Go Ahead and Hit Him-It's on Me

Jiang Man had seen a spirit steed fall ill and collapse once before, on the second day after his wedding.

That time, Fang Yong had framed him.

He had probably been dragged into it by accident back then.

The original cause was probably that Young Master Cheng and the others wanted to toy with Fang Yong and make things difficult for him, using the steed's period of weakness to enjoy the show.

But this time...

It probably wasn't a period of weakness.

Jiang Man examined the spirit steed carefully. Its body was twitching, its coat was disheveled, and its entire body had lost its luster.

Although it resembled the Flame-Treading Spirit Steed from before, it was also completely different.

This spirit steed was struggling to breathe, weak and short of breath. This was more than mere physical discomfort; these were probably signs of poisoning.

Someone had definitely done this.

He had raised horses for years and had some experience.

This was no place to linger.

Just as Jiang Man was about to leave, Young Master Cheng and the others suddenly appeared.

"What happened?" The short Young Master Yang spotted the spirit steed on the ground at once and questioned him softly.

At that moment, he seemed like someone very easy to talk to.

Jiang Man glanced at them.

Three people had come.

Cheng Moyang was still the one leading them.

Standing beside him was the short Young Master Yang from before.

The other was actually Chang Qiwen, who ranked third in the Sixth Courtyard.

As they arrived, Fang Yong immediately turned to Jiang Man and accused him. "Jiang Man, what did you put in the fodder?"

This time, he genuinely believed it.

"This has nothing to do with me," Jiang Man replied.

Young Master Yang went over to the fodder, checked it, and frowned. "The fodder is poisoned."

As he spoke, he took out a talisman and stuck it onto the fodder.

Sure enough, black fumes rose from the talisman.

It was indeed poisoned.

Then he turned toward Fang Yong and said amiably, "Young Master Fang, this happened on your watch. You'll have to explain yourself."

Hearing this, Fang Yong aimed his spearhead at Jiang Man. "Jiang Man, what else do you have to say? The fodder belongs to your stable, and the trouble happened here. Aren't you going to come over and apologize?"

Seeing this, Chang Qiwen, who had followed them over, looked at Fang Yong. "How could an apology possibly be enough? This is actual poisoning. Young Master Cheng is the one suffering the loss.

"He may choose to let it go, but you can't fail to understand what's right.

"Compensation is required.

"And Young Master Fang can hardly escape blame for failing to discover the problem beforehand."

As he spoke, he looked at Cheng Moyang. "What do you think, Young Master Cheng?"

Cheng Moyang looked at him and smiled. "Young Master Chang has a point. I'll leave it to you to handle, then."

Hearing this, Chang Qiwen felt considerably more reassured. Then he looked at Jiang Man. "Do you know how much this spirit steed costs? Do you know what price you'll have to pay for poisoning a spirit steed?

"You could raise horses your entire life and still not afford so much as one of Young Master Cheng's saddles."

Jiang Man looked at him. "Why do you think this has anything to do with me, Young Master Chang?"

"What did you come over for if it has nothing to do with you?" Chang Qiwen looked at Jiang Man. "If you weren't responsible, why did it collapse in your stable instead of some other stable?"

Jiang Man frowned. This was simply twisting reason into knots.

Even Fang Yong wasn't as annoying as him.

"Could a mere horse keeper like me afford poison?" Jiang Man asked in return.

"Isn't someone nurturing you? Perhaps you tricked her into giving you the poison?" Chang Qiwen paused, then continued, "Besides, the facts are right before our eyes. The spirit steed came to harm at your place, and there's something wrong with your fodder. Who else could it be but you?

"Young Master Cheng hasn't even said anything, and you're already shirking responsibility.

"Is this how you admit your mistake?"

As he spoke, he stepped forward, ready to strike.

He merely glanced toward Young Master Cheng and the others with a little hesitation.

Seeing this, Young Master Yang smiled and said, "Be bolder. After all, we're only seeking justice. Whatever trouble comes of it, it's on me."

