Chapter 166: Why use a blade to kill?

County government office, inner courtyard.

The room was brightly lit, and two silhouettes were cast on the window.

"My lord, mission accomplished; the person has been sent to the Ten Thousand Great Marshes."

Xiang Ting looked respectfully at Zhuang Renhe.

"Very good."

Zhuang Renhe, who had been feeling depressed today, rarely heard good news.

Xiang Ting was his personal guard when he was at the Zhuang family; his Wu Gong was decent, and the key was that he was meticulous in his work; many unspeakable things were handled by Xiang Ting.

Xiang Ting said worriedly: "My lord, on the way back, passing by Chunyan Pavilion, I saw the doors closed; did something happen?"

He knew very clearly.

That Charm Demon Baozhu'er was specifically planted in Chunyan Pavilion by the Ghost Ming Sect just to gather intelligence.

It was the most important link in this plan.

Speaking of Chunyan Pavilion, Zhuang Renhe's mood worsened again: "The Anning Guard still found out about the Charm Demon. I received the news and notified the demon-rearer in the sect in advance to activate the secret technique, turning her into a pool of blood; only then was the lead barely severed."

Xiang Ting frowned: "Jiang Linxian probably won't let it go; Chunyan Pavilion..."

A flash of murderous intent crossed his eyes.

Zhuang Renhe's expression was cold: "Kill them all, leave no one behind!"

"Yes!"

Xiang Ting nodded.

Baozhu'er, this Charm Demon, dying was just dying; she was merely one of many chess pieces.

But Zhuang Renhe had left many backups in Chunyan Pavilion; once Jiang Linxian followed the vine to find Zhuang Renhe, that would be troublesome, so it was imperative to cut the weeds and dig up the roots, leaving no handle behind.

He couldn't let Jiang Linxian continue investigating.

"And the Anning Guard side..."

Zhuang Renhe sneered repeatedly: "I have some old ties with Cao Wei; I'll find a time to pay a visit. I think he will be very happy to help."

It was no longer a secret that Anning Guard Assistant Regional Commander Cao Wei and Li Canjun Jiang Linxian were at odds.

In fact, most of the armies in the Yu Kingdom were like this.

If the Assistant Regional Commander and the Li Canjun were in perfect harmony, that would be what the imperial court should worry about.

Zhuang Renhe wanted to use Cao Wei to deal with Jiang Linxian's subordinates, thereby obstructing the investigation.

"Ning Zhongtian..."

This name was spoken from his mouth.

Chunyan Pavilion was investigated by people sent by Ning Zhongtian, and it was also sealed by him personally.

If he couldn't topple Jiang Linxian, could he, a dignified Fifth-Rank County Magistrate, not handle a Ning Zhongtian?

The more chaotic the Anning Guard was, the less energy they would have to continue investigating.

"Jiang Linxian, it starts with your subordinates!"

Anning Guard station.

Surrounded circle after circle, the soldiers in the outermost circle stood on tiptoe; from the middle of the circle came the wailing of a woman.

"Officers, you must uphold justice for me! That beast broke into my home and did those filthy things."

"My husband went to serve in Liangzhou just after the village opened; this is bullying me, a widow with an orphan."

Just then.

Ge Hong pushed through the crowd in a rage and walked to the center.

He saw a woman clutching the ankle of a middle-aged soldier, refusing to let go, while the little boy beside her had a dirty face and was crying incessantly.

The crying was moving to anyone who heard it.

Many Anning Guard soldiers were glaring at the middle-aged soldier with disgust, and curses were endless.

Serving, refers to serving corvée labor.

Going to the Liangzhou border, that was likely serving military service.

To put it plainly, it was actually the same nature as them; naturally, they shared a common hatred, and thinking of themselves going out and their wives being bullied at home, everyone wished they could rush up and tear that middle-aged man to pieces.

Ge Hong frowned.

Listening to the woman's wailing, he roughly understood the course of events.

Anger also rose from his heart.

