People in the Imperial Music Bureau: The Storytelling Demon Child Nezha

Seeing that all was lost, the man in the bronze mask was filled with resentment.

He suddenly hurled the magical artifact in his hand at Li Qiye and the others. The artifact exploded in mid-air, and the powerful impact shattered everything around it.

Taking advantage of the smoke from the explosion, the man in the bronze mask turned to flee.

"Trying to run? Not so easy!" Li Qiye's eyes sharpened, and he instantly gave chase.

He waved his folding fan, and a force of law shot towards the bronze-masked man, blocking his path.

The man in the bronze mask was forced to stop. He turned to look at Li Qiye, his eyes filled with anger and fear. "What exactly do you want?"

"Today, you must pay the price for what the Witch God Cult has done!" Li Qiye said coldly.

Li Qiye approached the bronze-masked man step by step, the powerful aura emanating from him filling the bronze-masked man with immense fear.

He kept retreating, trying to find a chance to escape, but he was surrounded by Li Qiye's power of law, and there was no way to escape.

"You...you stay away!" the bronze-masked man said in a trembling voice.

Ignoring his pleas for mercy, Li Qiye waved his folding fan again, sending an even more powerful force of law towards the bronze-masked man.

The bronze-masked man stared in horror, trying to defend himself with his magical artifact, but it was instantly shattered by Li Qiye's immense power.

The power of the law struck the bronze-masked man, and his body was instantly enveloped in light.

He let out a scream, and his body began to gradually dissipate, eventually turning into nothingness.

After dealing with the man in the bronze mask, Li Qiye turned around and returned to the underground palace.

At this time, Xu Qi'an and Wei Yuan had already eliminated all the remaining members of the Witch God Cult.

The entire underground palace was filled with a strong smell of blood and gunpowder.

"It's finally over," Xu Qi'an said with a long sigh of relief.

Li Qiye nodded. "Yes, this crisis has finally been temporarily averted."

Xu Qi'an suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, Brother Li, the Supervisor asked me to convey the message 'The celestial chart has moved,' what exactly does that mean?"

Li Qiye frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then said, "The star chart symbolizes the fortune of heaven and earth."

The Imperial Censor said the celestial chart has shifted, likely foreshadowing a major upheaval in the world. This incident involving the Witch God Cult may just be the beginning.

Wei Yuan nodded. "Lord Li is absolutely right. We must inform the Supervisor of the situation here as soon as possible, and at the same time assist Princess Huaiqing in stabilizing the court."

After the three reached an agreement, they left the imperial mausoleum. At this time, the sky outside had gradually cleared, and sunlight shone on the earth, giving one a feeling of rebirth.

Chapter 150 Changes in the Astrological Chart

Upon returning to the capital, Li Qiye, Xu Qi'an, and Wei Yuan immediately went to the palace to meet Princess Huaiqing.

Princess Huaiqing was very pleased to see them return safely.

Li Qiye told Princess Huaiqing everything that had happened in the imperial tomb.

Princess Huaiqing's expression turned very solemn after hearing this. "I never expected that such a shocking conspiracy was hidden behind this."

"Your Majesty is wise." Xu Qi'an and Wei Yuan knelt down and bowed.

In the days that followed, with the assistance of Li Qiye, Xu Qi'an, Wei Yuan, and others, Princess Huaiqing began to vigorously reorganize the court.

They purged officials in the court who colluded with the witchcraft cult and promoted a group of talented and loyal ministers.

At the same time, they strengthened the defense of the border to prevent foreign invasion.

As time went by, the court gradually stabilized, and the lives of the people gradually returned to normal.

In the imperial court, Princess Huaiqing, dressed in magnificent robes, sat on the temporary regency throne set up beside the dragon throne, her expression stern as she surveyed the assembled officials below.

Li Qiye, Xu Qi'an, and Wei Yuan stood at the forefront, subtly forming a core force to stabilize the court.

"My lords, the court is now in a state of relative stability, but many things are still in need of rebuilding. Do any of you have any good strategies to secure the country and comfort the people?" Princess Huaiqing's voice was clear yet composed.

The Minister of Rites stepped forward first, bowed, and said, “Your Majesty, the most urgent task is to announce to the world the passing of the new emperor, and at the same time explain that Your Majesty’s temporary regency is in accordance with the late emperor’s wishes and the general trend of the world, so as to set the record straight and appease the people.”

Princess Huaiqing nodded slightly, then turned her gaze to Li Qiye, "What does Minister Li think?"

