Wuxia: Start with max-level Nine Yang Divine Skill

"The Taoist of Blissful Extremes?"

"So it was that lecherous demon!"

"That damned bastard, he's committed every imaginable evil!"

A chorus of curses erupted from the audience.

As a master of the evil sect, Leji Daoren's infamous reputation for womanizing is known throughout the martial arts world, and everyone hates him.

Someone immediately snorted coldly.

"That devil must have been unaware of the true situation, thinking that Master Liu possessed clues or hidden silver for the three million taels of silver, and thus, driven by greed, resorted to this despicable sneak attack!"

"How despicable..."

Immediately, a chorus of curses erupted, condemning the attacker as despicable and aggressive, worse than pigs and dogs.

Someone nearby spat.

"Pooh!

That damned lecher! Sluts, murderers, and robbers are nothing more than everyday occurrences for him!

If you call him despicable, he'll probably think it's a compliment!

This statement drew nods of agreement from many, deepening their hatred for the Taoist of Bliss.

"The Taoist of Blissful Extremes?"

Li Fu raised an eyebrow.

Zhou Zhen hissed, "Secondly, fellow heroes... to be honest, we came here prepared to die!"

The eunuch wields immense power and has countless henchmen. If we openly expose his crimes, it is tantamount to lambs to the slaughter. How can we let this go unpunished?

We old brothers have already disregarded life and death!

The head镖师 (chief镖师, a term referring to a high-ranking镖师, a kind of bodyguard/escort) insisted on coming despite his serious injuries, but we persuaded him to stay and prepare for the future.

He paused, his tone heavy with sorrow and resolve: "Precisely because the road ahead is treacherous, with a slim chance of survival, if all of us old brothers were to perish here, at least one of us must be spared."

Even if we are shed blood today, the truth will be temporarily buried.

As long as the head镖师 (chief镖师, a term referring to a powerful镖师, or镖师) is alive, there is still hope. Perhaps one day, he can bring justice to the entire Changsheng镖局 (a镖局, a powerful镖师 agency) and to the unjustly killed disaster victims.

Everyone in the audience was deeply moved upon hearing this.

Looking at the haggard, yet fearless old镖头 (bodyguards/escorts) on the stage, and thinking of how they resolutely came to uncover the truth despite knowing it was a den of dragons and tigers, the tragedy and devastation brought tears to the eyes of many tough men.

Leaving one person behind is indeed reasonable.

No one doubted his existence.

In an instant, the assembled heroes felt even more sympathy and respect for the members of the Changsheng Escort Agency.

"Don't worry, Chief Escort Zhou!"

With Constable Li upholding justice, that eunuch traitor will not be allowed to escape justice!

"We've all witnessed the injustice done to Changsheng Escort Agency!"

Amidst the words of support and comfort, Li Fu's brows furrowed even more.

When he captured the Taoist of Joyful Extremes and interrogated him about what he knew, the Taoist of Joyful Extremes, in order to save his life, revealed almost everything he knew about the silver escort case from back then.

"I didn't hear from Daoist Leji that he seriously injured Liu Jingxing by sneak attack; on the contrary, he was the one who was seriously injured by sneak attack."

On the contrary, the Taoist Master Leji mentioned through gritted teeth that he was also seriously injured by a young man dressed in blue who wielded a curved knife!

Li Fu's gaze swept over the sorrowful faces of the old镖头 (bodyguards/escorts) on the stage once more.

They possessed a resolute determination bordering on self-sacrifice, which seemed genuine.

They were willing to risk their lives to seek justice, so why lie about details such as whether Liu Jingxing was injured or why he was injured?

If what Zhou Zhen said is true, and that Daoist Leji ambushed and seriously injured Liu Jingxing, why didn't Daoist Leji say so?

"It sounds like he's never actually met Liu Jingxing, let alone dealt with him."

Was the Taoist Master of Blissful Extremes hiding something and lying to himself?

But his injury, and the fact that it was quite serious, was obvious, and his anger and resentment at being caught off guard when mentioning the blue-clad scimitar-wielder did not seem fabricated.

Comparing the two, one of them must have lied.

Thoughts raced through Li Fu's mind.

He initially thought the case was quite clear, but—

Zhou Zhen and the others seem to have risked their lives for the sake of the truth, and their feelings are pitiful and their will is commendable.

But if they concealed or distorted the truth about Liu Jingxing's injury, then are the other truths they presented also false?

"Are the witnesses and letters genuine or fake?"

Why did they risk their lives to hold this petition meeting? Was it merely to expose the injustice done to the eunuch and clear his name?

Or... is there another motive?

Where is Liu Jingxing, the Heavenly Gang Deadly Blade who has not yet appeared? What is he doing?

"My lords, I entrust this matter to you!"

Zhou Zhen and the others clasped their hands in farewell to the crowd below the stage and were escorted by the constables to the government office. However, Li Fu felt that things might not be so simple.

As the troops set off, Li Fu mounted his horse and followed Feng Shaoting to his side.

He looked back and saw hundreds of martial arts figures still standing in the same spot under the setting sun, watching them leave. Their faces were heavy with grief and indignation, yet they also showed a kind of determination that had been ignited.

