The Situation Reverses

The sudden turn of events left Ye Tong dumbfounded. He could not understand how he and the Medicine Slave had become maniacs who killed and robbed. These soldiers were really capable of spouting nonsense, weren't they?

"Something's wrong here!"

Ye Tong's expression suddenly changed slightly. He vaguely thought of the Gao Family, and anger rose in his heart. Since arriving in the commandery city, the only people he had offended were the Gao Family. And the only ones capable of colluding with officials and merchants to target him were the Gao Family.

At that moment, Gao Fengkuo drew the curved saber from his waist. Raising an arm, he shouted, "Rebels and traitors! You dare kill and rob within the commandery city, defying the law! Your crimes are unforgivable! Seize them! If they dare resist, kill them without mercy!"

"Yes!" The hundred soldiers snapped their reins and drew their long sabers.

"Dog official, wait!" Cold light flickered in Ye Tong's eyes as he roared, "Our private grudge is between us, yet you dare mobilize soldiers to settle personal scores with public power. Do you really think my Commandery Prince's Estate is easy to bully?"

At such a critical moment, Ye Tong could only raise a great banner and borrow a tiger's hide, using Mu Xiaochen's identity to temporarily defuse the crisis. As for any private grudge, he had made that up on the spot.

The Commandery Prince's Estate?

The hundred soldiers' expressions changed. They all pulled their reins and stopped, staring at Ye Tong with uncertainty. They had no idea what had happened today. If what he said was true, if he had a private grudge with their commander and was also from the Commandery Prince's Estate, then even if they had a hundred times the courage, they would not dare make a move on the street!

Gao Fengkuo froze, and even the curved saber he had raised drooped considerably.

The Commandery Prince's Estate?

Weren't this old man and youth outsiders? How had they suddenly become people of the Commandery Prince's Estate? Had his subordinate been watching the wrong people?

With that thought, Gao Fengkuo immediately looked toward that subordinate.

The sturdy young man who had just identified them felt a chill in his heart as well. He did not know Ye Tong and the Medicine Slave's background. He had merely been ordered to watch the old man and youth. Seeing Gao Fengkuo's questioning look now, he could only brace himself and say, "Commander Gao, they are indeed the people you ordered me to monitor. They are staying in Room Twenty-Eight of the Ren-character Pavilion at the Peach Garden Inn."

Gao Fengkuo raised his brows, immediately realizing something. He looked at Ye Tong and sneered. "At such a young age, you dare impersonate someone from the Commandery Prince's Estate. You truly have the audacity to blot out the sky. You poisoned several people to death; the witnesses and evidence are all here, yet you still dare quibble. You are courting death."

Ye Tong keenly caught the way the sturdy young man addressed Gao Fengkuo. Realizing that the man's surname was Gao and that he was very likely a member of the Gao Family in the commandery city, he said loudly, "Commander Gao, I already made my grievances with your Gao Family clear to Gao Fengshan, the Gao Family head, yesterday. Yet you still harbor hatred and lead soldiers to provoke me in the street, using public power to settle personal scores. Isn't that too shameless? Just because you are a military commander, can you freely deploy the army to satisfy the selfish desires in your inner heart?"

Hearing Ye Tong's words, Gao Fengkuo could not help roaring, "Nonsense! A mouth full of gibberish! What are you all standing around for? Kill him on the spot at once!"

Although the hundred soldiers had doubts in their hearts, they did not dare disobey their superior's command. They snapped their reins, raised their sabers, and charged toward Ye Tong and the Medicine Slave.

"Impudent!" The Medicine Slave's body instantly straightened ramrod-stiff as he stepped before Ye Tong. He swung the Dragon Head Cane in his hand, knocking the two soldiers who charged first straight off their Wind Howl Wolves.

A great number of people surrounded them, all watching Gao Fengkuo with strange looks. Many had heard of what the Gao Family had suffered these past two days, and they had begun to believe the youth's words.

