Chapter 183: The Begging Bowl

"Those two ancestors... it might be because the several lords of the Purification Bureau went mad." Qiao Er had only speculation, but in Qiao Er's eyes, this speculation had already been confirmed just now.

Wei Yunhua spoke without hesitation: "Nonsense! Those two craft artifacts were left by the Ancestor, and the officers of that Purification Bureau group are no older than thirty at most.

How could those craft artifacts have any connection with them?"

Qiao Er originally would never have dared to contradict a Great Wei Wei Huoshi.

But over these dozen-plus days, the Three Ladies Society's Zhan Cheng branch was on the verge of falling apart.

Qiao Er had no power or influence, his cultivation had just entered the door; without the Zhan Cheng branch, where could he go?

The Zhan Cheng branch was everything to Qiao Er.

It absolutely could not be allowed to collapse.

"Great Wei Wei Huoshi, whether my guess is right or wrong, since we have reached this point, why not try?"

The Great Wei Wei Huoshi was also treating a dead horse as if it were alive: "Prepare some gifts; I will go pay a visit to this..."

"Xu." Qiao Er reminded him.

"Pay a visit to this Patrol Inspector Xu."

Xu Yuan returned from the Fire Virtue Saving the World Hall; just as he arrived at the entrance of the Nancheng Patrol Station, a Captain came forward and said: "Old Master Qu has arrived."

Qu Jinpeng did not come along to the Nancheng Patrol Station.

He deliberately stayed at the office, so this place was truly Xu Yuan's domain.

The old master was specifically covering for Xu Yuan at the office.

Xu Yuan had heard from Seeing Fu Jingyu that the old master had two sons.

They were also serving in the Southern Jiaozhi Southern Office and had already reached the rank of Inspector.

Xu Yuan secretly noted this; these favors would all have to be repaid to the man's children in the future.

Xu Yuan hurried inside; Qu Jinpeng saw him and smiled: "Good news."

He took out a box: "The Commander has applied for a craft artifact for you."

Xu Yuan was overjoyed; this was a reward applied for after accumulating merit several times!

Xu Yuan could not wait to open the box; inside was a broken bowl.

Coarse porcelain, covered in stains.

A corner was missing from the rim.

No matter how one looked at it, it was like... a begging bowl placed beside a street beggar's feet.

Qu Jinpeng said: "It is indeed a begging bowl. As long as you hold up this bowl and sing the Lotus Flower Song, you will definitely beg for one item!

But you can only beg for one thing per target, and note, you are a beggar, so you cannot be greedy!"

Xu Yuan's eyes lit up; even if he could only beg for one thing... if used in battle, he could directly take away the opponent's most important item!

If used to investigate a case, he could beg for the most crucial evidence!

Qu Jinpeng smiled: "Last year, a strange case occurred in Huncheng; a group of beggars at the entrance of the City God Temple underwent a strange transformation.

It caused a huge uproar at the time; half of Huncheng was begged away by the beggars.

The Commander personally went out, brought the Tiger Head Cleaver, and only then cut down this evil spirit.

He obtained a fine material, sent it to the Craftsmanship Bureau in the Northern Capital, and only then was this fine item forged.

As a result, the Northern Capital side kept holding onto it and refused to send it back.

This time, the Commander used your merit, wrote letters to several old friends, and only then managed to get it back."

Even the Purification Bureau's General Office in the Northern Capital was unwilling to return it; it must be an excellent item.

Xu Yuan held it in his hand and tested it; the weight of his own life was enough to suppress it!

"Alright, the item has been delivered; I will return first; my family is still waiting for me to finish dinner." Qu Jinpeng stood up and left.

Xu Yuan: "I will see you off."

Qu Jinpeng mounted his horse at the entrance of the Nancheng Patrol Station and left with two Captains under his command.

Lang Xiao Ba covered his mouth and chuckled on the side.

Xu Yuan glared at him: "What are you laughing at?"

Lang Xiao Ba covered his mouth and whispered to Xu Yuan: "The old master took a new concubine the day before yesterday."

Xu Yuan's expression became interesting for a moment.

