Frontier Hero: From Receiving a Convicted Woman to Becoming an Emperor for All Time

Shen Chuxiao jumped down and picked up the jade pendant.

The jade is made of Hetian green jade, carved with cloud patterns. It is warm and delicate, with smooth edges, indicating that it has been worn close to the body for a long time. Turning it over, the back is engraved with the character "王" (king).

Shen Chuxiao's pupils contracted slightly.

Of all the people I've met since coming into this world, only two have the surname Wang.

One is Wang Chongyi, and the other is—

He clutched the jade pendant in his palm and looked up in the direction where the man in black had disappeared. Was it deliberately left behind, or did it accidentally fall in the chaos?

Shen Chuxiao pushed open the door and entered the room.

Wang Yilu had already lit the candles and was sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing an overcoat, his face pale.

"Husband, what you just did..."

Shen Chuxiao pressed her back into the bed.

"It was just a little stray cat; I chased it away."

Wang Yilu buried her head in his chest.

"My husband, I heard everything just now."

"It's an assassin."

Shen Chuxiao rubbed her head and said, "Even if the sky falls, I'll hold it up for you."

Wang Yilu didn't sleep a wink that night.

There were many things she wanted to say, but in the end she gave up the idea.

the next day,

Shen Chuxiao had just arrived at the military camp and hadn't even had a chance to roll call when Lin Shang hurriedly came over.

"Captain Shen, General Lu requests our presence."

Lin Shang's expression was not good, and his brows were furrowed.

Shen Chuxiao glanced at him: "What happened?"

"We'll talk about it on the way."

The two strode towards the general's mansion. Lin Shang briefly explained, "Something happened in the prison last night. Zhao Chongyuan and Zhou Henian were murdered."

Shen Chuxiao paused in his tracks: "Who did this?"

"I don't know." Lin Shang shook his head. "The assassin was very familiar with the layout of Ling Shuang Pass. He avoided all the visible and hidden sentries, sneaked into the death row, killed people, and left. He injured seven or eight guards along the way, but didn't kill any of them."

Shen Chuxiao frowned. Injure but not kill?

Not right.

"Did the guards see who it was?"

"No, they were all masked and extremely skilled. The guards were knocked unconscious before they could even draw their swords."

Shen Chuxiao's heart skipped a beat.

Could they be in cahoots with that man in black from last night?

But he didn't say those words aloud.

The two entered the general's mansion, where Lu Chenzhou was already waiting in the council hall. She was not wearing armor today, but a plain-colored robe, her hair tied up high, her face calm and expressionless.

She was the only one inside the hall.

"Sit down." Lu Chenzhou raised his chin.

Shen Chuxiao and Lin Shang sat down.

Lu Chenzhou didn't beat around the bush: "Lin Shang should have told you about last night. What do you think?"

Shen Chuxiao pondered for a moment: "The assassin is very familiar with the defenses. He's either an inside man or an outsider who has been observing for a long time."

Lu Chenzhou nodded.

"But we've already cleared out most of the traitors from Ling Shuang Pass, so it's more likely they came from outside—like those sent by Shuofang Dao."

Thinking about this, Shen Chuxiao felt it didn't quite make sense.

"But if it really was Shuofang Dao who sent people to silence them, then they shouldn't have only injured the guards. Silencing someone is always about eliminating the root of the problem; leaving someone alive will only invite investigation. The fact that they didn't kill them makes no sense."

"So?" Lu Chenzhou asked.

Shen Chuxiao did not answer immediately.

The memory of the assassin's probing attack last night flashed through his mind. The assassin only defended and did not show any murderous intent towards him. Moreover, a jade pendant was left behind at the scene.

"Either you don't want to become mortal enemies with the border troops, or..." Shen Chuxiao raised his head and said firmly, "Revenge!"

Lu Chenzhou's gaze sharpened slightly, but he did not respond.

After a few moments of silence, she picked up a military report from the table and threw it in front of Shen Chuxiao.

