The ten or so men below all collapsed to their knees, trembling.

They still didn’t dare to make a sound, but to everyone present, such a reaction was already more than enough.

Tan Ji stood up stiffly and looked at Fang Linyuan.

So this was it… what a move, playing the fool to catch the tiger. All the previous acts were nothing more than a setup for today, to expose them all in public.

He stared hard at Fang Linyuan, but Fang Linyuan didn’t even look back at him. His eyes lowered, his gaze sweeping calmly and quietly over the gathered soldiers.

Tan Ji turned his head.

Seated across from him, Jiang Huaqing was staring directly at him.

Jiang Huaqing’s gaze had turned dark. With a sweep of his eyes, he gestured subtly toward the drill grounds below the platform.

Tan Ji followed his line of sight.

What he saw was an overwhelming formation—thousands of soldiers standing silently at attention, fully armed and arrayed in formation, as if awaiting a command.

Jiang Huaqing was signaling him: use your own men, and deal with this mess immediately!

But… if he were to truly incite the troops into action…

Tan Ji looked around.

Over a dozen impersonators kneeling there, all the civil and military officials watching, and Fang Linyuan, calm and composed as ever…

What power did he have left to handle them?

Tan Ji’s hand, resting at his side, began to tremble uncontrollably.

Just then, Fang Linyuan’s voice rang out again not far off.

“You don’t have to speak if you don’t want to,” he said calmly to the dozen or so impostors below the platform. “But there are some things you’d best think through now. If you were forced into impersonating soldiers, at most you’ll be imprisoned or exiled when it comes before the court. But if you’re accomplices—willing participants—then the punishment is death by beheading.”

The group of people kneeling on the ground instantly erupted into sobbing and cries for mercy.

“Spare us, General, spare us!” someone cried out. “We were taken and forced into the army—we didn’t…”

“General Fang!”

This time, it was Jiang Huaqing again who interrupted Fang Linyuan.

Fang Linyuan turned around and saw him standing, his lips trembling slightly as he tried—and failed—to force out an awkward smile.

“General, if you're going to interrogate prisoners, it should be done according to proper judicial procedures,” he said. “These people, before being interrogated, ought to be detained in the Yanzhou prison.”

Even his voice was shaking—clearly, Fang Linyuan’s sudden strike had thrown him completely off balance. But Fang Linyuan just gave him a slight smile. “No need to be anxious, Lord Jiang.”

With that, he tilted his head slightly and looked toward Zhao Chu.

The merchants surrounding Zhao Chu were already terrified, shrinking in their seats like quail, not even daring to lift their heads—terrified of being dragged into this confrontation between the powerful officials.

But Zhao Chu met his eyes calmly. He stood up and reached out his hand to the side.

Both Jiang and Tan looked toward him in confusion.

A servant by his side pulled a ledger from inside his robes—it was unmistakably the account book used when they distributed disaster relief grain, the one recording which citizens had come to collect grain and payments.

What was he doing with that?

The two were dumbfounded, watching helplessly as the young Master Zhu held the ledger and walked up to stand behind General Fang.

A single glance from Fang Linyuan, and he moved without hesitation. With such silent understanding—if this wasn’t collusion, who would believe it?

Tan Ji suddenly turned to glare at Jiang Huaqing. Only to see Jiang glaring at him in turn.

Each of them had been keeping an eye on one of the two men, believing their surveillance to be airtight. Yet these two—Fang Linyuan and Zhao Chu—acted as though they had planned this in perfect coordination, every move seamless!

Meanwhile, Fang Linyuan turned back toward the kneeling men. “All right,” he said. “I’ll give you one more chance. What are your names?”

The dozen or so men stammered out their names, scattered and disorganized.

Fang Linyuan didn’t reply.

Tan Ji and Jiang Huaqing could only watch as Young master Zhu, standing beside Fang, lowered his eyes and opened the ledger.

