Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 22 Unresolved Grudges, the Third Young Master's Sword
"Xiang Ming, Yang Qishan, Wu Yong, Mu Tieying, I killed them all. They deserved to die long ago..."

Meng Fang roared madly, tears of blood streaming from his eyes.

The deep-seated hatred was finally resolved, and the pillar that supported Meng Fang's survival was broken. Meng Fang never thought of escaping unscathed; he only wanted to perish together with others.

If possible, he would rather use gunpowder to destroy his four enemies, turning them all to ashes.

Bao Zheng glanced at Li Zhaoting with surprise.

Bao Zheng was absolutely certain that Li Zhaoting had deliberately crippled Mu Tieying to create an opportunity for Meng Fang.

Li Zhaoting is a chivalrous swordsman. If Li Zhaoting kills Mu Tieying directly, it will cause some trouble.

However, Mu Tieying has committed numerous evils and cannot be given any chance of survival. Li Zhaoting used someone else to kill him, and Meng Fang will never let go of the good opportunity to take revenge himself.

Bao Zheng discovered that things had fallen into a strange loop.

Logically speaking, murderers should pay with their lives, and debtors should repay their debts.

According to the law, Meng Fang should confess his crimes and await arrest.

Li Zhaoting bore no responsibility whatsoever; on the contrary, he took the initiative to help investigate the case and capture the thief. The Six Doors would most likely give him a reward and a hush money.

Meng Fang has been a murderer from beginning to end. He killed people in front of everyone and confessed to everything. No matter who judges the case, there will be no turning back.

Li Zhaoting's capture of the thief was an act of bravery and righteousness.

Meng Fang killed someone because he was determined to avenge his debt of gratitude.

Not all murderers are "wrong".

Not all those who were killed were "right".

How should this kind of case be judged?
The purpose of taking the imperial examination was to become an official.

Officials will inevitably face similar situations.

Bao Zheng looked at Gongsun Zhen.

Gongsun Zhen served as a local official for more than ten years, rising through the ranks to become the Prefect of Luzhou. While it wouldn't be accurate to say he rose through the ranks smoothly, he never caused any trouble during his many years in office.

How will Prefect Gongsun handle this case?
Of course, Meng was thrown into prison.

Arrest people, solve cases, close cases, and go home!
Why think so much?
Just do your job as the "Prefect".

Gongsun Zhen had Gongsun Ce record the details of the case, and ordered the yamen runners to imprison Meng Fang. Finally, the yamen paid for a coffin for Mu Tieying and buried him in a mass grave.

The fact that Mu Tieying was a Liao spy should be left to the Imperial City Guard. Those not in a position should not concern themselves with such matters. The most taboo thing in officialdom is to... add unnecessary details!
When the Pleasure Pavilion case broke out earlier, Grand Scholar Yang reported the matter. Now, five days have passed, and special envoys from the Six Doors and the Imperial City Guard have arrived in Luzhou.

The Imperial City Envoy was named Sheng Tingyu. He was one of the five adopted sons of Cao Zhengchun, the head of the Eastern Depot. He was shrewd, capable, good at making money, ruthless, and treacherous.

The special envoy of the Six Doors was named Jin Jiuling. He entered the government at the age of thirteen and had thirty years of experience in solving cases. He had many disciples and followers and was fond of luxury and pleasure.

Strangely enough, given Jin Jiuling's reputation, achievements, and prestige within the Six Doors, he should have risen to a high position long ago, but he has never been promoted.

Not to mention the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice or the Junior Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, he couldn't even get "honorary titles" like the Four Great Constables, or even a reputation in the martial arts world.

Rumors circulated that the main reason was Jin Jiuling's extravagant lifestyle, which led to his dislike by the late emperor, empress dowager, and the current emperor, leaving him with no powerful backers in the court.

There are also rumors that Jin Jiuling offended someone he shouldn't have, and that he is now considering retiring from the limelight.

Li Zhaoting pursed his lips speechlessly.

Did Jin Jiuling really think he could hide his private affairs from everyone? He wanted to indulge in debauchery and maintain a good reputation at the same time—there's no such thing as a free lunch.
This mission was led by Sheng Tingyu.

The prisoners captured from the Blissful Pavilion and the Cloud Temple, along with the three stewards, were all handed over to Sheng Tingyu.

