Southern Garrison

Gu Qingxuan suppressed his doubts, restored the Heavenly Secret Token, and placed it on the table.

Soon, hurried footsteps could be heard outside the courtyard.

Granny Zhu returned, her face glowing, and her steps were much lighter than before.

As soon as she entered, she bowed deeply to Gu Qingxuan: "Young Master Gu, I thank you on behalf of Your Highness for your great kindness."

Gu Qingxuan stepped aside to avoid the bow: "There's no need for that, Granny."

Granny Zhu straightened up, her eyes filled with gratitude: "His Highness is currently refining moonlight in the back hall, and his true essence circulation is at a critical juncture. He is unable to come to see the young master in person, so he specially asked me to convey his thanks. His Highness is already aware of the young master's matter."

Her expression turned serious: "His Highness said that you need not worry about the matter of the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence. Tomorrow morning, she will personally go to the palace to request a pardon from His Majesty. Xie Tinghe committed adultery and murdered her husband first, and you acted in self-defense afterward. This matter is legally justified and morally excusable. As for Xie Jiantang, His Highness has his own plans, as does the Imperial Preceptor. Since you serve His Highness, you are not someone that anyone can touch."

After he finished speaking, even Wu Dingbang's expression relaxed a bit.

Although he had expected Jiang Nihuang to protect him, he did not expect her to do so so decisively—personally entering the palace to request a pardon. These words, spoken by Jiang Nihuang, were completely different from those spoken by others.

Granny Zhu took out a token and two official certificates from her sleeve and presented them to Gu Qingxuan with both hands.

The token was entirely gilded, with a ring of fine phoenix feather patterns engraved around its edge.

The four characters "Zhaohua Jinling" are engraved in the center, while the back features a phoenix stretching its neck and crying out.

The person holding this order is an official of Princess Zhaohua's residence and has the authority to dispatch Fengming Pavilion!

The two official documents were laid out side by side.

A letter bearing the phoenix-patterned vermilion seal of the Fengming Pavilion, with the four characters "Fengwen Pavilion Leader," indicates a fifth-rank official under the Fengming Pavilion, responsible for the collection and analysis of intelligence from various sources; this is a civil service position.

Another seal bears the bronze seal of the Zhenfu Division, with the inscription "Centenarian of the Northern Zhenfu Division," a sixth-rank official position under the Northern Zhenfu Division, a military post.

This was the protection Jiang Nihuang gave him.

Whether one takes the route through Fengming Pavilion or through the Zhenfu Division, one will have a respectable official status. With an official status, one is no longer a criminal, but an official appointed by the imperial court.

"His Highness said that the young master can choose one of these two paths," said Granny Zhu.

Without hesitation, Gu Qingxuan reached out and accepted the Zhaohua Golden Token and the official certificate of the Hundred-Household Commander of the Northern Garrison.

The three people present reacted differently to this choice.

A smile appeared on Granny Zhu's lips, Wu Dingbang smiled as well, and Yang Jingting's expression relaxed considerably.

Each of the three had their own thoughts, but all were satisfied with the choice.

Gu Qingxuan saw this and understood that Fengming Pavilion was no longer Jiang Nihuang's Fengming Pavilion.

The person in charge of Fengming Pavilion nowadays is Jiang Nihuang's younger sister, Princess Chongning, Jiang Wanyi.

Jiang Nihuang was devoted to martial arts, and casually gave the Phoenix Cry Pavilion, which she had personally built, to her younger sister as a toy.

Jiang Wanyi was arrogant and domineering, turning Fengming Pavilion into a chaotic mess and gradually turning it into a tool for her to achieve her personal desires. Working under her was nothing more than being a tool. The title of Pavilion Leader sounded good, comparable to a thousand-household commander, but in the end, it was nothing more than running errands for that little princess.

Gu Qingxuan had no interest whatsoever.

It's tough working in the Zhenfu Division, but the prospects are better.

