novelhk Chapter 1177 Qin Ye, that old fox!
Chapter 1177 Qin Ye, that old fox!
The gray-clad man's hand on the sword hilt tightened slightly, and Gao Yao could even hear his heart pounding. But Gao Yao himself remained unusually calm; he had long anticipated this day, but he hadn't expected it to come so soon.
"General, you jest," Gao Yao said calmly. "If I knew a Grandmaster, why would my restaurant be shut down, and I be sitting here drinking tea with you, General?"
Qin Ye turned around, his eyes flashing with a sharp light: "It is precisely because the restaurant was sealed that you can remain so calm, which makes me even more suspicious. Ordinary merchants would have panicked and begged for mercy in the face of such a thing. But you, not only are you calm and composed, you even moved important items in advance, and the location of that secret passage is so well hidden. If my men hadn't been watching for three months, we really wouldn't have found it."
Alarm bells rang in Gao Yao's mind. The enemy had even discovered the tunnels! This meant that Lü Zhi's situation might have been exposed.
"General, you are indeed incredibly resourceful." Gao Yao's voice turned cold. "In that case, how does General intend to deal with this humble subject?"
Qin Ye waved his hand: "No need to be nervous. If I really wanted to take you, I wouldn't have invited you here for tea."
He sat down again, his expression becoming somewhat complicated: "Gao Yao, I have investigated you. Three years ago, you suddenly appeared in Kyoto, your origins unknown, your identity a mystery. You initially worked as a laborer at the docks, and three months later you opened your first small restaurant in the west of the city. A year later, the restaurant expanded into a grand restaurant, and two years later you opened a second branch, and business was booming. During this time, you never clashed with any powerful figures, and you were adept at handling affairs and extremely shrewd."
“But strangely,” Qin Ye changed the subject, “no matter how I investigate, I can’t find any information about you from three years ago. It’s as if you appeared out of thin air. Moreover, your style of doing things, your speech and behavior, and even some of your habits are not like those of an ordinary merchant.”
Qin Ye paused, then said, word by word, "You possess a certain aura that I have only ever seen in one other person—the current Emperor. It is not simply majesty, but an instinct cultivated from long-term rule and the power of life and death."
Gao Yao was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "If the general's words were to get out, I'm afraid I would lose my head."
"There are only the three of us here." Qin Ye pointed to the man in gray. "He is my adopted son, Qin Yong. He has followed me for thirty years and can be trusted."
Gao Yao glanced at Qin Yong, who nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
"What exactly does the general want?" Gao Yao asked bluntly.
Qin Ye took a deep breath: "I need to ask you one question. What exactly is your relationship with that newly promoted Grandmaster? And what is your purpose in coming to the capital?"
Gao Yao pondered for a long time. He knew that his answer tonight would determine his future fate in the Qing Kingdom. Tell the truth? That was impossible. Fabricate a lie? With Qin Ye's shrewdness, it would be difficult to completely deceive him.
Ultimately, he chose a compromise.
"General, have you ever heard the saying?" Gao Yao said slowly, "The greatest hermit lives in the city."
A glint of light flashed in Qin Ye's eyes: "You mean...?"
“I am just a recluse who wants to live a peaceful life in the capital,” Gao Yao continued. “As for the matter of the Grandmaster, I really don’t know. But if the general insists on an answer, then I can only say that the world is vast and there are countless talented people. Some people are willing to live in the high halls of power, while others are willing to live far away in the Jianghu. Everyone just goes their own way.”
These words, though ambiguous, made Qin Ye fall into deep thought. He stared at Gao Yao for a long time, seemingly weighing the truth or falsehood of his words.
Finally, Qin Ye nodded: "Alright, I'll believe you for now. But you must also understand that the capital is in turmoil and is no longer a place for seclusion. Fan Xian's death, the killing of Shang Shanhu and Yan Xiaoyi, the tense situation on the border between Northern Qi and Southern Qing, and the emergence of a new Grandmaster... these are turbulent times, and no one can remain unscathed."
"What does the general mean?"
"The restaurant will be sealed off in three days," Qin Ye said. "But I need your help with something."
"please say."
"Keep an eye on Li Yunrui," Qin Ye said, enunciating each word clearly. "She's been making frequent moves lately, and her connections with Northern Qi are growing closer. I suspect she's not just after power, but has bigger ambitions. You have business dealings with her; this is the best opportunity to get close to her."
Gao Yao sneered inwardly; this was asking him to be a double agent. But on his face, he feigned reluctance: "General, this means I'm being asked to betray my partner, which is against the code of the martial world."
"Moral principles?" Qin Ye sneered. "Li Yunrui colluded with Northern Qi and secretly communicated with the enemy country, which is treason. If you help her, you are aiding and abetting evil. If you help me, you are eliminating a scourge for the country. The choice is yours."
Gao Yao remained silent for a long time before finally nodding: "This humble subject understands. But this humble subject has one condition."
"explain."
"No matter what happens, please protect the safety of the people in the restaurant, General," Gao Yao said solemnly. "They are all innocent; they are just trying to make a living under my command."
Qin Ye gave Gao Yao a deep look: "Alright. As long as they don't get involved in Li Yunrui's schemes, I'll guarantee their safety."
"Thank you, General." Gao Yao stood up and bowed.
Qin Ye waved his hand: "No need for formalities. Qin Yong will take you back. Remember, what happened today is known only to heaven, earth, you, and me. If you reveal even a word, you will bear the consequences."
"I understand."
Gao Yao followed Qin Yong away from the pavilion and boarded the carriage again. Now alone, a slight smile played on Gao Yao's lips. "Interesting," he thought. "This Qin Ye is cunning. He's actually planning to use me as a pawn. The implication in his words is that Li Yunrui is finished and has already left the capital, and he wants Gao Yao to follow him."
It seems Qin Ye has been living a peaceful life for many years. He has good judgment, but his intelligence is indeed limited. He wants to use his power to become the other party's man, and also wants to remotely monitor Li Yunrui's every move.
At the same time, a question lingered in his mind: Why was Qin Ye seeking him out? Given Qin Ye's status and power, he could have easily used much stronger methods. Unless... he too had his reservations, or perhaps someone else was directing him from behind?
A name flashed through Gao Yao's mind—Emperor Qing.
Yes, although Qin Ye is the top military official, he is ultimately still Emperor Qing's subject. Tonight's meeting is very likely a test at Emperor Qing's behest. And what Qin Ye said, those speculations about Grandmasters, are likely Emperor Qing's suspicions.
The carriage stopped in a dark alley. Qin Yong said in a low voice, "Boss Gao, the side entrance of your restaurant is just a hundred paces from here. I won't see you off any further."
Gao Yao nodded his thanks, got out of the car, and quickly disappeared into the night. He didn't go straight back to the restaurant, but circled the area three times to make sure no one was following him before entering a private house through an inconspicuous door and returning to the restaurant's secret room via a tunnel.
Empress Lü was anxiously waiting in the secret chamber. Seeing him return safely, she breathed a sigh of relief: "How was it?"
Gao Yao briefly recounted the events of the night, and Lü Zhi frowned upon hearing it: "Qin Ye intends to use you as a pawn. However, this may not be a bad opportunity."
"Chance?"