We Are the Imperial Guards

Baiyun County, Changbie Alley. A troop of Black Riders charged through, scattering the terrified populace to the sides.

Leading the Black Riders was Shen Qing, with Lin Zikai, looking like he'd swallowed a fly, trailing behind him.

The commotion was so great that Shen Qing had no intention of acting covertly. He wanted to uproot the Huang family with lightning speed.

Lin Zikai gazed at the Huang Manor, now faintly visible ahead, and asked, "Sir, what is your plan?"

"What plan? The Huang family attacked and killed the Emperor's personal guards. Annihilation is the only course of action, wouldn't you agree?"

Shen Qing's tone was calm, but his words were chilling.

Shen Qing roared.

"Listen up, everyone! Charge in directly! Leave no one alive who dares to resist!"

"Yes!"

With that, Shen Qing spurred his horse forward like a leopard.

He drew his Wild Goose Feather Saber with his right hand, activating the Roughening Wind Saber Technique.

A cold glint flashed through the air.

Shen Qing carved a massive hole through the Huang family's thick earthen wall.

The sound was so loud it could be heard for miles.

Several household guards armed with steel sabers immediately swarmed out of the Huang Manor, cursing loudly.

But in the next second, the sound of projectiles slicing through the air filled the space.

Arrows embedded themselves in the vital spots of these guards.

Black Dog and Old Li then led the charge into the Huang Manor, striking down anyone who dared to hold anything in their hands.

Shen Qing narrowed his eyes. A burly man burst out of a study, wielding a black iron spear. This was Huang Zikun.

At the same time, Huang Zikun noticed Shen Qing. However, he didn't take him too seriously, as Shen Qing had been fleeing from him just hours earlier.

He turned to look at the Imperial Guards slaughtering people within the manor, intending to stop them first.

But the next moment, Huang Zikun's hair stood on end as a cold voice echoed in his ear.

"How dare you turn your backside to me?"

Huang Zikun instinctively tried to counter with his spear, but as he raised his hand, a tremendous force struck his abdomen.

Huang Zikun was sent flying backward, leaving a blur in the air. He crashed through three walls before finally stopping.

Shen Qing's kick caused all the Imperial Guards in the manor to pause for a moment. They looked at Shen Qing and swallowed hard.

At the same time, they silently rejoiced that the kick hadn't landed on their own waists.

From amidst the rubble, Huang Zikun pushed away a large stone pinning him down. Blood gushed uncontrollably from his mouth.

"How... how is this possible?"

Huang Zikun struggled to get up, but he couldn't. He could no longer feel his lower body. Shen Qing's kick had shattered his lumbar spine.

"Patriarch Huang, I trust you are well. If I recall correctly, I have never offended you. Why did you frame me?"

Shen Qing walked calmly towards Huang Zikun.

A flicker of despair appeared in Huang Zikun's eyes. His scheme had truly been exposed. Still, he decided to put up a fight.

"Lord Shen, you jest. How could a mere merchant family dare to frame you?"

Shen Qing chuckled.

"Black Dog, go grab a few people. This Patriarch Huang seems to have a poor memory. Help him remember."

Although the Huang family had many servants, they were all weaklings, no match for the well-trained Imperial Guards.

Seeing Huang Zikun instantly defeated by a single kick, the rest crumbled like a collapsing dam. In just a few exchanges, the servants were in full retreat.

Soon, the Huang family's female dependents were also rounded up by the Imperial Guards.

Black Dog scanned the crowd and immediately locked onto several women – Huang Zikun's concubines.

He strode forward, grabbed a concubine by her hair, and dragged her to Shen Qing's side despite her wails.

Black Dog drew his steel saber. With a swift stroke, the woman's hand fell to the ground. A piercing scream erupted from the Huang Manor.

"Patriarch Huang, do you remember now?"

The Patriarch Huang was on the verge of collapse, but he refused to yield. He still held onto a sliver of hope that someone would come to his rescue.

"Lord Shen, I truly didn't..."

Shen Qing didn't even turn his head. He simply gestured with his finger. Black Dog's expression turned cold, and with another swift strike, the screams abruptly ceased.

