Xuanqing Guard

Although Shen Hao currently holds a fairly high position—Junior Fifth Grade—and is also the Hundred Households of the Black Banner Battalion in Fengri City, a key hub city, his status and rank are certainly not to be underestimated locally.

However, after all, Shen Hao has only been in this world for eleven years, and from the very beginning has been mixed up in the Xuanqing Guard, having had very little contact with local affairs, let alone any deep understanding of those civil servants he seldom interacts with.

The previous plan was also his own idea, yet he never expected Pang Ban to criticize it as "too naive"—in other words, he was told his thinking was "childish."

Shen Hao was puzzled, but did not dare to ask.

It was Jiang Cheng who explained: "The civil servants dislike the military because they fear that once the military gains momentum, it will threaten their current dominance of the court. Moreover, with the Barbarian Race growing restless and the winds of war rising, it is foreseeable that once the military regains strength, the civil servant group will be hit with fierce revenge. So recently, they have been advising Your Majesty that the Barbarian Race issue should be settled in a ’gentle manner,’ rather than through warfare.

However, civil servants dislike the military, and they also don’t like us in the Xuanqing Guard. They’re like dogs—never satisfied, always looking to squeeze out anyone who’s different from them around the court.

So, once these civil servants find a legitimate excuse to intervene, not only will they suppress the military ruthlessly, they’ll also seize the opportunity to drag us of the Xuanqing Guard into the mire. Even just labeling us as ’ineffective’ is enough for them to act against us. They have the Ministry of Justice at their disposal, and it’s not impossible for them to snatch the main jurisdiction of a case right out of our hands.

Now do you understand?"

Shen Hao nodded repeatedly. He really hadn’t expected factional infighting within the Temple Hall to have reached this level. Even more bizarre was the notion that civil servants still wanted to ’be gentle’ with the Barbarian Race? It’s a blood feud! If you’re gentle, they’ll just take your life—what kind of backwards logic produces such ideas?

But if he couldn’t leverage the civil servant group, Shen Hao felt even less confident. At least for now, he had no practical way to open the next breakthrough.

But unexpectedly, Pang Ban did not berate him. Instead, he said: "Remember, keep pushing the case forward. Remain cautious and keep investigating with all your strength. But do not take it upon yourself to contact anyone or any force outside the Xuanqing Guard. If you encounter anything you can’t decide, report to Lord Jiang promptly. Understand?"

"Yes, sir. Understood."

"The warrant for the search will be prepared after the Upper Emissary arrives. When your people come to the Imperial City, I will hand it over to you. That’s all—make haste with your duties."

"Yes, sir. I take my leave."

Shen Hao hurried off; he needed to organize his men, and at daybreak to head to the Imperial City ready to search the Xu Family.

Meanwhile, Jiang Cheng stayed at Pang Ban Mansion, not leaving.

"Sir, what if Shen Hao’s line breaks and the case can’t be pushed forward?" Jiang Cheng had to ask. Previously, even the likes of Zhou Qing could withstand harsh torture and refuse to confess; Xu Hong was likely even tougher. If all traces were covered, the case could very well break off at Xu Hong. Continuing the investigation would be out of the question.

"What to do? That’s up to your disciple to answer. As I’ve said before, Yang Yansi is not someone easy to handle. Tracing the case to him is exceedingly difficult. Frankly, Shen Hao managing to nail Xu Hong by alternate means was already beyond my expectations."

Jiang Cheng was confused. Logically, this case had already caused major upheaval citywide, even Your Majesty stepped in personally to cover things up. If it fizzled out or stopped halfway, it would absolutely be a huge blow to Pang Ban’s reputation.

The Emperor is not easy to please. If you dare ask him for help but do not deliver satisfactory results, there’s no telling how things may end. Removing a General from the military or a Minister from the civil servants might draw pleas for mercy, making it harder for the Emperor to act. But removing a Commander from the Xuanqing Guard... others would only clap and celebrate, never plead on your behalf.

This is the Xuanqing Guard’s curse as a Lone Minister: no influence, their fate decided by the Emperor’s word alone.

"You don’t get it?" Pang Ban pointed to the teapot beside him; Jiang Cheng hurried to pour him a cup.

"Sir, I simply don’t understand. If this case collapses in our hands, then..."

"Heh, collapses? How would it collapse?"

"Uh? Sir, if Shen Hao can’t push on, and the case breaks at Xu Hong, wouldn’t that be a collapse?"

Pang Ban sipped his newly poured hot tea, but suddenly changed the subject, saying: "Did you know your disciple almost got killed by an Illusionary Kill on the street earlier?"

"I know. Currently, the Thousand Households Kuang Shengyuan in Fengri City is investigating that case."

"Someone wants Shen Hao dead. Who do you think it is?" Pang Ban paused, not waiting for Jiang Cheng to answer, he continued: "If it’s a personal vendetta, the timing is too convenient—I never like to use coincidence to explain things, so I speculate that someone had to try to kill Shen Hao precisely at this juncture. Who do you think would be happiest if Shen Hao died?"

Jiang Cheng followed Pang Ban’s reasoning: "Yang Yansi? Xu Hong?"

"No, the happiest would be the spectators."

"Spectators? You mean, those civil servants?"

"Not just civil servants. Your Majesty suddenly took a fancy to inviting all the court’s civil and military officials to go hunting, at this crucial time. Anyone with a bit of sense knows it’s not simple.

Moreover, as Your Majesty’s Personal Guard, I haven’t gone, which makes people ponder even further.

After that, Shen Hao stirred things up in the Jingxi Army and Border Army, and even Wen Mingju in the Ministry of War has riled people into grudges—all this can’t be kept secret. Those taken on the hunt by Your Majesty may not return, but who doesn’t carry a Thousand-Mile Sound Token? Getting the news is easy.

So, not only civil servants are watching, but also those restless Royal Family clansmen and the major merchants from every corner.

Tell me, if Shen Hao died, wouldn’t the military be the prime suspect? Or directly Yang Yansi and Xu Hong? By then, whether for Shen Hao’s revenge or the Xuanqing Guard’s reputation, we and the military would become as Water and Fire, and the Temple Hall would be even more chaotic. Isn’t that lively?"

Jiang Cheng listened with increasing confusion, unsure what to say. But one thing was clear: According to Pang Ban, someone is deliberately stirring things up, aiming to use this case to disrupt the balance in the Temple Hall even more?

But is that related to the case itself?

Seeing Jiang Cheng silent, Pang Ban smiled and continued, "Someone wants us to fall into chaos, yet we can’t afford to be chaotic. With great war approaching, stability is paramount. The Temple Hall must not fall into disorder, nor must the military. So from the very start, nailing Yang Yansi was never realistic. Even Your Majesty wouldn’t dare lay hands on the military’s top man at such a time.

So, pinning it on Xu Hong is the best we can do.

But ’can’t move’ doesn’t mean it’s simply overlooked. We need solid evidence to arrest, imprison, and prosecute. But Your Majesty doesn’t need it. You understand what I mean?"