After receiving Su Xi's assurance, Li Zhi excitedly said, "In that case, I thank you in advance. When you've finished, I will certainly hold a celebration for you."
"You can choose whatever wealth and status you desire then. The position of Imperial Advisor is also within your reach."
Seeing Li Zhi trying to sweeten the deal, Su Xi merely smiled and remained silent. Her digestive system had always been poor; she couldn't stomach such a grand promise.
When Li Zhi saw Su Xi wasn't particularly responsive, he lost interest in making empty promises and shifted the topic. "More importantly, I believe intelligence is paramount."
His reason for sending Su Xi to investigate was for what would come next. He needed to know what that person was doing to devise a countermeasure. After all, their father, the Emperor, was advanced in years and weary from ruling the Great Xuan Empire. To alleviate his burden, they had to put in more effort. Young people, after all, needed to shoulder more responsibility.
Hearing Li Zhi get down to business, Su Xi suddenly asked, "When I obtain intelligence, how should I deliver it to you?" This information was crucial, and there could be no mistakes. If others found out, it would be disastrous. For safety, it was best to hand it over to someone trustworthy.
Li Zhi pondered for a moment and replied, "Whenever you have any news, just give it to Pang Dahai. I will have him keep an eye on you and help you gather information."
Su Xi nodded upon hearing Li Zhi's words. Through Li Zhi's demeanor, she now understood Pang Dahai's importance to him. Since Pang Dahai was so vital to Li Zhi, eliminating him would effectively cripple Li Zhi's influence. A plan began to form in her mind.
Seeing that all arrangements were made, Li Zhi did not linger in Su Xi's room. Every moment was precious, and he had important matters to attend to. After all, in the royal court, power was not only dependent on strength but even more so on offspring. Having a son greatly elevated one's status. Unfortunately, despite his efforts over the years, which had left him exhausted, there had been no success, making him doubt his own physical capabilities. Therefore, to gain an advantage, he had to continue his efforts.
After his departure, Su Xi immediately conferred with Ou Yang Chu Ge to finalize their plan for the next day. Their current residence was conveniently located near the Eighth Prince's mansion, making it the most opportune place to gather information. However, this convenience also came with the greatest danger. The number of informants in the vicinity was unknown, and any misstep could lead to immediate execution. Furthermore, without taking action, they could not deal with Li Zhi. Based on their recent interactions, Su Xi was acutely aware that Li Zhi would not show them leniency once they were no longer useful.
The next day, at first light, Su Xi and Ou Yang Chu Ge, pushing a cart, disguised themselves as vegetable vendors and headed towards the Eighth Prince's mansion. Following their discussions the previous night, they had formulated a plan: their objective for the day was to install hidden cameras throughout the vicinity of the Eighth Prince's mansion. These tiny cameras, unknown to ancient people and emitting no magical fluctuations, would surely go undetected by the numerous experts within the mansion. This way, they could obtain the information they desired without revealing themselves. Moreover, Su Xi had an additional plan: video footage could be easily manipulated.
Along the way, Su Xi and Ou Yang Chu Ge diligently placed hidden cameras. Although Ou Yang Chu Ge looked down on Su Xi's seemingly trivial task of inserting these devices everywhere, he complied. His sole objective was to break the seal on him; other matters were not his concern. Helping Su Xi resolve her troubles would hasten his own recovery. Soon, the main roads around the Eighth Prince's mansion were dotted with their hidden cameras.
However, Su Xi knew that the Eighth Prince rarely discussed important matters while out on the roads. To obtain genuine intelligence, they needed to infiltrate his study. But the Eighth Prince's mansion was heavily guarded, and they had already sensed at least ten individuals surveying the surroundings. Infiltrating the study was thus impossible. What should they do? Su Xi did not want to waste time, as any delay increased their peril. After all, Li Zhi would not grant them much leeway.
The person in charge of the Eighth Prince's mansion saw Su Xi looking around and couldn't help but scold, "What are you doing?" The rules here were strict, and if Su Xi inadvertently offended someone, he would be implicated. For his own safety, he could not allow Su Xi to act recklessly.
Hearing the steward's reprimand, Su Xi quickly replied, "I have a stomach ache and need to use the latrine."
