Chapter 237: The Case of Lord Wen

Xu Yuan's single remark made a vein on He Youxing's forehead jump.

He wanted to explode with anger but couldn't.

"Subordinate is actually blaming myself, as the chief official, for lacking responsibility."

If Ma Tianshou were here at this moment, he would have already cursed loudly and scolded this brat severely.

Then, for any matters afterward, he would try his best to take the blame for Xu Yuan.

But He Youxing did not want to take the blame.

Since he did not want to take the blame, he could not scold; the other person implied he lacked responsibility, which was not wrong.

Xu Yuan continued, "We hold the moral high ground. Shanhe blocking our office entrance and obstructing our case investigation—what logic is that?"

He Youxing still had a suppressed fire in his heart; he gritted his teeth, his cheek muscles bulged twice, and finally decided to follow Xu Yuan's lead: "What case?"

Xu Yuan then solemnly stated the "case."

He Youxing was too lazy to argue whether such a case truly existed; he swept his sleeve and left: "Since they reported to your Nancheng Patrol Station, let you be responsible. Just file a record at the office."

"Subordinate obeys."

After walking a while, He Youxing suddenly realized, why was there only someone on his right?

On his right was Sang Yizi; on his left, Shi Bading should have been.

He turned his head and saw Shi Bading bringing people to follow up.

"Hmm?" He Youxing looked puzzled. Shi Bading gave a sheepish smile: "Subordinate... wanted to help my lord scold Xu Yuan a couple of times. Young people are still too immature."

Of course, he did not want to scold; at that very moment, Shi Bading's first thought was: A case?

An opportunity to share merit with Brother Xu has arrived.

But one or two sentences could not explain it clearly, and he could not really abandon his old superior.

"Hmph!" He Youxing glared at him and wanted to deliver a few admonishing words.

But out of the corner of his eye, he immediately saw many of the Captains behind Shi Bading and Sang Yizi turning their heads to glance toward Xu Yuan.

The subordinates do not want to follow me.

He Youxing was startled; he suddenly realized his prestige at Zhan Cheng Office had severely declined!

These Captains were personally recruited by Shi Bading and Sang Yizi.

Although He Youxing had long seen through Shi Bading's intentions, now was not the time for scolding.

He Youxing waved his hand and continued walking forward.

The incident that occurred before Zhan Cheng Office spread to Shunhua City the next day.

But Ma Tianshou also arrived in Shunhua City.

The old man personally came to the Canal Office to protest!

Of course, it was not only because of Xu Yuan; Seeing Fu Jingyu and Song Lu were also involved.

Song Lu's letter had already reached Fifth Aunt's hands. Fifth Aunt ran about in Luocheng and provided Ma Tianshou with considerable assistance.

In the end, this matter indeed did not depend on who held the moral high ground but became a confrontation between the "Purification Bureau, the Fu Family, and the Song Family" on one side, and the "Shanhe Office and the Fu Family" on the other.

The so-called "arch-criminal" Xu Yuan, in this, merely became a "related figure."

Ma Tianshou argued with people inside the Shunhua City Canal Office for two days. Finally, a team departed from Shunhua City to travel to Zhan Cheng to investigate the "truth" of this incident.

The team included Old Yan and an Inspector from Shanhe Office.

But the team's commander was an Imperial Censor from Shunhua City.

Named Wen Bin, he did not belong to the Zhu Sanya of Strange Affairs and was sought by all sides to serve as an "arbiter."

This person... was simply an unlucky soul.

All Huangming officials in Shunhua City were avoiding this assignment because it was destined to offend one side.

In the end, it fell upon him.

As soon as Wen Bin arrived in Zhan Cheng, Xu Yuan, Wan Yun, and Zheng Hong were suspended from their posts.

However, on the Shanhe Office side, a new Zhan Cheng Office Law Master also arrived.

The new Law Master carried a secret mission: Under no circumstances could Lady Fu Shuanghui's guilt be confirmed!

It concerned the face of Shanhe Office.

And He Youxing was indecisive and failed to protect his subordinates adequately.

In the end, it was Wen Bin who insisted on principles, determined to uncover the truth.

