Chapter 44: Purchasing Stolen Goods

The storm brewing in the imperial capital was still unknown to the people thousands of miles away in Yun'an City.

However, the true mastermind behind the tempest, Ye Xuan, did not relax in the slightest.

The political maneuvering at court was only the first step, and substantiating Wang Defa's crimes required irrefutable, hard evidence.

The most fatal charge listed in the impeachment memorial was "privately manufacturing armor with the intent to rebel."

Once this accusation was permanently pinned on them, the Wang family would be doomed beyond redemption.

As for where the armor would come from?

A cold smirk tugged at the corner of Ye Xuan's mouth.

Since Wang Defa embezzled military pay, there must undoubtedly be military equipment being illicitly sold off within the barracks.

Wherever greed existed, flaws were bound to follow.

All he needed to do was place these pre-existing stolen goods in a location where everyone could see them.

For instance, Wang Defa's own estate.

Ye Xuan sought out Liu Chengye.

By this time, Liu Chengye was firmly on the same boat as Ye Xuan and practically complied with any request put to him.

"Master Ye, what are your instructions?"

Liu Chengye's attitude was respectful to the absolute extreme. He knew all too well that the destiny of the Liu family had become tightly bound to this unfathomable young man standing before him.

"Patriarch Liu, I need some funds."

Ye Xuan came straight to the point, his tone casual.

"Name your price, Master Ye!"

Liu Chengye did not hesitate for a second, patting his chest in assurance.

"The sum doesn't need to be large. Enough to purchase five sets of prime iron armor will suffice."

Ye Xuan said faintly.

Hearing this, Liu Chengye experienced a violent jolt in his heart.

Buying armor? Five sets of it?

In the civilian world, this was a capital offense!

He instantly made the connection to the Wang family, and a daring, heart-pounding speculation surfaced in his mind.

Could this Master Ye possibly be planning to...

He dared not think any further, feeling only a rush of icy chill surge from his spine straight to the top of his head.

"Rest assured, Master, money is no object! I will go make arrangements right away!"

Daring not to ask another question, Liu Chengye hastily turned away to execute the task, a deep layer of apprehension toward Ye Xuan's methods taking root in his heart.

Soon, a heavy money pouch was handed over to Ye Xuan.

Ye Xuan changed into an unassuming grey linen outfit, concealing his aura to the absolute limit. Resembling the most ordinary of martial artists wandering the pugilistic world, he silently vanished from the Liu residence.

The garrison camp of the Yun'an City Military Command was heavily guarded.

Atop the towering walls, soldiers holding long halberds patrolled back and forth, while two rows of fierce-looking guards stood rigidly before the camp gates.

Ye Xuan did not enter through the main entrance. Instead, he skirted around to a relatively secluded side door at the rear of the camp.

This was the passageway used by certain individuals within the army to conduct shady dealings behind closed doors.

It was an unwritten rule throughout Yun'an City and, indeed, all border towns.

He observed quietly for a moment, locking his gaze on a slippery-looking gate guard whose eyes darted restlessly about.

Ye Xuan walked up slowly, stopping at a polite distance under the guard's vigilant gaze.

"Good day, Officer."

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached the other man's ears.

The guard looked Ye Xuan up and down. Seeing that he was a completely unfamiliar face, the man immediately frowned, his hand already resting upon the hilt of the blade at his waist.

"Who goes there? Get lost!"

"I was recommended by Old Zhang of South City. I'd like to discuss a bit of business with the officer."

Ye Xuan casually fabricated a name, wearing a perfectly calibrated merchant's smile on his face.

"Old Zhang? Never heard of him!"

The guard wore an impatient expression, his vigilance not diminishing in the slightest.

"This is a vital military camp! If you're tired of living, go find somewhere else to die!"

With that, he slammed the side door shut with a loud bang, too lazy to spare another word.

Having been rebuffed at the door, Ye Xuan was not the least bit annoyed.

He simply spoke calmly to the wooden panels: "I'll pay a thirty percent markup for five sets of armor, paid in hard silver."

Inside the door, dead silence instantly fell.

After a full dozen breaths, that tightly shut wooden door creaked open a barely perceptible crack.

The guard's eyes peered out through the gap, flickering with greed and internal struggle.

"What did you say?"

"Thirty percent markup, five sets, hard silver."

Ye Xuan repeated himself, his tone remaining indifferent, as though he were speaking of a matter of no consequence.

Thirty percent higher than market value!

This margin of profit was enough to make him risk breaking the law!

The guard heavily swallowed his saliva, his internal scales tipping toward the side of wealth in an instant.