"Beast!"

He kicked the middle-aged soldier, Ma San, to the ground.

The reason he appeared here was only because this was a soldier in his battalion who had often liked to frequent brothels before.

Now he had actually done such a filthy thing, making him lose all face.

As he spoke.

Clang!

Ge Hong drew his blade, intending to finish off Ma San.

When he was at the Iron Blade Martial Arts Hall before, he had a personality that couldn't tolerate sand in his eyes, and he constrained the apprentices in the hall very strictly, forbidding bullying the weak.

Now that his subordinate had done such a filthy thing to insult the wife of a serving soldier.

Naturally, he couldn't tolerate it.

Just as the willow-leaf blade in his hand was about to fall.

A hand firmly grasped his arm holding the blade.

Preventing the scene of blood splashing five steps away from happening.

"Brother Li?"

Ge Hong was surprised; he didn't expect that the person stopping him from eliminating evil was actually Li Rui.

Li Rui's eyes were calm:

"Brother Ge, this matter needs to be sent to the Law Enforcement Battalion for handling; if you kill this person now, it's taking private justice."

Ge Hong felt as if he had been splashed with a basin of cold water, and he instantly calmed down.

Although he was a Platoon Leader of the Wu battalion, theoretically he only had the right to lead troops; the soldiers in the battalion were all the imperial court's, and he had no right to decide life and death.

Just now, it was also because his anger had clouded his judgment that he was so impulsive.

Although it wouldn't lead to losing his official position, it was inevitable that he would be attacked by others using this as a handle.

Ge Hong thought clearly about the key point and felt a sense of relief; fortunately, Li Rui appeared in time to stop him.

Impulsiveness is the devil!

Li Rui glanced sideways at the woman: "Stop crying; our Anning Guard will naturally give you justice for this matter and won't let you suffer in vain. Go back first!"

His official authority was revealed.

Scaring the woman into stopping her crying, she timidly held the little boy, looking like a widow with an orphan who had been bullied and dared not speak out due to power.

Many of the onlookers frowned.

Patrol Officer Li's words were truly a bit heartless.

Clearly, this mother and son had suffered humiliation, and now they were being scolded. Some soldiers from poor backgrounds grumbled with dissatisfaction: "I remember this Lord Li was a servant by origin; how could he do such a thing as helping the evildoer and bullying the common people?"

"Once he became a big official, he doesn't care about his poor friends from before."

In their view, if they went to the Law Enforcement Battalion, if Li Rui had the intention to favor, then this matter would be turned from big to small, and small to nothing.

Although the voices of these people were small.

They still clearly fell into Li Rui's ears; he didn't take it to heart.

He gave Ge Hong a look.

Ge Hong understood immediately, grabbed Ma San, who had peed all over the floor from being scared by his willow-leaf blade, and said with disgust: "Follow me!"

Under pressure, the crowd dispersed.

Li Rui and Ge Hong took the person and headed straight for the Law Enforcement Battalion, and the crowd also followed one after another, wanting to see what would happen.

A moment later.

A noisy crowd swarmed into the Law Enforcement Battalion.

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Seeing this, Platoon Leader Zhao of the Law Enforcement Battalion couldn't help but frown.

He had drunk with Li Rui and Ge Hong and first approached Li Rui.

"Brother Li, what happened?"

Li Rui looked at him indifferently and briefly told Platoon Leader Zhao about what had just happened.

Platoon Leader Zhao was in charge of the Law Enforcement Battalion.

It was directly managed by Jiang Linxian; to put it plainly, he was in the same camp as Li Rui and Ge Hong.

He had seen many such matters.

They could be handled strictly, and there were those who died under military punishment; they could also be turned from big to small, and there were those who were alive and kicking.

It just depended on how it was operated.

He gave Li Rui a look, wanting to confirm Li Rui and Ge Hong's attitude toward this matter.

