How come I was the one being targeted?

"Take another look?" Bai Jun slapped Jingfang on the forehead. He didn't use much force, but Jingfang's body still shook violently.

"Master! But I really don't know!" Jingfang bit her tongue and kept shaking her head like a rattle.

"You don't know me, but I know you."

Seeing him like this, Bai Jun suddenly revealed a playful smile and said sinisterly.

Perhaps Jing Fang was not aware of it, but his glorious deeds had long been spread throughout the Shen Ce Mansion. There were rumors among the people that the lazy and wasteful general condoned and protected his own brother, causing the people to suffer!

After hearing about this, the entire Shen Ce Mansion was in an uproar, and everyone was talking about it - General Jing Yuan has a younger brother!?

If there really was one, how could they, who have worked in the Shen Ce Mansion for hundreds of years, not have heard of it?

Just when everyone's topic had shifted to whether this man was the general's illegitimate son, Jing Yuan himself came out to clarify that this was not the case and ordered a thorough investigation of the matter.

The efficiency of the Shen Ce Mansion's official business is naturally unquestionable. Within an hour, they had dug out the information of Jing Qi's eight generations of ancestors.

Bai Jun had read his resume. Although he was uneducated and idle, he was particularly popular with children. Whenever he had some spare money, he would buy toys for the children. It could be seen that he was a good person, but his mind was not focused on the main business. However, it is worth mentioning that this person was quite knowledgeable in food review. After eating and drinking in restaurants of all sizes, he could indeed give reliable opinions and improvement plans.

With this in mind, Jing Yuan acquiesced to his behavior. Otherwise, did he really think that the Shen Ce Mansion would tolerate the evil deeds of a rat who tarnished and slandered the general's reputation?

Jing Fang felt a chill run down her spine from Bai Jun's gaze. Cold sweat dripped down her back, and her legs trembled as she nearly collapsed. "A big shot like you must be so busy with all sorts of affairs, working day and night. It's such a great honor for me that you can spare the time to remember a small person like me!"

It is said that people who can become deadbeats are not simple. Even though they are trembling with fear, they still come up with flattering words. Their emotional intelligence is also quite high.

Bai Jun suddenly reached out and interrupted Jing Fang's flattery. "Stop talking nonsense. I'll ask you questions and you'll answer them. Got it?"

"Yes, yes..." Jingfang's expression froze.

Bai Jun suppressed the faint smile on his lips and acted like he was interrogating a criminal: "This isn't the first time you've taken advantage of your status as a general's brother to get free food and drinks, right?"

"Yes...."

"several times?"

"Five times? Or six times? I can't count them all..." Jingfang tried to count on her fingers, but she found that she didn't have a very deep impression and could only give a rough estimate.

"Okay, go to their store and explain the situation. Then, wash dishes or work as a waiter, pay back the money for the meal, and then come back to me with letters of apology from the various shopkeepers."

"Ah?" Jingfang let out a surprised cry.

"What? Or you can choose to go to the prison and serve a sentence of three to five years or more." Bai Jun pulled out a thick law code from somewhere, "Because your actions have violated Article 35 of the Xianzhou Alliance Law, which infringes on the general's personal honor rights, Article 64, which is fraud, and may also violate Article 37, which is the crime of provoking trouble..."

The echo of each word was like an avalanche, making Jingfang's face even paler. He was so frightened that he quickly begged for mercy in a sobbing voice: "No, no, no! Master! I will do it, I will do it, is that not okay?"

The people of Xianzhou always like to compromise. For example, if you say that the room is too dark and a window needs to be opened, no one will allow it. But if you advocate tearing down the roof, they will come to compromise and be willing to open the window.

Bai Jun nodded, thinking that it was true. "As long as you understand, let's go."

"Okay, okay, okay!"

Hearing this, Jingfang breathed a sigh of relief and, ignoring her weak and trembling legs, ran out of the house in a staggering manner. Unfortunately, she was stopped by Bai Jun before she had taken a few steps.

"Come back, there's one more thing!"

"You, you said..." Jingfang showed a smile that was uglier than crying.

"I'll cover your breakfast bill this time, but don't think you'll get away with it if you don't eat. You'll have to come back and work here." Bai Jun turned to look at the shopkeeper standing nearby and said, "Please bear witness. If he dares to come here and try to cheat me out of food and drinks next time, don't hesitate, just break his legs."

"I understand, I understand!" Jingfang didn't dare to refuse and just wanted to escape quickly.

"There is one more thing." Bai Jun stopped Jingfang again in a low voice.

This time, he didn't waste any words. He just casually tossed the two uneaten buns to him and said, "Consider it my treat. Remember to focus on the right path from now on."

