Constable and Ji Qing

"Constables?"

Ji Qing's pupils contracted, and he immediately gripped the hilt of his blade!

He had not forgotten that he was a "fugitive" on a wanted poster. Had his whereabouts been exposed? Had the constables tracked him down?

However, those constables paid Ji Qing no attention.

Instead, they headed straight for the main hall.

"They're not here for me?"

Ji Qing understood.

These constables were probably not here to arrest him.

They had most likely come because of the Rat King's corpse.

Sure enough, a servant hurried over from the main hall and respectfully said, "Hero Li, people from the Government Authorities have arrived. They want to take the Rat King's corpse away, and they also wish to meet the hero who exterminated the rats, so Master asks that you go to the main hall."

"Lead the way."

Ji Qing did not avoid meeting them.

For one thing, people from the Government Authorities had come and specifically asked to see him. He could not refuse.

For another, Ji Yao was still in the main hall watching the excitement with Jin Suo'er. He could not possibly slip away with Ji Yao without a sound.

Still, they were merely a group of ordinary constables. If it truly came to a fight, Ji Qing was not afraid.

Thus, Ji Qing followed the servant to the main hall.

At this moment, the main hall was already packed with people.

A group of constables was loading the Rat King's corpse onto a carriage.

"Hero Li is here. Captain Wang, this is Hero Li, the hero who exterminated the rats!"

Steward Jin pulled Ji Qing over and introduced him to Captain Wang.

"Greetings, Captain Wang."

"You killed this giant rat?"

"I did."

"Then you are the hero who exterminated the rats. You rid the people of a scourge, and the Government Authorities will reward you. Come back to the yamen with me, and you'll receive no less than twenty taels of silver."

Ji Qing shook his head. "Steward Jin has already given me quite a generous reward. I won't be going to the yamen."

"Very well. I will report the truth to my superior!"

Ever since Captain Wang had looked at Ji Qing, his gaze had drifted and darted about, deliberately avoiding looking directly at Ji Qing again.

Yet behind Captain Wang stood a young constable who had been staring at Ji Qing, sizing him up from head to toe.

Seeing Captain Wang about to leave, the young constable stepped forward and softly reminded him, "Captain, this man looks very familiar. He may very well be the one on the wanted poster..."

"Shut up!"

Before the young constable could finish, Captain Wang sharply rebuked him.

"Captain, he clearly is..."

Slap.

Captain Wang struck the young constable across the face.

The atmosphere instantly froze solid.

Everyone held their breath and dared not speak.

Many people were baffled, with no idea what had happened.

Why had Captain Wang suddenly flown into such a rage?

"You've mistaken him. This Hero Li is the hero who exterminated the rats!"

"Load up the Rat King's corpse. We're returning to the yamen!"

Captain Wang acted with thunderous decisiveness, immediately taking the Rat King's corpse and leaving.

Ji Qing watched Captain Wang's gradually vanishing figure and secretly nodded. The man was clever.

Captain Wang had actually recognized Ji Qing the moment he first saw him.

After all, what sort of person could serve as a yamen captain for twenty years without having sharp eyes?

How could Captain Wang fail to recognize a fugitive from a wanted poster?

It was simply that Captain Wang did not dare—and could not—"recognize" him.

If he recognized "Ji Qing" under those circumstances, they would all die!

Ji Qing also knew that this was no place to linger.

"Yao'er, we have to go."

"We're leaving now?"

Ji Yao was somewhat reluctant to part with Jin Suo'er.

She was the only friend Ji Yao had made during this time.

But Ji Yao was still very sensible, and she said goodbye to Jin Suo'er.

"Sister Li Yao, will you come back to see me in the future?"

"This is Suo'er's favorite bracelet. Mother said it can keep you safe. Since you're leaving, I'll give this bracelet to you. Don't forget Suo'er in the future, okay?"

Jin Suo'er reluctantly gave the bracelet to Ji Yao.

Ji Yao also took out a wooden carving, a toy Ji Qing had carved for her on the road when he had been bored.

"A toy my brother made. I'm giving it to you. Jin Suo'er, I'll definitely come back to see you someday."

