Qiu's Words Could Become Power, but Meng's Resolve Could Not Be Worn Away

"You brat, are you trying to imitate the tricks from those stage plays?"

Unexpectedly, the burly constable seemed to have seen through Meng Sanyi's ploy. He sneered without pausing his movements. Meng's mother staggered and was seized as well, her face going pale with fright.

A glint of cold light flashed through Meng Sanyi's eyes. Even with his arms twisted behind his back and bound, he said, "Do not think I am merely bluffing you. Before you act, I advise you to get certain things straight..."

Coupled with the calm expression on Meng Sanyi's face, those words finally gave the constables some misgivings. The burly constable frowned and was about to question him.

Jiang He had long been watching their expressions and reading the room. How could he allow this to continue? He immediately shouted, "Do not listen to this boy's nonsense! He makes himself sound as though he has some grand background, but he merely runs errands at the Hanlin Academy. He actually wants to deceive you honorable officers!"

"Hmm? The Hanlin Academy?" The constables were instead startled by this, becoming far more hesitant. The burly constable even glared at Jiang He and asked in a deep voice, "What is going on? Did you not say this family consisted of unregistered drifters? How are they connected to the Hanlin Academy? Are they registered under it?"

These constables could swagger about before ordinary commoners, but before other government offices, they were greatly inferior. This was the Imperial City, after all, where Central Pivot institutions stood everywhere and wielded every kind of power. Even their servants and runners were not people the constables could easily offend.

Among the many institutions, the Hanlin Academy was considered relatively ordinary, focused chiefly on literary affairs and seemingly holding little real authority. Yet many of