Chapter 417: Chapter 54 Sun Delong Chapter 417: Chapter 54 Sun Delong “Lord Governor keeps harping on about the missing banners, but what is in this Sword Box?”
After a long contemplation, the elderly man surnad Luo finally spoke.
“Out of the fourteen banners of Liaodong, I have only lost one. There are still thirteen within the Sword Box.”
“I would like to open the box and verify, may I?”
“You may not, whoever tamper with the banners shall die.”
The Luo elder fell silent, but the coldness in his eyes as he gazed at Li Yan was as deep as a ravine.
After a long ti, he spoke sternly, “If we were to discuss official business, Lord Governor, losing the banner would an failing the imperial grace, and it should be my Dragon Tiger Office’s duty to take them into custody for safekeeping.”
Li Yan responded with a laugh instead of surprise, “The implication of your words just now, are you trying to stop from retrieving the Dragon Tiger Banner?”
The Dragon Tiger Servants of the Heavenly Master Tao seldom possess eloquence or the dexterity to protect their own interest; they just need to be a guillotine sharp enough.
Do not think Li Yan’s current obstinance is out of line; he has always prided himself as a sword without a sheath.
In just a few words, the conversation between the guillotine and the sword beca dense with explosive tension, nearly tangible.
“Ahem.”
Seeing the atmosphere turn sour, Supervisor Cao cleared his throat and stepped forward, “Elder Luo is rely joking, Lord Governor, don’t take it to heart.”
The Luo elder glanced at Supervisor Cao disapprovingly, saw the latter shaking his head slightly, and could only snort coldly, saying no more.
Supervisor Cao smiled bitterly inside; how could he not detest Li Yan’s arrogance and overbearing ways,
but at least for today, the Dragon Tiger Office could not detain Li Yan.
The situation spared no one; now, out of one hundred and eight banners, not a single one reached the Heavenly Master Tao without complications. Who among the officials would add to the flag bearers’ trouble?
Li Yan had only to insist that everything he did was to escort the banners. As long as he wasn’t “blatantly killing officials akin to rebellion,” no matter what he did, it would be a muddled ss. Various governnt offices and counties would surely remain neutral; the Dragon Tiger Office would have to wait until he finished escorting the banners to settle the accounts.
Thinking this, Supervisor Cao let out a light chuckle, “According to Governor Li, it was Wang Sheng who stole your banner?”
“I cannot be sure who it was; I only know it must be related to Wang Sheng’s family.”
Li Yan didn’t make definite accusations.
Supervisor Cao’s expression soured, but he still composedly said, “That’s manageable. Wang Sheng’s entire family is here; it’s just a matter of recording their statents. I, as a local supervisor, can decide this: anyone related to the case of the banner, Lord Governor, you may take them with you, but those unrelated must be kept and judged by the Dragon Tiger Office.”
“That seems sowhat reasonable. Let’s start questioning.”
Just as Li Yan was about to speak, Supervisor Cao preempted him, “Wang Sheng’s family has a vixen spirit. According to Great Ming law, the Dragon Tiger Office manages all demonic affairs, and it should be I who inquire into this matter.”
Li Yan shook his head and said, “Since this involves the Dragon Tiger Banner, the flag bearer has the right to take convenient action. Besides, I am a fifth-grade official, and you are ninth-grade; it should be I who inquire into this.”
Supervisor Cao refused to relent, “Has Lord Governor perhaps forgotten that since Emperor Chengzu’s ti, military officers are regulated by civil officials? You, as a fifth-grade Governor, might not necessarily have the authority to take charge.”
“What a joke,” retorted Li Yan, “may I ask which year Supervisor Cao passed the imperial examination? Emperor Chengzu’s regulations about civil officials controlling military officers doesn’t apply to you, a Taoist-born ninth-grade supervisor, who ranks even below a chief scribe or county chief. What kind of civil official are you?”
Li Yan remained unyielding.
Struggling to suppress his anger, Supervisor Cao growled, “Lord Governor, if you want to take soone from , you can’t completely disregard the rules, can you?”
Li Yan frowned, “Fine, then you ask the questions!”
With that, Li Yan gave Wang Sheng a penetrating look, “Wang Sheng, stealing the banner is a grave cri, and I only suspect you. You must think through every word of the truth, for if there’s any mistake, I cannot save you.”
Afterwards, he watched Supervisor Cao and Elder Luo with a grim look and walked aside.
