My goodness, it felt like Xu Qi An was on the verge of sudden death… His current state was akin to someone who had stayed awake for 72 hours straight and then was forced to run a thousand meters.

His heart was pounding wildly, teetering on the edge of overexertion. Fortunately, the foundation he had built at the Refining Essence Realm was solid, giving his body exceptional resilience and endurance. If it were his past self, he’d probably be queuing at the funeral home by now… No, he would have likely passed away with a smile during the fourth or fifth day of liver-bursting cultivation.

“At least I’ve earned their attention, and now we can communicate properly… The most annoying thing is non-violent non-cooperation. Wouldn’t it be better if we all calmed down, sat together for some tea, and had a nice chat?” Xu Qi An thought to himself, while outwardly maintaining a calm demeanor. He spoke in a clear voice:

“General Xu, do you know what case Chief Commander Yang Chuan Nan is involved in?”

General Xu Hu Chen nodded, his voice low: “This matter has already spread throughout the Yun Province official circles, but the Chief Commander is being framed.”

“Whether he’s framed or not isn’t for you to decide. It’s not even for the Provincial Governor to decide. We’ll know after investigation,” Xu Qi An patiently explained. “The Provincial Governor came specifically for this case. Currently, we indeed have evidence that is extremely unfavorable to Commander Yang, but the Governor hasn’t rushed to judgment. He’s gone to the Chief Command to verify the evidence.”

“General Xu, by recklessly bringing three thousand troops to the city gates, you’re pushing Commander Yang towards a dead end.”

General Xu Hu Chen snorted coldly: “Don’t try to put words in my mouth. Last night, we received a secret report from the Chief Command that the Provincial Governor led a team to forcefully attack Commander Yang’s mansion. Commander Yang was severely injured by a Gold Gong and is now at death’s door.”

“Even if Commander Yang is truly guilty, it should be tried by the Three Departments. You didn’t go through proper channels but instead invaded his residence. Isn’t that just trying to extract a false confession through torture?”

You don’t understand a thing, this is called striking while the iron is hot, not giving the opponent a chance to react… If Yang Chuan Nan was truly the mastermind behind this, he would have already rebelled by now.

“The Provincial Governor has his methods. I know you’re not afraid of death, but I must warn you, General Xu. If you want to petition with arms, you can. But don’t act rashly. Three thousand troops can’t overturn White Emperor City, let alone the entire Yun Province,” Xu Qi An said. Seeing General Xu Hu Chen glaring at him with bulging eyes, seemingly enraged by his words, he leisurely added:

“But you should think about Commander Yang. He’s still safe and sound in the relay station, and his guilt hasn’t even been established. Is General Xu trying to pass judgment on him prematurely?”

General Xu Hu Chen frowned, indeed showing some hesitation, no longer as impulsive and fierce as before.

“You see, the case hasn’t even been cleared up, and General Xu is already like this. When the Provincial Governor reports to the imperial court that Yang Chuan Nan is amassing troops and threatening with military force… Well, by then, it won’t be just a Provincial Governor coming,” Xu Qi An threatened, then tried to appease him: “General Li has a close relationship with the Chief Commander. You might not believe my words, but surely you’d trust hers.”

Seeing both parties turn their gaze towards her, General Li Miao Zhen pondered for a moment before saying, “The current situation is indeed unfavorable for the Chief Commander, but petitioning with arms is not the right way. General Xu, don’t act rashly. Give the Provincial Governor some time.”

Yang Chuan Nan and she were comrades-in-arms, so naturally, Li Miao Zhen’s heart was with Yang Chuan Nan. However, solving problems requires proper methods. If petitioning with arms would work, Li Miao Zhen would have tried it long ago.

But the problem was that it wouldn’t work. The Chief Command could only mobilize the “Guard Command” under White Emperor City’s jurisdiction. Although the garrisons of other prefectures and counties in Yun Province were under the management of the Chief Command, the Chief Commander didn’t have the authority to command them in battle. During wartime, the imperial court would always appoint commanders temporarily.

