I became the demon of the female devil

Chapter 239 Breaking Down the Door! Madam, please cooperate with the investigation!
The next morning.

Huaizhenfang, Tianlin Guard.

In front of the Fire Department's office, the constables stood in neat rows on the training ground, creating a somewhat somber atmosphere.

Ahead, the slender Luo Huaijin stood with his hands behind his back, his deep, unfathomable gaze scrutinizing everyone.

"As you probably know, a lot has happened recently... Deputy Commander Chen may not be able to come to the office for the time being."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions turned serious.

The news about what happened at the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution) has already spread some time ago.

Chen Mo publicly beat the Prince Yu's heir, leaving him severely injured; his fate remains unknown.

There were at least a hundred people present who witnessed it, and it caused a great stir in both the streets and the imperial court!
"Why is Lord Chen at odds with the Crown Prince?"

"I heard that the two had a long-standing conflict and had clashed before, but Lord Chen was still too impulsive this time."

"First it was Commander Yan, then Centurion Chu, then Deputy Commander Jian... and now it's jumped straight to the Crown Prince! He's a member of the royal family!"

"Committing a crime in public and attempting to murder a member of the royal family—two crimes combined mean he'll be severely punished, if not killed!"

"The Chen family has offended many people before. I heard that on the day of the court session, the Six Ministries and the Court of Judicial Review jointly filed a lawsuit against Lord Chen. Although we don't know the outcome, it seems that the situation is not optimistic."

The Fire Division members have very complicated feelings towards Chen Mo.

Chen Mo was transferred from the Water Division and fought his way up to the position of Deputy Commander of a Thousand Households. His reputation within the Tianlin Guard was polarized.

As a subordinate, Chen Mo was a nightmare for his superiors. Having such a "capable assistant" meant they never knew when they might lose their heads... But for these low-level servants, Chen Mo was a very competent leader.

He is not greedy for money, does not steal credit, is generous and kind, and cares for his subordinates...

Moreover, he is extremely capable of handling cases. Following him not only gives you the opportunity to make meritorious contributions, but you can also receive a large sum of money for each recuperation, and he will also treat you to drinks and entertainment at the brothel from time to time.

Aside from skipping work too frequently, there's almost nothing wrong with it.

This stands in stark contrast to Jian Yinshan, who even embezzled his subordinates' life-saving funds.

Therefore, although Chen Mo had not served in the Fire Division for long, his prestige was extremely high, and no one wanted anything to happen to him... After all, no one could guarantee what kind of person the next deputy commander would be.

"Ahem, be quiet."

Luo Huaijin cleared his throat, quieting the slightly noisy atmosphere, before continuing:
"Although I am nominally the acting commander of a thousand households, I am often too busy with internal affairs to attend to everything..."

"The affairs of the Dinghuo Division and the Binghuo Division will be temporarily handled by Li Yuan and Qiu Longgang, two centurions."

Luo Huaijin's gaze lingered on the two of them, and he said, "If there are any urgent matters that you cannot handle, you can report them to the Qilin Pavilion."

"Yes."

Li Yuan and Qiu Longgang bowed their heads in response.

"Alright, that's settled then. After roll call, everyone go back to your posts." Luo Huaijin said, then turned and left.

"Lord Luo, please wait."

Li Yuan quickly caught up, hesitated for a moment, and whispered, "Lord Luo, if I may be so bold as to ask, how is Lord Chen doing now..."

Luo Huaijin seemed to know about the relationship between Li Yuan and Chen Mo, and his attitude was very amiable. He smiled and said, "Don't worry, it's nothing serious. I estimate that Lord Chen will be back soon."

"Really?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan's expression brightened.

After all, she was just a centurion with no background and limited access to information, so she was unaware of what was happening in the court.

Moreover, he plotted to murder the crown prince in public, and the six ministries joined forces to impeach him...

These words sent chills down my spine and left me completely baffled.

During this time, Li Yuan was so worried about this that she couldn't eat or sleep, and she lost a lot of weight.

"Of course, don't underestimate Lord Chen's power."

Luo Huaijin looked around and whispered, "Commander Li, as you know, I am only acting as commander of a thousand households. I will step down when the assessment is conducted next year... You can tell Lord Chen that I wholeheartedly support his entry into the Qilin Pavilion."

Li Yuan: ?
Before she could react, Luo Huaijin had already left quickly.

It's as if staying in this fire station any longer will cause some kind of trouble...

