Chapter 1247

"Master Lin Cheng, don't you worry about this matter. I know these soldiers all too well — they're exactly the same as the ones back home, abusing their official backing to do whatever they please. Let's see what he can actually do to us today!" The forger who had first spoken up for Lin Cheng stepped right in front of him to block him, and at the same time, other forgers also stepped in front of Lin Cheng.

Their attitude and intent were obvious — today, no one was taking Lin Cheng away.

"Very well, you forgers are openly obstructing the city guards in the performance of their duty. Men, take them all away!" The city guard captain was no pushover either; with a great wave of his hand, his subordinates began seizing people one after another.

The city guard captain himself personally grabbed the forger who had obstructed him.

"Think this through — do you know the consequences of taking away Imperial Master Smiths like us? Among us are two eighth-rank forgers and several sixth- and seventh-rank forgers. If even one of us is harmed, ten lives of yours wouldn't be enough to pay for it!"

"Oh? Openly threatening law enforcement — that's a crime on top of a crime!" The city guard captain wasn't afraid of the forger's threat at all.

In his mind, forgers were just a bunch of blacksmiths, weren't they? What was so fearsome about a bunch of blacksmiths? An eighth-rank forger — sounded impressive, sure, but weren't they still working for the royal family all the same?

His lord the City Lord was the Empire's number-one Divine Might General, with strict discipline. He himself was a soldier who had undergone rigorous training. The fortress city's iron rule was that anyone who broke the law would be punished — no exceptions!

And so, outside the Forgers' Society, a large number of city guards arrived and hauled off Lin Cheng along with a great crowd of forgers, taking them all back to the city's prison.

"What does this have to do with me? I didn't even say a word — I'm innocent!" Chairman Huoerde was utterly wronged; he had merely been standing together with Lin Cheng and the others, and yet the city guards had taken him away just like that.

"I am an eighth-rank forger of the Empire!"

"Less nonsense! Move it! Old man!" The city guard behind him kicked Chairman Huoerde straight away. Vice Chairman Sitefu beside him had long since resigned himself to fate; although he knew the Divine Might General would not make things difficult for Imperial Master Smiths like them, the time wasted would still delay quite a few matters.

Fortress Prison.

"All of you, get in there and behave… someone will come interrogate you later." The jailer in charge of the detention, in a thoroughly foul temper, locked Lin Cheng and the other forgers separately into four cells, his tone utterly vicious.

Of course, the forgers were not in the least afraid.

Nearly thirty to forty Imperial Master Smiths were present, among whom the lowest-ranked forgers were fifth-rank forgers.

The highest were still the two Imperial eighth-rank forgers — at that level, if anyone truly dared lay a hand on them, the Divine Might General's seat would soon be coming to an end.

Upon learning that a batch of forgers had been brought in today, the warden came to take a careful look. One look was enough to give him the fright of his life!

"Chairman Huoerde… Vice Chairman Sitefu… and all the elders… and Master Lin Cheng, who has been in the limelight lately."

The warden wore a bitter face, on the verge of tears.

"How on earth did you all end up in here?"

Upon careful inquiry, the lowest-ranked forgers locked in the cells were all fifth-rank forgers. My heavens — the warden was truly crying this time.

What were the city guards trying to do? Ruin him? Even so, they didn't have to be so brazen about it. Besides, he had never offended any of the city guards.

How had these lords ended up being sent here?

The warden did not dare interrogate these lords. Even if they had truly broken some law, it wouldn't come to shutting down the entire Forgers' Society, would it? There must be some misunderstanding in all this.

The warden ordered the jailers to take good care of these lords. At first the jailers thought it was the usual kind of "take care of," until gold coins were produced, and only then did the jailers suddenly realize that these forgers really were lords.

Afterwards, the warden hurried straight to the City Lord's residence to inform the City Lord, the Divine Might General. When the news reached the Divine Might General's ears, he too got a fright.

"What on earth happened today?"

How had the city guards gone and shut down the entire Forgers' Society, even arresting two eighth-rank forgers? Wasn't that going to cost him his life? And of all times, just two days ago, His Majesty had issued an order to fully support the comprehensive rise of the Forgers' Society.

Today, his subordinates had gone and shut down the fortress city's Forgers' Society. And to make matters worse, Princess Yong'an was still a guest at his City Lord's residence — once word reached her ears, what would Her Highness think?

The Divine Might General truly was swallowing a bitter pill in silence, with no way to voice his grievance.

"Damn it, release them all, now!"

"Yes, General. But how do we explain things to Vice Officer Lin?" The warden was terrified.

"I'll go explain it to him myself!"

"Yes, General!"

"My lords, I've investigated — this whole thing is just a misunderstanding. I'll release you right away."

After the warden returned to the prison once more, he freed all the forgers without delay.

"Actually, staying here is quite comfortable too. We can chat about forging techniques and such — it's rather convenient."

When Lin Cheng's turn came, he stood at the cell door and simply refused to come out, saying with an easy expression on his face.