Your subordinate is ninety percent certain

As he watched the expressions of Li Guangxin and his son,

Cheng Lidong could not help frowning.

After killing Wu Yan, he had been gravely wounded, but at least he had escaped with his life. To Cheng Lidong, Xu Qingxiao was crucial.

He was certain that Wu Yan had given everything to Xu Qingxiao.

But he would not tell the Prefectural Lord about this lead. Cheng Lidong had Xu Qingxiao firmly in his grasp; even the emperor could do nothing about it.

As for the matter of the unorthodox art, it was only reasonable for him to mention it. He could not conceal it, nor did he want to.

Instead, he hoped the Prefectural Lord would grant him the authority to arrest Xu Qingxiao outright. Then he could interrogate him about everything.

He refused to believe Xu Qingxiao could grit his teeth and hold out. After all, he was merely carrying out someone else's request; there was no need to take such a risk.

What Cheng Lidong had not expected was that the Prefectural Lord seemed to know this man.

That made no sense.

Judging by the timing, Xu Qingxiao had only just arrived in Southern Yu Prefecture. Could he possibly have turned the world upside down in a single day?

"Xu Qingxiao from Ping'an County-is his senior brother named Chen Xinghe?"

Li Xin spoke, questioning Cheng Lidong.

"Yes, young master."

Cheng Lidong answered without hesitation. Chen Xinghe had left a deep impression on him. The man was exceptionally good at putting on airs.

"Impossible."

Li Xin immediately shook his head, rejecting Cheng Lidong's claim.

"Do you happen to know this Xu Qingxiao, young master?"

Cheng Lidong did not rush to contradict him. Instead, he was curious.

"I do."

"At the banquet I hosted yesterday, Brother Xu composed a Timeless Verse. Literary qi entered his body, and he advanced to the Ninth Rank of the Confucian Dao."

"You say he practices an unorthodox art? What an absurd joke! Confucian cultivators cultivate righteous haoran qi. Anyone who practices an unorthodox art must harbor crooked intentions. How could he possibly advance to the Ninth Rank?"

Li Xin spoke up. He supported Xu Qingxiao unconditionally. After their meeting yesterday, he already regarded him as a kindred spirit, even an idol. Yet now Cheng Lidong was claiming Xu Qingxiao practiced an unorthodox art.

Under Great Wei Law, anyone who practiced an unorthodox art would have their nine degrees of kinship exterminated, regardless of office.

"A Timeless Verse? Literary qi entered his body, and he advanced to the Ninth Rank?"

"Young master, perhaps we aren't speaking of the same person."

"A month ago, this Xu Qingxiao was merely a runner at the Ping'an County Government Office. I investigated him. He had never studied. How could he advance to the Ninth Rank in a month?"

Cheng Lidong was stunned.

He knew Xu Qingxiao had practiced an unorthodox art and entered the ranks of the Martial Dao. But to say Xu Qingxiao had advanced to the Ninth Rank of the Confucian Dao?

He did not believe it.

Not even if it killed him.

"From Ping'an County, a disciple of Zhou Ling, senior brother Chen Xinghe, twenty years old. Correct?"

Li Xin asked.

"Yes."

Cheng Lidong nodded.

"Then it's the same person. Cheng Lidong, have you failed at your duties and decided to grab a scapegoat to fob off my father?"

Li Xin spoke with some anger. Naturally, he could not accept Cheng Lidong pinning such a grave crime on someone he admired, and he felt resentful toward him.

Cheng Lidong was only a company commander, his father's subordinate, not his own. He had no need to consider the man's feelings.

"Young master, although I have handled this matter poorly, I would never seize a scapegoat to deceive anyone. I ask the Prefectural Lord to judge this clearly."

At Li Xin's words, Cheng Lidong's expression grew somewhat cold. But rather than take his anger out on Li Xin, he looked at Li Guangxin as he spoke.

