CHAPTER 472: CHAPTER 470: GIVEN FAR TOO MUCH

When almost all the teachers had taken their seats, a sudden flash of light nearly blinded everyone. When they reacted, Cha Huan, dressed in a dazzling golden robe, was already seated at the head position.

"Good day, Principal!" everyone greeted in unison.

"Good morning, everyone." Cha Huan looked around and suddenly stood up and said, "How do I look in my attire today?"

Hiss...

Le Yu heard the sound of many people gasping, and everyone lowered their heads, even Yan Yi and Ning Xinyuan were no exception. The neat and solemn Zhu Yan said, "Principal, please don’t waste time on such unnecessary matters."

"I haven’t even started the meeting yet." Cha Huan looked at Lou Yinhai, "Lou kid, what do you think?"

Lou Yinhai adjusted his sunglasses, "Looks pretty good."

Really? Is he colorblind or blind? Le Yu looked at Lou Yinhai’s sunglasses and suddenly had an epiphany.

"Qin kid, what do you think?"

Le Yu squinted his eyes directly at Cha Huan’s dazzling golden appearance and said, "In certain environments, perhaps, maybe, some people might think it looks good..."

"You’ve added a lot of unnecessary qualifiers. Do you need to take some literature classes for review?" Cha Huan discontentedly sat down and said, "Alright, the meeting begins—though I want to say that, someone is not here yet."

Who’s not here? Everyone looked around at each other. Except for the newcomer Qin Leyin, all the regular teachers were present.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The sound of steel-soled boots echoed from outside the door. A man and a woman pushed open the conference room door and closed it, and the teachers’ expressions immediately changed.

The man wore a dark blue uniform with blue edges, appeared honest and devoid of a single hair on his head. Only one kind of person in Yanjing wore uniforms with blue: the Yanjing Statistical Department.

The woman wore a pure blue dress, was under thirty, appeared dignified and beautiful, with a neat single ponytail hairstyle. Some teachers directly recognized her, "Student Ling Qingyu?"

Le Yu looked to the side, where Yan Yi blinked, indicating she didn’t recognize her either. Instead, Ning Xinyuan took the initiative to introduce, "She is Ling Qingyu, who graduated from the Imperial Academy seven years ago. Her uncle is the Chief Minister of the Cabinet, Ling Jianghai."

An uncle who’s the first person in the Imperial Court, no wonder she could become a pure blue operative at such a young age.

"Principal Cha, hello. By the Statutory Department’s director’s order, Jiujue Jiu is here to assist with the investigation." The bald operative said, clasping his fist.

One of the four great inspectors, ’Vulture’ Jiujue Jiu!

Pitifully, Le Yu instantly recognized him while many of his colleagues cursed him countless times!

And he was indeed bald, very bright, a brightness that could almost compete with Cha Huan’s clothing!

"Principal Cha, hello. I’m Ling Qingyu, a second-level operative of the Ministry of Revenue, responsible for answering Inspector Jiu’s and Principal Cha’s inquiries." Ling Qingyu also introduced herself.

"Interesting, why has the Ministry of Revenue proactively sent someone?" Cha Huan stroked his beard and asked, "Who’s idea was it?"

"It was Director Xie who applied for assistance from the Ministry of Revenue. The Minister assigned me here according to the regulations. But after receiving the task last night, my uncle also questioned me." Ling Qingyu replied calmly.

Cha Huan remained silent, merely staring at the two. The atmosphere instantly became oppressive, and the bald operative’s face changed slightly, "Principal Cha..."

Cha Huan: "Speak, what have you found out? Don’t tell me you haven’t found anything in two days."

Jiujue Jiu sighed in relief, took out a metal box, placed it on the table and opened it, everyone looked over, and inside were light blue pills.

"After knowing that someone was selling addictive drugs to Imperial Academy students, we immediately launched an investigation and identified the drugs." Jiujue Jiu said, "These pills are called Spirit Condensing Pills, with the effect of analgesia and mental concentration, specifically lowering pain perception and increasing spiritual power. The increased spiritual power can make the user think their comprehension and cultivation efficiency have improved, and fatigue has decreased, but this varies. Some people do experience improved comprehension and cultivation efficiency, while others do not."

"Ordinary people can take a maximum of five pills a day, otherwise they will have a delusion of unlimited energy and won’t feel tired all day. A martial artist only needs to take one pill to maintain a full day of mental energy, while a martial artist at the peak of perfection can take a maximum of thirteen pills a day."

"If taken when the body is weak but the spirit is scattered, although it won’t recover, it can barely raise one’s spirits. But if..."

"I am not here to listen to your praise of this drug." Cha Huan interrupted him, "What about its addictiveness?"

"It is not addictive."

"Not addictive?" Cha Huan was slightly stunned, then narrowed his eyes, revealing a dangerous aura, "Who said that?"

However, Jiujiaojiu’s face remained calm: "Sima Huo."

Upon hearing this name, Cha Huan seemed to falter as if a flag was snapped in half; his momentum vanished. Le Yu glanced to the side, Yan Yi showed a look of surprise: "You don’t even know the Chief Medical Officer?"

Le Yu immediately recalled: the Scenic Battle Technique of Peak Perfection, Chief Medical Officer of Yanjing, who saved countless lives, known as the ’Living Dead,’ Sima Huo!

