Ten Directions Sword Master

Oops!

Lu Li had a bad feeling. The person who came was so familiar with the Imperial City Guard. Could it be that he had run into a real secret agent?

Captain's Token!

The antique shop owner assured them that the token was genuine and that the seller's ancestors were prominent figures in the Northern Wei Dynasty.

Unexpectedly, it wasn't just a bluff; it really gave him a pleasant surprise.

The top figure in this intelligence agency is the Imperial City Guard Commissioner, a position that is usually nominal or held concurrently by the Crown Prince.

In fact, the Imperial City Office was managed by two Assistant Commissioners who oversaw all affairs and presided over the work.

The next level down is the Eagle Terrace Commandant, who is in charge of the affairs of one or several prefectures and is already a powerful figure in the local area.

It is indeed exaggerated for someone to pull out this token when coming to Bingzhou to carry out official business.

Outsiders may not be able to tell the difference, but insiders see it as a huge flaw.

Fortunately, Lu Li had prepared several sets of explanations before coming. Although he was flustered, he did not show it on his face.

Fight!

The impersonation of a low-level spy was exposed because he was acquainted with this consumptive-looking guy.

I'll blow the balloon up to its maximum size, let's see if you still dare to be so confident!

I may not know the details at the bottom, but no one knows the upper-level strategies better than me!

"A country bumpkin from the Outer Patrol Division comes to teach me how to do things?"

Lu Li didn't even lift his buttocks, just glanced at them, not taking the two Foundation Establishment experts who could take his life at any moment seriously.

"Chief Liu, what's the meaning of bringing two outsiders with me when we're doing business together?"

"My name is Tang Lie, and I serve as the Inspector of the Western City of Bingzhou. The Gray Wolf Gang is currently under my jurisdiction, so I'm not exactly an unrelated person, am I?"

Tang Lie stepped forward at the opportune moment and spoke first.

Master Shen insisted that this person was impersonating a member of the Imperial City Guard, but he didn't want to offend him to death, even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance.

He had no connections in official circles or old friends in the Imperial City Guard. If there was a misunderstanding, Master Shen would just have to drink a cup of wine with him. Who else could take the blame?

"Currently, any transaction involving more than 100 shi of grain requires prior approval from the government office. Your Excellency has also presented the Imperial City Commander's badge, so our verification of your identity is in accordance with regulations."

Lu Li leaned back, relaxed, showing no signs of nervousness or fear. He chuckled and said, "You want to check my identity? My surname is Bai, I'm the sixth in my family, and I'm the Imperial Chariot Commander of the Inner Surveillance Department."

He glanced at the slender man again and said provocatively, "Are you a captain of the Imperial Guards of Heyin or a Shadow Warrior?"

The Imperial City Guard was divided into two teams: the Inner Surveillance Division, which was responsible for eavesdropping on palace affairs, supervising court matters, and also conducting internal investigations.

The secret agents in the public's impression are actually the Outer Patrol Division, which is responsible for investigating local areas, apprehending criminals in the martial arts world, and assassinating on the battlefield.

The former has less than one-tenth the number of the latter, and ordinary people are not even aware of the difference between the two.

In terms of both treatment and authority, the Inner Inspectorate is of a higher status and has always looked down on the Outer Patrol Office, which is constantly on the move.

"Shen was once a military officer in Heyin Commandery, but retired five years ago due to injury..."

The slender man paused for a moment, then asked instinctively.

"Only those at the level of Captain can hold this position if they are at the Refinement of Spirit Realm. What makes you think you can be an exception? Do you have any other identification? Otherwise, we will have no choice but to arrest you and report to the county town to await a reply."

From the lowest-ranking spy to the Shadow Chaser, and then to the Imperial Guard Captain in charge of a region, the Outer Patrol Division has a clear promotion path.

The more merits one achieves and the more intelligence one intercepts, the more gold, silver, mansions, top-grade martial arts, divine weapons, and breakthrough pills one will be rewarded with.

What determines promotion is one's level of cultivation.

Unlike other departments, the requirements for cultivation level for each rank in the Outer Patrol Division are ironclad.

No one who has not refined their spirit can be appointed as a captain, and no one who has not reached the level of a true master can be appointed as a deputy envoy.

This is why, upon first meeting, before even opening his mouth to question her, Shen Hehong immediately concluded that Lu Li was impersonating someone else.

Then another possibility was suddenly proposed, who actually claimed to be a Fengche Duwei from the Inner Inspection Division.

