This is the prefectural office

After passing through two prefectures and three counties, the governor's entourage finally arrived at Baidi City, the main city of Yunzhou.

The name Baidi City has a historical story behind it, dating back to a previous dynasty. About 1,300 years ago, Yunzhou suffered a severe drought, leaving the land barren for miles.

The people suffered a complete crop failure and lost their livelihoods.

In that year, a strange beast came from overseas. It resembled a deer, covered with snow-white scales, with a pair of antlers on its head, horse hooves, and a snake tail.

Wherever it passed, dark clouds gathered and torrential rain poured down. This beast roamed Yunzhou for more than a month, filling the reservoirs throughout Yunzhou, irrigating the dried-up rivers and lakes, and solving the drought in Yunzhou.

The imperial court considered it an auspicious beast and bestowed upon it the title of White Emperor.

Looking at the majestic outline of Baidi City, Xu Qi'an smiled and asked, "Is this legend true or false?"

Lifting the curtain and gazing at Baidi City in the distance, Governor Zhang, who had recounted this anecdote, nodded:

"It should be true, otherwise it wouldn't be recorded in history books. Severe droughts and floods are common occurrences; historians wouldn't fabricate history for such events. However, since then, no one has ever seen the auspicious beast, the White Emperor."

"That creature is clearly a foreign Demon Beast, or even a sea monster. Maybe it just came to Kyushu for tourism. Seeing the severe drought in Yunzhou, it was displeased and decided to alter the environment," Xu Qi'an said, offering a "scientific analysis."

"Your insight is truly remarkable."

After saying this, he continued to gaze at the city wall, a poem coming to mind. "Departing from Baidi in the morning amidst colorful clouds, I returned to Jiangling a thousand miles away in a single day. The cries of monkeys on both banks could not be stopped, and my light boat had already passed ten thousand mountains."

"A day trip to Jiangling is too extravagant! If it were me, I would definitely take today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and the 31st of January before I would be willing to pay back the money," Xu Qi'an said to himself.

He couldn't help but recall a travel advertisement he had seen before, which encouraged high-level white-collar workers to fly directly to Thailand after get off work on Friday, enjoy a carefree day, and return home on Sunday.

Everyone should strive to be a modern-day Li Bai.

The guards at the gates of Baidi City stopped the group, but after reviewing the official document issued by the imperial court, they respectfully allowed them to pass.

After entering the city, Xu Qi'an looked around and saw many passersby with swords hanging from their shoulders in the bustling crowd.

The Great Feng had very strict control over weapons. From the prefectures to the counties, no one was allowed to carry a knife within the city, unless they were a special profession, such as a bodyguard.

Even bodyguards can only be equipped with weapons when they are on a mission.

"Is this considered a specialty of Yunzhou?" Xu Qi'an wondered to himself.

At this moment, Governor Zhang lifted the curtain again and said to Xu Qi'an, "Ningyan, have someone send these merchants home. Don't return the goods yet. Have the merchants take their account books and come to the post station tomorrow to verify and retrieve their goods."

Xu Qi'an's heart skipped a beat, "What about Zhao Long's goods?"

Governor Zhang said, "Of course it is sent back to others. If Zhao Long and the escort were all killed, the escort's family must be compensated. Now that Zhao Long is dead, sending the goods back can be regarded as making up for their losses."

Xu Qi'an gave a thumbs up. "Sir, you're truly a fine eel."

Governor Zhang frowned upon hearing this. "What makes you say that?"

"It's nothing, it's nothing." Xu Qi'an turned to Song Tingfeng, told him what had happened, and instructed him to do it.

"Why should I run errands?" Song Tingfeng Qi Ingestion. "It's not like I'm your subordinate. We're clearly on the same level."

Xu Qi'an turned around and shouted, "Your Excellency, Song Tingfeng is shirking his responsibilities and cheating; withhold his money!"

Song Tingfeng hurriedly said, "I'll go, I'll go."

He turned around and went to find Zhu Guangxiao, told him about the matter, and instructed him to do it.

Zhu Guangxiao said dejectedly, "Didn't Ningyan ask you to do it?"

Song Tingfeng said, " At the Xu Ningyan, Zhu Guangxiao made excuses and acted irresponsibly."

Zhu Guangxiao silently turned his horse around, summoned a few Tiger Guards, and went off to carry out his duties.

The two scoundrels huddled together and sighed:

"Guangxiao is truly a hardworking and honest man."

"Yes, yes, whether in bed or on business."

Commandery of the Capital Region.

Yang Chuannan is in his early forties. He is a scholar with a dignified and peaceful demeanor. He also has another identity: a fifth-rank martial artist.

Yang Chuannan was born into the Aristocratic Clan of military generals. He was intelligent and loved martial arts and even reading. In the 12th year of the Yuanjing era, he passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi. Because of his family's scholarly tradition and his thorough knowledge of military books, he found a job in the Ministry of War.