It was precisely because of these various restrictions that Li Miao Zhen’s Flying Swallow Army came into being.

With just the three to five thousand troops of the “Guard Chief Command,” it was impossible to shake the Provincial Governor’s authority. It would only lead to needless sacrifice.

“Hmph! This general can wait, but if Governor Zhang can’t give me a satisfactory answer, even if I agree, the thousands of brothers under my command won’t,” General Xu Hu Chen reluctantly conceded.

Phew… It’s settled! Xu Qi An breathed a sigh of relief.

When faced with such conflicts, one must never act rashly. You need to know how to smooth things over. If this had been handled like other night watchmen would, the situation would have become troublesome.

Detective Xu Bai Piao instinctively recoiled from war, as it would result in many deaths. And this matter didn’t necessarily need to be resolved through warfare.

As for how to handle the aftermath, that headache would be left to the Provincial Governor.

…

Meanwhile, at the Chief Command.

Governor Zhang, who had just finished checking the accounts, was still in a state of anger. He slammed the table and berated the assembled officials: “Useless, you’re all useless!”

“That Yang Chuan Nan deserves death. Even if he’s not the mastermind behind this, the crime of dereliction of duty alone is enough to have him exiled to the frontier.”

“And all of you! The Chief Command has been supplying military resources to mountain bandits, with such staggering amounts, yet the entire Yun Province officialdom was unaware. You all deserve death!”

After checking the accounts, it was shockingly discovered that nearly a quarter of the military supplies sent annually from the Ministry of Works to Yun Province had gone missing. This included bows and crossbows, gunpowder, firearms, iron ore, and more.

The assembled officials lowered their heads, silently enduring Governor Zhang’s spittle-flecked tirade, not daring to talk back.

After venting his anger, Governor Zhang picked up his teacup and took a sip. Just as he was about to start the second half of his lecture, hurried footsteps were heard from outside.

A Bronze Gong rushed in without being announced, his manner urgent and aggressive. He shouted:

“Governor, the Guard Command under White Emperor City, led by Guard Commander Xu Hu Chen, has assembled three thousand troops outside the south gate. They’re threatening to enter the city if you don’t release the prisoner.”

Entering the city was a euphemism; it meant attacking the city.

Governor Zhang stood up in shock, and the dozen or so officials present stirred uneasily.

“When did this happen? What’s the current situation?” Governor Zhang questioned urgently.

“That Xu Hu Chen spoke insolently, demanding that you meet him within half an hour. That time has long passed…” The Bronze Gong finished speaking, and seeing the officials’ faces change dramatically, he quickly added:

“Xu Qi An, accompanied by Roving Cavalry General Li Miao Zhen, has gone out of the city to negotiate. The situation is currently unclear.”

Governor Zhang’s scalp tingled. He hadn’t expected the troops of Yun Province to be so fierce and unruly.

At this moment, his emotions were a mix of shock, anger, anxiety, and worry.

Although Xu Qi An was skilled at solving cases, Governor Zhang knew he was just a novice who had barely stepped out into the world. He didn’t even have much experience in killing, let alone dealing with unreasonable troops.

“Who sent him? Who sent him?” Governor Zhang slammed the table and roared.

The Bronze Gong pursed his lips, “It was Xu Qi An who insisted on taking the lead. Originally, according to the Silver Gongs’ intentions, they were going to bring Yang Chuan Nan along to defend the city and wait for reinforcements.”

“Xu Qi An also said he would take responsibility.”

To be fair, the strategy adopted by Xu Qi An was more stable and correct. When facing soldier mutinies, the imperial court usually took appeasement measures and then executed the ringleaders to serve as a warning to others.

If bloodshed could be avoided, it was best to do so.

However, in Governor Zhang’s view, this exceeded Xu Qi An’s professional capabilities.

