Chapter 0006: The Arrogant Ling Yunkai

Oh, we were just saying that the Emperor fell into the water. We are preparing to go to the temple to pray for the Emperor, wishing him a long and prosperous life!" Chen Hao said with a sincere expression, bowing deeply with his hands clasped in front of him towards the direction of the palace

"It is the subordinate who is reporting. The subordinate was patrolling the streets and heard that a murder had occurred, so I immediately rushed to this location." The speaker was a constable named Liang Huan, while the other two stood obediently behind him. Liang Huan's expression was tense, and he spoke somewhat anxiously: "When I arrived here and discovered that the deceased was a eunuch, I intended to notify the Jinyiwei immediately. Coincidentally, I encountered Officer Yin. Aside from the eunuch's waist token, we have not touched any other items at the scene."

I..." Yin Cheng shook his head in frustration

Crack!

It must be said that Guo Zhen and Shen Lian indeed have some connections. During the Battle of Sarhu, the Western Route Army was almost completely annihilated, with only three survivors, among whom were Guo Zhen, Shen Lian, and a certain Lu Wenzhao, a thousand-household of the Jinyiwei.

Brothers, we have gone out to carry out our duties

Indeed, indeed, we were just discussing going to the temple tomorrow to pray for the Emperor!" Several of Yin Cheng's companions clearly understood Chen Hao's meaning and quickly responded in agreement.

After Shen Lian finished giving his orders, he quickly headed to the backyard. Ling Yunkai watched Shen Lian's retreating figure and thought to himself, if I can't deal with you, can I not handle your subordinates? Thus, he directed his grievances towards Yin Cheng and Chen Hao.

Ling Yunkai's attitude was domineering, and Shen Lian was not to be trifled with either. He angrily shouted, "Let's see who dares to make a move"

Last year, over ten thousand people died in the Wang Gongchang area in the southern part of the city due to a natural disaster. Last month, the Emperor fell into the water again

This person must be Ling Yunkai, right? Chen Hao secretly observed him; with his mung bean eyes and hawk-like nose, it must be said that he indeed has the appearance of a villain

Through the comparison of the waist badge and appearance, Shen Lian recognized that this person was indeed Guo Zhen. Shen Lian had not seen Guo Zhen for eight years, and he was able to recognize him primarily due to the identity indicated on the waist badge

The Book of Impermanence is specifically equipped for the Jinyiwei, with each Jinyiwei carrying a copy of the Book of Impermanence to record the details of the cases they investigate.

"Mind your own business..." The Jinyiwei who first brought up this topic was about to curse, but it was evident that the one speaking was Shen Lian's cousin, who quickly shut his mouth

This official, Chief Ling Yunkai, pays his respects to the esteemed Master Baihu

Oh, General Ling, what would you like to hear from us? You do not wish to hear us speak well of the Emperor, do you want to hear us speak ill of him instead?" Chen Hao casually turned the tables on Ling Yunkai.

Shen Lian nodded and said, "I heard from Yin Cheng that it was you who informed the Jinyiwei?"

Shen Lian's words were still effective, and Ling Yunkai's subordinates immediately ceased their actions

"Adult!" Ling Yunkai said somewhat innocently

Ling Yunkai is not merely one to speak without action; regardless of whether Shen Lian agrees or not, he directly issued orders to his subordinates.

Hehe! Ling Yunkai said with a cold smile: "Talking about Wang Gongchang, talking about the Emperor falling into the water..."

Wang Jun went to the town's judicial office to request a coroner for the autopsy, and the others followed me inside. Remember not to disturb the scene.

Yes, my lord

"Yes!" Chen Hao and Yin Cheng responded.

At this time, it was already evening, and most of the Imperial Guards had finished their duties and returned home, leaving only those on duty.

As the saying goes, when one person attains the Dao, even the chickens and dogs rise to heaven. Naturally, as a trusted aide, Yin Cheng will also rise with the tide, and perhaps he might even be promoted to a higher position. Thus, he appeared even more delighted than Shen Lian.

Call for personnel

There is still one adult who has not died!" A Jinyiwei ran from the back courtyard of the Jinling Building to report to Shen Lian.

"Alright, it's no longer your concern. You may leave now!" Shen Lian waved his hand and said

Shen Lian appeared calm and indifferent on the surface, seemingly not taking this matter to heart, but internally he was quite agitated. Recently, Qianhu Lu Wenzhao had recommended him for the position of deputy Qianhu. If he could successfully resolve this case, the position of deputy Qianhu would be almost certain.

Later, Guo Zhen became the chief eunuch of the Grand Council, responsible for the Construction Department, while Lu Wenzhao became a thousand-household of the Jinyiwei, and even the least favored Shen Lian became a hundred-household of the Jinyiwei

The Wucheng Bingmashi is usually responsible for maintaining public order, enforcing fire bans, and managing the Quchu streets. In cases involving significant matters related to the eunuchs of the Eastern Depot, they naturally do not dare to act on their own authority and can only defer to the Jinyiwei or the agents of the Eastern Depot to take over.