In the 16th year of Yuanjing's reign, he was assigned to Yunzhou. Due to his meritorious service in suppressing bandits, he was promoted step by step to the position of Commander-in-Chief, becoming one of the three most powerful people in Yunzhou.

Yang Chuannan, who was sitting in the office handling official business, suddenly raised his head. A few seconds later, footsteps came, and a woman wearing light armor strode over. There were no officials stopping her along the way.

She was tall and slender, with a sword at her waist and a silver spear on her back. She had a delicate oval face, and although her features were exquisite and beautiful, she did not appear weak; instead, she exuded a heroic spirit.

In addition, she wore a high ponytail, revealing her smooth and beautiful forehead.

"The governor has entered the city." Her first words upon entering were direct and to the heart of the matter, crisp and efficient.

Yang Chuannan paused for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Understood."

"That damned Emperor Yuanjing, spending all his time cultivating immortality! A mortal emperor dreaming of eternal life? Utterly delusional!" Her mouth exploded with a string of exclamations: "@#@#*"

"Miaozhen!" Yang Chuannan frowned.

Li Miaozhen sneered, "I'm not a government employee."

She leaned her silver spear against the wall, sat cross-legged on the tea table in the reception area, took off her sword and placed it across her knees, and asked:

"If the governor is here, you must relinquish your military power; that's the rule of the Great Feng. What do you plan to do?"

"Since it's the rule, we can only follow it," Yang Chuannan said.

Li Miaozhen nodded. "I will help you."

Yang Chuannan glanced at her and shook his head helplessly. "So many people in the martial world are willing to serve you, it's not unfair. Flying Swallow Heroine, I owe you this favor, but be careful. There's a Golden Gong in your entourage, a dignified fourth-rank official. Once he leaves the martial world, he'll be a formidable figure."

Li Miaozhen didn't take it seriously. "What's there to be afraid of? Anyone below the third rank can't withstand a human wave tactic."

"The food in Yunzhou is a bit numbing and spicy, and they like to add a lot of spices. I don't like the food here. Won't I get hemorrhoids from eating spicy food so often?"

Inside the inn, Xu Qi'an ate his hot meal while inwardly complaining.

The main hall was filled with Nightwatchers and Tiger Guards; eight people sat at one table, barely enough to accommodate them.

Baidi City has four post stations, this one is the largest, with a large courtyard and two adjacent three-story buildings. There is one postmaster and seven postmen.

For safety reasons, Yang Yingying also had to stay at the inn. She sat alone at a table and quietly ate her meal with her head down.

The young woman had a voluptuous and alluring figure; when she sat, her dress clung tightly to her hips, outlining her full curves.

Xu Qi'an noticed Song Tingfeng staring at someone's backside, so he kicked him under the table. "What are you looking at?"

After he finished cursing, he glanced at it himself a few times.

"What's wrong with looking? Everyone else is watching," Song Tingfeng said softly.

That's just how men are; when they see a beautiful woman, they can't help but glance at her a few more times, unable to control their gaze. Only when their wives are right beside them can they muster the willpower to resist.

"I'm not watching anymore, it'll only make me feel worse," Song Tingfeng muttered.

Governor Zhang has just issued an order: during the stay in Yunzhou, no one is allowed to go to the Imperial Academy of Music) or leave the post station, unless they have a mission.

Xu Qi'an raised his hand and squeezed it tightly.

"What?" Song Tingfeng asked, bewildered.

"This is called the Grasp of Immortality; you can learn it in private."

After dinner, Governor Zhang invited Xu Qi'an and Jiang Luzhong to his room for a discussion. The governor, a former censor, looked at the two experienced officials and said:

"Yunzhou lifted the ban on knives because of banditry. Therefore, it is safer at night than during the day because the curfew is particularly strict."

"Jiang Jinluo needs to protect me at all times. The investigation will be temporarily handled by Ningyan. You can freely deploy the Nightwatchers and the Tiger Guards at the post station."

Well, so he's really become a tool. Xu Qi'an glanced at Governor Zhang, saying nothing.

The governor explained, "In the first few days, I will inevitably have to entertain many people, and I also need to get a feel for the state of officialdom in Yunzhou."

Alright, Xu Qi'an accepted this reason. "Understood, this subordinate will do his utmost."

Governor Zhang nodded in satisfaction and asked, "How do you plan to proceed with the case?"

"First, go to the government office to retrieve Zhou Min's belongings after his death, then go to his house to take a look," Xu Qi'an said.

"No need to exhume the body and examine it?" Governor Zhang frowned.

"That's exactly what I was waiting for you to ask," Xu Qi'an laughed. "The person has been dead for over half a month. The rotting skin is swollen and can be easily broken with a poke. You can drink your fill of the foul-smelling corpse fluid."

