Patrol Captain

"By the way, you just said that Liu Qing is investigating some Miss Xiao?" Chen Yuan asked.

When asked this question, Gou Zhi was speechless. The person in question was right there, and regardless of whether the incident that happened not long ago was true or not, if the matter were brought to the person in question, it would not look good on him.

General Chen is now a figure of great influence. If such a trivial matter were to alarm him, my abilities as a mere lieutenant general would be questionable.

"This"

Liu Qing then stepped forward and reported, "General, this is what happened. This morning during the meeting, an incident occurred: someone was crying and pleading for justice in front of the Imperial Observatory, claiming to know you, General. So we ordered someone to bring you to the hall."

Liu Qing explained the matter in detail.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan's brows furrowed, his eyes gleaming as he recalled the past. After a moment, he composed himself and said calmly:
"After some recollection, I can confirm that it did indeed happen."

He did remember, but at the time his mind was entirely focused on the demon race. It was just a minor incident, so he didn't take it to heart and wouldn't deliberately try to recall it.

"So, the Miss Xiao who delivered my invitation was ultimately expelled from the Xiao family because I ordered an investigation of the Xiao family?"

He turned his gaze to Gou Zhi and said, "Stand up and speak."

Gou Zhi sighed, feeling inexplicably guilty, unsure of Chen Yuan's attitude towards the matter. He stood up and said:

"That's right. General Chen, you gave the order that the Xiao family father and son, along with others, colluded with demons and were executed in the Heavenly Prison."

“That Miss Xiao was ostracized by her clan and expelled from the family. She hasn’t been seen for quite some time. Just now, because of this little incident, I specifically sent someone to keep an eye on her. They said that this Miss Xiao is now seriously ill.” Gou Zhi said while observing Chen Yuan’s expression.

Seeing his expression, Chen Yuan said, "Speak properly, there's no need to be so careful. I will judge right and wrong myself."

As she spoke, her eyelids drooped slightly; she ultimately couldn't bring herself to pretend it hadn't happened.

"What is Miss Xiao's character like?"

Upon hearing this, Gou Zhi's expression brightened. "I did send someone to investigate. This Miss Xiao is a woman of great character. After the Xiao family's misfortune, she did not wallow in self-pity. Instead, she distributed money and food to help the refugees. Later, when the Six Mountain Demon Clan attacked the city, she personally went to the battlefield to fight the demons."

Upon hearing this, Liu Qing and the others in the hall couldn't help but secretly praise her, no longer treating her as a weak woman, and turned their gazes to the general.

Chen Yuan raised his eyelids slightly and let out a barely perceptible sigh.
"If that's the case, this woman shouldn't have to suffer like this. Where is this Miss Xiao now?"

"Reporting to General Chen, this woman is in courtyard number 37, Luogu Lane, East City." Gou Zhi sighed inwardly. After hearing his subordinates inquire about the woman's plight, he felt a pang of pity. When this Miss Xiao came to him seeking help, he didn't want to be involved with the collusion with demons and refused outright. Besides, at that time, demons were lurking in the city, and refugees were everywhere. As a local general, how could he possibly care about a mere woman?

As soon as Gou Zhi finished speaking, Chen Yuan's eyes immediately shone with golden light, as intense as the sun, and his gaze suddenly shifted out of the hall to survey the eastern city of Guang'an.

His gaze swept across the streets and alleys at lightning speed, quickly scanning the streets and alleys of the eastern city. After a few breaths, his gaze settled on a small courtyard.

At this moment, a sedan chair alighted at the entrance of the courtyard, and a group of vicious servants rushed towards the gate, carrying sticks in their hands.

Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow, raised his hand and pointed an inch in front of his eyes, golden light gathering at his fingertips, then pointed outwards towards the outside of the hall.
"It seems that Miss Xiao is in trouble."

"Liu Qing, go and follow the golden light to resolve the trouble."

"Afterwards, send this Miss Xiao back to the Xiao family, back to her original position. If anyone disobeys..."

Chen Yuan didn't say anything more, his face turned cold, and then he waved his hand.

"Yes!" Liu Qing clasped his hands in a fist salute, then turned and strode quickly outside the hall. He then soared into the sky, following the golden light.

Inside the hall, Gou Zhi saw this scene and felt uneasy, as if he had lost face. After all, he also bore some responsibility. At the same time, he cursed inwardly, "Who the hell went to cause trouble for that Miss Xiao at this time and alerted General Chen? Wouldn't that show that my administration is incompetent?" Although he had only just found out himself.

"General Chen, it is my fault for failing in my duty. Someone dared to act violently in broad daylight. I will definitely deal with him properly." He was somewhat ashamed and dared not be presumptuous. He admitted his dereliction of duty first. There was no other way. Now, facing Chen Yuan, he felt an immense pressure.

