Chapter 366: 83: In This City Today, That Year_2

Chapter 366: Chapter 83: In This City Today, That Year_2

Li Fei: “What do you mean?”

Responsible Person: “Don’t push your luck, kid.”

Then he quickly added, “I’m just the messenger.”

Li Fei, calm, “Okay, I understand. Thank you.”

That message was definitely from Shi Caiming.

Although the other party was willing to support him, there were limits.

If Li Fei tried to use the token to stir up more trouble, he was likely to be rejected.

Next, the person in charge of the archives handed Li Fei a thick file folder:

“You can only look at this here; the information can’t be taken out or recorded.”

“Okay.”

Li Fei nodded and took the file folder.

He guessed that the document in his hands was likely the real ‘dark history’ of Datong Prefecture, which certainly could not be leaked.

The head of the archives office left the office, leaving Li Fei alone to review the materials.

Maybe he didn’t have the authority to view the material either.

…

While Li Fei was looking at the top-secret documents at the archives office, the Garrison Commander Bian Jingru’s desk in the Government Affairs Building also had a book titled “The Tragedy of the Proud.”

He picked up the book, flipped through a few pages, then put it down and looked at the Inspector General Qu Xun sitting across from him:

“Did you send him this book?”

“Yes, he should have received it by now. I hope he’s smart enough,” Qu Xun said.

The book “The Tragedy of the Proud” in Li Fei’s hands was sent by him.

“With the evidence and witnesses we now have in our possession, we could close the case, but we still haven’t been able to capture a significant Western spy to convincingly implicate the Iron Blade Sect.”

Qu Xun looked at Bian Jingru, “If the investigative team wants to use Wuda’s influence to delay the case, we could give up on linking the Iron Blade Sect and just settle the case! Besides, Wuda belongs to Datong Prefecture, not just Shi Caiming alone.”

“Hmm.”

Bian Jingru nodded, then suddenly asked, “Don’t you feel that ever since we captured Zhang Shiwei, the investigative team has been too quiet?”

Qu Xun was startled by the remark, recalling the recent activities of the investigative team.

Throughout the entire process of investigating Zhang Shiwei, the investigative team had people involved but merely observed without commenting or interfering.

This allowed the case handling in Datong Prefecture to progress unusually smoothly.

It appeared that the investigative team really was just supervising the case handling in Datong Prefecture and wanted to find out the truth quickly.

But neither Qu Xun nor Bian Jingru believed that the team’s objective was that straightforward.

Now, much of what Zhang Shiwei had said had been verified, and the case had reached a point where it could be closed, yet the investigative team still made no move.

Initially, Qu Xun thought this was because their side had acted swiftly, and the statements from Zhang Shiwei, along with the left behind witnesses and evidence, were clear and hard to refute.

But now, with Bian Jingru mentioning it, he also felt the team’s ‘quietness’ was somewhat abnormal.

“What if, Shangguan Xiao really isn’t the culprit?”

Bian Jingru murmured.

He and Qu Xun did not have any ‘god-like perspective.’

In their view, the collusion between Shangguan Xiao and Zhang Shiwei was very clear and the evidence was ample, almost certainly pinning down the real culprit.

Moreover, unlike Li Fei, they wholly believed that Shangguan Xiao could murder her own father to gain the Zhang Family.

Such matters were not unusual and fitted their understanding.

Their hearts were dark, so they could perceive others in the same dark light.

But what if Shangguan Xiao really was framed by someone?

This possibility emerged in their minds, combined with the investigative team’s unusual behavior, and they began to reason backward…

“My lord, could it be…”

Qu Xun’s face suddenly turned grim.

Bian Jingru still maintained his composure, slowly saying:

“If this truly is a scheme, we’re already in too deep.”

“Then we…”

“If I’m not mistaken, the real target should be coming to Datong Prefecture now. Let’s just wait and see.”

…

“In the ninth year of Hongguang’s reign, in July, the helmsman of Zhi Ge General Hospital in Datong Prefecture, Jiao Zhijiang, covered up his nephew’s murder crime and, to silence the witnesses, sent men to kill a family of twenty-seven. This was exposed by Hao Yi, who personally escorted the only surviving witness back to Datong Prefecture. On the way, they were ambushed, resulting in the death of three Tao Foundation Stage Martial Artists and more than ten Qi Change Stage Martial Artists at the hands of Hao Yi. In August, the helmsman of Zhi Ge General Hospital, Jiao Zhijiang, was imprisoned.”

