Chapter 316: Going All Out
That night, Young Master Sang summoned the old butler Hu Yong to his side.
“I’ll get straight to the point.”
Young Master Sang said casually, “I know that over the years, you’ve made quite a bit of money thanks to the National Master’s residence. You have five properties outside Tianlang City, all under your children’s names, right?”
Hu Yong shivered, stammering, “The old servant doesn’t know what you’re talking about…”
“Hey, don’t be so nervous.”
Young Master Sang smiled as he patted his shoulder: “I did some digging before I arrived.”
“Is it your fault for making money through opportunity? No! It’s Li Shanyan’s fault.”
“Li Shanyan is a big shot, second only to the emperor. He has immense power but is incredibly stingy with his servants. Not only is your salary only mediocre, but he also has strict requirements, forbidding you from accepting bribes.”
“What kind of master is that? He’s all alone, childless, not caring at all about our feelings!”
Hu Yong nodded in agreement, too afraid to speak up.
“I’m not heartless,” Young Master Sang slowly pulled out a stack of cash and placed it on the table, “You see, when one person rises, the whole family benefits. Since you’re with me, I’ll ensure that my brothers here live well.”
“I’ll pretend I don’t know about your properties. This cash is my way of caring for your hard work at your age. Besides, I can help your granddaughter find a way into the National Master’s residence.”
Hu Yong’s eyes lit up, his throat swallowing hard.
Just when he couldn’t hold back and reached for the money, Young Master Sang slid the bills a little farther back.
“…On one condition.”
“You answer all my questions obediently.” Young Master Sang’s smile was ever so friendly.
Hu Yong cautiously glanced at him, then slowly nodded.
“Very good.”
Young Master Sang crossed his legs and casually asked, “First off, how much do you know about Li Shanyan?”
“Well… to be honest, I might disappoint you.”
Hu Yong reluctantly said, “Though I’ve been with you for a while, in the history of the National Master’s residence, I’m just one of many servants.”
“There have been at least four to five hundred butlers before me. I’m just another face in the crowd.”
“In the National Master’s residence, the most taboo thing for a servant is to know too much about the master. The master only allows us to focus on serving well—taking care of food and clothing. Beyond that, we’re forbidden from interfering with his matters.”
“And he is, after all, an immortal, often appearing and disappearing. We barely see him even!”
Young Master Sang frowned slightly: “So you basically know nothing about Li Shanyan?”
“Correct.”
“Do you know where he is in seclusion now?”
“Well, he’s not quite in seclusion,” Hu Yong hesitated, “He just suddenly said one day that no one was to disturb him and went back to his room.”
“Since then, we haven’t seen him.”
“The emperor tried to see him several times, but we only dared to call out from outside, and there was no response. None of us dared to go in.”
Young Master Sang pondered for a moment, then asked, “Has Li Shanyan often gone missing like this?”
“No, if the master leaves, he usually informs us. Sometimes he does enter seclusion, but it rarely exceeds three to five days. I’ve never seen it last this long in all my years here.”
No useful information at all! Young Master Sang sighed and asked, “Then tell me, where is his room?”
At this question, Hu Yong’s eyes suddenly filled with terror, hurriedly saying, “No! The master’s room has a celestial formation. Touching it without permission is fatal!”
“Just tell me where it is; whether I touch it or not is my business.”
After a moment of struggle, Hu Yong reluctantly led Young Master Sang to a secluded bamboo grove.
After sending Hu Yong away, Young Master Sang stood at the door of the small house, staring for a long time.
“…Nian Nian.”
“Stop thinking about it.” Nian Nian slowly appeared beside him, her elegant foot stepping on the bamboo roof, “That formation is a bona fide celestial-level array. You can’t break it.”
“Even if you begged me to break it down, the noise would be enough to level the National Master’s residence.”
“Can’t you see whether Li Shanyan is inside?” Young Master Sang asked.
“That’s the problem.”
Nian Nian sat on the angled roof, lightly touching it with her fingers: “I truly can’t see what’s going on inside.”
“This is the second time Li Shanyan has pulled this kind of trick on me. This old guy is quite mysterious.”
Hearing this, Young Master Sang couldn’t help but tease, “I thought Nian Nian mom was all-knowing.”
“Dummy host! What are you talking about! I’m all-knowing, okay?!”
Nian Nian’s little face flushed suddenly, her cheeks puffing up cutely as she huffed at Young Master Sang.
“In situations like this, I’ve never encountered before, so I advise the dumb host to be cautious.”
“I know.”
Young Master Sang was just joking a bit.
In fact, the reason he was trying so hard to investigate was precisely because Li Shanyan had something on him that even Nian Nian couldn’t sense.
After all, something that even the system couldn’t perceive was truly a cause for concern.
“So your point is, we’re just stuck watching Li Shanyan hibernate in his turtle shell with no way to act?” Young Master Sang poked at the barrier in front of the bamboo house, feeling a little frustrated.
“What piques my curiosity is why you want to see him so badly.”
Nian Nian jumped down from the roof, hands behind her back, strutting over to Young Master Sang: “This old guy might not be invincible, but he can definitely handle one or two hosts. If he comes out, wouldn’t you just have to run for it?”
“Exactly because I can’t beat him that I need a plan.”
Young Master Sang slowly shook his head: “What he said that day before he left hasn’t left my mind.”
…Even if the old guy doesn’t want me, someone is bound to come looking for the young friend.
As the saying goes, it’s not the thief you fear; it’s the thief who remembers.
That one statement was enough to keep Young Master Sang restless at night.
After all, he was no longer a lonely person without any attachments.
He still had Little Ying and the others; he absolutely couldn’t let anything happen to them.
“Before I came to the Holy Kingdom, I was prepared to be discovered by Li Shanyan. I mean, a random solitary celestial-level cultivator might fool Huo Ningxue, but there’s no way they could fool Li Shanyan.”
“I initially thought I’d just get whatever information I could and leg it if discovered. Could he still keep a celestial-level like me?”
“Who knew I’ve been here for so long, even right at his doorstep, yet still haven’t seen his face.”
“Not to mention,” Young Master Sang said nonchalantly, “thinking positively, since he hasn’t come out all this time, the old guy might have kicked the bucket in there.”
“If he hadn’t died, why wouldn’t he come out to catch me since I’m practically in his face?”
Just as he finished speaking—
The door of the bamboo house creaked open.
An old man in pajamas yawned, stretching as he walked out, looking half-asleep.
But as soon as the door opened halfway, the old man froze.
Young Master Sang: “?”
Li Shanyan: “?”
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