The Letter from Yue Guan

Seeing the disappointment in Nana's expression, Ye Tian placed the bowl on the stone table and smiled mysteriously, "Don't be upset, I'll personally make something delicious for you at noon. The fire spirit chicken from the farm is incredibly tasty."

Hu Liena's eyes suddenly sparkled as she leaned forward a bit and pouted, "You better not go back on your word."

Ye Tian rolled his eyes and said irritably, "Fine, do I need to make a pinky promise too?"

"Not necessarily," Hu Liena giggled, covering her mouth.

At that moment, a staff member walked into the courtyard and headed straight for Bibi Dong.

He respectfully bowed and said, "Miss, there's a young man outside the farm who says he's your friend and is waiting for you at the gate."

Hearing this, Bibi Dong was startled, her expression shifting slightly.

Someone at the farm gate? Could it be a friend of Ye Tian's sister?

If so, wouldn't that risk exposing her?

However, after thinking it over, she realized that Ye Xinglan, Ye Tian's sister, had been serving in the Spirit Hall for five years and hadn't returned in all that time. Even Ye Tian himself probably couldn't remember what his sister looked like.

Most likely, that friend wouldn't remember clearly either.

Bibi Dong quickly regained her composure and calmly asked the staff member, "Did he give his name?"

A name was crucial. Without it, a flaw in her story could be exposed.

The staff member replied, "Miss, he said his name is Guan Yue."

Upon hearing this name, Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow.

She crossed her long, white legs and slowly stood up, glancing at Ye Tian.

"Xiaotian, I'm going to meet this friend."

"Teacher, let me accompany you," Hu Liena quickly stood up, waving her hand gently.

Upon hearing the name Yue Guan, she roughly guessed the identity of her teacher's "friend."

Ye Tian nonchalantly waved his hand, smiling, "Sister, remember to invite your friend to stay for lunch at the farm. I'll go prepare the ingredients for the meal."

Bibi Dong nodded and, together with Hu Liena, strode out of the small courtyard, walking along the concrete road to the farm's entrance.

When she saw the young man, with a strand of silver hair amidst his golden locks, she immediately recognized him. It was Yue Guan without a doubt.

Yue Guan, now dressed in more ordinary clothing, still had distinctive hair and dark circles under his eyes that made him easily recognizable.

"Uncle Yue Guan, why are you here?" Hu Liena cheerfully walked up to him, nudging him with her shoulder and smiling, "Did you receive the secret letter I sent? It's been a few years since I wrote one, but the format should still be correct, right?"

The cipher she used to write to the knights of the Spirit Hall was one she had learned in general education courses at the Spirit Hall Academy years ago.

She had mostly focused on cultivating her spirit power and rarely used such knowledge. Now that she had, she found herself a bit rusty.

Yue Guan smiled lightly, "Your Highness, your talent is exceptional. The letter was written flawlessly."

Bibi Dong, standing nearby, gazed at him coldly, her voice laced with a hint of frost, "What is it?"

Yue Guan was accustomed to the cold demeanor of the Pope, as she always met people with that expression.

He bowed slightly and respectfully said, "I originally intended to send a message to the Pope, but the defenses around this farm are so strict that I had to take matters into my own hands and come here disguised as a friend of yours."

He silently took out a letter from his sleeve, saying, "This is a secret letter delivered by the Holy Knights during their patrol of the Wuhun main hall in Tianlong City."

In addition to guarding the Pope's palace, the knights also had duties to inspect and apprehend criminals.

Bibi Dong raised her eyebrow slightly and took the letter with her slender hand, opening it to read carefully.

The more she read, the more her chest heaved. She unconsciously gripped the letter tighter.

In the end, she crumpled the letter into a ball, her delicate face filled with anger. "Outrageous!"

Seeing her reaction, Hu Liena stepped forward and asked, "Uncle Yue Guan, what exactly happened?"

Yue Guan explained, "The head of the Wuhun main hall in Tianlong City, Sun Cai, forcibly abducted a local woman. When her family confronted him, Sun Cai had them brutally beaten. Desperate, the woman's family planned to go to Wuhun City to file a complaint. Upon hearing this, Sun Cai, in broad daylight and in front of a crowd, killed the entire family!"

