Public Opinion Rises from All Sides

As the young man read those words aloud, his hand holding the letter trembled slightly, and his brows furrowed.

Although his complexion didn't change much, you could tell from his furrowed brows that the young man's mindset seemed off.

After a while, the young man finally let go, picked up a tinderbox, and lit the letter.

The Courier Folk passing by would glance at the scene every now and then, but would quickly look away.

"Sigh, how did this get involved with Xu Bai?" the young man thought to himself.

Xu Bai's reputation in the martial arts world is no longer as obscure as it once was.

Rescuing Rising Dusk King and resolving the feng shui dilemma—these two achievements alone have made him famous.

Even the Bureau of Surveillance has taken notice.

Despite their growing fame, they did not break the law; on the contrary, every single thing they did was in accordance with the laws and regulations of the Great Chu Kingdom.

Not long ago, His Majesty the Emperor actually sent Xu Bai to the Capital City to receive a great reward.

It's obvious to anyone with eyes that Xu Bai is quite important to His Majesty the Emperor, and he is likely to be given an important position during his trip to the capital.

None of these are the most important things. The most important thing is that he feels he has taken on a hot potato.

His trip was specifically to resolve the case of the massacre of the Purple Wood Prefecture.

However, the initial letter they received stated that the case was related to Xu Bai.

Although there is no substantial evidence, with this letter, he will have to investigate Xu Bai when he enters the Purple Wood Prefecture.

"Headache." The young man, Song De, rubbed his forehead, looking helpless.

He is the Director of the Bureau of Surveillance, in charge of the affairs of the prefecture. As long as it is related to the martial arts world or to demons and monsters, he must take charge.

Actually, investigating a prefectural post station chief wouldn't be a big deal, but Xu Bai is at the height of his power, so it's not easy to handle.

"I just hope that this Lord Xu can be reasonable. After all, we're all in the officialdom, so he should at least give us some face," Song De thought to himself.

It was getting late, so he ate something and, without lingering, mounted his horse and hurried towards the Purple Wood Prefecture.

The next day.

Xu Bai got up early, ate breakfast outside, and then returned to his room to continue working on the progress bar.

Coincidentally, the person behind the scenes seems to have disappeared without a trace and has not made any moves.

I thought at least something would happen, but it seems nothing has occurred.

"They're definitely holding back a big move." Xu Bai leaned back in his recliner, looking at the "Machinery Secret Technique" in his hand, and thought to himself.

The calmer the surface of the water, the more turbulent the undercurrents.

The opponent is unlikely to let this opportunity slip by easily, so the outcome is obvious: they are definitely looking for a chance to strike decisively.

"The longer it drags on, the better it will be for me," Xu Bai thought with satisfaction as he watched the progress bar slowly increase.

Ideally, it would drag on for a month or two, allowing him to finish several books. Then his strength would increase rapidly, and he could kill as many as come. Wouldn't that be wonderful? "Knock knock knock..."

Just as Xu Bai was thinking this, a knock sounded on the door.

"Who is it?" Xu Bai put down the book in his hand, looked at the door, stood up from the chair, and pressed the hilt of the Ghost-Head Saber.

"It's me, Ji Xiaojian. Is this a convenient time, Lord Xu?"

Outside the door, Ji Xiaojian's voice could be heard.

Xu Bai's lips curled up slightly. It's finally here.

He put away "The Machinery Secret Technique," then picked up the fake "Hundred Steps Piercing Willow to Shoot Ji Xiaojian" that Ji Xiaojian had given him, held it in one hand, walked to the door, and opened it.

Outside the door stood a strange man with a longbow on his back, wrapped in cloth. If one did not know beforehand that it was a longbow, one would not be able to tell from the outline alone.

"Is this your true face?" Xu Bai glanced at Ji Xiaojian and said indifferently.

"I have come to see Lord Xu this time with my true face, and I dare not conceal anything." Ji Xiaojian bowed and greeted him, but his eyes were fixed on Xu Bai's Hundred Steps Piercing Willow, and a glint of light flashed in them.