“Lord Song, immediately notify the Five Cities Military Command to assemble troops and rush to the south gate. All yamen runners from various government offices should be mobilized to maintain order within the city…”

Governor Zhang quickly made arrangements, panicked but not confused, demonstrating the qualities a Provincial Governor should possess.

…

“Giddy up, giddy up…”

Governor Zhang spurred his horse to gallop wildly, his old bones nearly rattled apart. He didn’t even dare to complain about Jiang Lu Zhong, fearing the cold wind would rush in if he opened his mouth. He could only shout “Giddy up” a few times.

Originally, according to Governor Zhang’s plan, Jiang Lu Zhong should have rushed to the south gate first. A fourth-rank Gold Gong was most suitable for maintaining order.

But Jiang Lu Zhong was as steady as a dog, unwilling to leave the Governor’s side, fearing that the Governor’s life might be taken by potential assassins, gloriously drawing first blood.

Jiang Lu Zhong was also worried, but not about the Guard Command troops attacking the city. Rather, he was concerned about the life of that young lad, Xu Qi An.

As a Gold Gong who had been on the battlefield, he knew how difficult and unreasonable troops could be. Although Xu Qi An seemed quite impressive in the capital and had even killed someone at the entrance of the Ministry of Justice yamen.

But precisely because that was in the capital, it made the court officials wary.

This was Yun Province, Yun Province plagued by bandits. Whether bandits or soldiers, anyone who tied their head to their waistband was no pushover.

The possibility of drawing swords and killing at the slightest disagreement was extremely high.

Gradually, as they approached the south gate, Jiang Lu Zhong’s ears twitched slightly. After listening intently for a moment, he said with relief: “Governor, there’s no need to rush so much. Let’s slow down.”

Governor Zhang didn’t want to speak and ignored Jiang Lu Zhong’s words, treating them as background noise.

“The battle hasn’t started,” Jiang Lu Zhong said.

Hm?

Governor Zhang was stunned and indeed slowed down, pulling on the reins to change from a gallop to a trot.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Jiang Lu Zhong was a high-ranking martial artist. If a fierce battle had broken out outside the city, he would have been able to sense it.

“It seems the situation is relatively stable,” Governor Zhang breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Xu Qi An with newfound respect: “Did Xu Qi An stabilize the situation?”

Jiang Lu Zhong shook his head: “We’ll know when we reach the south gate.”

Half an incense stick’s time later, they saw the outline of the city wall. Governor Zhang squinted and looked ahead. The city defense troops on the wall were on high alert, with soldiers ready at the cart-mounted crossbows and cannons.

Governor Zhang spurred his horse, galloping forward, and pulled up at the edge of the city wall. He lifted the hem of his official robe and hurriedly climbed the steps.

His crimson official robe symbolized his status, and no one dared to stop him.

“Governor, you’ve finally arrived.”

The square-faced, triangle-eyed Qianhu (commander of a thousand) saw Governor Zhang and felt the great weight in his heart finally lift, letting out a long sigh.

Governor Zhang, who had been anxious while rushing here, had composed himself by the time he reached the top of the wall. His face was stern and expressionless.

He stood on the city wall and looked for a while, then ordered: “Use a basket to lower me down.”

The Qianhu said: “This humble official will just open the city gate. The Bronze Gong and the Roving Cavalry General went out through the city gate earlier.”

How reckless… Governor Zhang’s mouth twitched: “If the Guard Command troops had the intention to attack the city, the city gate would have already fallen.”

The Qianhu immediately lowered his head.

“No need for a basket, I’ll take the Governor down,” Jiang Lu Zhong put his hand on Governor Zhang’s shoulder. The next moment, Governor Zhang’s vision blurred, and he found himself outside the city, only about ten zhang away from Xu Qi An and the others.

