Xuanqing Guard

Pang Ban’s mansion was not far from Jiang Cheng’s residence. This area was home to the Xuanqing Guard’s senior officials, all within old houses, but the location was excellent, and properties were generally passed internally among Xuanqing Guard officers. When someone retired, the house here would typically be sold to a colleague. Jiang Cheng’s current residence came to him this way.

They did not take a carriage, but walked for about the time it takes to drink one cup of tea before reaching their destination.

Contrary to Shen Hao’s expectation of an imposing and grand gate, Pang Ban’s mansion was not large—its entrance was even smaller than Jiang Cheng’s residence.

"Lord Pang lives alone, does not care for large mansions, hence he chose this place." Sensing Shen Hao’s puzzled expression, Jiang Cheng quietly explained while the gatekeeper went inside to report their arrival.

"Lives alone? And Lord Pang’s family?"

"They reside in Jingzhong, his hometown. Enough, let’s go."

They did not wait long; after the gatekeeper entered, it was Pang Mansion’s steward who came out to welcome them, leading Shen Hao and Jiang Cheng directly to the study.

The steward served tea and engaged in a bit of small talk before Pang Ban entered, dressed in ordinary attire.

Jiang Cheng and Shen Hao quickly rose in greeting.

"No need for such formalities at home. Have a seat, drink your tea. This is tribute tea, a gift from His Majesty this year. Shen Hundred Households, this is your first time visiting; come, let me treat you."

Speaking of tea, Shen Hao recalled that Pang Ban had mentioned tea when he visited his own residence before, seemingly remarking that Shen Hao’s tea was of poor quality. Feeling slightly embarrassed, Shen Hao thanked him and, imitating etiquette, raised the cup and took another sip. In truth, Shen Hao had already tasted the tea before Pang Ban entered; its fragrance was indeed excellent, very pleasant to drink, but the finer qualities eluded him—he simply nodded along with an awkward smile.

Pang Ban watched Shen Hao’s reaction with an amused smile. Last time, he had deliberately brought up "tea" at Shen Hao’s home; this time he mentioned it again, yet this small Hundred Households before him still clearly had no knowledge of tea. The detail revealed much to Pang Ban, and he was quite satisfied.

"You two have come late at night—likely for something urgent? Has the case progressed?"

Shen Hao glanced at Jiang Cheng, who signaled him, prompting Shen Hao to stand, clasp his hands, and report: "My lord, all the thirty-seven individuals on the previous list have been apprehended; not a single person escaped..."

Shen Hao’s report was prepared in advance; now delivered smoothly, layer by layer. On one hand, it showcased the speed and decisiveness of the Black Banner Battalion’s recent operations, and on the other, it did not ignore the tenacity and cunning of their opponents. He even admitted that the investigation had briefly stalled, and only through further discoveries was progress made.

"So, you managed to cross the chasm the opposition set at the outset, and have pushed the investigation onto Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, Xu Hong. Is that correct?" Pang Ban straightened in his chair, his expression grave.

"Yes, lord. At present, the mastermind that can be directly identified through witness testimony and clues is Xu Hong. Previously, it was Xu Hong who dispatched Zhang De and others to help Ma San Kui obtain a large number of storage bags from the Jingxi Army for smuggling, and who provided numerous other conveniences."

"Nonetheless, I have doubts about Zhou Qing’s conclusions."

"Oh? You believe Zhou Qing lied?"

"No, not lies. Rather, I believe Zhou Qing only knows the surface, still has not reached the core of this case, so his views are incomplete. At least, by my reasoning, given Xu Hong’s resources, he lacks the means to orchestrate a plot of collusion with the Barbarian Race spanning over forty years.

Furthermore, according to Ma San Kui’s confessions, Zhou Qing is actually unaware of many things. For example, the pseudo-evil cultivator behind Ma San Kui, and how these initial connections were made—all Zhou Qing ’heard about’ and none of his testimony matches Ma San Kui’s.

Therefore, I believe that above Xu Hong, there is someone else."

If not seamless, at least Shen Hao had now pushed the "Ma San Case" deep into the heart of the matter, based on various clues and concrete evidence. He also boldly offered his speculation—his implication was to test where Jiang Cheng and Pang Ban’s boundaries lay.

It was not that Shen Hao was scheming, but the case was vast; he, a mere Small Hundred Households, could not be expected to grasp the nuances. Without first feeling out the bosses’ bottom lines, any rash move could lead to serious trouble if he crossed them.

Jiang Cheng said nothing, his expression placid as ever.

Pang Ban, however, was silent for a time, before asking: "Then who do you think is behind Xu Hong?"

Shen Hao answered without hesitation: "I believe Xu Hong’s patron is the National Pillar General, Minister of War, Yang Yansi." Finishing this sentence, Shen Hao watched Pang Ban closely, waiting for his response.

Pang Ban was quiet for a moment before looking at Shen Hao with a fleeting smile: "Heh, do you know the weight Yang Yansi carries? And his standing in the Jingjiu Dynasty?"

"Your subordinate has heard a little."

"Then you dare to suspect him?"

"I only concern myself with the facts of the case; as for other matters, my ignorance and lack of rank prevent me from speculating. All decisions rest with you, my lord." Shen Hao would not foolishly try to take responsibility for this; he had neither the authority nor the qualification.

"You are prudent. But you need not test further—at this point, do you think the case is solely in the hands of us in Xuanqing Guard? The civil servants, the military, even His Majesty himself are watching. Whoever tries to play games will be the first to die. Ergo, whoever is involved must be thoroughly investigated. You are backed not only by myself and Lord Jiang, but also by His Majesty."

Shen Hao bowed in acceptance, finally feeling reassured.

"Tell me, how do you plan to proceed?"

"I wish to request your orders, my lord. At first light, I will submit a notice to the Local Government Office in the Imperial City, requesting their cooperation to raid Xu Mansion. At the same time, I will instruct the Black Banner Battalion operatives stationed across the region to close the net, join with the local Black Banner Battalion, and make a full assessment of all suspects’ backgrounds. Afterwards, we will sort and screen the information, hoping to find clues to push the investigation further."

"You are not confident?"

"...Yes, my lord. I discovered that those on the other side are highly alert against pursuit, and many are unfazed by Xuanqing Guard’s interrogation methods. If Xu Hong proves stubborn and refuses to talk, I am not absolutely confident that the investigation can continue." Though the words sounded timid, Shen Hao told the truth; at such a moment, he dared not boast as before.

Pang Ban did not take offense, but said, "So you want to bring the civil servants in? Hoping that should you fail, you can have them lend their strength, correct?"

"You have seen true, my lord. That is indeed my intention."

As these words left his mouth, Pang Ban shook his head, Jiang Cheng sharing the same expression.

"A reasonable idea, but still too green." Pang Ban rejected Shen Hao’s plan outright, then added, "You think you’re borrowing a knife to kill, but in truth, you’re inviting wolves into your house. The civil servants’ skills go far beyond mere words. When the time comes, it’s not only the military that suffers; our Xuanqing Guard will surely be dragged down with them."