The moon was thick, and the air was heavy with the stench of blood mixed with the charred scent of burnt remains, intensely pungent.
In front of the Song Residence's main gate, there were less than fifty riders, each of whom hadn't even bothered with armor, merely clad in cloth official uniforms. Behind them followed two hundred foot soldiers, their formation extremely lax, hardly resembling a force meant to quell disturbances.
"Patriarch Song, forgive us for our late arrival. Where are those thieves?"
The leader, a robust man in his forties with only mediocre martial skills, had yet to fully master Qi Condensation, but he spoke with little respect in front of Song Tonghai.
"The thieves have already retreated. Thank you, General Luo, for your late-night assistance. Your effort is appreciated."
Song Tonghai maintained a usual expression, having changed into a new brocade robe that showed no signs of distress.
"It's good that there's no trouble."
General Luo surveyed Song Tonghai a few times, nodded, and said in a slow voice,
"Please hand over the bodies of those thieves to me, Patriarch Song. I will have them burned together to prevent epidemics from spreading in the city."
Upon hearing this, a few martial masters standing behind Song Tonghai all wore expressions of anger.
This was clearly an attempt to steal valor.
In the Great Zhou military, promotions heavily depended on military achievements, and the severed heads of those bodies counted as merits. If among those dressed in black were some martial-world outlaws wanted by the government, that would be considered a great feat.
Their absence during the crisis and sudden appearance now to reap the rewards naturally displeased everyone from the Song Family.
Moreover, from the corpses of these men in black, it was possible to find out who was pulling the strings behind the scenes—this move by the government had the appearance of sheltering the culprits.
Song Tonghai's expression remained neutral, displaying neither joy nor anger; he simply nodded,
"Thank you for your efforts, General Luo."
With the Family Head having spoken, the group of martial masters behind him naturally held their tongues, enduring in silence.
A squad of Imperial Guards swaggered into the Song Residence, causing a commotion for half an hour, and took away most of the bodies of the men in black.
About a dozen bodies were left behind; these were individuals who had died at the hands of Chu Zheng, with their skulls shattered beyond recognition. These corpses would not yield any military merit.
Great Zhou enforced strict control over military merit to prevent wrongful claims and impersonation, leaving no room for deception.
Seeing these dozen or so bodies, many of the Imperial Guards cursed under their breath, and displeasure was evident on General Luo's face as well.
Quickly, the Imperial Guards in front of the residence receded like the tide, and the long street once again returned to silence.
Chu Zheng had watched everything from the start to the end, clear and distinct, and fell into deep reflection.
Chu Zheng's understanding of Great Zhou was limited to only fragments and phrases from books.
However, he had never heard of a feudal dynasty that lasted for a thousand years. Even the most powerful dynasties would usually decay after a few hundred years due to the concentration of land or splintering of warlords.
Yet Great Zhou had continued for over seventeen hundred years.
A dynasty capable of ruling the world for so long could only be attributed to two reasons. One was the rationality of the dynasty's governance system and resource distribution, enabling people from all echelons to survive.
The other reason was that the dynasty's power was so immense that it was impossible to overthrow, with any rebellion being quickly suppressed before it could cause significant trouble.
Chu Zheng had seen the current state of Great Zhou for himself. In an era where production lagged, it was not possible for the lower-class citizens to live in abundance or satisfaction, leaving only the second reason as a possibility.
The attitude of General Luo exactly confirmed Chu Zheng's recent suspicions—the Song Family's predicament was exacerbated by manipulation from the government authorities.
There could be no conflict of interest between the government and the Song Family; if there had been any substantial disputes concerning interests, the Song Family would not have remained for three hundred years.
The reason, then, could almost certainly be attributed to Song Lingqing.
For a moment, Chu Zheng rubbed the center of his brow, feeling an overwhelming headache.
Whenever Song Lingqing was involved, conflicts within the Immortal Sects inevitably followed, and given the Song Family's current power, they would likely crumble if the Immortal Sects exerted even a hint of additional pressure.
Chu Zheng was not familiar with the true strength of the Immortal Sects in this world, but from the few classic texts from the sects, he had already begun to deduce some clues.
A successful cultivator could flatten an entire realm as effortlessly as reaching into a bag to retrieve an item.
This is literal flattening, far more terrifying than nuclear weapons.
Facing such creatures beyond his comprehension, Chu Zheng felt an enormous pressure bearing down on him.
Running away as quickly as possible seemed like the best option.
......
......
City Lord's Mansion.
Within a side room, two shadows stood and sat.
The one sitting was a dark-faced middle-aged man, about thirty years old, dressed in brocade robes, with a short beard, and, despite the deep winter, he still held a folding fan in his hand.
General Luo stood with his head bowed and respectfully reported, "Song Tonghai seems to be uninjured. I haven't seen Song Lingxue, but according to what others have said, she is alright."
"What did Song Tonghai say when you were there? Did he ask for help or for you to investigate this matter?" The middle-aged man frowned slightly, apparently somewhat disappointed.
"Song Tonghai said nothing. After saying thanks, he let me take the bodies away."
General Luo looked puzzled, not quite understanding—Song Tonghai was as calm as if nothing had happened.
"Oh? Is that all?"
"That's all."
General Luo nodded, feeling uneasy. He couldn't help but ask,
"May I ask Lord Yuan, why do you target the Song Family like this? Is it because Prince came to Luofeng City one day and was offended?"
The Government Office and the Song Family had been at peace for many years. Now, the sudden strike was obviously a decree from higher up.
"Why all the questions? You need not ask what you should not, go on, leave."
The City Lord waved his hand, showing a hint of impatience.
"Forgive my prying, but Song Lingqing ultimately belongs to the Immortal Sect. If we go too far and he decides to pursue the matter later, I'm afraid neither you nor I could bear that responsibility."
General Luo didn't move, and said in a low voice, "If you have received any news, could you please share it? Just so I have something to go on."
The term "Immortal Sect" was weighty, tightening the chests of those who heard it. Facing such beings as an enemy—even a Great Grandmaster wouldn't have the courage.
Even if he were no longer a general, he wouldn't want to invite such trouble unless he had a shield strong enough to hold up the sky.
City Lord was silent for a long while before beckoning, "Come closer."
After General Luo leaned in, the City Lord whispered, "Prince has taken a fancy to Song Lingxue, intending her as a consort for the Princely Heir. Song Tonghai rejected him. This is to pressure him into submission. This matter is known to you and me alone and must not be leaked!"
......
......
At the Song Residence's back courtyard, inside the study.
Song Tonghai was shedding his brocade robe to change into Night Clothes.
Not understanding his actions, Song Lingxue asked,
"Father, what are you doing…?"
"I'm going to kill Luo Wang and Yuan Xingcai," Song Tonghai said lightly without turning his head.
"Father!"
Song Lingxue exclaimed, her voice losing control. To kill a Prefectural Governor and a General of the Imperial Guards—a matter that could shake the entire Great Zhou.
This was akin to piercing the heavens!