Promoted to Imperial Guard Vice Thousand Households Commander!

Half an hour later, inside the Imperial Palace's Grand Hall.

The Emperor of Great Xuan received the memorial submitted by Lei Chongxiao. As he read, his brow furrowed deeper and deeper, until he reached the part about Ling Dingfan colluding with members of the White Lotus Sect.

He slammed the memorial onto the dragon desk.

"I provide them with salaries, letting them herd the people and guard the land, yet they collude with White Lotus rebels, lining their own pockets. Lei Chongxiao, the officials involved in Qingzhou are to be dealt with according to the law, not a single one spared."

"Your subordinate obeys the decree."

Lei Chongxiao bowed.

"In this case, the merits of Su Fei, a Qingzhou Imperial Guard Hundred Households Officer, are indispensable. This man solves cases like a god, his martial arts are outstanding, and his disposition is steady. I believe this man is a talent that can be molded. In my opinion, he can be transferred to the Southern Commandery Investigation Department, entrusted with important responsibilities, and heavily rewarded."

The Emperor pondered for a moment and looked at Lei Chongxiao.

"What position should he be given?"

"I request Your Majesty to promote him exceptionally, elevating Su Fei to the Fifth Rank Vice Thousand Households Commander in the Southern Commandery Investigation Department, and grant him some rewards."

"Issue an order to the Qingzhou Thousand Households Office to summon Su Fei to the capital immediately to take up his post."

The Emperor's face showed contemplation.

"To be promoted from Hundred Households Officer to Vice Thousand Households Commander, this speed is a bit fast. However, Su Fei is only eighteen years old. An eighteen-year-old Grandmaster Realm cultivator, who has also earned so much merit, promoting him to Vice Thousand Households Commander is justifiable."

"Your Majesty, precisely so. Su Fei's methods in Qingzhou were ruthless and accurate, exactly what the Southern Commandery Investigation Department needs now. Give him a chance, perhaps he can bring some new atmosphere to the Imperial City."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor smiled. He picked up the vermilion brush and wrote "Approved" on the memorial.

"So be it. Convey my decree, let this Su Fei come to the capital as soon as possible. I want to see with my own eyes how much true skill the person you, Lei Chongxiao, have taken a liking to possesses."

Lei Chongxiao received the decree and retreated. As he walked out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the sunlight shone upon him.

He looked in the direction of Qingzhou, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Su Fei and his companions listened to music for five consecutive days, essentially visiting all the brothels, big and small, within Qingzhou Prefecture.

It wasn't until the sixth day that the trials of the Qingzhou officials and White Lotus Sect members commenced.

Commander Feng said that when the names of those colluding individuals were reported to the Heavenly Court, The imperial court was enraged and ordered the execution of all these Qingzhou officials and White Lotus Sect members, without any leniency.

Execution by Decapitation!

Today, those to be executed were Ling Dingfan and eight other implicated officials, along with over thirty White Lotus Sect members. Such a large-scale execution had not occurred in Qingzhou Prefecture for ten years.

Tied to the central pillar was Ling Dingfan.

He was the highest-ranking criminal to be executed today, the Fifth Rank Prefectural Judge of Qingzhou Prefecture.

At this moment, he was wearing tattered prisoner's clothes, his hair turned from black to white. The days of imprisonment had made him look ten years older.

To his left and right were tied several officials of the Sixth and Seventh Ranks.

There was the Sihui Canjun who had been in charge of household registration, the Assistant Magistrate who was responsible for the post station transmissions, and two county yamen Dian Shi.

These individuals, who were once figures of respect in Qingzhou Prefecture, now looked like stray dogs. Some had faces ashen with despair, while others were weeping softly.

Ling Dingfan remained silent, staring blankly ahead, his eyes vacant.

"Did you hear? The one in the middle is Prefect Ling, a high-ranking official of the Fifth Rank, and he actually defected to the White Lotus Sect!"

"The one on the left is Assistant Magistrate Wang. Last year, I asked him to deliver a letter home, and he extorted five taels of silver from me."

The murmurs of the common people surged like a tide. The populace pointed at the criminals on the high platform, venting their accumulated resentment of many years.

When the time of noon arrived, the entire venue fell silent.

The Execution Supervisor unfurled the dossier and announced loudly.

