Chapter 113: The Golden Scale is No Creature of the Pond, Something Unusual in the Village (Seeking Monthly Votes)

It was impossible for Pei Shaoqing to fall off his horse.

Zhou Li knew this as well.

Everyone present knew this.

Yet no one felt that Zhou Li's action of stepping forward to assist Pei Shaoqing was unreasonable; after his feet touched the ground, Pei Shaoqing smoothed his lapels, cupped his hands, and said, "Many thanks, Hundred-Household Zhou."

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare, you are too kind, Baron of Pingyang." Zhou Li hurriedly returned the salute and said with a smile, "I was startled to hear from my subordinate that the Baron of Pingyang had graced us with his presence. I was just preparing to seek you out to pay my respects, but I did not expect to run into you directly.

Since the Baron of Pingyang has come to Bazhou in person to visit our Hundred-Household Office, do you have any instructions for us? I think it would be better to go inside and sit for a while; we can discuss matters while we drink some tea."

"I wouldn't call them instructions. As we are both Hundred-Households, Officer Zhou, I can only say we are here to help one another." Pei Shaoqing laughed modestly and added, "Let us save the tea for another time. I have come to escort the remains of the beloved disciple of the Iron Sword Sect Sect Leader, Gongsun Yi, back to his hometown, and incidentally, to investigate the murderer who killed him."

"Sect Leader Gongsun's disciple was murdered?" Zhou Li was first surprised, then heartbroken, "As a titan of our Bazhou martial arts world, Sect Leader Gongsun is such a pure and noble gentleman; there is no one who does not know of him.

The disciples he taught must also be pure and upright young talents. To think someone was cruel enough to make him suffer the pain of a white-haired man sending off a black-haired one—this is simply outrageous!"

Finally, he expressed with a face full of rage: "Is that murderer currently in Bazhou? If there is any way I can be of service, the Baron of Pingyang need only speak!"

"A portrait," Pei Shaoqing said, turning his head.

A subordinate immediately took out a portrait and presented it.

Pei Shaoqing handed it to Zhou Li, "Hundred-Household Zhou, this woman is a local from your Bazhou. Please help me look for her in the coming days and see if there are any clues regarding her."

"No problem." Zhou Li agreed immediately, but after lowering his head to look at the portrait, his brows furrowed, "Eh?"

"Officer Zhou recognizes her?" Pei Shaoqing asked immediately.

Zhou Li raised his head and said, "This woman looks very much like Zhaoxia, the top performer at our Bazhou Hundred Flowers Pavilion. She was very skilled, but she went missing about a year ago."

Hundred-Household Zhou was even a fellow traveler and senior to Ye Yu.

"Did she go missing alone, or did she disappear with a man?" Pei Shaoqing immediately pressed.

Zhou Li pondered for a moment and replied, "The procuress said a wandering martial artist had paid for her to go out for a trip, but after that, she never appeared in Bazhou again."

What a coincidence; Pei Shaoqing was now certain that Ye Yu's death was absolutely inseparable from that Cui'er.

"I wonder if there is anything else Officer Pei needs my help with?" Zhou Li asked again proactively.

"I am not familiar with Tongzhou, so arrange someone to lead the way for me. I won't trouble Hundred-Household Zhou with anything else." As Pei Shaoqing finished speaking, he pointed directly at Wang Peng, "I think this lad is quite sharp."

Zhou Li looked at Wang Peng, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Wang Peng cupped his hands and bowed, remaining silent.

"The Baron of Pingyang certainly knows how to pick; Cavalry Officer Wang is my trusted and beloved general!" Zhou Li handed the portrait to the subordinate behind him, smiled, and patted Wang Peng on the shoulder, saying, "Serve the Baron of Pingyang well these next few days."

"This subordinate obeys! I will certainly not lose face for the Hundred-Household Office or for you, sir," Wang Peng said decisively.

"Many thanks to Hundred-Household Zhou for the temporary sacrifice." Pei Shaoqing cupped his hands, looked up, and said, "The hour is late, and I must head to the Iron Sword Sect today, so I shall take my leave. I will come another day to ask Hundred-Household Zhou for tea."

