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

Di Xinjian sat alone in the luxurious carriage, his expression finally softening. As he expected, the authorities ultimately found no problems. Otherwise, if there had been even the slightest suspicious detail, the authorities would have relentlessly pursued him, digging to the bottom of things, and he would have suffered some physical pain.

However, he had been lurking in the Sword Tower for eight years as an undercover agent without being caught. This was because he was extremely cautious, always thinking of the worst-case scenario, and was very good at protecting himself. When Li Xiangsi found him and asked for a safe hiding place based on the coded message and token, Di Xinjian had already planned a perfect escape route for himself.

Zhuang Zhai's broker, Bao Anxin, was the scapegoat he had chosen. As long as Li Xiangsi and her gang were exposed and arrested, Bao Anxin would become a direct suspect and would be unable to clear his name. With such a scapegoat in front of him, the government had no reason to keep pursuing him.

All you need to do is prepare your story, plan your daily schedule, have witnesses around every day, and provide reassuring testimony. Then you will be completely innocent, and the government will inevitably get nothing, unable to find any evidence or suspicion.

This wasn't just a matter of being interrogated for a day and a night before they had no choice but to release him.

Even if the government refused to release him, Di Xinjian had a backup plan. He had instructed his steward that if he did not return home within 24 hours, he should find some high-ranking officials, celebrities, and wealthy merchants he knew to act as guarantors and put pressure on him. At most, he would have to pay some money to get away smoothly.

After all, Di Xinjian was no ordinary citizen; he was a renowned and wealthy businessman. If the government detained a prominent businessman without any evidence or suspicion, and even subjected him to severe torture, it would have a very negative impact on the Jianta business community. Other prominent businessmen and wealthy individuals would inevitably become afraid and gradually withdraw their industries and businesses from Jianta.

This is not uncommon. The excellent business environment was built by the first city lord of Sword Tower over a thousand years, which is why many merchants are willing to do business in Sword Tower. Compared to other main cities, Sword Tower is more law-abiding and follows the law. Businesses must act legally, compliantly, and in accordance with procedures. They will not arrest a big merchant without cause or on trumped-up charges and confiscate all his property.

There was once a businessman who was very successful and was considered the richest man in the local city. However, because a government official's nephew coveted the businessman's property, the official arrested him on trumped-up charges, confiscated all his properties, and seized his wealth of hundreds of billions of dollars. The businessman's entire family was imprisoned, and in the end, only his young son survived to be released.

But getting out of prison was of no use, because all the property had changed hands, and the merchant's son was now penniless.

This bizarre move terrified all the big merchants and wealthy people in the main city, causing them to flee overnight. The city's economy plummeted and collapsed. With no jobs available, the residents also left, resulting in a drastic population drop and leaving the city as a ghost town.

Although businessmen may be considered lowly, their influence should not be underestimated.

Di Xinjian's confidence in his ability to escape unscathed was not blind self-confidence.

"Phew... We've survived this ordeal for now, but we can't let our guard down."

"The government might send someone to secretly monitor me. When I get back, I still have to pretend that everything is normal. I should continue doing business and entertaining friends as usual. All activities must continue as before."

Di Xinjian muttered to himself, his face showing deep thought. He knew very well that getting through this hurdle was not a safe matter. If he really wanted to completely clear his name and get rid of the government's surveillance, he could only reduce the suspicion on himself through his actions. As long as he did not reveal any suspicious points or flaws, the government would naturally relax their surveillance on him after a long time when they saw that they had not found anything, thus completely clearing his name.

This is the best-case scenario. The worst-case scenario is that the government fails to monitor him and sends people to arrest him and bring him back for severe torture. He will inevitably suffer physical pain. However, Di Xinjian is mentally prepared and confident that he can withstand it for several dozen hours. He will not be able to endure it any longer.

If you really can't bear it, then the moment you open your mouth will be the moment you lose your life.

Di Xinjian sincerely hoped that things wouldn't come to this, because he didn't want to die yet; he hadn't had enough of the good life.

"Master, we've arrived." The voice of the Di family's steward came from outside the luxurious carriage.

Di Xinjian composed himself, stepped down from the carriage, and said with a smile as if nothing had happened, "I made an appointment with some old friends yesterday, but I was delayed because I had to cooperate with the government in investigating the case. If you send me a visiting card today, please tell them that I am hosting a banquet at Tianxi Restaurant to express my apologies."

Upon hearing this, the steward of the Di family clasped his hands in a fist and replied, "Yes, sir."

Di Xinjian said, "Quickly, prepare to bathe and change clothes to get rid of the bad luck."

A team of Plum Blossom Guards, lurking in the shadows, closely monitored Di Xinjian. They meticulously recorded everything he said and whoever he encountered in their notebooks. Even his need to bathe and change clothes, or to defecate, was recorded, including the time, number of feces, and color.

As Xiao Hushi had specifically instructed, no one dared to neglect their duties. Otherwise, if they said just one word to Admiral Zhou, they would certainly lose their jobs and might even be held accountable and imprisoned. Since it concerned their own future, how could the Plum Blossom Guards responsible for monitoring dare to be negligent or take advantage of the situation?

"Damn it, this is so damn bad luck!" Little Stick cursed as he walked through the bustling market with Big Beard. Both of them reeked of a foul stench. In their haste to escape the authorities, they had no choice but to hide in an outhouse. Even washing themselves by the Two and a Half River afterwards didn't help.

He still reeks of a foul, rancid stench that makes people hold their noses and avoid him.

The bearded man said coldly, "Stop talking nonsense. It's already a miracle that we've managed to stay alive. What are you complaining about?"

Little Stick said, "Okay, I won't complain anymore. The whole city is searching for us. We have nowhere to hide and nowhere to leave. If we keep hiding like this, we'll be found sooner or later. We have to find a way to escape as soon as possible. The longer we drag this out, the harder it will be for us to get away."

At this moment, a group of officials from the Demon Suppression Bureau were questioning passersby one by one, holding portraits. Upon seeing this, Big Beard and Little Stick quickly turned around and walked to the left. However, there was another group of officials from the Plum Blossom Bureau on the left side of the street. If they walked to the right, there was still a group of officials from the Drum Inspection Bureau checking on the right side.

The two had no choice but to turn around on the spot, and their range of movement was gradually compressed.

Faced with the government's comprehensive search, the two quickly found themselves with nowhere to turn.

Big Beard and Little Stick could feel the sword tip almost touching their necks, and they were filled with fear and unease, like startled birds.

The bearded man said, "Damn it, we have to find Di Xinjian. Di Xinjian has been operating in Jianta for many years and has many connections. I think only Di Xinjian can get us out of the city."

Little Stick said, "I'm afraid Di Xinjian is in dire straits himself and can't take care of us."

The bearded man looked anxious: "Nonsense, how will we know if we don't try? Are we all just sitting here waiting to die?"