Turing his head, Supervisor Cao sharply interrogated, “Wang Sheng, did you steal the Dragon Tiger Banner under Governor Li’s escort?”
Having listened for so long, Wang Sheng had already calculated his response.
“Replying to Supervisor Cao, this subordinate has not stolen the banner.”
Supervisor Cao narrowed his eyes, “So you are saying that the loss of the banner has nothing to do with your family?”
“Not quite. I have seen my wife and concubine fiddling with a peculiar item that resembled the banner,”
Wang Sheng answered.
The Elder surnad Luo suddenly cut in, “What did that banner look like?”
Unfazed, Wang Sheng replied, “It was too dark to see clearly, only that it didn’t resemble anything from my household. When asked, my wife and concubine rely said it was crafted by a jade shop.”
The Elder surnad Luo, clenching his teeth with resentnt, found himself helpless.
“Very well.”
With a sigh of relief, Supervisor Cao said, “Since Wang Sheng repeatedly claims to have seen the banner in the hands of a fox spirit, Elder Luo, please hand over the captured fox spirit to Governor Li for disposition.”
Upon hearing this, Li Yan stepped forward to face Elder Luo, extending his hand.
Elder Luo, with reluctance in his heart, had no choice. He pasted a vermillion-purple talisman on the top of the Black Cauldron and handed the small cauldron over to Li Yan.
“Elder Luo’s understanding of justice is admirable, and I, Li, respect it,”
Li Yan took it without pretense or courtesy.
“Good, now that Lord Governor’s business is concluded, I bid Lord Governor to proceed first, so as not to further interfere with the Dragon Tiger Office’s handling of the case,”
stated Supervisor Cao coldly.
Li Yan turned to him and asked, “With the fox spirit gone, what case are you handling?”
Pointing at Wang Sheng, Supervisor Cao replied, “Wang Sheng, a Centurion in the Judicial Commissioner’s Office and an official by imperial command, knew of the demon yet failed to report it, thus betraying the imperial grace. According to the law, he must be caned eighty tis and exiled three thousand miles.”
“How do you know Wang Sheng knew of the demon and did not report it?”
“He admitted it himself.”
Righteous to the point of refusal to yield, Li Yan retorted, “Since Wang Sheng is standing right here, why not have Supervisor Cao ask him again in front of ?”
Supervisor Cao’s face twitched slightly, “Does Lord Governor an that today, neither Lady Hu, nor the Cai Clan, nor Wang Sheng can be touched by ?”
Black Cauldron in hand, Li Yan’s tone deepened, “What if I say ‘yes’?”
“Governor Li! We serve the sa governnt, I have given you enough respect and face,” Supervisor Cao finally lost his patience, “But do you truly think the Dragon Tiger Office is made of mud?”
A group of Dragon Tiger Servants stepped forward, their presence threatening.
Supervisor Cao believed Li Yan was downright insane.
Court affairs have always followed a set of unwritten rules, where relationships, face, and legal principles must all be considered. Huang Longzhi may wish to protect Wang Sheng, but he would need at least the pretext of ‘ignorance’ for cover.
Yet Governor Li, ard with nothing more than a few Dragon Tiger Banners, dared to make a mockery of the Dragon Tiger Office’s dignity.
How could a fifth-ranking Left Bureau Governor dare to repeatedly challenge the authority of the Heavenly Master Tao using the prestige of the “Dragon Tiger Banners?”
How did he dare to be so reckless? What would he do about his future career and life?
Wang Sheng appeared to wish to say sothing but was silenced by a glare from Li Yan, swallowing his words back down.
Li Yan looked around, softening his tone, “At this point in our conversation, I no longer need to beat around the bush with Supervisor Cao. So words, once they co out of my mouth and into your ear, will be disowned by once this door is passed through.”
Having said that, he astonishingly and openly handed the Black Cauldron to Wang Sheng!
Li Yan faced the crowd from the Dragon Tiger Office, “I, Li, dare to ask, with Supervisor Cao’s visit today, is he relying on legal principles, societal norms, or face?”
Supervisor Cao sneered, “Legal principles, norms, face. Which does the Dragon Tiger Office not possess?”
Li Yan replied, “If it’s legal principles, the governnt office always requires a plaintiff for a case. I just want to ask, who is the plaintiff for this case?”
“Wang Sheng’s mother, Mada Lei, hamred the drum to declare her grievance.”
Li Yan turned his gaze toward the old woman standing aside.
