Chapter 153 Revenge Never Ends Overnight, Avoiding Disaster Under the Skirt

Inside the study of the yamen (government office).

Cao Yun sat calmly at the table, reviewing the county's official documents. His personal guard asked, "Sir, where should we begin?"

Cao Yun said calmly, "Let's start with that military officer. He was very close to Lin Guolong and was promoted by him."

“When I first arrived in the county, I used him to establish my authority. I purged the remnants of the Lin family from top to bottom.”

It turns out that... through the Lin family's arrangements, after Lin Guolong's departure, the position of county magistrate of Qingning County should rightfully be taken over by a member of the Lin family.

But within the impoverished capital of Sichuan, powerful families were secretly vying for power. Qingning County, though remote, was still a coveted prize. The Cao family intervened, and after various power struggles, the position of county magistrate fell into their hands.

Cao Yunlai was appointed county magistrate with a mission: to completely take over Qingning County, control it, and eradicate the Lin family's influence.

"Sir, what should we do?" the bodyguard asked.

Cao Yun pondered for a moment, tapping his fingers lightly, his eyes showing thought. "This young man is still young and has only been in office for a short time. His position in the county is not stable. What do you think if I punish him for corruption?"

“I think it’s good,” the guard said.

...

...

Wuweitang.

Li Xian felt refreshed, as if he had been greeted by a downpour on a sweltering summer day. Just now, his wife had summoned him, and the two swords had combined their power, greatly increasing the progress of the Sunset Blood Sword technique, and all the side effects had subsided.

[The Sword of Setting Sun and Fading Blood]

[Proficiency: 11690/12000 (Mastery)]

It is only half a step away from perfection.

The lady's "Frosty Moon Waxing and Void Sword" has only reached the "perfect" level in its first stage of mastery, far from reaching the pinnacle.

However, she possessed the complete sword technique, having already mastered it to the third level long ago. With her talent in swordsmanship, she could have continued to refine it. But the more refined the sword technique, the greater the side effects, forcing her to stop.

Now, seeing Li Xian's remarkable talent and the progress of his Sunset Blood Sword technique far exceeding her expectations, she gradually became interested in returning to swordsmanship.

It is important to know that any martial art, especially a superior one, is extremely difficult to master. It requires not only natural talent in martial arts but also a good match with the individual's skill level.

Some people may not be naturally gifted, but they are perfectly suited to this martial art. Naturally, they progress rapidly without any bottlenecks.

The lady took Li Xian more seriously. Upon reflection, she realized that it was truly a rare find; there was someone in the world who shared the same [Perfect Aspect] as her and was also compatible with the Yin-Yang Immortal Couple Sword.

In just a few months, without any guidance, he has achieved great mastery. And his momentum is excellent; it seems he will soon reach perfection.

It is already under consideration to pass on the second level to Li Xian.

"Lord Wu Wei!"

The constable guarding the gate bowed and said, "Sir, someone was looking for you earlier."

"Who goes there?" Li Xian stretched his limbs.

Just as the constable was about to answer, he noticed blood on Li Xian's palm—a sword mark—and asked with concern, "Sir, are you injured?"

Li Xian was kind and approachable, yet dignified. All the constables respected him from the bottom of their hearts and aspired to be like him.

Some time ago, Wang Wu, who was injured and lost an arm, was not abandoned by Lord Wu. On the contrary, he was treated with great care and was personally taught martial arts.

The brothers were deeply moved, and thus the entire Wuwei Hall was very united.

Li Xian laughed, "It's nothing, just a minor injury." He washed it with water and wrapped it with gauze. Every time the two swords joined forces, the lady would stab his palm.

The wounds have been getting deeper lately.

"I thought I had figured out Madam's thoughts, but now it seems I still have a lot to figure out," Li Xian thought to himself. "By the way, who was looking for me?"

"He's a constable from the local government office," the bailiff said. "He said that the new county magistrate is taking office today and he wants you to go and greet him."

"Oh?" Li Xian asked, "Didn't you say it would be a few more days?"

"I don't know the specifics either," the constable said.

Li Xian pondered. Although he was unwilling to curry favor with those in power, now that the new county magistrate had arrived, he needed to show his attitude. The less trouble he could cause and the fewer enemies he could make, the better.

They immediately went to the government office.

Li Xian said, "Please inform him that I, Li Xian, am requesting an audience to apologize for my neglect today."

The constables have been replaced with new faces.

It was a time of chaos, and the situation in remote counties was complex. Officials from prominent families always brought their own bodyguards.