Qiu Longgang walked over and asked, "What did Lord Luo say?"

Li Yuan shook her head, looking worried, and said, "He said Lord Chen is alright, but I'm still a little uneasy."

Qiu Longgang glanced at her and said, "Since you're so worried, why don't you just go to the Chen residence and ask? Anyway, your relationship with Lord Chen isn't exactly a secret..."

Li Yuan bit her lip, somewhat hesitant.

She and Chen Mo had an intimate encounter. As a martial arts master, Chen's mother would definitely be able to tell at a glance... What if she thought she was a promiscuous woman?
Chen Mo has so many beautiful women around him.

She had neither the official status of Shen Zhixia nor the background of Lin Jingzhu.

If the first impression is even worse, I'm afraid the days ahead will be very difficult.

"Let's wait and see. No news is good news." Li Yuan bit her lip and said, "The Chen family is probably busy dealing with this matter right now. I can't help much, and going there would only make things worse."

Seeing this, Qiu Longgang didn't try to persuade him any further, and shook his head and sighed.

"You know, Lord Chen is really something. It's one thing for him to kill his colleagues, but he actually dared to lay a hand on the heir apparent?"

"I heard the scene was extremely gruesome. The young master was almost roasted to a crisp. Even if Lord Chen has the Flying Phoenix Token, he may escape the death penalty, but he will not escape punishment!"

Li Yuan clenched her fists, her eyes resolute, and said, "No matter the outcome, as long as Lord Chen can live... If he is demoted, I will quit. If he is exiled, I will go to the border with him!"

"At worst, I'll just become a wandering swordsman. I refuse to believe that there won't be a place for me in this vast land of Kyushu..."

Just then, a lazy voice suddenly came: "Why do I hear someone wanting to quit as soon as I arrive?"

?

Li Yuan froze and suddenly turned her head to look.

A man in a brocade robe stood not far away, smiling at her.

"Lord Chen?!"

Li Yuan was stunned for a moment, hardly believing her eyes.

Chen Mo walked up to her, a smirk playing on his lips, and said, "What, Commander Li is going to wander the world? What about the affairs of this office? How will our Dinghuo Division continue its fine tradition of having commanders do the work when there's work to do, and having commanders do the work when there's nothing to do..."

Before she could finish speaking, Li Yuan moved and hugged his waist, pressing her head against his chest, completely ignoring the gazes of others.

"Master Chen..."

Chen Mo was slightly taken aback.

Although the two knew each other very well, they always kept their distance in front of outsiders and almost never behaved so intimately.

After regaining his senses, Chen Mo's eyes softened. He reached out and patted Li Yuan's back, saying softly, "Yuan'er, you've lost weight... I'm sorry for making you worry."

Li Yuan trembled, her suppressed emotions finally bursting forth like a river bursting its banks.

Qiu Longgang silently turned away.

Although the Tianlin Guard forbids romantic relationships between men and women, the rules are set for ordinary people, and for Chen Mo, they are obviously just for show.

After a long time.

After calming down, Li Yuan stood up, rubbed her eyes, and said, "Lord Chen, how does the court intend to handle this matter?"

Chen Mo sighed and said helplessly, "Actually, Gangzi is right. This matter has indeed blown up a bit too much. Even if I have a get-out-of-jail-free card, I still can't escape punishment..."

Li Yuan held Chen Mo's large hand and said earnestly, "No matter what, I will stay with you."

She had anticipated the consequences and was prepared to step down; otherwise, she wouldn't have made such a public move.

call--

At that moment, a gentle breeze began to stir.

Chen Mo noticed something and looked up.

A blue figure appeared out of thin air, standing with his hands behind his back on the training ground. His sleeves, embroidered with sea and cliffs, were spotless, and his clear eyes were fixed on Chen Mo.

"Lord Chen, we meet again."

"Eunuch Jin."

Chen Mo cupped his hands in greeting, "What brings you here?"

Eunuch Jin said with a smile, "Of course, we've come to issue the imperial edict. Although this matter has been settled, the formalities still need to be followed..."

As he spoke, he reached into the void and pulled out a golden scroll.

Unroll the scroll and proclaim in a clear voice:

"By order of the Crown Prince, Chen Mo, the deputy commander of the Tianlin Guard, has committed violence in the street, causing a bad influence. He should be severely punished without leniency."

"However, considering his eagerness to solve the case and his slaying of a great demon in the Northern Region, his merits and demerits are offset. He is temporarily fined one rank and will not be promoted for six months."

