Chapter 49: Entanglement Part One

Meng Wudi wasn’t invincible even though his name Wudi suggested so. There were at least two people who he feared in the Intelligence Department.

Perhaps Meng Wudi was truly invincible since he had never lost a fight since he started to cultivate. Of course, it wasn’t because he grew stronger when fighting someone stronger; he never challenged those who might beat him.

Meng Wudi was the Deputy of the Intelligence Department.

He dared to walk to Xi Huamei, the boss of Beckon of the Red Sleeve, at the Maple Forest Ferry Dock because he didn’t spot anyone in the group who could threaten him. Those girls and guards didn’t make him fearful, but the token that Xi Huamei had was something else.

Therefore, Meng Wudi talked politely even though his tone still had the arrogance of a high-level member of the Intelligence Department.

However, he was wrong.

The crippled old man who seemed like he could be pushed onto the ground by a breeze made Meng Wudi feel the deadly presence that he only sensed on the Department Head.

This was extremely important in politics.

When in the Intelligence Department, he never showed a sliver of disrespect toward Hou Wenji, the Department Head. As the third-ranking figure in the department, Meng Wudi had no dignity in front of Hou Wenji. He would praise everything that Hou Wenji did, even if it harmed himself.

The calmness that Meng Wudi showed when he fished by the river was all an act; he was mimicking Department Head Hou Wenji’s presence.

Someone had said that a bit of Hou Wenji’s shadow could be seen on Meng Wudi, even though this act was crude and disgusting.

There was only one person who dared to make such a comment about Meng Wudi – the second-ranking figure. Although this figure didn’t have an official position in the Intelligence Department or anywhere else in Great Sui, Meng Wudi never showed disrespect toward him. There was one thing that everyone at the Intelligence Department had a consensus on; offend the Department Head if you need to instead of offending the Department Head’s advisor, Zhuo Buyi. The Department Head perhaps could tolerate some disrespect from his subordinates, but he wouldn’t allow anyone to be disrespectful toward Zhuo Buyi.

[TL Note: Buyi means regular clothes in the literal sense, and it also means someone without an official position in ancient China.]

The person who had the second most power in the Intelligence was a man without an official position, and his name was Buyi.

A few years ago, Hou Wenji brought Zhuo Buyi into the Intelligence Department, and Meng Wudi who was the second most powerful figure became the third. Also, Meng Wudi didn’t try to challenge that man who took his seat.

It was because of something that Hou Wenji said. “From today on, Buyi’s words are my words, and his orders are my orders. When I’m not around, the Intelligence Department listens to Buyi.”

Meng Wudi had never seen Zhuo Buyi show any strength; he even suspected that this man didn’t even cultivate. However, it didn’t reduce the fear and respect that he had toward Zhuo Buyi; Hou Wenji was supporting this man.

Meng Wudi was quite overconfident about his judgment, and he was indeed having a great life in politics.

However, he wanted to slap himself today.

In reality, the crippled old man’s words were no different from several slaps to his face.

“I have a hard time understanding how an idiot like you became the deputy of the Intelligence Department. Don’t you have a brain? How can a song and dance ensemble that is being protected by a level 9 master be ordinary? How can the woman who can command a level 9 master be an ordinary woman? Can you do anything even if we don’t use that token?”