“`
Unexpectedly, Lei knelt before Supervisor Cao, bowing repeatedly, “Supervisor Cao, it was the foolishness of this woman, I will not sue anymore, I dare not sue again.”
Supervisor Cao was furious, “Nonsense, is this sothing you can sue and then not sue at your whim?”
Li Yan interrupted him, “Then there is no plaintiff! This isn’t about handling cases based on law and reason. Depending on personal sentint and worldly wisdom, even as fox spirits harm people, the Wang Family can still live in peace and prosperity. But once the Dragon Tiger Office intervenes, their family is ruined, and they’re left with nothing but estranged wives and scattered children. What kind of personal sentint and worldly wisdom is this? And if it’s about face…”
Li Yan bowed deeply, “I don’t have many brothers who owe their lives, even fewer are left in this world. I understand that while I can protect the Wang Family for a day, I can’t protect them for a lifeti. The Heavenly Master Tao is influential, and if they set their minds against them, I have absolutely no way to protect the entire family. I am protecting the calf, I’m being unreasonable, I admit it. Today, whether I’ve offended Supervisor Cao’s pride, or the Dragon Tiger Office’s pride, or even the Heavenly Master Tao’s pride, please have Supervisor Cao put all these grievances solely on my head, Li Yan. Supervisor Cao can now write an impeachnt morial against ; whatever the consequences, I will bear them. Just don’t make things difficult for this younger brother of mine anymore, as if…”
Li Yan looked at the nurous Dragon Tiger Servants, “As if I’ve wiped Zhang Shouhan’s ass for him as a small token of my respect. Of course, Supervisor Cao can disagree, then I can only insist, I’ve lost the Dragon Tiger Banner, and I must take the Wang Family back with to investigate the case. I wonder what Supervisor Cao thinks?”
“…”
Supervisor Cao was silent for a long ti before he snorted, “Governor Li is glib, the cases we handle impartially sohow turned into bullying the good and kind tyranny in your mouth.”
Li Yan responded with a fist cupped in the other hand, “The hearts of the people are like iron, but not like iron; the law is like a furnace, indeed like a furnace. The common people are blinded by their own grudges and resentnts, how can they understand the difficulties of maintaining the National Instrunt? Today, I’ve troubled Supervisor Cao.”
Supervisor Cao pointed at Li Yan, “Just wait for my impeachnt report about you!”
With that, he turned and left, with the Dragon Tiger Servants looking at each other before following Supervisor Cao.
Li Yan had just breathed a sigh of relief when he was about to take the vermilion Sword Box standing in the yard. The Elder Luo who had been walking out suddenly stood still, making hand signs, but then a red fla burst out from the vermilion and purple talisman on the Black Cauldron in Wang Sheng’s hand. Before Wang Sheng had a chance to react, the fla had already been plucked away by Li Yan.
Bang!
Li Yan, holding the fla, suddenly slamd his palm on the vermilion Sword Box, and a burst of steam exploded, snuffing out the red fla.
Li Yan then looked at his right hand, full of blisters, spat, and turned his head to rush out the door!
“Elder Luo!”
Supervisor Cao felt the unusual fluctuation of the Dragon Tiger Qi and it was too late to stop it.
Li Yan, who had stepped out the door, rushed to Elder Luo, grabbing him by the neck with his blistered hand as if lifting a straw, and hoisted him up against the wall.
“Governor Li!”
Supervisor Cao raised his hand to stop Li Yan.
Li Yan’s features were stern, his killing intent as relentless as waves scouring the earth.
He turned to look at the Dragon Tiger Servants, his eyes glowing with a bright golden light like torches. The imnse pressure made the several dozen Dragon Tiger Servants on-site lose even the courage to grip their talisman paper.
The overwhelming pressure rendered Supervisor Cao speechless, and that’s when he realized what this fifth-rank Left Bureau Governor’s basis was for securing the Dragon Tiger Banner throughout, and for settling the resentful Five Immortals Outside the Pass in the Bohai Sea…
“Ha ha.”
Suddenly, Li Yan’s face shifted from anger to laughter, in an instant turning amiable like a spring breeze; the iron-like pressure that stabbed to one’s core vanished entirely.
He tossed Elder Luo back among the Judicial Assistants and said with a smile, “Supervisor Cao’s n like to joke, and I can take a joke too, it’s just that I’m used to exerting strength and can’t stand provocation. I beg your pardon.”
