Martial Cultivator

The party entered the city, but most of the people remained at the city gate. In the end, only a single carriage and Liu Tong, riding alongside as an escort, slowly made their way into the city.

Inside the carriage, the young girl sat beside the woman, while Chen Chao who looked pale and weak, sat across from the mother and daughter.

As for the various officials of Jiang’an Commandery, they were all on foot, silently following the carriage.

After a long pause, the woman finally opened her mouth and said slowly, “Your Excellency’s rank must be quite high, right?”

Previously, she had not taken Chen Chao to be someone of high position. But after seeing how the commandery governor treated him, she belatedly realized that the young man before her likely was not some silkpants relying on his family’s influence, but someone who truly held an official position. Furthermore, he was likely not just someone with an empty title.

This much, she could tell from the genuine respect in that governor’s eyes.

Chen Chao looked at the woman before him and no longer hid anything, replying bluntly, “Not too low. If a court assembly were held, I would be standing at the very front of the military officials’ ranks.”

The woman froze. She had thought this young man’s rank was not low, but she had not expected it to be this high.

The girl, on the other hand, wore a confused expression. Having little experience with the world, she naturally could not understand such indirect speech.

”Turns out that it’s Lord Warden Commander.”

The woman sighed with vicissitudes of emotion, before bowing her head and adding, “This humble woman pays respects to Lord Warden Commander.”

Though just a woman, she was not completely ignorant of the world. She had heard of the major affairs in the Great Liang Dynasty. Based on what Chen Chao had said, it was easy to deduce his identity.

Chen Chao replied gently, “No need for such formality, Madam.”

The woman then said anxiously, “I was unaware of your identity earlier and may have been discourteous, please do not take offense, Your Excellency”

“Mother, what are you talking about?”

Finally catching on, the girl widened her eyes in realization. It turns out that the young man before her was the same Lord Warden Commander she had spoken of earlier.

Chen Chao looked at the girl and smiled. “I wasn’t lying when I said that fellow wasn’t as good-looking as I am.”

The girl blushed furiously. Remembering what she had said before, she quickly lowered her head. But just as quickly, she lifted her head again, sneaking another glance at the pale-faced young man before her.

”Who would’ve thought that this lowly self would be fortunate enough to have the Lord Warden Commander stand up for me!”

The woman spoke gently, her eyes turning red once more.

Chen Chao looked at her and said apologetically, “This kind of matter should never have happened. It is the Great Liang that owes you.”

The woman shook her head. Earlier, she had worried that not only would she fail to avenge her husband, but might even implicate the young man before her. Now, having learned the truth, she felt nothing but relief.

“Just now, Your Excellency said you would have Su Tong executed immediately. But that may conflict with the laws of the Great Liang, right? Your Excellency holds high office, acting on impulse might cause trouble for you...”

The woman was not an ordinary one. She quickly spoke up, worrying about Chen Chao.

”That governor said the same, but I insist on doing so. First, to keep Madam’s heart from going cold. Second, to show the other officials of the court that this official won’t tolerate even a speck of sand in my eyes, that they’d best abandon such thoughts early.”

“Madam’s husband died for the country. If you are still to be trampled underfoot by the court in this world, then even in the afterlife, your husband will find no peace. He might even regret having laid down his life for such an imperial court.”

Chen Chao let out a breath and said quietly, “One or two such cases might still be fine. But if they become too numerous, even this official would find it unjust. What this official is doing, it’s for the sake of the dead to rest in peace, and for the living to no longer grieve.”

......

......

In front of the General’s Office, Su Tong had been bound tightly and dragged into the street. Yet despite his predicament, he stubbornly refused to kneel. Wang Zhen merely looked on coldly and said, “Break his legs.”

Su Tong glared viciously at Wang Zhen. “Wang Zhen, you really dare to do this? Aren’t you afraid the Great General will hold you accountable?”

“Bringing up the Great General? If the Great General knew he had a disgrace like you under his command, he probably wouldn’t have left the Divine Capital to become Great General in the first place.”

These words of Wang Zhen’s were seemingly casual, but anyone with insight could hear the hidden meaning. The current Great General had previously served as Lord Warden Commander. So if you want to talk about who is close to the Great General, you, or us, from the warden faction?

But before Su Tong could speak again, a clamor of footsteps echoed from the street. Countless armored soldiers surged forth from all directions.

Seeing this scene, Su Tong laughed maniacally. “Wang Zhen, how do you plan to kill this general?!”

“In this Jiang’an Commandery, you, Wang Zhen, may be the warden, but I, Su Tong, command the troops. You want to kill me in front of these soldiers? Do you really think it will be that easy?”

The young deputy general leading the soldiers shouted, “Wang Zhen! What do you think you’re doing? Release General Su at once!”

Wang Zhen paid him no mind. He said flatly, “What did this official say just now?”

The two officials from the Warden’s Office beside him nodded. They had no intention of flinching, now that their superior had spoken again, they did not hesitate. Without delay, they struck Su Tong’s legs with sheathed sabers and broke both legs.

With that, Su Tong could only collapse helplessly to his knees.

The young deputy general stared in disbelief. His expression darkened, eyes wide. With a wave of his hand, the crossbowmen behind him stepped forward in unison, raising their bows and aiming directly at Wang Zhen and the other official from the Warden’s Office.

