Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

In the tea room of the side hall of the Fifth Division of the Censorate, almost all the core members of the Luo family gang were present.

The head seat was occupied by the elderly Luo Bingyi, who held a back scratcher. To his left were Zhai Xingyuan, Yan Wenjiu, and Bi Muge, while to his right were Che Yuxuan and Hao Duanhun. Only Pei Xingchun was absent.

Pei Xingchun didn't come, not because she didn't want to, but because her father had grounded her.

Her father, former Deputy Commander Pei, was an old friend of Zhou Qingfeng's master, Qiu Chengde.

When the then Deputy Commander Pei learned that his daughter had chosen the wrong side and was going against Zhou Qingfeng, he immediately placed her under house arrest and granted her a long leave of absence, thus completely pulling her out of the vortex of this power struggle.

Pei Xingchun was naturally indignant and demanded justice for her teacher. However, she had always overestimated her abilities. She believed that everything she had was earned through her own efforts. In reality, everything she possessed was given to her by her father, who could strip her of all her resources, including her official position in the Fifth Bureau, with a single word.

"Muge, did Zhou Qingfeng see through it?" Luo Bingyi, with his full head of gray hair, habitually scratched his back with a back scratcher. His face, covered with age spots, was expressionless, and his cloudy eyes were like a pool of stagnant water.

Bi Muge sat upright, facing Luo Bingyi, and respectfully replied: "Zhou Qingfeng believed me after hearing my prepared statement. He has now accepted my surrender and given me a very important task."

Upon hearing this, Zhai Xingyuan, Che Yuxuan, Yan Wenjiu, and Hao Duanhun immediately showed joy on their faces.

Zhai Xingyuan couldn't help but laugh: "Good, good, good. It's not all for nothing. Zhou Qingfeng is still too green. We gave him a chance, and he couldn't wait to fall into the trap."

Yan Wenjiu frowned slightly: "Is there a trap? I have a feeling it's not that simple. With Zhou Silang's intelligence, how could he easily believe Lao Bi's defection? Didn't he consider that this might be a trap we've set? What if Zhou Qingfeng turns the tables on us? Then we'll be the ones who fall into the trap."

Che Yuxuan glanced at Yan Wenjiu, adjusted his jade belt, and said with a light laugh, "Old Yan, you're overthinking it. Zhou Qingfeng wants to turn the tables on us, but only if he can discover the flaw in Lao Bi's trip to seek refuge."

"The problem is that what Lao Bi said is all true, and no matter how we investigate, we can't find any flaws."

"The only thing Zhou Qingfeng doesn't know is that Lao Bi and I have already made up in private, right, Lao Bi?"

Upon hearing this, Bi Muge smiled slightly: "Yes, we are all fellow students, there is nothing we cannot overcome. Besides, with our teacher above us, we students should unite, not fight amongst ourselves."

Che Yuxuan patted Bi Muge on the shoulder, smiled and looked at everyone, saying, "See? This is what it means to have a broad mind and a magnanimous heart. Old Bi is a man who will do great things. He has a broad mind and will never hold a grudge."

Bi Muge glanced at the hand on her shoulder, a hint of coldness and hatred flashing in her eyes. She subtly shifted her posture and easily shook off Che Yuxuan's hand.

Luo Bingyi said expressionlessly, "What important task did Zhou Qingfeng assign you?"

Bi Muge clasped his hands in response: "He asked me to come back and continue to infiltrate the Luo family gang, to keep an eye on your every move. If there is any action against him within our ranks, I must inform him in time. Other than that, he did not ask me to do anything else, nor did he ask me to do anything else."

Upon hearing this, everyone present wore strange expressions.

Che Yuxuan adjusted his jade belt and said, "You mean we sent you to him as an undercover agent, and he sent you back to us as an undercover agent?"

Hao Duanhun rubbed his bald head and said, "Wow, Zhou Qingfeng's move was really clever."

Zhai Xingyuan played with the two dragon balls in his palm and said, "It's really ingenious. Regardless of whether Lao Bi is truly loyal or not, Zhou Qingfeng can cleverly use Lao Bi to play against us and even verify Lao Bi's true identity in the process, without suffering any losses. I really admire his ingenuity."

Yan Wenjiu added, "The key is that Lao Bi has not infiltrated Zhou Qingfeng's inner circle. Our desire to grasp his internal dynamics and core intelligence has become a pipe dream. On the contrary, if we want to cover up Lao Bi's true purpose, we must get him to pass on real and effective intelligence. Otherwise, Lao Bi will not be able to gain trust."

Luo Bingyi's eyelids twitched slightly, and he said calmly, "Pastoral Song."

Upon hearing this, Bi Muge immediately clasped his hands in greeting and replied, "Your student is here."

Luo Bingyi said expressionlessly, "You continue to gain Zhou Qingfeng's trust. If necessary, you can reveal some information to him. I will decide which information to reveal and what to say. Remember, your ultimate task is to get Zhou Qingfeng to order you to investigate the traitors."

Bi Muge bowed his head, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "This student understands."

Luo Bingyi, with his back bent, slowly stood up and said, "Since Zhou Qingfeng wants to play games with us, then we'll play along and see who's more skilled and who'll have the last laugh. Let's call it a day."

