Chapter 145: Conspiracy

"Who are you? And how did you come to know of these matters?" Gu Hanguang's expression changed instantly. The look he directed at Yi An finally revealed a trace of unprecedented wariness, for his opponent was clearly well-prepared.

Moreover, judging by the other's profound and meaningful remark, the things this person knew were likely far more than he had imagined.

"Who I am is not important. What matters is what I can help Lord Gu obtain, and how to cleverly handle the affair concerning Luo Kui." Yi An spoke in riddles. Dealing with a man like Gu Hanguang required, above all else, not losing one's momentum. Only by making the other party place him on an equal footing could there be any possibility of continuing the conversation.

Conversely, if he failed to command the other's respect from the outset while harboring something the other coveted, then, given Gu Hanguang's temperament, nine times out of ten the man would not choose to trade with him. What awaited him instead would be forceful seizure or some extraordinary means.

Seeing that Gu Hanguang had fallen into deep thought, Yi An pressed his advantage and hastily tempted him further:

"This is not a place for talking. I must ask Lord Gu to move elsewhere so we may converse in detail. I will only say a few words; as for whether Lord Gu chooses to listen or not, I shall by no means interfere."

"Very well, as you wish. I hope you will not disappoint this official." After weighing the pros and cons for a long while, Gu Hanguang ultimately accepted Yi An's proposal.

He agreed for two reasons. First, the other man's expression did not seem feigned and appeared quite convincing.

Furthermore, whether the statements just made were true or false could only be concluded after he had heard them out. If useful, it would naturally be an unexpected blessing; if useless, he could simply refuse when the time came. Either way, there was no substantive loss for him, at most costing him a negligible amount of time.

Just as Gu Hanguang was about to leave with his accompanying underworld attendants to talk privately nearby, he seemed to remember something. He turned back and instructed the carriage driver:

"Drive the carriage away from here first, and be careful not to startle the snake in the grass."

Following Gu Hanguang's instructions, the driver soon parked the carriage not far from the Rouge Pavilion.

"Lord Gu is truly brilliant and remarkably observant," Yi An could not help praising. Although Gu Hanguang's action was somewhat making a fuss over a trifle, it was an act of genuine caution that could effectively prevent unnecessary trouble.

"You flatter me. The way of an official requires one to be diligent and conscientious, walking as if on thin ice; a single moment of carelessness could plunge one into an abyss of eternal damnation," Gu Hanguang said with a trace of self-mockery, his expression filled with deep emotion.

Yi An nodded in agreement, holding the man in slightly higher regard.

In truth, very few people could see this point clearly. Countless individuals, upon ascending to high positions, were quickly blinded by the illusions before them, losing their original intentions. Those who could steadfasturingly hold onto their core and keep a clear head were exceedingly rare.

They merely moved away from the immediate vicinity of the Rouge Pavilion without deliberately seeking out a secluded spot. As for the surrounding ghost citizens, they did not deliberately drive them away—not because they didn't want to, but because there was no need.

Anyway, they were merely exchanging a few words, provided they could ensure their conversation was not overheard by others.

As for whether anyone knew of their conspiracy, that actually mattered very little. Once the discussion concluded, regardless of the outcome, Gu Hanguang's immediate priority would be to face Luo Kui directly.

"Very well, Your Excellency may speak now," Gu Hanguang said, adopting a posture of attentive listening.

"Who does not know that the Rouge Pavilion is your property, Lord Gu? Luo Kui's actions are tantamount to an open provocation against you. Can you swallow this insult, Lord Gu?" Yi An did not state it directly, attempting instead to stir Gu Hanguang's emotions. The extent to which the matter could progress depended entirely on the foundation of Gu Hanguang's resentment.

"There is no need to dwell on this. Pray get straight to the point," Gu Hanguang said with a darkened face.

He saw these things more clearly than anyone else. Just as Yi An had said, Luo Kui's actions were simply going too far. Upon learning of the incident, he had burned with rage, wishing in his heart to tear Luo Kui to a thousand pieces.

Yet, just as Luo Kui had anticipated earlier, he too had numerous misgivings. Making an enemy of Luo Kui would bring him no benefits and would instead invite trouble upon himself.

To his knowledge, many high-ranking officials in the Ghost City frequently received bribes from Luo Kui. In the eyes of those high officials, Luo Kui was like a cash cow; would they be willing to watch this cash cow fall?

The answer was self-evident. Unless Luo Kui committed some monstrous crime, ordinary charges would nine times out of ten be unable to touch him.

"Lord Gu, I must admit that Luo Kui is not easy to deal with. If nothing unexpected happens, he will likely use wealth to make you compromise, and out of consideration for the bigger picture, you will choose to agree, letting the matter fade into oblivion. Am I correct in my conjecture?" Yi An countered.

Upon hearing this, Gu Hanguang was startled at first, then nodded helplessly, tacitly acknowledging Yi An's deduction.

In his position, there were simply too many things to consider; he had no choice but to prioritize the greater good.

"What if I have a way to eliminate Luo Kui without shedding a single drop of blood?"

"What must I give in return?"

After a brief silence, Gu Hanguang asked.

"I do not require you to pay any price. You only need to lend me a hand when necessary, and refuse to accept the other party's proposal. That will be enough." Yi An shook his head, his expression shifting as if recalling something, and added:

"Provided that you are not tempted by the material gains the other party dangles before you."

Gu Hanguang raised an eyebrow and said, "You can rest easy on that score. I, Gu Hanguang, have at least seen my share of fierce winds and great waves; I am not about to lose my core principles for the paltry temptations he throws out."

Besides, the Rouge Pavilion was only worth so much; how much could Luo Kui possibly promise?

"Good, I trust Lord Gu's steadfastness," Yi An said heavily.

With a look of astonishment and curiosity, Gu Hanguang asked, "Why are you helping me?"

"What good will this do for you?"

There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world—he had always firmly believed in this adage.

He did not believe there was anyone in the world devoid of desires and demands. If Yi An could not give a coherent explanation, he would instead suspect the other man of harboring malicious intentions.

"I have a grudge against Luo Kui. Is that reason enough?" Yi An said.

Gu Hanguang nodded, a trace of a smile appearing on his face.

"So that's how it is."

Hearing this, Gu Hanguang's expression cleared with sudden realization; put this way, the matter finally made sense.

However, until Yi An produced substantive evidence, he still could not completely trust the other man's unilateral words, even though what had been said sounded very convincing on the surface.