Start with acting, and you'll achieve immortality!

As dawn broke, Li Ping, covered in wet mud from outside the brick kiln...

He went straight back to the prefectural governor's residence.

The mud and water brought in by the soles of the shoes left a long, dark trail of marks on the blue bricks.

Gao Min was guarding outside the side hall door.

He saw Li Ping and Su Wan, and first glanced at the hem of their clothes.

Then I noticed the talisman in Li Ping's hand.

"Is this all the few sheets of paper you brought back all night?"

Enough!

Li Pingdao,

"Enough to muddy the waters of Jiangning."

Gao Min frowned deeply.

"The Shangguan family's petition is almost at the capital. Are you trying to take action against them now? Do you want to hasten your demise?"

"There's no need to wait any longer; let's do it now."

Li Ping handed the talismans to the other side.

The inscription reads: "Old dyehouse in Bailufang," "Brick kiln outside the city," "Porter in Beicang," and a string of secret marks indicating the meeting point of carriages and horses.

At the very bottom, there is a flame pattern with three petals.

After reading it, Gao Min's face slowly darkened.

"It is impossible to determine the crimes of those powerful families based solely on a few talismans and secretly left marks."

"These things are still a very long way from being irrefutable evidence to prove the existence of 'human refining'."

"However, I don't intend to convict them now."

Li Pingdao

He heard last night

"Drug-guiding agent"

When it came to those two words, I did consider simply leading men to seal off the dyehouse.

However, if that approach is taken, at most only a few people responsible for guarding the gate can be arrested.

And detained a whole vehicle full of people.

Shangguan Jue only needs to burn the account books, and then select a few scapegoats.

Similarly, they can completely clear themselves of suspicion.

The medicine furnace, the northern warehouse, and the route for buying people hidden behind it will all sink underground.

The seven living people transported into the dye house also might not have survived.

Li Ping disliked risking people's lives for opportunities.

However, rushing in before the right time has arrived is risky.

It will only result in more lives being wasted.

Mr. Gao

"Can Mr. Gao obtain a copy of the memorial submitted by Shangguan Zhao?"

Gao Min raised her head and looked at him.

"Are you trying to make a fuss about this?"

"Now that they've unearthed old records of the teacher's moral failings, we should also start calculating the new records."

Li Pingdao

"Then please have the Verification Department thoroughly investigate this Jiangning City."

"Who exactly is buying and selling living people?"

Gao Min remained silent for a short period of time.

"Once the Verification Department gets involved, Jiangning will be in deep trouble."

"It would be better if it were leaked."

"If you lay a hand on Shangguan Jue, the Shangguan family will either have to break one of their own arms."

"They'll either combine their forces and crush you completely. Which choice do you think they'll make?"

"A knife was held to his throat."

Li Pingdao,

"We can't just close our eyes and wait to die."

Su Wan, standing on the other side, suddenly spoke.

"How do you plan to incorporate those scraps of information you have into the report?"

Li Ping turned his gaze to her.

"They reported on their unauthorized mobilization of assassins, the transfer of unregistered people, and the concealment of lowly households through trading companies."

"One of the most crucial clauses is that Shangguan Jue dispatched men to launch a nighttime attack on Huai'an Ward last night."

"The intention was to seize confidential information belonging to the prefectural governor's office."

"With just these few points, you think you can keep the Shangguan family in check?"

"That's enough."

Su Wandao

"Enough to make the Shangguan family shut up first."

She paused for a moment.

"That's enough to make Shangguan Zhao suspicious of Shangguan Jue."

Li Ping nodded.

Shangguan Zhao lost face at the banquet.

Shangguan Jue secretly maintained a pharmacy, a trading company, and a group of assassins.

One person wanted to target their sect in order to gain influence within the family.

One of them secretly runs his own business behind his family's back.

Both of them are suspected of having shady dealings.

The dirtier you are, the more afraid you are that the other person will splash dirty water on you.

This thin needle doesn't actually need to be inserted too deeply.

Simply inserting the needle into the crevice is enough.

Gao Min turned and went into the side hall.

Not long after, Chen Boyong and Ren Jun entered the room one after the other.

Chen Boyong was not wearing his official robes today, but only a dark-colored cloak.

He still looked somewhat sickly, but his steps were very steady.

