Chapter 234: Causing Trouble

Xu Yuan hadn't expected that after the auspicious object "merged," it would be so domineering!

He had specifically waited until nightfall, worried there might be some strange phenomenon, wanting to avoid the eyes of the crowd.

Yet in the night, it was even more conspicuous!

This was unavoidable; if it were daytime, even more people would see it.

The moment the sword and stone merged, and the yellow light and auspicious clouds erupted, Xu Yuan heard all sorts of strange sounds coming from outside the courtyard.

Countless evil spirits were fleeing in panic.

But in Xu Yuan's eyes, this yellow cloud and auspicious light was merely a cluster about one zhang in size.

What living humans saw and what the evil spirits saw were utterly different in terms of majesty and power.

The eight Captains remaining on night watch in the Nancheng Patrol Station.

Were all startled at this moment, rushing out to investigate. When they saw the cloud and auspicious light, they were all dumbfounded: "This, this stone..."

Although it had always been rumored that this thing was an auspicious object, it seemed to have been useless before.

Xu Yuan waved his hand and said softly, "Do not make a scene!"

The Captains nodded repeatedly.

They warned each other: "Do not go out and brag blindly!"

"You're talking about me? You have the biggest mouth among us. It was you who first bragged about the trip to Yujing Village at the office during the day, and got scolded by Inspector Shi!"

"This good thing must be kept here in our Nancheng Patrol Station."

"If the office finds out, and the Lord of Discipline speaks up, could you refuse?"

While saying this, they walked back and tightly closed the doors and windows: "Tonight, we saw nothing."

Then they gathered privately to discuss: "Tomorrow, we'll go buy some incense, candles, and fruit..."

Zhang Laoya also saw that auspicious light, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

Zhang Laoya had secretly inspected this bridge stone as well, and found nothing supernatural about it.

How is it that since this young man returned, it has become extraordinary?

This young man... seems increasingly worth investing in.

As a practitioner of Merchant Law, he had thought his investment in Xu Yuan was already heavy enough, but now it seemed... he should add more!

Fu Jingyu and Song Da now also live in the Nancheng Patrol Station.

Fu Jingyu was still reading by lamplight.

Although he was a Law Cultivator, he had loved reading since childhood.

Unfortunately, the Fu family inherited the "Maoshan method."

If he could choose for himself, he would certainly choose to become a Literary Cultivator.

In fact, when he took Ma Tianshou as his master, he intended to cultivate both Law and Literature.

But Ma Tianshou believed he should cultivate Literature only after reaching the Sixth Flow realm.

Young Master Fu was more interested in the auspicious object itself, and since he had accompanied Xu Yuan to Yujing Village, a single thought allowed him to guess what had happened.

A faint smile appeared on his rigid face as he murmured to himself: "This is fortune and karma..."

He did feel envy.

Although his background, learning, and other aspects were superior to Xu Yuan's, his current achievements were clearly far behind the other's.

But he would never be jealous.

Fu Jingyu had long made detailed plans for himself and would follow his established path step by step.

Whether those around him were faster or slower than him would not affect Fu Jingyu's mindset.

Fu Jingyu knew deeply that everything of his concerned only himself.

As for Young Lady Song... after having two meals alone with Brother Jingyu during the day and spending an afternoon in private, she was now asleep, dreaming a beautiful dream of flying together with Brother Jingyu.

The auspicious light lasted for about ten breaths, then withdrew into the bridge stone along with that grand aura.

Xu Yuan sensed it; he could still control both Dragon-Slaying Swords using the Sword Case.

It was quite strange: this Male Sword could merge with the bridge stone, yet also pair with the Female Sword inside the Sword Case.

Xu Yuan stroked his chin: Scum Sword!

Xu Yuan did not retrieve the Male Sword; at night, he let it accompany the bridge stone.

The Nancheng Patrol Station thus gained a powerful protection.

During the day, let it return to the Sword Case, pair with the Female Sword, and accompany me to slay demons and eliminate evil!

Even a sword needs time management.