He glanced swiftly to the left and right, confirming that no one was paying attention, before violently yanking the door open, dragging Ye Xuan inside by the arm, and quickly shutting the door behind them.

"You've got quite a bit of nerve, kid! Do you know what kind of place this is?"

The guard lowered his voice, speaking viciously, though the greed shining in his eyes betrayed him.

"I only know that money can make the ghosts push the millstones."

Ye Xuan chuckled softly and tossed the heavy money pouch across.

Catching it reflexively, the guard pried open a corner to catch a glimpse of the gleaming white silver inside, his eyes widening into fixed stares.

"Follow me, hurry up!"

Ceasing all idle talk, the guard led Ye Xuan through a maze of twists and turns deep into the military camp, arriving at an isolated supply warehouse crammed with miscellaneous items.

Before long, he fished out five standard-issue iron armors that were still in relatively well-maintained condition from beneath a pile of junk.

"The goods are here, cash and goods delivered, get out of here right now! Don't you ever come looking for me again!"

The guard urged anxiously, clearly feeling deeply guilty and panicked.

Ye Xuan inspected the armor. Confirming everything was in order, he nodded.

He did not take the armor with him on the spot, instead arranging to meet at a designated covert location outside the camp shortly thereafter.

Anxious only to dispatch this hot potato as quickly as possible, the guard readily agreed to everything.

The transaction was successfully concluded.

Ye Xuan brought the five heavy sets of armor into an uninhabited alleyway and, with a mere flick of his divine sense, swept them all into his mustard seed spatial storage.

Having completed this task, he straightened his garments as if nothing had happened at all and walked directly toward Wang Defa's estate.

At this moment, the atmosphere within the Wang residence remained heavily oppressive.

Ye Xuan's arrival made Wang Defa feel as though he had caught sight of his savior.

"Divine Doctor Ye! You've finally come!"

"Commander Wang is too polite. Your son's injuries require follow-up treatment, so naturally, I am attentive to the matter."

Slightly nodding, Ye Xuan stepped into Wang Teng's bedchamber.

The room was thick with a pungent medicinal odor. Wang Teng lay upon the bed, his complexion pale; the moment he laid eyes on Ye Xuan, terror flashed through his gaze.

"Ye... Divine Doctor Ye..."

"Do not move. Let me examine your wounds and apply acupuncture to consolidate the healing."

Ye Xuan's voice was gentle, carrying a reassuring power.

He dismissed the servants, leaving only himself and the drowsy Wang Teng in the room.

Following a seemingly professional examination, Ye Xuan produced his silver needles.

"The upcoming treatment requires you to completely relax. Falling into a deep sleep yields the best results."

Wang Teng had long since viewed him as his lifeline; hearing this, he harbored not a shred of suspicion and obediently closed his eyes.

With a flick of his finger, Ye Xuan sent a trace of imperceptible internal Qi into an acupuncture point at the back of Wang Teng's neck.

Wang Teng's breathing immediately evened and deepened; he had already slipped into a deep, drug-induced slumber.

Standing up, Ye Xuan's eyes instantly turned icy and sharp.

Like a civet cat, he silently pushed open the window and flashed out of the room in a blur of motion.

Relying on his perception, which far exceeded that of ordinary mortals, he quickly locked onto the location of the Wang estate's cellar.

The lock on the cellar door was utterly useless against him.

Stepping into the dark, damp cellar, Ye Xuan shifted his divine sense once more. The five cold sets of iron armor materialized out of thin air, carrying a trace of chilling murderous intent, and were neatly stacked by him in the deepest corner of the cellar.

He casually shifted a few dust-covered jars of wine nearby, arranging them to create the impression of intentional concealment.

This way, when the imperial inspector arrived to search the premises, the "anomaly" here would stand out at a single glance.

Having accomplished all this, Ye Xuan retraced his steps without a moment's delay.

He returned to Wang Teng's room, timing his arrival with absolute precision.

Pulling out the final silver needle, he gently patted Wang Teng's cheek.

"All right, time to wake up."

Wang Teng slowly drifted back to consciousness, feeling his spirits much improved, though numbness still lingered in his severed legs.

"Many thanks to Divine Doctor Ye... Many thanks..."

He expressed his gratitude with tears in his eyes, entirely oblivious to the fact that within the brief moments of his slumber, a catastrophe capable of utterly burying his entire Wang family had already been quietly set in motion.

Ye Xuan looked down at him, a gentle smile still lingering on his face, while the depths of his eyes remained detached and freezing cold.

"Rest well."

Turning around, he departed, sealing the fate of the entire Wang household firmly behind him.

The night was as dark as ink, harboring murderous intent.

Awaiting only the dawn for the thunderous strike to descend.