“Shoot your arrows for Your Father! Kill every last one of these bastards right here!”

Su Tong gritted his teeth through the pain, but still roared hoarsely.

Wang Zhen remained expressionless, staring calmly at the young deputy general. “Deputy General Zhang, do you truly intend to shoot this warden dead in the street?”

“Warden Wang, you owe us an explanation. To bind General Su like this without cause, this general doesn’t understand!”

The young deputy general spoke through clenched teeth. Looking at Wang Zhen, he could sense the man’s confidence. But he could not understand how someone from the warden faction could treat one of their own military men like this.

“This official has a directive from above. Deputy General Zhang, it’d be best if you had the crossbows lowered.”

Wang Zhen said calmly.

The young deputy general frowned. “Even if it’s a directive from the provincial warden, I doubt he has that kind of authority!”

“This document is from the Divine Capital.”

Wang Zhen narrowed his eyes at the young deputy general. “Would Deputy General Zhang like to see it for yourself?”

“Divine Capital?”

The young deputy general froze, momentarily confused.

But just as he was thinking it over, hoofbeats sounded behind him.

A horse carriage had come to a halt behind the gathered soldiers, unable to move forward.

Sweating profusely, Huang Shi quickly stepped up and said with a frown, “What are you standing around for? Clear the way, now!”

The young deputy general turned to this Commandery Governor of Jiang’an and said, “Governor Huang, as you can see, this Wang Zhen...”

Before he could finish, Huang Shi snapped angrily, “Deputy General Zhang, tell your men to make way at once! In that carriage behind this official is someone you cannot afford to offend.”

The young deputy general’s expression darkened. He had not expected this usually polite governor to act so forcefully at this moment.

Just as he was about to speak, a faint voice came from the carriage: “If they don’t move, kill them.”

That sentence sent a chill down the deputy general’s spine. He was not stupid, if someone dared say such a thing to a court-appointed officer, either they were a madman, or they truly had nothing to fear.

And at this moment, he was more willing to believe the latter.

Reluctantly, he waved his hand. He also wanted to see who exactly was inside that carriage.

In the next moment, a pale-faced young man stepped down from the carriage, followed by a mother and daughter.

With a saber at his waist, the young man walked forward slowly. He paid no attention to the young deputy general and instead looked toward Su Tong, who was kneeling but still filled with defiance.

“That Captain Li, was he under your command?”

Chen Chao asked slowly.

Su Tong glared at the young man before him and spat, “And who the hell do you think you are?”

Chen Chao ignored him and just glanced at Wang Zhen.

Understanding the meaning, Wang Zhen struck Su Tong’s face with the hilt of his saber. The blow shattered several of Su Tong’s teeth, and blood filled his mouth.

Seeing this, the young deputy general dared not speak another word.

What the hell was this guy’s background?

Chen Chao calmly looked down at Su Tong.

He did not speak.

He was waiting for Su Tong to answer his question.

“So what if he is?”

After a brief silence, Su Tong finally replied.

“And what did you send him to do?”

Chen Chao fixed his gaze on Su Tong, his tone flat.

Su Tong noticed the mother and daughter in the distance. After a moment’s thought, he said coldly, “That man deserted the military some time ago and vanished. This general is currently tracking him down.”

Chen Chao let out a quiet “Oh,” then looked again at Wang Zhen.

Without hesitation, Wang Zhen stomped down on Su Tong’s hand. With a loud crack, Su Tong’s palm was crushed.

Chen Chao turned away from Su Tong and looked at the young deputy general.

“I have a question for you.”

The deputy general, already stunned by everything that had happened, now bowed his head as he replied, “Please ask, Your Excellency.”

“What was that Captain Li ordered to do?”

Chen Chao stared at him. “Think carefully before you answer.”

Sweat beaded across the deputy general’s forehead. After a moment of silence, he dared not utter a lie. “Captain Li was ordered by Su Tong to work with the Yan Family to seize the Gu Family’s property...”

Chen Chao turned to glance at Su Tong, saying nothing.

Su Tong said angrily, ”Zhang Yang, what nonsense are you saying?!”

“Governor Huang, take men and search his residence. Then compile a list of his crimes and post them throughout the city. Wang Zhen, remove his head. Hang it on the city gate for three days.”

After saying this, Chen Chao fell silent.

“Who the hell are you?!”

Su Tong never imagined that this young man was going to kill him with just a few words.

But Wang Zhen had no intention of wasting his breath with Su Tong. Since the Lord Warden Commander had not replied, there was no need for further ceremony. He drew his saber and cleanly severed Su Tong’s head.

The gruesome sight made the young girl hide behind her mother, not daring to look.

While the woman trembled as she watched.

Wang Zhen lifted the severed head and knelt on one knee. “This lowly official, Warden of Jiang’an Commandery, greets Lord Warden Commander!”

As Wang Zhen knelt, all the officials of the Warden’s Office followed suit, kneeling on one knee.

The young deputy general froze, then quickly followed, not daring to hesitate.

As he knelt.

With a series of clatter, the countless soldiers all knelt down.

At this moment, only the black-robed young man stood among the crowd, like a crane among chickens.