Daqian Martial Saint

"Lord Chen!"

Early in the morning, Chen Ping’an stepped through the gates of the Weishui Garrison amidst a chorus of respectful greetings.

He was here today to pick up an official document stamped with the great seal. After entering the Garrison Commandant’s Office, he headed toward the Dispatching Bureau.

"Good morning, Lord Chen."

Inside the Dispatching Bureau, many officials were already at their posts. They greeted Chen Ping’an repeatedly upon seeing him arrive.

Chen Ping’an smiled and nodded, walking toward the inner office.

The Bureau Chief of the Dispatching Bureau, Zhao Lianzhi, was seated in a large chair, examining a document in one hand and sipping from a teapot in the other.

"Lord Zhao." Chen Ping’an knocked on the door.

Seeing Chen Ping’an enter, Zhao Lianzhi immediately put down his teapot and document, inviting him in with a broad smile.

"Ah, Lord Chen, you’ve arrived. Come, come, please have a seat."

Chen Ping’an didn’t refuse and sat right down. Zhao Lianzhi personally poured him a cup of tea.

"Lord Zhao, regarding the official document, has it been taken care of?" Chen Ping’an got straight to the point.

Zhao Lianzhi smiled without a word and retrieved a document from a nearby drawer.

"Rest assured, Lord Chen. It was taken care of long ago."

Chen Ping’an took the document, unfolded it, and sure enough, a bright red seal of the Weishui Garrison was stamped at the bottom right corner.

Once the great seal was applied, the document became official.

Chen Ping’an carefully reviewed the document’s contents again and found nothing amiss. He then smiled and thanked Zhao Lianzhi.

"Thank you for your trouble, Lord Zhao."

"It’s my duty!" Zhao Lianzhi laughed heartily.

With his business concluded, Chen Ping’an was in a good mood. After a few pleasantries, he was about to take his leave, but unexpectedly, Zhao Lianzhi stopped him.

"Lord Zhao?" Chen Ping’an looked at Zhao Lianzhi in confusion.

"Hahaha, don’t be in such a hurry, Lord Chen. There is one more thing I have yet to explain," Zhao Lianzhi said with a placating smile.

Hm?

Chen Ping’an frowned slightly.

"Just yesterday, the Garrison Commandant’s Office received a letter from the Trade Route Patrol Envoy, Lord Guan Yu Ping. Lord Guan stated that the Long’an Trade Route is about to be operational, and the various factions on the Outer Trade Road are causing disturbances. Official matters and miscellaneous tasks are piling up like a tidal wave, a tangled mess he can’t possibly sort out on his own. He hopes the Deputy Inspection Envoy assigned by the Garrison Commandant’s Office can report for duty as soon as possible!"

...

Chen Ping’an walked out of the Weishui Garrison’s gates, his face devoid of expression.

’What a coincidence! He doesn’t press the matter sooner, he doesn’t press it later, but he just has to press it right now!’

The official story was that with the Long’an Trade Route about to open, the Outer Trade Road Patrol Envoy, Guan Yu Ping, was overwhelmed with work and hoped Chen Ping’an would arrive quickly to share his duties.

That’s what Zhao Lianzhi said, but it was self-evident whose intentions were truly behind it.

’This move by Liu Yuanhua... truly brilliant!’

Zhao Lianzhi had explained to him that the patrol of the Outer Trade Road was a matter of utmost urgency. After discussion, the Weishui Garrison had decided he should temporarily set aside his duties as the Commander-in-Chief of White Stone City and prioritize handling the Outer Trade Road patrol.

He was ordered to set off today without delay and report to the outer patrol post immediately.

Furthermore, he was ordered to fully investigate the death of Feng Shixian within three months. Failure to do so would result in severe punishment!

’Severe punishment?’

At this thought, a cold glint flickered in Chen Ping’an’s eyes.

Liu Yuanhua had certainly moved fast. He had only just refused Liu Yuanhua’s attempt to recruit him, and already the man’s schemes were in motion!

’As expected, when it comes to their interests, these Noble Families show no mercy!’

Ganging up on outsiders while protecting their own—that was the primary theme of the conflicts between the great families.

Back at the inn, the elite troops Chen Ping’an had brought with him had already packed their bags and were sitting in a dense crowd on the first floor.

"Sir, you’re back?"

Seeing Chen Ping’an return, Niu Li and the others all rose to their feet. They were ready to depart at a moment’s notice, waiting only for his command.

Before going to the Weishui Garrison, Chen Ping’an had already told them that today was the day they would set out.

’Who would have thought... we’re departing as planned, but our destination is no longer White Stone City.’

"The Weishui Garrison has issued an urgent order for us to report to the trade route patrol post immediately. For now, you have four hours to rest. After that, we depart!"

Chen Ping’an looked at the men, his voice low. These elite troops from the Garrison Commandant’s Office also had families of their own. The original plan was to return directly to White Stone City, but now that the plan had changed, some of them might need to send a letter home to explain the situation.

Hearing Chen Ping’an’s words, the men were stunned for a moment, but they recovered in an instant and replied with a resounding shout.

"Yes, Sir!"

Their voices were thunderous. The unified roar was so powerful it seemed as if it could tear the roof off the entire inn.

Chen Ping’an glanced at them, then turned and left the inn. Inside, the other guests watched the troops with expressions of awe.

With such an imposing aura, they could only be elites!

Walking down the street, Chen Ping’an pulled an exquisite bracelet from his robes, one adorned with small gold nuggets.

It was a gift he had prepared for Nannan. He had originally thought he would return to White Stone City today, see Nannan in a few days, and give it to her in person.

Besides the bracelet, he had prepared other gifts as well.

But in the end, plans could never keep up with reality.

He probably wouldn’t be able to deliver these gifts anytime soon. Even after he reached the trade route patrol post, he doubted he’d be able to get away for some time.

The Garrison Commandant’s Office had demanded he solve the mystery of Feng Shixian’s death within three months.

’I’m going to be busy! If I can’t get to the bottom of this in three months... what’s waiting for me probably won’t be a happy ending.’

’Liu Yuanhua!’ Chen Ping’an’s eyes glinted.

’We had no conflict of interest. Even if his recruitment failed, we could have maintained a decent relationship.’

’But alas, the world is just this pragmatic!’

’If you won’t be my friend, then you must be my enemy!’

’Since you’ve made your move, I have no choice but to respond!’

Liu Yuanhua, an Absolute Master of the Profound Light High Realm. As the Liu Family’s representative of interests in the Weishui Garrison, his standing within the family was even higher than the Patriarch’s!

A figure like that wielded a power far beyond what Chen Ping’an could currently contend with.

Even if his opponent had only used a fraction of his influence, Chen Ping’an could only react passively.

’But being weaker now doesn’t mean I’ll be weaker forever!’

’His progress has already begun to stagnate, while I am advancing with fierce determination!’

’Why do you all have to keep pushing me! I just want to move up in the Garrison Commandant’s Office, step by step, nice and quiet!’

...

Four hours later, after bidding farewell to Mu Wanjun, Chen Ping’an led the elites of the Garrison Commandant’s Office. A group of a dozen or so riders left Weishui County City, heading for the patrol post on the Outer Trade Road.

Amidst a cloud of rolling dust, Chen Ping’an glanced back at Weishui County City, at the magnificent, heroic city that had stood for a thousand years and remained unfallen.

"I will be back! And when I return, I will trample you all beneath my feet!"

Sunlight spilled down, a golden radiance descending upon the young man, cloaking him in a layer of golden light.

A young man should have soaring ambitions, and ride a swift steed across the open plains!