Watching Ling Yunkai's departing figure, Chen Hao made a decision in his heart; he would kill Ling Yunkai. This person was both wicked and skilled in martial arts, perfectly fitting the criteria of a villain as required by the hero system

"Impudent!" Ling Yunkai broke out in a cold sweat, thinking to himself that he almost fell for this young man's trick. Although he was not afraid, the news spreading would affect his uncle Wei Zhongxian's opinion of him. He hurriedly bowed deeply towards the direction of the palace and shouted angrily at Chen Hao: "Ling Yunkai is loyal to the Emperor and to the Ming Dynasty, do not slander him with baseless accusations!"

When Shen Lian and his companions arrived at Jinling Tower, they found a considerable crowd outside watching the commotion, but as soon as they saw the Imperial Guards, they immediately dispersed in a rush

Shen Lian furrowed his brows and said, "Wasn't it instructed for you to go to the town's pacification office to request a coroner to conduct the autopsy?"

The Imperial Guard stationed at the door was unable to stop the incoming individuals. In just a moment, the intruders entered. The foremost among them was dressed in the attire of the Chief of the Imperial Guard, followed by two to three dozen Imperial Guards. The leader was aware of the hierarchy and promptly greeted Shen Lian upon seeing him

Shen Lian glanced at Yin Cheng and Chen Hao, and instructed: "Yin Cheng, Changqing, you two keep a close watch on this place. If even a single chopstick goes missing, you will face the consequences."

Moreover, a eunuch from the Eastern Depot has also died!" Shen Lian continued to speak

As Shen Lian and his companions were about to enter Jinling Tower, they noticed three constables walking out beside them

Yin Cheng and the others immediately felt a chill run through them, a sense of coldness rising from their hearts. If it had not been for Chen Hao's intervention, continuing the discussion would surely have led to being accused by Ling Yunkai of making baseless claims about state affairs. At this moment, they all felt a deep sense of gratitude towards Chen Hao.

Yin Cheng and a few others couldn't help but laugh upon seeing Ling Yunkai suffer another setback. Shen Changqing is truly remarkable. Initially, they had only shown favor and respect to Chen Hao because of Shen Lian, but now it is a genuine respect that comes from the heart

To put it plainly, the story of "The Spring Knife: The Battlefield of Asura" begins with Prince Zhu Youjian's struggle for the throne and ends with him becoming the emperor, in which Shen Lian plays merely a minor role

Having said that, he strode out without looking back, followed closely by his subordinates. As they reached the door, Ling Yunkai turned around and cast a cold glance at Shen Lian and Chen Hao, as if to say, "You wait, I will not let you off!"

Ling Yunkai was still not prepared to let them off easily, and he said with a smile that did not reach his eyes: "You weren't saying that just now!"

Among these three individuals, Shen Lian is the one with the least connections, and his greatest support comes solely from Lu Wenzhao

The adult's money box is empty, there is no silver left

Is the adult the one who should manage the officials of the Ming Dynasty?

This is my territory, and this case is also mine. Do you understand clearly?" Shen Lian showed no signs of weakness, as the two faced off against each other.

Having spoken, Shen Lian took the lead and walked out, followed closely by Yin Cheng and Chen Hao, while the others hurriedly stepped forward to keep up

He still holds some prestige among these officers in the Ming Shifang, and indeed, they all fell silent.

"Drunk too much?" Shen Lian said coldly

The adult! Wang Jun, who was assigned by Shen Lian to the Town Pacification Office, hurriedly ran into Jinling Building

At that moment, Shen Lian and Chen Hao, along with others, heard someone forcefully breaking into Jinling Tower

Ling Yunkai angrily tore off a page from the Book of Impermanence, intending to record the words spoken by Yin Cheng and the others as a means of retaliation. However, his plan was ultimately thwarted by Chen Hao.

After the personnel from the Five Cities Garrison left, Shen Lian instructed everyone

Wang Jun expressed his grievances, saying: "In response to your Excellency, I beg your pardon for my inadequacy. If the chief constable on night duty in the yamen encounters him, he will bring many people to speak with him!"

Is General Ling going to make a scene?" Shen Lian ignored Ling Yunkai's antics and said calmly, "How long has General Ling been serving in the Jinyiwei? Do you understand the rules? Does the official have any business with you here?"

Jinling Tower is a restaurant located in the southern part of the capital city, situated within the boundaries of the Ming Dynasty's Fang district. It is considered a medium-sized establishment and has gained a modest reputation in the southern part of the city for its exquisite Jinling cuisine.