If he remembered correctly, when they were young, Cha Huan seemed to be friends with Sima Huo, and it was during a trip that Shi Wen and they found Yan Yi amid burning trash.

After a while, Cha Huan began slowly: "But this time’s inability to detect addiction doesn’t mean future Spirit Condensing Pills won’t have it. Are the Spirit Condensing Pill and Sea Wave Powder the same type of drug?"

Jiujiaojiu: "Although the Spirit Condensing Pill does not provide long-term mental pleasure after consumption, and its stimulating and analgesic effects are far inferior to Sea Wave Powder, they are indeed the same type of drug."

Cha Huan nodded: "So, did you find out who is selling the Spirit Condensing Pill?"

"No, we couldn’t."

The sun was shining brightly, the autumn breeze was brisk; after a moment of awkward silence, Cha Huan gently tapped the table, and Jiujiaojiu’s entire body emitted a series of cracking sounds, sweating profusely and seemingly about to kneel.

"I wonder, what gives you the courage to enter my controlled Imperial Academy, isn’t it certainly not this ’no result’?" Cha Huan’s eyes glinted fiercely: "Does Xie Chenyuan think I won’t bully the weak? What I love most in my life is to oppress the weak!"

"Of course not!" Jiujiaojiu explained loudly: "But we really cannot find out! After receiving your report, the Statistical Department dispatched people to track the movements of the Imperial Academy students, seized quite a few Spirit Condensing Pills, and traced the clues all the way back, but... couldn’t find the source at all!"

"Why don’t I remember you being this incompetent when arresting the Backlight Particle members before?"

"Because we can’t torture students!" Jiujiaojiu raised his head with effort and explained word by word: "Confessions obtained through pure intimidation are problematic! They weave a safe house with lies! They are sheltering the people you want to find!"

"If you allowed us to use torture—"

"I will never allow you to reach your dirty hands into the Imperial Academy!"

Jiujiaojiu spoke calmly: "Principal, we are just a group of bad people daring to use tactics, not gods. A sheathed knife cannot kill."

Cha Huan rubbed his temples and said: "But actually you all know where this drug comes from, don’t you? Besides them, who else can manufacture drugs similar to Sea Wave Powder?"

"Of course, we know." Jiujiaojiu replied: "Sea Wave Powder has always been the exclusive product of the National Relief Association. Although the Spirit Condensing Pill’s efficacy is much weaker, it is likely to have the same manufacturing process as Sea Wave Powder."

"Then..." Cha Huan’s eyes gleamed with ferocity.

"Principal." At this moment, Ling Qingyu, who had been silent on the side, suddenly stepped forward and said: "Please allow me to say one thing."

"Over the past year, the Skyrim area fell into rebellion, traffic was cut off, with no tax revenue; the three districts of Canglan, Youyun, and Chenfeng were turbulent, the governors died, opposing the Imperial Court, with no taxes paid; although the other four districts paid taxes, the total amounted to less than one-eighth of what it was five years ago."

"Summing up all tax revenues received over the past year converted to gold yuan, the total amount to seven hundred seventy million gold yuan, only equivalent to one-third of five years ago."

Cha Huan had a vague sense of what she wanted to say: "What do you want to say?"

"The eight major business associations forming the National Relief Association Alliance, their tax contributions last year amounted to two hundred eighty million gold yuan!" Ling Qingyu’s voice grew louder and more resounding: "currently maintaining and even increasing military readiness in Yanjing, maintaining stability internally, suppressing rebels externally, the National Relief Association... deserves the credit!"

Le Yu was also shocked, that this group of merchants could pay a third of the total tax, truly living up to the name ’National Relief’!

"Principal," Jiujiaojiu said: "Every sale of Sea Wave Powder by the National Relief Association, nine-tenths falls into the Imperial Court’s pouch. After excluding intermediary losses, at least four-tenths can be converted into food, military supplies, and educational allocations for the Imperial Academy."

"Although Sea Wave Powder cannot detect addiction either, who in the whole court is unaware of the potential harm of Sea Wave Powder? But besides Sea Wave Powder, who else can make that group of nobles, wealthy merchants, and landlords ruinously spend their money?"

"Can you, Principal Cha? You can decapitate them, crush each of their bones, burn their manors... But you specifically can’t extort money from their pockets, can’t force them to contribute money to protect the country! Otherwise, you would be at odds with all Yanjing, all Martial Pillars would have to unite to hunt you down, even the Empress Dowager couldn’t save you!"

Jiujiaojiu softened his tone: "Principal Cha, no one wants to be your enemy, especially after that night two days ago, everyone knows you have become the new banner of the Imperial Family... No one dares to oppose the Imperial Family! Everyone hopes to live in peace with you!"

"The influence of the National Relief Association is formidable and difficult to eradicate, who doesn’t know? Not only the court officials, but even in our Statistical Department, many are undercover of the National Relief Association, who isn’t afraid?"

"But outside the Imperial Academy, district lords are rising, the storm unites Skyrim, Canglan’s headhunter integrates the army, Dongyang falls into the hands of White Night, and Chenfeng’s Blue Flame watches greedily inheriting his father-in-law’s legacy..."

Le Yu: Huh? Blue Flame’s father-in-law... has Lv Zhong died?

"A storm is approaching, the Imperial Court needs money! As long as they can get money, the Imperial Court is willing to retreat repeatedly!" Jiujiaojiu sighed: "And the National Relief Association, gives way too much!"