He's looking! Xu Bai is looking at this fake book!

This means that Xu Bai is not far from going mad! Ji Xiaojian suppressed his joy and acted naturally, saying, "My lord, I came here to ask if there is anything else that I can do for you. Just say the word, and I will do my utmost!"

Xu Bai laughed. He wasn't stupid; how could he not see through Ji Xiaojian's intentions?

This guy came up with this excuse simply to see if he was learning the Hundred Steps Piercing Willow. Now that he's seen what he wanted to see, he's naturally very satisfied.

Details, what are details?

Xu Bai had already anticipated this, so before opening the door, he had already changed the music to "Hundred Steps Piercing Willow".

"It's alright. Don't blame yourself too much for what happened that day. Since I've already accepted the benefits, let's just let it go," Xu Bai said.

Upon hearing this, Ji Xiaojian quickly put on a grateful expression. "Thank you for your magnanimity, Lord Xu. Since there is nothing else, I will leave now and will not disturb Lord Xu any longer."

"Hmm." Xu Bai gave a faint "hmm," which was taken as an agreement.

Ji Xiaojian took his leave.

After closing the door, Xu Bai sat back down in his chair and continued flipping through "The Machinery Secret Technique," working on the progress bar.

As for what just happened, it was just a minor incident, and he didn't take it to heart at all.

The other party has seen what they wanted to see; now it's up to them to react.

Thinking of this, Xu Bai stopped dwelling on it, calmed down, and continued working on the progress bar.

"Knock knock knock!"

The knocking sounded again.

Xu Bai put away "Machinery Secret Technique" again, frowned, and asked, "Who?"

He's got so much to do today, he needs to work hard.

An unfamiliar male voice sounded from outside the door.

"Lord Xu, I am Song De, the Bureau of Surveillance. I have important matters to discuss with you."

The Bureau of Surveillance? The Director?

Xu Bai stroked his chin, thinking to himself, "As expected, it's the Bureau of Surveillance."

Yesterday, while I was eating, I overheard some passersby talking about someone coming to handle these kinds of things. Now it seems they were right; it really is Bureau of Surveillance coming to deal with it.

He didn't have much contact with the Bureau of Surveillance; to be precise, he only had contact with Wu Hua.

As for that Iron Calculation Immortal, he's just a dead man; there's nothing to talk about.

Xu Bai walked to the door, opened it, and saw a young man with a long sword at his waist.

When it comes to wielding knives, Xu Bai is quite skilled; he could tell at first glance that this knife was no ordinary weapon.

It looked like an ordinary longsword, but a faint smell of blood wafted from it.

"This person is no ordinary character; he's a master," Xu Bai thought to himself.

Often, judging people relies on intuition, especially at first sight.

Xu Bai's intuition was very accurate, especially when it came to using knives.

As Xu Bai had suspected, Song De was indeed highly skilled in swordsmanship. He also looked at the Ghost-Head Saber at Xu Bai's waist and thought to himself, "What a fine saber."

The Ghost-Head Saber was obtained from the Fierce Tiger Stronghold. It wasn't actually that great a thing. After all, what kind of treasure could a ninth-rank Great Stronghold Master possibly have?

It mainly refers to people who use knives.

Xu Bai stood in front of Song De, but gave Song De a certain feeling.

The person before me is like a sharp blade hidden in its sheath; once drawn, it will unleash mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

"It is an honor for Minister Song to be here. Please come in." Xu Bai stepped aside to let Song De in.

Song De nodded slightly and stepped into the room.

There is no conflict between them for the time being, and they are very polite to each other, which is quite normal.

After all, not everyone is like a lunatic, always ready to fight the moment they meet.

But Song De knew very well that what he was about to say might change the situation.

"Lord Xu, I have come here today with an extremely important matter to tell Lord Xu." Song De's lips twitched slightly when he saw Xu Bai already pouring water.

Is this really the ruthless Xu Bai that's been making headlines all over the martial arts world?