When leaving home to take up an official post made it inconvenient to bring family, one would often take a concubine locally to take care of oneself.

But the old master's age... Law Cultivators are not known for their physical strength...

After eating his fill of melon, Xu Yuan coughed and reprimanded Xiao Ba: "Do not gossip behind a superior's back!"

"Yes."

Xu Yuan was about to return when the Great Wei Wei Huoshi of the Three Ladies Society happened to arrive; running a few quick steps, he shouted at the door: "My lord, Lord Xu—"

Behind the Great Wei Wei Huoshi followed Qiao Er, who ran breathlessly to the entrance of the Patrol Station, stood at the bottom of the steps, and raised his hand high: "My lord! I wish to report a case!

A strange case has occurred within our Fire Virtue Saving the World Hall!"

Xu Yuan pointed casually at Lang Xiao Ba: "What are you standing there for? A good citizen is reporting a case; quickly take two people to check it out."

After speaking, Xu Yuan turned and went inside.

The Great Wei Wei Huoshi was dumbfounded and immediately shouted: "My lord, my lord, the case is grave; I beg my lord to personally go there..."

Xu Yuan acted as if he had not heard.

The Great Wei Wei Huoshi tried to chase inside but was blocked by several Inspectors with fierce expressions: "What do you want? Open your dog eyes and see; what place is this? Do you dare to break in?"

The Great Wei Wei Huoshi stamped his feet: "Sigh!"

Lang Xiao Ba had already gathered two Captains, approached the Great Wei Wei Huoshi, and pushed him: "Let's go; take us to the scene."

The Great Wei Wei Huoshi of the San Niang Society was undoubtedly a prominent figure on Guanglan Street.

But Lang Xiao Ba dared to shove him so casually.

The Great Wei Wei Huoshi dared not retaliate, and could only lead his men back dejectedly to the Fire Virtue Healing Hall.

Of course, there was no mystery case at the Fire Virtue Healing Hall—it was the Great Wei Wei Huoshi's own clever scheme to lure Xu Yuan back.

He had originally prepared generous gifts, but that required a middleman to first arrange a meeting with Master Xu.

Could he really wait outside the government office and present the gifts himself?

The Great Wei Wei Huoshi thought it too time-consuming, so he devised a trick to deceive Xu Yuan into coming.

If it truly was because of them that these two ancestors were causing trouble, then they could later find a person of status as a proper intermediary, formally pay respects, and discuss how to handle the aftermath.

With no mystery case, the Great Wei Wei Huoshi thought to simply pick some unusual spot inside the hall to fool Lang Xiao Ba.

After all, the hall was full of cultivators, and there were plenty of things ordinary people would deem "mysterious."

But he had underestimated Lang Xiao Ba.

Lang Xiao Ba's own cultivation was mediocre, but he knew the Seven Great Sects' histories inside and out.

He failed to deceive him, and instead enraged Lang Xiao Ba: "You're filing a false report!"

Lang Xiao Ba immediately slapped a sealing sticker on the front door and sealed the Fire Virtue Healing Hall!

The entire branch of the San Niang Society erupted in fury, surrounding him to prevent the sealing sticker from being posted. Lang Xiao Ba showed no fear, glaring and shouting: "Are you attempting to gather a mob and defy the law?"

The Great Wei Wei Huoshi and his men instantly lost their spirit, holding back their subordinates, eyes blazing, as they watched Lang Xiao Ba seal their own hall!

Lang Xiao Ba, accompanied by two Captains, returned with great swagger.

Xu Yuan saw through the Great Wei Wei Huoshi's petty scheme.

Naturally, he felt displeased.

When Lang Xiao Ba returned and stood before Xu Yuan, he bowed and announced in an especially loud voice: "My lord, the San Niang Society filed a false report and deceived us. Your subordinate has, in accordance with the law, sealed their shop!"

Xu Yuan nearly laughed out loud—the Great Wei Wei Huoshi had picked up a stone only to drop it on his own foot.

Though the punishment was harsh, there was no flaw in the law.

Let it serve as a deep lesson for these people of the San Niang Society.

Xu Yuan merely nodded and said: "You handled it well."

(End of Chapter)