I Didn't, I Didn't

At the hour of the Dog.

Shen Qing led Scholar and the others back to Luoshui City first.

There was no longer much of a problem with White Cherry Villa. Of its three leaders, Shen Qing had killed two, while the remaining one was in prison. Shen Qing had also slaughtered nearly two hundred of the Japanese pirates beneath them.

There might still be a few Japanese pirates returning later, but that would not be a problem either.

What awaited them would be the encirclement and extermination of hundreds of Imperial Guards.

That was quite a despairing prospect as well.

Shen Qing stuffed the diary and the Hundred Households token from his robes into Scholar's arms.

"Take the diary to the Pacification Bureau."

"Explain everything to them, then return to the Hundred Households Office. I'll take you all out to eat."

After rushing back and forth all day, Shen Qing was so hungry that his chest was practically stuck to his back.

But right now, Shen Qing was in a hurry to return to the Hundred Households Office for a bath. This battle had left quite a bit of blood on him.

Though autumn had already arrived, Yongning Commandery was, after all, in the southern lands of the Wu Dynasty. The weather was still scorching, especially after the light rain that had just fallen.

Shen Qing felt as though he was about to stink.

After returning to the Hundred Households Office, Shen Qing did not check on the prisoners or the interrogation results. He directly ordered someone to heat water and luxuriated in a hot bath.

A bath after intense exertion was always so blissful. It seemed to wash away all the exhaustion from his body.

Footsteps sounded outside the door, and a captain lightly knocked.

"My lord, are you resting?"

"Speak."

"Lord Zhang, the Agricultural Official from the Shennong Institute, has come to see you."

"Fine, I understand. Arrange for Agricultural Official Zhang to wait in the main hall. I'll be there shortly."

Had it only been the time it took to drink a cup of tea since he returned to the Hundred Households Office? They had received the news that quickly?

It seemed these Agricultural Officials truly cared about the common people. After Shen Qing left, Zhang Shoutian had likely remained outside the Hundred Households Office, waiting for him to return.

Shen Qing washed up briefly, changed into his own clothes, and headed to the main hall.

The moment he entered, Zhang Shoutian impatiently walked over to Shen Qing, seized his arm, and looked at him with eyes full of hope.

"Lord Hundred Households, the original seeds! Have you found the original seeds?"

Shen Qing nodded. "Rest assured. I've burned every last original seed. I also killed the two hundred Japanese pirates guarding them. For the time being, the Japanese pirates will not harm the common people again."

Zhang Shoutian let out a breath. "That's good, that's good."

Jiao Yu hurried forward and supported Zhang Shoutian. "Master, look, didn't I tell you? Lord Shen would definitely find the original seeds."

"You're being far too discourteous like this."

Shen Qing waved a hand and took a cloth bundle from his robes. "It's nothing. Oh, while I was burning the original seeds, I grabbed a handful as well. Take a look and see whether they're useful. If not, I'll burn them together with the rest."

Zhang Shoutian, who had just sat down, stood up again. His eyes fixed straight on the cloth bundle. Shen Qing extended his hand, and Zhang Shoutian immediately snatched the bundle away. Then, without even saying goodbye, he strode out of the Hundred Households Office, muttering incessantly under his breath.

"We must quickly decipher this batch of original seeds..."

Jiao Yu hurriedly explained, "Please do not take offense, Lord Shen. The original seeds are a matter of immense importance. If we can decipher this batch, we may be able to uncover the Japanese pirates' method for cultivating these seeds."

"No matter. Jiao Yu, I have another matter to entrust to you."

"Please speak, my lord."

"Although the Japanese pirates have been eliminated and the original seeds destroyed, I fear some seeds may still have entered the populace. You need to compile methods for identifying them, then send people to inspect Luoshui City and other places."

"Do you have enough manpower?"

Jiao Yu nodded inwardly. As expected of a Hundred Households officer of the Imperial Guards—his considerations were thorough.

"Reporting to you, my lord, including my master and me, there are twelve people from our Shennong Institute stationed in Ningzhou."

Shen Qing shook his head. "Not enough. Whether twelve people can finish investigating Luoshui City in several days is already a question. Once the Autumn Harvest Festival ends, the farmers will need to sow their fields."

"There's no time to follow the usual procedures. Take my Hundred Households token and go directly to the local government offices, ordering them to cooperate. If anyone refuses to cooperate or does a slapdash job, cut them down on the spot. If you can't cut them down, come find me. I'll do the cutting."

Jiao Yu wiped the sweat from his forehead. Wasn't this a little too brutal? He was a farmer—when had he ever seen anything like this?

"My lord, those constables have no foundation at all. How could they possibly identify them?" Jiao Yu pondered for a moment before speaking.

