Chapter 147: Two Unlucky Guys

Azure Province.

Heaven Star City.

News of the Lin family's downfall spread quickly, and over these few days the city occasionally heard firecracker sounds.

Everyone was celebrating the Lin family's downfall.

Inside the Northern Garrison Office.

Since the Lin family was wiped out, the entire Garrison Office has had no rest.

Over the years the Lin family had consumed too much; just the silver, gold, and various valuables filled several rooms of the Northern Garrison Office, not to mention the various properties they had turned in.

The scholar and others were also examining the Lin family's property transactions; as Lin Ke said, he recorded each silver transfer in a ledger, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard also found that ledger in Lin Ke's room.

From time to time, several officials were arrested and thrown into jail.

The scholar's eye sockets were a little red: 'Boss, I've checked again; I think nothing was missed.'

'The biggest official among them is the Minister of Justice Zhou Yun and the Garrison Commissioner Huang Qianhu.'

'The others are just a few small fry.'

'But there is one place that's a bit strange: a place called Li Family Village, where the Lin family occasionally sends things, and the recorded name is also odd—just a single "white" character.'

'Moreover, the timing of sending things is also strange: always at midnight on the tenth of each month.'

Shen Qing raised an eyebrow: 'Only a single white character, and they have to send it at a fixed time—I think I've remembered an old friend.'

Having come all the way from Yongning Commandery, there really aren't many friends surnamed White, and only one qualifies as an old friend.

The scholar and Lin Zikai exchanged a glance and blurted out three words: 'White Dragon Sect!'

Lin Zikai immediately stood up and ran toward the jail: 'I'll go find the few remaining Lin family members right away to get to the bottom of this.'

Shen Qing waved a hand: 'No need for all that trouble.'

Shen Qing looked up at the sky; a faint afterglow of the sunset could still be seen.

'I remember today is the ninth; just go take a look around Li Family Village and you'll know everything.'

Shen Qing also couldn't be bothered to interrogate further; the timing was right, the place was known—what more was there to question?

Just walk around once, and my innate sixth sense will know everything.

'Scholar, have you looked at the map of Azure Province?'

The scholar nodded: 'I've already checked it out—Li Family Village lies under the jurisdiction of Xuan Yu City, and the Garrison Commissioner of Xuan Yu City is none other than Xu Fei, the Garrison Commissioner.'

'What about him? Has he returned to Xuan Yu City?'

'Not yet; he's been staying in jail these two days, torturing Lin Wanyu.'

Lin Zikai froze: 'Lin Wanyu isn't dead yet? I clearly saw Commissioner Xu subject Lin Wanyu to lingchi yesterday.'

The scholar gritted his teeth: 'He was about to die, but Commissioner Xu used his own merits to buy a healing elixir and poured it into Lin Wanyu—now it's practically impossible for him to die even if he wants to.'

Shen Qing waved a hand: 'Summon him over.'

Soon, Xu Fei hurriedly rushed to the courtyard.

'Xu Fei pays his respects, Governor Shen!'

'There's a village called Li Family Village under Xuan Yu City's jurisdiction—do you have an impression of it?'

'Yes, it's near the White Fruit River; I've been there.'

'Then do you have the time to take me there?'

Xu Fei immediately dropped to one knee: 'Governor Shen, you've avenged my great grudge; wherever you tell me to go, I will go—through fire and water, ten thousand...'

He hadn't finished speaking when Shen Qing cut him off.

'Stop, stop, stop—cut out all that fluff. You've got time, right? Then come with me now.'

Having said that, Shen Qing grabbed Xu Fei's shoulder and shot up into the sky.

In the early morning hours.

Shen Qing brought Xu Fei and rushed to Li Family Village.

All they saw below was a burst of bright lights.

Xu Fei pointed at the area below.

'Sir, down there is Li Family Village; this place is still quite famous.'

'The nearby jianghu sects gather here every tenth of the month; it's basically a small meeting.'