Zhou Qingfeng has wielded the knife of investigating internal traitors, and the Luo family gang can no longer stop him on the surface, nor can they rightfully seize the power to investigate internal traitors. So, everyone in the Luo family gang can't just sit and wait to be slaughtered by Zhou Qingfeng.

Then the only option is to send Bi Muge to join Zhou Qingfeng. According to Luo Bingyi's prediction, Zhou Qingfeng should send Bi Muge to oversee the investigation of traitors. After all, students are much more effective at dealing with teachers and classmates. There's no reason not to use Bi Muge. At that time, Bi Muge can use the traitor investigation as a tool to turn around and kill Zhou Qingfeng.

Zhou Qingfeng has two trusted confidants, Jin Wei and Zhiqi, under his command. If it is confirmed that the two are traitors, then Zhou Qingfeng will definitely be blamed and severely punished when questioned by the city lord, and his official position will certainly be lost.

Unfortunately... Zhou Qingfeng did not rush to use Bi Muge to investigate the traitor. He was truly mature and prudent, proceeding step by step with unwavering composure. There is a reason why this young man has been able to reach his current high position.

The five students stood up, clasped their hands in a salute, and watched their teacher leave the tea room.

Zhai Xingyuan played with the dragon ball in his palm and said with a smile, "Old Yan, how about we go to Yaochi Manor for a couple of drinks sometime?"

Yan Wenjiu shook his head and said, "I have some personal matters to attend to today and I really can't get away. Let's make an appointment next time."

Zhai Xingyuan shrugged and looked at Che Yuxuan, Hao Duanhun, and Bi Muge: "What about you guys?"

Che Yuxuan adjusted his jade belt and said with a grin, "Someone's treating me, I have to go."

Hao Duanhun chuckled: "Does that even need to be said? I have to be there when we're drinking."

Zhai Xingyuan said, "Old Bi, let's go together."

Bi Muge said calmly, "I heard that Xiao Pei's father has asked for a long leave for her, saying that she is sick and needs to recuperate at home. I will go to the Pei residence later to pay a visit and inquire about her well-being. After all, she is a colleague and fellow student. It would be unreasonable to ignore her when she is sick."

Upon hearing this, Zhai Xingyuan knew that Bi Muge's words were just an excuse; he simply didn't want to sit and eat with Che Yuxuan.

However, Zhai Xingyuan also understood that the past grievances between Bi and Che could not be resolved so easily. Now, they were only putting aside their grievances and uniting against external forces because powerful enemies were all around them and they could not continue to fight amongst themselves.

Zhai Xingyuan still wanted to take this opportunity to act as a peacemaker and try to resolve the feud between the two, so as not to give Zhou Qingfeng an opportunity to take advantage of the situation. After all, human nature is unpredictable. If Bi Muge harbors resentment and his feigned allegiance turns into a real one, then who knows what kind of trouble might arise.

"Let's go, have a couple of drinks, for my sake." Zhai Xingyuan stepped forward and pulled Bi Muge: "If you really want to visit Xiao Pei, go tomorrow, and bring our regards with you."

Bi Muge waved his hands repeatedly: "No, I really won't go."

Che Yuxuan watched coldly and said sarcastically, "Heh, putting on airs now."

Bi Muge's expression remained unchanged; he simply pushed Zhai Xingyuan's hand away silently, turned around, and strode away.

Zhai Xingyuan turned to look at Che Yuxuan, his expression a mixture of helplessness and reproach: "What are you doing?"

Che Yuxuan put his hands on his jade belt and said indifferently, "I don't like him. I kindly invited him to have drinks and dinner to exchange feelings between fellow disciples, but he made it seem like we were begging him. He really spoils the fun."

Zhai Xingyuan pointed at Che Yuxuan and said, "You need to rein in this temper. I don't care what you think of Lao Bi, but Lao Bi's existence is crucial right now, and I won't allow you to treat him like this anymore."

When Che Yuxuan saw that Zhai Xingyuan was taking it seriously, she immediately dropped her nonchalant attitude, stepped forward and hooked her arm around Zhai Xingyuan's shoulder, and said with a smile, "Why are you so angry? You, Manager Zhai, have spoken, so I have to listen to you. Okay, don't be angry, let's go to Yaochi Manor to drink and watch a show, relax."

At the gate of the Pei residence, Bi Muge arrived with a small gift. Old Master Pei personally received him in the reception room. Upon hearing the purpose of Bi Muge's visit, Old Master Pei ordered his servants to invite Pei Xingchun out.

Pei Xingchun walked into the reception room and said, "Old Bi, what brings you here?"

Bi Muge smiled slightly: "I heard you were sick, so I came to visit you. Are you alright?"

Pei Xingchun glanced at her father, muttered a few words to herself, but said in accordance with her father's wishes, "It's nothing, just some minor problems with my cultivation. I need to rest quietly in the manor for a while."

Upon hearing this, Bi Muge's expression softened slightly, and he said with relief, "That's good. Your health is the most important thing. Things have been a bit chaotic lately, so it's good for you to stay home and recover. It will save you from getting into a lot of trouble."

