Disposition

Chu Zhiyuan immediately frowned. "Earthly Soil Hall?"

"It is Earthly Soil Hall!" Gao Lingfeng sneered repeatedly. "Their arrogance soars to the heavens. I knew they would cause a huge disaster one day!"

Chu Zhiyuan sat back behind the desk and waved a hand. "Lord Gao, sit down and tell me the details."

"Yes." Gao Lingfeng cupped his fists and sat in the grand master's chair below the steps.

"Someone, serve tea," Chu Zhiyuan called out.

A minor official quickly entered and served tea.

Gao Lingfeng accepted the teacup, lifted the lid, took a light sip, then set it down on the table. Clearing his throat, he said gravely, "This happened last night."

"Mm."

"Last night, disciples of Earthly Soil Hall and the Flying Flower Sword Sect were at a bookstore. They quarreled over a woman and eventually came to blows. Two Flying Flower Sword Sect disciples were injured, one lightly and one seriously. The two Earthly Soil Hall disciples both suffered light injuries."

"How many people were involved altogether?"

"Two Flying Flower Sword Sect disciples against two Earthly Soil Hall disciples. Miss Linglong of Precious Chess Pavilion was the lover of an Earthly Soil Hall disciple. She happened to be drinking with a Flying Flower Sword Sect disciple when the Thick Earth Sect disciple came over. The two sides first argued, then fought... Heh, these martial world people are all the same. At the slightest disagreement, they draw blades against one another. They will not stop until blood is spilled!"

"How serious were the injuries of the badly wounded Flying Flower Sword Sect disciple?" Chu Zhiyuan asked.

"His arm was broken, and he lost a great deal of blood. He is basically crippled."

"His life is not in danger, is it?"

"At least no one died."

"That is good, then."

Chu Zhiyuan let out a breath of relief.

A death and no death were entirely different in nature, like criminal and civil cases in his previous life.

"Where are they?"

"They are all being held at the Town Martial Division."

"How does the Town Martial Division intend to handle it?"

"In a matter like this, where no one died and it is a dispute between sects, the Town Martial Division must first see what our Department of Martial Affairs thinks."

"What does Director Langzhong think?"

"Director Langzhong told you to decide, my lord."

"...Heh!" Chu Zhiyuan laughed and shook his head.

They were all old foxes.

Gao Lingfeng said, "My lord, we cannot go easy on them this time. We must make them taste some bitterness and establish rules for their sects!"

"What rules?" Chu Zhiyuan asked.

Gao Lingfeng straightened his expression and said solemnly, "Everyone, no matter who they are, must obey the laws and follow the Imperial Court's rules. Otherwise, if disciples prove unworthy, their sects must be implicated!"

"That rule..." Chu Zhiyuan shook his head. "If we truly did that, I fear there would be trouble everywhere, endless and inexhaustible."

He had once wondered why the Imperial Court was so indulgent toward martial world sects and kept such a loose rein on them. With the Imperial Court's power, it could even force those sects into being utterly obedient.

Yet reality was otherwise. The Imperial Court did not suppress martial world sects, and the Town Martial Division only dealt with those who committed crimes and evil deeds.

He did not know the specific reason, but he knew there had to be one.

Then, as an Heir Apparent, he should not oppose the Imperial Court by insisting on harshly regulating martial world sects and tightening their restraints.

Gao Lingfeng cared for all under heaven and upheld justice, wishing to eliminate the harmful influence of martial world sects. Yet that was a kind of idealism.

He and Gao Lingfeng were not cut from the same cloth.

Selflessness and impartial enforcement of the law were certainly good, but his goal was not to become a good official. It was to become a Grandmaster.

To become a Grandmaster, he needed to focus on cultivation. An official position was merely a means to earn merit and obtain cultivation resources. There was even less need to lock horns with every martial sect.

Blending one's light with the dust was the least troublesome course.

Gao Lingfeng said gravely, "Does my lord fear trouble?"

"I truly do fear trouble." Chu Zhiyuan nodded without hesitation.

"My lord!" Gao Lingfeng hurriedly said. "You are imperial kin, of such noble status. How could you fear these people?"

"Enough, Lord Gao." Chu Zhiyuan waved a hand. "Let both sides wait for now. Simply do not let the Town Martial Division release them."

"Then..."

"Let us see who jumps out." Chu Zhiyuan said.

Gao Lingfeng's eyes widened, and he swallowed.

If they truly held those people without releasing them, the pressure would only grow greater.

Never mind the Flying Flower Sword Sect—they would draw out Grandmaster Song. As for Earthly Soil Hall, they would likely draw out the Thirteenth Prince, Prince Huai.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled without quite smiling. "Lord Gao, what do you think?"

Gao Lingfeng did not think highly of this idea. "My lord, please reconsider."

"Improper?" Chu Zhiyuan's smile deepened.

"...My lord, the Town Martial Division likely does not wish to bear this responsibility."

"Then how should they be dealt with?"

"This... My lord, there are actually precedents for such matters."

"Fifty strokes each, followed by a heavy penalty?" Chu Zhiyuan smiled. "How heavy is the usual penalty?"

Though Gao Lingfeng was upright, he was not truly foolish. It was not that he did not understand; he simply disdained such things and clung to the convictions in his heart.