"What? Sun Cai is too despicable!" Hu Liena was shocked, not expecting such a scoundrel to exist within the Spirit Hall.

Bibi Dong's expression turned icy as she looked at Yue Guan. "Such heinous behavior, which seriously tarnishes the reputation of the Spirit Hall, does not need my approval. Strip him of his position and publicly execute him in the marketplace!"

Yue Guan said quietly, "Sun Cai's family holds significant power in Tianlong City. From the military officers to various other positions, all are controlled by his family. The local knights inspecting the area are no match for them."

"Then you will handle it personally!" Bibi Dong snapped her sleeves in anger, her tone cold.

There was no excuse to tolerate such a vile person.

Yue Guan added, "There's one more difficulty. Sun Cai is the direct disciple of the Fifth Worshipper, Qianjun Douluo, from the Elder Hall. It turns out that several years ago, many people in Tianlong City had already sent letters of complaint to you, but they were all suppressed by the Fifth Worshipper. This was only discovered after the knights investigated."

"The Fifth Worshipper knows this can't be covered up, so he personally wrote to ask you not to interfere in Tianlong City's affairs. He promises to punish Sun Cai himself."

With that, Yue Guan handed over the Fifth Worshipper's handwritten letter to Bibi Dong.

However, Bibi Dong didn't even glance at it. Her icy gaze remained fixed on Yue Guan.

"Punish him personally? It's clear that he's protecting Sun Cai!"

"As the Pope, I am now personally ordering you to take the Holy Knights of the Pope's Palace and bring Sun Cai to justice. As for the Elder Hall's reaction, you needn't worry."

"I understand, Your Majesty." Yue Guan placed his right hand over his chest in salute and turned to leave.

Watching his departing figure, Bibi Dong's face remained frosty.

The Elder Hall really thought of her as a puppet Pope they could manipulate?

She would show them just how much power she wielded!

Staring into the distance, Bibi Dong fell into deep thought.

If the rampant abuses of power within the Spirit Hall's branches weren't addressed, it might truly lead to the downfall Ye Tian had predicted, within three years.

These corrupt practices had to be changed!

Hu Liena, standing beside Bibi Dong, looked worried. "Teacher, won't this lead to a complete falling out between the Pope's Palace and the Elder Hall?"

"No," Bibi Dong replied calmly.

That old man Qian Daoliu, though vile, would never allow an open split within the Spirit Hall.

As for cooperation between the two halls? It had never really existed.

And she didn't expect it to.

"Let's go back," Bibi Dong gestured to Hu Liena.

By the time news of Tianlong City's events reached the Elder Hall in Wuhun City, it would likely be a week later.

Worrying now would only add unnecessary stress.

…

When the two of them returned to the farm's courtyard, they saw Ye Tian using a shovel to build a makeshift stove.

Ye Tian looked up and noticed the two of them looking rather downcast.

Curious, he asked, "Sister, Nana, what's wrong?"

Hu Liena sighed, "We just heard some tragic news from Teacher's friend."

"Where is your friend, Sister? Why didn't they come back with you?" Ye Tian asked.

Bibi Dong smiled faintly, "He was just passing by on his way back from doing business and stopped to see me. He's in a rush to get home to his family."

"I see," Ye Tian nodded, continuing to shovel dirt as he smiled at Hu Liena, "What tragic news has made you so upset?"

Hu Liena sighed again, "The head of the Wuhun main hall in Tianlong City cruelly killed an entire family of civilians."

Hearing this, Ye Tian paused for a moment, the smile disappearing from his face. He asked nonchalantly, "Has the Wuhun City taken any action to punish him?"

Hu Liena glanced at Bibi Dong and replied, "I've heard that the Pope has already sent someone to Tianlong City. With her personality, that hall master is as good as dead."

"Let's hope so," Ye Tian murmured.

Hu Liena was filled with emotion, her eyes reflecting her complex feelings. "Is there really no way to stop the local Spirit Hall branch heads from committing such atrocities?"

Ye Tian casually responded, "There is a way, but it depends on the Pope's determination."

"You have a way?" Hu Liena was stunned.

At these words, Bibi Dong, who had been deep in thought, suddenly raised her head and looked at Ye Tian.

Did he really have a solution?

(End of Chapter)