With a smile, Granny Zhu turned to Wu Dingbang and bowed, saying, "Then please take care of the young master, Lord Wu."

Wu Dingbang bowed respectfully, his expression solemn: "Your Highness's command is my command!"

The three bid farewell and left, their figures gradually disappearing outside the moon gate.

As Yang Jingting watched Gu Qingxuan's departing figure, a flash of blue light crossed his eyes.

It is the unique skill of the Kunlun Ruins Qi Observation lineage, the "Azure Sky Qi Observation Technique".

Granny Zhu stood beside him, leaning on her cane. Only after the blue light dissipated did she speak: "How was it?"

Yang Jingting frowned and said, "Strange. Apart from the short sword at his waist, this person has no other treasures. The sword is only of the Spirit Rank. How did he suddenly acquire such a high level of treasure appraisal ability? How could he decipher the Heavenly Mystery Palace's inheritance token so quickly?"

Granny Zhu pondered for a moment and said, "Perhaps, it's an innate talent." Then she suddenly smiled and said, "Lord Yang, you seemed quite satisfied that Young Master Gu chose the Zhenfu Division instead of the Fengming Pavilion?"

Yang Jingting smiled helplessly: "Please stop teasing me, Granny."

Granny Zhu burst into laughter.

She's lived for over sixty years, what can't she see through?

After handing over Fengming Pavilion to Jiang Wanyi, Jiang Nihuang no longer interfered in daily affairs, but occasionally she would bypass her sister and directly assign Fengming Pavilion to do things for her.

If Gu Qingxuan were to enter Fengming Pavilion, given his remarkable ability to appraise treasures that he displayed tonight, Jiang Nihuang would inevitably notice him sooner or later. Being so close and seeing each other every day, who knows what might happen?

Although Yang Jingting didn't say it, she could see right through his intentions.

Yang Jingting felt a little uncomfortable from her laughter. He turned to look towards the back hall, his gaze softening unconsciously, and said softly, "My senior sister is devoted to martial arts and has no interest in personal feelings. Please stop making fun of me, Granny."

"That's not necessarily true."

Granny Zhu shook her head, leaning on her cane, and slowly turned around, walking towards the inner hall: "Her Highness is not heartless; it's just that she's too proud and has never met anyone who has earned her even a second glance in all these years. She is only human, not born without feelings. As the ancients said, food and sex are human nature; why should you belittle yourself?"

Yang Jingting's heart skipped a beat, followed by a surge of warmth.

He turned and bowed deeply to Granny Zhu's retreating figure: "Thank you for your kind words, Granny."

As night deepened, the long street fell silent.

Wu Dingbang, Gu Qingxuan, and Shen Xiaoxiao returned to the Zhenfu Division and saw the brightly lit gate of the yamen from afar.

Dozens of imperial guards stood on both sides, their hands on their waist knives, exuding a menacing aura.

Gu Qingxuan was still puzzled about the [Heavenly Heart Lotus Seed] and doubted the accuracy of the Mountain and Sea Mystic Mirror.

Looking up, one could see a grand master's chair in the center of the gate, with a man sitting on it. He was about forty years old, with a sinister face, high cheekbones, and wearing the same style of cloud-patterned flying fish robe as Wu Dingbang.

It was Duan Beilou, the Southern Commander-in-Chief who was in charge of monitoring the internal affairs of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Gu Qingxuan's heart skipped a beat.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard's Zhenfu Division was divided into North and South.

The Northern Division was responsible for external affairs, including suppressing the Jianghu (江湖, the martial arts world), appeasing the supernatural, quelling rebellions, and handling major cases, reporting directly to the emperor; the Southern Division was responsible for internal affairs, overseeing the criminal law and military discipline of its own guard, with power covering the entire Embroidered Uniform Guard, including the Northern Division.