"Have some water first, then we can talk slowly," Xu Bai said with a smile, handing over a teacup.

Helpless, Song De could only take a sip of water before recounting the whole story.

Xu Bai listened intently, his smile remaining unchanged, but growing even wider.

Song De felt a chill run down his spine and instinctively gripped the hilt of his longsword.

"Lord Song, according to your suggestion, how should this be handled?" Xu Bai asked.

Oh...

To frame someone.

They've used every kind of despicable and underhanded tactic imaginable.

If you can't win a direct confrontation, you resort to this tactic.

He really didn't expect the other party to pull such a move.

Upon hearing this, Song De put down his teacup and said with a wry smile, "Lord Xu, you may have to make do with it and stay in the jail of the Prefectural Office. As long as I find out the truth, everything will be fine. Moreover, you will be treated well in jail and will not be Lord Xu."

"In jail?" Xu Bai narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Lord Song, putting everything else aside, the other party only has a letter. If I say it's a frame-up, wouldn't it be a fair deal?"

"I know, Lord Xu is absolutely right, but according to the rules of the Bureau of Surveillance, this matter involves too many aspects, and I am just following the rules." Song De said with a bit of helplessness, "Lord Xu, rest assured, I will investigate this matter as soon as possible and will not keep Lord Xu here for long."

After speaking, Song De began to organize his thoughts, seemingly wanting to use other reasons to persuade Xu Bai.

But before Song De could continue speaking, Xu Bai interrupted Song De.

"Can."

The simple answer made Song De gasp for breath.

this...

They agreed so quickly? I prepared so many excuses, but I didn't need to use a single one of them.

"This is Lord Song's official business. We are all officials in the Great Chu, so I naturally support you. However, Lord Song needs to promise me one thing." Xu Bai pointed to the wooden box Nameless Saber Scripture and said, "I need to take the sword and these things with me."

Upon hearing this, Song De was overjoyed and said, "As long as Lord Xu is willing, none of these are problems."

"Then let's set off." Xu Bai picked up his bag without any hesitation.

He had already thought it through.

Since the other party has resorted to this tactic, their purpose is definitely not that simple.

There will definitely be a follow-up plan.

He's playing along, so let's play along to the end.

Go inside and wait, then deal with whatever comes your way.

"Very well, Lord Xu is indeed a straightforward man." Song De walked to the door, opened it, and bowed, saying, "Please!"

Xu Bai didn't stand on ceremony and walked straight out the door.

Song De followed behind without saying a word.

The two left the inn and walked down the bustling street, attracting many glances.

After all, they were both carrying knives. Although it was not uncommon for martial artists to carry knives in the Great Chu Kingdom, the aura of these two men was frightening at first glance. Therefore, many people, out of curiosity, would quickly avert their gaze after taking one look.

The two traveled quickly, engaging in numerous conversations along the way.

"Speaking of which, Lord Xu is also quite skilled with a knife."

"Not at all, not at all. May I ask which school of thought Lord Song studied under?"

"The Heavenly Saber Pavilion is a lineage specializing in swordsmanship. I am not very talented, but I have a certain position within it. If Lord Xu needs anything in the future, please feel free to call me."

"In that case, I won't stand on ceremony."

In the martial arts world, strength is what matters; in officialdom, personal connections are what matters.

Those who join the Jianghu Jiantiansi are considered to be half-officials, and Song De is also extremely proficient in this aspect.

The two chatted idly, and before long they arrived at the Prefectural Office.

The Prefectural Office of Purple Wood Prefecture is much more luxurious than that of Yunlai Prefecture, after all, the prosperity here is much better than that of Yunlai Prefecture.

When the two arrived at the Purple Wood Prefecture, they saw a distinguished-looking middle-aged man standing at the entrance.

When the middle-aged man saw Xu Bai arrive, he stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Greetings, Lord Xu and Lord Song."

Song De hurriedly introduced, "This is Prefect Zhou of Purple Wood Prefecture. The current grandeur of Purple Wood Prefecture is entirely due to Prefect Zhou's efforts."