He, a former Imperial Guard Commandant who had only ever been around the vicinity of Heyin County and had never left the north, had no idea about the promotion process of the Inner Surveillance Bureau, which was far away in the capital.

During his more than ten years in the Imperial City Guard, he only ever saw the existence of the Inner Inspection Bureau in official documents.

"You dare to investigate my background? Ask your Eagle Terrace Commandant if he has the guts!"

Lu Li showed no anger on his face. He had prepared several identities for himself in the Northern Wei world, and at this moment he was playing the one with the most noble origin.

"My ancestor was the Chief Inspector of the Heavenly Law, holding the rank of Second Grade Official and the title of Right Grand Master of the Palace... People in the Jianghu respected him for his impartiality in supervision and honored him as the Judge of Day and Night."

"I wonder if this former captain has ever heard of my ancestor's name?"

Lu Li picked up the teacup, took a sip, and quickly put it down.

Even the best tea at the inn was hard to drink; the tea-making process was separated by a thousand years, and the taste was vastly different.

"Lord Bai, this..."

Shen Hehong's lips moved slightly, his shrewd mind, honed by rigorous training and the trials of the martial world, was in complete disarray, and his entire aura dissipated.

The Imperial City Commander was the superior of his superior, and in the entire Northern Wei Dynasty, he was a man of great power and influence.

A minister who is not highly trusted by the emperor cannot hold this position securely.

The impact was so great that he needed to process it properly, and he quickly forgot about needing any identification or verification of his rank.

It's perfectly normal for the grandson of Judge Zhoubai to have some kind of military merit hanging on him.

"Commander Bai, have you come to Bingzhou from the capital on official business or personal matters? I need to find out so that I can cooperate properly and avoid delaying your important business."

Tang Lie had never heard of the Inner Surveillance Bureau or the Judge of Day and Night, but that didn't affect his subtly changing attitude.

He knew very well what titles like "Second-Rank Official" and "Right Grand Master of the Palace" meant; they represented truly important figures in the imperial court.

Moreover, judging from Shen Hehong's softened tone, even this third master of the Shen family was unsure.

"With the Yuanlong Conference about to begin, the Imperial City Guard should be focusing all its efforts on the capital. However, a Grandmaster mentioned this when he visited my ancestor, saying that his disciple saw a captain acting tyrannically when he came from Heyin and even tried to harass female disciples... My ancestor is busy with many affairs and has no time to deal with such ants, but I cannot allow such a madman to ruin the reputation of my Great Wei."

Lu Li was overjoyed. The man started asking questions in line with his thoughts, which meant that he had subconsciously accepted Lu Li's identity as the Imperial City Commander.

"I want that soldier dead before the Yuanlong Conference, and then I'll let the Inner Surveillance Bureau take a good look at him... I inquired around here and found out there's a righteous army in Bingzhou with a good reputation and a grudge against that captain. They're preparing to send some grain there. I'll personally deliver the grain; surely it won't be difficult for them to kill someone!"

During the late Northern Wei Dynasty, a master named Bai Guanfu, who was in charge of the Imperial City Guard, tortured officials and terrorized the palace, earning him a notorious reputation.

In the end, in order to protect the royal bloodline and escape from the capital, he was besieged by three Grandmasters of the rebel army and died in front of the palace gate.

This man's mastery of the Heavenly Observation and Divine Hearing Techniques was unparalleled. The book "Miscellaneous Notes on Martial Arts Masters of the Northern Wei Dynasty" praised him, saying that "the ears are the windows to the sky, the eyes are the gates to the earth, and the heart is the central hub. When the three are in harmony, there are no secrets in the world."

After much deliberation, Lu Li chose him as the biggest tiger skin for himself.

Why would someone of such illustrious status travel thousands of miles from the capital to Bingzhou just to deal with a mere military officer in charge of agricultural settlements? Upon closer examination, there are many inconsistencies.

So initially, he only wanted to play the role of a secret agent or a shadow-hunting agent, so that it would make sense for him to become enemies with He Zheng.

With a single word from Judge Zhou Bai, there were plenty of officials in Heyin County eager to curry favor with him, enough to make He Zheng die an unexplained death.

Even if the young master wanted to put on a show of feigning innocence, the family or the Inner Court could easily spare a few people; there was no need to even consider attacking a righteous army in Bingzhou.

Given the current situation, Lu Li's approach to these loopholes is simply to ignore them.

The young master of the Bai family does things as he pleases, acting recklessly and without needing to explain himself to anyone.

I'm already being generous by saying these few words.