Chapter 72

Snowy night.

Sheng Yuanyao, who had just cracked a shocking case, was too lazy to even participate in the subsequent discussions and returned to Xiazhou overnight in the snow.

When she came, she was high-spirited and galloping on her horse; when she left, she was walking with her horse, her face ugly.

Behind her was a group of subordinates from the Xiazhou Demon Suppression Division, each with their own injuries, all very silent as they looked at her back.

No matter how this matter was finally characterized, everyone's credit would not be small, and it seemed that everyone would generally be promoted by one level. But in fact, everyone knew basically nothing about this matter, fought and got injured blindly, and only realized it at the end, as if they had picked it up for nothing.

And then they also knew that the young Commander who had dreams in her heart had her dreams shattered.

Lu Xingzhou had been accompanying her, pacing on the official road outside the city, as if accompanying her for a walk after a meal.

It wasn't until they were several miles out of the city that Sheng Yuanyao finally spoke: "Can your leg be okay after walking for so long? I saw that you tried not to move as much as possible when fighting."

"Walking is fine now, I should say I need to walk slowly as much as possible... As for fighting, if it's not forced to that point, I try not to move."

Sheng Yuanyao nodded: "No matter what, thanks for this time."

"I didn't achieve the result you wanted."

"...That's not your problem. What you did has long exceeded the scope of a helper; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say you led it." Sheng Yuanyao thought for a while and suddenly laughed: "You are the same on Shen Tang's side... Is this your usual style of doing things?"

Lu Xingzhou hadn't thought about this aspect carefully, and after being asked, he reflected on himself and nodded: "Yes, I seem to be like this."

Sheng Yuanyao laughed: "Has anyone ever said that you are too aggressive, doing the role of an assistant like a master, and need to find ways to limit you?"

Lu Xingzhou was stunned, fell silent, looked down at his legs, and said for a long time: "Shen Tang wouldn't."

Sheng Yuanyao "snorted" and said leisurely: "Then I'll just wait and see."

Lu Xingzhou didn't answer.

The two walked quietly for a while longer before Sheng Yuanyao said the main point in a low voice: "When you said that clues should be found in the county, I agreed in my heart, feeling that I couldn't find clues to the Xiazhou demon, it was very likely because someone in the county covered it up. So as soon as you said that, I immediately planned to come to the county to see... But even so, I never suspected the County Governor, not only because it was too shocking, but also because his official reputation was very good."

Lu Xingzhou knew what she meant. Hao Jingchuan's official reputation was indeed very good. He had never heard of any corruption or bullying, and many of his political measures had contributed quite a bit to the prosperity of Dongjiang County, which was truly a good official. Compared with the Huo family's reputation in Xiazhou back then, it was a world of difference, and even better than Xu Bingkun's reputation.

Without evidence, you couldn't even conclude that because he was a demon, he must have had blood food behind his back... It was likely that there really wasn't any, because large-scale blood food would be hard to escape the suspicion of the Dongjiang County Demon Suppression Division and couldn't be hidden for so many years.

Of course, being this good didn't mean he was a good demon. This large-scale infiltration only proved that he had planned deeply and didn't want to be kicked off the stage because of any mistakes. Maybe he even wanted to be promoted; by then, he could do more.

Sheng Yuanyao laughed at herself: "Now I can't tell if all the local bureaucrats are human or demons... Look, when a demon case comes out, demons want to cover it up, and humans also want to cover it up. How ridiculous."

It's fine for demons to want to cover it up, but it's precisely because humans also want to cover it up, and it's still generally believed, that this completely shattered the girl's dream.

Sheng Yuanyao continued: "I can't even tell if it's better for them to be human or demons. Hao Jingchuan is a better official than many bureaucrats."

"There's no need to think about that." Lu Xingzhou finally responded: "No matter what demons do now, their ultimate goal is to use you and me as food. Even when I was in the Yama Palace, during my most demonic thinking period, I didn't intend to have any dealings with demons, because everyone has the most fundamental difference... The Yama King is the same, killing demons like slaughtering dogs. Even the demonic path is like this, you imperial court people still think about this?"

"Well, I know, just saying." Sheng Yuanyao stretched: "Sigh... anyway, it's very boring... The case was investigated, but I didn't dare to pursue it, and I didn't even dare to say it. What's the point of doing this job? To say that it will be better when the position is higher, but my father can't do it, and I don't know if I can climb to half of my father's height in this life. It's quite good to go back and be a mixed-eating-and-waiting-to-die official, and go tease the civilian girls."

Lu Xingzhou said: "This is an environmental problem, and it doesn't depend on your Sheng family, so there's no need for self-internal friction."

"Anyway, I really don't want to stay in the local area, for fear that every time I arrive at a place, I can't help but want to lift these bottoms... You know me, my curiosity is too heavy, and sooner or later I will lift something out." Sheng Yuanyao turned her head and smiled at him: "In the future, Xiazhou will be missing a helper who can be used by you. I don't know who the next City Lord and Demon Suppression Division Commander will be, you solve it yourself. Hmm... I believe it's not a problem for you, Young Master Huo."

Sheng Yuanyao was actually quite sure that Lu Xingzhou was not Huo Shang, but she also knew that he was guiding people to think in this direction, so she simply helped him solidify some: "I see that Wan Cheng listens to you now, so you don't need Xiazhou in the county in the future. When I return to the capital, do you need me to help you solidify the identity of Huo Shang?"

