Chongshan Order

The scene was at a standstill. Lan Tianye's face was flushed with anger, his hand resting on his saber. Landlord Liu and the head bailiff, seeing his hesitation, wore even more triumphant expressions. The head bailiff shook his iron chain, about to step forward and apprehend Lan Tianye.

Just then, Chen Qing, who had been watching silently, moved.

He calmly took a step forward, positioning himself between Lan Tianye and the bailiffs. His movements were unhurried, yet they caused the head bailiff to instinctively pause.

"What do you think you're doing? Trying to obstruct official business?" the head bailiff shouted, his bravado masking his fear.

Chen Qing didn't look at him. His gaze fell directly on Landlord Liu. His eyes were calm, but they sent an inexplicable jolt through Landlord Liu.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Chen Qing slowly took out the dark iron token from his bosom—the "Chongshan Order."

"See this token, and it's as if General Li Chongshan himself is here," Chen Qing's voice was plain yet clear.

"Li... General Li?!" The head bailiff gasped, his face instantly turning pale, his legs turning to jelly. The bailiffs behind him also panicked.

Landlord Liu's sinister grin froze. His plump body trembled, and extreme fear flashed in his eyes.

But he wouldn't have become a local bully if he were foolish. Extreme fear instantly transformed into desperate ruthlessness! He stared intently at the token, then quickly glanced at Chen Qing's young face and simple blue robe. A wicked thought emerged.

"Wait!" Landlord Liu suddenly shrieked, his voice distorted with agitation. "Captain Wang! Don't be fooled by him!"

He pointed at the token and yelled at the head bailiff and the surrounding crowd, "General Li Chongshan's token, how precious it is! How could it be in the hands of a young man of unknown origin? Look at his attire, does he look like someone who would possess a general's token? I say this token was clearly stolen! Or forged! Yes! It must be forged!"

As soon as he said this, the crowd erupted!

Captain Wang, the head bailiff, froze. He looked closely at Chen Qing and the token, his expression filled with suspicion.

Indeed, how could General Li's token be in the hands of such an unremarkable young man? It was too illogical! Stealing or forging a military general's token was a crime a hundred times more serious than a street brawl!

Hearing this, Lan Tianye became furious, his hair practically standing on end. "What kind of bullshit is that! You fat pig, how dare you slander someone! How could Brother Chen's token be fake!" He wished he could immediately draw his saber and cut down this bully who was slandering Chen Qing.

Seeing the bailiffs waver, Landlord Liu grew more smug and struck while the iron was hot. "Captain Wang! Hurry and arrest this thief who stole military credentials! If a wanted criminal escapes, neither you nor I can afford the consequences! Arrest him, interrogate him thoroughly, and you'll surely find his accomplices! This is a great merit!" His words were full of temptation.

Landlord Liu then secretly leaned towards Captain Wang and whispered, "Arrest him, and besides the merit, I'll give the brothers five hundred taels for drinks!"

Captain Wang's eyes flickered, greed and fear warring within him.

Ultimately, it was better to be safe than sorry, and the potential "merit" won out.

He raised his iron chain again, his face contorting into a ferocious expression. "Good! You almost fooled me, you scoundrel! You dare to forge a general's token! Guards! Seize this wanted criminal! If he resists, kill him without mercy!" The bailiffs, upon hearing this, also drew their iron rods and chains and surrounded them.

The situation instantly reversed, becoming even more dangerous than before! From a simple conflict, it had escalated into a serious crime involving "theft of military secrets" and "forging official credentials"!

Lan Tianye was both shocked and enraged, completely bewildered.

He never expected the other party to be so shameless and malicious, able to fabricate such a serious charge out of thin air! With a clang, he drew his saber, shielding Chen Qing, and said urgently, "Brother Chen! These... these bastards are unreasonable! Let's fight our way out!"

Chen Qing's eyes had turned completely cold the moment Landlord Liu had spoken to slander him.

It was as if starlight had been covered by the ice of the northern lands. He had initially just wanted to avoid trouble, using the token's authority to quell the disturbance, but the other party had chosen the most foolish way, escalating a minor issue into a major one.

He gently placed a hand on Lan Tianye's shoulder, pulling him back behind him.

Chen Qing took a step forward, facing the surrounding bailiffs and the smug Landlord Liu. He didn't even look at the bailiffs, his gaze fixed solely on Landlord Liu, his voice calmer than before but carrying a chilling, heart-stopping coldness:

"Are you sure you want to frame me?"

The extreme pressure made Landlord Liu's skin crawl, but the arrow was already loosed. He forced himself to shout, "You dare to be defiant even when death is at your doorstep! Captain Wang, hurry!"

Captain Wang gritted his teeth and shouted, "Seize him!"

Two bailiffs bravely lunged forward, about to apprehend Chen Qing.

Chen Qing moved.

