A Chance Encounter

The moment those aged words were spoken, nearly everyone snapped to attention.

Immediately, another old man glared at him, launching a verbal assault, spittle nearly flying onto his face:

"Shameless! Liu, if you hadn't wasted your mind on such scheming flattery, you'd have broken through the Gentleman Realm and become a Great Scholar long ago!"

"Quanfu, don't be fooled by this brazen scoundrel's words. Take me as your teacher instead!"

With that, the old man stepped before Zeng Anmin and suddenly lowered his voice, tempting:

"I have some ties with Governor Zeng. If you take me as your teacher, I can ask him to personally guide your cultivation."

"You're no better! Still trying to borrow his prestige—you only studied with Governor Sir for two days years ago. Whether Lord Zeng even remembers you is anyone's guess, and you still have the nerve to flaunt it?!"

Someone immediately stepped out, tearing into the previous old man, then bent over and raised an eyebrow at Zeng Anmin:

"Quanfu, I have a daughter not yet married, about your age. If you're interested..."

"Scram!! Your daughter looks like an earthworm—don't defile our ears with that!"

"Oh? And where's your son any better?! Lingering in the Jiaofang Division all day, you've lost every shred of face!!"

"Aiyaya!! White-haired wretch, gray-bearded villain, mangy cur—today, this old man will fight you to the death!!"

"Bring it on!!"

"..."

The entire dormitory was a chaotic mess...

Zeng Anmin watched the crowd of scholars, the corners of his mouth twitching uncontrollably.

Weren't those on the Confucian Path supposed to be refined and cultured?

How are they cruder than a Crude Martial Artist?!

"All of you, shut up!!!"

A sharp shout rang out from the doorway.

The room fell silent, and everyone turned to look.

They saw the Dean's Steward, his face dark as thunder, slowly walk in.

"All of you are teachers, yet not one of you knows the meaning of shame!!"

The Dean's Steward had been at the academy for many years.

In the eyes of the scholars, he was part of the academy's leadership, so they all lowered their heads.

"Get out!"

The Steward pointed coldly at the door and said:

"Once you step through that door, I'll pretend I never saw this. If anything like today happens again, I won't go easy on you!!"

"This..."

All the scholars exchanged glances.

After a long time, someone finally let out a reluctant sigh and headed out.

With him taking the lead, the rest could only stamp their feet in frustration and file out one by one.

When only two people remained in the room, Zeng Anmin rose and bowed to the Steward.

"Thank you for the rescue, Steward."

"Heh, congratulations on your breakthrough, Young Master Zeng. When Governor Sir learns of this, he will surely be overjoyed."

The Steward knew Zeng Anmin's true identity.

Thus, he had always treated him with respect.

"Mm."

Zeng Anmin nodded expressionlessly:

"Has Brother Tongyu's mother been sent home?"

The Steward's face stiffened.

He naturally knew what Zeng Anmin's sudden remark meant.

Nothing but sarcasm.

"She was sent back yesterday."

After replying, the Steward seemed to recall something, his eyes landing on Zeng Anmin's face as he said:

"Young Master Zeng, do you know that Wang Lin, the Young Master of Prince Jiang's Estate, was assassinated yesterday and died in the snow?"

With that, he stared intently at Zeng Anmin.

But upon hearing this, Zeng Anmin was first stunned, then abruptly looked up.

His gaze was filled with utter shock.

"You're serious?!"

"I wouldn't dare deceive you, Young Master." The Steward kept his eyes fixed on him.

"HAHAHAHA!! Good, good, good!! Heaven has eyes!!"

Zeng Anmin suddenly threw his head back and laughed, even unable to resist clapping his hands in praise:

"A fine death!!"

After saying this, Zeng Anmin reached out excitedly and clapped the Steward on the shoulder, asking:

"Who did it? For such a righteous deed, I must know the hero's name!"

The Steward furrowed his brow.

He couldn't tell whether Zeng Anmin was genuine or feigning, and only said:

"I don't know. According to eyewitnesses, it was a Martial Artist wearing a Cat Mask..."

"I see..." Zeng Anmin listened, then abruptly lifted his head and asked the Steward:

"Where did Wang Lin die?"

"In front of Prince Jiang's Estate... why?" The Steward was baffled by the question.

Zeng Anmin's expression turned solemn with respect: "I would call that Martial Artist the Prince's Estate Judge."

The corner of the Steward's mouth twitched.

He could tell he wouldn't get anything out of this brat, so he changed tack and asked:

"What does Young Master Zeng plan to do next?"

Zeng Anmin looked up excitedly: "First, I'll ask for leave, then go to Brother Tongyu's home and tell Mother Zhang this heartening good news!"

Right.

With this kind of reaction, there was no way he could be the one who sent someone to assassinate Wang Lin.

The Steward slowly relaxed his guard and took his leave.

After the Steward left, Zeng Anmin's brows slowly rose.

How could he not see that the Steward had come to test him?

It seemed someone had already suspected him.

"Heh."

Zeng Anmin let out a soft laugh.

Who would have thought that the true identity of the Governor's son, a Confucian genius?

Was actually a trained martial artist?

Even if they had eight hundred minds, they'd never guess.

Though breaking through to the Confucian Path Seventh Rank would draw all eyes to him.

That was precisely the perfect blind spot!

"Dachun! Today's a Day Off! Come with this Young Master for a trip!"

Zeng Anmin bellowed toward the outer room.

"Coming!"

Qi Dachun's simple, honest voice rang out.

The entire Two Rivers Prefecture had fallen into a tense atmosphere because of Wang Lin's death.

The Xuanjing Division had nearly emptied out, shouting up and down the streets as they hunted for the killer.

And because the authorities were making such a show of force, news that Wang Lin of Prince Jiang's Estate had been assassinated by a chivalrous swordsman spread like wildfire among the common folk.

Tong'an Street was one of the relatively poorer streets in Two Rivers Prefecture.

Mostly commoners had settled here.

Though the court's funds hadn't yet been released.

Repair work had already begun under the arrangements of Zeng Shilin, the Governor of Two Rivers.

Prefect Qi Xiande was the one in charge of overseeing this work.

By the roadside.

Zeng Anmin and Qi Dachun each held a flatbread, eating as they watched a fully equipped squad of Red-robed Guards from the Xuanjing Division march away.

"Tsk, as expected of Prince Jiang's Estate. One dead Young Master, and the whole Two Rivers Prefecture is on edge."

Zeng Anmin let out a cold laugh.

Qi Dachun fixed his gaze with that profoundly shrewd look of his and said with a foolish grin, "Heh heh, just a princely heir from some vassal domain. If it had been the Young Master who died, the Lord would have turned the entire prefectural city upside down."

Zeng Anmin shot a glance at Dachun.

Dachun gave a simple, silly smile.

Right.

Zeng Anmin couldn't be bothered with him and was about to stride toward Zhang Lun's home.

But just then, he heard a voice he knew all too well.

"Young Master Zeng? What are you doing here?"

Zeng Anmin turned to look at the source of the voice.

He found the Xuanjing Division Commander, Wang Deli, fully armed and staring at him with undisguised curiosity.

He was clad in battle gear, his typical northern face—broad brows and large eyes—making a lasting impression.

He stood before a dozen or so Red-robed Guards of the Xuanjing Division.

"Commander Wang?"

Zeng Anmin remembered this rough man. He was the one who, back when he was released from prison, had envied his father for having a better son than he did.

His father didn't seem to think much of him, either.