On Xu Qi An’s side, they also noticed Jiang Lu Zhong and Governor Zhang. Everyone’s expressions were different. Li Miao Zhen’s expression remained unchanged, while Xu Qi An’s tense face relaxed slightly.

Xu Hu Chen, on the other hand, immediately tensed up, gripping his long spear tighter.

The Governor wasn’t scary, but the Gold Gong by his side was.

Governor Zhang called out loudly: “Xu Hu Chen, dismount, and let’s talk.”

Xu Hu Chen frowned and gripped his long spear again. After weighing his options, he hung the spear on his horse’s hook and approached Governor Zhang with empty hands.

“Governor!” Xu Hu Chen cupped his fists in salute.

“Such audacity.” Governor Zhang sneered, “Today, even if I let Gold Gong Jiang kill you on the spot, I could still suppress the three thousand soldiers behind you.”

Xu Hu Chen didn’t speak.

“No matter what you say, you just want to save Yang Chuan Nan, right? Let me ask you this: if Yang Chuan Nan has indeed committed a capital offense, will you save him or not?”

“Commander Yang is innocent.”

“I’m only asking you, will you save him or not?”

“Save him!”

Governor Zhang laughed loudly: “Indeed a man of blood and valor. I admire you. It’s too early to conclude Yang Chuan Nan’s case. Since you believe in Commander Yang’s character, I’ll promise you this: as long as Yang Chuan Nan is innocent, I will clear his name.”

After a pause, Governor Zhang suddenly changed his tone, speaking sternly: “But you bringing troops here without authorization, threatening the city, is a capital offense!”

Xu Hu Chen reluctantly cupped his fists: “This… subordinate knows his crime. As long as the Governor can clear Commander Yang’s name, this subordinate will accept whatever punishment the Governor deems fit.”

“Fine, considering you didn’t act recklessly, as long as you lead your troops back to the barracks, I’ll let bygones be bygones,” Governor Zhang said magnanimously.

“Since the Governor has made a promise, this subordinate will trust you.” Xu Hu Chen got the answer he wanted and turned his head, nodding slightly to Xu Qi An.

Fortunately, this Bronze Gong mediated, preventing the situation from deteriorating to an irrecoverable point.

Xu Hu Chen came with his troops to make a scene, wanting a result, or rather, a promise. He was deeply afraid that the Provincial Governor from the capital would frame the Chief Commander for the sake of achievements.

Now, the Governor had made a promise, and the case was still under investigation. The Chief Commander hadn’t been convicted yet.

This result was already quite good.

Next, Governor Zhang spoke with a friendly demeanor, adopting a pose of respecting the worthy. This made Xu Hu Chen feel flattered.

Rough men are like this. They don’t even flinch when fighting on the battlefield, but once someone shows them care and concern, they become grateful and can’t be fierce anymore.

Especially when it’s a high-ranking official like Governor Zhang.

In the end, everyone was satisfied. Xu Hu Chen had an explanation for his soldiers. Governor Zhang had resolved this armed petition without causing chaos.

…

On the way back to the relay station on horseback, Governor Zhang praised Xu Qi An highly, “You indeed understand human nature deeply and know how to resolve conflicts. Ning Yan, you’ve made another achievement.”

Xu Qi An waved his hand, not picking up on the conversation. He was too exhausted to have any interest in talking.

Li Miao Zhen didn’t return to the relay station with them, instead leading her private troops back to the military camp.

Jiang Lu Zhong frowned and said: “The Governor’s delaying tactic can only work for a short time.”

Governor Zhang sneered, “I know that, Gold Gong Jiang. Tonight, go to the Guard Command’s camp and invite General Xu Hu Chen and the other leaders to the city. Tell them I have a secret matter to discuss regarding the Chief Commander’s case.”

Xu Qi An’s heart sank.

Governor Zhang said nonchalantly, “After bringing them out of the camp, kill them all. Leave no one alive.”

