Do you want to test if my blade is sharp?

At the ends of the streets on both sides, two groups of people were rushing over.

From behind came people from the Outer Southern Prefecture Office, over twenty in total.

The person at the head of the group wore dark robes, symbolizing his identity as a "Deputy Commander" of the Outer Southern Prefecture Office.

Following him were twelve Day Patrol officers.

Beside them walked the District Chief of Lin Jiang Ward.

If the group from the Outer Southern Prefecture Office had come to investigate a disturbance here out of duty, it would have been reasonable.

Then, the person Lin Yan looked towards at the end of the street ahead was completely unreasonable.

The leader was Liang Hu, the Banner Bearer from the Qing Shan Ward branch of the Heavenly Supervision Department!

Behind him, twelve Junior Banners, each holding a saber, were approaching quickly.

The two groups of people rapidly closed in, their approach fierce.

"How dare you! Who dares to commit murder in broad daylight?"

The Deputy Commander from the Outer Southern Prefecture Office suddenly roared, his face grim.

Among the onlookers on both sides, whispers began to spread.

Some of the younger ones, believing the Outer Southern Prefecture Office would enforce justice impartially, wanted to come forward and testify.

But they saw the twelve Day Patrol officers behind the Deputy Commander looking around, their sabers in hand, their faces grim, with a very obvious intent to threaten.

In an instant, the scene fell silent.

"A misunderstanding!"

Just then, Chief Clerk Yang hurried over and said, "Commander Zhao, this is the new Banner Bearer of our Lin Jiang Department, Lord Wuchang."

"Even a Banner Bearer of our Heavenly Supervision Department cannot act recklessly and disregard the law to kill people in the street."

Liang Hu suddenly spoke, his tone icy, his hand resting on his saber hilt. "I've been acting as the interim head of Lin Jiang Ward for some time, and such a thing never happened. Is Fifth Master addicted to killing, wanting to strike down anyone he sees?"

Seeing the twelve Junior Banners and twelve Day Patrol officers surrounding them from all sides.

The surrounding citizens quickly retreated, afraid of being caught in the crossfire and suffering innocent harm.

As the Deputy Commander from the Outer Southern Prefecture Office slowly approached, he looked at Lin Yan.

"Banner Bearer Wuchang, you're known as Fifth Master in the ward, aren't you?"

The Deputy Commander said in a calm tone, "Should I also call you 'Master'?"

"..."

Lin Yan did not speak, nor did he even acknowledge him.

He simply lowered his head to look at the Liu family young master beneath his foot.

The Liu family young master had woken up. Seeing the people arriving, his heart settled, and he sneered, "You dare to step on me? My surname is Liu..."

Before he could finish, his face instantly turned red, and he could no longer speak.

Because Lin Yan, with a blank expression, was slowly applying pressure with his foot, pressing down.

"Fifth Master!"

Chief Clerk Yang saw the killing intent in Lin Yan's eyes and quickly stepped forward, saying in a low voice, "Don't be rash."

He then looked towards the Deputy Commander and said, "Commander Zhao, this young master of the Liu family was riding his horse recklessly in the street, hitting and killing an old man in plain sight, and then attempted to harm a child. It was truly excessive. Fifth Master has always had a fierce temper, so..."

"Hmm?"

The Deputy Commander said indifferently, "A fierce temper, a mere brute. If he can't consider the bigger picture, he shouldn't hold a high position. He should just remain a Junior Banner."

The Outer Southern Prefecture Office governed the southern area of the outer city, overseeing twelve wards.

He was one of the two Deputy Commanders, second only to the Commander in the Outer Southern Prefecture Office, holding immense authority.

Even within the Heavenly Supervision Department, only Commander Han Zheng, who was responsible for overseeing the entire southern area of the outer city, had the qualifications to outrank him.

Therefore, purely in terms of status and position, he was superior to the Banner Bearer within Lin Jiang Ward.

"..."

At this point, Chief Clerk Yang's expression was also not very pleasant.

But he took a deep breath, glanced at Lin Yan, and said, "In plain sight, Fifth Master was enforcing the law, which is reasonable! Deputy Commander, if you continue to be so aggressive, and this escalates to the inner city, you won't be in the right..."

Unknowingly, in his speech, the title for the previously more respected Commander Zhao had changed to Deputy Commander, subtly expressing a hint of dissatisfaction.

"Not in the right? Is he in the right for wanting to kill people in the street?"