Chu Zhiyuan had read records of the Department of Martial Affairs' conduct in Tongtian Pavilion and knew the precedents for fights over romantic jealousy: fifty strokes each.

It did not matter who won or lost. The loser had nothing to say, only that his skills had fallen short. He could go back and train properly.

But they did not directly pursue the sects' responsibility, only that of the individuals.

Gao Lingfeng was too greedy.

"Deduct their merit." Gao Lingfeng gave a cold laugh. "Merit is their lifeblood, their sore spot."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled. "Deduct two Ninth Grade Merits from each of the four?... Is there an interrogation record?"

"It is still going through procedures at the Town Martial Division. It will probably not be submitted until tomorrow."

"Then we shall wait until tomorrow, read the record, and discuss it afterward."

Before the facts were clear, he could not make a rash decision. There were precedents to follow, but he still had to determine whether they could truly be followed—whether this was really a fight over romantic jealousy or whether there was another hidden matter.

"My lord is wise!" Gao Lingfeng cupped his fists.

"Lord Gao..." Chu Zhiyuan smiled. "Even Lord Gao has learned to beat around the bush. The officialdom truly can change people."

"My lord..." Gao Lingfeng hurriedly said.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Lord Gao fears that I will favor the Flying Flower Sword Sect, does he not?... In truth, it would not hurt for them to suffer a little loss at this time."

The Flying Flower Sword Sect still had not properly adjusted its position.

The Imperial Court did not need to rely on them. It had merely opened a convenient door for them, allowing them to enter the Town Martial Division, out of consideration for Grandmaster Song.

And that was all.

If they thought the Imperial Court would give them greater consideration in other respects, then they were being far too self-important.

The Flying Flower Sword Sect had always thought too highly of itself and felt far too good about itself.

"Yes." Gao Lingfeng sighed in admiration and cupped his fists. "My lord's thoughts are indeed more far-reaching, full of painstaking consideration. I only hope they can understand."

He sighed inwardly.

He knew this Fourth Heir Apparent was intelligent, but he had never expected him to be this intelligent, nor to act with such thoroughness. Was this the power of the Emperor's bloodline?

Born with abundant wisdom, as though he could see through human hearts.

He had originally believed his own cultivation and experience were sufficient, but before Chu Zhiyuan, all his years of tempering became a joke. Who could have imagined that Chu Zhiyuan was only twenty and had been confined within the Prince Qing's Estate for twenty years?

"Go." Chu Zhiyuan waved a hand.

"Yes." Gao Lingfeng deeply cupped his fists and withdrew.

Chu Zhiyuan watched him leave, his swordlike brows furrowing as he pondered for a moment, feeling inwardly moved.

This was officialdom. Even the most upright men played tricks.

Just as he returned to his newly purchased residence, Guo Chi came in to report that Huang Shirong had arrived.

Chu Zhiyuan rose to greet her.

Beside bustling Phoenix Street, Huang Shirong stood below the steps at the entrance. She wore an apricot-yellow gauze dress, her graceful figure swaying like willow branches.

Two White-Clad Girls followed at her side.

Chu Zhiyuan stepped out, smiling as he cupped his fists in greeting, then led her inside.

Huang Shirong drifted through the gate. Her bright eyes blinked. "This is the Heir Apparent's new residence?"

While she had been patrolling the street, guards from Prince Qing's Estate had approached her and said that the Fourth Heir Apparent invited her. She had come without hesitation.

"Let us speak inside."

Chu Zhiyuan led her to the stone table in the small pavilion within the courtyard and sat down.

Bright sunlight streamed into the courtyard. Green bamboo branches along the wall trembled softly, their rustling seeming to shut out the clamor of the street beyond.

Zou Fang served tea.

After drinking some tea, Chu Zhiyuan slowly set down his white porcelain cup. "Hall Master Huang, have you heard of last night's conflict between the Flying Flower Sword Sect and the Thick Earth Sect?"

"It happened in East First Hall's territory." Huang Shirong lightly furrowed her delicate brows and shook her head. "A quarrel over romantic jealousy is quite ordinary."

"Could there be another hand behind it?" Chu Zhiyuan asked.

Huang Shirong's bright eyes flickered as she softly said, "The Heir Apparent suspects someone secretly manipulated things and deliberately provoked a conflict between the disciples of the two sects?"

"One cannot be too careful."

"...I will inform Hall Master He of East First Hall and offer a reminder."

Chu Zhiyuan pointed around the courtyard with a hand and smiled. "Hall Master Huang, what do you think of this residence?"

Huang Shirong looked around, then took light steps to inspect the place. Returning before him, she covered a smile with her lips. "The Heir Apparent does not find it too noisy?"

The moment one stepped out of this residence, one was on Phoenix Avenue. The bustling crowds never ceased, day or night. Even sleeping in the second or third courtyard, one would find it noisy.

"I like liveliness."

"Then this place is quite good—the busiest spot in the heart of the bustling city."

The two exchanged more idle conversation, then Huang Shirong took her leave.

Chu Zhiyuan vaguely felt that this matter was not so simple. Hopefully, he was merely overthinking it.

At last, he could devote himself wholeheartedly to practicing the Sword Washing Art!