"Okay! When that time comes, I'll take you to play on the back mountain. There are so many fun things there."

The two children, six or seven years old, had become good friends after spending only two days together.

Now they were actually bidding each other farewell here, making everyone unable to suppress their laughter.

Ji Qing placed Ji Yao into the carrying basket, then bade Steward Jin farewell as well. "Steward Jin, farewell."

Steward Jin was a shrewd man.

The strange scene between Captain Wang and the young constable just now seemed to have given Steward Jin some suspicions as well.

He vaguely sensed that Li Mu's identity was probably not simple.

Thus, Steward Jin did not try to keep Ji Qing. Instead, he cupped his hands and said, "May Hero Li have a smooth journey."

Ji Qing turned and left, quickly vanishing without a trace.

Captain Wang and the others raced all the way back, finally returning to the county town.

Only after entering through the city gates did Captain Wang finally let out a sigh of relief.

He turned back to look at the young constable and coldly said, "What, dissatisfied? Do you know that if I hadn't slapped you just now, we would all be dead!"

The young constable's eyes widened. "How could that be?"

"Hmph. Do you think I failed to see that 'Li Mu' was actually Ji Qing from the wanted poster? But who is Ji Qing? Eighth on the Jianghu Villain Ranking! The latest news says that he killed the Three Freaks of Lingdong and the Eighteen Riders of the Great Desert in a ruined temple outside Licheng City!"

"Now look at this Rat King's corpse. You all tested it just now, didn't you? Blades and spears couldn't harm it! Even such a formidable giant rat was killed by Ji Qing. How strong do you think he must be? With just a few of us, do you think we could take him down? The moment we exposed his identity, wouldn't we be forcing him to unleash a massacre?"

Captain Wang's words brought sudden understanding to the young constable, while also making cold sweat break out all over him.

"Thank you, Captain, for saving my life!"

The young constable hurriedly bowed to Captain Wang.

No wonder Captain Wang had served as a yamen captain for over twenty years and remained standing firm all that time.

As expected, old ginger was still spicier!

Back in Steward Jin's residence, they had truly walked through the gates of hell.

"Captain, then what should we do? Should we report this matter about Ji Qing?"

the young constable asked quietly.

"Of course we must report it. If we conceal it and fail to report it, then once it is discovered, none of us will be able to bear the consequences. But we must wait a few more hours. Once Ji Qing has fled far away, then we'll report it."

The young constable seemed to understand. This was all experience.

In a few hours, Ji Qing would already be long gone. Even if their superiors ordered them to capture Ji Qing, they would most likely never encounter him.

That was the constables' "way of survival."

"You're all still young. Listen more and learn more. Especially when facing people of the Jianghu, you must be careful and prudent. If you can avoid showing off your strength, then don't show off your strength."

"But this Ji Qing will not remain free for much longer. I hear that those above have sent Qingzhou Six Doors' foremost constable, Du Chen, the Wind Chasing Blade, to capture Ji Qing. Du Chen, the Wind Chasing Blade, has never failed. Once he makes his move, Ji Qing will certainly be arrested and brought to justice, then publicly executed!"

At the mention of "Du Chen, the Wind Chasing Blade," the many constables brightened with excitement.

Clearly, "Du Chen, the Wind Chasing Blade" possessed a great reputation among constables. He was someone all constables admired and yearned to emulate.

This group of constables dawdled for several more hours, only going to the yamen in the afternoon to report their encounter with the fugitive "Ji Qing."

The yamen swiftly reported it upward as well.

After all, an evil Jianghu Demon Lord from the Villain Ranking was beyond the ability of ordinary county Government Authorities to capture. They could only continue reporting upward.

In the blink of an eye, another ten-odd days passed.

Ji Qing arrived before a city gate.

"Anyang City!"

Ji Qing finally relaxed.

He had finally arrived at Anyang City!

If nothing unexpected happened, Anyang City would be Ji Yao's "destination."

The Jianghu did not, in the end, belong to a six-year-old girl.

Following the stream of people, Ji Qing strode into Anyang City.