The moment those aged words were spoken, nearly everyone understood.
At once, another elder glared at him and launched into a verbal crusade, his spittle nearly spraying onto the man's face:
"Shameless! Liu, if you did not devote your mind to such scheming tricks, you would have broken through the Gentleman Realm and become a Great Scholar long ago!"
"Quanfu, do not believe the words of such a brazen scoundrel. Take me as your master!"
As he spoke, the elder approached Zeng Anmin and suddenly lowered his voice in temptation:
"This old man has some friendship with Governor Zeng. If you take me as your master, I can ask him to personally guide your cultivation."
"You are no better! You even dare to borrow a tiger's hide to frighten others. You were merely classmates with Governor Sir for two days in your early years. Whether Lord Zeng even remembers you is another matter, yet you still have the nerve to flaunt it?!"
Someone immediately stepped forward and unleashed a torrent of abuse at the elder from before. Then he bent down, raised his brows at Zeng Anmin, and said:
"Quanfu, this old man has a daughter who has yet to marry. She is about your age. If you are interested..."
"Get lost!! Your daughter looks like an earthworm. Do not drag her out to defile our ears!"
"Oh? And how much better is your son?! He lingers at the Jiaofang Division all day long, throwing your old face away entirely!!"
"Ah, ah, ah!! You white-haired fool, you gray-bearded old thief, you broken-spined cur—today, this old man will fight you to the death!!"
"Come on!!"
"..."
The entire residence was a smoky, miasmic mess...
Zeng Anmin watched the teachers, the corner of his mouth twitching uncontrollably.
Were people of the Confucian Path not supposed to be refined?
How were they even cruder than Crude Martial Artists??
"All of you, shut up!!!"
A loud shout rang out from the doorway.
The room fell silent, and everyone looked toward the entrance.
They saw the Dean's steward walk in slowly, his expression incomparably gloomy.
"You are all teachers, yet not one of you knows what shame is!!"
The Dean's steward had been at the Academy for many years.
In the eyes of the teachers, he counted as one of the Academy's leaders. One by one, they all lowered their heads.
"Get out!"
The steward's expression was cold as he raised a hand and pointed toward the door.
"Once you leave through this door, I shall pretend I never saw you. But if what happened today occurs again, I will not be lenient!!"
"This..."
All the teachers looked at one another.
After a long while, someone finally let out an unwilling sigh and headed outside.
With him taking the lead, the rest could only beat their chests and stamp their feet as they filed out.
When only two people remained in the room, Zeng Anmin rose and bowed to the steward.
"Thank you, Steward, for resolving the situation."
"Hehe, congratulations on your breakthrough, Young Master Zeng. If Governor Sir learns of this news, he will surely be delighted."
The steward knew Zeng Anmin's true identity.
That was why he had always treated him with great respect.
"Mm."
Zeng Anmin merely nodded expressionlessly.
"Has Brother Tongyu's mother been sent home?"
The steward's expression stiffened.
Naturally, he knew what Zeng Anmin meant by that abrupt remark.
It was nothing more than sarcasm.
"She was sent back yesterday."
After replying, the steward seemed to recall something. His gaze fell upon Zeng Anmin's face.
"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?"
After speaking, he stared fixedly at Zeng Anmin.
At those words, Zeng Anmin was first stunned, then abruptly raised his head.
His eyes were filled with shock.
"You are telling the truth?!!"
"I would not dare deceive you, Young Master." The steward continued staring at him.
"Hahahaha!! Good, good, good!! Heaven has eyes!!"
Zeng Anmin suddenly threw his head back and laughed. He could not even stop himself from clapping his hands in praise.
"He died well!!"
After saying that, Zeng Anmin excitedly reached out, gripped the steward's shoulder, and asked:
"Who did it? I must know the name of the hero behind such a righteous deed!!"
The steward frowned.
He could not see through whether Zeng Anmin was being genuine or false, so he merely said:
"I do not know. According to witnesses, it was done by a martial artist wearing a Cat Mask..."
"I see..." After hearing this, Zeng Anmin abruptly raised his head and asked the steward, "Where did Wang Lin die?"
"At the gates of Prince Jiang's Estate... Why do you ask?" The steward was utterly baffled by the question.
Zeng Anmin said solemnly, "I am willing to call that martial artist the Prince's Estate Judge."
The corner of the steward's mouth twitched.
He could tell that he would not get anything from this boy, so he changed the subject and asked:
"What does Young Master Zeng plan to do next?"
Zeng Anmin raised his head excitedly. "Naturally, I shall first ask for leave, then go to Brother Tongyu's home and tell Mother Zhang this heart-stirring good news!"
Fine.
No matter how he looked at it, this did not resemble someone capable of sending people to assassinate Wang Lin.
The steward gradually relaxed and took his leave.
After the steward left, Zeng Anmin slowly raised his brows.
How could he fail to see the steward's intention in coming here to probe him?
It seemed someone had already begun to suspect him.
"Hehe."
Zeng Anmin chuckled softly.
Who could have imagined that the true identity of Governor Sir's son, a Confucian genius...
Was actually a martial artist whose cultivation had already borne fruit?
Even if they had eight hundred schemes in their hearts, they would never think of it.
Although breaking through to Confucian Path Seventh Rank would draw every eye onto him...
That was precisely the most perfect darkness beneath the lamp!
"Dachun, today is a Day Off! Follow this young master out!"
Zeng Anmin raised his voice and shouted toward the outer room.
"Coming!"
Qi Dachun's simple-minded voice rang out.
The entirety of Two Rivers Prefecture had fallen into an atmosphere of tension because of Wang Lin's death.
The people of the Xuanjing Division had almost all been mobilized. They shouted through the streets as they hunted for the murderer.
Likewise, because the authorities were moving with such great fanfare, news that Wang Lin of Prince Jiang's Estate had been assassinated by a righteous hero spread swiftly among the common people.
Tong'an Street was one of the relatively poorer streets in Two Rivers Prefecture.
Most of those who made their homes there were ordinary commoners.
Although the court's funds had yet to arrive...
Repairs had already begun under the arrangements of Zeng Shilin, Governor of Two Rivers.
Prefect Qi Xiande was the one overseeing this work.
By the roadside.
Zeng Anmin and Qi Dachun each held a flatbread in hand. They ate 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 Young Master dies, and everyone in all of Two Rivers Prefecture is made to feel endangered."
Zeng Anmin sneered.
Qi Dachun looked at him with his exceptionally wise eyes and grinned foolishly.
"Hehe, he was only the Young Master of a feudal prince. If Young Master had died, the master would definitely turn the entire prefectural city upside down."
Zeng Anmin glanced at Dachun.
Dachun gave a foolish grin.
Fine.
Zeng Anmin could not be bothered to deal with him and prepared to head toward Zhang Lun's home.
But at that moment, he heard an exceedingly familiar voice.
"Young Master Zeng? What are you doing here?"
Zeng Anmin turned toward the source of the voice.
He discovered that Xuanjing Division Commander Wang Deli was fully armed and looking at him with a face full of curiosity.
He wore a full military uniform. His typical northern face, thick brows, and large eyes were particularly memorable.
He stood before more than a dozen Red-robed Guards of the Xuanjing Division.
"Commander Wang?"
Zeng Anmin remembered this boor—the one who, after he had left the prison that day, envied his father for being better at having sons than he was.
His father did not seem to like him much, either.
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