Jingfang stared at the bun in her hand, unable to speak for a long time. Finally, she put the bun in her arms and ran away without looking back.

After his back completely disappeared around the corner of the street, Bai Jun stuffed the last bite of fried dough sticks into his mouth. Just as he was about to pay the bill, the system voice rang in his mind.

"Ding--"

[Moral Praise +10]

[25/100]

Can this also increase moral value?

Bai Jun silently swallowed the food in his mouth and placed the three patrol arrows on the table, considering it as compensation for the extra money he paid.

"Sir, this is not possible!" Seeing this, the shopkeeper refused to take the money no matter what, and quickly stuffed the Xundi into Bai Jun's pocket. Bai Jun did not struggle much and let him return the Xundi.

After stuffing the patrol arrow back into Bai Jun's pocket, the shopkeeper finally breathed a sigh of relief: "If you hadn't exposed this liar, I'm afraid he would have had to cheat me out of a few more meals!"

Bai Jun suddenly asked, "By the way, shopkeeper, is it true what Jingfang said just now that the general has returned from the battle?"

"It's true. I returned at 5:00 yesterday." Although the shopkeeper didn't know why he asked this question, he still answered truthfully.

Bai Jun did not respond, but nodded thoughtfully, turned and left the breakfast shop.

"Oh, what a good man."

The shopkeeper looked at Bai Jun's back and subconsciously compared him with his uneducated son, feeling a lot of emotions.

He turned around and was about to clean the table when his peripheral vision was attracted by a bright light reflected from somewhere. He lowered his head and took a closer look. He saw three patrol arrows lying quietly on the table. They were the ones he had just stuffed back into Bai Jun's pocket.

Chapter 9: Jing Yuan also did it

As soon as he walked out of the breakfast shop, Bai Jun became annoyed and wanted to slap himself twice for what he had done just now.

"What am I trying to show off for? My wallet won't let me show off anymore..."

Bai Jun squatted in the corner of the vending machine, completely losing the carefree attitude he had when he left just now. Looking at his even emptier wallet, regret suddenly surged in his heart.

If I had known earlier, I would have at least left myself a patrol arrow. Now, I might not even have dinner!

"Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it..." He picked up a wooden stick and drew circles on the ground, muttering about the evil of money, venting his inner dissatisfaction in a dark corner where no one paid attention.

As for why he hid in the corner of the vending machine?

Because the only places he can cry are in the bathroom and in his dad's arms... No way! You can't let him throw a tantrum with his wallet in public, right?

After finishing, Bai Jun sighed deeply, threw away the wooden stick, stood up and brushed off the dust on his pants. His expression returned to his usual calmness without any emotion fluctuations, and he walked out as if nothing had happened.

Although the money problem has not been solved, I feel much better.

Wait a minute, isn't Jingyuan back? So...

Thinking of this, Bai Jun's eyes suddenly lit up and he immediately had an idea. Anyway, it was still early for the Dihengsi to start work, so he immediately turned around and walked towards the Shen Ce Mansion.

The relationship between him and Jing Yuan is a bit subtle. They can be said to be friends, but if you have to say it, should it be said that they are employed?

When he first came to Luofu a few years ago, he was spotted by Jing Yuan for some reason. At first, he was just a general who would occasionally talk to him, and later it evolved into an exchange between friends. Making friends with a general sounds like a good thing that countless people dream of, but for Bai Jun, it really doesn't have much appeal. And for some reason, he always has a vague feeling that Jing Yuan has other intentions towards him.

Sure enough, later on, when Jing Yuan heard that he was unemployed, he finally showed his sharp fangs and used both kindness and force to force him to work for him!

An Neng is able to bend his eyebrows and bend his waist to serve the powerful, making me unhappy?

It was impossible for Bai Jun to be intimidated by power. At most, he would leave Luofu and move to Fanghu. He couldn't be tied to a tree. But in the end, he still succumbed to Jing Yuan's tactics.

There was no way, he was offering too much! The specific content of this job was roughly some trivial matters such as making tea and pouring water, massaging shoulders, and rubbing the shoulders. The only serious thing was occasionally helping Jing Yuan share some of the pressure when he had too much paperwork. However, Bai Jun was quite experienced in this kind of thing, so it was not a big deal.

Not only is the work easy, Bai Jun only needs to spend one or two days a week working, and the rest of the time is arranged by himself. It is simply the dream job for every office worker!

However, everything has a price. The price of happiness is pain. The price of enjoying this high salary is to work as a clerk in the Land Scale and Measurement Company. But according to Jing Yuan himself, the work in the Land Scale and Measurement Company is so easy and comfortable that it is like putting on new underwear on New Year's morning.

