Chapter 440: War! War!

Feng Province Capital, Inspection Department.

Several black sedans pulled up outside the main gate of the Inspection Department. Over a dozen officials in blue official robes stepped out of the cars and walked straight toward the gate.

"Who are you all?"

The guard stationed at the gate asked hurriedly.

The leading official produced a stamped document:

"We are from the Datong Prefecture Inspection Headquarters, here on orders to investigate a case!"

The two guards saw the seal of the Central Inspection Pavilion on the document and were shocked. Just as they were about to speak, the group of officials from Datong Prefecture had already pushed their way inside.

Soon, the people in the Inspection Department were alarmed.

"People from the Datong Prefecture Inspection Headquarters? Investigating us? They must be crazy!"

The first reaction of many officials was that it was absurd.

The Feng Province Inspection Department was responsible for the inspection work of the entire province, and the inspection headquarters of each prefecture were under their jurisdiction. It had always been them sending out investigation teams to inspect officials in various places; never had they been approached by officials from other places to be investigated themselves.

It was simply turning the world upside down!

The group of officials from Datong Prefecture had already walked into an office building.

"Zhuang Hui?!"

In the lobby on the first floor, an official from the Inspection Department suddenly shouted.

He recognized the person in the lead.

The Datong Prefecture official named Zhuang Hui turned his head to look and smiled: "So it is Official Ma."

Ma Ma Xiangwen walked toward them and scolded:

"What are you all doing? Isn't this too presumptuous?"

He was an Inspector of the Inspection Department, a fourth-rank seated official, a level 14 official.

The Zhuang Hui he was questioning was only a third-rank appointed official, a level 12 official.

Therefore, he spoke to Zhuang Hui very impolitely.

According to custom, the Feng Province Inspection Department would send investigation teams to local areas for routine inspections every year. Previously, Ma Ma Xiangwen had led the team to Datong Prefecture every year, and the person responsible for coordinating with his investigation team was Zhuang Hui, so he recognized Zhuang Hui at a glance.

Zhuang Hui: "Acting on orders to investigate a case."

Ma Ma Xiangwen said angrily: "On whose orders? Who has the qualifications to let you come and investigate us?!"

Zhuang Hui unhurriedly showed the document in his hand to the other party.

Ma Ma Xiangwen was startled. At first glance, he also noticed the red seal at the very bottom; it was the seal of the Central Inspection Pavilion, and it even had the corresponding cultivation aura on it, which could not be faked.

However, he was not a gate guard after all, and he was not frightened by this seal.

The name of the Central Inspection Pavilion was indeed very big, but it also depended on who exactly had certified this document.

Ma Ma Xiangwen had also seen many cases of people using a chicken feather as a token of authority and acting like a fox assuming the tiger's ferocity.

So he looked at the second seal on the document. Judging by the style, it was the personal seal of a certain cabinet member of the Central Cabinet.

This made Ma Ma Xiangwen have to be cautious.

A document personally approved by a cabinet member indeed had great deterrent power when placed in a local area!

Ma Ma Xiangwen finally saw two characters in the seal—Li Fei.

At this, he finally could no longer maintain his composure.

"Has Official Ma seen clearly?"

Zhuang Hui asked mockingly.

Ma Ma Xiangwen stared at him fixedly:

"Who are you going to investigate?"

"Who to investigate? That would be quite a lot!"

Zhuang Hui waved his hand, and a subordinate behind him stepped forward and showed Ma Ma Xiangwen a second document:

"Ma Ma Xiangwen, you are suspected of corruption, bribery, and dereliction of duty. Please cooperate with our investigation from now on!"

Ma Ma Xiangwen's expression changed drastically.

He looked at the second document and saw dozens of names written densely on it. Besides his own name, it also included many of his colleagues.

Not only that, he even saw the big name of the Chief Inspector of the Feng Province Inspection Department on this document!

That was a level 16 cabinet official!

Ma Ma Xiangwen's body swayed, and only one thought remained in his mind:

Crazy!

"Official Ma, I don't need to teach you how to cooperate, do I?"

Zhuang Hui said, feeling incomparably refreshed in his heart.

Previously, every year when Ma Ma Xiangwen led a team to Datong Prefecture for inspections, he would lecture Zhuang Hui and the others like they were his grandsons!

The most painful thing for Zhuang Hui and the others every year was dealing with these 'masters' sent from above.

Now that they finally had the opportunity to turn around and investigate Ma Ma Xiangwen and the others, they had finally raised their eyebrows and exhaled!

While Zhuang Hui and the others were breaking into the Feng Province Inspection Department, another team of officials from the Datong Prefecture Inspection Headquarters broke into Hongyi University.

The power and resources controlled by the thirteen universities were extraordinary, and they were directly under the jurisdiction of the Central Cabinet. Without authorization from the center, local governments had no right to directly inspect universities.

Therefore, the status of universities in various provinces was very transcendent.

The presidents of the thirteen universities were equivalent in rank to level 17 cabinet officials, on par with regional governors!

This made it even more impossible for provincial governments to do anything directly to universities.