No one saw how he moved. All that could be heard were two crisp slapping sounds!

The two bailiffs at the forefront were sent flying back faster than they had lunged, falling to the ground with cries of pain. Their faces instantly swelled, blood trickled from their mouths, and stars danced before their eyes. They even dropped their weapons.

Chen Qing remained standing in place, as if he hadn't moved at all.

He merely flicked his hand, as if swatting away two flies.

"Publicly assaulting officers! This is rebellion! Rebellion!" Captain Wang exclaimed, shocked and enraged, retreating repeatedly and drawing his saber. The other bailiffs were too scared to advance.

Landlord Liu, even more terrified, hid behind his household guards and shrieked, "See! He's guilty and afraid! And he dares to resist arrest violently! Captain Wang, quickly summon the archers! Hurry and invite the soldiers from the garrison!"

Chen Qing completely ignored their clamoring.

He raised the dark iron token again. This time, his gaze was not directed at these ants, but seemed to pierce through them, looking towards a more distant place. He channeled a trace of star power, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching the entire street intersection, carrying a cold authority:

"General Li Chongshan once said, see this token, and it's as if he himself is here. The Northern Border Army dares not disobey."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the doubtful bailiffs and townsfolk, and slowly, word by word, he said:

"Today, the bailiffs of Qingshui Market colluded with the gentry, slandering the general's token and framing the person holding it. This matter is no longer a civilian dispute."

"I now, in the name of the Northern Border Army, hereby requisition all loyal and dutiful individuals in this area to immediately detain all involved parties. Resistance will be dealt with according to military law."

As his words fell, the entire street intersection fell into dead silence.

Everyone was stunned by his words. This was not the tone of a martial arts knight, but the command of a superior! A military order!

Captain Wang's face turned ashen, his hand holding the saber trembling. He suddenly realized that he might have made a terrible mistake! This person... this aura... was nothing like a thief!

Landlord Liu was also terrified. He hadn't expected the other party to not only be skilled in martial arts but also possess such sharp and terrifying words, directly escalating the situation to the level of "military law"!

Just then, the sound of hurried and orderly horse hooves could be heard from a distance! Along with a deep, anxious shout:

"What's all the commotion up ahead?! Northern Border Army patrol!"

A troop of about ten cavalrymen, clad in the standard leather armor of the Northern Border Army, galloped over, dust flying. They were clearly a border patrol unit passing through.

Leading them was a squad leader with a sun-darkened face and a sharp, capable demeanor.

Upon seeing the border troops, Captain Wang and Landlord Liu felt as if they had seen saviors. They were about to rush forward and plead their case.

However, the squad leader's eyes immediately fell upon Chen Qing, who stood surrounded by the crowd, holding a dark iron token, his expression cold. He also noticed the token in Chen Qing's hand, which glinted ominously in the sunlight!

The squad leader's face changed drastically! As a veteran of the border army, he might not have recognized Chen Qing, but he definitely recognized the "Chongshan Order"! It was a supreme token rarely bestowed by the esteemed General Li, representing his personal will!

"Whoa—!" The squad leader yanked hard on his horse's reins, dismounting almost tumbling off. He led all the cavalrymen behind him in a synchronized, single-knee kneel, their armor clanking in unison!

Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, the squad leader spoke in a voice filled with immense respect, even a hint of trepidation:

"Zhang Kui, squad leader of the Northern Border Army patrol, pays respects to the General's Order! I was unaware of the esteemed token-bearer's presence here. I arrived late, please forgive my offense!"

Silence.

A deathly silence.

Captain Wang's saber clattered to the ground. Landlord Liu's legs went weak, and he collapsed onto the ground, his trousers instantly soaked and reeking foully.

All the bailiffs and household guards turned ashen, trembling like sieves.

Lan Tianye's mouth hung open as he watched the dramatic turn of events, then looked at the expressionless Chen Qing beside him, his eyes filled with immense shock and admiration.

Chen Qing's gaze swept over the kneeling squad leader, and he spoke calmly, pointing at the pale-faced Landlord Liu and Captain Wang:

"Squad Leader Zhang, apprehend these individuals."

As Chen Qing uttered the cold command, the air seemed to freeze.

Squad Leader Zhang Kui looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with a soldier's decisiveness, no longer hesitant. He rose swiftly and barked at the equally stunned but quickly composed border soldiers behind him:

"As ordered! Soldiers, disarm these corrupt officials and bullies! Arrest them all! Any who resist will be killed without mercy!"

"Yes!" The nine border soldiers responded in unison, their voices echoing down the street. Seasoned warriors, they moved like tigers and wolves, immediately pouncing on the terrified bailiffs and Landlord Liu's household guards.

Captain Wang, who had been so arrogant moments before, was now pale and speechless, unable to even beg for mercy as soldiers roughly bound his hands behind his back.

