Chapter 244 - 171: A Misunderstanding, a Misunderstanding
Lin San immediately flew into a rage, slapping and kicking his insolent brother-in-law and the government constable who had just reported the tip, knocking them both to the ground.
Qi Ming found the scene rather amusing. As an Inspector from the Observatory, his status was lofty—he was on equal footing with the City Lord, a peer in every sense.
While he’d heard rumors of corruption among the lower officials, seeing it firsthand today was certainly interesting.
He decided not to dwell on such trivial matters. However, when he looked ahead, he saw only a single courtyard with government constables standing guard at the gate. His expression immediately darkened. "Is that the place you were talking about?"
"That’s right, Lord Qi. The esteemed Lord Fang is renting the courtyard inside," County Magistrate Lin replied hastily.
His gaze involuntarily shifted forward as well, and his expression instantly soured.
’What did that constable say earlier? Something about searching for Rebel Army spies!’
’Where are they conducting this search? Don’t tell me it’s in that courtyard...’
’This is bad!’
At this thought, County Magistrate Lin was utterly stupefied.
His eyes, now fixed on Lin San, blazed with murderous intent.
「 」
"Lord Fang, you must have been alarmed! My apologies, my deepest apologies! It is all because of my failure to discipline my subordinates that these scoundrels have offended you."
County Magistrate Lin was drenched in sweat. He apologized profusely to Fang Yue while wiping his forehead with his other hand.
’What rotten luck,’ he lamented inwardly.
’These incompetent fools! A distant relative’s neighbor, my ass! What a bunch of bastards, all they do is cause trouble for me!’
’This time, I’ve really been dragged down by these pig-headed morons.’
"Rest assured, my lord. When I return, I will have these men arrested and thrown in jail. I will see to it they are severely punished."
"Spare us, my lord! We were only acting on a tip. We truly had no idea Lord Fang lived here.
Please, Lord Fang, spare this humble one! I was truly in the wrong..."
With a tear-stricken face, Lin San knelt on the ground, kowtowing and begging for mercy repeatedly.
He knew now that not only had he failed to fleece a rich target, but he had offended someone truly important.
Even their own superior, County Magistrate Lin, had to treat this man with the utmost respect and caution. To a common government constable with no official rank, a man like that was practically a god.
’Offending someone of his stature... even if I’m not killed, I’ll be skinned alive!’
As for his brother-in-law, he had already been beaten unconscious by the enraged Lin San.
"Oh? What were you saying? Where did you get the tip that led you to search this place?" Fang Yue asked.
"His Lordship is asking you a question! Spit it out! Where did you get the tip? If you can’t give a straight answer, I’ll have your head!" County Magistrate Lin berated him.
"Yes, yes, of course! This humble one will tell you everything I know."
With a miserable expression, Lin San quickly explained. They had come here today because they received a tip that a rich family, refugees from Shanyang Prefecture, was living here.
That’s what gave them the idea to come here and score some extra cash.
They never imagined they’d been set up so badly. They had run headfirst into a steel wall and gotten themselves smashed to pieces.
"A little beggar delivered the tip. It included their address and their origins in detail."
Fang Yue’s eyes narrowed. According to Lin San, the tip had described his family’s basic situation.
It just hadn’t mentioned his status as an Inspector for the Observatory.
The rest of the information was a perfect match for Fang Yue’s Family’s circumstances, right down to how long they had been renting the place.
’Have I been targeted by someone?’
The thought immediately crossed Fang Yue’s mind.
’Otherwise, how could anyone have known so much about my family? I’m not a local in Denglai City, so these government constables wouldn’t know me from anyone.’
’So, who is it? Why are they doing this? What’s their objective?’
With this on his mind, Fang Yue lost the desire to drag things out. He dismissed the government constables, but not before ordering them to investigate the person who had sent the tip.
If they found something, he would consider the matter settled.
Lin San, overflowing with gratitude, scurried away.
After dealing with the matter, Fang Yue greeted Qi Ming, and the two exchanged a few words.
Seeing Fang Yue’s noble bearing and sensing the faint yet profound fluctuations of Primordial Qi around him, Qi Ming became even more convinced that Fang Yue was a scion of a great clan from Yujing City.
As a result, his attitude grew even more deferential.
This stunned County Magistrate Lin, who was sitting in attendance. ’This Lord Fang from Shanyang Prefecture... his background must be truly extraordinary.’
’Thank heavens, thank heavens I didn’t truly offend him.’
’Otherwise, by this time next year, the grass on my grave would be three feet high.’
County Magistrate Lin immediately resolved that as long as this powerful figure remained in Denglai City, he would treat him like a god.
’There can be no more slip-ups.’
「 」
’Who is it that’s targeting me? Or rather, who’s targeting this journey?’
After seeing Qi Ming and the magistrate off, Fang Yue returned to his room.
He began to ponder the information he had gotten from Lin San.
His appointment as an Inspector for the Observatory was partly due to his own Talent and cultivation, but it was also because he was tasked with escorting Bai Li to Yujing City.
’If that’s the case, then someone is targeting Bai Li!’
’What kind of secret does this blind girl carry?’
The more Fang Yue thought about it, the more he felt that Bai Li must be hiding a huge secret. Otherwise, why would Hui Hengli have made such an arrangement?
He knew all too well how difficult it was for an ordinary Martial Artist to leave Shanyang Prefecture under the current circumstances.
’So, this journey isn’t as simple as it appears on the surface.’
Fang Yue sighed softly, now certain that there were things at play that he knew nothing about.
Still, his family had only been able to leave thanks to this arrangement.
He was being used now, but he couldn’t exactly say their intentions were malicious.
’Still, since these people don’t dare to show their faces, it means they’re operating in the shadows. If all they can resort to are these kinds of dirty tricks, then there’s nothing to be afraid of.’
Fang Yue’s gaze grew resolute.
’He would just have to face the problems as they came.’
Then, Fang Yue picked up the brocade box from beside him. It was the gift Lord Qi had brought.
"It’s a stalk of blood ginseng!"
Opening the box, Fang Yue couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.
Just the other day, he had scoured nearly all of Denglai City but hadn’t found a single shop selling blood ginseng.
He had thought it was a lost cause, but to his surprise, the Inspector from the Observatory had brought one right to him.
’What an unexpected surprise.’
’I wonder how many Talent Points this blood ginseng will give me.’
Fang Yue weighed it in his hand. This stalk of blood ginseng was about a third smaller than the one he had consumed previously.
With that thought, Fang Yue picked up the blood ginseng. After a careful inspection, he washed it and ate it as if it were a crunchy radish.
Trickles of bright red juice flowed from his mouth down into his stomach.
As the juice spread, Fang Yue felt as if every pore on his body had opened up.
In that instant, a feeling of immense comfort washed over him.
"It’s working!" Fang Yue’s eyes lit up.
He hadn’t expected the blood ginseng to have such an effect. He immediately closed his eyes, sat cross-legged, and entered a meditative state to cultivate.
As Fang Yue cultivated, the medicinal power of the blood ginseng began to slowly diffuse, transforming into pure energy that he absorbed into his body.
As the medicinal properties spread, his physical strength even saw a slight improvement.
After a long while, Fang Yue opened his eyes. Sensing the changes in his body, he couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction.
He then focused his gaze, and a line of text materialized before his eyes.
[Talent Points +150]