Xu Bai's eyes lit up, and he also cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, Prefect Zhou."

In the Great Chu Kingdom, civil officials were naturally highly valued, and many civil officials looked down on the Bureau of Surveillance, but there was always an exception.

Of course, it's hard to say whether the Prefect Zhou's polite demeanor was just a facade or his true feelings.

But when it comes to saving face, if you do it, I'll do it too, and of course Xu Bai will too.

"Lord Song, you flatter me. All of this is thanks to His Majesty's grace." When Prefect Zhou said "His Majesty," he bowed towards the direction of the Capital City, showing great respect.

"How about Lord Xu choose a room?" Prefect Zhou blinked.

Honestly, it's a bit incongruous for a dignified middle-aged man to make such a gesture.

Xu Bai laughed heartily and said, "Then I'll have to trouble Prefect Zhou."

He doesn't look like he's here to be imprisoned at all; people would believe he's here on vacation.

"This way, please." Prefect Zhou his hand and led the way.

Xu Bai and Song De followed behind, and soon they arrived at a prison cell.

"This is what I arranged for Lord Xu," said Prefect Zhou, pointing to a room.

Looking at the room, Xu Bai's lips twitched slightly.

The room was fully furnished, and even the bed had a brand-new mattress. If it weren't for the surrounding walls, it would truly be a very complete bedroom.

The Prefect Zhou saw what Xu Bai was thinking and said with a smile, "Since Lord Xu and Lord Yun are close friends, they are naturally my friends as well. It's a pity that I didn't know that Lord Xu was coming to Purple Wood Prefecture, otherwise I would have certainly treated you well. Lord Xu, rest assured, I will never let Lord Xu suffer any grievances here."

Xu Bai, his face full of black lines, said, "So, Lord Zhou and Brother Yun are acquaintances."

"It's more than just knowing each other." Prefect Zhou a face full of shame, "I have only reached my current position at this age, but Lord Yun is a genius. We met by chance in the Capital City, and he helped me a lot. It was then that we formed a relationship."

It's said that having connections in the imperial court makes things easier, and Xu Bai, being one of those with connections, has certainly experienced this firsthand.

Entering the cell, Xu Bai casually lay down on the chair, feeling its softness, and smiled, "Lord Zhou has really gone to great lengths."

Prefect Zhou laughed and said, "Of course, gentlemen. I have some official business to attend to, so I won't disturb you any longer."

Anyone who can become the prefect is perceptive and naturally knows that Xu Bai didn't come to the prison for no reason. So he deliberately found an excuse to leave, so as to make room for the two of them.

"Farewell, Lord Zhou."

After Prefect Zhou left, Xu Bai turned to Song De and said, "Lord Song, I hope things can be done quickly."

Although it wasn't explicitly stated, Song De understood the implication of what was faster.

"Don't worry, Lord Xu, I'll go investigate right away." Song De didn't waste any time, and after saying that, he left immediately.

As Song De's figure disappeared, Xu Bai's smile gradually faded.

The person behind this is really shrewd, but here, just like in the inn, you can still grind the progress bar in your hand.

Thinking of this, Xu Bai took out "The Machinery Secret Technique" and continued reading...

The room is bright, and the progress bar is slowly increasing.

Xu Bai himself didn't take the matter of being imprisoned seriously, but the news had already spread.

The Ingenious Craft Pavilion, a room filled with ingenious mechanisms.

"What!" The Pavilion Master Ji stood up abruptly and said, "You said Lord Xu has been imprisoned!"

Ji Xiaoshan said with a bitter expression, "It is said that he was taken away by the Bureau of Surveillance because of the recent bloodshed."

"Isn't there evidence provided by my Ingenious Craft Pavilion?" the Pavilion Master Ji asked, puzzled.

"Father, we only provided evidence from five families. The Miao Family didn't have any, and it was Xiao Jian who did it," Ji Xiaoshan said.

Upon hearing this, the Pavilion Master Ji fell into deep thought.