Li Qiye stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, “Your Majesty, the Minister of Rites is absolutely right. However, when announcing this to the world, we must subtly mention the late Emperor’s true will, so that the people may know the truth of the current situation, in order to prevent those with ulterior motives from taking advantage of the situation.”

Xu Qi'an added, "Your Majesty, I believe that we can send imperial envoys to various places to spread the news of the changes in the court and Your Majesty's benevolence to all corners of the country, and at the same time, investigate the performance of local officials to ensure the smooth implementation of government orders."

Wei Yuan, sitting in his wheelchair, coughed lightly. "Your Majesty, in addition to these, we also need to stabilize the economy."

The national treasury has been severely depleted by previous wars and chaos. Encouraging agriculture and commerce, reducing or exempting some taxes, and restoring people's livelihoods are crucial.

Princess Huaiqing agreed to all of them, and then discussed many other matters before announcing the end of the court session.

After the court session, Li Qiye and Xu Qi'an walked side by side. "Brother Xu," Li Qiye said, "we have joined hands to turn the tide in this turbulent political situation. But there will likely be many more difficulties and obstacles ahead."

Li Qiye said with a solemn expression.

Xu Qi'an patted Li Qiye on the shoulder, "Brother Li, with the two of us, and with Lord Wei and the Supervisor secretly plotting, what is there to fear? However, the situation in this world is constantly changing, and we must remain vigilant at all times."

Just then, a young eunuch rushed over and said, "My lords, His Majesty requests your presence."

Li Qiye and Xu Qi'an exchanged a glance and followed the little eunuch to (Qian Hao's) imperial study.

Princess Huaiqing was deep in thought, gazing at a painting depicting the landscape of the country, when she saw the two men enter. She turned around and said, "Minister Li, Minister Xu, I've recently felt that there are still undercurrents surging in the court. Have you noticed anything?"

Li Qiye frowned slightly. "Your Majesty, I also have a feeling about this."

Although some who colluded with the Witchcraft Cult have been purged, it's impossible to guarantee that no one has escaped. Furthermore, some former officials may harbor resentment towards Your Majesty's regency, though they haven't yet expressed it.

Chapter 151 A Two-Pronged Approach

Xu Qi'an nodded in agreement, "Your Majesty, I can use the power of the night watchmen to secretly investigate the movements of court officials. If there is any disturbance, I will immediately report to Your Majesty."

Princess Huaiqing nodded, "Very good. Minister Li, you are skilled in strategy, do you have a plan?"

After a moment's thought, Li Qiye said, "Your Majesty, on the one hand, we need to strengthen our control over the court and place our trusted confidants in key positions; on the other hand, we can hold some court assemblies from time to time to demonstrate Your Majesty's ability to govern the country and your benevolent heart, and win over the hearts of the people."

Princess Huaiqing adopted their advice, and in the days that followed, the court appeared calm on the surface, but in reality, various factions were secretly testing each other.

830 Li Qiye returned to his residence and had just sat down to rest when the steward rushed in and presented him with a secret letter.

Li Qiye opened the secret letter, and his expression instantly turned serious.

The letter contained only a few words: "I have important business to discuss at the dilapidated temple in the west of the city. Do not make a fuss about it." It was unsigned, but Li Qiye had a feeling that there was something hidden behind it.

After much deliberation, he decided to go alone. As night fell, Li Qiye, dressed in plain clothes, quietly left the mansion.

The dilapidated temple in the west of the city had long been abandoned, and was overgrown with weeds, making it look particularly gloomy.

Li Qiye cautiously entered the dilapidated temple and saw a person sitting in a dim corner, whose face could not be seen clearly.

"Who are you? Why did you summon me here?" Li Qiye asked warily.

The man slowly raised his head, the faint moonlight shining on his face, revealing him to be a haggard old man. "Lord Li, I am Sun Yuan, the former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue," the old man said in a hoarse voice.

Li Qiye was startled. Sun Yuan had been dismissed from office several months ago after being impeached for corruption; he never expected to see him here. "Lord Sun, what brings you here?"

Sun Yuan sighed, "Lord Li, I am truly at my wit's end."

I was dismissed from office several months ago, a result of being framed. I know some secrets of the court, matters concerning the safety of the nation, and I wish to inform you, sir.

Li Qiye's eyes sharpened. "Lord Sun, please speak."

"My lord, are you aware that there is a mysterious force in the imperial court that secretly controls many officials and intends to overthrow the government?"

"It seems their influence was behind His Majesty's previous dealings with the Witch God Cult," Sun Yuan said in a low voice.

"Oh? Is that so? Do you know anything about this force?" Li Qiye pressed.