Using public power to settle personal scores!

If that old man and youth were not from the Commandery Prince's Estate, then if they were killed today, they would have brought it upon themselves. But if they truly were from the Commandery Prince's Estate, then Commander Gao would be in serious trouble.

Not far away, a Kirin Chariot slowly approached. Four burly men in armor, their auras deep and powerful, guarded the chariot two in front and two behind. Inside the carriage, a pale middle-aged woman wore a sorrowful expression as War Dragon General Fu Tianlong held her in his arms. The atmosphere was heavy.

"General!" When the Kirin Chariot came to a stop, one of the burly men called out.

Fu Tianlong did not even raise his head as he asked, "What is it?"

The burly man said in a deep voice, "There is fighting ahead. One side consists of soldiers from the city patrol camp, while the other is an old and a young cultivator."

Fu Tianlong gently pushed away the wife in his arms. After stepping out of the carriage and seeing soldier after soldier being sent flying by the old man's Dragon Head Cane, he turned and said, "Madam, wait here for a moment."

After comforting the woman in his arms, Fu Tianlong took two armored men and strode toward the front like an arrow.

"Stop." Once he drew near, Fu Tianlong shouted sternly.

Gao Fengkuo sat atop his Wind Howl Wolf, his eyes fixed on the chaotic battle. Suddenly hearing someone interfere, the killing intent in his heart surged wildly. But when he turned and saw who it was, he froze completely.

War Dragon General? Fu Tianlong? What was he doing here? Gao Fengkuo hurriedly flipped off his mount, dropped to one knee, and said, "This subordinate pays respects to the War Dragon General."

At this moment, the soldiers besieging Ye Tong and the Medicine Slave also stopped one after another and retreated to the side.

Fu Tianlong was in a terrible mood. The tragic death of his only daughter and his wife's grief had made his heart feel as though it were being twisted by knives. Now that he encountered such a scene, he nearly could not restrain himself from killing someone. Taking a deep breath, he suppressed the viciousness in his heart and asked in a low voice, "What is going on here?"

Gao Fengkuo hesitated, then gritted his teeth and said, "General, they are two criminals. We were in the process of arresting them."

More than ten meters away.

Ye Tong was somewhat surprised. He had not expected to encounter this pitiful man here. Hearing Gao Fengkuo turn black into white, he sneered. "Gao, you frame others, abuse your authority, and deceive the War Dragon General. Aren't you afraid of bringing death upon yourself?"

Gao Fengkuo turned around, glared at Ye Tong, and shouted, "Shut up."

With a face full of contempt, Ye Tong said, "You dare act but not admit it. You are truly a goddamn coward."

Fu Tianlong looked directly at Ye Tong and snorted coldly. "You insult an imperial soldier. Even if you have reason on your side, you must still be punished. Men, seize them."

The two burly armored men instantly drew their sabers.

"Stop!" The cry came from behind Fu Tianlong.

Fu Tianlong was stunned. Turning around and seeing his wife who had followed him over, disbelief appeared in his eyes. He knew her temperament. She had never interfered in his affairs, so why now...

When the middle-aged woman saw Ye Tong, a trace of softness emerged in her sorrowful eyes. Though her daughter had died tragically at the claws of a ferocious beast, she could not forget how this master and servant had joined forces with her at the moment of crisis, risking their lives to protect her daughter. She could not forget the sight of those two bowls of hot blood splashing forth, much less how they had stopped her from taking her own life and patiently persuaded her time and again.

Before everyone's eyes, the middle-aged woman brushed past Fu Tianlong. After walking before Ye Tong and the Medicine Slave, she slowly turned around, looked straight at her husband Fu Tianlong, and said firmly, "If you wish to harm them, kill me first."

"This..."

Fu Tianlong was completely bewildered. This sudden change left him at a loss. After hesitating, he asked, "Madam, what is wrong with you...?"

