Chapter 245

Before the Mingxin Reform, communication between the central government and the local regions relied solely on messengers riding fast horses.

For a single matter, the back-and-forth explanations and bickering between the local and central authorities could waste up to half a year on the road.

This made the efficiency of solving problems extremely low and caused the central government's control over the local regions to become increasingly weak.

The saying "Heaven is high and the Emperor is far away," the inability of imperial power to reach the county level, and other such drawbacks were half caused by the slow speed of information transmission.

The development of technology changed this phenomenon.

This was the reason why the current Chief Grand Secretary, Ye Zean, had pushed aside all dissenting views and insisted on implementing the "Mingxin Reform" despite thousands of obstacles.

The Mingxin Reform could be said to have forcibly extended the life of the Great Lan Dynasty, an aging empire that had existed for over five hundred years, giving it a chance to rejuvenate.

And as the initiator and leader of the reform, Chief Grand Secretary Ye Zean was undoubtedly a figure who would leave his name in history!

On May 27th, the central cabinet's resolution regarding the Zhang Zongyang case in Datong Prefecture was transmitted back to Feng Province that very day.

Bian Jingru also learned of Chief Grand Secretary Ye Zean's attitude toward the matter through his connections in the central cabinet.

A three-year salary forfeiture meant little to him. Although it would affect his annual performance reviews, for an official of his rank, if he truly still had a chance to move up, it would certainly not depend on annual reviews.

Conversely, if one day he were to be removed, even if he received top marks every year, he would still have to go.

As for apprehending the killers who raided the execution ground and recapturing the escaped prisoners:

Shangguan Xiao and Hao Yi were already dead, which solved more than half the problem and provided a satisfactory explanation to the central authorities.

The relatively difficult part was the Blood-Faced Ghost.

He had to apprehend the Blood-Faced Ghost within three months, or be removed from his post!

Actually, there was a way to solve this problem too.

In fact, the punishment of removal from office seemed severe, but even though it was officials from the provincial capital who had died, the Chief Grand Secretary had only named him, Bian Jingru, to apprehend the killer, without letting the provincial capital get involved.

The implication here was already very clear.

What truly made Bian Jingru feel uneasy was the central government's attitude toward the new university.

Now, Bian Jingru was already aware of Lu Wenzheng's schemes.

The Lu family had been laying plans in the shadows for years and had already seized the initiative, and currently, the central government was not opposed to the establishment of the new university in the Feng Province provincial capital.

If Xu Jing truly succeeded in breaking through his realm and becoming a Grandmaster, it was genuinely possible for a new university to be established in the provincial capital!

Having two universities in the same province meant the competition would be nothing short of intense.

Resources for martial arts cultivation, talent—these were the most direct points of contention!

Beyond that, there was the competition for various invisible resources, such as the fact that graduates from the Martial Arts University could easily enter the officialdom, secure good positions, and find it easier to be promoted in the future.

Relying on one Martial Arts University, people from Datong Prefecture could be found throughout the officialdom of the entire Feng Province, and could even go to other provinces!

This was the foundation of Bian Jingru's confidence in daring to contend with the provincial capital.

But once an additional university appeared in the provincial capital, the students of the Martial Arts University would face a massive number of competitors in the future.

Beyond that, there were influences in every aspect.

It could be said that if the provincial capital established a new university, it would be a heavy blow to both the Martial Arts University and Datong Prefecture!

After pondering in his office for a moment, Bian Jingru called for his secretary and had them send someone to the Martial Arts University to invite Li Fei over.

Over an hour later, Li Fei met with Bian Jingru once again.

Bian Jingru chatted with Li Fei quite amiably for a few moments before getting to the point:

"Last time you asked me if I knew why the provincial capital wanted to cooperate with Xu Jing and help him break through his realm so tirelessly; now I know the answer."

"What is it?"

Li Fei asked.

"To establish a new university."

Bian Jingru told Li Fei the news he had gathered from the central cabinet.

"So... it's true..."

After listening, Li Fei's expression shifted.

When he had interrogated Feng Sanniang, he had once casually guessed that the person behind the scenes couldn't possibly be the Feng Province Inspector, could it?

At the time, Feng Sanniang's reaction had been somewhat obvious, as if Li Fei had truly guessed correctly.

But without concrete intelligence, Li Fei had been unable to be one hundred percent certain of this guess.

Now, the truth had finally come to light.

It turned out that the mastermind behind all of this, besides Xu Jing, was an Inspector!

The target of Li Fei's revenge included not just a Martial Arts Master, but also a fifth-rank Cabinet official, a regional governor, and the head of the Canglin Lu family!

Moreover, Xu Jing might break through to become a Grandmaster and the principal of the Great Lan Dynasty's thirteenth university.

Regardless of which one it was, they were very difficult to kill.