Chen Yuan lowered his eyes, his expression unchanged. "It's alright. From what I've heard, you've only just found out yourself. Now that I know, I should do something about it. I'll leave it to Liu Qing to handle."

"I have other important matters to assign you."

Upon hearing this, Gou Zhi straightened up, his small frame ramrod straight, chest puffed out, and he clasped his hands in a respectful greeting.
"I will obey General Chen's orders!"

In the courtyard of No. 37 Luogu Lane in Dongcheng District, a faint sobbing sound came from the house inside.

"Miss, I...I'm so sorry!"

"You kept telling me not to talk about what happened back then, but... but Xiao Jiu didn't want to lose Miss, so I ran to the entrance of the Sky Patrol Bureau and knelt down, saying that Miss knew General Chen of the Ninth Mountain. I met the military officer of the Ninth Mountain, I kowtowed, I kowtowed as hard as I could, begging them to help uphold justice, but I was still kicked out. Xiao Jiu is useless."

In the east wing, on the bed, the maid Xiao Jiu had a blood-soaked bandage wrapped around her forehead, crying and sobbing like a child who had done something wrong.

Miss Xiao Qingzhi tore the bed curtains into strips and used them to bandage her wounds. She remained silent, her face pale and her eyes lifeless.

"Miss, please don't do this. Hit me, punish me!" Xiao Jiu looked at the numbness in her mistress's pupils, her heart breaking. She cried as she grabbed her mistress's hand and shook it.

Xiao Qingzhi gently stroked the maid's injured forehead, her eyes seemingly dry of tears, and continued to speak softly.
“I don’t blame you, Xiao Jiu, it’s just too pitiful. We never had anything with that general, but we’re making a big fuss about it. That’s wrong.”

"Miss, I don't care, I don't care. I just want you to live well and stop hurting yourself." The maid shook her head, tears streaming down her face. She knew that after suffering a series of blows, her mistress had lost her spirit and the will to live. She would die if she lost her will to live.

Xiao Qingzhi's face was bitter, and they remained silent.

Just then, "bang!" came the sound of the door shattering outside.

Xiao Qingzhi's expression changed as she lay on her sickbed, as if she had thought of something. "Xiao Jiu, quickly bring me my sword!"

The scene shifts to outside, where a loud, tearing sound is heard as the courtyard gate is smashed open, sending splinters flying. A group of fierce-looking men rush in, their short, tight-fitting clothes bearing the Xiao family's insignia.

The lead servant, a burly man with a menacing face, stomped on the broken door panel, his expression vicious, and spat a glob of phlegm to the side.
"The master has ordered a search. Drag that lowly servant out and beat her to death. Also, please take the young lady home."

As he spoke, a dozen or so vicious servants rushed in from behind him. Each of them looked fierce and menacing, and they wielded short sticks and iron rulers. They stormed into the courtyard and smashed whatever they saw.

Someone kicked over the water vat in the yard, splashing water everywhere; someone else swung a wooden stick, smashing the flowers and plants in the yard, sending petals flying and leaving a mess.
These wicked servants swept through the corners of the courtyard like locusts, overturning objects and damaging plants wherever they went, turning the once fragrant courtyard into a mess in an instant.

As they rushed toward the east wing, the door opened, and a sword with a cold, frost-like gleam was revealed first. Then, Xiao Qingzhi, dressed in plain clothes, walked out, followed by her frightened maid, Xiao Jiu.

Pointing swords at them, the wicked servants retreated. Once they had created some distance, the leader of the servants feigned respect by clasping his hands in a fist salute to Xiao Qingzhi and said with a grin:
"Young Miss, what are you doing? We are here to take you back to the manor on the orders of the master. Please don't be ungrateful."

As he spoke, the wicked servant's triangular eyes glanced at Xiao Qingzhi's panicked maid, Xiao Jiu, and pointed at her.

"As for that wretched woman, she went to the gate of the Heavenly Patrol Office early this morning and caused a scene, disturbing the officials of the Prefecture and bringing shame to the Xiao family. If she is not punished, who knows what kind of trouble she will cause the master."

"The master has ordered that she be dragged out and beaten to death!" As he spoke, the wicked servants behind him responded in unison, grabbing sticks and surrounding her, closing in step by step.

"Miss!"

Xiao Qingzhi stretched out one hand to protect the maid, while holding her sword in the other. She braced herself, her eyes icy cold, and said, "Get out of here!"

The leader of the wicked servants was fearless, his bones cracking as he yelled, "What are you all standing there for? Attack!"

As he spoke, he stretched out his hand into a claw and pounced on Xiao Qingzhi with a tearing sound, while the others joined in the attack.

After just one fight, Miss Xiao's swordplay was exquisite.

"boom"

"boom"

"boom"

One by one, the wicked servants were blasted away by the sword energy, crying out in pain, all of them wounded by the sword.

