The Shameless Li Yue

Just as Ji Mingyue was left stunned by that slash.

A figure bent down, took out a clean cloth, wrapped up the heads of the Wu Zhengfeng brothers, and then took the Night-Shining Pearl.

"Who are you?"

Though Lin Xiao had saved her, Ji Mingyue still asked warily.

Lin Xiao quickly cupped his hands and said, "Princess Consort, this subordinate is Lin Xiao of the Northern Garrison Office's Jinyiwei."

Hearing that he was Jinyiwei, Ji Mingyue relaxed. "Mm, so you're Jinyiwei. Still, you rendered great service by saving me today. Once we leave here safely, I will have my father reward you handsomely."

Lin Xiao knew his plan had succeeded and hurried forward to untie Ji Mingyue.

Creak!!!

The sound of a mechanism turning rang out.

Lin Xiao stepped out first. Only after confirming there were no other enemies did he signal for Ji Mingyue to come out.

At this time, the entire capital was on high alert because Ji Mingyue had been captured. Patrols of soldiers could be seen everywhere in the streets.

Outside the pharmacy, a squad of soldiers was searching the area.

Suddenly hearing movement inside the pharmacy, the soldiers smashed through the door and rushed in.

The moment they saw the two of them, they raised their weapons in alarm.

The soldier captain frowned and demanded, "Who goes there?"

Before Lin Xiao could answer, Ji Mingyue stepped out from behind him.

When the soldier captain saw Ji Mingyue, his expression immediately turned excited.

"Princess, are you all right?"

After Ji Mingyue had been taken by Wu Zhengfeng, every soldier had received a portrait of her.

That was why the captain recognized her at once.

Ji Mingyue shook her head slightly. "I'm fine. There's no need to panic. He saved me."

Hearing that Ji Mingyue was unharmed, the entire squad heaved a sigh of relief.

She was Prince Qing's precious jewel. If anything had happened to her, no one knew how many people would suffer for it.

"Princess, what about the thieves?"

Ji Mingyue said, "He already killed them."

"The thieves have already been executed?"

The soldier captain was somewhat disappointed. This was a tremendous merit.

If they had rescued Princess Mingyue and captured the thieves, they would have been promoted three ranks at once and earned Prince Qing's favor. Their future rise to glory would have been as easy as walking on level ground.

News that Lin Xiao had rescued Ji Mingyue and killed the Wu Zhengfeng brothers quickly spread throughout the capital.

Little Fatty, who received the news at once, was so excited that he danced with joy.

He and Lin Xiao were in the same group. Since Lin Xiao had earned merit, he would at least get to drink some of the soup.

When she parted from Lin Xiao, Ji Mingyue said to him, "Thank you for saving my life. I will repay you one day."

After saying that, Ji Mingyue returned to the royal manor under the protection of the soldiers.

Lin Xiao had no particular thoughts about someone like Ji Mingyue. As long as no one shortchanged him on his merit, that was enough.

He then turned and headed for the Northern Garrison Office.

The moment he entered the Pacification Office gates, he was met with countless envious gazes.

After all, the merit Lin Xiao had earned this time was unquestionably immense.

Not only had he restored Prince Qing's honor, but he had also indirectly saved Princess Mingyue.

Prince Qing would surely look after him in the future. Promotion and riches would be there for the taking.

Even the lofty Jinyiwei Thousand-Household Officer treated Lin Xiao with great warmth.

"Haha, good lad, you really pulled it off. I never expected you to crack the royal manor theft case in a single day. You've truly brought glory to our Jinyiwei."

"Don't worry. I'll truthfully report your deeds to the Pacification Envoy and request merit for you."

Elsewhere, within Six Doors, Li Yue's face turned livid when he heard about Lin Xiao.

"How outrageous! He actually dared steal my merit. I'll make him pay."

If it had only been an ordinary case, then so be it if someone stole it.

But the Qing Royal Manor theft case had drawn attention from many sides, even attracting Your Majesty's notice.

Moreover, he had put great effort into this case. It was only because of a moment of carelessness that the Wu Zhengfeng brothers had escaped.