After a moment, the Pavilion Master Ji raised his head and said, "Tell the officials from the Bureau of Surveillance that it was made by Ji Xiaojian and has nothing to do with the Ingenious Craft Pavilion."

Ji Xiaoshan was slightly taken aback, but quickly realized what his father meant. "Father, do you mean to put Xiaojian in jail as well?"

The Pavilion Master Ji nodded and said, "That's right. Since Xiao Jian has already betrayed us, we'll get him out of here. He's one of our people, so we can see what they're up to."

"But what if the other party doesn't care..." Ji Xiaoshan hesitated.

"If we ignore it, it proves that the other party has given up on this piece, so it doesn't matter whether we die sooner or later." The Pavilion Master Ji said slowly, "Although we have allied ourselves with Lord Xu, we cannot sit idly by and wait for our death. We must help Lord Xu complete this scheme. If the other party does not give up on Ji Xiaojian, then... the opportunity that Lord Xu wants will come."

Ji Xiaoshan understood and nodded in agreement. Then he remembered something else and said, "There was another family that was also wiped out. They said it was done by Lord Xu."

"Never mind!" The Pavilion Master Ji waved his hand and said, "Since Lord Xu has gone in, he must have his own ideas. Let's leave it alone for now. Just acknowledge the Miao Family and don't disrupt Lord Xu's plans."

"Yes!" Ji Xiaoshan bowed and said, "I'll take care of it right away."

After saying that, Ji Xiaoshan left directly.

The Pavilion Master Ji looked in the direction Ji Xiaoshan had left and sighed silently.

Things seem to be getting complicated, and it's unclear how things should proceed.

"I hope Lord Xu will turn misfortune into good fortune. Our Ingenious Craft Pavilion will try to find a way to help Lord Xu in the subsequent plans."

Inside the room, the voice of the Pavilion Master Ji became firm.

Not only was there some activity at the Ingenious Craft Pavilion, but at this moment, there was also activity at a secluded lakeside.

The man in the straw hat is fishing.

His face was covered, with only his eyes showing, which were now slightly closed.

A moment later, the fishing rod twitched, the fishing line trembled, the man in the straw hat opened his eyes, and then raised the fishing rod with both hands.

A plump grass carp leaped out of the water, biting the hook tightly, and swayed in mid-air.

"Smack!"

The man in the straw hat put away his fishing rod, put the grass carp into the fish basket, looked at the basket that was more than half full of fish, and shook his head.

"Are all anglers in the world really as simple as fishing?"

There was a hint of doubt in his words, but since there was no one around, he was clearly asking and answering his own question.

After about half an incense stick's time, a man in black slowly appeared next to the man in the straw hat.

"Sir, Xu Bai did not have any conflict with Song De. He went to the prison cell naturally."

"Oh?" The man in the straw hat was slightly taken aback. He then put his fishing rod aside, pondered for a moment, paced back and forth a few steps, and then said, "It seems that Xu Bai is not like the rumors in the martial arts world, who only knows how to kill people with a knife. Since he went in peacefully, let's add fuel to the fire."

The man in black remained silent, standing respectfully to the side with his hands at his sides, awaiting the next instruction from the man in the straw hat.

"So many bloody incidents have occurred this year, and now Xu Bai has become a suspect. You need to find a way to incite the remaining families and put pressure on the Bureau of Surveillance," said the man in the straw hat.

Upon hearing this, the man in black hesitated, as if he had something to say but dared not speak it.

"I know what you're trying to say. You mean these families have no connection to us and are not easy to mobilize, but actually they can be mobilized." The man in the straw hat baited the hook and said slowly.

"With several major families being massacred, the other families will inevitably feel insecure. They also learned that Xu Bai might be the murderer, so they joined forces to put pressure on the Bureau of Surveillance without violating the laws of the Great Chu."

"And there's another thing you're worried about, which is that the Bureau of Surveillance will ignore it. You don't know, sometimes, rumors can have a greater impact than you can imagine."

"This step is to disrupt Song De's direction. The next step is our spare time, which will allow us to turn things around."