Pei Xingchun said, "Yes, is there anything else?"

Upon hearing this, Bi Muge tactfully stood up and said, "I'm relieved to see that you're alright."

Pei Xingchun hummed in response, her tone indifferent, showing no particular joy at Bi Muge's visit.

Bi Muge faced Elder Pei and clasped his hands in a salute: "Elder Pei, this humble official takes his leave."

Old Master Pei stroked his beard and smiled: "Alright, Little Bi, come visit more often."

Bi Muge said, "I will definitely come often."

Old Pei watched Bi Muge leave, then put away his smile and said, "Chun'er, I think he's not bad. He doesn't gamble or visit prostitutes, and he doesn't have any other bad habits. Most importantly, he's single and unmarried. He's quite a good match for you."

Seeing that there were no outsiders, Pei Xingchun immediately found a seat, picked up a bunch of grapes, plucked one and popped it into her mouth. Her every move was anything but ladylike: "What do you mean by 'matching'? Do you think I'm a stud, going around 'matching' with everyone I meet?"

"Pah, pah, pah..." Old Pei stepped forward and patted Pei Xingchun's mouth: "Can't you speak properly? I'm just worried about you. How old are you? You must be a hundred years old. You don't even have a child. Are you trying to drive me crazy?"

“I think Xiao Bi is a good person. He is your classmate, you know him well, and he is someone you can entrust with your life.”

Pei Xingchun said angrily, "You're so annoying! You want to control my work, and you want to control my marriage. Will you die if you don't worry about me for a day? If I don't get married, will the Pei family line die out?"

Upon hearing this, Old Pei immediately covered his forehead, furious. He took a deep breath and said, "Fine, let's not talk about work or marriage. Tonight, change into a nice outfit and come with me to a banquet."

Pei Xingchun frowned and said, "Are you going to introduce me to marriage partners again? I hate banquets. I'd rather use that time to do something practical, like investigating corrupt officials or solving major cases."

Old Master Pei said, "Shut up. You have to go to the banquet tonight, whether you like it or not. I've already made the arrangements. The person you're meeting tonight is very important. I'm warning you, don't mess it up, or I'll really slap you."

Pei Xingchun: "..."

Time flies like an arrow, and evening arrived in the blink of an eye. Old Master Pei and his daughter took a carriage to the VIP room of Zuixianlou Restaurant to wait. Fine wine and delicacies were laid out on the table. Soon after, Qiu Chengde arrived in casual clothes.

"Old Qiu, you've finally arrived! I've been waiting for you for ages."

"Old Pei, I'm busy with some trivial matters, please forgive me for being late. I'll punish myself with three drinks later."

Upon meeting, Qiu Chengde and Elder Pei greeted each other with a big hug. Elder Pei warmly invited Qiu Chengde to sit down, and they chatted about their past experiences, drinking, eating, and boasting in a very harmonious atmosphere.

Pei Xingchun, dressed beautifully, sat to the side serving him, picking up food and pouring wine, and maintaining a smile throughout.

A moment later, Zhou Qingfeng pushed open the door and entered, bowing to Qiu Chengde with clasped hands: "Disciple greets Master."

Qiu Chengde smiled and said, "Come and sit down. Let me introduce you to two people. This is my old friend Pei Wanqian. You can call him Uncle Pei. This beauty doesn't need any introduction, right? She is your Uncle Pei's daughter."

Zhou Qingfeng smiled and clasped his hands in greeting: "This nephew greets Uncle Pei and Miss Pei."

Pei Xingchun frowned slightly. She had no idea what was going on at tonight's dinner party, why Qiu Chengde was here, why Zhou Qingfeng was here, and what her father was trying to do.

Old Pei raised his wine glass and said, "Nephew, let me toast you first. Tonight, I asked Old Qiu to invite you. I know that if I invited you, you might not agree to see me. I can only ask Old Qiu to do it. I apologize to you."

Zhou Qingfeng knew perfectly well what was going on, but on the surface he quickly raised his hand to stop him and said, "Uncle Pei, what are you saying? This is the first time we've met, what crime have you committed?"

Upon hearing this, Old Pei sighed, put down his wine cup, and said, "Nephew, my daughter is really a handful. She dares to meddle in everything. It's because I spoiled her since she was little that she doesn't know her place."

"I've already asked for leave for her and kept her at home. She definitely won't cause you any trouble."

"If there was any misunderstanding before, I apologize on your behalf and ask for your forgiveness, my dear nephew."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng glanced at Qiu Chengde.

Qiu Chengde poured himself a drink, showing no intention of speaking.

However, Qiu Chengde's attitude was already very clear. If he didn't want to get involved in this matter, he wouldn't have arranged to meet Zhou Qingfeng on behalf of his old friend. Since he had made the appointment, Zhou Qingfeng had to maintain his master's dignity no matter what.

After a moment's consideration, Zhou Qingfeng said, "Alright, Uncle Pei, for Master's sake, let's let bygones be bygones today. But I hope you can keep Miss Pei in check and prevent her from making the same mistake again, otherwise the consequences could be unpredictable."