The other bailiffs were utterly petrified, throwing down their weapons and falling to their knees, begging for mercy.

Landlord Liu, still slumped in his own urine, his plump body like a puddle of mud, was dragged out from behind his guards by two soldiers like a dead dog. He let out a pig-like shriek, "Mercy, sir! Mercy, esteemed sir! I was blind and foolish! My heart was clouded with greed! Please, for the sake of..." A soldier, annoyed by his noise, stuffed a rag into his mouth, leaving him only able to emit desperate muffled sounds.

His dissolute son had already fainted from fear.

The situation was instantly and completely reversed by absolute power and authority.

Only then did the silent crowd around them seem to come back to their senses.

First came low, disbelieving sobs from the young girl who had almost been taken and her parents, who embraced her tearfully.

"A just heaven... a just and upright official!" the old farmer suddenly knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly in Chen Qing's direction, tears streaming down his face. "Thank you! Thank you for saving our family! Thank you, General's Order!"

This cry was like igniting a fuse.

Instantly, long-suppressed emotions erupted in the crowd!

More crying erupted, no longer from fear, but from the relief of survival, the catharsis of injustice rectified!

"The heavens have eyes!"

"Liu the skinflint finally gets his comeuppance! Retribution! Retribution!"

"Thank you, young hero! Thank you, soldiers!"

"General Li sent an upright official to save us!"

Praise, laments, and curses directed at Landlord Liu mingled together, forming a roaring wave of sound.

Many townspeople knelt down in their excitement, kowtowing towards Chen Qing and the border soldiers. They had long been oppressed by Landlord Liu, with no recourse for their grievances. Today, justice had finally been served, and their emotions were overwhelming.

An old woman selling vegetables tremblingly held out a basket of eggs to a soldier, but after being politely declined, she turned towards Chen Qing's carriage, tears in her eyes, murmuring, "Benefactor... please eat something..."

Several half-grown children squeezed through the crowd, their eyes shining as they looked at Chen Qing, their faces full of adoration. Mimicking the adults, they clapped enthusiastically.

Lan Tianye stood beside Chen Qing, observing the scene, which felt like something out of a play. He saw the genuine gratitude and tears of the common people, and then looked at Chen Qing, whose expression remained calm and unfazed, as if he had merely done something trivial. His shock was immeasurable.

When he had acted heroically in the past, he had mostly received thanks from those directly involved. He had never witnessed such an impassioned display from the masses, such a boiling tide of public sentiment.

For the first time, he truly felt that true "chivalry" was not just about fighting bravely and righting wrongs, but also about using decisive means to cleanse corruption, bringing clarity and justice to the world, and earning the heartfelt reverence of the people.

His previous pride as a "young hero" seemed so naive and insignificant in the face of Chen Qing's calm yet earth-shattering actions. He looked at Chen Qing with complex admiration and a hint of inexpressible longing.

Chen Qing's gaze swept over the excited crowd, the icy expression on his face softening slightly, but he said no more. He nodded slightly to Squad Leader Zhang Kui, who had finished handling the scene and come to report: "The subsequent handling of this place will be dealt with according to military law. Report the results to Iron Wall City."

"I understand! I will not fail you!" Zhang Kui clasped his hands in a salute, responding solemnly. He knew that Landlord Liu, Captain Wang, and the others were finished for good.

Chen Qing did not linger. He turned to Lan Tianye and A Ning and said, "Let's go."

Lan Tianye quickly nodded, taking a deep breath to suppress the turmoil in his heart, and hurried to get his horse.

Chen Qing walked to the carriage. A Ning was peeking her head out of the carriage window, her eyes wide as she looked at him, then at the crying, grateful crowd. A hint of confusion was on her small face, but more than that, there was a sense of secure reliance. Chen Qing gently patted her head and got into the carriage.

The carriage slowly started and drove away from Qingshui Market.

Behind them, the townspeople spontaneously gathered along the roadside, watching them leave with tearful eyes and sending off lingering waves of gratitude.

"Farewell, benefactor!"

"May you live a hundred years, benefactor!"

"Thank you for the General's order! Thank you, General Li!"

Even after the carriage had traveled a great distance, the voices seemed to faintly echo on the wind.

Lan Tianye, mounted on his horse, remained silent for a long time, no longer the chatterbox he usually was. After a while, he let out a long sigh, his voice filled with complex emotion as he marveled, "Brother Chen... today... I think I'm starting to understand what a true 'great hero' really means."

Chen Qing gazed straight ahead, the official road stretching out beneath the carriage wheels, the distant mountains like dark eyebrows.

He said calmly, "The road is still long."

Lan Tianye nodded heavily, the carefree impetuosity in his eyes gradually replaced by a more steady light. He tightened his grip on the reins, silently following the carriage ahead, his heart filled with boundless imagination for the path ahead and this unfathomable companion.