At this point, the man in the straw hat was quite pleased with himself, as if he were smug about his own plan.

"Yes! I'll take care of it right away." The man in black didn't say anything more, and didn't dare to disturb the man in the straw hat's self-entertainment. He said goodbye and left directly.

The man in the straw hat returned to normal and continued fishing leisurely.

But before he could catch a fish, another man in black appeared.

"Report! Ji Xiaojian has been captured by Ji Xiaoshan and has been sent to Song De. Ingenious Craft Pavilion has admitted that the Miao Family was killed by Ji Xiaojian and has nothing to do with Xu Bai or Ingenious Craft Pavilion." Another man in black shouted.

"What?" Upon hearing this, the man in the straw hat noticed a crack appear on his fishing rod, and his tone turned hostile. "You only acknowledge the Miao Family?"

"Yes," the man in black bowed.

The man in the straw hat fell silent.

The surroundings were quiet, and the lake surface seemed like a stagnant pool.

After a moment, the man in the straw hat shook his head.

"I don't understand. If the Ingenious Craft Pavilion is helping Xu Bai, then they should admit to everything, since I wiped out another family before."

"The current actions of the Ingenious Craft Pavilion seem more like self-preservation. Could it be that they intend to abandon Xu Bai?"

He was talking to himself, seemingly stuck in some kind of mental block.

The opponent's actions came one after another, which made him somewhat overwhelmed.

After a long while, the man in the straw hat returned to normal.

"Send someone to hint to Ji Xiaojian that we will rescue him, and then find an opportunity to kill him."

In any case, killing Ji Xiaojian was the right thing to do, to avoid any oversights that could backfire.

"Yes!" The newly appeared man in black left.

The man in the straw hat looked at the fishing rod, now reduced to wreckage, and sighed.

"No matter what, I must kill Xu Bai."

The voice of the man in the straw hat rang out from the lakeside.

Xu Bai, who was the focus of everyone's attention, was still leisurely working on the progress bar, as if nothing had happened.

There's a saying that goes, "Wait and see."

Xu Bai is doing just that right now. It increases the progress bar and makes the other party rack their brains. Why not? Watching the progress bar slowly increase, the corners of Xu Bai's mouth gradually turned up.

"It's another beautiful day."

The next day.

Footsteps sounded outside the cell.

Song De walked in, dragging a corpse in his hand.

When Xu Bai heard the noise and looked over, he discovered it was Ji Xiaojian's corpse.

"What's going on?" He frowned.

This Ji Xiaojian was perfectly fine a few days ago, how come it's gone in just one day?

"Last night, the Ingenious Craft Pavilion brought him here. He confessed to the Miao Family's affairs, but not the other family. I interrogated him all night, but there was no progress. As a result, he died this morning, poisoned." Song De said with a gloomy face.

It's truly embarrassing that such a huge mess has occurred under his leadership.

Having worked in the Bureau of Surveillance for so long, he had never been so humiliated before; it was impossible for him not to be angry.

"I see." Xu Bai stroked his chin, seemingly lost in thought.

He instantly understood the deeper meaning behind the Ingenious Craft Pavilion.

This was an attempt to use Ji Xiaojian to probe the other party's background, while only acknowledging one Miao Family to avoid disrupting his own imprisonment plan.

However, it seems the plan did not work. The other party reacted quickly and decisively, killing Ji Xiaojian almost instantly.

"Lord Xu, tell me the truth, is this matter particularly complicated?" Song De said helplessly.

He always felt that things weren't that simple, and that Xu Bai was definitely hiding a huge secret.

If that's the case, the most crucial question is which path he should take.

To survive in the Bureau of Surveillance, one must have some discernment; if one takes the wrong path, it may lead to a dead end.

Xu Bai's lips curled up, and he said slowly, "Actually, it's not that difficult. Do you really want to know, even if it costs you your life?"

Song De was slightly taken aback, but quickly realized that this was something he couldn't possibly know, so he quickly said, "No, no, let's just forget about it."