"The Baron of Pingyang has many affairs to attend to, so I will not press you to stay. Go slowly," Zhou Li said sternly.

"Stay your steps." Pei Shaoqing nodded and handed Cui'er's Body Contract to Wang Peng, "Take me to this place."

He then swung onto his horse.

"Understood!" Wang Peng responded, bowed to Zhou Li, and then walked quickly to lead the way.

Pei Shaoqing squeezed the horse's belly with his legs, "Giddyap!"

Zhou Li stood in place, quietly watching Pei Shaoqing ride away, only withdrawing his gaze after a long time.

"Sir, the Baron of Pingyang won't borrow Wang Peng and never return him, will he?" a Flag Officer asked, stepping forward.

Zhou Li winced in heartache, "I never expected him to return him. No matter what it is, the moment this lord sets his eyes on it, it already belongs to him."

He hadn't lied just now; Wang Peng was indeed his trusted and beloved general, the most capable workhorse who could get the most work done with the least amount of fodder.

So he was truly reluctant to throw a meat bun at a dog.

But Pei Shaoqing had spoken; could he refuse?

"But sir, being able to borrow him to build a relationship with the Baron of Pingyang isn't a loss," the Flag Officer hurriedly consoled him.

Zhou Li sighed, "At this point, that is all I can think. You, hurry and find a large residence, hire some servants, and have Wang Peng's mother move in. Also, find a good horse; consider it a parting gift from this official to him.

This lad is no creature of the pond; he was wasted falling into my hands before. Now that he follows Pei Shaoqing, he will surely rise with the wind, and his future will not be underestimated."

A person's destiny is truly hard to predict.

He knew his own limits; before, he relied entirely on empty promises to keep little Wang in his service, taking credit for all of Wang Peng's achievements or selling them as favors, always suppressing him and refusing to promote him, even though he gave some benefits as compensation.

But Wang Peng certainly didn't have much affection for him.

So he had to make amends quickly.

Clasping Buddha's feet at the last minute is still better than not clasping them at all.

He had originally counted on Wang Peng to crack the recurring missing persons cases, but now it seemed he would have to send someone else.

"I will go handle it immediately," the Flag Officer replied in a low voice.

The conversation between the two was overheard by the Jing'an Guard surnamed Chen, whom Wang Peng had sent away. His heart felt even more complicated, and he even felt some resentment toward Wang Peng—it was he who had deliberately sent him away to monopolize the opportunity to curry favor with the Baron of Pingyang!

………………………

Two quarter-hours later, Wang Peng brought Pei Shaoqing to the address on Cui'er's Body Contract, a village called Tianjiaba located five miles outside the east gate of Bazhou City.

The sky was near dusk, and every household had begun to light their cooking fires. There were farmers tilling the fields, and a group of children and two small puppies were playing on the field ridges.

Seeing them arrive, everyone stopped what they were doing and cast all sorts of gazes their way.

"The villagers here seem to be living well."

Pei Shaoqing, riding on horseback, said.

The cooking smoke in every home proved they could afford a proper dinner, and the people working in the fields were not the sallow, emaciated type. The children still had the energy and mood to play, and even those two dogs were sleek and shiny.

The crops in the fields were also growing exceptionally lush.

"Because it is close to the city, perhaps," Wang Peng replied, then shouted to an old man working in the fields: "Old man, has Tian Siwa's daughter, Tian Erni, returned to your village recently?"

Tian Erni was Cui'er's real name.

"Reporting to the official, Tian Erni has never returned since Tian Siwa died," the old man answered loudly.

Wang Peng said, "Please take us to her house."

"I still have work to do," the old man muttered unwillingly, as if he wanted some benefit.

Chen Zhongyi said with a cold face, "Hurry up and lead the way; if you dare to dawdle again, this official will take your head."

"Eh, Officer, calm your anger, calm your anger, this lowly one is coming right now." The old man instantly became obedient, dropped the hoe in his hand, and ran over, bowing and scraping, to lead the way in front.