The middle-aged woman gritted her teeth and said, "Before Yan'er died, the last sip of hot water she drank and the last bite of salted flatbread she ate were given to her by this youth. During the beast tide atop the mountain, this master and servant risked their lives to protect our mother and daughter. Such great kindness and virtue will never be forgotten, even when our teeth fall out."

"It was them?"

Fu Tianlong's heart shook violently, and the killing intent in his heart vanished in an instant. Before everyone's eyes, he walked straight to his wife, helped her to one side, then retreated three steps. Dropping to one knee, he clasped his fists and said gratefully, "Tianlong was wrong. You two protected my wife and daughter. I shall engrave such great kindness and virtue in my heart. No matter who is right or wrong in today's matter, I, Fu Tianlong, will bear it for you."

The surrounding crowd erupted, and all the soldiers looked at one another in dismay.

Gao Fengkuo's face turned deathly pale in an instant. He had never imagined that today's affair would develop to such a point. Those damned master and servant were actually the great benefactors of the War Dragon General's family.

It was over!

The regret in Gao Fengkuo's heart turned into bitter water. He knew that his abuse of authority and use of public power to settle personal scores would likely be impossible to conceal!

Bang...

Gao Fengkuo forced himself onward, striding to Fu Tianlong's back before dropping to both knees. "General, please forgive me. This subordinate learned that this youth had poisoned members of my Gao Family, so I took it upon myself to lead troops here to arrest him. Had I known they had such a relationship with you, General, even if this subordinate had a hundred times the courage, I would not have dared touch a single finger of theirs."

Fu Tianlong's heart trembled, and deep regret arose within him. Just now, without distinguishing right from wrong, he had rashly reached a conclusion and ordered the master and servant seized. So this was all a disturbance stirred up by this petty man.

"He accuses you of abusing your authority and using public power to settle personal scores. Is that true?" Fu Tianlong demanded in a deep voice.

Gao Fengkuo gritted his teeth and said, "He did indeed use poison against members of my Gao Family."

Fu Tianlong asked, "Were any lives lost?"

"This... no." Gao Fengkuo was left speechless.

Fu Tianlong laughed in extreme anger, then viciously kicked Gao Fengkuo flying as he roared, "Seize him! Throw him into prison and interrogate him!"

At once, the surrounding soldiers rushed forward and subdued Gao Fengkuo.

Fu Tianlong glanced at his wife beside him before clasping his fists toward Ye Tong. "I failed to discipline my subordinates and nearly offended my benefactors. Tianlong is ashamed. I will certainly give you an explanation for today's matter."

Ye Tong was quite satisfied. "Handle it as you see fit. We have matters to attend to, so we will take our leave first."

"Wait!"

The middle-aged woman hurried over and reached out to take Ye Tong's hand. "Ye Tong, I know you have only recently arrived in the commandery city. We had intended to seek you out after finishing Yan'er's funeral arrangements. Since we have met now, tell me where you are staying. In a few days, I will certainly Visit you to offer my thanks."

Fu Tianlong also hurriedly said, "Yes! We dare not forget such great kindness. May I ask where this little brother is temporarily staying?"

Ye Tong waved a hand. "Forget it. I did not do it deliberately back then. I merely thought they were pitiful. Do not speak of any great kindness again in the future."

"No." The middle-aged woman said stubbornly, "It is precisely because you knew nothing of our mother and daughter's circumstances yet still risked your lives to save us that I am even more grateful. Ye Tong, please tell me! Otherwise, I will be unable to sleep or eat in peace."

"This..." Ye Tong hesitated before saying, "We are temporarily staying at the Peach Garden Inn."

Upon hearing that, the middle-aged woman immediately said, "Within three days, my husband and I will certainly Visit you."

"If little brother encounters any trouble in the commandery city, please notify me at once. Tianlong will brave boiling water and tread on blazing fire without hesitation," Fu Tianlong added.