"Xiao Fei, I know you are deeply troubled by the affairs of your teacher and your martial aunt, but you must not be impulsive. You are a peerless genius with the fastest breakthrough speed in history; you have the chance to become a Grandmaster in the future! Only when that time comes will you have the ability to seek justice for your teacher and your martial aunt!"

Bian Jingru said to Li Fei earnestly, "A gentleman's revenge is not too late even after ten years. Rest assured, whether it is in cultivation or in the future overturning the verdict for your martial aunt, I will give you my greatest support!"

"Many thanks, Lord Bian!"

Li Fei stood up and bowed to Bian Jingru.

"Eh."

Bian Jingru smiled and gestured for Li Fei to sit down, "No need to be so formal. Speaking of which, I must also apologize to you."

"My lord, why do you say that?"

Li Fei looked at him.

Bian Jingru said with a face full of guilt: "In the Zhang Zongyang case, Datong Prefecture was constantly led by the nose by the other party, falling into traps step by step. I also bear some responsibility, which ultimately led to your martial aunt being wrongly accused and dying. Now that the central cabinet has reached a conclusion, without concrete evidence, Shangguan Xiao can only continue to bear the infamy of patricide."

Li Fei remained silent.

After learning that the provincial capital intended to establish a new university, Bian Jingru's intention to win him over was no longer hidden.

However, for a dignified Garrison Commander to apologize to a young man under twenty like him, it was indeed quite sincere.

Li Fei stood up again and bowed to him:

"Lord Bian, you are too kind; this matter cannot be blamed on you."

"You child, I already said there is no need for such formalities."

Bian Jingru had Li Fei sit down again, then suddenly asked quite casually:

"Xiao Fei, what do you think of this person, the Blood-Faced Ghost?"

Upon hearing this, Li Fei's expression did not change, and he said calmly: "My lord, I do not know any Blood-Faced Ghost."

"Hahaha."

Bian Jingru laughed, looking at him with deep meaning, "Of course, of course you wouldn't be involved with such lawless criminals."

"Xiao Fei, the imperial court has limited me to apprehending the Blood-Faced Ghost within three months. I am under great pressure now; if you have any clues, you must remember to provide them to me."

"Yes, if there are any clues, I will certainly inform you, my lord, at the first opportunity."

"..."

The two chatted for a while longer, and Bian Jingru personally saw Li Fei out of the office.

Returning to the "Qilin" vehicle, Li Fei closed his eyes in thought.

Today, Bian Jingru had called him over for two reasons: first, to let him know who the true mastermind was, and second, to win him over, letting him know that only by relying on Datong Prefecture and on him, Bian Jingru, would he have the chance to seek revenge and overturn the verdict for Shangguan Xiao in the future.

That final conversation about the Blood-Faced Ghost was a warning to him.

Do not get involved with the Blood-Faced Ghost!

However, Li Fei was not worried that Bian Jingru would capture the Green-Faced Ghost and hand him over to the imperial court as the Blood-Faced Ghost.

Actually, the most rational choice would have been not to intercept the provincial capital's special train.

But Li Fei did not regret his impulsiveness.

Before intercepting the train, he had already considered the worst-case scenario—abandoning the "Green-Faced Ghost" persona!

But now, he was no longer worried.

The provincial capital might establish a new university; under these circumstances, Bian Jingru's priority was how to target the provincial capital.

And the Green-Faced Ghost was a very sharp blade!

Even if this blade might hurt himself, Bian Jingru would not easily give it up.

Otherwise, he would not have specifically called Li Fei over for a talk today, specifically "reminding" Li Fei of the "three-month deadline" given by the imperial court.

This was actually a hint for Li Fei to remind the Green-Faced Ghost not to go out and cause trouble using the Blood-Faced Ghost identity in the future.

A few nights later, Li Fei employed the "Leaf Blinding the Eyes" technique and the Vajra Seal: Treasure Vase, leaving the Martial Arts University without a sound.

In the shadows, he completed his disguise:

Shrinking his stature and putting on a human-skin mask.

And so, the Blood-Faced Ghost, currently wanted by the entire Feng Province, appeared once again!

Li Fei had already guessed how Bian Jingru intended to act; it was nothing more than finding someone to replace him, posing as the Blood-Faced Ghost, and then having them killed on the spot during a fierce battle.

Staging a play for the imperial court to see.

If the central government truly wanted the killer, they would not just let Datong Prefecture handle the arrest themselves.

They would certainly send a special investigation team to participate.

What that Chief Grand Secretary truly wanted was for Bian Jingru to provide a passable explanation.

He wanted the world to understand that those who dared to ignore imperial law and despise imperial majesty would ultimately meet a bad end!

Regarding this point, Bian Jingru, who had been an official for many years, naturally understood well.

Li Fei, who had spent ten years in the system in his previous life, understood it just as well.

So Li Fei decided to "help" Bian Jingru out.