"At the same time, Chen Mo is ordered to thoroughly investigate the case of the barbarian slaves and the Zhou family, with a deadline of one month, and must get to the bottom of it."

"It is hoped that he will atone for his sins and perform meritorious service, so as not to fail the Emperor's grace."

"Appreciate this!"

After Eunuch Jin finished reading the imperial edict, the scene fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone looked bewildered, wondering if there was something wrong with their ears.

He committed a public assault, nearly killing the Prince Yu's heir, and all he got was a reduction in his salary?!

It should be noted that Chen Mo was already receiving two salaries, and given the Chen family's wealth, this amount of salary was completely insignificant to him.

As for not being able to get promoted for six months, that's a joke.

There are still more than half a year until the next survey...

This is clearly just a formality; they're going to easily move on from this matter!
Li Yuan stared blankly at Chen Mo.

Only then did she understand why Lord Luo had said those things before he left... he already knew the inside information!

Eunuch Jin spoke up to remind him, "Lord Chen, please accept the imperial decree."

Chen Mo bowed and accepted the imperial edict, saying, "This humble servant accepts the decree."

Eunuch Jin patted his shoulder and transmitted his voice, "His Highness said to act within your capabilities and not to overexert yourself... Although the case is to be solved within a month, whether it is solved or not, and how it is solved, is all up to His Highness's word..."

Chen Mo nodded, "Thank you for your guidance, Father-in-law. I understand."

Her Majesty the Empress did not send a message through the Qilin Pavilion, but instead issued a formal imperial edict, clearly intending to hand over this "imperial sword" to him, making all parties hesitant to act rashly...

As for solving the case, that was just a side effect.

It would be best if they could break through, but it doesn't matter if they can't, since the initiative is already in Chen Mo's hands.

"It's a bit of a pity, though. The credit for slaying the great demon was wasted. I could have at least entered the second level of the Heavenly Martial Treasury again," Eunuch Jin said, shaking his head.

"It's alright, there are plenty of demons, we can just kill a few more when we get the chance." Chen Mo didn't seem to care.

His possession of dragon energy has been exposed, and the demon race will obviously not give up easily. Sooner or later, they will come knocking on his door again... Moreover, he has a vague intuition that the demon lord of the desolate region is definitely plotting something in secret.

"correct."

Chen Mo asked, "If I kill that demon lord, what kind of reward will I get?"

"The Demon Lord?" Eunuch Jin frowned slightly and said seriously, "If Lord Chen can kill the Demon Lord, that would be a great achievement, at least a promotion of three ranks and entry into the third level of the Heavenly Martial Treasury!"

Chen Mo stroked his chin, lost in thought.

Since the Empress and the Daoist Master are going to take action against the demon, all I need to do is find an opportunity to provide assistance.

“Although the chances of this happening are slim, if that day ever does come, Lord Chen, you must remember what I said before.” Eunuch Jin said meaningfully, “On the third floor of the Heavenly Martial Storehouse, there is a painting on the wall… that is a priceless treasure more precious than any Heavenly Rank cultivation technique.” Chen Mo nodded, “I will keep your mural in mind, Eunuch Jin.”

"That's good."

As if remembering something, Eunuch Jin casually asked, "By the way, Grand Tutor Lü must have extended an olive branch to you, right? What does Lord Chen think about this?"

Chen Mo said frankly, "I am just a military man and do not understand the situation in the court, but I can tell who is sincere to me and who has other plans... No matter what Grand Tutor Lü's purpose is, it has nothing to do with me. In my heart, there is only the moon of Her Majesty the Empress."

"good."

Grandpa Jin nodded in satisfaction.

Although I was a little curious as to why it was the moon and not the sun, none of that mattered. As long as Chen Mo had this attitude, that was enough.

"Also, don't get too close to the Crown Prince. Being a minister who supports the emperor isn't easy. Be careful not to end up getting yourself into trouble."

"To forge iron, one must be strong oneself. These days, relying on yourself is worse than relying on anyone else!"

"Didn't Lord Chen receive the inheritance of military strategy?"

"Study this carefully; it might be very useful in the future."

"The world is in turmoil, the Purple Star is shrouded in darkness, anything can happen, and who can predict the future..."

Jin Gonggong's voice gradually faded into the distance, and his figure slowly dissipated like a bubble.

Chen Mo frowned.

Eunuch Jin's words just now were quite meaningful, especially his attitude towards Grand Tutor Lü, which was very subtle.