It was a thick account book, yet he seemed to know it by heart. As names were called out, he flipped through the pages quickly, circling and marking with his pen. Soon, he had pointed out a number of matching entries.

“All matched,” he said in a clear and steady voice. “Reporting to the General—these individuals all appear in the ledger as people who did not show up to collect their grain. Their families reported that they had left Yanzhou.”

His posture was not the least bit presumptuous, yet entirely free of flattery—respectful, but open and unashamed—standing at Fang Linyuan’s side, giving off an air that was indescribably subtle.

This merchant… just who was he?!

Behind them, Tan Ji’s eyes nearly split with rage—only to see Fang Linyuan turn his head back toward him.

Fang looked at him, then began to smile. His eyes curved into beautiful crescent moons. “These worthless people’s words can’t all be trusted, wouldn’t you agree?” he said.

Tan Ji nodded sharply, twice in quick succession—only then realizing just how ridiculous he must have looked at that moment.

He saw Fang Linyuan calmly look away again, then raise his right hand.

The next moment, the sound of armour clattering rang out.

It was the guards stationed around the perimeter. A squad marched in orderly formation into the drill yard, while the others stepped forward and quickly took control of Tan Ji and Jiang Huaqing.

“What are you doing!”

Tan Ji, after all, was still a military commander. As the guards approached, he kicked one of them away with a single strike. In the next second—clang!—he drew his sword.

Fang Linyuan turned back to look at him.

Behind Tan Ji, Jiang Huaqing’s voice could still faintly be heard shouting: “General Fang, even if you are making arrests, you need evidence! If something went wrong with the troops, that’s a matter for the Yanzhou military—what does it have to do with me?!”

Fang Linyuan gave a soft laugh, stepping forward a few paces with leisurely ease, facing Tan Ji head-on.

“There is reason, of course,” he replied to Jiang Huaqing calmly, all while keeping his eyes on Tan Ji. “Lord Jiang, surely you haven’t forgotten—it was your government office that issued the travel permits out of Yanzhou. These people were in the army, yet their names and permits remained properly filed at the yamen. How do you explain that?”

“I know nothing of this!” Jiang Huaqing roared.

“Whether you knew or not, we’ll know after an investigation.” Fang Linyuan looked at him evenly. “For now, I must trouble you to come along.”

Over there, Tan Ji stood gripping his sword, shaking as he stared at Fang Linyuan. He couldn’t kill Fang Linyuan. If he did, he’d be guilty of murdering the imperial inspector. Not only would he be sentenced to death without a doubt—his entire household would be executed.

But…

He trembled, his already sluggish mind straining desperately to work.

He and Lord Jiang had once done work for a powerful figure in the capital. For something so important, that figure wouldn’t dare discard them as expendable pieces so easily. Otherwise… if this matter reached the emperor, even that powerful figure wouldn’t be able to contain the fallout…

His eyes were twitching.

But the sword was already in his hand—he was unwilling to give in…

He clenched his teeth hard.

And then, while Fang Linyuan was still facing off with Jiang Huaqing, he suddenly stepped forward and lunged with his sword—not at Fang Linyuan, but at the man standing behind him.

Dressed all in white, tall and slender, the man looked like a pampered pretty boy, the kind who couldn’t lift a hand or shoulder a burden—just a lowly merchant. If he died today, he’d have only himself to blame for getting involved in imperial affairs…

The next moment, Tan Ji let out a scream of agony.

The sword had stopped just three inches from the pretty boy’s chest—because Fang Linyuan, previously standing calmly, had suddenly moved like a hunting falcon. In two strides he was there, lifting one long leg—clang!—Tan Ji’s sword fell to the ground with a crash.

The pain was so sharp that Tan Ji’s vision went black.

That blindingly fast kick had struck directly at the joint of his wrist, instantly dislocating it.

His towering body crashed to the ground. When he lifted his eyes again, he could barely make out, through blurred vision, Fang Linyuan standing protectively in front of the merchant, looking down at him expressionlessly.