“Governor…”

Looking at Governor Zhang, who could turn his face so quickly, Xu Qi An felt like he had swallowed a dead rat, unable to describe his current feelings.

Governor Zhang continued as if he hadn’t heard, “Without their leaders, the ordinary soldiers will be scattered sand, easily pacified with a little comfort. Yang Chuan Nan’s core strength is just the three to five thousand troops of the Guard Command. Once we eliminate this hidden danger, we can deal with Yang Chuan Nan without worries.”

“But this case has hidden aspects,” Xu Qi An said gravely.

“That’s another matter. If we can uncover it, I will naturally clear Yang Chuan Nan’s name. But Xu Hu Chen’s heart of rebellion is firm, I must nip this in the bud,” Governor Zhang said quietly. “I will send people to gather troops from various garrisons in Yun Province. There won’t be a next time for such an incident.”

The Provincial Governor had the authority to mobilize troops from various garrisons.

After giving his instructions, Governor Zhang glanced at Xu Qi An and sneered, “Ning Yan, mercy has no place in commanding troops. Be it in court or on the battlefield, hesitation leads to defeat. Being soft-hearted harms others and oneself.”

I understand the reasoning… Xu Qi An sighed silently.

Jiang Lu Zhong, having weathered many storms, remained unperturbed and asked, “By mobilizing troops from various garrisons, does the Governor intend to use this incident to put pressure on the Yun Province officialdom?”

Governor Zhang nodded slowly, “If Yang Chuan Nan isn’t the mastermind, then the one behind this is in the city. All officials of the fourth rank and above are suspects. I’m preparing for the worst, preventing them from making desperate moves.”

Back at the relay station, after drinking a bowl of tea, the Tiger Warrior Guard on duty at the door came in to report, “Governor, Lord Song the Administration Commissioner, and other officials request an audience.”

Governor Zhang dismissed the unnecessary personnel and received the officials in the hall. They had come about Yang Chuan Nan’s case.

“Since the evidence in this case is conclusive, we hope the Governor will make a decision soon,” Administration Commissioner Song said.

The Yun Province Prefect and other officials echoed his sentiment.

The “forced audience” has come… Xu Qi An thought.

If the mastermind was among these people, it wasn’t hard to understand why they would incite officials to pressure Governor Zhang after he had verified the evidence.

But they seem a bit too eager…

The Guard Command’s troops had just withdrawn, and they were already impatient to force Governor Zhang to make a final judgment on the case. This didn’t seem like the operation of a seasoned schemer.

It could only mean that Liang You Ping still had no clues, making the opponent feel like sitting on pins and needles, eager to push Yang Chuan Nan out as a scapegoat immediately.

The more anxious they are, the more likely they are to reveal their hand… Once Gold Gong Jiang kills General Xu Hu Chen and the other leaders, and then mobilizes troops from various garrisons, the Governor can rest easy and play with the mastermind. So, for now, delaying is enough… Xu Qi An’s thoughts flashed.

Sure enough, Governor Zhang readily agreed to the officials’ request but said he needed to interrogate Yang Chuan Nan in private today, and tomorrow there would be a joint trial by the Three Departments.

At least this would get through today.

After dismissing the officials, Governor Zhang sipped his tea and sighed, “We don’t have much time left.”

Killing Xu Hu Chen was to stabilize the Yang Chuan Nan line, and mobilizing troops was to stabilize the mastermind line. After all, once the case was resolved, the opponent would certainly fight to the death.

Xu Qi An pondered, “After Gold Gong Jiang finishes his task tonight, we could have someone disguise themselves as Liang You Ping to draw out the snake.”

Just as he finished speaking, the Tiger Warrior Guard on duty came in again, saying, “Governor, there’s a group of escorts outside claiming to be from the Fu Shun Escort Agency. They say they want to see you, Governor.”

“Fu Shun Escort Agency?” Governor Zhang frowned, having no impression of this escort agency’s name.