Upon assuming office, his accompanying bodyguards directly acted as his yamen runners, ensuring a swift takeover of the situation.

Although Li Xian was not very knowledgeable, he was aware of this matter. But he couldn't help but think, "Isn't this county magistrate also a member of the Lin family? Why is he so wary?"

"So you are Li Xian?" The constable said casually, "Oh, wait a moment." He turned and left to report to Zeng Yun.

Before long, the yamen runner returned and said, "You can go back now. The magistrate is resting. Not just anyone can disturb him."

His expression was extremely arrogant.

Seeing the yamen runner's flippant attitude, Li Xian sensed the hostility within him.

His eyes narrowed involuntarily, revealing a sharp glint. Although his double pupils were not open, the pressure emanating from them was palpable.

The constable's hair stood on end, and he panicked inexplicably. "Sir...the county magistrate has indeed gone to rest. You...you may return."

Li Xian didn't argue with him and returned to the Martial Guard Hall. In the secluded inner courtyard, he sat alone, organizing his findings.

While diligence is rewarded by Heaven, if one tries to pick up watermelons here and sesame seeds there, it's easy to end up with nothing to show for it. One must constantly reflect on oneself and strengthen one's resolve before taking firm steps and moving forward.

After thoroughly reviewing his own martial arts characteristics, strengths, weaknesses, and current situation, Li Xian calmed his mind and began to improve his cultivation.

Strengthen your body.

"On my way back from the manor, I bought some pills. Although they are all common pills, they will still be useful to me."

Li Xian practices more than he does. He prioritizes the best of everything when it comes to food, which requires a considerable amount of money.

He opened a brocade box, inside which were three pink "square pills". Li Xian held one in his mouth, and the pills' effects gradually dissipated.

This pill is called "Ziqi Pill." Its effect is to nourish internal energy, but the actual effect is only average. However, it is extremely expensive. One box costs more than twenty taels.

After taking the three pills in succession, his inner energy grew steadily. The rainbow above the Qi Lake became even more vibrant.

Li Xian took a deep breath. He adjusted his mind and resumed practicing his swordsmanship, striving to reach perfection as soon as possible.

Time passed quickly, and several days went by in the blink of an eye. Li Xian, being perceptive, noticed that the number of people coming to deliver gifts had decreased, and the Wuwei Hall was unusually quiet, as if a storm was brewing.

"All kinds of problems can be solved with strength."

Li Xian focused intently on martial arts training, his mind clear and sharp. He sent people to observe the movements of the government offices and remained vigilant. Yet, he did not worry excessively, and his days passed peacefully.

That morning.

Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the door, as if soldiers were blocking the way. The faint sound of arguing could be heard.

"Li Xian, an eighth-rank military officer from Qingning County, come out immediately to meet me!"

A loud noise was heard.

Cao Yun stood with his hands behind his back, proudly positioned before the hall entrance. His guards stood in neat rows, spears in hand and armor at the ready.

"Your Excellency, what do you mean by this!" The constables stepped forward, hands on their sword hilts, standing at attention, and angrily questioned him.

"What do you mean?" Cao Yun said coldly, "Summon your master, and everything will be clear."

He said calmly, "As for you, there is still a way back. Don't go down a dead end. Quickly repent and turn over a new leaf, and you may still have a chance to live."

These words caused an uproar in the military headquarters. Judging from the magistrate's tone, was General Wu's life in danger?

Are they going to make a move against Wu Weilang?

The crowd suddenly parted to let in a handsome young man with a red mole between his eyebrows, who strode towards them. As soon as he appeared, all the constables fell silent.

Li Xiandao asked, "Lord Cao, may I ask what crime we have committed that requires such a large force to surround us?"

He already knew that the newly arrived county magistrate was not from the poor Lin family of Tianfu.

When Cao Yun first saw Li Xian, he was taken aback. He had only heard of him before, with people boasting about how handsome, imposing, and powerful he was. Cao Yun was disdainful, thinking, "What knowledge could some country bumpkins have? What kind of true dragon could emerge from such a barren place? The true dragon in their eyes is nothing more than a mudfish in my eyes."

Meeting him now was completely unexpected. Such a person was a rare sight even in the prefectural city, which greatly surprised him. His momentum faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered.

“Well done, Military Commandant. You have such a bright future, how can you not know your place?” Cao Yun said, “The current court is cracking down on corruption. I, Cao Yun, am now the magistrate of Qingning County. Only after arriving in Qingning have I come to know the hardships of the people here.”