Bai Jun really believed it.

It was not until a week after working at the Land Horizon Company that Bai Jun finally realized that he had been tricked by Jing Yuan, that jerk!

The so-called ease Jing Yuan mentioned was in comparison to the position of General Shen Ce! And how much work does a general have? For example, Luofu's predecessor, General Xiao Teng, was a peerless warrior who single-handedly battled the people of Fengrao for seven days and seven nights without sleep during the Fengrao War. However, within two or three years of assuming the post, his health collapsed, and from then on, he relied on the Divine Lord to keep up appearances in battles.

It's too late to regret now. Bai Jun shook his head, put his complicated thoughts behind him, and silently quickened his pace.

The Shen Ce Mansion is located in a corner of Changletian. It has always been the place where General Luofu Yunqi handles official business. Although the general himself does not often work here in his daily life, it is obvious that the political significance of the mansion standing here is far greater than its practical value. Even if you just look at the Shen Ce Mansion from a distance, you can still feel the heavy majesty.

The glazed tiles on the crimson walls sparkled brightly in the sun, the delicate eaves and corners looked like a phoenix spreading its wings to take flight, and the stone steps made of pure white marble meandered upwards to the solemn and heavy gate.

The Yunqi guards sitting under the majestic stone lions on both sides are dressed in standard iron armor and holding long spears, exuding a murderous aura.

The Yunqi Army guard at the door nodded slightly when he saw Bai Jun, and then let him pass, allowing him to walk straight into the Shen Ce Mansion without any complicated procedures.

Stepping into the corridor of Shen Ce Mansion, its interior is as solemn as the exterior. It is a restrained style different from any other architectural style. It is grand but not extravagant or extravagant at all.

Outside the grand and imposing main office hall, there is a pond specially designed for viewing. Occasionally, flying birds are reflected in it, which is exquisite and elegant without being abrupt. Next to the lake, there is also a martial arts training ground, which is definitely not small. There are rows of armor tied to stakes, and there are scarecrows used as targets. You can even see many dents left by arrows on the wall.

Even so, as a training ground, both the area and the facilities are too small to support long-term, large-scale military training. However, as mentioned earlier, the political significance of the Shen Ce Mansion is far greater than its practical value, so the role of the martial arts field is by no means just superficial.

If displaying military strength can be considered a diplomatic tactic, then the magnificent sight of elite soldiers practicing martial arts can definitely be considered a diplomatic display.

Having said that, in the usually busy Shen Ce Mansion, only one corner of the martial arts training ground was empty. In addition, the general went out for a hunting tour some time ago, making this empty space even more deserted.

But today is different.

The general in casual clothes stood in the center of the empty martial arts training ground, holding the formation sword that was heavier than a giant sword in one hand, holding it in an upper stance. He exhaled and swung the sword slowly, and stopped abruptly when the swung formation sword was about to touch the ground. The air tore out a fierce gust of wind, and then he inhaled again, raising the formation sword to the upper stance again. The lazy and casual look in his eyes faded away, and he stared at the front with a sharp gaze, continuing to dance with the formation sword in his hand.

After repeating this action hundreds of times, even Jing Yuan's face turned a little red, his breathing became a little disordered, and drops of sweat slid down his cheeks.

"Well, the sword's momentum is like a continuous stream of water, yet its force is unparalleled. Even after entering a critical state, it can still forcibly retract its strength."

Jing Yuan was slightly startled by the sound he hadn't heard for months, then turned to look at the source of the sound.

Bai Jun had arrived by the lake at some point, commenting on Jing Yuan's moves while scribbling in his notebook. He didn't stop until Jing Yuan sheathed his formation sword. "I didn't expect the General to have improved his martial arts so much after this hunting tour. Now he's combining both hardness and softness, transforming his inner and outer forms. I imagine his swordsmanship has reached a new level."

"You're here, Qingyan. Should I say it's been a long time since we last met?" Jing Yuan put away his formation knife, tied up his sweat-soaked white hair again, and a lazy smile appeared on his face again.

"Well, if it's just two months, it can't be considered a long time, right? But as a reunion greeting, it's fine." The pen tip spun around his fingertips and then fell into his pocket. Bai Jun closed the notebook and gave an answer very seriously.

"Haha, as expected of Qing Yan, the answers he gave are different from those of ordinary people."

"Thank you for the compliment. By the way, do you know that thanks to someone, everyone who knows me has started calling me Qing Yan?"

Hearing the name "Qingyan" again, Bai Jun couldn't help but look at the "culprit" in front of him who was chattering and loved to give nicknames with a helpless look.