Sun Yuan shook her head, "All I know is that they operate in a very secretive manner, using various means to coerce and entice officials to do things for them."

I was framed by them because I refused to go along with their corrupt practices.

Li Qiye pondered for a moment, "Lord Sun, the information you provided is of utmost importance."

But you must proceed with caution. Find a safe place to hide for the next few days, and once I have investigated the truth, I will clear your name.

Sun Yuan was moved to tears. "Thank you very much, Lord Li. I have something else that might be of help to you."

As he spoke, he took out a jade pendant from his pocket and handed it to Li Qiye. “This jade pendant is their communication token. I obtained it by chance. If you encounter someone with the same jade pendant, you must be extra careful.”

Li Qiye took the jade pendant and examined it carefully. The jade pendant was warm and smooth, and a mysterious symbol was engraved on it.

He carefully put away the jade pendant, bid farewell to Sun Yuan, and hurriedly returned to his residence.

Upon returning to his residence, Li Qiye immediately summoned Xu Qi'an.

Xu Qi'an looked surprised when he saw the jade pendant. "Brother Li, the forces behind this seem to be more complex than we imagined."

Chapter 152 Restlessness

“Yes, Brother Xu. We must find out the origin and purpose of this force as soon as possible, otherwise the court will be in turmoil,” Li Qiye said.

After much discussion, the two decided to start with the jade pendant and investigate related clues.

Li Qiye and Xu Qi'an, holding the jade pendant, began a secret investigation in the capital.

They visited numerous antique shops and jade stores, asking if anyone had seen a similar jade pendant. For several days, they were completely clueless.

That day, they came to an inconspicuous little jade shop. The shop was dimly lit and filled with all kinds of jade items.

The boss was a thin, middle-aged man who greeted Li Qiye and Xu Qi'an with a big smile as they entered.

Li Qiye took out the jade pendant. "Boss, have you ever seen a similar jade pendant?"

The shopkeeper took the jade pendant, examined it carefully, and his expression changed slightly, but he quickly returned to normal. "Esteemed guests, I have never seen such a jade pendant before."

Li Qiye keenly sensed his boss's unusual behavior. He calmly said, "Boss, to be honest, this jade pendant is related to a major case. If you can provide any useful clues, there will be a hefty reward. If you know nothing and don't report it, you might get into serious trouble."

The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and then lowered his voice and said, "Esteemed guests, I have indeed seen this style of jade pendant before. Several months ago, a mysterious person brought a similar jade pendant to the shop and asked me to make ten of them in the same style."

"A mysterious person? What does he look like?" Xu Qi'an asked quickly.

"The man was masked, so his face was obscured. I only remember that he was tall and had a deep voice."

"And he was very generous, giving several times the usual amount of silver," the boss recalled.

"Did you hand over the finished jade pendant to that person?" Li Qiye continued to press.

"I handed it over, I handed it over. When that person took the jade pendant, he told me not to make a sound, or my life would be in danger," the shopkeeper said, still shaken.

Li Qiye and Xu Qi'an exchanged a glance; it seemed this was an important clue. "Boss, thank you for the information."

"If there is any further news about this jade pendant, please notify us immediately." Li Qiye said, handing the shopkeeper a silver ingot.

After leaving the jade shop, Xu Qi'an said, "Brother Li, it seems that this mysterious force has already taken action in the capital."

0 ······Requesting flowers 0 ····

“That’s right, let’s continue investigating along this line. Judging from the number of jade pendants they made, their influence is probably considerable,” Li Qiye said.

The two continued their investigation, and based on the information provided by their boss, they began searching for tall, deep-voiced suspicious individuals in the capital.

After several days of investigation, a person matching the description was finally found in a restaurant.

..... ... 0

The man sat alone in the corner, drinking in silence. Li Qiye and Xu Qi'an quietly approached and sat down at the table next to him.

"Brother Xu, watch my signals later," Li Qiye said in a low voice.

Xu Qi'an nodded slightly. Just then, the mysterious man suddenly stood up, preparing to leave. Seeing this, Li Qiye immediately followed.

Li Qiye and Xu Qi'an followed the mysterious man closely. He turned and twisted and came to an abandoned manor on the outskirts of the capital.

The mysterious man looked around warily before entering the manor.

“Brother Li, this manor looks eerie; it’s probably the hideout of that mysterious organization,” Xu Qi’an said in a low voice.

Li Qiye nodded, "Let's proceed cautiously and go in first to investigate." IV.

Chapter 153 A Ruthless Plan

The two carefully scaled the manor wall and sneaked inside.

The manor was overgrown with weeds and the houses were dilapidated, but a faint light shone from one of the rooms.