odessanovel Chapter 429
Chapter 429
He kept glancing toward the courtyard outside. What was out there? Rain!By now, a pool of water had formed on the ground, with raindrop bells occasionally appearing and bursting.
Yue Fuguang calculated the time and rainfall, estimating that in another hour, the drought in Yingchuan Prefecture would be temporarily alleviated.
“The esteemed officials you, sir, have mentioned are the renowned local authorities. In these parts, everyone knows who they are. We are merely lowly men engaged in capital crimes. To protect ourselves, we can even forget our own parents, but we must know every influential official above.”
The young scholar’s words seemed reasonable — those in the underworld naturally needed to know the big names in the legitimate world who held power above them.
Yue Fuguang followed his lead and said, “So you find out their preferences and secrets, then cater to them to lure them onto your pirate ship?”
The moment her words fell, she clearly sensed a momentary relaxation in the expression of the young scholar and the woman.
“No.” Yue Fuguang shook her head thoughtfully, “It wasn’t you who pulled them aboard, but they who actively absorbed your bandit stronghold. You people are just servants keeping watch for them. Am I right or wrong, Grand Tutor?”
Sure enough, no sooner had she spoken than everyone present changed color. The leader, who had just calmed down slightly, now looked fierce and vicious again.
Especially upon hearing the word “servant,” his gaze toward Yue Fuguang became filled with venomous hatred.
Yue Fuguang found it tiresome and said flatly, “Since you don’t want your eyes, then you don’t need them!” She lightly flicked her sleeve, and a breeze swept past. The leader’s vision went dark again, and he could no longer see.
This man couldn’t stand the word “servant.” She was tempted to say she had shown restraint by not calling them “watchdogs”!
A man like that leader, who never learned from punishment and only relied on brute force, was at most the muscle of the stronghold. When it came to planning and strategizing, she was more inclined to suspect the scholar and the woman — these two were peculiar.
“Ah! My eyes! I can’t see!” He rolled on the ground clutching his eyes. “What did you do to my eyes!”
In grief and fury, he tried to lash out in Yue Fuguang’s direction, but because he had staggered around dizzily earlier, he was facing the scholar instead.
“You false goddess! Give my eyes back!” He shrieked harshly, nearly shaking the ancient dust off the roof of the hall.
“How irritating!” Yue Fuguang said, and in an instant, the mining leader lost his voice. His mouth gaped open and shut, but no sound came out.
Then He Jin stepped forward, gently tapped a few spots on his body, and the man stiffened on the ground, unable to move.
Yue Fuguang had casually stripped the leader of his sight with a mere gesture, once again terrifying those around her. How did she make someone go blind and lose their voice instantly? They hadn’t seen clearly the first time, but this time it was obvious — she simply waved her light, wide sleeve. It was so casual that it barely stirred the air.
Hidden weapons? Impossible!
Even experts like them, using internal energy to launch hidden weapons, couldn’t deprive someone of sight without causing injury.
Even poison wouldn’t take effect that fast!
Hei Likui and the short, thin man instinctively turned their eyes toward the man and woman standing in front, as if seeking their advice.
[Master, are you about to strip his five senses?]
“This man is both stupid and malicious, and he shows no respect to me. I’ll just make him behave for a while.”
Yue Fuguang could see from their reactions that the mining leader was nothing but a puppet. The real decision-makers were indeed the young scholar and the woman behind him.
Though silent, the woman remained calm and clearly had a mind of her own and the authority to decide.
These five people seemed to be a group, but judging by their style, they belonged to two different factions.
“Little Pearl, investigate the backgrounds of that scholar and the woman. They’re clearly the real pair.”
“Which of you will tell me who the mastermind is? And where was the iron ore transported?” Yue Fuguang’s earlier feat had clearly intimidated them. Being unable to see or speak brought them more fear than having a knife at their throats.
[Master, I found out. The young scholar and that woman are indeed not from the same group as the three Black Tiger bandits.
A year ago, someone discovered the iron mine and took over the Black Tiger stronghold. Then these two joined. The moment they arrived, authority fell into their hands. They are the trusted agents sent by the behind-the-scenes master to keep watch.]
“Who is that mastermind? What’s his connection with Sun Min and Hao Ren?”
[The mastermind is the head of the Yu family. This Yu family is a prominent clan in Yingzhou. Although not as powerful as the great and minor noble families, they have many members and considerable local influence.
The collapse of those great and minor families gave those lower-class clans the opportunity they were waiting for.]
Yue Fuguang commented, “So when the tiger is away, the monkey tries to be king? The noble families have fallen. Aren’t these people afraid they’ll follow the same fate?”
[Master, hundreds of years of habit. Back then, the great families like Zheng, Wang, Kong, Bai, Cui, Yang, Yuan, Li, and the minor ones — none of them gained power without someone else falling.
In their eyes, what is happening now in the Great Yan Dynasty is just a new round of redistribution. The imperial authority needs new forces to stabilize itself. The idea that noble families should rise again hasn’t vanished from their minds.]
Yue Fuguang was speechless. “It’s human nature to want a seat at the table for your own benefit, but taking this path is only narrowing your own options!”
Yu family? Huang Xie was startled when he heard this. He had no doubt about the mysterious voice calling Yue Fuguang “master”; he believed it easily.
Last night, after returning home, Huang Xie had thought it over. Finally, the hints in the private letters from Ziling and the Crown Prince now made sense.
The Yu family had many members and great influence in Yingzhou, but what was their purpose in discovering an iron mine without reporting it? Did they harbor rebellious ambitions?
But no. Although the Great Yan Dynasty was suffering from drought, with the living goddess, Chancellor, by their side, the dynasty’s fortune was too strong to be shaken by a mere Yu family.
Wait. The Yu family might have influence in Yingzhou, but outside it, few knew of them.
In reality, few Yu family children held court positions. The most powerful one was just a county magistrate.
If he remembered correctly, the county where the young Yu man served was Hao Ren’s hometown!
So there was someone behind the Yu family?
While Huang Xie was busy speculating, Yue Fuguang was more direct. “I heard your Black Tiger stronghold has close ties with the Yu family of Yingzhou.
You are bandits; the Yu family is a local notable. How did you two end up entangled?”