Jiang Luzhong, who had just finished eating, turned pale, while Governor Zhang began to retch.

"Then I'll take my leave." Xu Qi'an slipped away.

Leaving the room and going downstairs, he summoned four gongs, including Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao, one familiar silver gong, and six Tiger Guards, and rode horses to the government office.

Zhou Min was a government official with a formal position. Whenever a government official died, the local government was responsible for conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death. For officials like Zhou Min whose families did not live in the area, the local government was also responsible for keeping his belongings safe until his family or the government came to collect them.

Xu Qi'an controlled the horse's speed, glancing occasionally at the map of Baidi City given to him by the postman. After nearly an hour of searching, he finally saw the gate of the government office.

"According to the rules of officialdom, 30% of such relics are kept by those who handle them, and the greedy ones can keep as much as 50%. I wonder how much of Zhou Jingli's relics will be kept," sighed the silver-gonged man surnamed Tang.

This was the first time Xu Qi'an had heard of such an unspoken rule, and his face darkened. "Does the law of Great Feng include any punishment for such incidents?"

"Of course there are," Tang Yinluo said. "The punishment for embezzling the estate of officials appointed by the imperial court varies depending on the value of the property. For minor offenses, it can result in fifty strokes of the cane in court, and for serious offenses, it can lead to dismissal and a fine."

Xu Qi'an nodded, then suddenly asked, "Is it the same at the Nightwatchers's office?"

"How could I dare? Duke Wei has explicitly forbidden it. Besides, we Nightwatchers are different from these officials. We Nightwatchers in the same group fight side by side and have a bond of friendship, going to brothels together. Even our brothers wouldn't agree to anyone embezzling money," Tang Yinluo explained.

Song Tingfeng nodded with a hearty laugh, "That's right, Ningyan, you sacrificed yourself that day. Anyone who dares to embezzle your compensation money, I'll definitely kill them."

There's something off about what you said, Xu Qi'an thought, too lazy to bother commenting on the squinty-eyed man.

Upon entering the government office and revealing his identity, a Principal Seventh Rank official in a blue robe came out to greet him, introducing himself as the prefectural clerk.

To prevent servants from stealing valuables, all of Zhou's belongings were stored in the government office's storeroom.

This experienced man, who was in charge of receiving, dispatching, cashiering, and warehouse affairs, led Xu Qi'an and the others to the warehouse. He carried a heavy bunch of keys, skillfully found the correct one, and opened the iron door of the warehouse.

Among Zhou Min's belongings were calligraphy and paintings, clothing, antiques, writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, which Xu Qi'an examined one by one in great detail.

Upon seeing that only thirty taels of silver remained, he said in a deep voice, "Sir, this is not right. Zhou, the rank of Principal Sixth Rank official, has been in office for over twenty years. Even if he saves one tael a year, it shouldn't be this little."

"Sir, that's twenty taels." The prefectural clerk said with a smile.

You still dare to mess with me?

Xu Qi'an stared at him, "Embezzling the estate of an official appointed by the imperial court is punishable by fifty strokes of the cane, depending on the value of the property; serious offenses will result in further punishment, including caning, dismissal, and a fine."

Zhou Min was Nightwatchers's undercover agent. He died in the line of duty, and his family back in his hometown is still unaware of the tragic news. The dead cannot be brought back to life, and Xu Qi'an could do nothing about that. However, he could protect Zhou Min's belongings and return them to his family as much as possible.

It should be done.

It turned out he was just a greenhorn; the prefectural clerk, however, was a seasoned veteran. He shrugged and said helplessly, "Perhaps that week, Clerk Zhou was infatuated with beautiful women, or had other pastimes, spending money like water. Anyway, that's all the money he has."

He appeared confident and smug, with a mocking smile on his face.

The government office handles inheritance matters first, and whatever amount they set is the amount. Qi Ingestion? Go ahead and try to bring the dead back to life.

Xu Qi'an pointed to his waist badge. "Don't the officials of Yunzhou recognize Nightwatchers?"

The prefectural clerk scoffed, "I've naturally heard that the Nightwatchers monitor all officials."

That's because you've only heard about it but never experienced it yourself—you lack the beatings of Nightwatchers. Xu Qi'an raised his foot and kicked the mansion's abdomen.

Bang!

Fu Jing's obese body flew backward and crashed into the wall, sending dust flying. He curled up in pain like a shrimp, his features contorted in agony, and only after a few seconds did he let out a groan.

Xu Qi'an drew his knife, placed it against the back of Xu Qi'an's neck, and looked down at him condescendingly. "I came to Yunzhou with the governor to investigate a case, and I have the authority to act expediently. Even if I kill you, the governor can cover for me. Do you believe me?"

The prefectural clerk took a few deep breaths and emphasized incredulously, "This is the prefectural government office."