Commander Zhao said calmly, "Enough. For Commander Han's sake, I will not pursue his charges of injuring people and killing a horse, or even attempting to kill someone, in the street... Release him!"

Chief Clerk Yang quickly turned his head to look at Lin Yan, a look of anxiety on his face.

"Release him?"

Lin Yan's eyes grew even colder, and he slowly said, "He rode his horse recklessly in the street, causing a death. You want me to release him?"

He pointed to the old man's corpse on the ground, and to the girl who seemed to be trembling with cold, crying so hard she couldn't speak.

"The old man has an only son, named Zhou Ji, who died defending the city the night before last."

"Today, this father who lost his son defending Gao Liu City was run down in the street and treated like dirt."

"Today, this daughter who lost her father defending Gao Liu City was almost decapitated by a whip."

"Zhou Ji died defending the city, his body not even intact, yet all of you sitting comfortably within the city owe him a debt of gratitude."

"If you want to release him, it's simple enough."

Lin Yan's gaze was icy as he slowly said, "You want this victimized old man to personally forgive him?"

Everyone present changed their expressions.

Asking a dead man to speak and forgive the Liu family's young master?

Wasn't this clearly stating that he would absolutely not release the person today?

Before the grim-faced Commander Zhao could speak.

Lin Yan's voice was heard again.

"Or do you want the common folk of the city to all go against their consciences and speak at once, telling me to release him?"

"..."

The atmosphere fell silent, a subtle tension building.

Commander Zhao's face turned ashen, his eyes filled with coldness.

"It seems you, as Deputy Commander, don't have that kind of authority."

Lin Yan said indifferently, "So, you have no authority, and you think you can just say a single sentence to place yourself above the law?"

Before his voice even finished, Lin Yan's blade tip was already pointed at the Liu family's young master's head, his gaze fixed straight ahead.

"Zhao, if you enforce the law impartially and are highly respected, I will address you as 'Commander Zhao'!"

"Today, before me, you want to rely on your seniority, act arrogantly, disregard law and discipline, and trample on human dignity. What right do you have?"

"Let alone a mere Deputy Commander, even the true Commander of the Outer Southern Prefecture Office would have to test the sharpness of my blade if they dared to obstruct my investigation in front of my Heavenly Supervision Department today!"

As Lin Yan's blade pointed forward, the atmosphere became extremely tense.

Especially the twelve Day Patrol officers, who slowly drew their sabers.

A chilling aura enveloped the street.

Chief Clerk Yang gave him a deep look, couldn't help but take a breath, and retreated half a step, standing beside the Banner Bearer.

"There are more and more people on this street."

Just then, the District Chief of Lin Jiang Ward hurried forward and whispered, "Commander Zhao, these aren't just residents of Lin Jiang Ward; there are many merchant caravans from outside the city!"

"If this gets out, it will make the law seem like a mere formality and damage the reputation of the Prefectural Governor's Mansion."

"It will also make it difficult for me to govern affairs in the wards from now on."

"With so many eyes watching, wouldn't it be better to find another way to save him?"

As his voice fell, Commander Zhao glanced at him with a detached expression.

The District Chief trembled inwardly, quickly retreated half a step, and dared not say another word.

Commander Zhao scanned the crowd and finally spoke slowly.

"I am here to handle this matter impartially."

"This person was riding recklessly in the street and accidentally hit the old man. According to regulations, he should be handed over to the Outer Southern Prefecture Office for trial."

"The Heavenly Supervision Department has the authority to monitor all parties in the city, but it does not have the qualification to try criminals."

"Investigating crimes and apprehending thieves, trying cases and sentencing is the duty of the Outer Southern Prefecture Office."

Commander Zhao's tone was normal as he said, "The Heavenly Supervision Department is responsible for overseeing the enforcement of laws. If you refuse to hand over the person today, treating the law as a mere formality, you are breaking the law you know. No one can protect you!"

As his voice faded, he slightly waved his hand.

The twelve Day Patrol officers drew their swords, pointing them at Lin Yan.

Commander Zhao then subtly glanced at Liang Hu.

Liang Hu understood and slowly stepped forward, saying calmly, "Fifth Master, do not trample on the law. You should abide by the rules and hand him over!"

The twelve Junior Banners of Qing Shan Ward simultaneously drew their sabers and shouted sternly.

"Hand him over!"

"Hand him over!"

"Hand him over!"