Jing Yuan, the culprit, pinched his chin with one hand. He didn't feel embarrassed at all about his mistake. Instead, he nodded and smiled gloatingly, "I think this just proves that the name Qingyan is catchy and suits your personality."

"I don't know if it's catchy or not. Where did you get the conclusion that suits your personal characteristics?"

"Doesn't it fit?"

“It doesn’t fit at all!”

Hearing Bai Jun's disgusted complaints, Jing Yuan was not in a hurry. He counted on his fingers and patiently explained: "Listen to me, the so-called green is the color of the East. Wood gives birth to fire, which gives birth to elixir. The truth of the word "green" is just like that..."

Bai Jun was overwhelmed when he heard this. He crossed his hands in front of his chest and made a cross sign, interrupting Jing Yuan's hard-core explanation of the characters. "Stop, stop, stop! Let's get down to business."

"Business? Don't tell me you're not here to chat with me this time?"

What he got was Bai Jun's expressionless rejection on the spot: "No."

"I'm so sad, Qingyan, how could you be so cold and heartless? I didn't forget to bring you a gift when I went out hunting." As he said this, Jing Yuan pretended to wipe away his tears, which attracted an even more disgusted expression from Bai Jun.

"If your gift were more normal, maybe I would be more touched."

"Is the evil star-level giant octopus from last time dissatisfied? I even asked the God to trim its tentacles."

"No normal person would like it!" It would have been fine if he hadn't said anything, but when he thought about how he had been eating giant octopuses for three whole months, he suddenly felt nauseous in his stomach, and his complaints gradually became louder.

Seeing Bai Jun's angry face, Jing Yuan laughed softly with satisfaction. The two of them were like old friends who had known each other for many years and joked with each other in a familiar manner.

"By the way, where is Yanqing?" Bai Jun sighed while pressing down the curled ends of his hair. He looked around but did not see the yellow-haired Xiaodeng who usually liked to stick to Jingyuan.

"The fleet Yanqing is on has other missions, so it will probably take some time for him to return."

The generals who command the ships of the Immortal Boat defend the safety of the people of the Immortal Boat and also shoulder the heavy responsibility of conquering the fertile evil creatures. They often use the remaining light arrows of the Emperor's Bow as a guide to lead the Cloud Cavalry Fleet to end the undead pollution in the starry sea.

The names and configurations of the various cloud cavalry fleets of the Xianzhou Alliance are different. For example, there are the "Crane Feather Guards" and "Dan Ge Guards" of the Yaoqing Cloud Cavalry Fleet; the "Xuanzhu Guards" of the Fanghu Cloud Cavalry Fleet; and the "Chuihong Guards", "Chunting Guards", "Bifang Guards" and "Qiang Guards" of the Luofu Cloud Cavalry Fleet.

Despite this, the roles they play are similar. Basically, the fleets surround the main attack ship where the commander-in-chief is located, and they are responsible for sharing the roles of defense, surveying, auxiliary attack, and logistics.

As the youngest Cloud Cavalry Guard of the Shen Ce Mansion, the most promising successor to the Sword Master in Luofu, and even the genius of the Sword Master of the Alliance, Yan Qing's level is unquestionable. It is natural for him to take on the auxiliary firepower point of the expeditionary fleet, share the firepower for the general's main ship, and carry out subsequent cleaning tasks.

Yan Qing's subsequent mission this time is to cover the rear of the fleet and clean up the remaining remnants of the hunting patrol. There is no danger for him, so he can rest assured.

Seeing Bai Jun showing concern for others was rare, and it made Jing Yuan's thoughts wander. Teasing Bai Jun was a welcome change of pace in his otherwise dull office life. "Speaking of which, Qingyan, aren't you usually so envious of Yanqing? Why did you suddenly change your attitude today?"

Jing Yuan came close to Bai Jun and said with a sly smile, "Are you worried about that child?"

"I'm more worried about this than I am about him."

Bai Jun sighed softly, pushed away Jing Yuan's face, and silently took out his shriveled little frog. The thin green cloth fluttered slightly in the air. He didn't say a word, but it was worth a thousand words.

"This is?"

Jing Yuan was stunned for a long time before he realized that the shriveled little frog was a wallet, and then he couldn't help laughing.

"What are you laughing at? Who do you think is responsible for my being so short of money? This kid Yanqing owes me a lot of debts." As he spoke, Bai Jun took out a long string of IOUs from his pocket. The bright and dazzling white notes hung straight down to the ground in the air. They were filled with bills for Yanqing to borrow money from him to buy various swords.