Chapter 64

Upon hearing his words, the beggars exchanged glances, unsure if this man had misspoken or if he was intentionally causing trouble. Indeed, since Chen Ang's appearance, his behavior had been so unpredictable and his temper so erratic that no one could fathom his true nature.

Shaolin is the foremost sect in the martial world, always a pillar of the江湖 and the leader of the righteous path. Chen Ang's words were undoubtedly a smear on Shaolin, tarnishing its reputation. However, given his unpredictable mood and his status as an official of the court, no one knew if his words were unintentional or a deliberate taunt. They could only look to Master Zhiguang for guidance.

Master Zhiguang remained silent for a long moment before sighing, "This calamity was all our doing; what has it to do with Shaolin?"

"A monk does not lie! Master, have you eaten your own face?" Chen Ang sneered. "Don't take me for a fool. They may not know, but do I not know? The tragedy at Yanmen Pass was a plot by the Xianbei rebels and the scum of the martial world to incite a war between Liao and Song, aiming to restore their nation. My Martial Prohibition Hall has been investigating this for years."

When the beggars heard him insult Master Zhiguang, they all wore expressions of righteous indignation. But when they heard about the "Xianbei rebels and the scum of the martial world," they were all greatly shocked. Wu Changlao, looking at the vigilant Murong family, could not help but exclaim, "Could the leader be the Murong Bo who died long ago at Yanziwu?"

Master Zhiguang, Zhao Qiansun, and Tan Gong and Tan Po all showed strange expressions, a mix of shame, fear, and honesty. Shan Zheng, however, snorted in anger, brandished his saber, and lunged at Chen Ang, shouting, "You corrupt official, how dare you twist the truth?"

His saber technique was fierce, and after a slash, he followed with a grab. The crowd marveled at his agile movements but also worried for him, thinking, "How could Shan Daxia be so impulsive? He has a family and a career. If he offends a court official, won't he be in trouble? But that corrupt official is indeed unreasonable and despicable."

Unexpectedly, Chen Ang simply flicked his wrist, grabbed Shan Zheng by the neck, shook him a couple of times, and with a skillful move, dislocated his joints, then threw him to the ground and stepped on his head.

"Justice Judge" Shan Zheng was a well-known figure in the Central Plains martial world. No one present dared to claim they could defeat him, not even Zhao Qiansun, who was only his equal. Now, he was like a small child, held in Chen Ang's hand, unable to resist, and humiliated by being stepped on. The onlookers were stunned.

"Is this man a demon?" Zhao Qiansun cried out, crouching behind, his face full of fear. Tan Po knew he was thinking of a figure that was both god and devil, and wanted to comfort him. Chen Ang's martial arts skills shocked everyone present. Tan Gong, fearing for her safety, quickly pulled her back.

The beggars were momentarily at a loss, hesitating on the side, with only one thought in mind: "This official has such formidable martial arts. Does the court really have such a skilled expert?"

Master Zhiguang could not help but say, "Director Chen, Shan Zheng was just angry. Let's talk things out calmly. Don't harm his life."

"He is an important suspect. I will not harm him but will do my best to protect his life," Chen Ang said coldly. "Master Zhiguang, don't take me for a fool. I ask you, is the leader the Shaolin Abbot Xuanci?"

Master Zhiguang clasped his hands together, his face unreadable, a sense of determination emanating from him.

"Do you want to commit suicide? Think about Shan Zheng first!" Chen Ang pressed his foot on Shan Zheng's head, forcing a muffled cry from him. Master Zhiguang, unable to bear it, turned his head and said solemnly, "Amitabha! Sir, please release Shan Daxia! I am willing to take his place."

"A great hero? He doesn't deserve it," Chen Ang sneered. "You still won't speak. Then I'll tell everyone!"

"The Liao people's plot against the Shaolin Sutra Pavilion, no matter how beautifully you describe it, is still a private matter of Shaolin! The claim that the Liao people learning Shaolin's secret techniques would lead to the downfall of the Song Dynasty is just a way to save face. If that were true, wouldn't spreading Shaolin martial arts throughout the Song Dynasty and having the military practice them prevent the fall of the Liao and Xia?"

"If that were true, not sharing your martial arts with the Song would be an act of treason! We martial artists know that the more profound the martial arts, the harder they are to master. Without the true teachings of Shaolin, how many of the so-called secret techniques could be learned? How many of the seventy-two secret techniques have your well-qualified and hardworking monks mastered? The matter of the Sutra Pavilion has nothing to do with the Song Dynasty."

Chen Ang mocked, "This is a matter of Shaolin, not the nation. Do you even deserve the surname Zhao?"

Master Zhiguang and those who had experienced the past events all wore gloomy faces. The beggars, though angry at Chen Ang's taunts, found some truth in his words. Some of the more daring began to whisper, "This is indeed just a matter of the martial world. The Song martial arts are far superior to the Liao, yet the Song can only barely hold its own against the Liao. Clearly, martial arts have little to do with national strength."

Zhao Qiansun cried out, "We have served the country. Do you have the right to come here and mock us?" His voice was filled with sorrow and a sense of injustice. Indeed, anyone who does good and is met with accusations would not be calm. Chen Ang felt some sympathy, but unfortunately, these people were too unintelligent, often doing good with bad results, like a team of pigs. It would be best to get rid of them early.