"How about asking my martial nephews' sect to lend a hand? Their sect has the largest medicinal garden in Ningzhou, and many of its disciples understand medicinal principles."

"Hey, Martial Nephew, why are you standing so far away? Come over here."

Only then did Shen Qing notice Su Jiudie of the Red Cloud Sect standing far off in the corner of the room.

When Su Jiudie saw Shen Qing looking at her, she hurriedly bent at the waist in greeting. "This humble woman, Su Jiudie, greets her benefactor."

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Shen Qing frowned. The Red Cloud Sect? After Six Swords Villa and White Cherry Villa, two sects full of unruly rabble, Shen Qing had become extremely distrustful of sects.

The Innate Six Senses activated and began probing Su Jiudie.

But soon, Shen Qing's furrowed brow relaxed, and a trace of astonishment appeared in his eyes.

He could not sense even the slightest bit of malice from Su Jiudie. There was only gratitude and admiration, pure and blazing to the extreme.

Su Jiudie raised her head, her cheeks flushed red.

Jiao Yu looked at Su Jiudie in confusion. Why was her face red like a bubbling teapot?

Shen Qing looked at Jiao Yu. "Your martial niece?"

Jiao Yu nodded. "That's right. Su Jiudie's father was also my master's disciple. By seniority, Jiudie is my martial niece."

Shen Qing waved his hand. "Fine, I'll leave this matter to you."

At that moment, Scholar ran in from outside and spoke quietly to Shen Qing. "Boss, the diary has been delivered to the Pacification Bureau. They have already sent carrier pigeons with messages to notify the various regions."

"Also, I ran into the manager of Luoshui Treasure Pavilion on the road just now. He said the Mysterious Jade Green Lotus has been found and can be delivered to the Hundred Households Office within two days."

The Mysterious Jade Green Lotus was a treasure capable of accelerating the cultivation of the fifth level of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill. It seemed his strength could grow once more.

Shen Qing nodded and rubbed his stomach. "Well done. Come on, change clothes. I'm taking you all out to eat."

"Got it!"

Shen Qing turned back to Jiao Yu and Su Jiudie. "What about you two? Want to come along?"

Jiao Yu cupped his hands. "This lowly one will not go. The soybean matter is too important."

Su Jiudie looked at Shen Qing, then at Jiao Yu.

"This little woman will stay with Martial Uncle."

Shen Qing said nothing more. They had only met once or twice, and at most got along reasonably well. They were not friends yet. He had merely been polite; if they came, he would add two more pairs of chopsticks, and if they did not, it did not matter.

"Benefactor, wait a moment." Su Jiudie ran toward Shen Qing.

"Benefactor, some days ago, you saved this little woman and Senior Brother Zong's lives. This little woman had always wanted to visit and offer thanks, but I could never think of a suitable gift. Giving money would be too vulgar, while the precious medicines I could find would likely not catch your eye."

"After thinking it over and over, this little woman ultimately decided to give this item to you, my lord."

Su Jiudie took a red token engraved with clouds from her robes.

"This is the Sect Master's token of our Red Cloud Sect. With this token, one may command the disciples of the Red Cloud Sect!"

Shen Qing accepted the token and turned it over twice.

This was the Sect Master's token. Its meaning was entirely different.

Shen Qing smiled. "Are you sure?"

Su Jiudie nodded with flushed cheeks. "Yes! Benefactor, please be sure to accept it!"

Shen Qing put away the token. "Fine, I'll accept it."

With that, Shen Qing walked out of the courtyard.

Only then did Jiao Tian step forward. "Martial Niece, that was a bold move. Have you thought it through?"

Watching Shen Qing's departing back vanish, the blush on Su Jiudie's face slowly faded. "I have."

"In recent years, some sects in the martial world have become far too unruly."

"More and more cancers like the Black Water Gang have appeared. Now there is even the affair of White Cherry Villa. I have a feeling that the imperial court is going to make a move against the martial world."

"Rather than sit and wait for death, it is better to surrender early. Besides, there is such a good opportunity before us."

"Especially since Lord Shen is such a good person."

That last sentence was what she really meant, wasn't it? Jiao Tian muttered inwardly, then smiled at Su Jiudie.

"It's good that you've thought it through. I thought you were acting on emotion."

Su Jiudie turned around. "Martial Uncle Jiao, what do you mean by acting on emotion?"

Jiao Tian smiled without quite smiling. "I think you've taken a fancy to Lord Shen. Your heart is rippling with springtime, isn't it?"

Su Jiudie's face instantly reddened. This time, the red was especially fierce. She lightly stamped her foot.

"Oh, no, I didn't, I didn't, I didn't."

"Hmph. You didn't, you didn't."

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