“In the ninth year of Hongguang’s reign, in September, Hao Yi accused the Deputy Director of Supervision of the Inspection General Office of Datong Prefecture, Dai An, of abusing power for personal gain, covering up for several Imperial Officials, and accepting massive bribes. That same month, Feng Province’s fifth ranked ‘Cloud Splitting Hand,’ Lu Yinjie, openly challenged Hao Yi. At this time, Hao Yi had just advanced to the Tao Foundation Stage less than four months ago.

Hao Yi accepted the challenge, fought, and won, thereby climbing the leaderboard of Feng Province’s Leaderboard. In November, the Deputy Director of Supervision of the Inspection General Office of Datong Prefecture, Dai An, was imprisoned…”

“In the tenth year of Hongguang’s reign, in May, Hao Yi accused a total of eleven officials, including the Inspector General of Datong Prefecture’s Inspection General Bureau, Liu Zhong, and Deputy Inspector General Zhang Shoulin, consisting of two sitting officials and nine assigned officials.

In July, Hao Yi was ambushed outside of Datong Prefecture by six Tao Foundation Stage, including three 3rd rank, two 4th rank, and one 5th rank. He ended up killing four of them and scaring away the other two. After this battle, Hao Yi topped the Feng Province’s Leaderboard.

In September, several officials from the Inspection General Bureau of Datong Prefecture were imprisoned, with Inspector General Liu Zhong retiring two months later…”

“In the eleventh year of Hongguang’s reign, in May, Hao Yi was included on the preliminary list for the Fengyun Leaderboard of the Capital City.

That same month, he publicly accused several officials, including the Garrison Commander of Datong Prefecture, Luo Pingjun…”

In the office, Li Fei perused his former teacher’s glorious achievements.

Shangguan Xiao’s description wasn’t exaggerated at all; Hao Yi truly had offended almost every significant figure there was!

For a while, figuring out who could be the mastermind behind this was indeed challenging.

While Li Fei was browsing Hao Yi’s past achievements, at the East City Gate of Datong Prefecture City, a middle-aged man in a gray robe, with a solemn expression and wearing black leather gloves, passed through the city gate.

After passing the gate, he stopped and stood still, gazing at the now unfamiliar city with a complex expression.

Recalling the past, he used to be the most dazzling figure in this city, the topic of conversation for every household, the epitome of all elegance!

Yet now, there were hardly a few who still remembered him in this city.

“You shouldn’t have come.”

A voice came from not far away.

An old monk in a yellow robe walked towards him.

Since more than a hundred years ago when Emperor Wencheng planned to suppress Buddhism and elevate the Taoist orders, the status of Buddhists in the Da Lan Dynasty had drastically declined.

In the entire Datong Prefecture, there was only one temple, named ‘Baoyun Temple.’

The old monk approaching was the abbot of Baoyun Temple—Master Yun Shen.

Master Yun Shen had not left Baoyun Temple for many years. He made an exception today to meet his old friend—Hao Yi.

“Then why did you come to meet me?”

Hao Yi looked at Master Yun Shen and a rare smile appeared on his face.

“I came to persuade you to turn back.”

Master Yun Shen, with a troubled face, approached Hao Yi, clasped his hands together, and spoke.

“Being a monk isn’t fun at all.”

Hao Yi touched the other’s bald head with his leather-gloved hand, jokingly saying.

Though Baoyun Temple’s incense wasn’t flourishing in the Da Lan Dynasty and its Buddhists not prominent, for some believers, Master Yun Shen was indeed a true monk, highly respected.

It was difficult to imagine someone daring to be so ‘disrespectful’ to him.

Master Yun Shen did not get angry but simply sighed, his expression becoming even more sorrowful:

“So many years have passed, many people have changed, but you, you are still the same as before.”

He knew he couldn’t dissuade his friend, but he still came.

Just as Hao Yi knew he shouldn’t have come, but he still did.

Hao Yi’s smile faded as he watched the busy road ahead and spoke lightly:

“This city has also changed; I wonder if the peach grove at Baoyun Temple is still there?”

Master Yun Shen nodded: “It’s still there. I remember that back then, you defeated the then fifth-ranked ‘Cloud Splitting Hand’ in that peach grove, and made it to the leaderboard in one go.”

Hearing this, a faint smile emerged on Hao Yi’s face:

“That’s good, at least the peach blossoms are still there. Would you mind taking me to see them?”

Master Yun Shen turned around and made a welcoming gesture.

Since he couldn’t dissuade his friend, he could at least accompany him to see the peach blossoms.

In this city today, as it was years ago, faces and peach blossoms reflect each other in red.

Years later, the first thing Hao Yi did upon returning to Datong Prefecture City was to visit Baoyun Temple to see the peach blossoms.

…

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