In theory, the two garrison commanders are of the same rank, but the Southern Garrison Commander has the right to investigate, investigate, and punish the Northern Garrison Commander. The Northern Garrison Commander also has special privileges, being directly responsible to the emperor and being the emperor's confidant. Taking action against him is equivalent to taking action against the emperor's people.

Therefore, although the South could nominally govern the North, in reality, the Southern Garrison Commander dared not arbitrarily punish the Northern Garrison Commander.

For three hundred years since Emperor Taizu established the Zhenfu Division, the Northern Division has always been superior to the Southern Division.

Until this dynasty.

When the late emperor was alive, he severely punished the princes for the rebellion of the imperial clan. Before the current emperor Jiang Yin ascended the throne, he was exiled. He was able to sit on the throne because Empress Pei Nan Yuan devoted all the power of the Pei family to support him, and because the eldest daughter of the former empress, Jiang Nihuang, led the Fengming Pavilion to quell the rebellion. Only then did he survive the most difficult period.

After ascending the throne, the emperor was grateful to his wife and daughter, and granted all requests made by Pei Nanyuan and Jiang Nihuang.

Wu Dingbang was recommended by Jiang Nihuang, and Duan Beilou was recommended by the Empress. From then on, the situation of the North suppressing the South was changed, and they began to compete on equal footing.

Duan Beilou has come today to demand an explanation.

He sat upright in his armchair, his posture leisurely. Only when the three approached did he speak slowly and deliberately: "Commander Wu, I am fully aware of tonight's events. Gu Qingxuan brutally murdered the Marquis of Dingyuan's only daughter late at night, and then committed the same act of violence in the street in front of the Commander's Office, killing Zhao Yi, the head of the Marquis's guards. Every single one of these acts is irrefutable!"

"According to the law, the Zhenfu Division is neither the Jingzhao Prefecture nor the Ministry of Justice. This case should have been reported to the relevant authorities by the Marquis's residence and transferred for trial. Zhenfu Wu overstepped his authority by harboring criminals, detaining them privately, and refusing to hand them over. This constitutes abuse of power for personal gain!"

At this point, he changed the subject: "I know you have a past relationship with Gu Dingyuan, and that camaraderie is understandable, but the law does not tolerate sentimentality! How about this, for the sake of our past as colleagues, you hand Gu Qingxuan over to me, and this matter will be temporarily suspended. What do you say?"

These words are soft yet firm, firm yet barbed.

First, they accuse you of abusing your power for personal gain, then they bring up your relationship with Gu Dingyuan, and finally they offer you a way out: if you obey, they won't impeach you; if you don't obey, they'll submit a memorial to the emperor accusing you of bending the law for personal gain.

After Duan Beilou finished speaking, he leaned back in his chair leisurely, waiting for Wu Dingbang's reaction.

Wu Dingbang hadn't even had a chance to speak.

Gu Qingxuan, standing behind him, realized—this bastard was here to cause trouble!

"cough!"

He coughed, his hand loosened, and something fell to the ground with a thud.

All eyes turned to the ground.

A gilded token lay on the bluestone slab, with the four seal characters "Zhaohua Jinling" clearly visible!

Gu Qingxuan bent down to pick up the token and muttered softly, "Why is this rope so flimsy? I need to replace it with a new one..." After saying that, he began to play with the golden token as if no one else was around, turning it over and over, making the golden phoenix flash in the firelight.

Duan Beilou's eyelids twitched suddenly.

Shen Xiaoxiao immediately turned her face away, almost bursting out laughing.

Wu Dingbang almost lost his composure, but fortunately, his years of experience in officialdom had honed his composure enough that he only twitched his lips slightly before quickly suppressing it.

If it were just a simple case, Duan Beilou would indeed have the right to be rude—the Northern Inspectorate is within his jurisdiction, and even if things fall apart, it is Wu Dingbang who violated the law first.

But things are different now.

Gu Qingxuan was still playing with the token, turning it over and over, clearly telling everyone: I am the person of the Princess Zhenguo. You want to take someone? Fine, come on, I'll let you take them!