"Lazy horses always need more time for their business," the steward grumbled, then pointed to a spot. "Go that way yourself."
"Thank you," Su Xi said, then headed towards the latrine. Using her supercomputer to monitor their every move and confirming she was not being followed, Su Xi quickly slipped away. The Eighth Prince's mansion was vast, and seeing so many rooms, Su Xi felt an immediate sense of being lost. "Where on earth is this place?" Su Xi blurted out, then began searching the surrounding rooms. Since she couldn't find the target, she decided to check them all. If she installed cameras in every room, she was sure to find what she needed.
Just as she pushed open a door, preparing to install a camera, she discovered two people inside. They were naked and in the midst of vigorous activity. A wave of lascivious sounds reached Su Xi's ears, making her feel rather embarrassed. Hearing the sound of the door opening, they suddenly turned their heads. Upon seeing the scene, the woman shrieked, "Who are you?"
"I'm sorry, I'll leave," Su Xi quickly covered her eyes and tried to close the door. She vowed that she only intended to install cameras and had not expected that in such a secluded area, people would be engaged in such activities. Without much thought, Su Xi could tell that these two were up to no good and likely had an illicit relationship.
Seeing Su Xi about to leave, the man naturally wouldn't allow her to escape so easily. He was currently with the Eighth Prince's concubine, and although she might have been forgotten by the Eighth Prince, he absolutely would not tolerate being cuckolded. Therefore, Su Xi could not leave, and must be dealt with.
"Stop!" the man shouted, then used his power to close the door. Seeing the formation array revolving on the closed door, Su Xi knew she could not leave anytime soon. She then looked at Lai Qiang and asked, "Can't you just pretend I don't exist?" Lai Qiang almost burst out laughing at Su Xi's words. Was she truly asking to be ignored? Although he didn't understand Su Xi's meaning, he knew very well that letting her leave would lead to serious trouble. With this realization, Lai Qiang suddenly had a thought: Su Xi was not someone from the Eighth Prince's mansion. Otherwise, according to the mansion's rules, no one could enter this area.
"Who are you?" Lai Qiang asked Su Xi, preparing to ascertain her identity.
Su Xi smiled at Lai Qiang and replied, "If you're unwilling to reveal your identity, do you think I'll let you know who I am?"
"Fine," Lai Qiang clapped his hands and then suddenly attacked. Since he had already developed hostility towards Su Xi, he wouldn't let her off easily. Seeing this, Su Xi did not retreat. They began fighting in the room, but under their deliberate control, the fluctuations of their battle did not spread outside. The woman beside them watched as the two fought to a stalemate, her expression towards Su Xi changing. She had always been attracted to strong individuals, and with Su Xi being a handsome man, her liking was unavoidable. With this understanding, she began to harbor different intentions towards Su Xi.
Looking at the woman, Su Xi suddenly felt a wave of nausea. She wasn't a lesbian and didn't like that sort of thing.
"Die!" Lai Qiang took advantage of Su Xi's inattention and struck directly at her heart. If this blow landed, Su Xi would have no chance of survival. However, facing Lai Qiang's attack, Su Xi suddenly smiled. She had deliberately waited this long to lure Lai Qiang into a trap. Therefore, it was now time for Lai Qiang to die.
With that, Su Xi instantly moved. She threw the "Burning Stick" directly at Lai Qiang, freezing him into a block of ice. Immediately afterward, her "God-Slaying Sword" shot out and plunged into Lai Qiang's body. Lai Qiang, caught off guard by Su Xi's sudden change, froze in place. The pain in his body made it unbelievable.
"Who exactly are you?" Lai Qiang's mind raced with thoughts, but only one sentence escaped his lips. Su Xi smiled at Lai Qiang and said, "It's none of your business who I am." With that, she pulled the God-Slaying Sword from Lai Qiang's body. As the sword was removed, Lai Qiang's entire body began to burn, turning into a pile of ashes in the blink of an eye.
After dealing with Lai Qiang, Su Xi approached the naked woman. The woman looked at Su Xi with dazed eyes and a flushed face, asking, "Young master, do you want to come in?"