At this moment, Ren Jun stared intently at the talisman placed on the table, his brows furrowed in a constant state of tension.

"Did you people secretly locate the pharmacy in the western part of the city last night?"

"Yes"

Li Ping selected the parts of the "Mountain Records," the tattered letters, and what he had witnessed the previous night, and gave a detailed account of what could be shared.

When the topic of the dye shop's inspection of people came up, no one in the room spoke.

Pei Xing was not present at the scene at this moment.

If that weren't the case, given his volatile temper...

This table was probably smashed to pieces just now.

Ren Jun's hand rested on the table

"The pharmacy managed by Shangguan Jue has always dealt in Chinese medicinal herbs and spirit beast furs."

"The books show medicinal herbs."

Li Pingdao

"Under the guise of official documents, they're transporting living people."

Chen Boyong reached out and took the book, "Records of Mountain Books," and turned to the page where the thin letter was tucked inside.

After staring at it for a long time, he slowly spoke.

"Regarding places like Beicang, Xifang, and the brick kilns, what lies hidden beneath the surface of these things?"

It is far more unfathomable than you can imagine.

"So we can't rush to overturn the table."

Li Pingdao,

"Their influence runs too deep; directly accusing them of alchemy..."

"If the Shangguan family turns around and bites back, the court will only think that we are the ones trying to curry favor with the powerful families."

"The teacher will be at a disadvantage then."

Ren Jun raised his eyes at this moment.

"Since you knew it was dangerous, why did you still submit a memorial to the Inspection Department?"

"The documents I submitted are the kind that they could deny even if they wanted to."

"You have to peel off a layer of skin to wash away the dirty water."

Li Ping pulled out a blank sheet of official paper from the table.

"Xue Qi's corpse and the formation-breaking nails are still there; the West City Pharmacy can't escape the crime of illegally recruiting assassins."

"The records of mountain households and the secret marks of carriages and horses correspond to each other, making the transfer of unregistered people in Beicang an irrefutable case."

"Since they're using 'immorality' as an excuse, then we'll ask the verification department to thoroughly investigate the Shangguan family's assets."

"This is not a demand for conviction and punishment."

"It's merely a request for the Verification Division to handle it as a routine matter."

Ren Jun stared at him

"Are you trying to use the Inspection Department as a weapon?"

"The people in the Inspection Department aren't stupid; keep investigating."

"The truth about the west side of the city can no longer be covered up."

"Shangguan Jue will only get anxious if the matter can no longer be covered up."

Li Ping spoke first.

"Whenever he gets anxious, all he can do is silence witnesses, hide the ledgers, and find scapegoats."

"As long as he makes a move, his trail will be left everywhere in Jiangning City."

"Once he loses his composure, we'll strike directly at the North Furnace."

Chen Boyong compiled the mountain records.

"You're using yourself as bait to catch the whole big fish."

Ultimately, someone needs to act as bait to fish.

Li Ping began to speak.

Chen Boyong stared at him, his eyes appearing very deep.

"What if they turn around and accuse you of making up this list?"

"Then let them prove their innocence themselves."

Li Ping raised his head.

"Hand over all the accounts and vehicle registers of the North Granary clearly, and see if they dare to conduct a reconciliation."

"Taking it out means death, not taking it out also means death."

"It doesn't matter whether they pay the debt or not."

The room was quiet for a while.

Ren Jun suddenly smiled.

The smile wasn't deep.

"You used this same tactic to bring down the Wang family back in Xiyun County. Do you intend to use the same old methods again?"

"The dead can talk, and so can ledgers."

Li Pingdao,

"And the ledgers never lie."

Chen Boyong raised his hand and tapped the document paper lightly a few times.

"Then write it."

"Gao Min, you're in charge of polishing."

"Don't leave any evidence against you."

"Ren Jun, record the corpses and the formation-breaking nails from Willow Alley last night in the dossier."

Su Wan raised her eyes

"You led your men to the west of the city to conduct surveillance."

Chen Boyong said

"Don't disturb the dyehouse."

"All we need to do is closely monitor who is moving the ledgers and who leaves the city at night to bring this list back."

"Su Wan"

Li Ping called out to her.

Su Wan turned around

"The west side of the city is quite chaotic, so don't walk alone into dead ends."

She glanced at him.

"Mind your own business."

After saying that, he had already left.