As for Yue Qing, Qiao Tai, and others, they never appeared in the case files. The records in the Six Doors case files always stated that it was a theft case and that Boss Qian was the mastermind.

Sheng Tingyu was quite shrewd. He issued two bounties in the name of the Imperial City Guard, one to Lu Xiaofeng and the other to Li Zhaoting. During the investigation, the two did some things that were against the rules, but Sheng Tingyu turned a blind eye and pretended not to see them at all.

Throughout the story, Lu Xiaofeng and Li Zhaoting are both righteous and chivalrous heroes who hate evil.

Lu Xiaofeng was a renowned detective in the martial arts world.

Li Zhaoting seized the opportunity and rose to great heights.

……

"Mrs. Tang, what brings you here?"

Li Zhaoting received an invitation from Madam Tang to meet her in the bamboo forest outside Yunjian Temple. Li Zhaoting guessed that Madam Tang was a disciple of the Tang Clan and possessed exquisite hidden weapons.

This type of hidden weapon is extremely powerful and can pose a threat to both Li Zhaoting and Lu Xiaofeng at the same time. However, it takes time to activate the hidden weapon, and accuracy is especially important.

I know nothing else.

Instead of trying to get information out of each other, let's get straight to the point.

Li Zhaoting had never been to Luzhou before, had no close friends, and had no conflict of interest.

Madam Tang removed her veil, revealing ugly, smoke-stained scars, and coldly snorted, "Li Zhaoting, if I said this was caused by your father, would you believe me?"

"Are you my stepmother? My father... did something treacherous? Or did he burn his first wife to death in order to climb the social ladder? My father couldn't be that bad!"

Li Zhaoting originally intended to use the name "Chen Shimei" to refer to the whole situation, but then he thought that Bao Zheng was practicing his skills at school, while Chen Shimei was still studying hard!

"Pah! Bullshit!"

Mrs. Tang spat angrily.

Li Zhaoting bowed and said, "Madam, are you sure you haven't mistaken me for someone else? My father has never been to Sichuan or Luzhou. He is just a frail scholar."

“A weak scholar! Ha! I ask you, has your father ever told you that he used to be a江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the martial arts world), had a few sworn brothers, and did something wrong?”

"I swear on my life that my father doesn't know any martial arts. If this is false, may the heavens send down divine lightning and strike me down..."

Before the words were even finished, dark clouds gathered overhead, thunder rumbled, and then a torrential downpour began.

Mrs. Tang: →_→

Li Zhaoting: ┓(`)┏

"Is your father the fourth child in his family?"

My father is the second oldest in his family.

"Li Er?"

"We don't deserve that title!"

Li Zhaoting hurriedly waved his hand.

Being Li Er's son is not easy!
It's ten times more exciting than the struggle for the throne among the nine princes!
She created the supreme empress who created the world!

Mrs. Tang found it all very strange.

What's so unworthy of the title "Li Er"?
There are countless people in the world with the surname Li; as long as they are the second child in their family, they can be called "Li Er" (Li the Second).

"Is your father really not Li Si?" "My father is Li Nanxing, the second son in the family. If you want to find Li Si, you should go find Zhang San first. Zhang San and Li Si are inseparable and are temporarily staying on Xia Ke Island."

Li Zhaoting was spouting nonsense.

Madam Tang sighed, "It's not them! I've met the envoys who reward good and punish evil, and none of them match up. I apologize for misunderstanding you earlier. Please don't take offense, young master."

I understand how you feel.

Can I ask you for a favor?

Madam Tang's words were somewhat excessive.

She had just misunderstood someone and was ready to fight to the death. After clearing up the misunderstanding, she immediately asked for help. Leaving aside how difficult it would be to get help, this request alone would be something that anyone without a thick skin would never make. Yet, Madam Tang did so without batting an eye, as if it were perfectly natural.

"What request does the old lady have? If this matter does not violate the code of the martial world, I can help!"

"Help me find my husband."

Who is your husband?

Li Zhaoting subconsciously thought of the Night Emperor, Duan Zhengchun, Wen Liangong, Deng Dinghou, and other dashing figures in the martial arts world.

Madam Tang said calmly, "Qu Yang!"

"Qu Yang, an elder of the Sun Moon Cult?"