I heard it clearly! The higher the official rank, the more oppressive it becomes, not to mention being two ranks higher. Ling Yunkai smiled helplessly and chose to bow his head

"Alright, enough talking. Don't you know that walls have ears?" Chen Hao interrupted their conversation. In the movie, Yin Cheng was forced to commit suicide by Ling Yunkai after saying a few too many words. In recent days, Chen Hao had been getting along well with Yin Cheng and planned to help him.

The Imperial Guards of Ming Shifang, seeing Shen Lian firmly suppressing Ling Yunkai, looked at Ling Yunkai's group with disdain, each of them regarding them with contempt, and began discussing the political topics circulating in the marketplace

Thank you, Sir! The three of them felt a great sense of relief, and after bowing to Shen Lian in acknowledgment, they hurriedly departed

Lu Wenzhao and Guo Zhen were loyal to Prince Xin, Zhu Youjian. In his quest for the throne, Zhu Youjian arranged for Guo Zhen to sabotage the construction of the treasure ship for Emperor Tianqi, resulting in the emperor falling into the water and falling gravely ill. Fearing that the matter would be leaked, Prince Xin then arranged for Beizhai to lure Guo Zhen to Jinling Tower, where Lu Wenzhao and his senior sister Ding Baiying would kill him to silence him. Subsequently, they also used Wei Zhongxian's influence to eliminate Lu Wenzhao and Ding Baiying.

What is going on? Shen Lian returned from the backyard to the front hall and saw Ling Yunkai and Chen Hao in a dispute. He said: "Why hasn't General Ling left yet? This case has been taken over by the Baihu Office of Ming Shifang."

Yin Cheng and the others did not dare to confront Ling Yunkai directly and remained silent, but Chen Hao did not indulge him. Chen Hao said: "What does the Chief Flag Officer want us to say?"

Hurry up!" Shen Lian coldly stared at him and said, "The shopkeeper, three attendants, and two cooks are all dead, all killed with a single blow. The silver in the account room is also gone

The crowd responded in unison, and then they all entered the Jinling Building together. Shen Lian and several members of the Jinyiwei went to examine the corpses, while the others searched the various rooms and corners of the Jinling Building in groups of three to five.

So it turns out to be Eunuch Guo from the Eastern Depot, no wonder he looks familiar!

After examining Guo Zhen's body, Ling Yunkai cupped his fists and said to Shen Lian: "Today is the Zhongyuan Festival, and there is enough for the adults to be busy with on the streets; it is sufficient for this official to be here." Ling Yunkai's words were indeed a brazen attempt to take credit!

Robbery! Ling Yunkai hurriedly noted down what Shen Lian had said in the Book of Impermanence

You! Yin Cheng grabbed Wang Jun's collar and said anxiously: "If they see this, can we still report it to our superiors? It's been half a year, and we finally encountered such a major case!" As he spoke, Yin Cheng burped, and a strong smell of alcohol emanated from his mouth

What are you all staring at? Why aren't you getting to work?

Upon seeing the people present, Shen Lian first scanned them and then said: "Old Qi and Young Liu will guard the garrison, the rest will follow me to Jinling Tower"

Lord Guo Zhen! Ling Yunkai hurriedly stepped forward to inspect, as he was indeed acquainted with this eunuch from the Grand Council of Ceremonies

In fact, Yin Cheng is also a clever person, but he was blinded by Shen Lian's dominance and intoxication, leading him to speak nonsense. Upon hearing Chen Hao's reminder, he immediately regained his composure. Ling Yunkai could not handle Shen Lian, but he could easily manipulate them. He promptly said: "Everyone be quiet, do not speak recklessly"

At this moment, Yin Cheng came from the account room and approached Shen Lian, while Chen Hao also moved closer.

Wang Jun has not yet responded, and Yin Cheng, impatient, punched him and shouted: "Where are you? Speak up!"

"Go on, keep talking!" Ling Yunkai approached Chen Hao and Yin Cheng, his tone ominous.

Lord General, you cannot enter!

Ling Yunkai was very polite, as Mingshifang was ultimately under the jurisdiction of Shen Lian. Moreover, Shen Lian held a rank two levels higher than him. Even though Ling Yunkai was the nephew of Wei Zhongxian, he still had to show deference to his superior in public.

Ling Yunkai's expression was grim, having lost face repeatedly due to the relentless teasing from the two brothers, Shen Lian and Shen Lian. However, since Shen Lian was a subordinate of the official, it was inappropriate to confront him directly. Ultimately, he gritted his teeth and said: "I take my leave."

With a shout from Yin Cheng, more than twenty Imperial Guards immediately emerged from the room

Chen Hao pretended to look around the scene; he was well aware of who had killed Guo Zhen

The officer Liang Huan of the Five Cities Garrison has met with you, my lord

"Sir, this case has already been filed in the yamen, it should be the responsibility of this official..." Ling Yunkai's expression was as aggrieved as it could be. Chen Hao silently gave him a thumbs up in his heart, thinking that this fellow was truly a theatrical actor who had been delayed by the Jinyiwei!