Lei Meng, the leader of the Iron Palm Gang, spoke in a booming voice to those around him.

"Old Chief Escort Zhou and his men have risked their lives!"

Now that we know, we can't just stand by and do nothing!

Although Constable Li is a good official, the officialdom is corrupt, and the eunuch's power is deeply entrenched. He alone may not be able to deal with it!

We have to do something!

"Yes, we can't let down Old Chief Escort Zhou and the others who have put in so much effort!"

"Chief镖师 Liu is seriously injured, and we don't know where he's hiding?"

Some people mentioned Liu Jingxing, expressing concern about his safety.

"Since Chief Escort Liu has been seriously injured, and Chief Escort Zhou and the others hope that the Changsheng Escort Agency can preserve its legacy, we should not go looking for Chief Escort Liu again and drag him into this matter."

"Can't all of us get anything done?"

The crowd echoed their sentiments, filled with righteous indignation.

The group of martial arts practitioners discussed how to handle the case.

At this moment, Feng Shaoting turned his head on horseback and spoke to Li Fu.

"The prestige of Constable Li today has truly broadened my horizons."

"If it weren't for you, a fierce battle would have been inevitable, and many of our soldiers would have been lost."

Li Fu withdrew his gaze and said, "Prefect Feng is too kind."

I wonder how Prefect Feng plans to handle this case next?

Feng Shaoting stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before speaking.

"Well... normally, once there are new witnesses and physical evidence, after verifying the authenticity of the evidence, the relevant suspects should be summoned or even arrested for questioning."

However... Officer Li also knew that although the eunuch had lost power, he was, after all, a former prime minister with a special status, and his influence remained even when he was in or out of power.

In my opinion, it would be better if you and I led people to visit them under the guise of a formal visit to test the waters and observe their reaction.

If there is suspicion, troops will be dispatched to surround his residence, and an urgent memorial will be sent to the court for the emperor's decision.

This is the only safe approach.

What do you think, Officer Li?

His words still reflect the cautious and conservative approach of officials who are unwilling to take responsibility easily, but at least he did not seem to be trying to collude with the corrupt, cover up the wrongdoing, or try to smooth things over. This suggests that he is willing to investigate according to regulations.

As long as Feng Shaoting, the prefect of a prefecture, is willing to handle matters impartially, even if it's just a formality, and putting aside other aspects, and if the other party doesn't cause trouble, at least a lot of unnecessary trouble can be saved.

I have no objection.

However, just as Prefect Feng said, we need to verify the authenticity of the evidence first, and then ask around when we get back to the government office. I also need to question Zhou Zhen and the others…”

Li Fu seemed to think that even Feng Shaoting instinctively didn't believe the evidence might be fake, and was already thinking about what to do next.

Zhou Zhen and his companions risked their lives to explore the boundless possibilities of Xianxia novels. (See p>)

Moreover, why did the Seven Eagles of Blood Clotting kill to silence witnesses?

If the events of the past weren't committed by the father-in-law, why would he feel guilty and want to kill someone to cover it up?

Why did Zhou Zhen and his group lie about Liu Jingxing's whereabouts and situation?

……

At night, the inner hall of the government office was brightly lit.

"You...you say that again!"

Feng Shaoting's face was ashen. He paced back and forth in the hall with his hands behind his back, the hem of his official robes flapping loudly as he did so.

Li Fu sat on a chair to the side, his brows furrowed, carefully examining the secret letter spread out on the table and the verification record that had just been delivered.

Standing beside him was an elderly clerk, about fifty years old, with a thin face. He was an old scholar whom Feng Shaoting had specially invited from the state school. He was an expert in appreciating ancient books and familiar with papermaking.

At this moment, the old scholar was also sweating profusely, pointing at the letter.

"Reporting back to you, sir and Constable Li, this paper... is indeed the finest Chengxintang tribute paper, but... the paper is new and tough, with clear texture, and is definitely not an old item of more than twenty years."

The yellowish color is achieved by aging the product with tea and a low flame. Although the technique is skillful, a faint odor still lingers upon close inspection.

As for the handwriting…”

He paused, picked up a calligraphy scroll he had found, which he guessed had been leaked after his father-in-law was exiled to Yanzhou, and compared the two.

"Similar in form but not in spirit."

The form and structure do indeed imitate the style of the eunuch, but the unique strength that lies in the interplay of softness and sharpness in the strokes is completely absent.

"These characters... in my old age, show hesitation in the brushstrokes and obvious traces of copying; they were definitely not written in one go, and were at most a month or so ago."

On the other side, two experienced constables and an old coroner had also finished examining the tall man who called himself Situ Li.

The coroner reported back.

"Sir, although this man is tall and looks like a soldier."

However, his hands, feet, shoulders, back, waist and legs showed no signs of long-term riding, archery and weapon training. Instead, he looked like... like a laborer who had been doing heavy work for many years.

He has never practiced martial arts.

He was definitely not a military commander who came from a common background.

boom!

Feng Shaoting slammed his hand heavily on the table, making the teacups jump around.

"Outrageous! Outrageous!"