"Serving the country? Who can prove it?" Chen Ang said sternly. "I know that one of you is a traitor. The Murong family is of the Great Yan royal lineage, a foreign Xianbei. You worked with them to incite a war between Liao and Song, aiming to overthrow the nation and cause bloodshed. Remember, the people of the Liao are mostly Han. Calling you scum of the martial world is not wrong."

"You are making false accusations!" Zhao Qiansun was in tears, stumbling and shouting, "This is not true! We did nothing wrong! We were not used by others!" He suddenly grabbed Master Zhiguang's collar and demanded, "Tell me, did Murong Bo deceive us?"

Master Zhiguang lowered his head, not daring to look at him. Zhao Qiansun laughed wildly, a sound filled with despair. Whenever he was alone at night, he would think of the massacre at Yanmen Pass, feeling both fear and regret. His only belief was the justice of serving the country and the people. Now, with his belief on the brink of collapse, he seemed almost mad.

"You didn't do anything major, but you were just too stupid and were deceived. The government doesn't hold the mistakes of the foolish and the ignorant against them. What do you have to blame yourself for?" Chen Ang moved swiftly, pointing at Zhao Qiansun, making him fall into Tan Po's arms. Tan Gong was both angry and helpless, only able to shake his head in sighs.

The five Shan brothers quickly helped Shan Zheng up, seeing that he was weak and could not even stand. They realized that Chen Ang had dislocated his joints, a terrifying skill. The ease with which he had pointed at Zhao Qiansun made everyone present deeply wary of Chen Ang.

"The truly guilty are those who say one thing and do another, like the leader with only a title, whose name no one knows!" Chen Ang said, looking at Master Zhiguang with a smile.

At this moment, everyone guessed the identity of the leader. Besides Shaolin Abbot Xuanci, who else could have such a position to fight for Shaolin? Some of the beggars showed dissatisfaction, and a few even laughed mockingly.

"I have a clear conscience, and Abbot Xuanci has a clear conscience!" Master Zhiguang said, clasping his hands together and speaking loudly.

"If you have a clear conscience, why did you force Qiao Feng to speak? What a moral coercion! If you don't think you did anything wrong, why do you use various words to defend yourself? Saying 'I'm sorry, I was wrong'—is it so hard? For a monk, you are a disgrace." Chen Ang mocked.

These words made the beggars feel a sense of justice and excitement, especially the lower-ranking disciples who deeply admired Qiao Feng's righteousness. They looked at Master Zhiguang with disdain, making him close his eyes and shake his head.

"You, a monk, wanted to throw a baby to its death. When your compassion arose, instead of reflecting on yourself, you thought you were too soft-hearted. Clearly, you have not repented in all these years. Your so-called compassion is all nonsense! The Liao people, who suffered from your killing of their families, still showed mercy. You, a monk, only talk about Buddha, not practice it."

Chen Ang sighed, "Tell me, have you repented in all these years? If you had, you would have resolved the two generations of enmity. But you hide and evade, unwilling to reveal the leader's name. Your desire for fame and profit has caused much harm!"

Master Zhiguang sat on the ground, head bowed and eyes closed, not daring to speak more.

"I suspect you colluded with the Murong family. As monks, you committed murder and did not seek to atone, but instead tried to cover up for the main culprit. Who would believe you were not intentional?" Chen Ang shook his head.

Master Zhiguang, seeing the beggars all glaring at him, could not defend himself, "I thought Mr. Murong was also deceived. He is already dead, and death is like a lamp being extinguished. Why pursue and disturb the dead?"

"Who said Murong Bo is dead? Isn't he living well on the back mountain of Shaolin?" Chen Ang's words caused a stir. Some of the more radical beggars already picked up their cudgels, ready to strike Master Zhiguang.

Master Zhiguang, shocked, asked, "Is this true?"

"Next month, when I question Shaolin, you can come and see for yourself. During this time, do not commit suicide out of fear of punishment!" Chen Ang said, "Moreover, you show mercy to a conspirator and a dead man, but not to the victims. You do not feel ashamed for the orphans you wronged, but you cover for the one who made you commit this great wrong. Instead of accepting the consequences, you have a heart of persecution. Truly a high monk."

He sighed deeply, displaying a dramatic flair.

"Xuanci and his ilk, with their false righteousness, are hard to distinguish as loyal or treacherous. As the saying goes, great loyalty seems treacherous, and great kindness seems false. Of course, the opposite is also possible. I do not know your true intentions or who colluded with Murong Bo. I will treat everyone equally and investigate thoroughly."

Master Zhiguang said silently, "I was wrong. If the truth is as you say, please clear my name. I have wronged Qiao Feng and will spend the rest of my life praying for his parents. I will attend the Shaolin meeting and give Qiao Feng an explanation."

The beggars' impression of Chen Ang changed dramatically. Originally, they were indignant, feeling that the court was insulting martial arts predecessors. Now, they felt a sense of shared grievance, thinking that while Master Zhiguang was pitiful, he was not honorable. Chen Ang, though domineering, spoke some truth and could be considered fair.

Wu Changlao clasped his hands and said, "Thank you, Director, for speaking up for our leader. At the Shaolin meeting, our beggars will not fall behind and will clear Qiao Feng's name."

"The matter of Deputy Leader Ma, without a doubt, was done by Murong Bo