"Father, no matter what, I do not believe Brother Xu has practiced an unorthodox art. This may be a misunderstanding."

Li Xin spoke up, still firmly convinced that Xu Qingxiao had never practiced an unorthodox art.

"Enough."

Li Guangxin spoke, his gaze settling on Cheng Lidong.

"How did you reach this conclusion?"

Li Guangxin asked.

"My lord, my suspicions are the same as yours. Your subordinate is ninety percent certain."

Cheng Lidong spoke earnestly.

"Ninety percent?"

Li Guangxin looked at Cheng Lidong. He knew what sort of man he was: extremely meticulous in his work. If he dared to say ninety percent, he was essentially completely certain.

Had this been anyone else, Li Guangxin would not have hesitated. He would probably have already ordered Cheng Lidong to make the arrest.

But with Xu Qingxiao, things were rather troublesome.

First, Xu Qingxiao's celebrated verse had probably already spread throughout Southern Yu. Several Masters in Southern Yu Prefecture had powerful backgrounds, and they would certainly seek him out.

Second, literary qi had entered Xu Qingxiao's body, and he had advanced to the Ninth Rank. That alone was essentially enough to suggest he could not be practicing an unorthodox art. After all, most practitioners of unorthodox arts harbored crooked intentions and lacked moral virtue.

Third, once this verse reached the imperial court, as they had just discussed, if those powerful figures took a liking to Xu Qingxiao, that would be a staggering problem.

Those three points alone kept him from acting rashly against Xu Qingxiao. Besides, he did not want Xu Qingxiao to have practiced an unorthodox art.

After all, Xu Qingxiao was a man of Southern Yu Prefecture. If he truly became a Grand Confucian one day, that would count as an achievement during Li Guangxin's tenure. His son could also form a friendship with him.

Given the present circumstances, his son could certainly befriend Xu Qingxiao. If Xu Qingxiao became a Grand Confucian someday, his son's path through officialdom would be much smoother.

Yet Cheng Lidong had brought up this matter at precisely this moment, leaving Li Guangxin in a difficult position.

"Do you have evidence?"

Matters involving unorthodox arts were no joke. Li Guangxin looked at Cheng Lidong as he asked.

"Well... your subordinate has none. Indeed, none."

Cheng Lidong thought for a moment. He truly had no evidence. If he did, he would probably have detained Xu Qingxiao back in Ping'an County.

Hearing this, both Li Xin and Li Guangxin immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"Without evidence, mere conjecture is insufficient to establish guilt."

"Here is what we will do, Cheng Lidong. I permit you to investigate in secret. Xu Qingxiao has now made a name for himself in Southern Yu Prefecture, and the Prefectural Examination is approaching. As enforcers of the law, we must neither wrong an innocent person nor let a guilty one escape."

"Investigate discreetly, but under no circumstances allow this to leak. He has already advanced to the Ninth Rank. Though he holds no scholarly distinction yet, that is only a matter of time."

"Without conclusive evidence, you must not act rashly. Otherwise, you will bear the consequences yourself."

Li Guangxin spoke.

On one hand, he hoped Xu Qingxiao had never practiced an unorthodox art. In that case, Xu Qingxiao would be of great use to him, able to help his son and even himself.

On the other hand, he feared Xu Qingxiao truly had practiced one. Otherwise, how could his recovery without treatment be explained? How could there be such a coincidence?

If he truly had practiced one, then whether or not Xu Qingxiao had composed a Timeless Verse, all were equal before the law.

"Your subordinate... understands."

Cheng Lidong's heart was still full of doubts. He still did not believe Xu Qingxiao had advanced to the Ninth Rank of the Confucian Dao.

When he first met Xu Qingxiao, there had been nothing special about him beyond his recent entry into the ranks of the Martial Dao.

Yet after a short time apart, he had actually reached the Ninth Rank of the Confucian Dao.

