Chapter 54

The arrow bounced on the ground a few times before finally coming to a stop. Lu Xiaofeng stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm and indifferent, looking like an ordinary, unremarkable passerby. But it was precisely this unremarkable aura that made no one in the crowd dare to make a move.

"Lu Xiaofeng! He is a wanted criminal by the imperial court. Do you want to protect him? Aren't you afraid of the wrath of heaven?" Cen Chong shouted sternly.

"Wow! He actually knows your name, but why doesn't he recognize me?" Ling Xiao exclaimed in surprise.

"My fame is actually quite high," Lu Xiaofeng explained casually, but the pride in his eyes was impossible to hide.

"Indeed! A guy who likes to poke people with his fingers and has four eyebrows is quite rare," Ling Xiao teased.

"Don't be discouraged. I believe your fame will soon surpass mine!" Lu Xiaofeng patted his shoulder, feigning comfort.

"Why do you say that?"

"How could a swordsman personally named by Ye Gucheng not be famous!" Lu Xiaofeng said matter-of-factly, leaving Ling Xiao speechless and embarrassed.

Cen Chong's anger burned fiercely. The two of them were so indifferent in front of him, which was a great humiliation! In fact, this was a misunderstanding. They simply didn't take Cen Chong seriously, so there was no question of humiliation!

Just as Cen Chong was about to give another order, a constable rushed over in a panic. "Master, it's not good!"

"You're the one who's not good! Speak up if you have something to say," Cen Chong scolded.

The constable scratched his head awkwardly and continued, "The commander of the Jinyiwei has brought a large force to surround the Six Fans Gate and is now confronting our men!"

Cen Chong was shocked. The Divine Constable was protecting the emperor in the palace, and during this time, all matters of the Six Fans Gate were under his jurisdiction. But such a major incident had occurred in this short period!

After a moment of deep thought, he suddenly looked at Ling Xiao. "It's your people!"

Ling Xiao shook his finger in a casual manner. "How can you say they are my people! They are the emperor's people. The Jinyiwei only act when the Six Fans Gate does something harmful to the court!" He playfully put a big hat on Cen Chong.

"Bullshit! The constables of the Six Fans Gate are loyal to the emperor. How dare you criticize us!" Cen Chong shouted in anger.

"Then you can go and negotiate with Baihu!" Ling Xiao shrugged, indicating that it was none of his business.

Cen Chong was still deep in thought, trying to come up with a strategy, while Ling Xiao had already started chatting with Lu Xiaofeng.

"Why are you here?" Ling Xiao asked curiously.

"Granny Cai told me," Lu Xiaofeng replied frankly.

"How did you manage to buy Granny Cai?" Ling Xiao exclaimed.

Lu Xiaofeng chuckled. "I just told her that a young lady had taken a fancy to you and asked me to find out about your hobbies and habits. Granny Cai is a kind-hearted person and offered to pass the message for me."

Ling Xiao's lips twitched. "I didn't think Granny Cai would still be so enthusiastic about her matchmaker career!" He sighed and then asked, "Why did you investigate me?" As he spoke, he noticed Lu Xiaofeng looking at him with an unprecedented seriousness.

"What's wrong?"

"You are a mysterious person, and I am always curious about mysterious things."

"What's so mysterious about me?" Ling Xiao asked, puzzled.

Lu Xiaofeng stroked his beautiful mustache. "You are not interested in anything, but you know everything! You are lazier than I am. I enjoy a lazy life, but I can't resist investigating strange things. You, however, would rather the world be peaceful and only act when forced to. I actually quite dislike people like you!"

Ling Xiao nodded. "So, the point is that you dislike me? But this isn't dislike! It's jealousy! You're jealous that I know more than you, so you had someone follow me. You're jealous that I'm lazier than you, so you always find ways to trouble me. You're jealous that I'm handsomer than you, so you always show off your mustache in front of me!"

Lu Xiaofeng looked defeated. "Alright, let's forget what I said before. Now I want to be your friend. Your actions today show that you are a man of honor and loyalty!"

Ling Xiao stroked his chin, looking troubled. "Be friends? Alright, I'll think about it!"

"Imperial decree!"

A sharp, loud voice came from outside. Ling Xiao felt a headache every time he heard this voice, as if his skin was crawling. Soon, Wei Zhongxian appeared with the imperial decree, followed by Ling Lingfa.

Wei Zhongxian did not immediately read the decree but frowned at the scene before him. The not-so-long corridor was littered with people, and the hard stone walls were covered with shocking scars. Ling Lingfa looked around in surprise. Good grief! What a mess! But where did Xiao Ling get so many wind wheels?

When they approached and saw Ling Xiao's current state, Wei Zhongxian exclaimed in shock, and Ling Lingfa's hand trembled, his eyes filled with a murderous intent that seemed to burn through the sky!

Ling Xiao was about to greet them when he noticed Ling Lingfa's sudden calm. What was going on? Was the sun rising in the west? As he wondered, Wei Zhongxian began to read the imperial decree.

Everyone immediately knelt, and Ling Xiao was about to kneel as well but was stopped by Wei Zhongxian. "Mr. Ling is seriously injured, so please don't move!" His words of concern made Ling Xiao pause, and he replied, "Thank you, Sir!"

On the surface, it was a gesture of concern, but the underlying meaning was extraordinary. If anyone was sick, there were plenty on the ground! But even if they were dying, they had to kneel to receive the imperial decree! Wei Zhongxian's actions showed that Ling Xiao was of great importance to the emperor!

