Slapping the Fifth-Rank Prefectural Judge of Qingzhou Prefecture!

Faced with this situation, Su Fei naturally wouldn't indulge him.

"Slap! Slap!"

Two crisp slaps echoed. Li Dingfan was stunned by the blows, red marks appearing on his face and blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

He felt the stinging pain on his face and looked at Su Fei in disbelief.

"You're just a sixth-rank Imperial Guard Hundred Households Officer, and you dare to hit me, a fifth-rank Prefectural Judge! I want to see the Prefect, I'm going to report you."

Su Fei's tone was indifferent.

"Colluding with White Lotus cultists is punishable by death. Hitting you twice is lenient. If you want to see the Prefect, I doubt he'll pay you any mind."

"Take him down."

Two Imperial Guards stepped forward, grabbed Li Dingfan's arms without a word, and put shackles on him.

The concubine who witnessed this scene was terrified, her face drained of color, and she collapsed on the ground trembling.

"Search! Search thoroughly!"

Su Fei ordered.

"Don't miss an inch of this Li Mansion!"

Li Dingfan's face turned red.

The Imperial Guards immediately dispersed, rummaging through everything.

The servants of the Li Mansion were gathered and watched, no one daring to move.

Half an hour later, the searching Imperial Guards reported back one by one:

"Sir, we found five chests of silver in the east wing!"

"There are three chests of gold and two chests of jewelry in the cellar of the west courtyard!"

"We found a chest of precious medicinal herbs, as well as many antiques and calligraphy and paintings in a secret compartment in the study!"

Afterward, an Imperial Guard found a small locked box in a secret compartment under the bed in the bedroom.

Upon opening it, they discovered it was filled with property deeds and land certificates from Qingzhou Prefecture, dozens of them in total, including seven or eight residences, thousands of mu of fertile land, and dozens of shops.

What a haul.

As these items were carried out one by one into the garden and piled into a small mountain, Li Dingfan's expression shifted from initial anger to a growing pallor, and finally to a deathly ashen hue. He collapsed on the ground, motionless.

He knew that these riches were enough to confirm his crimes of corruption and bribery, and coupled with his collusion with the White Lotus Sect, his death was certain.

Su Fei looked at the seized goods before him, his eyes growing colder.

A fifth-rank civil official's monthly salary was less than a hundred taels of silver.

How could he have accumulated such wealth? It certainly wasn't from legitimate sources.

"Take the prisoner and all the seized goods back to the Thousand Households Office."

Su Fei commanded.

"Seal the Li Mansion and place it under seal."

The Imperial Guards escorted the distraught Li Dingfan and carried the chests of confiscated goods away.

As they passed through the garden, Li Dingfan glanced at the flowers he had once cherished, and the last glimmer of hope in his eyes was extinguished.

The Imperial Guards escorted Li Dingfan, who was wearing handcuffs and shackles, at the front, followed by over a dozen strongmen carrying heavy wooden chests.

The clinking of gold and silver jewelry within could be heard from a distance.

As the procession exited the alley of the Li Mansion, it was met by curious commoners gathered around.

"Isn't that Prefectural Judge Li? Why has he been arrested?"

"Look at those boxes behind them, so many boxes, I bet they've been confiscated!"

"Tsk tsk, with so much silver and jewelry, how much corruption must he have committed to save it all up."

The murmurs surged like a tide, filled with curiosity, disdain, and more than anything, anger.

Li Dingfan had once been quite prominent in Qingzhou Prefecture. Before any outing, he would be accompanied by a throng of people, carried in a palanquin by sixteen strong men.

Commoners would make way for him, and he had never experienced such public humiliation.

He lowered his head, his beard trembling with rage, his cheeks flushed red with shame and anger.

"Is that Li Dingfan? I heard his son forcibly took Butcher Zhang's daughter outside the city, and it was settled for just a few taels of silver."

"My neighbor Aunt Wang's land was forcibly requisitioned by him under the guise of repairing the river embankment, and she still hasn't received any compensation."

Vile words gradually increased. Someone threw rotten vegetables at him. Although they didn't hit him, they felt like slaps to his face.

Li Dingfan suddenly raised his head, intending to reprimand them, but was met with the resentful gazes of the commoners.

"Corrupt official."

"Punish the corrupt officials severely."

These accusations pierced Li Dingfan's dignity like needles. He felt a sharp pain in his chest.