Just like that night—when he’d stood before that foreign woman in exactly the same way.

*

“Are you alright?”

After temporarily detaining the group in the military prison, Fang Linyuan returned to the cell gate and quietly asked Zhao Chu.

Zhao Chu shook his head. “They didn’t touch me,” he said. “How is it going?”

“All tightly bound, mouths gagged—no chance for suicide,” Fang Linyuan replied. “I’ve already spoken to Lord Heng. There shouldn’t be unrest in the barracks, but I still left thirty men stationed here, just in case.”

Zhao Chu nodded.

In the distance, the merchants from the platform were being escorted down to rest, while Heng Feizhang remained atop the platform.

Civil officials are masters of persuasion—especially in situations like this. Most of the soldiers in the camp had long suffered under Tan Ji’s oppressive rule, enduring harsh discipline and grain shortages. They were full of anger but dared not speak.

Heng Feizhang laid out the stakes clearly. The soldiers understood: Tan Ji and his cohort had lost their power and could no longer threaten their lives or those of their families. On the contrary, if they rose in rebellion with Tan Ji, their whole clans would be implicated and executed. With Heng’s persuasion, the soldiers' emotions stabilized; many were even stirred into indignation, volunteering to expose Tan Ji’s crimes.

Seeing the situation unfold this way, Fang Linyuan felt at ease entrusting the barracks to Heng Feizhang.

“Time is of the essence. I must take a team into Yanzhou City again,” Fang Linyuan said to Zhao Chu. “You stay in camp and get some rest—I’ll return tonight.”

“Going after those few landed gentry?” Zhao Chu asked.

Fang Linyuan didn’t try to hide it and nodded. “We don’t have many men. Wait any longer and they might flee—it’ll be trouble then.”

“You’re just taking the remaining guards?” Zhao Chu frowned slightly.

Fang Linyuan nodded. “Fifty men. It’s enough.”

But Zhao Chu stared at him closely and said without hesitation, “I’m going with you.”

Fang Linyuan was startled and quickly said, “You’re a merchant—if you come along, won’t that raise suspicion?”

“I’m the one who found the anomalies in the ledgers. Naturally, I should accompany you to arrest them,” Zhao Chu replied. “It’s easy to explain.”

But Fang Linyuan firmly shook his head. “You’ve already done more than enough, uncovering all this. No need to run around again today,” he said. “Besides, the situation in the city is unclear. If you expose your skills, wouldn’t that just invite more trouble?”

Zhao Chu fell silent.

Fang Linyuan sighed in relief, thinking Zhao Chu had given in. Just as he lifted his eyes, they met Zhao Chu’s gaze.

Quiet. Beautiful. Looking at him directly.

He said nothing, but his eyes seemed to speak.

Clearly cold, yet enchanting—like a great demon in human skin. And at that moment, they were full of unspoken meaning: stubborn, deep, and faintly pitiful, even without a single word.

Zhao Chu… he really was a demon!

Fang Linyuan knew him far too well. He understood that this expression was completely intentional. But when faced with those eyes, he found himself unable to speak another word of refusal.

Yes… demons had always been this way—charming the soul, stealing reason, making people lose control.

After a moment, all he could choke out was: “The city’s dangerous.”

Zhao Chu lowered his eyes slightly. “I won’t cause you any trouble,” he said.

As if this wasn’t trouble enough!

Fang Linyuan’s heart was pounding like a drum. It felt like his chest was a tangled ball of thread, tightening and swallowing him whole.

“…Fine.”

By the time Fang Linyuan realized what had happened, he had already agreed to take Zhao Chu along. He was flustered—but helpless.

…Fine then!

This demon has his own powers—no need for me to worry!

 

--

The author has something to say:

Fang Linyuan: Don’t seduce me!

Zhao Chu: (lowers eyes, glances sideways, lifts eyes with unspoken longing)

Fang Linyuan: (>_<)

 

Translator : DarNan