Chapter 429 - 406: Visitors from the Ministry of Justice

Chapter 429: Chapter 406: Visitors from the Ministry of Justice

News that the Zhengyang Sect had arrived in Lingzhou City spread quickly.

The Jianghu people in the city could smell gunpowder in the air.

Ostensibly, the Zhengyang Sect claimed that Vice Sect Leader Liu Chongde was leading a delegation to the Celestial Profound Sect for a friendly spar. But at a time like this, who couldn’t see they were clearly taking the Celestial Profound Sect’s side?

Unlike the stance of the Buddhist Dao’s major sects, the Zhengyang Sect and the Celestial Profound Sect had stood firm in the last conflict between the Court and the Jianghu.

This time was no different.

The Zhengyang Sect was not to be compared to the current Celestial Profound Sect; their strength was so great that even the Court had to be wary of them.

The most crucial factor was their Sect Leader, a supreme expert who had broken through the Divinity Communication Barrier two hundred years ago. Furthermore, they had another Divinity Grandmaster. This strength was their greatest support.

Just as the situation in Lingzhou City was growing delicate, a group of officials arriving from the Capital City shattered the stalemate.

"This subordinate greets Lord Han."

The Prefect of Lingzhou, Zeng Shun, bowed respectfully to the old man before him.

Although this old man was a second-grade official just like Bai Yuan, his influence in the Imperial Court was far beyond what Bai Yuan could match.

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Han Changnian.

He had helmed the Ministry of Justice for a century, his prestige was nearly unrivaled in the Empire, and he had been praised by Emperor Li Chengyuan as the "Whip of Xuan Yang."

Zeng Shun had already learned about the Jiu Moshi situation from Linghu Yang. He knew the Court would not let the matter rest, but he never expected the Minister of the Ministry of Justice himself to come to Lingzhou.

The last time one of the Six Ministers had come to Lingzhou was seventy years ago.

This was enough to show how seriously the Court was taking this matter.

Han Changnian merely glanced indifferently at Zeng Shun.

He resided in the Capital City year-round and rarely interfered in local affairs, but that didn’t mean he was unaware of Zeng Shun’s situation.

Eighty percent of officials like Zeng Shun were entangled with the major local sects.

Of course, this was an unsurprising result of the mutual compromises between the Court and the Jianghu.

After all, without these major sects, it would be truly difficult for the Court to govern the vast Xuan Yang Empire completely.

Even the current ambitious Emperor only wanted to strengthen the Court’s control over the Jianghu. If the Court had to handle everything itself, the expense would be simply unbearable.

"Imperial Censor Bai."

Han Changnian ignored Zeng Shun and clasped his hands in a salute toward Bai Yuan, who was standing in the front courtyard of the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office.

For a veteran Minister with such deep seniority to salute Bai Yuan showed that, in Han Changnian’s heart, he already considered them equals.

Seeing this, Zeng Shun was secretly shocked.

Bai Yuan didn’t act presumptuously and returned the salute to Han Changnian.

"Lord Han, it’s been a while."

Han Changnian looked at Bai Yuan with a hint of emotion.

He recalled the days when Bai Yuan was still in the Imperial Inspection Office. They had had some dealings, though not many, so he had some understanding of this young man whose fame now topped the Xuan Yang Empire.

But even he hadn’t expected the young man’s progress in the Martial Dao to be so astonishingly fast.

It was truly a rare sight in the world.

A Mingxin Grandmaster under the age of forty was simply too outrageous.

’If only he were a descendant of my own family.’

The more Han Changnian looked at Bai Yuan, the more useless his own family’s descendants seemed.

This old Minister, due to his position as Minister of the Ministry of Justice, was already strict in managing his household. When he returned to the Han Family after concluding the business in Lingzhou, the Han Clan Members would undoubtedly suffer for it. It could be considered a disaster they didn’t bring upon themselves.

Han Changnian said, "Lord Bai, let’s go inside to talk in detail."

After saying this to Bai Yuan, he turned to Zeng Shun with a majestic expression. "Lord Bai and I have important matters to discuss. Clear everyone out of the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office."

Facing a high-ranking official with such deep seniority like Han Changnian, how could Zeng Shun dare to refuse in the slightest?

A single word from Han Changnian could cost him his position.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the Lingzhou Prefecture Magistrate’s Office was emptied, leaving only Bai Yuan and Han Changnian.

Looking at the empty courtyard, Bai Yuan sighed to himself.

’I’m still too benevolent when it comes to being an official.’

’Look at Lord Han. Now *that’s* what you call style.’

With a single sentence, the entire Prefecture Magistrate’s Office became his personal courtyard.

Han Changnian was long accustomed to such scenes.

Being an official was all about how a higher rank could crush a lower one. Moreover, he was a second-grade imperial official, while Zeng Shun was merely a Northern Third-Grade Local Official. There was a gulf of five full steps between them.

Someone like Zeng Shun wouldn’t even be able to find a way to request an audience with him normally.

Having been an official for a hundred years, Han Changnian was long familiar with these channels.

"Lord Bai, I’ve already found evidence that Xia Han paid Jiu Moshi to assassinate you."

Bai Yuan’s brow twitched slightly.

The Ministry of Justice’s efficiency was far greater than he had imagined.

Truly the best Government Office in the world when it came to investigations.

The Court was slow only because it had too many matters to handle. But when it focused on a single task, its efficiency was second to none.

Since the Celestial Profound Sect dared to hire an assassin, Xia Han must have done so with extreme secrecy.

And yet, the Ministry of Justice still managed to find evidence, a testament to its brilliant methods.

"With Lord Han overseeing the Ministry of Justice, it is a blessing for the Xuan Yang Empire."

Bai Yuan impassively flattered Han Changnian.

A major figure like Han Changnian was well worth befriending; it would make things much more convenient in the future.

Han Changnian waved his hand dismissively. "There’s no need to compliment this old man. If Lord Bai hadn’t been so powerful in the Martial Dao as to slay Jiu Moshi, I wouldn’t have been able to follow the clues and find evidence so quickly."

Despite his words, the expression on old Minister Han’s face showed he was thoroughly enjoying the compliment.

Being admired by a young junior like Bai Yuan was an incredibly pleasant feeling for an old man like him.

Bai Yuan asked, "Lord Han, what are His Majesty’s instructions?"

He knew, of course, that the Ministry of Justice’s investigation into the Jiu Moshi affair had a hidden agenda. Their real target was the entire Celestial Profound Sect; they wouldn’t let this go so easily.