Martial Saint through Reading

The person on the high seat spoke in an even tone, yet Fu Chang and Liu Sitong still detected a subtle difference in meaning.

This Senior Fifth-Grade Merit Officer Goong from Xirong County was hinting that Baiyuan County was ignorant of proper etiquette, implying that the two of them had not gone outside the city to welcome him.

But they also hadn’t expected that this Merit Officer Goong would arrive so early.

"Lord Lv, I will fetch the Criminal Defense Bureau immediately." Fu Chang feigned alarm and said, "May I beg you, my lord, to rest for a moment in the rear hall? I have arranged the finest delicacies on your behalf."

Lv Jinhui’s expression was frigid as ice: "There is no need. I still have official business to attend to; I have no time to waste in this tiny Baiyuan County."

"Lord Fu, you must summon all those involved right now."

"Everyone!" Lv Jinhui’s tone hardened.

"Y-yes...yes..."

Fu Chang and Liu Sitong bowed and retreated.

"Lord Fu, what does Lord Lv mean by this? Isn’t he here to reward Baiyuan County for our meritorious achievements?" Liu Sitong whispered.

Fu Chang glanced at Liu Sitong and replied softly, "I fear it’s not that simple. Yesterday, the Imperial Examination Hall sent people here unexpectedly; today, the Merit Officer Goong arrives ahead of time..."

"Our extermination of the Blood Evil Sect, exposing their rebellious plot and confiscating several hundred sets of armor—such a feat, if not sufficient for our promotion, should at least be a resplendent mark in our records, shouldn’t it?"

Yet Fu Chang remained silent, a growing sense of foreboding gnawing at his heart.

First, the Inspector General’s Captain Qiu Li had approached him in private to ask for someone, and after learning that Madam Chu was missing, he said the Imperial Examination Hall intended to indict the Chu Family for treason.

Indicting the Chu Family was one thing, but the main issue was the Chu surname in particular.

Isn’t this targeting the Chu Librarian directly?

And now, Xirong County sent Senior Fifth-Grade Merit Officer Goong, Lv Jinhui, who gave both him and Liu Sitong a show of force the moment he arrived—there’s much to ponder in this...

That final "everyone" was probably meant as an allusion.

The Chu Librarian is likely that "everyone" he refers to...

Fu Chang quickly sent someone to the Criminal Defense Bureau to summon Lin Zhenwu, Shao Pengshu, and all others involved to the County Government.

Meanwhile, Liu Sitong went in person to the West City Chu Mansion to summon Fang Xiao and Chu Ming.

At that moment inside the Chu Mansion, Little Shan was tidying things up.

"Little Shan, you don’t have to bring so many things..." Chu Ming looked at the busy Little Shan, feeling quite helpless.

Fang Xiao had also been trying to persuade her, but Little Shan’s sole reply was, "Young Master is used to these things," and then she would say no more.

As they had discussed yesterday, they were preparing to depart at noon for the Tiger Armor Army in Xirong County.

The noon hour was chosen for a reason—because Huo Buyan and the others needed to take the Blazing Fire Tiger Horses out hunting that morning.

Blazing Fire Tiger Horses do not subsist on plants alone, nor merely on meat; as mounts capable of battling the Exotic Barbarian Bulls, they require fresh wild beast meat.

Huo Buyan’s own Blazing Fire Tiger Horse, in particular, could eat enough in one go to equal more than half the flesh of a full-grown ox.

In the army, there’s dedicated caretakers; but in Baiyuan County, only Huo Buyan and his men could personally go into the mountains to hunt.

Just then, Liu Sitong rushed in: "Instructor Fang, Chu Librarian, come, come, hurry! The Merit Officer Goong from Xirong County has arrived—they want everyone at the County Government!"

Merit Officer Goong? A Fifth-Grade Official!

Fang Xiao paused and turned his gaze to Chu Ming.

Chu Ming turned the thought over in his mind, then gave a slight nod: "All right. Thank you for informing us, Lord Liuu."

He turned to Fang Xiao: "Housekeeper Fang, let’s go."

He wished to see for himself whether the Blood Evil Sect was deceiving from the shadows, or if the Wan Family was behind it, or if there was someone deliberately targeting him.

We?

"Young Master, you don’t need to go, do you?"

Regarding the suppression of the Blood Evil Sect, other than the initial mass poisoning at Baiyuan Academy, Chu Ming’s participation was not publicly known; Fang Xiao believed Liu Sitong had come to summon him only.

