Quan Chen investigated the matter overnight.
Although they had a close relationship, it was better to investigate through the Censorate. Listening to only one side of the story easily led to mistakes.
After a thorough investigation, a petition was written before daybreak. Early in the morning, the letter was sent to the imperial palace and personally handed to the inner courts. A eunuch of the inner court received it!
The inner court’s eunuchs would peruse the matter and earmark the importance.
The extremely important ones were directly handed to Human Emperor! Most were forwarded to the relevant government cabinet, leaving them to be handled by the cabinet elders.
The eunuchs… were without sons, so although they were loyal to His Majesty, the Human Emperor, many of them were corrupt. When dealing with the petitions, if any of the high officials they had long ties with were accused, they would secretly inform the accused ahead of time. Of course, that was all they could do. There were many eunuchs watching these petitions and they were unable to tamper with it.
On this matter, Human Emperor turned a blind eye.
Quan Chen was a third-grade official and was the second highest authority in the Censorate! His petition could be directly presented to Human Emperor but since the petition only pertained to a case of Jiang Prefecture’s Grand Dominance County, there was naturally no need to alarm Human Emperor. They were directly forwarded by the eunuchs to the Political Affairs Cabinet.
…
Early morning in Grand Dominance County, in County Governor Manor’s study.
Gongye Bing sat in front of his desk and looked into the bronze mirror. Nine Mountain Island Lord’s figure appeared in it.
“Senior Brother Nine Island, why are you contacting me so early in the morning? Has the imperial government sent a decree? However, if there’s a decree, it would immediately be sent to me. Or has someone accused me again?” Gongye Bing scoffed.
“Yes, another high official has submitted a petition.” Nine Mountain Island Lord nodded.
“This Qin Yun sure has good social connections. Who is it?” asked Gongye Bing.
Nine Mountain Island Lord said solemnly, “Left Censor-in-Chief, Quan Chen!”
Gongye Bing stood up abruptly.
Left Censor-in-Chief Quan Chen? What was the job of the Censorate? It supervised administrators! And the Left Censor-in-Chief was the second highest authority in the Censorate. It was a third-grade official. In the nineteen prefectures, each prefecture’s prefecture overseer was only at the third grade! After all, to be promoted even half a grade in the Great Chang empire which held the Godfiend lineage in its control was extremely difficult.
A third-grade official was a top-notch official!
Even the cabinet elders in the Political Affairs Cabinet, who wielded great power, were typically second or third-grade officials.
“It’s still about Qin Yun?” asked Gongye Bing.
“Yes.” Nine Mountain Island Lord nodded.
“That’s trouble! Trouble! The cabinet elders can ignore Wen Shu or General Wang Yong’s petitions but they have to give the Left Censor-in-Chief face! Even if they want to uphold the dignity of my authority as county governor, they will at least send a censor to investigate.” Gongye Bing turned a little panicked.
When a censor investigated an area, they were called Roving Censors.
It was sufficient to make any local official panic.
“What do you plan on doing now?” asked Nine Mountain Island Lord.
“The Political Affairs Cabinet’s cabinet elders deal with important events in the world and have many political responsibilities. By the time they deal with this matter, it will be a day or two later.” Gongye Bing frowned. “If they were to deal with this petition today, they will immediately send a censor to investigate in secret. The Monitor Censors would take a least a day or two to arrive from the imperial capital even if they traveled here by Dharma treasures!”
“In a day, I have to tie up the loose ends regarding this matter.”
“It has to be done before daybreak tomorrow! I want the Monitor Censor to fail at finding any mistakes when they arrive in secret.” Gongye Bing’s eyes were in a frenzy.
Gongye Bing looked at Nine Mountain Island Lord through the bronze mirror. “Senior Brother Nine Mountain, I’ve gotten into trouble because of your matter! I didn’t want to deal with Qin Yun in the first place. After all, he’s a cultivator that has rendered meritorious services. Although he only assisted in the slaying of Water God… The imperial government will usually treat cultivators with great deeds respectfully.”
For ordinary wealthy merchants, it didn’t matter if they were bullied.
As long as a county governor made sure that the commoners led stable lives, the bullying of a few wealthy merchants meant nothing. Back when it was County Governor Wen, Old General Wang and the Left Censor-in-Chief did not make any complaints.
The Great Chang empire placed great importance on cultivators. They treated those who had rendered meritorious services for the imperial government with even greater respect. There was never a lack of demand for warriors that would risk their lives.
