Lu Ling Feng coldly snorted: “Investigating? Then I want to ask you, what clues have you gathered? I have been tracking the lead of Song Chai since this morning.”
“What were you doing this morning? Why are you here now?”
Zheng Qing was completely convinced. Although he knew Lu Ling Feng was a hot-headed young man when he first appeared, he never imagined that this guy was so reckless!
He truly embodied what it meant to be a scion of a great family!
“Su Xianwei and I have long known that Song Chai is a gambler. He gambles at night and sleeps during the day. Should I not track him at night and act as a guard while he sleeps during the day?
I’m very busy, unlike you, who has nothing better to do but wander around.”
Zheng Qing said coldly.
“You… how dare you!” Lu Ling Feng trembled with rage.
The Jinwu guards on the side, seeing the two clashing, dared not speak a word. They could not afford to offend either of them!
“Alright, since you say Song Chai is a gambler, do you have evidence?”
Zheng Qing said lightly:
“If you look at his right hand, you’ll know.”
Lu Ling Feng, unsure, checked Song Chai’s right hand. Indeed, he saw thick calluses on the fingertips, while the rest of his hand was soft. This was obviously caused by frequent gambling and shuffling cards.
A group of people came running towards them. It was Su Wu Ming, accompanied by the county officials.
Seeing the two men at loggerheads, and the arrow in Song Chai’s back, his heart sank. He checked Song Chai’s breath and was immediately filled with rage. His features were distorted:
“Lu Ling Feng, you have repeatedly interfered with my investigation with the Censor! I will lodge a complaint against you!”
Lu Ling Feng, still furious, said:
“You, a mere Chang’an County Magistrate, who are you going to complain to?”
Su Wu Ming fumed: “I will go to the Princess and complain about you!”
Lu Ling Feng’s eyes grew sharp:
“Since when did you become close to the Princess?”
Su Wu Ming roared: “It’s none of your business!”
Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Zheng Qing calmly said: “The General really has a lot of audacity. Today, I have truly experienced it. A young man of fame, from the Lu clan of Fanyang, truly has a lot of swagger.
However, I am here to assist Su Xianwei in his investigation on the Emperor’s orders. General, do you think this token can be used to file a complaint against you for your arrogance and obstruction of my investigation?”
With the imperial token displayed, Lu Ling Feng and the others, not daring to be disrespectful, immediately prostrated themselves.
At this moment, regardless of whether they were people sent by the Princess or the Crown Prince, even if the Princess and the Crown Prince were present, they would have to pay their respects!
Lu Ling Feng hastily said:
“Lu Ling Feng dares not!”
Zheng Qing said lightly:
“I hope that everyone will communicate with each other before taking any action. After all, we are all ultimately working towards a more peaceful Chang’an.
However, if any of you break the rules, I won’t hesitate to report it!”
Both sides immediately acknowledged their agreement.
【Su Wu Ming’s favorability increases by 300. Fame +300.】
…
Jinwu Guard Residence—
Lu Ling Feng gulped down a cup of tea, clearly filled with suppressed anger with nowhere to vent.
After finishing the tea, he slammed his fist on the table.
“That Zheng Qing! He’s simply despicable! Relying on the Emperor’s favor, he dared to publicly contradict me? Am I not also investigating?”
Xiao Wu quickly said:
“General, please don’t get angry. If you get sick from anger, it will be a loss!”
Lu Ling Feng finally calmed down after a long while.
But Xiao Wu said:
“General, don’t you find this man’s behavior very suspicious?”
Lu Ling Feng was taken aback.
“This person has never appeared before. He suddenly appeared in Chang’an recently, and he seems to be close to Minister Pei. Furthermore, he has recently gained the Emperor’s trust! The Imperial token is like the Emperor’s presence himself. This is not something ordinary people can achieve!”
Xiao Wu spoke his thoughts and speculations.
Lu Ling Feng seemed to understand:
“You mean?”
“My subordinate believes that General should investigate this person’s background. The Zheng clan of Xingyang is powerful, but in recent years, they seem to have no high-ranking officials in the court. It’s strange that he has suddenly gained the Emperor’s trust.”
Xiao Wu whispered.
“There are many extraordinary individuals in the Great Tang Dynasty. It’s not strange. For example, Su Wu Ming also enjoys the Princess’s favor. Alright, I’ll have someone investigate him.”
After finishing, Lu Ling Feng praised him:
“You’re good, Xiao Wu. You’ve become smarter after following me for a while.”
Xiao Wu scratched his head sheepishly: “It’s all thanks to General’s guidance!”
…
County Office—
Zheng Qing was accompanying Su Wu Ming in examining the body.
Su Wu Ming took out the arrow and examined it carefully, lost in thought.
Zheng Qing said seriously:
“When it comes to examining bodies, Su Xianwei is an expert. Have you discovered anything?”
Su Wu Ming shook his head:
“I just find it strange. When Censor Zheng arrived at the scene, who was there? Did you know what happened exactly?”
Zheng Qing recounted everything he witnessed:
“When I arrived, the Jinwu Guard had already shot the arrow. However, for those who violate the curfew, they should be shot with three arrows. The first arrow is a blank shot, the second arrow is aimed at the feet. However, this Song Chai is strange. He seemed to have been shot directly with the third arrow.”
Su Wu Ming nodded:
“Yes, I was also curious about this. Moreover, looking at Lu Ling Feng’s actions before, he was really reckless. If this continues, the Jinwu Guard will likely commit many wrongful cases!”
Zheng Qing smiled:
“That might not happen. After all, Lu Ling Feng wasn’t the one who shot the arrow. In a moment of urgency, he might have acted in a certain way.”
Su Wu Ming had a higher opinion of Zheng Qing. After all, he was young, but he was much more stable than Lu Ling Feng. More importantly, he had sharp observation skills but was never arrogant. This was truly rare.
【Su Wu Ming’s favorability increases by 300. Fame +300.】
Su Wu Ming sighed:
“If the General had the Censor’s composure, perhaps I wouldn’t have so many headaches.”
Zheng Qing suggested:
“Let’s examine the body for anything suspicious. Logically, even a gambler should stop and be interrogated when they see the Jinwu Guard.”
“I’ll heed the Censor’s advice!” Su Wu Ming nodded.
Just then, Lu Ling Feng appeared with a group of people, looking arrogant.
Seeing the two examining the body, Lu Ling Feng snorted:
“This person was killed by an arrow shot by my Jinwu Guard. I saw it with my own eyes. You don’t need to pretend to examine the body here!”
His words ignited Su Wu Ming’s anger.
Holding the arrow, he said:
“The Censor and I only found this fatal arrow. We did not find the blank arrow. General, shouldn’t you give us an explanation?”
Lu Ling Feng stepped forward, snatched the arrow, and casually threw it away. He said nonchalantly:
“Explain what?”
“Just now, the Censor and I discussed it, and we are sure that our memories are accurate. When encountering someone who violates curfew, the Jinwu Guard should first fire a warning shot. If they still continue to run, shoot at their feet as another warning. If they still don’t stop, they have the right to kill them on the spot! Please tell me, how many arrows did the Jinwu Guard use to kill Song Chai?”
…
The second update is here! Please give flowers, review votes, and monthly tickets!