Chapter 152 - 25: Afraid of Death! But Even More Afraid of Being a Tool for Life_3

Unexpectedly, just after finishing his own case and coming back, someone from Fanlou reached out to him.

"Alright, I got it."

Ye Liuyun nodded, planning to visit Fanlou tomorrow, no need to rush over right now.

Sheng Lanzhi nodded understandingly.

Although she didn’t know what Ye Liuyun had asked Fanlou to find, it didn’t matter. Some things she ought to know, Ye Liuyun naturally wouldn’t keep from her.

But since Ye Liuyun didn’t say anything, Sheng Lanzhi sensibly didn’t pry further.

In this respect, Sheng Lanzhi was indeed very clever.

"Now that you’re back, sir, to celebrate your promotion to Lord Thousand Households, I’ll have people prepare some fine food and drink!"

Ye Liuyun did not refuse.

Though it’s been a while since his promotion to Lord Thousand Households, if they wanted to celebrate, so be it.

"Xing’Er, you come too!"

Seeing Ye Liuyun hadn’t refused, Sheng Lanzhi smiled and agreed, calling out to Xing’Er at the same time.

Knowing Ye Liuyun’s relationship with Xing’Er was different, Sheng Lanzhi would no longer treat Xing’Er merely as a maid as she had before.

...

Night fell.

Just as Ye Liuyun’s side was filled with warmth and joy,

On the other side, the atmosphere was far more oppressive.

Inside a mansion, Southern Governor Qi Yuanliang—so dazzling and impressive in front of others during the day—was now kneeling on the floor, his face anxious and uneasy.

In front of him, a middle-aged man was calmly leafing through a dossier.

This dossier was the very one Si Nan had written upon returning to the Embroidered Uniform Guard earlier that day.

Although he could guess that its description likely differed from reality, when combined with his own collected intelligence, it was easy enough to deduce what probably happened.

"Truly unexpected, this newly appointed Lord Thousand Households is quite bold, even daring to move against the Brahma Sect!"

Perhaps the forces within Yunkong Temple were not strong.

But with the Brahma Sect’s name there, even within the Dynasty, few truly dared to cross Yunkong Temple.

Yet Ye Liuyun made his move.

Not only did he make his move, but in the end he even succeeded—really hard to imagine.

In the middle-aged man’s view, even if he acted himself, the result might not be any better; to have made the Brahma Sect swallow such a loss, there are few in the world who could do that.

"If it were you, could you have gone this far?"

He set down the dossier and looked toward the kneeling Qi Yuanliang.

"Uh! Please punish me, sir!"

Qi Yuanliang didn’t stubbornly insist that he could have.

Because it would be pointless.

He also knew clearly that he had failed at many things recently, and if these were blamed on him—

Just thinking of it made Qi Yuanliang tremble all over, as if recalling something truly terrifying.

"Punishment is merely an excuse!"

The middle-aged man seemed utterly casual about Qi Yuanliang’s answer.

His tone as calm and carefree as always.

"I dislike punishing others the most. If you’re useful, you live; if you’re useless, you die. Why bother with punishment?"

In the middle-aged man’s eyes, useless people should just die—there was simply no need for something as time-wasting as punishment.

"So can you tell me, are you useful?"

"Yes, yes, yes! Sir, I am useful!"

Qi Yuanliang nodded repeatedly.

Saying no now would be a death sentence, wouldn’t it?

"Rest assured, sir. I will bring Ye Liuyun over to our side in the shortest possible time!"

The original mission given to Qi Yuanliang was recruiting Ye Liuyun.

But Qi Yuanliang had grown too arrogant, accustomed to smooth sailing over the years. He never expected his domineering, suppressive recruitment tactics would have zero effect here.

Qi Yuanliang’s words made the middle-aged man chuckle softly.

"That’s no longer necessary."

"N-no longer necessary?"

What does that mean?

Does it mean Ye Liuyun no longer needs recruiting, or that he himself was no longer needed?

Qi Yuanliang dared not speculate, just bowed his head lower, not daring to utter a word more.

"It’s clear that this Ye Liuyun is quite bold and daring. Recruiting someone like him isn’t always a good thing!"

He had plotted so much himself.

He didn’t want a single recruitment to disrupt his plans.

...

Hearing this, Qi Yuanliang was slightly relieved inside.

So it only meant Ye Liuyun wouldn’t be recruited.

Thank goodness it didn’t mean he himself was useless.

However,

After hesitating a moment, Qi Yuanliang still asked,

"Sir, with Ye Liuyun at Innate Perfection, if he can’t be used by you, should I eliminate him?"

That level of strength—

Could indeed affect future plans.

Although Qi Yuanliang didn’t dare claim he could definitely defeat Ye Liuyun, wishful thinking could stay in the heart, but he would never show it on the surface.

So Qi Yuanliang put on a serious face.

As if dealing with Ye Liuyun was an easy task for him.

"No need!"

Thankfully, the other party didn’t actually make Qi Yuanliang do it.

"Though there’s no need to recruit him, it doesn’t mean he can’t be used by me."

"???"

No longer recruiting him, but still using him? How?

Qi Yuanliang couldn’t quite understand, but obediently kept his head down in silence.

"Sometimes, the blade doesn’t have to be in your own hand—as long as you can control who it strikes, that’s enough, isn’t it?"

Qi Yuanliang was a smart man.

The parts he didn’t quite get just now—now that it was said this way, he instantly understood.

"As expected of you, sir!"

Praising with an admiring face.

The middle-aged man didn’t care about such flattery, only waved his hand dismissively.

"Soon, there’ll be something for you to do. Take this ’blade’ with you when you go."

"Understood!"

"Remember, if you fail again this time, don’t bother coming back!"

"Yes!"

...