He was so angry that his beard trembled, and he pointed in the direction of the prison cell.

"These old bastards... these old killers, how dare they mock me!"

They fabricated evidence, hired someone to impersonate them, and put on quite a show!

They've fooled me, and they've fooled everyone!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Today, in the western suburbs of the city, he heard that there was evidence pointing to the real culprit behind the robbery of three million taels of disaster relief funds, so he specially led people to arrest the person. Now, it's all become a joke!

If word gets out, how will he save face as the prefect?

Where is the authority of the government?

"The evidence is all fake."

Li Fu also looked rather unwell.

He considered that the evidence might still be false, but he didn't think it was all fake.

The evidence was found to be fake after examination. This matter was originally quite easy to handle; we could have simply explained it directly.

However, since Zhou Zhen and his companions risked their lives to hold a petition meeting, no one doubted them or thought they would risk their lives to frame others.

People instinctively gravitate towards the weak and pitiful side, especially when the other side is a powerful eunuch who has committed numerous evils.

In the eyes of those in the martial arts world, the evidence and witnesses were genuine. However, once the evidence was submitted to the government office, the office claimed that the evidence was fake and that there was no such thing.

Was it actually Zhou Zhen and others who framed Eunuch Yi Cai?

Is that so?

The first reaction of the people in the martial arts world was not to believe it, but to suspect that they must have colluded with Eunuch Yi.

In today's corrupt world, signs of officials protecting each other are commonplace.

But the evidence is indeed fake.

What should we do?

"Guards!" Feng Shaoting roared, "Drag those old bastards from Zhou Town out here and torture them severely!"

I want to see just how tough they are; they've really got guts!

I demand they confess why they fabricated evidence to frame my father-in-law, who instructed them, and what other conspiracy they might be plotting!

"Prefect, please wait."

Li Fu spoke up.

As the prefect of a prefecture, Feng Shaoting had been tricked. Even with his composure, he could not suppress his anger and looked at him in a deep voice.

"Officer Li, if the so-called evidence is false, what else is there to say?"

They must be behind this.

"Would they confess without torture?"

Li Fu slowly got up, walked to the window, looked at the deep night outside, and said.

"They might confess if tortured, or they might never confess, even to the point of death."

"The cold-blooded Seven Eagles that I captured were tortured by the government officials, who interrogated them about whether they were ordered by Eunuch Yi to kill and cover up their crimes."

Did they speak?

Feng Shaoting said, "Those seven were all severely injured by you, so we dared not torture them too much. For now... for now, they haven't spoken."

Even if Zhou Zhen and the others confess and reveal the so-called truth.

Will those heroes of the martial world who witnessed their tragic plea and saw the eunuch order his men to silence them believe it?

At this point, Feng Shaoting's face turned slightly blue with anger.

Li Fu continued, "In the eyes of outsiders, it would probably seem as if our government colluded with Eunuch Yi Cai to tamper with evidence and force a confession out of us."

"Then...what should we do in Officer Li's opinion?"

Feng Shaoting was well aware of these things; having been in officialdom for a long time, he knew the hearts and minds of the people.

The Changsheng Escort Agency members' tragic and heroic sacrifice was too convincing, while the eunuch's past infamy was too infamous. Comparing the two, it's self-evident which side the people of the martial arts world would lean towards.

If the government were to reach a completely opposite conclusion at this point, it would likely be met with widespread condemnation, accused of protecting each other and being remnants of the eunuch faction. In the heat of the moment, it would not be impossible for the public to storm the government office.

"We've all been outmaneuvered by those old scoundrels, we can't just do nothing."

Even if the evidence is fake, do you expect us to accept it as true while holding our noses?

What would that be like?

Li Fu nodded: "True is true, and false is false."

He paused for a moment: "Let me go and talk to them first. Torture is easy, but sometimes talking might get us things that torture can't get us out of them."

Although Feng Shaoting didn't have high hopes, he knew that Li Fu's words made sense.

Li Fu was highly skilled in martial arts and had a great reputation in the martial arts world. Today, he had also protected Zhou Zhen and the others. Letting him ask them questions was more likely than directly subjecting them to torture, so he nodded in agreement.

The state prison was dark and damp, with torches flickering erratically.

Zhou Zhen, Zheng Baichuan, Zhao Gang, and the others were each chained behind a wooden fence with heavy iron shackles.

They heard steady footsteps approaching from afar and saw Li Fu walking alone into the prison corridor with a somber face.

There wasn't much surprise on their faces, but a complex mix of emotions flashed across their expressions: guilt, acceptance, and a sense of relief, as if their execution had finally come.

Li Fu stopped in front of the cell door where Zhou Zhen was being held, his gaze calmly sweeping over the group of people.

Zhou Zhen's lips moved, but he dared not meet Li Fu's gaze.

Zheng Baichuan, Qian Tong, and the others all looked away.

Seeing their situation, Li Fu felt reassured and spoke calmly.

"Fortunately, you all still know that you feel guilty towards me, and you still avoid eye contact."

Li didn't completely ally the wrong person after all; he fought a blood-coagulating Seven Eagles for nothing in order to protect a fabricated letter.