"Take a look at this, see if it's related to them."

Shen Chuxiao unfolded the military report, glanced at it, and his brows gradually furrowed.

"The grain supplies transported from Shuofang Road to Lingshuang Pass were intercepted outside Liuhe Town?"

"It wasn't a robbery, it was a theft."

"Three hundred shi of military rations and two hundred shi of military equipment were transported. The fifty border soldiers escorting the shipment were scattered, twelve were killed, and more than twenty were wounded. Not a single grain of rice was left of the rations and military equipment."

Lin Shang gasped, "Three hundred shi? Who did it? The barbarians?"

"Not barbarians."

Lu Chenzhou said, "According to the scouts, the traces and weapons left at the scene are not of the barbarian type. Moreover, the people who robbed the grain spoke standard Dajing dialect, but with a Beijing accent."

Shen Chuxiao was puzzled.

"When did this group of people appear outside Liuhe Town?"

"It's a newly emerging gang."

Lu Chenzhou stood up, walked to the map hanging on the wall, and pointed to a mountainous area north of Liuhe Town.

"It's probably around this location. They're operating under the banner of 'acting on behalf of Heaven.' Their numbers are unknown, but they're at least a hundred people. They're well-equipped and well-trained, unlike ordinary mountain bandits."

Lu Chenzhou turned around, his tone becoming serious: "Moreover, this batch of stolen grain was directly allocated by the Shuofang Circuit Military Governor's Office. The Military Governor already knows about the theft and has sent an official letter demanding that we retrieve the grain as soon as possible, otherwise—"

She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear.

Last time, Shen Chuxiao burned 30% of Ling Shuang Pass's grain supplies. If these aren't recovered, countless people will starve to death this winter.

Shen Chuxiao remained silent for a moment.

Lu Chenzhou looked at him and sighed.

"The national treasury has very little grain stored. In recent years, there have been successive major battles on the borders, and the people can no longer afford to suffer. The emperor is obsessed with alchemy, the eunuchs control the government, and taxes are levied layer by layer in various places, leaving less than 30% of the total tax revenue by the time it reaches the borders. Although I cannot manage matters that far away, the people of Ling Shuang Pass cannot all starve to death this winter."

She paused, then lowered her voice: "The roots of the great tree that is Dajing are rotten. But we who guard the border still have to do what we're supposed to do."

Shen Chuxiao's heart stirred slightly.

These words, coming from Lu Chenzhou, carried considerable weight.

Shen Chuxiao shook his head, suppressing the deeper meaning in Lu Chenzhou's words. These two matters were interconnected, clearly indicating that someone was plotting something.

"General, I'll take men to investigate the matter of the provisions right now."

Lu Chenzhou nodded: "Alright, you're in charge of the scout battalion, so reconnaissance is your duty. Go to Liuhe Town now and find out what's going on. Remember not to alert them. Find out all the details about those people before you act."

"clear."

After leaving the general's mansion, Shen Chuxiao didn't linger and immediately ordered Tie Niu and Sun Ergou, while Zhao Wu stayed behind to train the new recruits.

Tie Niu, carrying a large sword, asked excitedly, "Boss, are we going to war?"

"Go investigate the case."

Shen Chuxiao didn't even turn his head.

"Isn't that what the government should do? We're border troops, why should we meddle in these things?"

Shen Chuxiao glared at him: "The grain transported from Shuofang Road has been lost. Do you think those incompetent officials can handle this?"

Tie Niu opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Finally, he muttered, "That's true."

The government officials are good at nothing but oppressing the people.

Then he shouldered his broadsword and cursed, "Damn it! Our border troops are counting on this grain to survive this winter. Who dares to come and steal it? I'll chop them to pieces!"

Shen Chuxiao didn't reply.

But his mind kept replaying the two things: murder and robbing government grain.

He subconsciously tightened the reins and glanced back at the city wall of Ling Shuang Pass.

This trip is likely to be anything but peaceful.