He knew that these days, the less you inquired, the longer you would live.

"Alright, Lord Song, you should stick to your original plan and avoid any major changes. Also, Ji Xiaojian was poisoned while he was with you; I think you should investigate that thoroughly," Xu Bai reminded him.

Song De nodded hurriedly, preparing to turn around and leave, but before he had taken two steps, he stopped, turned around, and patted his head. "I almost forgot the most important thing."

As he spoke, he walked closer.

"Brother Xu, right now, all the major families in Purple Wood Prefecture are putting pressure on me, saying that I must severely punish the murderer. What do you think of this?"

"Pressure?" Xu Bai raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. "This guy's playing the media game?"

He realized that this was a typical attempt to mislead Song De using public opinion.

However, when asked for his opinion, he had no comment.

This is just the beginning; who knows what the other party's subsequent plans will be?

But...

It's not that there's no way to deal with it.

Xu Bai's eyes brightened slightly, and he said, "Please invite Lord Zhou over for me."

Song De was full of doubt and couldn't figure out what Xu Bai was thinking, but he still did as he was told and left.

A short while later, Prefect Zhou taken into the prison by Song De.

Before you see him, you hear his voice.

"Haha, perhaps you've been here too long and are feeling too lonely? Perhaps I could go to the Spring Rain Pavilion and find some companions for Lord Xu to keep him entertained?"

"You can do that?" Xu Bai's eyes lit up.

It's free! Nobody can resist getting something for free.

However, considering the current situation, I'll abandon this plan for now.

"Ahem, we are all refined people, how can we linger in places of pleasure?" Xu Bai said seriously, "I called Lord Zhou here today because I want him to do me a favor."

Finally, Xu Bai seemed to feel that something had been overlooked, and added, "As for the Spring Rain Pavilion, you can invite me there after I leave, it's the same."

Prefect Zhou: "..."

He was really just being polite.

Unlike Yun Zihai, he was already married. If he went to the Spring Rain Pavilion again, his family would probably make a scene and threaten suicide.

"What is it, Lord Xu? Please speak freely." Prefect Zhou suppressed his complaints with all his might and said, "As long as it is within my power, I will definitely help you to the end."

"Actually, it's nothing serious," Xu Bai said. "Could we lock up all the ringleaders of those families who caused trouble?"

Prefect Zhou was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening and shook his head, saying, "I know they are putting pressure on Lord Song, but they haven't broken any laws, so I can't just arrest people arbitrarily."

That's the truth. We really can't just arrest people randomly, otherwise things will get out of control, and if it gets back to the emperor, it could lead to a major disaster.

"This isn't just random arrests," Xu Bai explained, pointing to Song De and then to himself.

"First of all, I'm just a suspect, and a suspect without any evidence, right?"

Song De and Prefect Zhou a glance and nodded in unison.

"Secondly, they are asking Lord Song to execute me as soon as possible, right?"

The two nodded again, agreeing that this was indeed true.

"Finally, according to the laws of the Great Chu Kingdom, isn't their demand to execute someone who is merely a suspect a crime of false accusation?"

Upon Prefect Zhou was stunned. "Actually, in that sense, it could be considered somewhat related..."

"That settles it then?" Xu Bai shrugged and said, "Lord Zhou, I'll leave this matter to you."

The Prefect Zhou silent for a while, then gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, I'll go arrest them right now!"

Arresting people is a matter for the government; the Bureau of Surveillance has no jurisdiction over such matters.

The Prefect Zhou also had his own thoughts. He always felt that Xu Bai's Upper Capital this time was definitely not simple, but he didn't know what his intentions were.

But one thing is true: Xu Bai is a popular figure now, so it wouldn't hurt to lend him a hand.

"Wait, Lord Zhou, I have another request." Xu Bai smiled.

The Prefect Zhou stopped in his tracks. "Lord Xu, please speak freely."

"There aren't enough cells. Why don't we lock all those people in the same cell as each other? Wouldn't that be wonderful?" Xu Bai said, his smile growing even brighter.