If he had planned more thoroughly or brought more men, he could certainly have captured the two in one stroke and pocketed the merit himself.

Now that someone else had snatched it away, he naturally felt unwilling to accept it.

"Brother Yue, what happened?"

A young Six Doors constable asked in confusion.

Li Yue took a deep breath and recounted how he had solved the case and discovered the culprits.

Naturally, he left out the embarrassing part about letting the Wu Zhengfeng brothers escape.

He only said that Lin Xiao had used despicable means to steal his merit.

"How outrageous! How can this stand? So what if they're Jinyiwei? Six Doors and the Jinyiwei are both martial institutions. They used such disgraceful methods to seize merit—we must demand an explanation."

Seeing the constables all filled with righteous indignation, Li Yue felt his own blood surge as well.

"The brothers are right. So what if they're Jinyiwei? We must demand an explanation."

More than twenty constables followed behind Li Yue as they marched furiously toward the Northern Garrison Office.

Just as Lin Xiao had returned to the Northern Garrison Office and was accepting everyone's congratulations.

An argument suddenly broke out outside.

"Bold fools! Have you Six Doors people eaten bear hearts and leopard guts? You dare storm our Jinyiwei Pacification Office? Are you tired of living?"

A Jinyiwei guard at the Pacification Office gates shouted.

A Six Doors constable shouted back, "Tell Lin Xiao to come out and speak. What right did he have to steal Li Yue's merit?"

"Our Brother Li Yue was clearly the first to find the culprit. What face does he have to monopolize all the credit?"

"If your Pacification Office doesn't give us an explanation today, this matter won't end here."

"We will certainly invite Lord Divine Constable to come and judge the matter."

Hearing them invoke the Divine Constable's name, the Jinyiwei guard became somewhat wary.

Though the two sides did not belong to the same department, the Divine Constable's status was there. Even the Jinyiwei had to give him some face.

"Shut up, all of you."

The Thousand-Household Officer led the way out of the Pacification Office, frowning as he said coldly, "We all serve Your Majesty and are colleagues. What kind of spectacle are you making by shouting and causing trouble outside my Pacification Office?"

Seeing that it was the Thousand-Household Officer, the Six Doors constables did not dare keep shouting.

In terms of rank, a Thousand-Household Officer was not much lower than Six Doors' Chief Constable.

But since they had already come, they could not leave with a whimper after starting with a roar. Wouldn't that make them a laughingstock and lead people to think Six Doors feared the Jinyiwei?

Li Yue cupped his hands in salute, then said, "Lord Thousand-Household Officer, your man used dishonorable means to steal my merit, and now he wants to monopolize it all. Isn't that a rather ugly way to eat?"

"If there are no rules, and everyone openly snatches merit like this, it won't sound good when word gets out in the future."

"Tell me, then. How did our Jinyiwei steal Six Doors' merit?"

The Thousand-Household Officer cast Li Yue a glance and spoke calmly.

Li Yue sneered. "I was clearly the first to investigate and discover that Wu Zhengfeng was the thief who stole Prince Qing's Night-Shining Pearl. I was also the first to make a move and arrest him."

"It was only later that the Wu Zhengfeng brothers luckily escaped. But from my observations, the two had already suffered fairly serious injuries when they fled."

"Lin Xiao merely got lucky and picked up the bargain. Do you think he should enjoy all the merit alone?"

Li Yue naturally knew that the Wu Zhengfeng brothers had not suffered serious injuries when they escaped.

But he did not believe Lin Xiao could have killed both of them alone. Lin Xiao must have used some sort of method.

Perhaps it would have been possible for a Jinyiwei officer above the rank of Hundred-Household Officer.

But he had learned that Lin Xiao was merely an insignificant strongman in the Northern Garrison Office, not even a Banner Officer.

His strength was utterly ordinary as well. How could he possibly kill two Acquired Realm Ninth Level experts like Wu Zhengfeng and his brother?

The reason he dared cause trouble at the Jinyiwei was because he was certain Lin Xiao was not strong.

As long as he seized upon this point, no matter what Lin Xiao said, he would have to give Li Yue half the merit.