A surge of metallic sweetness welled up in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

The Imperial Guards escorting him were startled and quickly supported him as he swayed precariously.

Su Fei, riding his horse behind them, watched the scene coldly.

Officials who fail to serve the people, instead colluding with rebels and extorting the populace, bringing such ruin upon themselves – it's all their own doing.

He tugged on the reins and said indifferently.

"Don't let him die. We still need to interrogate him after we get back."

The Imperial Guards acknowledged his words and continued forward, supporting the limp Ling Dingfan.

The commoners automatically cleared a path, watching the procession laden with stolen goods disappear, their murmurs lingering long after.

"No wonder Qingzhou has gotten poorer these past few years. It turns out all the money was going into these officials' pockets."

"It's about time these parasites were dealt with."

"I agree. The Imperial Guard captured Plum Blossom last time, and today they've punished this corrupt official Ling Dingfan. The Imperial Guard did a good job!"

Listening to the commoners' discussions, Su Fei had a clear understanding of Ling Dingfan's character.

When they returned to the Thousand Households Office, Commander Feng was already waiting at the entrance. Seeing the mountains of confiscated goods, he said to Su Fei.

"Lock the man in the Heavenly Prison, register the seized items, and once the others return, I'll report it all to the court together."

For the next few days, Su Fei didn't receive any new cases.

He took his subordinates, including Wang Meng, to a brothel for some entertainment, as it was his turn to treat them.

After all, eighty percent of the confiscated property from Ling Dingfan's mansion had been handed over to the authorities, and the remaining twenty percent was divided among the Imperial Guards. Su Fei, as the Hundred Households Officer leading the operation, had also earned a substantial amount of silver, so he didn't mind this little outing.

In the Great Xuan Imperial City, at the Imperial Guard Southern Commandery Investigation Department.

Commander Lei Chongxiao's fingers tapped heavily on the Qingzhou Urgent Report on his desk.

Ling Dingfan, White Lotus Sect, collusion with the enemy – these words were circled in vermilion.

This man, who had been in charge of the Southern Commandery Investigation Department for over a decade, now exuded an aura of power that seemed to dim the candlelight in the duty room.

Lei Chongxiao said angrily.

"A bunch of ungrateful traitors."

"It's not enough that the White Lotus Sect wreaks havoc in the martial world; they've even extended their reach to court-appointed officials. So many in Qingzhou Prefecture, from top to bottom, have been corrupted."

"It's rotten to the core."

The Imperial Guards standing below were as silent as cicadas in winter, all too aware that their Commander was truly enraged.

It was no secret that Lord Lei had always hated evil.

The case of collusion with the White Lotus Sect in Yanzhou, which had shocked the court years ago, was due to local officials harboring the White Lotus Sect.

Lei Chongxiao had uprooted the entire network, and over a hundred heads rolling had finally quelled the disturbance.

Lei Chongxiao took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over the report to the part where Imperial Guard Hundred Households Officer Su Fei had repeatedly achieved remarkable feats.

His expression softened slightly.

"It's this Su Fei again. Interesting. Wasn't he the one who solved the Qingzhou Arms Case last time? And now, not long after, he's solved another case and made a name for himself?"

"Capturing Plum Blossom, breaking the Ling Family Village stronghold, killing the White Lotus envoy Qin Wushang, and exposing several implicated officials."

"A mere Imperial Guard Hundred Households Officer, solving major cases within a month. Especially this official collusion case, which, if touched, could unravel everything. Even seasoned veterans might not dare to get involved, but he, on the other hand, has completely turned things upside down."

The minor official standing nearby quickly chimed in.

"Commander, if you'll permit me to say, this Su Fei not only possesses extraordinary courage but also remarkable martial arts talent. He's only eighteen this year, and at such a young age, he already has Grandmaster Realm cultivation."

"He killed Qin Wushang, who was at the Grandmaster Realm fifth level, with a single palm strike, and annihilated the Four Demons of the Northern Region with a flick of his finger."

"A martial arts prodigy."

Lei Chongxiao raised an eyebrow and rolled up the report.

"It's not just his martial arts talent that's impressive. Judging by his methods, he doesn't fear the powerful or the wealthy, which truly suits my disposition."

"He's the kind of material that can chew through tough bones, and our Southern Commandery Investigation Department is in dire need of such people."

The minor official was somewhat surprised.

"My Lord, what are you implying?"

He suddenly stood up.

"Prepare the horses. I need to go to the palace to see the Emperor."