The cold-faced god of war

Seeing Shen Shixu bow to him, Li Daniu felt strength flood his entire body and resolved to handle this matter properly.

First, he could not betray the Top Scholar's trust. Second, he could not tarnish the Black Armor Army's reputation!

Although he was only an insignificant soldier in the Black Armor Army, he still could not disgrace it.

Shen Shixu mounted his horse again and continued the procession, while news that the Top Scholar had seen through a Human Trafficker's disguise at a glance and rescued a child spread through the crowd like a surging wave.

The servants from Duke An's Residence, who were searching everywhere for the child, also heard the news. They hurried back to report it, including the fact that the child and the Human Trafficker had been taken to the Capital Prefecture.

Upon hearing this, Duke An immediately ordered a carriage prepared and rushed to the Capital Prefecture. When he saw that the rescued child was indeed his grandson, he hugged the boy and wept with joy.

His hatred for the Human Trafficker who had abducted his grandson ran bone-deep.

The family at Duke An's Residence had dwindled. Both his sons had died on the battlefield, leaving this boy as the family's sole heir. They cherished him so much that even their care seemed never enough.

Had the trafficker carried him away, the entire Duke's Residence would have been finished. After his death, Duke An would have been too ashamed to face his wife and sons in the underworld.

Looking at the Human Trafficker kneeling in the hall, Duke An was so furious that he ordered the man beaten to death on the spot. Just as the punishment was about to begin, a low, cold voice rang out. "Wait, Duke An!"

Had anyone else tried to stop him, Duke An would have run them through with a spear. But there was truly nothing he could do to the man who had intervened this time.

"Your Highness, Prince Jing?! This old subject pays his respects to Your Highness. May I ask why Your Highness stopped me just now?"

Duke An could not understand why Prince Jing, who never concerned himself with anything, would suddenly intervene in this matter.

Prince Jing Xiao Jinyi was Great Qian's fifth prince and the second son born to Emperor Wu'an and Empress Lin. As a youth, he had followed his maternal grandfather and uncle onto the battlefield, earning illustrious military achievements. He had even established the exceptionally fierce Black Armor Army, which had emerged victorious from every battle.

Upon returning to the capital with his army recently, he had been granted the title of Prince Jing, becoming the first of the princes to receive a princely title.

Xiao Jinyi was cold and heartless. Apart from warfare, he took little interest in court affairs and did not even attend court. His sudden involvement in such a minor matter today therefore left Duke An both shocked and curious.

Duke An looked down at the Human Trafficker kneeling in the hall. Could there be something more to this man?

Xiao Jinyi waved for the prefect and the bailiffs who were bowing to him to rise. Answering Duke An's question, he said in a cold, crisp voice, "This man may be more than an ordinary Human Trafficker. There may be someone behind him. Killing him now would be a waste. Once we have questioned him, you may deal with him yourself. What do you think, Duke An?"

Duke An knew how to weigh what mattered. Angry though he was, important business naturally took precedence. He would be able to deal with this man sooner or later, so a short delay made no difference.

"Since Your Highness has business with him, please go ahead. I will be able to punish him sooner or later. I am in no hurry."

Xiao Jinyi nodded to him, then raised a hand. The guard who had been following behind him, as unobtrusive as part of the scenery, stepped forward and hauled away the trafficker, whose legs had gone weak at the mention of Prince Jing.

Everyone heard a series of agonized screams from the rear courtyard. Then the guard returned alone, leaving the smell of blood in his wake.

Mo Yu bowed to Xiao Jinyi, who was drinking tea, and Duke An before reporting in a perfectly flat voice, "Your Highness, the man simply noticed the young heir's fine features and clothing and wanted to abduct him to sell. He has no connection to the group we are investigating!"

Xiao Jinyi had thought the man might offer a lead, but the trip had proved fruitless. Setting down his teacup, he rose and said to Duke An, "Since he has nothing to do with my investigation, I shall leave him in your hands. I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave."

Duke An accompanied him a few steps out, then returned and ordered the bailiffs to drag out the half-dead man and beat him to death.

Strictly speaking, he should not have taken punishment into his own hands, but the man's crime had infuriated him. In any case, under Great Qian's laws, a trafficker would be put to death sooner or later. He had merely brought it forward.

After dealing with the loathsome trafficker, Duke An returned home in a sedan chair prepared by the prefect. He had already sent his carriage home with his young grandson.

His two daughters-in-law had fainted from weeping when they heard the child was missing. Now that he had been found, Duke An had to send him home at once, lest the two women do something desperate.

Thinking of his grandson's safe return, Duke An felt considerable goodwill toward the top scholar he had yet to meet. He planned to prepare gifts the next day and visit him in person to offer his thanks.

Moreover, this top scholar had defeated all the other candidates to take first place, so his learning was beyond question. If possible, Duke An wanted his grandson to become Shen Shixu's pupil.

Duke's Residence had secured its standing in Great Qian through military prowess. But now, apart from himself, an old man with one foot in the grave, and his two frail daughters-in-law, only his young grandson remained.

He truly could not bear to send his grandson onto the battlefield, so he wanted the boy to earn a degree through the imperial examinations instead.

He had been wondering which renowned teacher to invite. It was quite a coincidence that Shen Shixu had come into his life today.

While Duke An pondered how to make Shen Shixu his grandson's teacher, Xiao Jinyi also received word that this year's top scholar had spotted the trafficker at a glance.

He found himself rather interested in this top scholar. Someone who could notice something amiss at a glance amid a crowd must be highly observant.

And the fact that he had called for someone to intervene despite his uncertainty showed that he was extremely decisive. A talented man indeed!

As Shen Shixu rode through the streets, he suddenly sneezed hard twice. Yang Mingxuan and Yan Huaimin, riding slightly behind him on either side, asked with concern, "Why are you suddenly sneezing?"

Shen Shixu felt his ears growing warm and thought someone was probably talking about him. "It's nothing. Someone at home must be thinking of me. Speaking of which, I've been preparing for the examinations lately and haven't written home in a long time."

Yang Mingxuan and Yan Huaimin could both relate. The three of them came from different regions, and none was a native of the Capital.

To avoid distracting themselves during the examinations, they had indeed gone a long time without contacting their families. Their families had not written either, fearing that they would unsettle them and disrupt their concentration.

"You're right, Brother Shen. Neither of us has written home in a long time either. Once the procession is over, we must write a proper letter and have someone deliver it. We can share the good news and tell them how much we miss them." Thinking of his parents waiting eagerly at home, Yan Huaimin grew a little anxious. As all three thought of the families they had not contacted for so long, they quietly quickened the pace of the procession.

Great Qian would host the Qionglin Banquet for the successful candidates, both to celebrate their examination success and to observe their character and conduct.

Many officials would attend, hoping to select a candidate they liked to serve under them.

With so little time to spare, the three never managed to write their letters. They changed into everyday clothes, boarded the carriage sent to collect them, and hurried to the Qionglin Banquet.