Suddenly, in the midst of the fight, a pebble flew like lightning from the direction of the courtyard gate. With a clang, Xiao Qingzhi's sword fell to the ground, and she staggered backward, a blush quickly rising on her face.

"Miss!" The maid Xiao Jiu tried to support her mistress, using her small body to absorb the force, but she herself fell to the ground.

Seeing this, several wicked servants rushed forward, grabbed the maid, and dragged her over.

"Miss!" the maid cried out.

"Xiao Jiu!" Xiao Qingzhi's face turned anxious. She was about to rush over, but was blocked by the stick. In an instant, she surged her true energy, split the stick, and leaped forward.

The next moment, a figure as large as a mountain of flesh blocked her path, followed by a surge of energy that sent her delicate body flying back.

"Hehe, what a deep bond between master and servant." Xiao Shan appeared, his face full of fat, and he smiled rather fiercely.

“Good niece, I was originally thinking of some affection as your uncle, but you are too disobedient and even allowed your servants to cause trouble at the Heavenly Patrol Office.”

"Today, your third uncle has no choice but to take you back and put you in solitary confinement. As for the maidservants around you..."

"Just kill him."

As he spoke, he raised his hand, his eyes filled with a fierce glint.

The wicked servant who had grabbed the maid immediately pushed her to the ground and then raised the stick in his hand and swung it down viciously.

However, the next moment, before the sticks swung down by these wicked servants even hit the ground, they suddenly exploded with a series of bangs.

Then, a soft thud was heard, and several heads of the evil servants flew up with waves of blood before rolling to the ground with a muffled thud.

In the blink of an eye, no one knew what had happened.

"Master, Master!" The other wicked servants cried out, scattering in fright. Some of their heads flew directly into the arms of one of them, scaring the man so much that his legs went weak and he fell to the ground, screaming and shouting.

"Who goes there?" Xiao Shan shouted sharply, his small eyes, covered by thick eyelids, flashing a fierce light, and then he suddenly looked up.

On the west side of the courtyard, a figure clad in crimson armor stood atop the west wing roof, his gaze indifferent, his imposing presence commanding, and he spoke from his elevated position:

"Get things done at the Ninth Mountain!"

Xiao Shan's pupils contracted when he saw the style of the red armor. How could he not recognize that this was the armor style of the Ninth Mountain? Moreover, this person was wearing red armor, so he must be a pillar of the Ninth Mountain. To him, this was already an extraordinary figure.

He was greatly shocked, and his fierce eyes showed a hint of panic. Why would a big shot from the Ninth Mountain come here?
The Xiao family was originally the most powerful family in Guang'an Prefecture, but two years ago, it was the Ninth Mountain who gave the order, and as a result, it became a second-rate family. He was terrified.

He wondered if that wretched woman had caused a scene at the Heavenly Patrol Office that morning, incurring the displeasure of the Ninth Mountain. As for the idea that his niece actually knew General Chen of the Ninth Mountain, he hadn't even considered it; it was a pipe dream to him.

Just as his thoughts were racing, Liu Qing swayed and landed in the middle of the group.

His fiery red armor exuded an imposing aura that chilled the heart.

Xiao Tian's fierce face broke into a smile. "My lord, your arrival is a great honor. I was just disciplining a disobedient servant girl when I heard she went mad this morning."

"Your Majesty!"

Liu Qing glanced at him sideways, as if he were a dead man.

Xiao Shan's fleshy body trembled, his face turned ugly, and a flash of anger appeared in his eyes, but in the end he didn't have the guts.

"Sir, is there some misunderstanding?"

Liu Qing's gaze turned cold, and he raised his hand to grab the fat man, sending several streaks of fire flying out.

Xiao Shan's expression changed, and the words in his throat were blocked. He quickly raised his hand to clap, stirring up a yellow aura.

But Liu Qing immediately closed in, snapped away the opponent's protective aura, grabbed the opponent's fat, greasy neck with his large hand from a distance, and then kicked him.

"what"

The man's kneecap was shattered by the kick, causing him to let out a painful howl.

Then, Liu Qing slammed the man to the ground, and another cry of pain rang out. The head of the Xiao family knelt on the ground like a small mountain of flesh, shattering the blue bricks on the ground, his fleshy face contorted in pain.

The fiery thread in Liu Qing's hand coiled around his obese body like a fiery snake.

After doing all this, Liu Qing came to the Miss Xiao, who was standing up while clutching her chest, her eyes filled with turmoil.

"Miss Xiao, the general has heard about your matter."

“I told you you shouldn’t have to suffer like this.”

As he spoke, Liu Qing stomped his foot, jolting the sword that had fallen to the ground to its feet. He grabbed it, handed it to Xiao Qingzhi, and then gestured to Xiao Shan, who was kneeling beside him.
"This is a matter for your Xiao family; you make the decision yourself!" (End of Chapter)