Twice he nearly died in the hands of evil spirits, yet ultimately he convicted Lady Fu Shuanghui and cleared Xu Yuan and the Purification Bureau.

Zheng Hong was also demoted to a regular Captain for previously blocking the door and obstructing the Purification Bureau's case investigation.

Wen Bin belonged to the "Pure Stream" faction within Huangming and did not get along well with the vast majority of officials in Shunhua City.

But after this case was concluded, not long afterward, a storyteller in Zhan Cheng began performing a new tale titled Wen Gong An!

Moreover, it was a series of stories. The opening was naturally Xu Yuan and Lady Fu Shuanghui's "Demon-Slaying the Water Dragon Case," but the sequel included several other cases.

All were cases Wen Bin had handled before.

In terms of excitement, the "Demon-Slaying the Water Dragon Case" was undoubtedly the foremost.

It then spread from Zhan Cheng to Luocheng, Shunhua City... and even slowly returned to Zheng Zhou, Nan Du, and Bei Du!

The great name of Wen Gong, upright, incorruptible, and unyielding, would slowly spread throughout the world.

This development... left Xu Yuan bewildered.

When Wen Bin eliminated all interference and insisted on uncovering the truth to restore his own "innocence," Xu Yuan truly felt a touch of gratitude.

He felt that this Lord Wen Bin, like Seeing Fu Jingyu, was the type of person who was rigid yet steadfastly held to inner principles.

In the end, however, he became the greatest beneficiary of this matter.

It's just that the "gameplay" of the Clear Stream differs from our Zhu Sanya of Strange Affairs.

Regardless, Xu Yuan has finally extricated himself from this case.

He was restored to his former post—and promoted half a rank.

He is now a true Patrol Inspector.

This appointment was personally signed by Ma Tianshou.

Originally, according to the Huangming precedent, Xu Yuan would not have escaped the fate of "beating both sides fifty times," facing either demotion or salary deduction.

But the Old Lord refused!

He did it deliberately to spite the Shanhe Office.

During the investigation, the Shanhe Office secretly employed many tactics, twice nearly killing Wen Bin.

Ma Tianshou not only failed to punish Xu Yuan but insisted on using the merit of "beheading Lady Fu Shuanghui" to promote Xu Yuan to Patrol Inspector!

The Shanhe Office suffered a rather crushing defeat this time, losing significant face.

In the short term, they will certainly be very well-behaved.

In the long term... they will definitely find a way to get their revenge.

And during the period when Wen Bin presided over the investigation, Uncle Mao Si traveled to Champa, interrogated Lady Fu Shuanghui's soul, and extracted the cultivation methods for the Nine Ranks to the Fifth Rank of the Dragon-Transformation Art from her memories.

Lady Fu Shuanghui did not know the subsequent techniques.

The Fu family was also very cautious.

Only when a family member reached the Eighth Rank would the Seventh Rank techniques be transmitted.

Only upon reaching the Seventh Rank would the Sixth Rank techniques be transmitted.

This was to prevent the Dragon-Transformation Art from leaking out.

The Dragon-Transformation Art originates from the Canal Dragon King; if it were fully leaked, the Fu family could not bear this responsibility.

After Xu Yuan studied the Dragon-Transformation Art, Xu Yuan frowned deeply.

Within the Dragon-Transformation Art, every rank contains many spells and martial techniques.

The spells are all unique secret manuals.

Only those who cultivate the Dragon-Transformation Art can cast them.

The martial techniques are similar to the Wu Mi of a Wu Xiu.

Their power is in no way inferior!

Yet during the battle between Xu Yuan and Lady Fu Shuanghui, she did not use these abilities.

Because these spells and martial techniques require separate cultivation.

It is not that upon reaching the Seventh Rank, the corresponding spells and martial techniques of the Seventh Rank become usable.

Xu Yuan estimated that, without cultivating all of them, selecting and mastering three or four from each rank would almost make one invincible at the same level.

If Lady Fu Shuanghui had done this, she could have suppressed and killed Tian Jing in three or five moves.

But Lady Fu Shuanghui only selected and cultivated very few types.

Lady Fu Shuanghui devoted almost all her effort to "advancement."

She seemed extremely eager to reach a higher level.

Xu Yuan did not understand why she was so.

(End of this chapter)