Chapter 885: First Volume, Chapter 885: Who stands below the court, filing a complaint against me?

First Volume, Chapter 885: Who stands below the court, filing a complaint against me?

Zhou Bantou was drenched in sweat; these women, being relatives of the Marquis of Qin, must be powerful figures in Liang Kingdom who could sway the winds and rain—yet they had come quietly to Changshui County, leaving only two possibilities: either they had a secret matter to discuss, or they intended to surprise the Marquis of Qin.

If it was the former, Zhang Dahu and his hired thugs were dead men.

Such quietness implied some earth-shattering event, and any delay would have dire consequences.

If it was the latter…

Hmm, the entire Changshui County might be turned upside down…

Who would surprise the Marquis of Qin? Naturally, the womenfolk!

The Marquis of Qin was famously protective of his female relatives; anyone who dared harm them would face thunderous retribution. Recall how, when just one of his maids was injured by a night owl's stealth attack, he slaughtered countless Northern Di men in a frenzy of vengeance…

Of the four Celestial Immortals in the carriage, apart from the two maids, the remaining two were unmistakably of the principal wife's rank…

Oh no, this is bad.

Zhou Bantou, his toes digging into the ground in nervous tension, hurriedly led the Yamen Runners to escort the carriage to the County Yamen with utmost caution.

Meanwhile, in the County Yamen's Back Courtyard, Qin Feng leaned back in his chair, one hand gripping a steaming teapot, the other reading military intelligence reports delivered by the Brocade Guard.

Liu Ming stood beside him, reporting softly: "My Lord, the First Miss, Third Miss, Shu Feng, and Xiangxiang have arrived in Changshui County."

"The local hired thugs—Zhang Dahu, Wang Gang, and five others—deliberately blocked the carriage and schemed to extort money through a fake bump."

"But Zhou Bantou has already handled it."

The Brocade Guard's spies were everywhere across the nations; Liang and Northern Di informants were countless.

As soon as the four women left Jingdu, numerous Brocade Guard agents had begun trailing them covertly for protection.

The four women had slipped quietly into Northern Di territory, clearly intending to surprise him—so Qin Feng chose not to expose their scheme, lest he spoil the moment.

As for the bandits, thieves, and scheming bumpkins they encountered along the way, none had managed to board the carriage; they simply tossed some coins to settle the matter and continued their quiet journey.

Yet, in keeping with the Brocade Guard's nature, without Qin Feng's orders, every single person who had tried to intercept them had been slaughtered afterward.

In short, the four women's entire journey had been under Qin Feng's tight surveillance.

After all, these four girls were far too important to Qin Feng to risk even the slightest mishap.

As for what had just happened outside, Qin Feng still chose to listen but not act; they were already here, so there was no need to rush. Besides, the four women were surely thrilled, preparing to slam their surprise onto Qin Feng's face, then proudly cross their arms and scold him for being heartless and never returning home. How could he possibly douse their joy at the final moment?

He had enough emotional intelligence for that.

"My Lord, what about the Third Miss's golden dangling hairpin?" Liu Ming asked softly.

Qin Feng shrugged: "No problem. It'll be returned on its own soon."

Liu Ming hesitated, then asked: "And the man?"

Qin Feng rested his chin in thought: "Chen Biao of Yong'an Treasure House seems to be a bachelor, only keeping a few concubines here and in Lin Xian. Forget killing him for now—what if he suddenly repents? Killing him would be a mistake, since he didn't directly involve himself."

"As for those hired thugs…"

Before Qin Feng could finish, Chen Tian rushed over, panting heavily.

"My Lord, Chen Biao of Yong'an Treasure House has filed a formal complaint, accusing the four foreign women of injuring his comrades and demanding justice!"

Hearing this, Qin Feng shook his head with a wry smile: "I overestimated human nature after all. Chen Biao is a casino owner—cruel and cunning. Seeing the golden dangling hairpin, his greed flared up, and he sought to squeeze even more benefits."

Liu Ming chuckled, utterly dismissing the scum: "That's convenient."

Chen Tian, standing nearby, was stunned— he hadn't even spoken yet, yet how did the Marquis and Liu Ming know so clearly?

But remembering the Brocade Guard's vast reach, Chen Tian dared not ask; he quickly bowed and clasped his hands: "I shall immediately send men to arrest Chen Biao and the others."

Qin Feng raised his hand: "No need. Since Chen Biao dares to sue my womenfolk, how could I not appear?"

"Proceed with the court session as usual."

Soon, the Beixi County Courthouse was packed; Yamen Runners lined both sides, while plaintiff and defendant stood before the bench.

Leading the plaintiff's side was a middle-aged man, forty-something, with a full beard and a stout, round waist—Chen Biao, owner of Yong'an Treasure House.

Beside Chen Biao stood three others: Zhang Dahu, Wang Gang, and a young hired thug.

On the defendant's side, the figures were unmistakable: Princess Mingyue of Liang, Chief of the Brocade Guard, Qin Feng's Third Sister, Li Xiaolan.

Director of Finance and Internal Affairs for Beixi County, also in charge of Cultural Propaganda, Qin Feng's Elder Sister, Shen Qingci.

The remaining two were the delicate Xiao Xiangxiang and the bodyguard-maid Shu Feng.

Chen Tian sat below the bench, while the bench itself remained empty. Under everyone's gaze, Qin Feng drew aside the curtain and stepped forward. Though a foreign envoy, he showed no hesitation and sat directly in the seat reserved for Northern Di officials.

All present watched this, the courtroom falling utterly silent.

Who in all of Changshui County did not know Qin Feng?

Chen Biao's heart churned with doubt—how could such a trivial matter warrant the Marquis's personal appearance? Was he bored out of his mind?

Though he grumbled inwardly, he dared not speak, instead adopting a posture of utmost deference.

Meanwhile, Li Xiaolan and the others stood nearby, their expressions subtly amused; they blinked, smiling broadly at Qin Feng.

Qin Feng deliberately feigned utter shock, pushing his acting to its peak.

As expected, the four women grew triumphant, each assuming the pose of "you figure it out yourself."

Qin Feng swallowed hard, appearing nervous—yet inside, he was chuckling.

Since Mo Li stepped down, Third Sister Li Xiaolan had become Chief of the Brocade Guard, overseeing all affairs—but even she didn't know everything.

Qin Feng was the Brocade Guard's hidden safeguard; certain matters were reported to him alone.

Thus, the Brocade Guard's covert protection and full surveillance had remained entirely unknown to Li Xiaolan.

If they were to perform a play, they must perform it fully.

After a long pause, Qin Feng feigned recovering from shock and asked sternly: "Chen Biao, owner of Yong'an Treasure House, accuses you four of assaulting someone in public—is this true?"

At these words, the four women burst into laughter simultaneously.

Xiao Xiangxiang broke character, covering her mouth and letting out a snort of laughter.

Shu Feng's face flushed red, while Shen Qingci smiled warmly, studying Qin Feng as if to say: "You little rascal, what an imposing air you've put on."