"Grand Tutor Lü and the Crown Prince are backed by the Emperor, while Eunuch Jin seems quite wary of the royalists... As the Grand Eunuch, he is loyal not to the Emperor, but to the Empress?"

"Eunuch Jin and Consort Zhong are good friends, and Consort Zhong is also very close to the Princess..."

"It seems there are some deep waters in this palace!"

When Chen Mo came to his senses, he realized that the atmosphere was somewhat quiet.

Everyone stared at him, their eyes filled with disbelief.

"Why are you all looking at me? Is there something on my face?" Chen Mo asked, puzzled.

Li Yuan's throat tightened, and she whispered, "My lord, the punishment you mentioned... is this it?"

“Yes,” Chen Mo sighed, “A deduction of one grade in salary, that’s a lot of money, enough to go to the brothel to listen to songs countless times…”

"..."

Li Yuan's lips twitched slightly.

You almost beat the prince to death, and you were only fined a little silver, and you're still not happy?!
Qiu Longgang stepped forward and asked curiously, "Lord Chen, what did Eunuch Jin mean when he said he would reinvestigate the barbarian slave case and the Zhou family case?"

"Of course, it means exactly what it says," Chen Mo said calmly. "His Highness is wise and insightful, and has discovered that there are still many doubts in these two cases, which may involve important officials in the court. Therefore, he has appointed me to continue the thorough investigation..."

Qiu Longgang's eyes grew brighter as he listened, his breathing quickened, and he couldn't wait to say:
"Lord Chen, could you please take me along this time?"

"I missed the Zhou family case last time. Lord Chen must not forget his subordinate when this opportunity to make a contribution arises."

Chen Mo smiled and said, "Alright, then you'll lead the charge this time."

"it is good!"

Qiu Longgang rubbed his hands together, eager to get started, and asked, "Where should we begin our investigation?"

A cold glint flashed in Chen Mo's eyes. "The case of the barbarian slaves was committed by Yan Liang, so naturally we must start with the Yan family."

……

……

Ming'an Street, Yan Mansion.

The mansion's gates were tightly shut, and the high walls and deep courtyards were utterly silent.

In the inner courtyard bedroom, Yan Linghu lay on the bed, his back torn and bleeding profusely, groaning in pain.

Yan Peizhi stood by the window with his hands behind his back, ignoring everything.

His legal wife, Qin Shu, sat on the edge of the bed, carefully applying medicine to Yan Linghu, her expression full of resentment.

"Master is really something, resorting to family discipline so readily, and his methods are far too harsh... and he won't even let us see a doctor, what if he damages our health?"

"hiss--"

Yan Linghu gasped.

Qin Shu quickly blew on it and asked with concern, "Did I hurt you? Mother will try to be gentle."

Yan Linghu glanced at Yan Peizhi and said cautiously, "Mother, this isn't Father's fault. I did make a mistake, and someone caught me red-handed..."

"Hmph, it's just raising a few barbarian slaves, nothing serious, why make such a big deal out of it?" Qin Shu sneered, "To put it bluntly, he suffered a setback in court, and the opposing faction is just using it as an excuse... He's incompetent himself, yet he blames his son..."

bump!
Yan Peizhi slammed his fist on the window, smashing several of the window frames. He slowly turned his head, his eyes bloodshot. "Say it again, let me hear it."

Qin Shu was startled and almost dropped the medicine bottle in his hand.

In all the years of their marriage, she had never seen Yan Peizhi so angry.

However, the Qin family was not an insignificant family. Old Master Qin once held an important position in the Office of Transmission, which was a "mouthpiece department" and had considerable influence in the court.

Yan Peizhi's rise to his current position is inseparable from the help of the Qin family. The Qin family is small, with only one legitimate daughter, Qin Shu, who is naturally spoiled and has developed a domineering and unruly personality.

Why are you taking it out on me? What did I say wrong?

With his hands on his hips and a fierce look on his face, Qin Shu said, "This whole thing started because of your nephew. Hu'er just got dragged into it. If you can't resolve this, I'll go find my father!"

"I refuse to believe that such a trivial matter can cause such a huge uproar!"

"Little things?"

Yan Peizhi laughed in anger, nodding repeatedly and saying, "Fine, fine, since that's how it is, then I won't interfere! When the Tianlin Guards come to arrest people, you'll see if the Qin family has the ability to handle it!"

"Coming to arrest someone?"

Yan Linghu shuddered, his expression panicked, and said, "Really? Father, please don't abandon your son!"