"Instructor Fang, the Chu Librarian must come too; Lord Fu gave direct orders."

Fang Xiao’s eyes flashed as he realized something, and he clasped his hands to Liu Sitong: "Lord Liu, please wait a moment. I need to fetch something."

...

County Government Office.

Lin Zhenwu, Shao Pengshu, and the others who took part in suppressing the Blood Evil Sect had not arrived yet; one person, however, hurried in not long after Liu Sitong left.

"Lord Lv." The Imperial Examination Hall’s Captain Qiu Li bowed formally to Lv Jinhui.

Lv Jinhui raised his gaze slightly, and the cold expression on his face actually showed a hint of a smile: "I thought Captain Qiu would have returned to Xirong County by now."

"I still have duties to fulfill, my lord—there’s no returning just yet." Qiu Li replied. "I just didn’t expect Lord Lv to come here in person."

Lv Jinhui lowered his eyes, leafing through the dossiers, his voice calm once more: "There’s treason in Baiyuan County—that indeed warrants your investigation. I came here for this matter as well."

"Inspector Zhou asked me to deliver a message," Lv Jinhui continued, "Treason by the Chu Family is a capital crime for nine generations. Captain Qiu, you possess the authority to execute first and report later!"

At these words, a spark lit up in Qiu Li’s eyes, though his face soon took on a graver look.

"What, there are still those in Baiyuan County who dare hinder Captain Qiu’s investigation?" Lv Jinhui discerned Qiu Li’s evident concerns.

"My lord, the Chu Family members have long been detained in the Criminal Defense Bureau’s dungeon, including the Chu Family Patriarch Chu Rong and Chu Yu, but..." Qiu Li appeared troubled. "The Chu Family has another illegitimate son, named Chu Ming."

"Chu Ming—yes, I am aware. Recently, he was jointly recommended by the Baiyuan County Magistrate, County Magistrate, and the Three Officials of the Classics and appointed as Ninth Grade Clerk."

Lv Jinhui’s face was impassive: "What, Captain Qiu—you are a standard sixth-rank officer of the Imperial Examination Hall, and yet you can’t handle a mere Ninth Grade Clerk?"

"That Chu Ming is nothing special. I was going to have him arrested, but his housekeeper, Fang Xiao, made considerable contributions in suppressing the Blood Evil Sect. More importantly, he’s close with the Tiger Armor Army’s Chiliarch Ling Hao and Centurion Ji Yong."

"Yesterday, several Blazing Fire Tiger Horses entered the city. Leading them was Huo Buyan, one of the Tiger Armor Army’s six Commanders."

"As soon as Huo Buyan entered the city, he headed straight for West City. I do not understand the Tiger Armor Army’s intentions and dared not approach the West City, for fear of any misunderstandings with them..."

"Huo Buyan?!"

Upon hearing that name, the calm in Lv Jinhui’s expression was instantly shaken.

After a long pause, he finally relaxed his furrowed brow. "So the Blood Evil Sect had secretly been forging armor. If I’m not mistaken, Commander Huo is here for that matter. Captain Qiu, you need not worry—just do as protocol requires."

As they spoke, someone arrived to report.

"Captain, the constables guarding West City report that those Blazing Fire Tiger Horses left the city at sunrise."

"Oh?"

"Heh, Captain Qiu—do you still have concerns?"

"I’ll go arrest them at once!" Qiu Li said, delighted.

"No need, I’ve already had Fu Chang summon the necessary people." Lv Jinhui’s face resumed a calm, controlled demeanor.

"Soon, I will personally announce the rewards and punishments for this operation against the Blood Evil Sect."

"As for Chu Ming, being a son of the Chu Family and guilty of treason, he must be executed."

"Yet he is, after all, an official of our Xirong County. Chu Ming will be brought back to Xirong for my personal interrogation."

"My lord..." Qiu Li’s expression was doubtful.

This Merit Officer Goong had just stated Chu Ming’s guilt, but now his words implied he wanted to claim him for himself?

He’d planned to arrest Chu Ming and extract the whereabouts of the Wan Family members from him.

The longer Wan Lin and her siblings remained missing, the stronger his unease grew.

Lv Jinhui’s gaze was somber, but his tone remained bland: "Captain Qiu, this is the instruction of the County Governor."