Only then did Chang Qiwen set aside his concerns. He stepped forward and turned his gaze toward Fang Yong. "Young Master Fang, you bear responsibility this time too. Shouldn't you make the culprit give us justice?"

As his words fell, he activated Spirit Travel Step, following it with Six Harmonies Palm.

He struck at Jiang Man.

Six great palm imprints sealed off Jiang Man's retreat.

Jiang Man: "..."

The contest for qualification was imminent. Fighting here would get him disqualified.

He immediately spoke up to tell him.

But Chang Qiwen said disdainfully, "With Young Master Cheng here, that's not a problem. You'll never understand just how vast the gap between you and Young Master Cheng really is."

Facing the attack, Jiang Man unleashed Six Harmonies Palm, and six great palm imprints likewise appeared around him.

With that.

As the palm imprints collided, Chang Qiwen closed in, circulating Three Talents Force as he attacked.

Jiang Man dodged with Spirit Travel Step, but was soon driven back.

Against someone at the qi refining sixth layer, he had no hope of matching strength.

Their Qi Refining Method was the same, their Qi and Blood Method was the same, and their techniques were the same too.

His cultivation level was lower than his opponent's as well.

He was completely suppressed.

He was disgracing the title of peerless prodigy.

"Mr. Zhao." Jiang Man immediately looked behind Chang Qiwen.

The latter turned around in some surprise.

He found no sign of Zhao Leming behind him.

Realizing he had been tricked, he turned back to see Jiang Man fleeing rapidly with Spirit Travel Step.

Without further hesitation, he immediately gave chase.

His opponent's cultivation was lower than his own. He would catch up soon.

Watching them head into the distance, Young Master Yang looked at Fang Yong. "Aren't you going to bring the poisoner back, Young Master Fang? Or were you the one who poisoned it?"

Hearing this, Fang Yong immediately said, "I'll go catch him right now."

Once Fang Yong had followed them, Young Master Yang smiled. "When poor people run into something like this, all they ever do is shirk responsibility. They'll even fall out with others over it.

"How could dignity matter more than avoiding compensation?"

Cheng Moyang watched Chang Qiwen chase after Jiang Man. "Young Master Chang is a little too eager."

"Isn't that perfectly normal?" Young Master Yang said with a smile. "How many people would jump at a chance to show off in front of you, Young Master Cheng?"

Cheng Moyang paid it no mind and smiled. "Those three will probably be arrested. We likely won't see them for the next few months. Let's head back."

Young Master Yang said regretfully, "Three amusing poor people gone just like that. What a shame, and they're even from the same courtyard.

"We can only wait until they come out to tell them that, if not for Young Master Cheng, they would have been expelled from the Cloudfront Office outright."

Afterward, the two called people over to take the spirit steed away.

As for Jiang Man and the other two, they had already put them out of their minds.

Recklessly starting a fight in the Cloudfront Office meant punishment, and getting that punishment waived came at a considerable cost.

They certainly wouldn't really do such a thing for one or two poor people.

Meanwhile.

Jiang Man ran into the Guard Office in a sorry state.

Then he, the fleeing man, Chang Qiwen, the pursuer, and Fang Yong, who was midway between them, were all arrested.

The Law Enforcement Office.

Jiang Man and the other two were held and questioned separately.

"So you were the one who poisoned the spirit steed?" the interrogator asked disdainfully.

Being poor was nothing. The worst were spineless people like this.

"It wasn't me," Jiang Man replied.

"But they all say it was you."

"Does that make them right?"

"Then how can you be sure it wasn't you?"

Jiang Man fell silent for a moment. "Will you investigate, then?"

"If you deny it, we'll naturally have to investigate," the interrogator said.

"How long will the investigation take?" Jiang Man asked.

"Three months, I suppose. This matter will be concluded within three months. If you deny it, and our investigation turns up no direct evidence, we'll naturally clear your name," the interrogator said.

"Can I leave this place during those three months, then?" Jiang Man asked again.

"Of course not," the interrogator replied.

Jiang Man: "..."