After entering the village, many villagers walked out and stood at their doorways to watch; one by one, they just stared blankly at Pei Shaoqing and the others without saying a word.

Arriving in front of a farm courtyard at the end of the village, the old man pointed at the gate and said, "Officer, this is it."

"Get lost." Chen Zhongyi waved his hand.

The old man hurriedly hunched his waist, turned, and ran away.

Wang Peng stepped forward to inspect it, then turned back to Pei Shaoqing and said, "My Lord, the lock is covered in dust."

"Something is not right," Pei Shaoqing said to himself.

Chen Zhongyi asked, "What is it, My Lord?"

"The Tian family is all dead, and Tian Erni has never returned, yet their courtyard has been kept so well," Pei Shaoqing said.

Wang Peng came from a poor background and instantly understood Pei Shaoqing's meaning, "If there are no sons in a family, it is easy for them to be 'extinguished' and their property seized. Since the Tian family doesn't even have a single person left, logically, the house should have been occupied long ago."

"Correct," Pei Shaoqing nodded slowly.

Even in modern society, such things are unavoidable.

Let alone in ancient times when the legal system was not sound; are the moral qualities of the villagers here all so high?

"Break the door," he immediately ordered.

"Wait, wait!" Just at this moment, an old man came over leaning on a cane, followed by a large group of villagers.

Supported by two young men, he walked panting in front of Pei Shaoqing, "My Lord, this old man is the village head of Tianjiaba and also the patriarch of the Tian clan. I do not know why you lords wish to destroy my nephew's door?"

"Break the door," Pei Shaoqing ignored him directly.

Did he really need to make a report to a mere village head?

"How can you, My Lord, be so..." The village head, emotionally agitated, wanted to say something more, but with a loud crash behind him, Wang Peng had already kicked open the courtyard gate and strode inside.

The village head's body swayed instantly, his face turning deathly pale.

Soon, Wang Peng ran out, glanced at the village head, and said to Pei Shaoqing, "My Lord, there are traces of someone living and staying inside, and it was recent."

Pei Shaoqing's gaze swept toward the village head like a blade.

"This... how is this possible!" The village head's eyes were somewhat panicked, and he stammered, "How could anyone be living there? There is no one in my nephew's house!"

"That is what I must ask you; you had better give this official a satisfactory answer," Pei Shaoqing's eyes were cold and sharp.

The village head's legs went soft on the spot and he knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly to beg for mercy, "I don't know, My Lord, I really don't know, this old man knows nothing at all!"

"You corrupt official! My father is of such an age, could it be you want to frame a good citizen!" A youth of eighteen or nineteen beside the village head pointed at Pei Shaoqing and questioned him.

"Puchi!"

The next second, a blade of light flashed, and a head fell to the ground.

Scalding hot blood splattered onto the village head and the other youth in his twenties on his side; both were stunned.

The youth who had scolded Pei Shaoqing fell to the ground, headless, his neck spurting blood like a water valve.

Chen Zhongyi withdrew his long blade and said with an emotionless tone, "Daring to be disrespectful to My Lord, you deserve to die."

The villagers immediately retreated a few steps in unison, looking at the Jing'an Guard in shock and fear, emitting a buzzing sound.

"Ah! Ah! San'er! San'er!" After a brief moment of shock, the village head lunged over like a madman to embrace the youth's headless corpse and wailed loudly.

"Third Brother!" The youth in his twenties was the same, and he even cast a look of venomous hatred at Pei Shaoqing.

Until Chen Zhongyi's blade rested on his neck.

The cold sensation made his eyes instantly clear up; he shuddered and hurriedly said, "I'll talk, I'll talk, I'll say everything, don't kill me! Please, don't kill me! I will tell you everything."

"Eldest, you cannot talk! What do you know to be spouting nonsense?" Hearing this, the village head hurriedly went to pull him away.

"I don't want to die!" The eldest son threw the village head aside, kowtowed repeatedly to Pei Shaoqing, and said in a voice choked with sobs, "I will say everything!"

The gathered villagers had already begun to slowly disperse.

(End of this chapter)