"The criminal Ling Dingfan, for colluding with the White Lotus Sect, treason, corruption, and egregious crimes, is sentenced to execution by beheading."

As he read the words "execution by beheading," Ling Dingfan's body trembled violently, his eyes filled with despair, yet he was unable to utter a single word.

"The remaining criminals are to be treated the same, beheaded."

The Execution Supervisor declared resolutely, throwing the execution plaque onto the ground.

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The executioners stepped forward in unison, raising their gleaming executioner's sabers.

Ling Dingfan, being the highest-ranking prisoner, was scheduled to be executed last.

He watched as his colleagues' heads fell one by one, their blood splashing onto the bluestone slabs, forming small streams.

When the last official's scream echoed out, he finally broke down.

He quickly knelt on the ground and begged for mercy, saying, "I am an official of the court! I know I was wrong, I admit my mistakes, please don't kill me."

However, the executioner paid him no mind. He had seen too many prisoners begging for mercy before their execution.

The executioner's saber fell.

Ling Dingfan's head hit the ground, rolling over ten feet away. Blood sprayed from the headless corpse.

The commoners, seeing that even a high-ranking official like the Prefectural Judge had died, erupted in thunderous cheers.

Following that, all the White Lotus Sect members were slaughtered.

"It's good that these rebels were killed. They deserved it!"

Su Fei stood at the edge of the crowd, his eyes devoid of any emotion.

From beginning to end, none of the White Lotus Sect members he had expected showed up to rescue the condemned.

"Let's go."

Su Fei patted Wang Meng on the shoulder and turned to leave.

The sunlight was dazzling, the bloodstains on the ground had a dark red sheen, and the cheers of the commoners still echoed in his ears, but it felt as if they were separated by a layer of water, blurry and indistinct.

Upon returning to the Qingzhou Thousand Households Office.

As soon as Su Fei stepped into the duty room, he saw Commander Feng approaching him with a smile on his face.

"Su Fei, you're back just in time. Someone from the Imperial City has arrived."

Before he could finish speaking, the sound of hurried horse hooves echoed from outside the Thousand Households Office.

More than ten guards surrounded an eunuch holding a bright yellow imperial decree, walking in quickly.

The eunuch at the head of the group scanned everyone with his gaze.

"Where is Su Fei, the Qingzhou Thousand Households Office Hundred Households Officer? Receive the decree!"

Su Fei's heart stirred slightly, and he took a step forward.

"This subject, Su Fei, Hundred Households Officer of the Qingzhou Thousand Households Office, receives the decree."

The eunuch unfolded the imperial decree, and his sharp voice echoed through the courtyard.

"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Su Fei, Hundred Households Officer of the Qingzhou Thousand Households Office, has repeatedly solved major cases and captured criminals with merit. His wisdom is commendable, and his bravery is praiseworthy. He is hereby exceptionally promoted to Vice Thousand Households Commander of the Southern Commandery Investigation Department, Fifth Rank. He is awarded five hundred taels of gold and two hundred bolts of brocade. He is to report to the Southern Commandery Investigation Department in the Imperial City within one month. Respect this!"

"This subject thanks His Majesty for his grace. Long live His Majesty, long live His Majesty, long live His Majesty!"

Su Fei knelt to receive the decree, understanding dawning on him.

It seemed that the case in Qingzhou had finally alarmed the Imperial City.

I'm a Vice Thousand Households Commander now. The rewards this time are quite substantial.

As he stood up, the eunuch's smile had become amiable. He cupped his hands and said, "Lord Su is young and promising, truly worthy of congratulations. These rewards have already been loaded onto carriages and sent outside your residence. Please inspect them."

"As for the Vice Thousand Households Commander uniform for the Imperial Guard, Commander Su will need to collect it from the Southern Commandery Investigation Department in the Imperial City."

Su Fei looked towards the entrance of the Thousand Households Office, where two carriages were parked. The carriage compartments were bulging, presumably containing the rewards mentioned in the imperial decree.

He smiled and cupped his hands.

"Thank you, Eunuch. Please accept this small token of appreciation."

Wang Meng, standing behind him, slipped a packet of silver into the eunuch's hand.

The eunuch accepted the silver, weighed it, and his smile widened.

"You are too kind, Commander Su. I must return to the palace to report, so I will not linger."