"That's right!"

"Do you... have a token?"

"No token is needed. Just tell him that his wife and children are waiting for him to come home. If he doesn't come home this year, the bond between husband and wife and the affection between father and son will be severed!"

After stating her request, Madam Tang said softly, "I will not let you help me for nothing. If you complete this task, I will reward you with a fortune comparable to the Eight Great Masters."

The "Eight Great Masters" of the martial arts world refer to eight people and things that are unparalleled and have the most commonly used skills in the martial arts world, and are outside the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend Ranking.

That's right, the Eight Great Masters are not eight people, because some members are not human, but snakes, insects, rats and ants.

The eight skills are: light footwork, knife, sword, spear, fist, palm, hidden weapon, and poison.

Hidden weapons are categorized into: mind, method, and weapon.

They represent: idealistic power, absolute skill, and hidden weapon.

Poisonous arts: flowers, insects, poisons, instruments, and people.

They represent: highly poisonous flowers, highly poisonous animals, highly poisonous insects, highly poisonous medicines, and masters of poisons, respectively.

The Tang Clan primarily uses poison and hidden weapons.

Madam Tang possesses a wide-range, lethal concealed weapon.

The "great fortune" I just mentioned is likely a hidden weapon that can decide the outcome of a battle between masters.

Such hidden weapons are not common in the martial arts world.

I wonder which one Madam Tang possesses?
What surprised Li Zhaoting even more was that Qu Yang actually had wives and concubines. Although Qu Yang had a granddaughter, his family was never mentioned in any records.

Madam Tang and Qu Yang...

There is still some correlation.

Qu Yang is most skilled at the "Black Blood Divine Needle".

Madam Tang has been practicing poisons and hidden weapons since childhood.

Suppressing his chaotic thoughts, Li Zhaoting said, "I will find Mr. Qu Yang within a month."

"If you ever have a conflict with the Beggars' Sect or fight with the Transmission Elder, you can use me to scare him. Just say my name and he will obediently listen to you."

"Uh... thank you, Madam!"

Li Zhaoting thought to himself, "Are all the people in your family monsters?"

The elders of the Sun Moon Sect and the Beggar Clan's transmission of skills all listen to you. You are a direct descendant of the Tang Clan.

Even if she's the daughter of Old Madam Tang, the head of the Tang Clan, she wouldn't have any say in the Beggars' Sect, right? What's the relationship between the two families?

Beggars' Sect, Disfigurement, Qiu Lingsu!

Li Zhaoting subconsciously thought of Qiu Lingsu.

She was once the most beautiful woman in the martial arts world, and it is said that her appearance was comparable to that of the demoness of the Demonic Sect. Unfortunately, her martial arts skills were not high, and she was threatened by a powerful person, so she had no choice but to destroy her appearance.

According to records, Qiu Lingsu married Ren Ci, the previous leader of the Beggars' Sect, so how could she be "Madam Tang"?
Are you guessing my origins?

"I am indeed somewhat curious."

"You'd better not know about this."

What will be the consequences of finding out?

"Death is certain!"

Madam Tang turned and left the bamboo grove.

Of course, she didn't believe Li Zhaoting's words, so she deliberately revealed some flaws, allowing Li Zhaoting to find Qu Yang and Elder Chuan Gong to get information out of each other and verify each other's identities.

If Li Zhaoting is the son of an enemy, then he should do everything in his power to kill him. If not, Madam Tang is seriously ill and nearing death, and has long wanted to find a successor.

Li Zhaoting understood Madam Tang's thoughts, but the clues Madam Tang provided were even more tempting than a craving.

Li Zhaoting was about to leave the bamboo forest.

Suddenly, I sensed a faint sword intent.

Shen Liang.

He was accompanying Xiao Ai to pay respects to her parents.

Sensing Li Zhaoting's aura, Shen Liang proactively unleashed his sword intent to keep Li Zhaoting away.

The sword intent solidified, forming characters on the ground.

—Neither friend nor foe, do not disturb!

Li Zhaoting stretched out his right foot and erased the writing.

—I didn't mean to bother you, so don't worry about it!

Shen Liang was not a Liao spy.

Shen Liang is definitely not "Yelü Liangcai".

So, he really is... Xie Xiaofeng!

(End of this chapter)