"Ambiguity is fine. Because if the real Huo Shang is alive, he wouldn't be willing to admit this bloodline. The more ambiguous it is, the truer it is. For me, even if I want to use this identity, it's disgusting to let myself say I'm a Huo family member, so ambiguity can also make me feel a bit more comfortable... although it can be considered self-deception and meaningless."

"Being able to make yourself feel a bit more comfortable is the meaning. It's quite difficult for me to make myself feel a bit more comfortable now."

Lu Xingzhou: "..."

Sheng Yuanyao laughed: "You are leaning in this direction now because it is beneficial to Princess Chaohuang?"

Lu Xingzhou said frankly: "Hmm... partly. The other part is that this identity is indeed useful for my revenge."

Sheng Yuanyao curled her lips. Lu Xingzhou was so good to Shen Tang that she, who was often used, was inexplicably a bit jealous, but if she thought about it carefully, she knew there was nothing to be jealous of. People are lovers, what are you? Do you really think that the messy touching in the carriage wasn't heard by the dignified Demon Suppression Division Commander?

However, since she knew Shen Tang was a princess, maybe the term lover could be changed to "face-man"?

But she heard Lu Xingzhou say: "Actually, have you ever thought about your own knot, is this also a way to solve it?"

Sheng Yuanyao's footsteps paused.

Lu Xingzhou's words were very clear. The current Emperor is unreliable, and other princes are hard to say, but Shen Tang might be much better in this regard. If she, Sheng Yuanyao, still hopes that the Demon Suppression Division can do what the Demon Suppression Division should do, then her Sheng family should choose Shen Tang.

Sheng Yuanyao stared at his side face: "Is this the meaning of you coming out to see me off? Just to tell me this one sentence?"

Lu Xingzhou shook his head: "No, it's just because my friend is in a bad mood, so I'm accompanying her for a walk. These are just chatted about by the way. In fact, you can't change the family's inclination, and telling you this is of no use."

Sheng Yuanyao looked at him for a long time and revealed a smile: "Judging from your choice of Huo Shang's identity, you will definitely not stay in Xiazhou forever, and sooner or later you will use this identity to make trouble in the capital. Or you will simply go to the capital with Shen Tang, which will be more fun then... Remember to call me when there is a melon, don't let me catch you doing demonic things."

Lu Xingzhou also laughed: "Definitely."

"It's quite unpleasant to leave the capital this time, but it's not a loss to make a friend like you." Sheng Yuanyao flipped onto her horse and turned her head to smile: "Tell Anuo, don't let the little fat face lose weight too early, I want to rub it next time. Gone."

The horse galloped, and in an instant, it went far away. The subordinates of the Xiazhou Demon Suppression Division hurriedly followed. Lu Xingzhou didn't see her off again, watching the fiery red cloak disappear into the night from afar, before slowly turning back to the city.

Anuo carried the wheelchair and ran over: "Master, no one is following."

"That's good, it seems I was overthinking." Lu Xingzhou sat back in the wheelchair with some fatigue, took off the mask, and smiled again: "Sheng Yuanyao likes you very much."

"That's for sure, Anuo is the cutest." Anuo ran back pushing the wheelchair like flying: "Anyway, it's useless to like me, I won't let her rub it."

"How is it over there?"

"Sister Qingli and Yang Dechang are there. This demon, they can't cover it up even if they want to, so it's just like that. Next, they should start a major cleanup, at least it can complete the thing that Sister Yao is thinking about."

"What she is thinking about is not investigating a demon in Dongjiang County... Forget it." Lu Xingzhou didn't say any more, and instead asked: "Regarding Hao Jingchuan's final shout that the Incense-Burning Tower rebelled, what did the people present express?"

"They all know that the old man is a demon, of course they have no expression. At this moment, their minds are not on these things."

"I was afraid they would have an expression and use this excuse to push the Incense-Burning Tower first, then we wouldn't even have a sip of soup." Lu Xingzhou smiled slightly: "It's just right now, with Hao Jingchuan's shout, no matter how we abuse the Incense-Burning Tower, no one will help him make a sound."

While talking, the wheelchair arrived at the fork in the suburbs, and Shen Tang and others were already waiting there.

Also present were a group of powerhouses like Shi Tielong of the Dongjiang Gang.

Seeing Lu Xingzhou arrive, Shi Tielong's expression was extremely solemn. He didn't know too many details about the battle in the County Governor's mansion, but the County Governor's sentence "The Incense-Burning Tower has rebelled" had already spread widely, and he knew things were done. Not only was the attack no problem, but even afterward, no one would speak up for the Incense-Burning Tower.

"Heaven's time, geographical advantage, and human harmony." Lu Xingzhou glanced into the darkness, as if talking to someone: "Don't worry, after tonight, the Incense-Burning Tower guarantees that they won't be able to say anything."

Yang Dechang smiled bitterly in the darkness. He knew that he had been tricked by Lu Xingzhou tonight, and now he didn't know how to explain his relationship with Shen Tang to the people above.

But having said that... Lu Xingzhou's move tonight was breathtakingly amazing. It seemed that except for being a cripple and his cultivation not keeping up, none of the other brothers in the Huo family could compare to him.

What if he solved this problem?