Shen Qing raised an eyebrow: 'A gathering? That means a large crowd; with more people it's easier to hide, which fits— the White Dragon Sect likes to hide in such places.'

'Let's go down and have a look, and see if there's anything good to eat while we're at it.'

Shen Qing grabbed Xu Fei and landed in a concealed spot.

In the market, everything was available—martial arts manuals, weapons and hidden implements, food and liquor—all present; Shen Qing strolled around, eating as he went.

As for capturing White Dragon Sect thieves? Shen Qing wasn't the slightest bit anxious about it.

There was a saying that was widely circulated in his previous life.

The more you want to find something, the less likely you are to find it.

But the moment you give up looking for him, he'll pop out on his own.

So sometimes, going with the flow is the best choice.

In the market, there was a tavern.

Two men were drinking their sorrows away; the white‑clothed man glanced impatiently at the passersby on the street, muttering a few words under his breath.

'Why is it us on watch again? Talk about bad luck.'

The other black‑clothed man slapped the table: 'It's just because they're picking on us for being from Yongning Commandery, isn't it!'

'Hey, hey, hey, keep it down—if they hear you they'll start yapping again.'

'Have you heard? The newly arrived commander of Azure Province is also called Shen Qing—do you think he might be that guy from Yongning Commandery?'

The black-clothed man sitting opposite had his pupils suddenly widen, the liquor in his mouth surging out like a fountain, and he shouted a rebuke.

"Drinking! Why are you bringing up that scary thing? Maybe it's just someone with the same name and surname—weren't you just transferred to Jia Shui Jun? How? Does his family run the court? If you want a promotion, just get promoted!"

The white-clothed man pointed with his chin: "No, look, doesn't that person look a bit like Shen Qing?"

Following the gaze, Shen Qing was buying roasted chicken at a stall.

The black-clothed man turned his head, his brows knotting into a shape like three parallel lines: "Hey, don't say that, but he really does look a bit like him."

The white-clothed man's voice began to tremble: "No, I feel like he's looking at us..."

Gradually his voice grew softer, because Shen Qing was walking toward them with a smiling, narrowed-eye expression.

The two hurriedly lowered their heads, imitating ostriches.

Shen Qing came up to them: "Do you know me?"

The white-clothed man trembled as he shook his head: "No..."

As soon as that 'no' left his mouth, Shen Qing's slap was already on his face, one slap knocking out four of his front teeth and also collapsing three tables in the tavern.

Think it over before speaking.

Shen Qing had already felt their fearful gazes, but today he wasn't wearing the Embroidered Uniform Guard's official uniform; he was in his own casual clothes.

That makes it clear: what they fear is Shen Qing's face.

It's obvious that after taking that slap, the white-clothed man's gaze became a bit clearer.

"'We... we two are from Yong Ning Jun.'"

Shen Qing glanced at them: "You can run pretty well, but why not stay properly in the White Dragon Sect of Yong Ning Jun instead of coming to Qingzhou to cause trouble?"

The white-clothed man trembled as he spoke: "Isn't it you, Lord Shen, who killed all the masters of Yong Ning Jun?"

"Afterward, the sect issued an order: if one encounters World-Passing Yama Shen Qing while on a mission, they may withdraw from the mission without it counting as failure."

"But 'a person's name is like a tree's shade'—we didn't dare go out on missions at all, and eventually everyone just ran away."

"We two also planned to come to Qingzhou to try our luck; hey, someone died in a squad, and we two just happened to fill the vacancy—today is only our fourth day on a mission..."

As he spoke, the white-clothed man was about to cry: "How unlucky can we be? We ran all the way to Qingzhou, and on the fourth day of our mission we bumped right into Shen Qing's arms."

"So the rest of your squad is also in this village, right?"

"Yes, our squad's leader is Black Flame Palm Lu Da."

"He's currently drinking on the third floor of the Peach and Plum Tavern."