However, the people who broke into Hongyi University today happened to have this authority, because Li Fei, who was a cabinet member and a Blue Patrol Special Envoy, had authorized them!

In the Vice President's office, Nalan Zhi received the news.

"... Sect Master, they say several elders are suspected of misappropriating public resources and are taking them back for investigation!"

The lecturer who came to report was a disciple of the Qingshan Sword Sect, so the title he used was still the one from the sect.

The several elders he spoke of were also professors at Hongyi University.

*Slap! *

Nalan Zhi slapped the desk heavily, his face full of anger:

"Unreasonable! What qualifications do they have to directly take away people from our Hongyi University?"

"Sect Master, they say they are acting on the orders of the Central Inspection Pavilion, orders directly issued by Blue Patrol Special Envoy Cabinet Elder Li!"

"Cabinet Elder Li? Li Fei!!"

Nalan Zhi gritted his teeth.

With Xu Jing, the president, in seclusion most of the time, he could basically be considered the top leader of Hongyi University.

He was originally the Sect Master of the Qingshan Sword Sect, and later brought the entire sect to join Hongyi University, becoming the university's vice president.

With the help of the university's resources, the Qingshan Sword Sect had developed rapidly over the past two years!

Nalan Zhi himself had also used this opportunity to successfully cultivate a second divine ability, and his cultivation base had advanced further.

Over the past two years, he had almost regarded Hongyi University as his own private property.

Only now, being suddenly investigated, did he realize that Hongyi University was not his; he was just a manager, not the owner.

The real owner was the Imperial Court!

It was just that previously, with the Lu family blocking in front, the Imperial Court's investigations never found any problems, so Nalan Zhi became increasingly bold.

Could the Lu family still block this investigation?

Nalan Zhi's expression was uncertain. He picked up the receiver on the desk and immediately made a call to the Lu Mansion.

A few minutes later, just as Nalan Zhi put down the phone, several officials in blue robes broke straight into his office.

"Vice President Nalan, you are suspected of misappropriating public resources and using your position for personal gain, violating relevant laws many times. Please come with us now!"

The person who came showed a document to Nalan Zhi.

Nalan Zhi's expression changed.

He did not expect that the other party would even move against him, a vice president!

On this day, a total of thirty-seven officials in the Feng Province capital were investigated!

This included the Chief Inspector of the Inspection Department and the Chief of the Stop-Conflict Department, these two cabinet officials!

In addition, seven professors and twenty-one lecturers from Hongyi University were taken away for investigation.

Although Vice President Nalan Zhi was not taken away in the end, he still had to submit a petition to the center to defend himself.

For a time, the entire Feng Province officialdom was like a monstrous wave that had been stirred up!

Without a doubt, this was a war!

These people taken away for investigation all had some handles on them that had been secretly found by Datong Prefecture.

In the past, Datong Prefecture was like having shells but suffering from insufficient range, unable to hit the provincial capital at all.

Now, with the authorization of Li Fei, a Blue Patrol Special Envoy who was a cabinet official, Datong Prefecture's 'range' had suddenly increased, and they could directly cover the provincial capital with firepower!

Thus, the 'shells' that had been accumulated for more than two years were poured onto the head of the provincial capital all at once this time!

In the provincial capital, the Lu family and Hongyi University were caught off guard at the first moment and were a bit dazed.

But they reacted quickly and began to 'protect their assets' while also launching a counterattack.

You can investigate me, and of course, I can investigate you!

It was just that previously, relying on the advantage of 'officials one rank higher crushing people', they could suppress Datong Prefecture.

If it weren't for Datong Prefecture having a Wuan University, they would have long been 'beaten to a pulp' by the provincial capital.

Now that Datong Prefecture had the backing of 'Cabinet Elder Li', who was a Blue Patrol Special Envoy, they had become the side with more power, so they occupied the upper hand in this battle without gunpowder.

Some imperial officials and university lecturers were imprisoned one after another!

However, it was currently limited to the level of imperial officials and university lecturers. As for the higher-level seated officials and university professors, the Lu family and Hongyi University protected them very tightly.

Even if Datong Prefecture had mastered some evidence, they could not completely nail down the charges against these people.

After all, officialdom was not just the inspection system.

The center had six pavilions, and the local areas had six departments and six courts. Everyone cooperated with each other while also checking and balancing each other.

No one could cover the sky with one hand.

In terms of foundation and influence in officialdom, Datong Prefecture still could not compare with the Lu family. Relying only on the authority given by Li Fei, they could at most occupy the upper hand for a while.

This was also the reason why Senior Bian Senior Bian Jingru did not approve of Li Fei counterattacking now at the beginning.

If you can't kill the other party at once, it's better to continue accumulating 'shells' and make a final decision when you are sure!

However, Li Fei insisted on starting to 'fight back', and Senior Bian Senior Bian Jingru could only cooperate.

Not to mention anything else, anyway, this 'battle' was indeed fought very happily!

May 27, Lanling City.

This war without gunpowder between Datong Prefecture and the provincial capital had been going on for more than two months.