A round head rolled to Huang Zikun's feet.

Seeing Shen Qing remain silent, Black Dog continued towards the crowd and grabbed a woman in a green dress – Huang Zikun's favorite concubine.

The woman in the green dress immediately burst into tears, sobbing.

"Husband, save me! Please save me!"

"Husband! Just tell them! They're Imperial Guards! They won't stop until they get what they want!"

This sentence completely shattered Huang Zikun's psychological defense. That's right, they were Imperial Guards.

"I'll talk, I'll talk, just stop."

Shen Qing waved his hand, and the saber raised high by Black Dog halted, stopping just a few centimeters from the green-skirted woman's arm.

Shen Qing let out a cold laugh.

"Couldn't you have just said so earlier? You had to make me go through the whole process. What a waste of time."

Huang Zikun's eyes were filled with regret, and he gritted his teeth tightly.

Shen Qing: "Speak, where did the silver go."

"I don't know. I only know the silver went east..."

There weren't many questions, and Huang Zikun was very cooperative. The interrogation was over in no time.

Old Li approached Shen Qing, holding a piece of paper.

"My lord, Huang Zikun has confessed everything."

"He doesn't know where the silver is, nor does he know who ambushed us."

"However, the one who recruited him was a low-ranking officer from the Imperial Guards, Xiao Bin, who promised him a position as a Patrol Inspector in the Patrol and Inspection Department."

Shen Qing glanced at Huang Zikun, who was lying on the ground like a dead dog, and chuckled.

No wonder a merchant was willing to take such a risk; he wanted to get into politics.

"My lord, should we continue the interrogation?"

Shen Qing shook his head: "Have him sign and fingerprint."

Huang Zikun numbly signed his name and pressed his fingerprint. Then, he looked at Shen Qing with a sliver of impossible hope.

"I've confessed everything, and I've signed. Can you spare my Huang family?"

"My Huang family has accumulated some savings over the years. I'm willing to offer it all to you, my lord."

Shen Qing snorted. Instantly, silver light flashed throughout the courtyard as countless sabers were raised high and then brought down sharply.

This was accompanied by the sound of heads rolling.

Huang Zikun completely broke down: "Why! Why! Shen Qing! Why!"

Shen Qing drew his Wild Goose Feather Saber and slowly walked towards Huang Zikun.

"You're not as insightful as your concubine. Didn't she just say it?"

"We're Imperial Guards."

A flash of silver light.

[Congratulations on successfully plundering the trait: Extraordinary Physique (Green)]

Baiyun County General's Office.

Sun Jin's face had completely returned to normal, but his teeth were gone for good.

He was crying and complaining of injustice in Sun Yan's room.

After a while, he left the room in tears after Sun Yan promised to help him get revenge.

After Sun Jin had gone far away, a man in a purple robe emerged from behind a screen. He looked at Sun Yan's displeased face and smiled.

"Commander Sun, why are you so angry? Those carts of silver have already been hidden. Just wait for this storm to pass, and Commander Sun, you'll be rich."

Sun Yan's face was full of worry: "There's something wrong with that Shen Qing."

The purple-robed man sneered: "What's wrong? If you ask me, we should have just killed him along with the others."

"You insisted he was a big fish, and you wanted to make another profit."

Sun Yan shook his head: "He wiped out the Sishui Gang today and beat up my men."

"Is there a possibility that the higher-ups have discovered our anomaly, and this Shen Qing is their mole?"

"Was his previous incompetence all an act?"

The purple-robed man clapped his paper fan and said with a smile: "If you're scared, I can go there again for you."

Sun Yan was still hesitant.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded from outside the door. The purple-robed man retreated behind the screen.

A Colonel entered, holding a carrier pigeon.

"Lord Sun, I have an urgent matter to report."

"Commander Shen and Commander Lin have gone to the west of the city fully armed."

Sun Yan's eyelids twitched.

"West of the city?"

"Alright, I understand. Give the order to keep a close eye on them and see where they're going."

The Colonel bowed and was about to leave the room when Sun Yan called him back.

"Oh, right. Have Xiao Bin come see me immediately."

If you find this book good, remember to add it to your bookshelf so you don't lose it next time.