Someone like that could walk unchecked through Southern Yu Prefecture. Even Cheng Lidong would have to respectfully address him as "sir" upon meeting him.

Before the Martial Emperor, there had been five generations of civil emperors. If not for the Jingcheng Humiliation, civil officials would have held even higher status, especially powerful Confucian cultivators, who were acknowledged by heaven and earth.

This... was impossible.

All of Cheng Lidong's plans had fallen apart.

He had hoped to obtain the Prefectural Lord's authorization, send men to arrest Xu Qingxiao outright, and then interrogate him thoroughly.

Now it seemed that if he dared to act rashly against Xu Qingxiao without sufficient evidence, the Prefectural Lord would likely not spare him.

"Your subordinate understands."

But no matter how unwilling he felt, Cheng Lidong could only answer calmly.

"Very well. You may leave. Get some proper rest over the next few days."

Li Guangxin waved his hand. Cheng Lidong did not linger and turned to leave.

After Cheng Lidong left, Li Xin's voice rang out.

"Father, I do not believe Brother Xu would practice an unorthodox art. He is absolutely not that sort of person."

Li Xin spoke up in Xu Qingxiao's defense.

"Say no more."

Li Guangxin shook his head.

"Remember these things."

"First, keep your distance. Do not get too close. You may establish a connection now, but maintain a suitable distance. Practicing an unorthodox art brings extermination upon nine degrees of kinship. If Xu Qingxiao truly has practiced one, even I could be implicated."

"Second, investigate in secret as well. If he truly has practiced one, you must tell me. You absolutely must not conceal it. That way, we will still have a path of retreat."

"Third, after the Prefectural Examination, I will host a banquet at the New Pavilion for the prefecture's distinguished figures and talented young men. I will invite an Orthodox Confucian. He will be able to discern some signs of whether an unorthodox art has been practiced. If that gentleman says he has not, then he has not. If that gentleman says he has..."

At this point, Li Guangxin said no more.

"I understand, Father."

Li Xin also knew how far-reaching the crime of practicing an unorthodox art was, so he said nothing further.

"Also, Cheng Lidong is an exceedingly ambitious man. I believe he must be hiding something."

"You may tell Xu Qingxiao what he said today. Whether you use it to do him a favor or to learn something, use your own judgment."

"Go."

Having said this, Li Guangxin dismissed Li Xin.

"Yes, Father."

Li Xin said no more. He truly wanted to see Xu Qingxiao now and tell him about this matter. It was not to curry favor; he simply did not believe Xu Qingxiao would practice an unorthodox art.

The main reason was simple. Xu Qingxiao's performance at yesterday's banquet had won over everyone present, and Li Xin was no exception.

He had become Xu Qingxiao's devoted fan.

After Li Xin left,

inside the room,

Li Guangxin fell into silence.

His gaze rested on the white sheet of paper bearing Man Jiang Hong.

Whether Xu Qingxiao had practiced an unorthodox art,

he truly did not know now.

Had it been anyone else, he would have been completely certain.

But it had to be Xu Qingxiao.

How could someone capable of writing such a verse harbor crooked intentions?

Since ancient times, no one had ever heard of a Confucian scholar practicing an unorthodox art.

But... since ancient times, no one had ever heard that a Confucian scholar could not practice one, either.

I hope my suspicions are wrong.

Li Guangxin murmured inwardly.

Meanwhile,

it was already the Second Quarter of Si Hour.

The whole of Southern Yu Prefecture was in an uproar.

The inn where Xu Qingxiao was staying had long since been surrounded, with countless scholars gathering just to catch a glimpse of him.

But then, voices rang out one after another.

"Brother Qingxiao isn't at the inn. He went to Bailu Academy! Everyone, stop waiting here for nothing!"

"Master, Master! Xu Qingxiao is at Bailu Academy, not here!"

"Come on, come on! Bailu Academy! Hurry to Bailu Academy!"

As people talked, figures immediately rushed toward Bailu Academy one after another.