For these two months, Li Fei spent most of his time cultivating at his mansion.

A thousand miles away, both sides were fighting until 'rivers of blood flowed'. Two cabinet members and a vice president at the Martial Arts Master realm were forced by Li Fei to submit petitions to defend themselves, but Li Fei himself did not take all this too much to heart.

He insisted on counterattacking just to express an attitude.

He wanted to let the Lu family and Xu Jing know—

Your turn is almost over, and from now on, it's all my turn!

So this sudden investigation targeting the Feng Province capital was not the end, but just the beginning!

Next, Li Fei would send people to investigate the other party from time to time.

He wanted to make all the officials standing on the Lu family's side clearly realize one thing—

As long as you still work for the Lu family, your official hat might be taken off at any time!

A Blue Patrol Special Envoy had such deterrent power, especially Li Fei, this unprecedented level 16 Blue Patrol Special Envoy!

Of course, Li Fei doing this would inevitably be called using public office for private gain.

In fact, over the past two months, the petitions impeaching him had never stopped!

In the Central Cabinet, at the Great Morning Assembly, there were ministers who stood up to impeach him and accuse him of such behavior.

Some suggested demoting Li Fei's official position, letting him be demoted back to a level 15 Blue Patrol Special Envoy.

Others suggested simply removing Li Fei from his position as Blue Patrol Special Envoy!

But until now, whether it was Chief Secretary Ye Ye Zean or the Emperor, there had been no reaction to this matter.

They did not remove Li Fei from his position, nor did they demote him, and they didn't even scold him a single word.

Li Fei knew this clearly in his heart, because he was about to go and fight a real war, so the Emperor and Ye Ye Zean had a relatively high tolerance for him during this period.

Next, he was going to the Northern Frontier to fight for the country, so he would not be able to continue authorizing Datong Prefecture to investigate the Lu family and Hongyi University.

In the secret room, Li Fei stuck a milky white, mud-like thing onto his dantian.

Soon, this mud-like thing merged into his dantian.

This was the level 4 implant of the technique type 【White Mist Pawn】, which was one of the 'Earthly Fiends' that made up the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends.

After merging with 【White Mist Pawn】, Li Fei activated Sword State · Golden Body Jade Marrow and began to incorporate the newly merged implant into his Flying Sword Body.

In this process, there was still a 'Little Li Fei' in his body, just like a blacksmith, chasing after 【White Mist Pawn】 all the way, constantly hammering it into various parts of his body.

This 'Little Li Fei' was the true spirit of the Flying Sword Body and also Li Fei's 'Second Consciousness'.

The process of strengthening the natal magic treasure had two difficulties:

The first is artifact refining.

It is necessary to ensure that the newly merged implant will not cause damage to the natal magic treasure; otherwise, once a problem occurs, it will take more time, energy, and materials to recuperate the natal magic treasure.

Quite a few True Persons have repeatedly made mistakes in this step, eventually damaging their foundation and causing the natal magic treasure to be unable to continue strengthening.

The second is resonance.

After merging with a new implant, it is necessary to let the true spirit of the natal magic treasure establish a deep-level connection with the newly merged implant and form a new resonance with the strengthened natal magic treasure. Only in this way can one truly control the strengthened natal magic treasure and, by the way, use the natal magic treasure to strengthen one's own true spirit and true power in turn.

There are also quite a few True Persons who are very talented in the artifact refining step but struggle in the resonance step.

However, these two difficulties were nothing to Li Fei.

He had the Ten Thousand Blood Pearl to transfer damage, which could ensure the artifact refining process, maximize the fault tolerance rate, and almost never worry about refining the natal magic treasure into a broken one.

His natal magic treasure was himself, and his connection with his natal object was unparalleled in the world! So he could also do it easily in the resonance step.

In just two months, Li Fei had already merged with four types of level 4 implants and was currently merging with the fifth.

Even if the level 5 implant to be merged next needed more time, according to Li Fei's speed, he would definitely be able to complete the strengthening of the first 'Twelve Fiends' within a year, thereby having the opportunity to cultivate the second divine ability of the Flying Sword Body!

For ordinary True Persons, completing the integration of one level 4 implant in a year was already very fast.

True Persons who choose to refine Earth-level low-grade magic treasures need to merge with thirty-six types of level 4 implants to cultivate a second divine ability, but in fact, many people may not be able to cultivate their second divine ability even after forty years.

Li Fei's speed was simply like cheating to these people!

In the secret room, a bell suddenly rang.

This was because there was something important outside that had to interrupt Li Fei's cultivation.

Li Fei stopped refining 【White Mist Pawn】 and walked out of the secret room.

"Marquis, someone from the palace has come, asking you to enter the palace."

The Marquis Mansion steward said to Li Fei.

Li Fei nodded, revealing an excited expression.

The Emperor had told him before that the use of troops against the Northern Barbarians would probably be within these few months.

Now that he was suddenly summoned to the palace, it was probably that the Imperial Court was preparing to send troops!

This meant that he was about to set off for the Northern Frontier.

To participate in a real war!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 441 =====