A young Judicial Assistant supported Elder Luo, but his face was so drained of color, it seed as though he would bleed; he was gasping for air and looked like he was about to faint.
Supervisor Cao was infuriated internally; he faced Li Yan and bitterly said, “Governor Li truly deserves his reputation as the reincarnation of the God of the Martial Arts Star, but there are mountains beyond mountains. Let’s set aside the matter of the fox spirits for now; when my secular senior brother Sun Delong from Dengzhou visits Jiaozhou, I will surely pay you a visit.”
He helped Elder Luo to his feet, concealed his sleeve, and said, “Let’s go.”
Li Yan did not care for Sun Delong ntioned by Supervisor Cao. He watched as Supervisor Cao’s n really left before turning to enter the Wang Residence. Inside, he saw Wang Sheng kneeling and begging bitterly, while Lei was only crying, unwilling to speak.
The small black cauldron lay on the ground, with its talisman papers all torn off. The Cai Clan and Lady Hu were also kneeling, not daring to utter a word.
When Li Yan ca in, everyone looked towards him.
“It was inconvenient with the officials present just now. Li Yan, a junior here, pays respect to Elder Madam Wang.”
Li Yan bowed deeply to Lady Wang.
“Please do not overexert yourself for this woman’s sake, my lord. You saved my family; this woman offers her deepest thanks.”
Ultimately, Lei knew who had averted the calamity of her family’s execution, and how could she allow Li Yan to pay respects; she fell to her knees, and Wang Sheng imdiately knelt down as well. Li Yan helped Lei to her feet before asking, “Now that it has co to this, what does Elder Madam think?”
“`
Lady Lei shook her head in panic, “This humble woman is ignorant, please instruct , my lord.”
Li Yan smiled, then contemplated before speaking, “A harmonious ho leads to prosperity in all endeavors.”
Lady Lei was stunned, and then she just lowered her head in silence.
Seeing this, Li Yan imdiately said, “Old lady, may I take them out for a few words?”
Lady Lei looked at Lady Hu and Lady Cai fearfully, their heads bowed submissively, and nodded repeatedly.
Li Yan glanced at Wang Sheng and walked out the door. Wang Sheng kowtowed three tis to Lady Lei before following Li Yan out.
“My lord, I’ve implicated you.”
Wang Sheng said, looking dejected.
“Listen to what I say,” Li Yan spoke to his wives.
“Your Excellency, just give your orders. Even if it ans going through fire and water, I shall not decline.”
“Cut the nonsense,” Li Yan cursed, then asked, “The other day when I pressed you, you did not tell the truth. Do you truly care for your wives, even though they might be fox spirits?”
With tears in their eyes, Lady Hu and Lady Cai watched as Wang Sheng nodded silently without hesitation.
“Alright, listen up. You must imdiately draft a petition admitting your faults, asking the court to dismiss you from your post, and then rush back to your hotown in Tongzhou to await the official reply.”
“Yes.”
“How you settle your wives and children, that’s for you to figure out, as well as how you soothe your mother who is over sixty years old!”
“Yes.”
Li Yan then looked towards Lady Cai, “Do you still rember ?”
Lady Cai hurriedly nodded, “This humble woman dares not forget the Lord Governor.”
“The sworn sister you took on She Mountain, she was the She Mountain Woman. Has she co looking for you?”
Lady Cai was startled, then shook her head, “No, she hasn’t.”
“Very well, I will not say much more. Now that you both know your husband has a forr superior like , if you have any malicious thoughts, better put them away early. Otherwise, don’t say that I didn’t warn you.”
Though Li Yan spoke to both, he kept his eyes on Lady Hu.
Lady Hu pouted, “This humble woman truly intends to follow Shenglang and live our lives together earnestly.”
“That’s good then,” Li Yan replied noncommittally.
“My lord,” Lady Hu looked up, “are you the Governor Li who was involved in the Bohai Sea incident a few days ago?”
“Yes, what about it?”
Lady Hu kowtowed, “I am a wild fox from the Black Deer Hill in Jiaozhou. A few days ago, I overheard the younger generation discussing that a young patriarch from the Hu Clan from Outside of the Pass has arrived in Jiaozhou territory. I thought there might be a connection to your lordship.”
“What’s his na?”
“Mr. Hu San.”
Li Yan’s mouth curled into a smirk, “I understand, you have my thanks. Rise.”
“My lord,” Lady Hu still did not get up.
“What now?”
“I beg your lordship to help to the end, to save my family’s Shenglang from death.”
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