hurriedly and solemnly declined:

"No, no. I just wanted to ask if Xiao Jie has any instructions?"

Seeing that Duanmu Jianhun spoke sincerely, Leng Jie stopped being polite and asked him seriously:

"I wonder if Uncle has thought of a way to deal with the martial arts tournament?"

"I have already discussed this matter with several elders. I will personally reveal the truth: those tragedies were all committed by traitors of the Green Robe Sect. I am willing to take responsibility for my lax discipline. If they still refuse to let the Green Robe Sect go, then a fierce battle with them is inevitable..."

Leng Jie stared at Duanmu Jianhun in astonishment. Wasn't this tantamount to admitting that the Green Robe Sect was behind it? Traitor? Who would believe that? People would definitely think you just found a few scapegoats.

Leng Jie couldn't help but sigh inwardly! Truly, no one knows a father better than his son! His son was right; he really was going to reason with those people. When Xing Chen said his father would take full responsibility for all the crimes, Leng Jie didn't believe it! She thought such a foolish thing was something only those pedantic, old-fashioned scholars would do! How could it possibly happen to the leader of a fearsome cult like the Green Robe Sect?

Leng Jie was unaware. Duanmu Xingjianhun was the most upright and benevolent of all the leaders of the Qingyi Sect. Before taking over the Qingyi Sect from his father at the age of thirty, he was already a renowned swordsman. Under his leadership, the Qingyi Sect, though still holding the position of a powerful gang for over twenty years, actually conducted legitimate business. In his view, while he hadn't ordered the Qingyi Sect members to do those things, they were caused by him. After all, he had killed the Grand Protector's son and brothers first, and they had rebelled afterward. Therefore, he felt that he couldn't escape responsibility no matter what.

But he overlooked a serious problem: ultimately, the fault lay with the royal family. However, the only one with the audacity to discover this problem and blame the royal family was probably Leng Jie.

Leng Jie couldn't listen any longer and interrupted:

"Excuse me! I'll interrupt you for a moment. Have the traitors of the Green Robe Sect been captured? Do you have any concrete evidence to prove that those people did indeed betray the sect? Most importantly, and this is the source of motivation for those martial arts figures to participate in this conference so enthusiastically, where are the countless treasures of those major families? And what will you use to fill this hole?"

In response to Leng Jie's question, Duanmu Jian pondered for a moment before answering:

"I heard from Chen'er that those three traitors have been killed by Xiao Jie. This can be considered as cleaning up the Green Robe Sect. Therefore, I am preparing to hand over the Green Robe Sect to you and Chen'er. You will take them and leave tonight. The affairs of the martial arts tournament will be handled by me and the four protectors."

Leng Jie couldn't help but admire the tacit understanding between father and son. Xing Chen had guessed correctly again. He really intended for them to retreat first. Leng Jie felt a chill in her heart. This legendary great demon had utterly disappointed her! She suddenly wondered if she shouldn't have lifted the curse on him. Because only then would he truly deserve the title of Demonic Sect Leader. Just waiting until the martial arts tournament, once his chains were broken… Wow! Just imagining the scene of that demon appearing and all the ghosts wailing made Leng Jie's blood boil! She blurted out involuntarily:

"What a pity!"

"What's a pity?" Duanmu Jianhun asked, puzzled.

"It's a pity that the 'demon' of the Demonic Sect was destroyed in my hands," Leng Jie thought to herself. On the surface, however, she replied solemnly:

"Uncle just said that the Green Robe Sect follows Xiao Jie's orders in all its actions. Does that still hold true?"

Although Duanmu Jian wasn't evil, he was far from stupid. On the contrary, he managed to transform the Green Robe Sect from a truly demonic path into an organization that still maintains its position as a leading underworld figure while conducting legitimate business. This alone demonstrates his shrewdness. If it weren't for this poison curse incident, he wouldn't have been forced into this predicament.

He could tell from Leng Jie's expression that she had been planning this all along. Now, hearing her question, he naturally understood her intention. So he said sincerely, "Of course it's true! I've already made it clear that from now on, the Green Robe Sect and the Duanmu family will follow your lead!"

Duanmu Jianhun's sincere and trustworthy attitude finally made Leng Jie realize the benefits of his lack of evil. She had to admit that the truth that nothing is absolutely right or wrong, and that everything has two sides, is an absolute truth.

Leng Jie looked at him with satisfaction and said calmly:

"In that case, Xiaojie will be unrestrained this time. From now on, you will all have to follow my arrangements until the martial arts tournament is successfully concluded. After that, you will continue to live your lives as before. And I will go back to doing what I need to do."

Duanmu Jianhun's previously forced smile suddenly lit up with hope. His eyes shone brightly as he looked at Leng Jie, excitedly confirming: