Xiaocheng

"Of course, I recognize him," Qi Shan replied, not surprised by the Grand Censor's reaction. He continued with a slight smile, "But unfortunately, we only met once, so I doubt Master Tian would remember me. Eight years ago, during Xin Kingdom's special examination, Master Tian happened to be the official in charge of the selection."

Eight years ago?

The official in charge?

Two clues were all it took for the Grand Censor to react.

He had some recollection now.

The so-called "special examination" was a trial assessment specially added outside the normal talent selection activities. The official in charge was the chief examiner, and scholars could use this opportunity to enter officialdom.

The assessment had three parts: family background, character and ability, and most importantly, the rank of their Literary Heart.

The first two determined the minimum standard, or rather, the threshold for entering officialdom, while the last determined the ceiling of one's career.

The Grand Censor had a good memory.

He remembered the scholars selected that time, but he didn't recall Qi Shan among them. Had Qi Shan been among those who failed?

As soon as this thought crossed his mind, a flicker of unease crossed the Grand Censor's face. He, as the chief examiner, had missed such a significant talent, which was truly his oversight.

But then he thought, Xin Kingdom no longer existed, and many of its former officials were being purged and poisoned by Zheng Qiao.

Countless souls had been wronged in just a few months.

It was a good thing Qi Shan hadn't entered officialdom.

He gently patted his son's arm. His son understood and helped him to his feet. Father and son bowed respectfully to Qi Shan.

"May we know our benefactor's name?"

Qi Shan returned their bows one by one.

"My surname is Qi, given name Shan, courtesy name Yuanliang."

The Grand Censor murmured, "Qi Yuanliang... Qi?"

Qi Shan's surname was very rare. He had a vague impression. The roster did indeed have a young scholar named "Qi Shan," who was only sixteen at the time, the youngest among that batch of scholars.

However--

The Grand Censor lowered his eyelids, his gaze subtly sweeping over the Literary Heart sigil at Qi Shan's waist. If he remembered correctly, that scholar's Literary Heart rank was--

Before he could retrieve that memory, Qi Shan saw the Grand Censor's subtle movement and spoke first.

"It was rank six, middle-low."

The Grand Censor pursed his lips, remaining silent. As more clues surfaced, he slowly recalled some long-forgotten details.

At this moment, his son looked from Qi Shan to his father and interjected, "A rank six, middle-low Literary Heart? Why wasn't he recruited?"

Although a rank six, middle-low Literary Heart was considered mediocre, and there was likely no possibility of reaching the highest positions without any accidents, having real talent should have secured him a minor official post.

In the years before Xin Kingdom's fall, talent was desperately needed everywhere, and the standards weren't high. It was unlikely they wouldn't have recruited Qi Shan.

The Grand Censor didn't speak. He glanced sideways, silently warning his son to be quiet. His son flinched under his glare and immediately shut his mouth.

Once his son quieted down, he turned back to Qi Shan for confirmation.

"Benefactor, did you offend anyone at that time?"

Qi Shan was rejected, unable to even secure a minor post in a remote area, which couldn't have been solely due to his Literary Heart rank being insufficient.

"Yes, I did offend someone."

Qi Shan's eyes curved into crescent moons as he admitted it readily.

"Father, who framed our benefactor?"

The Grand Censor's son had the same temperament as his father, even more straightforward and naive. Upon hearing that Qi Shan had missed his chance at an official career because he offended someone, he immediately became indignant. To his surprise, the Grand Censor not only didn't answer but also secretly pinched the flesh on his upper arm.

"Father--"

"Silence!" The Grand Censor shot him a glare.

His son: "..."

"That person didn't exactly frame me, but my weakness fell into his hands. It was better to be rejected then than to enter officialdom and be blackmailed later." Qi Shan seemed to take it in stride, with no discernible emotion in his eyes, as if discussing a trivial matter unrelated to himself.

"Weakness?" the foolish son persisted, still straightforward.

Qi Shan suddenly chuckled, "Yes, fabricating my background."

The Censor's foolish son: "..."

The Grand Censor, who knew part of the truth: "..."

"Fabricating my background" was a minor issue compared to a real leverage. However, Xin Kingdom had already fallen, and the "major issue" of that time was no longer significant. It was just that their father and son, along with several friends and relatives, owed their lives to this person. Why expose his past misdeeds?

Qi Shan asked, "Does Master Tian know where that person is now?"

The Grand Censor's expression darkened as he recalled something.

"In Xiaocheng..."

"Xiaocheng?"

"He is now the Prefect of Sibao Prefecture, with his administrative seat in Xiaocheng. Geng Country's army is pressing hard, and he colluded with Zheng Qiao in secret, working from within to take several strongholds of Xin Kingdom... If not for him, we could have held on for at least another five months, perhaps waiting for a turning point..."

Qi Shan said, "Repeatedly acting like a villain, it's nothing to be surprised about."

"The benefactor is asking about his whereabouts, preparing to... seek revenge?"

At this moment, Young Master Shen's displeased voice reached their ears: "I'm bravely fighting the enemy, and you're here chatting and catching up?"

Shen Tang, covered in blood and holding the Kind Mother Sword, came over to get help dealing with the corpses—destroying them to avoid any further complications—only to see Qi Shan chatting from afar. Her fists clenched.

She felt that the one who needed the Kind Mother Sword's education the most right now wasn't the "filial sons" lining up for reincarnation, but Qi Yuanliang, who was always on the sidelines.

Seeing Shen Tang return, a hint of surprise flashed in Qi Shan's eyes. He knew Shen Tang could handle those dozen or so soldiers, but he hadn't expected her to be so fast even without the Word Spirit's enhancement.

"Naturally, I trust in Young Master Shen's abilities. How could those rabble be a match for you?" He perfunctorily dismissed the accusation without sincerity, his gaze passing over Shen Tang to look behind her. "Are they all dead?"

She snorted, "They're all dead."

Cutting the weeds and removing the roots, leaving no future trouble.

Shen Tang flicked her wrist, and the blood on her sword was flung onto the grass leaves, leaving behind dots of red.

"What about those who were poisoned?"

"As a kind person like myself, I naturally wouldn't let them continue to suffer the torment of the Qianji. A sword through the throat, a sword through the heart."

Ensuring they were dead beyond any doubt.

Qi Shan and Shen Tang exchanged questions and answers, while he also kept an eye on the rescued prisoners. As the head of the Censorate, the Grand Censor had considerable contact with the noble clans of the Xin Kingdom. If Young Master Shen were "Gong Cheng," he shouldn't fail to recognize him.

However, the Grand Censor showed no reaction of familiarity toward Shen Tang's face; instead, there was a bit of curiosity and surprise.

A young man wearing a Literary Heart sigil who fought more fiercely than a brute with a Martial Gall tiger tally was indeed worth curious observation.

Qi Shan reflected inwardly.

Was Shen Tang really not "Gong Cheng"?

As he frowned, Shen Tang guessed what nonsense was brewing in his mind. She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes—she knew it. Qi Shan's earlier "I understand" was a complete waste of time.

With this time spent pondering, he might as well help her bury the bodies.

Who would have thought—

Qi Shan flatly refused.

The reason was also ridiculous.

"I am timid and cannot bear to see bloody corpses."

Shen Tang: "..."

She had no choice but to roll up her sleeves and do the work herself. She couldn't count on Qi Shan, and even less on those prisoners who had lost half their lives and were only kept alive by her flatbread, preserved plums, and malt candy. While working, Qi Shan leaned against a tree trunk, hiding in the shade, and asked her.

"Does Young Master Shen have any interest in visiting Xiaocheng?"

Today, I moved into a new place and drank a lot of red wine. I woke up at three in the morning and was busy until three or four in the afternoon. I took a nap and woke up to update. My head still hurts, and I feel like my thoughts aren't flowing smoothly. I'll revise any issues after a good night's sleep tomorrow.

Good night, everyone.