"Hello…?" a raspy, thin voice trembled.
The repository's doors creaked open, and Zhou Mingxuan perked up as a response. He quickly saw the source of the voice.
An older woman, with a head of gray hair. Now that Mingxuan had qi, he developed an instinct toward other cultivators. Clearly, she was a mortal, lacking that intimidating presence that Xiao An had.
Mingxuan rushed toward the woman, supporting her as he pushed the door, "This little one is Zhou Mingxuan, may I ask why auntie is here?"
The woman's eyes widened, and she fell to her knees.
"Please young lord…," she trembled as she spoke, her voice echoing in the repository, "get revenge for me!"
Her aged hands seemed to tighten their grip as she lowered her head.
Mingxuan could feel an air of awkwardness, and quickly helped her into the royal repository. He knew why she was here.
'Xiao An completed his task…' Mingxuan reasoned.
He remembered the words he whispered into Xiao An's ear, "Find people with grievances, send them here, convince them that I can help."
Mingxuan escorted the old lady to a chair, and sat across from her.
In the softest voice he could muster, Mingxuan urged, "Did Xiao An send you? Please, tell me how I can help."
The old lady's arms trembled as she gripped her knees, and she looked around the room, as if wary that anyone was listening.
She started with introductions, "This one goes by the name Wang Cuihong… young master."
Mingxuan simply nodded, giving her room to continue speaking.
"My son…," Wang Cuihong's voice cracked as she whispered, "was taken from me by a palace eunuch."
She took a deep breath, and an aura of seriousness overshadowed her previous nervousness.
Wang Cuihong's posture straightened, and fury seemed to cloud her eyes. Zhou Mingxuan was a bit surprised by the sudden shift.
"That bastard of a eunuch ended my late husband's bloodline simply to flatter a Qingyun Sect Outer Disciple!" she said, her words as sharp and cool as a blade.
Silence lingered in the repository, and Zhou Mingxuan's brows furrowed.
He questioned, "A disciple of the Qingyun Sect is involved?"
If so, there truly wasn't anything he could do at his current level. The Qingyun Sect could be considered the masters of the Canglong Empire, an Outer Disciple being as noble as a prince, and an Inner Disciple as noble as the emperor himself.
After all, if the Qingyun Sect was offended, it's not impossible for another empire they ruled over, or even two other empires they ruled over to launch a joint attack on the Canglong Empire. If they did that, not even the princess or even her royal father could save him.
Wang Cuihong shook her head, and her aged voice sounded out, "I know that it is beyond the empire's ability to target that disciple. I only want revenge on that eunuch."
'Then it's doable. I can handle a mere eunuch,' Mingxuan thought.
A sigh escaped his mouth, and Mingxuan nodded his head, "I'm certain that I can handle this for you. What's the name of the eunuch who offended you, Madam Wang?"
Wang Cuihong's eyes brightened, and she stammered, "Little An truly wasn't lying! Justice, there's justice in the world…"
She came here fully expecting to be sent away after her story was heard. After all, for a mere mortal, someone of the palace wouldn't betray one their own.
The old lady took a deep breath, and steadied her mood.
"That eunuch's name is Baoquan. How will you handle it, young master?"
Mingxuan rested his chin on his hand and fell into thought, 'Baoquan… no family name? It's a low ranking eunuch, no clan to intervene, or patron to support him. That makes it easier to bring him to trial.'
"There aren't any complications," Zhou Mingxuan smirked at Madam Wang, "so, I'll put together a case and go straight to trial."
"Case…? Trial?" Madam Wang said, confusion clear on her face.
Madam Wang began to think that she had come to someone unreliable, 'Still… it's better than no help at all, right?'
Mingxuan arose from his seat and flicked his sleeve, announcing, "Come back tomorrow at the same time. This little lawyer will get you the compensation you deserve."
The old lady nodded her head, getting up from her seat with Zhou Mingxuan's assistance.
"I'll trust you, even though you say such odd things… young master," her frail voice trembled.
In response, Zhou Mingxuan simply assisted her toward the exit with a smile. When they arrived, he let go of her, and said, "This is as far as I can assist you. Tomorrow is the reckoning, and you mustn't be late. Okay?"
Madam Wang nodded, and made her way out of the palace hall. The sound of her steps slowly faded as she did.
'How's such an ordinary old lady allowed in the palace anyways? Well, she can't be ordinary I guess,' Mingxuan thought.
The palace had a set of very strict rules, and no simple commoner would be allowed in, unless they had been summoned by the royal family, or were a palace servant. The part that confused Mingxuan was that Madam Wang's clothing was especially ordinary.
'No signs of wealth or status, at all.'
He closed the doors of the repository, sighing when no one could see him.
He gazed at the setting sun through the window, and mused, "After I facilitate her revenge, it shouldn't be too much to ask, right? That she sincerely worships me?"
It felt a bit egotistic, actually. Mingxuan almost flushed at the thought, but the training he received in his last life definitely reduced the effect of shame on his actions.
Zhou Mingxuan once again seated himself at the table, and looked through the various books he had stacked there. One book in particular would help him in this case, 'This repository doesn't simply contain novels or history books, but staff information, monetary accounts, and laws…'
With these ink-ridden pages, he could start building a case from the place he basically lived in.
'Tomorrow morning, I need to visit that place...'