Chapter 1254: Investigation
The “war of words” between Zhang Yuelu and Qin Lingge lasted for quite some time, drawing plenty of attention. In the end, it escalated to the point where Great Sage Shi and a Confucian Great Master personally entered the debate, each writing lengthy essays of tens of thousands of words, after which the matter finally came to a close.
This revealed a peculiar phenomenon. The Daoist Order did not permit lower-level Daoists or common followers to speak recklessly about its affairs, yet it showed tolerance toward the unconventional remarks of elite figures, allowing dissent in order to cultivate an image of openness and balanced judgment. The Confucians clearly fell within this category, so rather than silencing the matter, the Daoist Order engaged in open debate.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, although Zhang Yuelu had not yet identified the mastermind behind the scenes, she thoroughly examined the contents of the accusation letter itself. For example, the letter claimed that Qi Xuansu had an improper relationship with certain women. Such allegations could not be mere empty words. They required specific times and locations. If such details could not be provided, or if they were proven to be fabricated, then under the principle of presumption of innocence, the claim could be judged as fabricated.
By focusing on several key points like these, Zhang Yuelu quickly overturned the entire accusation letter, classifying it as false reporting. Then, she promptly released the news.
People quickly lost interest and were too lazy even to learn the details. The matter passed as though it had never happened. It neither spread widely nor caused much disturbance, and many people never even knew about it. To outsiders, it seemed like a trivial matter not worth mentioning, but behind the scenes, Zhang Yuelu had expended tremendous effort just to achieve such results.
As for Zheng Zaishi, the female Daoist who had reported Qi Xuansu, she was placed under supervision.
Everyone knew she was merely a pawn, and a discarded one at that. She herself was also well aware.
Thus, trying to get more information from her would likely be difficult.
However, Zhang Yuelu did not give up. She ordered a thorough investigation into Zheng Zaishi’s background and discovered that her parents had died early, leaving only a younger brother. The siblings had relied on each other for many years and shared a deep bond. But not long ago, her brother had disappeared.
This made Zhang Yuelu realize that Zheng Zaishi had likely been coerced into making the false accusation. But when Zhang Yuelu tried to track down the brother’s whereabouts, she found no valuable clues. After all, too much time had passed. The mastermind was also highly experienced and had left no trace.
The only thing she discovered was that Zheng Zaishi’s brother had last been seen at Taiqing Market in Jade Capital.
This was intriguing. Jade Capital was perhaps the safest place in the world. Abducting someone there was not something ordinary people could accomplish. Doing so silently without leaving any trace was even more difficult. Even a powerful regional figure like Wang Jiaohe would find it challenging. Abducting someone might not be hard, but doing it without leaving any evidence was another matter entirely.