Xu Yuan then turned and went back to his room to sleep.

It was not until noon the next day that Luocheng remained quiet, with no news arriving.

Xu Yuan found this strange.

The Shanhe Bureau's reaction should not be so sluggish.

What Xu Yuan did not know was...

Ma Tianshou was also very sharp.

After receiving He Youxing's letter yesterday, he pondered for a moment, then immediately slammed the table and rose, heading straight for the Shanhe Bureau's Luocheng Office to demand accountability.

The organizational structure of the Shanhe Bureau in Southern Jiaozhi differed from that of the Purification Bureau; they did not divide into north and south, and since the Shanhe Bureau was subordinate to the Canal Office, the Jiaozhi Office and the Jiaozhi Canal Office were built in the same location.

Both were in Huacheng in the central region.

Therefore, the Luocheng Office and the Champa Office were of the same rank.

When Ma Tianshou came to demand accountability, the entire Luocheng Office was scolded black and blue, but they could not handle this matter, so they reported it up to Huacheng.

Ma Tianshou immediately issued an official document, rebuking the Southern Jiaozhi Office of the Shanhe Bureau in Thuận Hóa City.

Even though my rank is half a grade lower than yours, I still have every right to be righteous.

Your Champa Office has gone too far—we helped you handle the canal issues out of goodwill, yet you set a trap to harm my commander's students and trusted subordinates?

When the Southern Jiaozhi Office of the Shanhe Bureau in Thuận Hóa City received the document, their heads rang: this matter had become serious.

The Shanhe Bureau is powerful; most of the time, when facing other imperial offices, they are utterly unreasonable.

But the Purification Office isn't one to reason either!

The Three Zhancheng Yamen of the Ming Empire… when it comes to "never taking a loss," they're evenly matched.

The Shanhe Bureau is certainly the most brutal of them all.

But it lacks the power to crush the Purification Office.

The Purification Office has now openly mobilized to demand justice, and the Shanhe Bureau well knows what their own people are like… especially those who cultivate the Dragon Transformation Art—they're truly capable of such deeds.

Therefore, they must respond cautiously.

The Southern Jiaozhi Office reported upward while still resentful, determined to challenge the Purification Office in a trial of power.

Thus, whispers from the Southern Jiaozhi Office quietly reached the Champa Office.

On the third morning after Xu Yuan returned from Yujing Village, the Champa Shanhe Bureau erupted in furious uproar.

The Chief of Law was dead, but there remained one Deputy Chief of Law and two Inspectors.

And over a hundred Inspectors and Captains.

Deputy Chief of Law Zheng Hong personally carried Fu Shuanghui's spirit tablet.

Everyone removed their swords, wore only their uniforms with soft armor beneath, and escorted the spirit tablet in a massive procession straight toward the Purification Office.

The two offices were very close; the Shanhe Bureau's people arrived quickly.

The Captains on duty at the gate today were under Sang Yizi's command.

Four men stood at the gate with swords at their sides; the Shanhe Bureau's large group arrived shouting and charging, and the four looked utterly bewildered: What is this?

The four stepped forward to block and ask: "You—"

Before they could finish, Zheng Hong roared: "How dare you show disrespect to the Chief of Law's spirit tablet—beat them!"

Seven or eight men surged from the Shanhe Bureau crowd and swung their fists; the four had no chance—they were knocked to the ground instantly.

"Ow! Ow!"

The four screamed, then were lifted up and thrown with a chant of "One, two, three!"—boom! —into the Purification Office courtyard.

Zheng Hong pointed again at the Purification Office gate: "Surround it!"

The Shanhe Bureau men surrounded the Champa Purification Office.

Over a hundred voices shouted together: "Demand justice for Lady Fu Shuanghui!"

"The Purification Office, hand over the killer of Lady Fu!"

"Kill for a life!"

"Hand over the villain Xu Yuan!"

Nearby merchants and vendors had long fled, but many others peered from the street ends, eyes gleaming with excitement: This was a grand spectacle—two offices were fighting!

(End of Chapter)