Guild Leader Nan Batian said, "It is difficult, but no matter how difficult it is, we must do it. Otherwise, we won’t be able to get through today’s ordeal."
Tang Ziyue said, "But the military equipment might have already left Mianshui County. Where on earth are we going to find it?"
Guild Leader Nan Batian said, "There’s always a way."
Tang Ziyue said, "Then should we go back and send more people?"
Guild Leader Nan Batian said, "Yeah, send more people. Make it look urgent. Also, we must block off the Mianshui River, not allowing a single boat to go downstream."
Tang Ziyue said, "Understood."
After giving a few instructions, Guild Leader Nan Batian said, "Ziyue, there’s one thing I can’t figure out. The secret letter clearly wasn’t written by me, so why is the handwriting on it identical to mine? Could there be some sorcery involved?"
Tang Ziyue frowned and said, "I’m also at a loss about this."
The two looked at each other, both astonished by Chen Jiusi’s methods. What kind of technique was this?
Chen Jie had already won twelve games in a row against Xiao Hu, who finally stood up and said, "Jiu Si, I’m not playing anymore. I simply can’t win against you."
Chen Jie laughed and said, "You’re always too hasty in both your actions and your chess. Look at Si Xi, how steady he is."
Xiao Hu’s face was full of disdain as he said, "Steady my ass. Look at him now, does he look steady to you?"
At this moment, Si Xi was sitting on the steps with a troubled expression, wondering how he could get Guild Leader Nan Batian to write on that piece of paper.
While Si Xi was lost in thought, a disciple from White Tiger Hall rushed in breathlessly. After greeting Si Xi, he went straight to Chen Jie.
Chen Jie said, "We’re all among our own here, speak."
The man immediately said, "Hall Master, Guild Leader Nan Batian has just come from Yelu Mansion, and he promised Lord Yelu that within fifteen days, he would find that batch of military equipment and capture those rebels from the Zoroastrian Sect. Otherwise, he would face multiple charges and heavier punishment!"
Chen Jie’s mouth cracked into a smile.
Excellent, excellent, this was exactly the effect he needed.
To bring down Guild Leader Nan Batian, the first step was to erode all the trust Lord Yelu had in him, just like Xiao Hu said. To make Lord Yelu side with him, if Lord Yelu wanted to kill Guild Leader Nan Batian, then Nan Batian was as good as dead.
Therefore, taking down Guild Leader Nan Batian couldn’t be rushed. It had to be done progressively.
Chen Jie’s battle with Guild Leader Nan Batian was like a hunter fighting a tiger. You can’t go in directly without getting bruised all over, and you might not even be able to kill the tiger. So, you set a trap and herd the tiger into it.
Indeed, the note was just the trigger for the trap. Chen Jie had never thought to use the note to finish off Guild Leader Nan Batian, nor could he.
But it could force him down a dead-end road.
And it was clear that his move was very correct, very successful...
Chen Jie took a sip of tea, while Si Xi, having heard the disciple’s report, stood up and said, "Wait, you just said ’multiple charges and heavier punishment’. Does that mean that Lord Yelu really believes the secret letter was written by Guild Leader Nan Batian, that Nan Batian is suspected of colluding with the Zoroastrian Sect?"
"Yes, that’s right. Advisor Qian Shun from the government office did the evaluation and immediately confirmed that the handwriting was authentic. It’s said that at the scene, Guild Leader Nan Batian was crying and kneeling, looking just like a clown."
The junior brother reported cheerfully. Hearing this, Xiao Hu laughed and said, "Hey, brother, tell us in detail."
The junior brother laughed and said, "Master Hu, there’s no more detail. That’s all the information we have."
Xiao Hu said, "It’s a pity I missed such an amazing scene!"
At this moment, Si Xi looked at Chen Jie and said, "Hall Master, please clear up my confusion. I really don’t understand how you got Nan Batian to write those words."
Chen Jie chuckled and said, "It’s quite simple, Si Xi. Do you know what a Mounting Master is?"
Si Xi said, "I know. Isn’t it someone who frames paintings and sometimes restores them? Hm?"
Chen Jie laughed and said, "Those Mounting Masters are all quite skilled. Luckily, I have one under my command, a Mounting Master whose family has practiced the craft for eight generations. His skill is unmatched, especially in forgery. Unfortunately, the Mulan people don’t understand paintings and calligraphy, leading the Han people to also lose interest in them. His craft had no place to be utilized until he ended up in our White Tiger Hall."
"They have a technique called ’peeling painting’ where they can make three sellable paintings from one, with each seeming like the original!"
Si Xi’s eyes widened. Could that really be possible?
Chen Jie continued, "Nan Batian’s ordinary correspondence isn’t hard to find. I just needed to find these specific characters, pick them out one by one, peel them off using the technique, and imprint them onto new paper. After that, with the skills passed down by that Mounting Master’s ancestors, it would appear as though it was written by Nan Batian, indistinguishable to anyone!"
"So, those words were indeed written by Nan Batian. How could he escape that?"
After hearing this, Si Xi said, "Hall Master, that’s brilliant. But how did you manage to burn the words into pieces while still preserving them?"
Chen Jie laughed and said, "Just keep trying, and it will eventually work. Those three pieces of paper took me over a hundred sheets of paper!"
"Brilliant, simply brilliant. Hall Master’s methods are truly unfathomable and admirable!"
Si Xi praised from the side, and Xiao Hu laughed and said, "Well, Si Xi, you turn out to be a real bootlicker."
Si Xi retorted, "I’m genuinely impressed. You’re the real sycophant."
Hearing Si Xi’s words, everyone burst into laughter. It really was enjoyable to see Guild Leader Nan Batian’s misfortunes.
Thinking this, Chen Jie said, "Enough, let’s not talk about that. The first step is a success. Now for the second step. It’s time to put some pressure on Guild Leader Nan Batian."
At these words, the others looked at Chen Jie in surprise and said, "Hall Master, what do you mean?"
Si Xi said, "It’s time to stir the spies among the Mulan people. Guild Leader Nan owes someone twenty thousand taels of silver, and it’s time to repay that debt!"