Li Rui understood Platoon Leader Zhao's meaning: "There are still unclear points in this matter; I hope Platoon Leader Zhao will investigate strictly and return a bright and clear world to our Anning Guard."

Investigate strictly, huh...

Platoon Leader Zhao immediately understood: "Our Anning Guard has always had strict military discipline; as long as the evidence is conclusive, we will never be lenient!"

Hearing the two express their stance.

The onlookers finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But in the eyes of experienced veteran soldiers, they felt even more that Ma San would escape punishment.

Ge Hong frowned slightly.

He wasn't a novice who had just entered the Jianghu; naturally, he understood that Li Rui and Platoon Leader Zhao looked like they were going to handle it strictly, but in fact, they were going to release the person.

But he really wanted to kill this scum who had done evil.

But hindered by Li Rui's face, he had no choice but to hide it and not act.

Ma San was handed over to the Law Enforcement Battalion for disposal.

Li Rui waved his hand at the surrounding soldiers: "Everyone disperse."

Seeing this.

The crowd then scattered one by one in a sparse manner.

Soon.

Only Li Rui, Ge Hong, and Platoon Leader Zhao of the Law Enforcement Battalion remained in the Law Enforcement Battalion.

Only then did Ge Hong ask the doubt in his heart: "Brother Li, why protect this beast? Doing such a filthy thing, wouldn't it be satisfying to kill him with one blade?"

He knew Li Rui's personality and also knew the background of this soldier of his, which was why he asked this.

Otherwise, he would definitely think that Li Rui had received benefits to do this.

Li Rui sighed softly:

"Brother Ge, don't you feel that something is wrong with today's matter?"

Being asked this by Li Rui, Ge Hong was stunned.

He thought for a long time but couldn't figure out what was wrong.

Li Rui: "Brother Ge, Brother Zhao, you tell me, how could a woman without any background, also carrying a young boy, enter the hinterland of the Anning Guard and accurately find the target?"

"This..."

Ge Hong's pupils shrank slightly.

It was as if a bolt of lightning had flashed through his mind.

That's right!

The Anning Guard wasn't a place anyone could enter just because they wanted to, let alone two orphans and widows who had no strength to truss a chicken.

There must be a problem behind this.

Ge Hong narrowed his eyes slightly: "Brother Li means to say that someone wants to harm me?"

He wasn't a dull person; being pointed out by Li Rui, he discovered the clues.

Li Rui nodded: "Not certain, but we can't rule out this possibility."

He then turned his head and cupped his hands to Platoon Leader Zhao of the Law Enforcement Battalion: "Lord Zhao, this matter is still unclear; please take the trouble to investigate. If there are results, please inform me and Brother Ge first."

The conversation between the two.

Platoon Leader Zhao listened to it all and secretly marveled at Li Rui's meticulous thinking.

This matter sounded simple, but wanting to think of this layer in a short time was not an easy thing.

Otherwise, Ge Hong wouldn't have easily fallen into the trap.

In the final analysis, it was just that this plot of orphans and widows was too capable of inciting people's hearts, making the weak resonate.

"Brother Li is cautious and meticulous; I admire you. This matter is on me."

Platoon Leader Zhao chuckled.

There was one thing he didn't say: being able to discover the problem so quickly, besides being meticulous, actually required being sufficiently heartless; only by looking at it from the perspective of a complete bystander, without a shred of sympathy, could one detect that something was wrong the first time.

"No wonder they say people get crafty as they age; having seen too much, the heart also hardens."

He secretly admired Li Rui's shrewdness.

Walking out of the Law Enforcement Battalion.

Li Rui's expression was calm.

He had experienced too much, so he had long understood a principle, which was that one cannot just look at the surface of things.

Many times, the weak are actually better at disguising themselves.

Right and wrong depend on evidence; what the eyes see and the ears hear could all be deceptive.

So it is necessary to strip away emotions and analyze rationally.

This is the reason why wise men are cold.

He thought thoughtfully:

"Who could it be, and why is it Ge Hong?"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 167 =====