Daqian Martial Saint

Chen Ping’an sat in his chair, recalling the contents of the letter.

He had briefly analyzed the letter’s contents and found them highly credible.

He couldn’t forget what Zhao Lianzhi of the Weishui Garrison had told him when he was ordered to rush to the trade route’s garrison.

"Lord Guan states that with the Long’an Trade Route about to open, the various factions on its periphery are causing unrest. Official duties and trivial matters are flooding in like a tide. It is a tangled mess, difficult for him to sort out alone, so he hopes the Deputy Inspection Envoy dispatched by the Garrison Commandant’s Office can arrive as soon as possible!"

’Official duties and trivial matters, flooding in like a tide?’

’A tangled mess, difficult to sort out?’

A hint of coldness couldn’t help but surface in Chen Ping’an’s eyes.

’Neglecting his duties? Lost in the arms of women?’

’Is this how he, Guan Yu Ping, sorts out his official duties?’

’Interesting!’

’Truly interesting!’

Chen Ping’an touched his chest. Tucked inside his robes lay a bracelet woven from colorful silk threads.

"Nannan..."

Chen Ping’an closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, his face was devoid of any obvious emotion. His eyes were profound, like a bottomless abyss.

’What was Zhao Zhiteng’s purpose in putting this letter in my hands?’

’Does he genuinely want me to investigate Feng Shixian’s case thoroughly? Or is it that a thorough investigation of Feng Shixian’s death just happens to align with the interests of his Qiankun Bureau?’

’Does he want me and Guan Yu Ping to fight so the Qiankun Bureau can reap the benefits? Or does he want me to see the reality of the Garrison Commandant’s Office, so he can use the opportunity to win me over?’

’Or is it for some other reason...?’

Chen Ping’an replayed his conversation with Zhao Zhiteng in his mind, meticulously combing through every word in the letter, trying to piece together a complete motive from the fragments of information.

After a long while, Chen Ping’an finally rose from his chair.

"Thinking without acting is useless, no matter how much I think! Since this all started with Feng Shixian’s death, I’ll investigate that first. Besides..."

"I don’t care what schemes or plots you have. If you truly anger me, be it Guan Yu Ping or Zhao Zhiteng, I’ll slap you all to death!"

VMM~

A flash of golden light flickered between Chen Ping’an’s brows, carrying with it an indescribable, tyrannical aura.

...

With a clear direction, Chen Ping’an prepared to personally visit the site of Feng Shixian’s death early the next morning.

As he was about to leave, he happened upon a Standard-Bearer who was preparing to lead a team out.

"Lord Chen, are you heading out?"

This Standard-Bearer’s name was Niu Lianggong. He sat high on a tall horse, with more than twenty elite constables behind him. He looked at Chen Ping’an, who was heading out alone with a single horse, and his eyes held a subtle hint of mockery.

It had been quite a few days since Chen Ping’an assumed his post. However, Guan Yu Ping, the Outer Trade Road Patrol Envoy, had yet to return. They had all seen what Guan Yu Ping’s attitude toward Chen Ping’an was.

As the saying goes, where the superior leads, the subordinates are sure to follow.

Furthermore, Chen Ping’an was a newcomer, and the transfer of authority had been delayed. He held the title of Deputy Inspection Envoy but had no real power under his command. Seeing Chen Ping’an all alone while he himself was surrounded by a crowd of men, Niu Lianggong felt his reverence slip even further.

However, Niu Lianggong wasn’t a fool. He didn’t openly display his disrespect or lack of courtesy.

"Niu Zongqi!"

Chen Ping’an glanced at Niu Lianggong.

Although the man’s tone sounded respectful enough, Chen Ping’an disliked the look in his eyes. It was not the way a subordinate should look at a superior.

"Why do you not dismount upon seeing this Envoy?"

Chen Ping’an now held the noble post of Outer Trade Road Patrol Deputy Envoy, a Vice Commander Level position, and was qualified to refer to himself as "this Envoy." However, he usually presented an approachable image and rarely used the title.

Hearing this, Niu Lianggong was taken aback.

As a subordinate seeing a superior, he was, strictly speaking, required to dismount and salute. Most of the time, however, people let it slide and didn’t enforce the rule so rigidly.

Since taking his post, Chen Ping’an had always spoken to them with a gentle tone and a smile on his face, looking for all the world like a good-natured scholar wherever he went. Just now, Niu Lianggong had intended to use the situation to build up his own prestige in front of his subordinates. He had assumed that, given Chen Ping’an’s personality, the man wouldn’t say anything.

But he had never anticipated such a strong reaction.

This left him momentarily stunned.

"Hm?"

Chen Ping’an’s gaze fell upon Niu Lianggong, as heavy as a mountain.

Feeling that gaze, Niu Lianggong’s expression changed abruptly. A piece of information he had consciously ignored suddenly flooded his mind.

’Ninety-first on the Rising Star Chart, Mang Blade! Acts recklessly, without regard for the consequences...’

Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, Niu Lianggong forced a smile, dismounted, and clasped his hands in a salute to Chen Ping’an.

"Your subordinate, Niu Lianggong, pays his respects to Lord Chen!"

Watching Niu Lianggong bow respectfully, a faint, cold smirk touched the corners of Chen Ping’an’s mouth.

’I’ve been lying low for too long. Guan Yu Ping is one thing, but now that I’m back at the garrison, every Tom, Dick, and Harry dares to get in my face!’

’If I ignore Niu Lianggong’s behavior today and don’t counter it, things will only get worse. Others might even start imitating him.’

’The man in charge dislikes his second-in-command. If that second-in-command is a pushover with no backbone, then opportunists will surely step on him to curry favor with the boss!’

’The human heart is a difficult thing to fathom.’

’But a true leader doesn’t just possess great power. More importantly, they can command the hearts of men and control the situation.’

"Niu Lianggong, sometimes, if you only focus on figuring out what your superiors want, you won’t see anything clearly. You’ll just end up spinning in circles. Honestly doing your own job and fulfilling your duties is more important than anything else!"

"Thank you for your guidance, Lord Chen. I will take it to heart." Niu Lianggong kept his head bowed, his expression hidden, and it was impossible to tell if he had truly listened to Chen Ping’an’s words.

Chen Ping’an paid him no mind. Having put the man in his place, he pulled on his reins and rode straight out of the garrison gates.

Only after Chen Ping’an had left did Niu Lianggong slowly raise his head and sneer, "What a show of authority! Someone who didn’t know better might think he was the Inspection Envoy!"

Niu Lianggong sneered again and immediately vaulted back onto his horse. When he looked again in the direction Chen Ping’an had gone, his figure had already vanished at the end of the road.

Glancing around at his men, Niu Lianggong’s face twisted into a sneer. "He has the empty title of Deputy Inspection Envoy, but he rides out all by himself. In the end, aside from that ragtag bunch he brought with him, he has no one else under his command. His position is already this weak, and in a situation like this, instead of trying to get on our good side, he dares to pull rank? He’s practically courting death!

Does he really think he can fight Lord Guan all by himself?! What a joke!"

Niu Lianggong scoffed, turning his horse in a circle before shouting to the riders behind him.

"Brothers, move out! Time to patrol!"

"Yes, Lord Niu!" the riders behind him roared in response.

With a thunder of hooves, the riders galloped out of the garrison gate, kicking up a cloud of dust. Compared to Chen Ping’an’s solitary departure, their procession was undoubtedly much grander.

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