I Became the Devil Queen's Heart Demon-Chapter 1008 - 375: The Empress Arrives! Empress and Empress Face Off!
The other side.
After leaving the Li Mansion, the man in black did not leave via the main road, but instead plunged into the moat, swimming like a fish under the water, swiftly moving towards the inner city.
He never surfaced to breathe during the entire journey.
Nearing the inner city, he emerged silently from the river, not a drop of water on his clothes.
Just as he was about to enter the inner city, a cold voice suddenly came from behind: "Too slow, I’ve been waiting here for you for a long time."
?!
The man in black was startled with terror.
"This is bad!"
Though shocked, his reaction was swift; without turning his head, he retreated dozens of yards, instantly reaching into his cloak to grab the jade pendant, ready to crush it at once.
Since the opponent could pursue him all the way here, it means his identity had been exposed.
Now trapped in an ambush, it is difficult to escape; he must destroy the token first, or it will certainly implicate the lord!
However, the woman didn’t give him the chance.
A terrifying pressure surged in, making the man in black’s body suddenly tense, lifting slowly into the air, as if an invisible hand was tightly gripping his neck, causing the skin to wrinkle.
"Ho ho—"
His complexion turned bluish-purple, his eyes bulged, and his vision became blurry.
In the moments before losing consciousness, he saw a pair of eyes that were as strikingly blue-green as jade.
Step, step, step—
Yu Youhan walked up to him, speaking to herself: "Although Chen Mo asked me to observe secretly and not act rashly, it’s just too troublesome. Anyway, they’re all worthless, might as well just do a soul search..."
Under the terrified gaze of the man in black, a jade finger pointed in the void.
Crack—
Spider-web cracks appeared on his surface, then crumbled into fragments.
A twisted translucent soul was pinched in Yu Youhan’s hand, gradually turning into dust and completely dissipating under the blue-green glow.
"Tsk, seems he’s indeed from the State Mansion..."
Yu Youhan raised her eyebrows slightly.
From the information retrieved from the memory, she finally figured out Lady Hua’s identity.
Hua Yinglan was originally a famous talented woman in Bailu City, renowned for her beauty and intellect, with many suitors in the city, among whom was Old Master Li, a Cao Merchant.
However, Hua Yinglan had no interest in men, especially an old man thirty years her senior.
But Old Master Li was not resigned; he first plotted to kill her parents, then bribed her personal maid to secretly drug her, and forcibly took her into the mansion after the deed was done.
Hua Yinglan had resigned herself to fate, prepared to pass the rest of her life in a daze, until she met Ming Yuchun.
At Pear Cloud Hall’s first meeting, Hua Yinglan fell in love at first sight with this heroic woman.
After several encounters, the two fell in love and privately pledged their lives to each other, but the relationship could never be public; Ming Yuchun was unwilling to live secretly, so she incited Hua Yinglan to poison her husband.
Then she acted as a broker, introducing Lord Tang from the Maritime Trade Bureau to her.
With the support of the government, Hua Yinglan gradually took control of the Li Family’s voice, expanding its scale, becoming the head of Jinsha Port, monopolizing more than half of the harbor business.
In return, she had to help Lord Tang deal with some special "cargo"—
namely, the barbarian slaves on the cargo ships.
Previously, shipments would be sent every three months, but stopped for several months due to some reasons, until recently resumed.
"Ming Yuchun, like this man in black, was arranged by Tang Xingbang, hence is well-informed about Hua Yinglan’s situation."
"On the first day in Bailu City, unexpectedly managed to trace the main culprit, it’s quite absurd..."
Yu Youhan shook her head silently.
With Chen Mo’s Dragon Qi constantly strengthening, his outward expression became more and more profoundly lucky.
Cultivation advancing rapidly, repeatedly turning peril into safety, whatever he intends to do, it will succeed... all seeming coincidental, is actually the "inevitable" under the Heavenly Dao’s blessing.
"Luck aside, Chen Mo’s talent and creativity are undeniable."
"Didn’t expect he’s not only talented in cultivation, but also in poetry... how did he come up with those lines about paired birds and branches growing together, really so mushy..."
Yu Youhan’s mouth was disdainful, but the corners of her mouth unwittingly lifted, her cheeks flushing.
A gust of night wind blew by, she returned to her senses, tapping her forehead lightly, "Went off track, the main task is not yet done."
She raised her hand, and the jade pendant on the ground rose into the air, landing in her palm, sensing it for a while, her expression turned insightful.
"To save Ming Yuchun, they want to use the cargo as a condition, hoping the State Mansion will turn a blind eye... huh, still a woman of deep affection, but unfortunately met the wrong person."
"Thus, it seems the Maritime Trade Bureau and the Barbarian Tribe have long been colluding."
"Whether other officials are involved, just need to open up Lord Tang’s mind to find out."
Yu Youhan took a step forward, her figure suddenly disappearing.
In the blink of an eye, she appeared at the State Mansion’s front gate, just about to look for Lord Tang, when suddenly, the sound of dense hoofbeats arose, only to see a group of officials in various official robes galloping from afar.
Cre—ak—
The government office gate opened, a group of assistant officers carrying lanterns filed out.
The crowd gathered at the government office’s entrance, led by a middle-aged man with thick brows, a square face, naturally authoritative, it was Assistant Governor Kuang Yinghao of Nantu State.
He dismounted from his horse, loudly proclaiming: "Is everyone here?"
The adjutant beside him replied: "Reporting, sir, the people from the six departments and three divisions are here, Lord Jiao will arrive shortly."