“There are thousands, even tens of thousands of people who are starving and naked. We officials should speak up for the people. I will personally take charge and thoroughly investigate corruption.”

"Now that the investigation has reached you, if you know what's good for you, you'll cooperate obediently. I'm grateful for your past service, so I can be lenient with you."

Li Xian laughed and said, "You're saying I'm corrupt?"

“It is not I who speak, but the people, the will of the people, and the will of Heaven that speak.” Cao Yun pointed to the Yellow Heaven and the Yellow Earth, his righteousness resounding.

In terms of eloquence, Lin Guolong is far inferior to him.

“Everything requires evidence. Do you have any evidence?” Li Xian said.

“The evidence is there,” Cao Yun said. “Come back with me. We will hold court tomorrow. It will be a public trial, and all the people of Qingning County can watch. Your crimes will be made public.”

"Utterly ridiculous." Li Xian was filled with disgust.

"You dare resist arrest?" Cao Yun shouted. He took several steps back, surrounded by guards who shielded him, while armored soldiers pointed their spears at him.

Archers in the distance drew their bows to their fullest extent, their killing intent palpable.

"Why resist arrest?" Li Xian said calmly, "I am, after all, an official. Although you are one rank higher than me, you have no right to determine my guilt."

"On the contrary... your unauthorized mobilization of county troops to besiege my Wuwei Hall is what constitutes a violation of the imperial court's rules."

"Where are the Snake School, the Copper School, and other martial arts schools?"

Li Xian roared.

On both sides of the street, countless gang members and martial arts students emerged and surrounded the county soldiers.

If a military officer doesn't perform well, he'll be unable to move an inch and will have no power whatsoever. If he does well, he won't be a worthy opponent to the county magistrate.

Li Xian subdued the various martial arts forces. He had just sent someone to inform them and urgently recruit men to surround and suppress any resistance. Now, with a single command, his momentum was incredibly powerful.

How could the various gangs and martial arts schools dare to disobey? If the county magistrate truly possessed the means to gradually weaken Li Xian's power, the gangs and martial arts schools would be willing to go with the flow and secretly assist him. However, this fellow's direct confrontation was utterly foolish, making it difficult for the gangs and martial arts schools to remain indifferent.

Firstly, they feared Li Xian's retaliation.

Secondly, this county magistrate is ruthless and has already made a big move. If he takes down Li Xian, there's no guarantee he won't target everyone else in the future.

Thirdly, no matter how domineering Li Xian is, he is still a local of Qingning County. The rules have been established, and although the various gangs don't eat as well as before, they are indeed more stable.

It wasn't all bad that Li Xian was appointed as a military officer.

With all this in mind, at Li Xian's command, the three schools and two sects, large and small martial arts schools, and even some Qingning families responded one after another.

“You! You! You!”

"You've rebelled! You dare to rebel!"

Cao Yunqi's beard trembled with excitement. He had assumed that Li Xian had only recently taken office and that his power base was unstable, making him easy to manipulate. Little did he know that things had already reached this point.

Li Xian sneered, "Lord Cao, if I were truly going to rebel, you would already be dead!"

"I am a military officer. If you wish to arrest me, you must have permission from your superiors. Otherwise, I regret that I cannot comply."

Seeing this, Cao Yun realized he was at a disadvantage in a direct confrontation. His face darkened, and he was deeply frustrated. After a brief standoff, Cao Yun finally relented, letting out a cold snort, "Fine, you've got guts. What I did today was against the rules!"

He led his men back home.

As soon as Fang returned to the yamen, he heard sounds of smashing and cursing. Cao Yun cursed, "A bunch of peasants, they don't know what's good for them, daring to oppose my Cao family."

"Alright, alright... I'll deal with that Li Xian first, then I'll teach you all a lesson one by one!"

"If you want the program, I will give you the program."

"Let's see what excuse you have then!"

Cao Yun immediately wrote a letter and sent it back to his family. Several members of the Cao family held official positions in the prefectural city, holding considerable status. They even seemed to have inherited a bit of good fortune.

Dealing with a mere military officer is incredibly easy.

...

...

In Wuwei Hall.

Li Xian remained calm as he polished the Golden Leopard Bow. This morning, Cao Yun had surrounded the Martial Guard Hall without a word, clearly determined to deal with him.

But he miscalculated.

This matter is far from over.

Since that's the case, there's no need for further discussion. This grudge will not be settled overnight; this official should be executed tonight!

As for what happened afterward...

If you can win, then play; if you can't, then blame it on Madam Wen. If you're not strong enough, hide under her skirt—it's not shameful at all.

(End of this chapter)