Chapter 1389: The Consequence of Disobedience

Lady Ouyang said dismissively, "So what if they can open the Time-Space Gate, don’t overestimate them. Maybe your subordinates have exaggerated it..."

"It’s not me saying they’re amazing. Achieving this when the Mystic Sect is declining is no easy feat," explained Ouyang Wensheng.

"Are you at ease with Rongrong going out?" Lady Ouyang suddenly asked. "That place is different from a small island; human lives are still valuable. It’s not a place where you can kill on a whim."

"What’s there to worry about? As long as she doesn’t commit murder, there’s no issue," said Ouyang Wensheng nonchalantly.

Lady Ouyang pondered for a while, nodding in agreement, "You do have a point."

Ouyang Wensheng leaned back against the sofa leisurely, saying, "This time, let Rongrong take my token with her."

"Your token?" Lady Ouyang raised an eyebrow. "After all this time, will people still listen to you?"

Ouyang Wensheng’s face radiated with pride, "No matter how many years pass, I am still the Sect Leader of the Mystic Sect. The consequences of not listening to me, their fathers all know."

Lady Ouyang smiled slightly and said no more, sipping her tea quietly, while Ouyang Wensheng continued to read his newspaper, absorbing the information he was interested in.

In the afternoon, Ouyang Rong, accompanied by two guards, boarded a yacht and sped toward the west of the ocean.

...

In the Imperial Capital, inside an apartment in a bustling neighborhood of the West City District, the building stood twenty stories high, with only two households on the top floor, one on each side. Luo Er knocked on the east door.

Seeing that it was Luo Er, He Shan’s eyes gleamed with surprise and delight. This time, she was genuinely sincere and greeted him with utmost respect and warmth, "Brother Luo Er, I personally cooked a few dishes you like. Come and taste them; how do they compare?"

Luo Er showed no change in expression. He followed He Shan inside and, smelling the aroma from the dining room, thought to himself that after this lesson, He Shan had indeed learned. Though their relationship was one of mutual use, he still wished she wouldn’t mess things up, as she was an important chess piece here.

He gave He Shan a gentle smile, saying respectfully, "Thank you, Miss."

"No need to be polite, quickly try and see how my cooking is. Honestly, it’s my first time," He Shan said warmly and gently.

Luo Er did not decline, feeling somewhat hungry. He sat down at the dining table and started to eat. One must admit that when He Shan set her mind to something, she did it well. Perhaps that’s why their master favored her.

He Shan also sat across from him. She didn’t ask how the cleanup in Jinling City went; his safe return meant he’d handled it well. But inevitably, there were losses. Although she felt a great deal of reluctance, this time, she had no choice but to swallow her pride.

He Shan sincerely said, "Luo Er, it was my fault this time. Grandpa has already lectured me, and I promise I will change. In the future, I’ll definitely discuss any issues with you."

Luo Er picked up a napkin and wiped the corner of his mouth, still respectfully saying, "You’re too kind. I always follow the master’s lead."

He Shan’s eyes shifted. She nodded quickly with a smile, "Exactly, we all follow my grandpa."

Luo Er nodded almost imperceptibly and continued eating, observing He Shan from across the table, hesitated, then asked, "Luo Er, I have no clue about finding Nie Luan; what should we do next?"

Luo Er furrowed his brow slightly, didn’t answer immediately, but continued eating the dish in front of him. After swallowing, he said, "Did you prepare what the master asked you to?"

He Shan nodded, "It’s ready, piled up in the room."

"Is it all jade from the Gu Family?"

He Shan hesitated a moment before speaking, "According to grandpa, the Gu Family doesn’t trust the deal and is suspicious of me. Originally, we agreed to buy a batch of gemstones, but they only sell finished products, not raw stones."

"Did you buy any finished products?" Luo Er asked, looking up. He Shan shook her head. "I didn’t buy any finished products either. Not sure what happened, but they seem to suspect me too. The agreed gemstone trade was also canceled."

"So where are these jewels from?" Luo Er asked, somewhat suspicious.

"Of course, they’re all from the Gu Family," He Shan said proudly.

"Didn’t you say the Gu Family wouldn’t sell to you?"

"If they won’t sell to me, doesn’t mean they won’t sell to others. I had someone else buy them for me..." He Shan’s voice was filled with smugness.

"Who helped you, was it Chang Jiansheng?" Luo Er asked, frowning.

Knowing the connection between Chang Jiansheng and Yubao Square, He Shan should be aware of this; how could she do this?

"How did you know it was him?" He Shan sounded unsurprised but pretended to be amazed, asking back.

It was also to please Luo Er.

"Right now, the only reliable person in your eyes might be Chang Jiansheng. Didn’t it arouse the Gu Family’s suspicion?" Luo Er continued to ask calmly.

"They didn’t suspect. Naturally, Chang Jiansheng couldn’t show up, so someone else was found. Besides, the things I bought were some jade pendants, bracelets, and a few jade carvings, which are normal daily transactions for Yubao Square in the Imperial Capital—nothing unusual," He Shan said unhurriedly.

Luo Er glanced at He Shan, nodding slightly, "Miss makes a good point."

"Are these things just going to sit there?" He Shan suddenly asked.

Having bought them, there should be a use.

Luo Er stood up and said solemnly, "Miss, I’m going to make a call."

Luo Er then went to the study and called Sect Leader Nie.

Two hours later, Sect Leader Nie arrived at the apartment. By now, the sunset had given way to a city lit up with neon lights.

Sect Leader Nie looked a bit weary, and he had lost some weight compared to a few days ago.

Luo Er courteously ushered him in, poured a cup of tea, and handed it to Sect Leader Nie, saying respectfully, "Sect Leader Nie, please have some tea."

Sect Leader Nie took the teacup and drank it all in one go, no longer caring about decorum. He had come in a rush, waiting for news from Luo Er, as only Luo Er could possibly find his grandson. After such a long time, Nie Luan was still missing, his status unknown.

Setting down the teacup, Sect Leader Nie asked urgently, "Luo Er, have you prepared what we discussed?"

Luo Er nodded and said in a steady voice, "Rest assured, Sect Leader Nie, everything is ready."