The bandit leader panicked. "He committed heinous crimes, not only murdering the prefect but also wreaking havoc in the city, killing and burning. His evil deeds are well-known. Everyone should kill such a criminal. I was merely doing my duty to protect the people. How can you attack me because of him?"
Ling Mo responded expressionlessly, "In the martial world, you have the right to decide life and death, but your mistake lies in offending a target you should not have offended!"
As soon as he finished speaking, his sword slashed through the night sky, and a bandit fell to the ground silently.
The bandit leader, severely wounded and nearly exhausted, watched as Ling Mo was about to point his sword at him. Overwhelmed by fear, and desperate to survive, he disregarded his dignity and shouted in panic, "You can't kill me! I am..."
“You are an unforgivable villain!” The bearded man quickly picked up where he left off. “Although I bear the charges of murder and arson, you all know perfectly well who the real mastermind is. Every single incident, including everything that happened tonight, has witnesses and evidence. You can’t escape your accusations!”
Ling Mo drew his sword, ready to strike, when suddenly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from the alley entrance.
In the dead of night, the city was under a strict curfew. Apart from government officials, no one dared to ride horses recklessly in the streets, which meant that the government troops had arrived.
A strange light flashed in Ling Mo's eyes. He nodded slightly to Jiang Huaiyu and said in a low voice, "They've finally arrived."
In an instant, his longsword slashed through the night sky, its light as cold as frost. It didn't immediately take the bandit leader's life, but instead skillfully severed the tendons in his hands and feet. Then, he slowly sheathed his sword, his face devoid of emotion, his voice as cold as ice: "The government troops have arrived. Consider yourself lucky to have survived today!"
Upon hearing the news of the government troops' arrival, the bandit leader showed no fear in his eyes. Instead, he seemed relieved, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
Upon hearing this, the bearded man standing nearby subtly shifted his posture, as if secretly adjusting his position.
The sound of horses' hooves thundered, exploding in our ears in an instant.
Soon, the courtyard gate was smashed open by a troop of government troops who rushed in. A dozen or so yamen runners, armed with sharp blades and holding torches, illuminated the courtyard like the dawn breaking.
Deng Shen mingled among them as he stepped into the courtyard. His eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, and only after confirming that Jiang Huaiyu and Yingxiang were unharmed did he breathe a heavy sigh of relief. When he discovered that Ling Mo and Li Kui were also present, a look of mixed joy and surprise appeared on his face, and his heart, which had been pounding wildly with tension, finally calmed down. As the tension dissipated, he suddenly felt weak all over and involuntarily slumped to the ground.
Seeing this, Jiang Huaiyu quickly signaled Yingxiang to check on Deng Shen's injuries.
The constables entered the courtyard and immediately surrounded everyone. A leader, seemingly the head constable, surveyed the scene and asked in a deep voice, "What exactly happened here?"
Deng Shen hurriedly got up, cupped his hands and replied, "Reporting to the officer, this group of thieves raided my humble abode at night, intending to steal and kill. I urge the officer to bring these villains to justice as soon as possible!"
A constable stepped forward and reported to the squad leader: "Sir, there is a corpse, one seriously injured, and two crippled at the scene."
The squad leader's expression changed drastically, his gaze sharp as a knife as he swept over the bandits lying on the ground, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. After a moment, he slowly spoke: "A death has occurred. Who on earth was responsible for this?"
“It’s me.” Ling Mo stepped forward, his tone firm.
"Oh?" The squad leader sized up Ling Mo, narrowing his eyes as he said, "Since you have such superb martial arts skills, why didn't you subdue them and wait for the government to rescue you, instead of taking matters into your own hands? Don't you know that killing is also illegal?"
Upon hearing this, Ling Mo involuntarily frowned.
“This group of thieves ran rampant in Wusu, committing all sorts of evil deeds. It is said that the government has offered a reward of one hundred taels of gold for their heads. Today, I personally captured them, preventing them from harming innocent people in this courtyard. This can be considered as serving the government. Even if you do not award the reward, you have no reason to punish me, do you?”
He had never dealt with government officials, but that didn't mean he was afraid of them. On the contrary, he continued to be confrontational: "What? Since the government has issued a bounty, do I have no right to kill these thieves? Are you only satisfied when you see everyone in this courtyard suffer at their hands?"
"you!"
The foreman's face turned pale and then red from being silenced by his words.
"These thieves may have committed heinous crimes, but they should ultimately be tried and convicted by the authorities. How can you be allowed to interfere here?"
His gaze was icy as he stared intently at Ling Mo. "Judging from your exceptional skills, you must be a member of the martial arts world. Your methods are ruthless, and you have spoken disrespectfully to the government officials. Your actions are suspicious, and you should come with me to the yamen for investigation!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Huaiyu and the others were all taken aback.
Only the few thieves who had fallen to the ground had a sly look of relief in their eyes, but no one noticed it.
"Isn't what you're saying a bit too ridiculous?"
Jiang Huaiyu suddenly asked.
The foreman turned around and saw that she was a pregnant woman, six months along, and his expression couldn't help but show some contempt.
"You're just a woman, how dare you meddle in government affairs?"
Jiang Huaiyu walked to Ling Mo's side, gently stroking his abdomen with both hands, and slightly raised his chin, exuding a sense of nobility and confidence: "So what if I'm a woman? Do you know what kind of family I come from?"
Before the class monitor could ask any questions, she continued, “I am the daughter of the prominent Jiang family in the capital. My father is a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Rites, my younger sister is married to the heir of the Marquis of Jingyuan and becomes the lady of the Marquis’s mansion, and my husband is the newly appointed top scholar in the imperial examination. Tonight, we encountered an accident in Wusu, but fortunately, Young Master Ling stepped forward and saved us from our predicament.”
"I invited you officers here to arrest these criminals. Now that they have been subdued, you want to take away my savior. Isn't that a bit inhumane?"
On that harrowing night, she suffered an unexpected ordeal; her hair was disheveled, her clothes torn, and she appeared somewhat wretched. Yet, she maintained a composed elegance, a hint of anger flickering in her eyes, inspiring awe and making one hesitant to meet her gaze.
The aura of authority emanating from her, usually reserved for those in positions of power, instantly stunned the squad leader, leaving him at a loss for words.
The head constable never imagined that those seemingly unattainable prestigious titles—heir apparent, fifth-rank official, and top scholar—would actually be witnessed in this seemingly ordinary little courtyard. What surprised him even more was that such a distinguished person actually lived in this courtyard.
The squad leader scrutinized Jiang Huaiyu again, and judging from her demeanor, what she said was clearly true.
He thought for a moment, then put on a smile and said respectfully, "So it turns out that you are a distinguished person from the capital. I was just ignorant and hope you will forgive me."
"Madam was frightened tonight, and since this young man is your benefactor, I would not dare to be negligent. We will immediately arrest these thieves and interrogate them thoroughly, and we will surely give Madam a satisfactory answer!"
(End of this chapter)
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