Song Lian briefly took over Tianqing County's county government. He originally wanted to go to the warden government office, but he quickly remembered that the Great Liang Dynasty's warden government office only reached the prefecture level. There were none below that level.
Hence, he could only requisition this county government for the time being.
Mi Ke already went to assume office in Wanshan County. Although he set off a storm in Commandery Qingshan, it did not obstruct Great Liang's law. Plus, these people were also in no mood to care about him now. Hence, he quickly rushed from Commandery Qingshan to Wanshan County. Presently, Tianqing County's magistrate was surnamed Xu and he was only around 30 years old.
"Magistrate Xu."
The fingers on Song Lian's right hand kept rapping on the table. The sound was light, but each rap would rap on Magistrate Xu's heart.
He had already heard about what happened over in the small alley. In addition, there were those feudal troops pouring into this county government office presently. No matter how stupid he was, he knew what this meant.
"Commander Song, please speak."
Magistrate Xu looked at Song Lian very humbly. Although the other party was a military official, his official rank was much higher than his. The commander of the Divine Capital's Left Guard, that was primary fourth-grade official rank, but the official position did not mean anything. One had to know, there were only a total of two government offices that protected the Divine Capital. This was one of the commanders. Did it mean that he held significant weight in His Majesty's heart?
Song Lian glanced at Magistrate Xu and said with a slight smile, "Magistrate Xu don't have to be too worried. After this official leaves, they won't come to this Tianqing County either. Those grudges and enmity will naturally be directed to this official and that Warden Chen. You're innocent."
Magistrate Xu acknowledged it, but his heart was still racing. Everyone knew that these foreign cultivators were lawless and unbridled. If they really wanted to take revenge, how could he, this measly little magistrate, withstand them?
Song Lian knew what he was thinking of. Shaking his head, he did not explain anything, he just said, "The new replacement warden is already here. Magistrate Xu, go and get acquainted with him. After all, you guys still have to work together for a long time in the future. Oh, right, Magistrate Xu, please bring this official Warden Chen's files. This official wants to see it."
Although Chen Chao was already swept up in that troublesome matter now, as long as the Court of Judicial Review did not give a final verdict for a day, then he would still be a warden. However, he had to go to the Divine Capital now and Tianqing County ultimately needed a warden.
Magistrate Xu took his leave and sent someone to deliver the files very soon.
Song Lian made this trip too hastily and did not care about Chen Chao's files at all. After all, apart from The Warden's official documents, he also received word from the Xie Family, that as long as he could bring that youth back to the Divine Capital, there would be a generous thanks.
Without this sentence, he actually would not have been in a hurry to head southward. It was not a big deal whether or not he could make it in the end either. After all, The Warden's official documents asked him to bring the youth to the Divine Capital. If the foreign land cultivators made it first, what could he do?
How could everything in this world be black and white?
Looking over the files, some praise showed in Song Lian's eyes.
No murders actually took place in Tianqing County these past few years.
Which was also to say that this young warden performed his duties rather well.
"Your Excellency, Warden Chen is awake."
Just as Song Lian was flipping through the files, someone outside the door suddenly reported.
Song Lian raised his head and acknowledged. Then, he put down the files in his hands.
……
……
Inside the county government's jail.
Following the sound of chains falling to the ground, the prison door was opened by someone. There was immediately a court underling who brought a chair over and placed it on the ground. Then, Song Lian who was dressed in black robes slowly stepped into the prison cell. He did not immediately sit down, but slowly paced around the cell. Only after a moment, did he walk to that chair and sat down, and looked at that boy.
Chen Chao had indeed woken up long ago. But he was seriously injured and could not get up at this moment. He could only crook his head to size up this man who was dressed in black robes and official boots. He had already passed out before Song Lian reported his name. Hence, Chen Chao did not know Song Lian's identity at the moment. But he also understood one thing, this person definitely had a major background. At least, he came from the Divine Capital too.
Otherwise, it would be impossible to not show any fear when facing that daoist nun.
When Chen Chao was sizing up Song Lian, Song Lian was also sizing Chen Chao up.
He was indeed a little curious about this youth who could stir up the Divine Capital while in Tianqing County.
A youth who could make the Xie Family make a move, would not be an ordinary person no matter how one looked at it.
"Don't you find it strange why you're in prison?" Song Lian was originally determined to make that youth speak first. But he never expected that Chen Chao actually did not say a word, as if he did have any thoughts and feelings about his current situation.
Chen Chao lay on the ground and said with difficulty, "Is there a safer place than here now? If it's possible, I want to move into the Court of Judicial Review's prison right now."
Song Lian smiled and said, "Do you think that the Court of Judicial Review's prison is safe?" "There are god knows how many people who die inside every month, on dubious accounts. If a puny little warden such as yourself moved in, do you think that you'll see the day that you leave?"
Chen Chao smiled with difficulty and said, "That, I don't know. But if Your Excellency came from the Divine Capital, then presumably even if I'm in the Court of Judicial Review, I also won't die without rhyme or reason."