Since the Blood-Faced Ghost was going to "retire" anyway, he might as well put on a good show before "dying"!

Inside a study, various precious antiques were displayed.

A man was sitting in a grand armchair, playing with a string of prayer beads.

The man wore a purple-gold crown, his hair tied with a white jade hairpin, and on his thumb, he wore a jade thumb ring made from the body materials of a fifth-rank exotic beast.

The value of just the prayer beads he was playing with and the jade thumb ring he wore totaled hundreds of thousands!

The man's name was Gu Xianglin, and he had a resounding title in the Datong Prefecture underworld—the "Cannon King"!

"Master, Secretary Liu has returned."

A subordinate said softly outside the study door.

Gu Xianglin did not even lift his head, continuing to study the prayer beads in his hand:

"Let him come see me."

"Yes."

The subordinate left.

A moment later, a middle-aged man pushed open the study door and walked in.

"Master."

"How did it go?"

"The plantation on Jiuchuan Mountain has been completely taken over by us."

Secretary Liu reported.

Besides the Human-Face Manor, the "Beast King" Yu Longqing's influence within Datong Prefecture also included three plantations for exotic beast rations, as well as over a dozen raw material production sites.

After Yu Longqing died, the Qingyuan City Management Company joined forces with the Zhang family and the "Queen" Feng Sanniang to contend with the "Cannon King" and the "Poison King" for the three exotic beast ration plantations and the dozen-plus raw material sites.

Originally, the Qingyuan City Management Company had the upper hand, but Li Fei suddenly killed Feng Sanniang, causing the alliance to collapse and inviting retaliation from Feng Sanniang's forces.

As a result, the two major powers, the "Cannon King" and the "Poison King," naturally took advantage of the situation.

And Li Fei had no heart to deal with these matters during this time, so ultimately, those three exotic beast ration plantations and the dozen-plus raw material sites all fell into the hands of the "Cannon King" and the "Poison King."

"Well done..."

Just as Gu Xianglin intended to reward his subordinate, movement suddenly came from outside the study.

"There's an assassin—"

BOOM!!!!

The ground shook violently.

Gu Xianglin stood up abruptly from his chair, asking sharply:

"What's the situation?"

"Master, an assassin has broken in!"

The guards outside reported immediately.

"How many people?"

"It seems there is only one."

"One person..."

Gu Xianglin felt a sense of unease.

The place where he lived was patrolled 24 hours a day by inspectors and martial artists from the General Academy of Zhige.

The other mansions on this street were also inhabited by big shots of Datong Prefecture.

For so many years, they had never encountered an assassin.

"Go!"

Gu Xianglin decisively chose to retreat, intending to leave through a secret passage.

But just a few steps after leaving the study, a figure crashed through the outer courtyard wall like a cannonball and landed at his feet.

Gu Xianglin looked down, his pupils contracting.

The person on the ground, beaten like a dead dog, was the strongest Dao Foundation-stage powerhouse under his command—Ouyang Cheng.

This person was also one of the few Dao Foundation-stage experts who had participated in the siege of the Green-Faced Ghost King on the wasteland, and was the only survivor of that battle.

Now, this sole survivor was also dead.

"Could it be..."

A guess flashed through Gu Xianglin's mind.

Then he felt a monstrous killing intent!

A figure surrounded by blood energy pulled a series of afterimages through the night, breaking through layers of defense and killing his way to his front with unstoppable force:

"So you're the Cannon King?"

"You..."

Gu Xianglin wanted to say something.

But the other party clearly had no intention of communicating:

"I'll borrow your head for a use!"

As the words fell, blood-red crystals occupied Gu Xianglin's entire field of vision.

The person who arrived was naturally Li Fei.

Bian Jingru had told him, "A gentleman's revenge is not too late even after ten years."

But he felt that revenge should also be "seized in the moment"!

Back then, the "Beast King," "Cannon King," and "Poison King" had joined forces to set a trap and siege him twice.

Now that the "Beast King" Yu Longqing had been dead for nearly two months, Li Fei felt he had waited long enough.

It was time to settle the remaining debts and send the other two down as well...

That night, a battle first broke out on Changping Street in Datong District, where the "Cannon King" Gu Xianglin was killed in his own mansion.

Subsequently, the killer was pursued by people from the General Inspectorate and the General Academy of Zhige, fleeing to another street and breaking into the mansion of the "Poison King" She Zhun.

In the end, She Zhun was chased by the killer into a secret passage and beaten to death!

Overnight, two big shots who had dominated the Datong Prefecture underworld for decades died one after another.

The next morning, the Datong Prefecture government issued a public announcement:

The killer who committed the crimes in Datong District last night was the wanted Blood-Faced Ghost.

The other party was killed on the spot by experts dispatched by the government during last night's fierce battle!

A generation of criminals had thus fallen.

There is another chapter tonight.

(End of chapter)