"Alright, stop listening to your father's bluff." Qin Shu didn't take it seriously at all, waving his hand and saying, "The Ministry of Justice is one of the three judicial departments, and your father is a vice minister, how could those thugs have the guts..."

dong dong dong-

Before he could finish speaking, a series of urgent knocks sounded on the door.

The butler's breathless voice came from outside the door: "Master, something's happened! The Tianlin Guards are here!"

?

Qin Shu's expression froze on his face.

Yan Peizhi showed no surprise, as if he had expected this, and gestured for him to enter.

"I'd like to see just how capable you, Miss Qin, really are."

"Humph!"

Qin Shu flicked his sleeves and strode out, saying, "So what if they're from the Tianlin Guard? Do they really think I'm easily intimidated!"

……

……

Dozens of constables stood in front of the Yan residence.

Qiu Long had just stepped onto the steps and knocked on the door knocker, but no one opened the door after waiting for a long time.

"Lord Chen, what should we do?" Qiu Longgang asked, turning around.

Chen Mo frowned and said irritably, "You won't come in if the door isn't open? Why don't you send a formal invitation first, and come back next time when they have time?"

Qiu Longgang hesitated, "But this is, after all, the residence of a third-rank vice minister. Trespassing would be against the rules..."

"So what if he's a vice minister?" Chen Mo raised his chin and gestured, "Commander Li, give him a demonstration."

"Yes."

Li Yuan strode forward with her long legs and kicked the door.

boom!
The black solid wood gate shattered with a crash, smashing into the courtyard and kicking up a cloud of dust.

Li Yuan stepped aside and said, "Lord Chen, please."

Chen Mo walked in slowly, his hands behind his back.

"..."

Qiu Longgang's lips twitched, and he said in a low voice, "Commander Li, is this how your Dinghuo Division usually handles cases?"

Li Yuan replied matter-of-factly, "Otherwise what? Lord Chen's words are the rule. Don't you understand such a simple principle?"

Clang——

At that moment, a clanging sound of metal striking metal came from inside the courtyard.

The group followed them inside, where dozens of guards drew their swords and surrounded Chen Mo, looking as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

"Who dares to trespass into the Yan residence!" the leading guard captain shouted sternly.

Li Yuan, carrying his Mo Dao (a type of long-handled sword), said in a deep voice, "When the Tianlin Guard is handling a case, all bystanders must immediately leave, or they will be punished for obstructing official business!"

"Tianlin Guard..."

The commander of the guards felt a slight unease, and a hint of hesitation crossed his face.

A man in black robes arrived at the door, ransacked the house, and killed someone.

He had naturally heard of the formidable reputation of the Tianlin Guard; the Zhou family was a bloody example... The group of constables before him exuded murderous intent and emanated a strong sense of oppression; they were clearly not benevolent...

Just then, a slightly shrill voice rang out:

"Which blind fool dares to cause trouble at my Yan residence?"

The crowd parted to make way, and a woman draped in brocade emerged.

Her face, lightly made up, was quite delicate. She had a slender waist and full hips, and her swaying gait exuded the charm of a mature woman. Her skin was fair and delicate, and she took very good care of herself.

However, his lip line was slightly sharp, and his eyebrows and eyes revealed a fierce aura, making him someone not to be trifled with at first glance.

Qin Shu approached Chen Mo, sized him up, and said disdainfully, "So you're just a young punk. Do you even know where you are? Do you think you can do whatever you want just because you're wearing an official robe?"

"Trespassing on an official's residence is a serious crime!"

"If you don't give me an explanation today, this isn't over!"

"Trespassing? I did knock, but this door is too fragile; it broke with just one knock..."

Chen Mo narrowed his eyes and said slowly, "If I'm not mistaken, this should be Madam Yan, right? Your son is suspected of keeping barbarian slaves. I have been ordered to thoroughly investigate this matter and bring him back for a reprimand."

"Suspected?"

Qin Shu crossed his arms and said in a stern tone, "Since you say so, then produce the witness testimonies. What right do you have to arrest people without evidence?"

"You want to be qualified, right..."

Chen Mo reached into his pocket and pulled out a rope end.

Once pulled out, a string of tokens was seen hanging on the rope—gold, purple, black, jade… a dazzling array. A gust of wind blew by, and they jingled incessantly.

"Uh, I have quite a few qualifications. Which one would you like to see first, Madam?"

Qin Shu: "..."

(End of this chapter)