Song Lian smiled and shook his head as he said, "No matter what kind of relationship you have with the Xie Family, there's already concrete proof of you killing those few cultivators without authorization. If they don't let you off, even if you go to the Divine Capital, you can only survive for a few more days. The end result won't be any different."
Chen Chao did not speak. He also seemed to have long already known about this outcome.
"Will I really be safe and sound on this trip?" Chen Chao strained to reach his hand out. He could no longer feel that broken saber at his waist and felt somewhat empty in his heart.
There was no sense of security.
"After going into prison, the saber will naturally have to be confiscated. When you can really walk out of the prison, it will be returned to you. But your saber is pretty good, if you can't walk out, give it to me."
Song Lian seemed to know what the youth in front of him was thinking about and said calmly, "If they insist on killing you, or even shed all pretenses of cordiality with the imperial court by directly sending out a Nepenthe cultivator, then I'll definitely send you out right away."
"No way! If the saber is here, I'm here. If I'm no longer here, bury that saber with me!"
The youth panted heavily, looking very resolved and not intending to make any concessions.
Song Lian sighed and said, "You're really a miser."
Chen Chao did not reply to this sentence. He just smiled, which was painful.
"There's something that I want to ask you." Song Lian went straight into the topic and said with a beam, "If you give me a satisfactory answer, I'll pay extra attention along the way. Otherwise, at most, I'll go and seek forgiveness from the Xie Family when I return to the Divine Capital."
Chen Chao asked first, "I still don't know Your Excellency's identity."
Song Lian glanced at him and said indifferently, "This official is the commander of the Divine Capital's Left Guard, Song Lian."
"Please ask." Chen Chao lifted his head a little. Currently, other than his head, there were indeed not many places on his body that he could move anymore.
"Since you already knew that the Three Streams Manor sect won't let you off, why didn't you leave earlier, but wait here for them to kill? If this official came a little later, what's the use even if you have some schemes?"
This was the question that Song Lian was most interested in. As early as when he reviewed the entire sequence of events, he failed to figure this out. Since Chen Chao killed those foreign land cultivators, he must know that they would take revenge. Why did he not leave?
Chen Chao was silent for a moment before saying seriously, "If this official leaves like this, then would the entire Tianqing County's civilians suffer an undeserved calamity and be implicated by me?"
Song Lian furrowed his brows. Hearing this and remembering the files that he read before, he felt somewhat touched in his heart. Turns out that this boy in front of him actually had such thoughts.
He could not help feeling a little more respect towards Chen Chao.
Although his cultivation realm was low and his official position was not high, just this heart was sufficient for Song Lian to put in more effort too.
"However..." Chen Chao's tone changed and he said calmly, "According to Great Liang's law, if a warden leaves their jurisdiction without permission, it's a felony. They can be killed without questioning."
Song Lian was stunned. That bit of respect that was just born instantly evaporated into thin air at this moment.
Was he thinking too much?
Chen Chao said as a matter of course, "Since I want to live, I naturally can't complicate an issue. If I leave Tianqing County without permission, it will no longer be important why I wanted to kill those cultivators. Just this law and the imperial court will be able to kill me if they wanted to."
Song Lian smiled and said, "A meticulous mind."
Chen Chao chuckled, tacitly acknowledging this statement.
Song Lian said, "You thought of many things and did many things. But when it comes down to it, those things that you did were a little overboard. Why did you have to kill them?!"
Song Lian paused for a bit, spat out a turbid breath, and said softly, "Although I really want to kill them too, by doing so, you're pushing yourself to the edge of the cliff."
Chen Chao had a helpless look, "Your Excellency, it's not that I must kill them, it's that they refused to give me a chance to live and insisted on killing me. I was just protecting myself."
"Your Excellency came from the Divine Capital, you seem to have many things that you still don't know. Why not ask that Commandery Qingshan's warden?"
Chen Chao raised his brows and said calmly, "It was Warden Li's intention to accompany those few people to the stone mine."
Song Lian was expressionless, "It's useless no matter how much you tell me. Because your case is currently being tried by the Court of Judicial Review. This official is subordinate to the warden government office and I don't take part in the trial. Furthermore, because of your warden identity, this official still has to avoid arousing suspicion."
Chen Chao had a mournful look as he wailed, "Your Excellency, our relationship is so close, could it be that Your Excellency can bear to watch me die unfeelingly?"
His expression was sincere as if he had suffered some great injustice.
Song Lian said, "Kid, you seem to have forgotten something."
Chen Chao asked seriously, "That I'm a genius?"
"... ..."
Song Lian frowned and said in disgust, "You're really shameless."
"Many thanks for your praise, Your Excellency."
Chen Chao chuckled and did not care.
Song Lian let out a sigh and rubbed his forehead.
Song Lian said, "Right now, if you still have any trump cards, there's no harm in showing it to this official. Such as your relationship with the Xie Family... This official wants to know what you're truly relying on."
Chen Chao thought for a long time before opening his mouth to say somewhat hesitantly, "There's a girl in the Divine Capital who likes me, does that count?"
