Iron Horse Manor

Fan Family estate.

Fan Youquan's expression was gloomy, his gaze icy as he said viciously, "Second Brother, you must act. Kill that Zhao Zhi. Today, he humiliated our Fan Family in public and tied Qi'er up in the Meng Tower of Minggu Tea House, leaving him there to be mocked by all. If we do not kill him, the Fan Family will have no prestige left in Qingfeng County.

Second Brother was the Fan Family's second master, Fan Youlin.

Among the Fan Family's three brothers, Fan Youlin possessed the greatest martial talent. A month ago, he had already entered the Greater Xiantian realm, yet had kept it secret.

Therefore.

No one in Qingfeng County knew Fan Youlin's true strength. They only believed that he remained an Innate Minor Achievement martial artist.

Fan Youlin stood eight feet tall and cut an imposing figure.

He glanced at Fan Youquan without answering directly. Instead, he looked Dou Rong up and down, carefully examining Dou Rong's injuries.

After pondering for a moment.

Fan Youlin tilted his head slightly toward Fan Youting. "Did you clearly see Zhao Zhi make his move?"

"I saw it clearly. Clean and decisive, without the slightest dragging of feet." Fan Youting nodded, then recounted everything that had happened before Minggu Tea House in minute detail.

Fan Youlin stroked his chin, his tone carrying a hint of speculation. "This Zhao Zhi has likely stepped into Greater Xiantian."

"Greater Xiantian?" Fan Youting's eyes flickered as he said in surprise, "He is merely a blue-clad constable, yet he is Greater Xiantian? A Greater Xiantian martial artist is qualified to become the county yamen's chief constable."

Fan Youlin curled his lips, an inscrutable look surfacing in his eyes. "Our county magistrate does not promote people based solely on strength. There are other considerations as well."

Fan Youting understood at once and asked, "Second Brother, what should we do now?"

Fan Youlin said, "Do as Zhao Zhi said. Copy out all of the Fan Family's Xiantian martial arts and give them to him. Compensate him for everything else as well."

"Compensate him for everything?!"

Fan Youquan's eyes widened. "Second Brother, if our Fan Family truly compensates Zhao Zhi, our reputation will be utterly ruined. Besides, he is a Greater Xiantian martial artist, and so are you. Could it be that you are afraid of him?"

Seeing his elder brother like this, Fan Youlin could not help sighing inwardly. Helplessly, he said, "Elder Brother, I have not personally seen Zhao Zhi fight, so I cannot judge who is stronger between us. It would be fine if I won, but if I lost, then the Fan Family's face would truly be swept into the dust, and disaster would follow."

Fan Youquan paced back and forth, clenching his fists. "Then are we supposed to let a mere blue-clad constable bully our Fan Family?"

"The Fan Family will not be bullied." Fan Youlin reminded him, "I may not necessarily be Zhao Zhi's match, but is not my nephew still around? I hear that he will return in a few days."

"Yes, yes, yes! Once Yu'er returns, dealing with a mere Zhao Zhi will be no trouble at all." Fan Youquan slapped his palm, his worries vanishing as delight filled his face. "Second Brother, you are still the clever one. I will write a letter at once and have Yu'er return sooner."

As he spoke, Fan Youquan hurried away.

Fan Youlin watched his impatient elder brother leave and shook his head helplessly.

This elder brother of his truly was not suited to be the Fan Family's patriarch.

It was only because he himself was immersed in martial arts, while Third Brother Fan Youting often left Qingfeng County, and neither of them wished to manage the Lineage. Moreover, Elder Brother had produced a fine son. With him as patriarch, the other Fan Family elders would raise no objections.

Yu'er really needed to come back and properly keep his father in line.

Fan Youlin gathered his thoughts and looked at Third Brother Fan Youting. "Third Brother, provide some money and grain for the guards and servants who died or were injured this time. Properly console their families. Also, inform everyone in the Fan Family that they must not provoke Zhao Zhi again."

"Understood, Second Brother."

Fan Youting answered.

Several days passed in succession.

Zhao Zhi set up stations throughout Qingfeng County, speaking for the people and resolving their troubles. His reputation soared, spreading through the ears of countless Qingfeng County residents.

Especially after he wounded and killed many Fan Family guards and servants, then tied Fan Zhenqi—the infamous dandy known as the Little Overlord—to a pillar outside the drum tower of Minggu Tea House for a full day and night. The impact was even greater.

Common folk did not fight officials, nor did they fight the wealthy.

Qingfeng County's local gentry and great powers were like towering mountains hanging above everyone's heads, crushing the breath from countless ordinary people.

As for County Magistrate Lu Guangyi, he acted according to the money he received and paid no heed to the affairs of ordinary people. As a result, most people in Qingfeng County had nowhere to air their grievances.

Zhao Zhi's sudden emergence tore a huge gash through Qingfeng County's bizarre and absurd state of affairs.

Therefore.

During the days Zhao Zhi set up his stations, people continually came to seek redress for their grievances.

Zhao Zhi sat casually, lifting his head slightly as light gathered in his eyes. He watched the information on the Merit Panel.

[Martial Arts: Innate Unity Qi Technique (Perfected), Giant Que Palm (Perfected), Wild Wind Saber Technique (Perfected), Diamond Force (Perfected), Moon-Treading Step (Perfected)...]

[Merit: 72]

After obtaining a great amount of Merit, Zhao Zhi had scarcely held anything back, raising one Xiantian martial art after another to the perfected realm.

For a time.

His martial strength improved enormously.

With his Innate Completion Realm cultivation paired with perfected Xiantian martial arts, he had already entered Qingfeng County's uppermost tier. Even if he lacked the makings of a champion, he could still contend for the top three.

The Merit Panel dispersed like misty rain.

Zhao Zhi picked up a ledger and flipped through it idly. The cases he had handled during this period were recorded within.

Though they were called cases, most were trivial matters, no more than chicken feathers and garlic skins.

Not a single case involved Qingfeng County's local gentry or great powers.

Even with Zhao Zhi's earlier feat of suppressing the Fan Family, he still could not lift the crushing oppression cast over Qingfeng County's people by the local gentry and great powers. He still could not ignite the hot blood in these commoners' hearts.

The local gentry and great powers possessed countless methods. They were not something ordinary people could contend against.

Zhao Zhi sighed inwardly in helplessness.

Without cause, he could not simply go and directly make trouble for those local gentry and great powers.

"Lord Zhao, Lord Zhao." A ragged middle-aged woman, her face full of sorrow, knelt before the table and wept loudly. "Please, Lord Zhao, uphold justice for me."

Zhao Zhi spoke calmly. "Speak. What is the matter?"

The middle-aged woman said, "This common woman's son went to Iron Horse Manor to work, but never returned. A few days ago, when I went to ask after him, Iron Horse Manor said that my son had already died. This common woman wished to retrieve his body, but Iron Horse Manor said it had long since been eaten clean. They even beat this common woman out of Iron Horse Manor. I beg you, my lord, uphold justice for me."

"Iron Horse Manor?"

Zhao Zhi murmured the name, swiftly grabbed a ledger beside him, and rapidly flipped through it.

Some of the previous cases had indeed involved Iron Horse Manor, but because the complainants had been unwilling to go there, the matters could only be dropped.

He immediately rose to his feet and looked down at the middle-aged woman. "Are you willing to accompany this official to Iron Horse Manor?"

"This common woman is willing."