Chapter 764 - 457: Double Act

A carriage was traveling on the cobblestone street of Divine Cloud Prefecture.

The wooden wheels wrapped in animal hide rolled over the cobblestones, producing a rumbling sound.

In the market streets of Divine Cloud Prefecture, this carriage was not particularly conspicuous; it could hardly be called luxurious, and it even seemed somewhat shabby.

Inside the carriage, Jiang Zhe lazily stretched, lifted a corner of the curtain, glanced at the street scene outside, and said with a smile, "It seems we arrived just in time. I woke up just as we got here."

Jiang Zhe lowered the curtain and said to Liu Shushan, who was sitting across from him looking a bit tense, "Shushan, you must have been to Divine Cloud Prefecture before, right?"

Liu Shushan smiled awkwardly and replied, "I’ve been here a few times, though only briefly."

Not far from Liu Shushan, in a corner, sat an old man with a sullen face. He wore an expression that said ’stay away’, and he was sitting there with his eyes closed, resting.

Having traveled with him, Jiang Zhe and Liu Shushan were used to the old man’s eccentric temperament, so they chatted amongst themselves, pretending the old man didn’t exist.

Jiang Zhe nodded and said, "Master asked me to bring you here for training, hoping you’ll grow quickly. We are short-handed on Qingling Peak. If you put in the effort, next time you come, you might be asked to take charge yourself!"

Liu Shushan respectfully replied, "Rest assured, senior brother, I will give it my all."

"Hmm." Jiang Zhe said, "When we reach the Ministry of Justice, observe more and speak less."

"Yes, senior brother."

It wasn’t long before the somewhat shabby carriage stopped in front of the stone steps leading to the Ministry of Justice.

Nearby, a pockmarked-faced clerk assigned to handle affairs for the Outer Disciples at the Ministry of Justice turned his head at the sound, only to see two young men dressed in blue jump off the carriage, followed by an old man whose clothes were wrinkled. The old man also carried a black iron box on his back.

The older-looking of the young men instructed the servant driving the carriage, "Park the carriage at the inn."

"Yes, sir!" the servant driver replied, lightly whipping the horse’s rump. With the rumbling of the wheels, he drove away.

The pockmarked clerk, hearing the word ’inn’, glanced over the faces of the two young men.

At the entrance of the Ministry of Justice, a middle-aged clerk was already waiting there. Upon seeing the two young men and an old man jump off the carriage, he was momentarily stunned because Chen Shanmeng had instructed him to greet another person, Jiang Zhe, who had not yet arrived.

Chen Shanmeng mentioned a single individual, yet here were two people and an old man.

The middle-aged clerk hesitated only briefly before quickly descending the steps and bowing respectfully to the two youths, asking, "May I ask, has Mr. Jiang Zhe arrived?"

"I am Jiang Zhe."

The middle-aged clerk immediately prostrated himself upon hearing this, exclaiming, "Little one welcomes sir."

"Stand up!" Jiang Zhe said, "Have Mr. Yang and Mr. Lu arrived?"

The middle-aged clerk stood up and replied, "The two gentlemen have already arrived and are in the hall."

Jiang Zhe said, "Then let’s go, lead the way."

"Yes!" The middle-aged clerk glanced at Liu Shushan standing behind Jiang Zhe, then began to ascend the steps. Jiang Zhe, Liu Shushan, and the old man followed him into the Ministry of Justice.

Although Chen Shanmeng had mentioned one person had not yet arrived, it was clear that the two others accompanying Jiang Zhe were his people, and thus he naturally brought them all into the Ministry of Justice.

Even though the old man looked odd, he dared not stop him.

After all, he was merely a small clerk at the Ministry of Justice, whereas these were Direct Disciples of the sect, whom even Wang Maochun and Chen Shanmeng would prostrate before. How could he have any say in the matter? Even if Jiang Zhe brought a naked woman, he would silently lead her into the Ministry of Justice.

Matters concerning the senior figures were not his to manage.

The middle-aged clerk led Jiang Zhe and his entourage to the entrance of the main hall, where he bowed deeply and respectfully said, "Sir, we have reached the main hall!"

Before he had finished speaking, Jiang Zhe had already stepped inside.

After a moment, the middle-aged clerk straightened up and retreated.

In the main hall of the Ministry of Justice, the previous desk with a raised edge had been replaced with a longer table, behind which were three Grandmaster’s Chairs. At this time, Yang Yi and Lu Geng were already seated on the left and right chairs, leaving the middle one empty. Upon seeing Jiang Zhe enter, Yang Yi immediately rose, clasped his fists, and said with a smile, "Mr. Jiang, a pleasure to meet you!"

Lu Geng also rose and said, "Brother Jiang, how have you been?"

The difference in how they addressed Jiang Zhe was due to their differing statuses.

Yang Yi and Lu Geng, though one represented the Judgement and Rectification Department and the other the Internal History Department,

Lu Geng, like Jiang Zhe, held the status of a Direct Disciple.

While Yang Yi was merely a Registered Disciple who had failed to cross the white line during the Deep Valley test. However, as he was Yang Sixuan’s nephew, and Yang Sixuan had not yet accepted a disciple, he was entrusted with many affairs. Despite his low status, he wielded considerable power. Thus, he adhered to protocol and addressed him as "sir."

Under the hall of justice, sitting in Grandmaster’s Chairs in two rows were Chen Shanmeng, Ge Hengtai, and Lin Yuan. Upon seeing Yang Yi and Lu Geng rise, they knew it was Jiang Zhe and immediately got up to kowtow.

Jiang Zhe, as if not seeing the three prostrated figures, walked directly to Yang Yi and Lu Geng, clasped his fists, and said with a smile, "Brothers, sorry for being late!"

"You’re not late, you’re just on time," Lu Geng said with a smile, gesturing to the center seat, "Brother Jiang, please have a seat!"