“Qin Yun? You sure have great means to force me to this step. Impressive, when you meet the Monitor Censor, my days will turn for the worse. The Monitor Censor is also Left Censor-in-Chief Quan Chen’s subordinate. They will definitely lean towards you.” A cold flashed suffused Gongye Bing’s eyes. “Aren’t you already hiding? Then if you keep hiding forever… wouldn’t the problem be resolved?”
“As long as I resolve this matter cleanly, everything would be fine.” Gongye Bing was determined. “I cannot let you meet the Monitor Censor.”
…
That day, Qin Yun was still practicing his flying sword Dharma formulations in his compound.
And when nightfall came, Qin Yun released his Intrinsic Flying Sword as always, sending it surreptitiously to County Governor Manor’s perimeter. Qin Yun could not feel at ease without confirming his father’s condition every day.
“Oh?” Qin Yun was slightly startled.
Qin Liehu had the shackles around him removed. He was only chained and sitting on a stone bench. His mouth was stuffed with a cloth and beside him, Gongye Bing stood with his hands behind his back.
When Qin Yun probed with his psyche through the Intrinsic Flying Sword, Gongye Bing said coldly, “Qin Yun.”
Qin Yun was alarmed.
“I know you are probing this area.” Gongye Bing sneered and said, “I’m a Connate False Core realm cultivator after all. Do you think I can’t sense you when you probe with your psyche?”
“Are you still puzzled why I’m dealing with you?” continued Gongye Bing.
Qin Yun was indeed puzzled.
Qin Yun did not know Gongye Bing in the past so why would he suddenly attack him? If the reason was that of money, could someone at Gongye Bing’s level be so foolish because of a little money?
“In two hours, in Chen Garden fifteen hundred meters away from County Governor Manor,” Gongye Bing said coldly. “You and I shall meet. When the time comes, you will know why I’m dealing with you! If you do not appear in two hours… I’ll kill your father. You do know that killing a silver-badge constable does not affect me in any way.”
“Two hours. I will only be waiting two hours for you.” Gongye Bing sneered.
“Alright! I’ll be in Chen Garden in two hours.” Suddenly, a voice resounded in the tiny yard. Following that the psyche that proliferated the area withdrew.
Gongye Bing continued sneering as he glanced at Qin Liehu.
Qin Liehu’s mouth was stuffed as he struggled amidst muffled cries.
“You will see your son in a while. He sure is a good son for him to force me to this stage,” said Gongye Bing.
“Set off, to Chen Garden.” Gongye Bing said.
“Yes.” The two guards in charge of watching Qin Liehu immediately grabbed Qin Liehu and followed behind.
******
Qin Yun stood inside his compound as the silver flying sword flew in front of him and hovered there.
“He wants to meet me? Is this the standoff?” Qin Yun extended his hand and gently caressed the flying sword’s blade.
“Alright.”
“Then, let’s see what you are up to.”
The flying sword rapidly merged into his palm, entering his dantian and formed a sword ball.
Qin Yun turned around to take a look. His mother and brother and his family were in their respective rooms. Qin Yun could sense that his mother was laying in bed but she was not asleep! After all, with the Qin family suffering from such a disreputable accusation that Qin Liehu’s survival was still an unknown, how could his mother fall asleep?
“I will bring Father home.” Qin Yun turned around and pushed open the door to leave the yard.
…
Casting a Divine Concealment Spell, Qin Yun walked down Grand Dominance City’s streets. At that moment, although it was in the evening, there were many pedestrians along the streets. Some of the restaurants were bustling with activity, especially the brothels. One could see a large number of dazzling lanterns from afar. The people in the city led their own lives while Qin Yun’s matter was only discussed in conversations, other than an extremely small number of worried commoners.
After all, there were all sorts of rumors floating around in the county city. It depicted how Qin Yun had deliberately lied and that he had not dealt with Water God at all! Instead, he was a cultivator that colluded with demons.
There were many commoners who ended up believing the rumors. Even those who did not believe the rumors also had doubts regarding Qin Yun.
Qin Yun walked with an unperturbed mind.
“Chen Garden.”
Looking up, there was a luxurious manor ahead of him. Above its door were the words ‘Chen Garden’.
When he reached the entrance, Qin Yun dispelled his Divine Concealment Spell.
There was a guard waiting by the door. When he saw an ordinary pedestrian suddenly turn into Qin Yun, he was alarmed.
“Since you are here, come on in.” A voice was heard.
“County Governor Gongye, you arrived first.” Qin Yun entered through the main door while the guard beside him did not even dare breathe.