At this moment, Cen Chong felt as if a bottle of vinegar had been thrown into a deep abyss, making him feel sour all over! No matter how he looked at it, Ling Xiao didn't seem like a hero who could forgive and forget. If there was no turning point, he would have to be careful in the future!

"The emperor has decreed that Ling Xiao and the involved constables are to be summoned to the palace for an audience!"

Wei Zhongxian coldly said to Cen Chong, "What are you waiting for? Follow me!" He left first, not even giving them time to treat their wounds. The Four Great Detectives left with bitter smiles, dragging their injured bodies.

Ling Xiao's treatment was much better. Wei Zhongxian left without a word, giving him ample time to treat his wounds.

"Take care of your wounds first!" Ling Lingfa said with concern.

"It's fine, just a little blood. Let's go see the emperor like this!" Ling Xiao smiled sinisterly.

Lu Xiaofeng's eyes twitched. "Do you have to be so hard on yourself? Blood loss is harmful to your health!"

"It's fine, it looks scary but it's just surface wounds," Ling Xiao said nonchalantly.

At this moment, Shiniang, who had been listening outside, gently opened the door. "Husband! I was so scared! Wah!" She threw herself into Ling Lingfa's arms and burst into tears. Ling Xiao rolled his eyes at the scene. She had been so bold just a moment ago, but now she was acting like a little woman!

Ling Lingfa tightly embraced his wife, stroking her head to comfort her. He looked around the room, then at Ling Xiao's position and his shocking injuries, and patted Ling Xiao's shoulder, seemingly understanding something.

The light pat made Ling Xiao wince, and Ling Lingfa, seeing the blood on his hand, wiped it on Lu Xiaofeng's clothes. "I won't thank you!"

Lu Xiaofeng looked at the bloodstain on his clothes and was speechless. "Indeed, you two are destined to be master and apprentice, both so annoying!"

...

Wei Zhongxian entered the Golden Hall first, followed by the others.

The emperor was standing in the hall, waiting. Suddenly, a bloodied figure leaped over the crowd and rushed to the emperor.

"Your Majesty! Your humble servant almost didn't see you again!" The voice was earth-shattering and ghostly, truly heart-wrenching!

The bloodied figure suddenly grabbed the emperor's leg, startling him. When he heard the cries, he realized it was Ling Xiao! At this moment, Ling Xiao was completely covered in blood, and anyone who saw him would write the word "tragic." To achieve the best effect, Ling Xiao even squeezed blood from his already scabbed wounds!

"Your Majesty, what happened? Someone, call the imperial physician!" the emperor called out, concerned.

Ling Xiao was taken away to treat his wounds. He wasn't worried about Cen Chong and the others distorting the truth because Lu Xiaofeng would tell the whole story. Humph! How long had that guy been hiding?

When Ling Xiao returned, wrapped like a mummy, he heard the emperor's angry roar from a distance. "Well done! They call you the Divine Constable, and you are truly divine! You single-handedly took down the entire Six Fans Gate, from the executioners to the Four Great Detectives! Tell me, what use are you if I spend so much silver to support you all!"

"Your humble servant deserves death!"

Ling Xiao entered the hall and saw that the speaker was a middle-aged man in black armor, with sharp eyes like an eagle and a face full of righteousness, clearly someone who couldn't tolerate any wrongdoing.

"This must be the Divine Constable!" Ling Xiao thought, looking at the half-kneeling Divine Constable.

The emperor, seeing Ling Xiao, asked, "Are you well, my loyal subject?"

Ling Xiao's eyes welled up with tears, and he looked moved. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. Your humble servant is fine now!"

The emperor smiled and nodded, then asked the Divine Constable, "Since you caught him, explain the situation to me!"

The Divine Constable was taken aback. He had been guarding the palace and didn't know what had happened! He turned to look at the Four Great Detectives and gave Cen Chong a meaningful glance.

Cen Chong nodded in understanding and stepped forward. "Your Majesty, the entire incident started with a murder case..."

Cen Chong's account was concise, without any embellishment.

The emperor was silent for a moment, then asked, "How did you four rise to your positions as the Four Great Detectives?"

Why ask this? Cen Chong, puzzled, answered, "We are ranked by merit, not by martial arts skills."

The emperor nodded and suddenly slapped Cen Chong's face. The sound echoed throughout the Golden Hall, and Cen Chong fell to the ground, covering his face. Ling Xiao winced in sympathy.

"How many wrongful cases have you caused over the years! Just because of a portrait found on a killer, you dared to raid a house! If Ling Xiao were a commoner, would you have planned to kill him to cover up your mistake!" the emperor shouted at Cen Chong on the ground.

"We... we had evidence," Han Long defended from the side.

"What evidence?"

"The bullet! The wounds on the magician matched the wounds caused by the bullet," Cen Chong chimed in.

Slap! Another slap. "The bullet was found after the raid! If you hadn't found it, would you have used torture to extract a confession!" The emperor then turned to Ling Xiao. "Tell them why the bullet and the wounds matched."

"Because I did shoot him," Ling Xiao answered straightforwardly.

Cen Chong dared not speak, and Han Long quickly said, "You hear that? He has admitted it!"

Everyone looked at him with strange expressions, and the Divine Constable wished he could find a hole to hide in. Ling Xiao laughed. "What did I admit? He shot at me, so I shot back, but does that prove I killed him? I also shot Ye Gucheng! Is he dead?"

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