Chapter 34 The West Yamen Inspector

“Name.”

“Gongye Ni.”

“Tell us about the situation when you encountered the bandits at Jintai Temple on the night of the nineteenth of the twelfth lunar month.”

“Bandits attacked, they were executed.”

“Be more detailed!”

“The bandits launched a night attack and were executed by us.”

“Details!”

“The bandits, came for a night attack, and were, one by one, executed by us.”

“You motherf—”

Inside another room.

“Name.”

“Hu Hu Jiangjiu.”

“Tell us about the circumstances when you encountered the bandits at Jintai Temple on the nineteenth of the twelfth lunar month.”

“That was my first time killing someone. I… I was just focused on charging forward at the time. I didn’t remember anything.”

“You trying to play tough in front of me? Want to sample the methods of my West Yamen to help you recall everything properly?”

“Don’t scare me! I… I… I really can’t remember, wuwuwu.”

“…Old Li, this kid wet his pants! Damn unlucky!”

“Name.”

“Hehe, my brothers all call me Chest Hair.”

“Be honest, state your real name!”

“Brother, why are you in such a hurry? My real name is Zhu Feifei. Zhu, as in the Zhu of red, orange, blue, green, cyan, red, and purple. The first Fei is the Fei that means flying around, and the second Fei is also the Fei that means flying around—”

“Enough, enough. Tell us about the situation when you encountered the bandits at Jintai Temple on the night of the nineteenth of the twelfth lunar month.”

“Oh my, this is a long story. Our leader that day… Do you know our leader? Squad Leader Ding Sui’an! He is the youngest Manifesting Elemental State Martial Artist in the Dragon Guard Army’s Jia Battalion. Not only is our leader powerful in his Realm, but he’s also fair-skinned and handsome. Every time we go out with him, those pretty widows and young wives on the street love to stare at him. But our leader is self-disciplined and never associates with those married women who lust after him—”

“Shut up! Get to the point!”

“Huh? Oh, right. Brother, what did you just ask?”

“The nineteenth of the twelfth lunar month, Jintai Temple!”

“Oh, Jintai Temple. Tsk tsk tsk, that night was truly dangerous. Luckily, our leader had set up secret sentries beforehand. Let me tell you, even though our leader isn’t old, his experience is extremely seasoned. I heard his father was also an old veteran in the Imperial Army. That’s family tradition! A few of us brothers were even talking about going to visit the old man when we have time. Do you know him?”

“You damn well shut up!”

“…”

“Why aren’t you speaking?”

“Hey, brother, you tell me to shut up one moment and tell me to speak the next. Should I shut up or should I speak?”

In the rear hall of the Prefectural Yamen, two Black Cavalry stood solemnly outside the door.

After the Prefectural Yamen runner led Ding Suian into the hall, he hurriedly backed away and left. The place felt like the Hall of Yama.

At the head seat in the hall, a burly man sat in the main position, holding a scroll.

“Squad Leader Ding Sui’an of the Dragon Guard Army’s An Squad greets Your Excellency.”

Ding Suian cupped his fists in greeting, but the other party maintained his reading posture, slowly turning a page after moistening his thumb and forefinger with saliva.

As if he hadn’t heard anything.

Ding Suian was merely a small Squad Leader, having seen many arrogant superiors; his self-esteem wasn’t so fragile that he would become angry just because the other party was deliberately putting on airs.

After waiting quietly for a moment, he secretly raised his eyes to observe the man.

He was about forty years old, wearing black armor, with fair skin and a five-inch handsome beard beneath his jaw.

He possessed the demeanor of a scholarly general.

His gaze habitually swept past the other party’s neck, and Ding Suian was secretly astonished: the man’s throat was flat, lacking an Adam’s apple.

This condition only occurred in eunuchs who had been castrated and entered the palace at a very young age.

Given the close ties between the West Yamen and the Imperial Family, it wasn’t surprising that there were eunuchs within the Black Cavalry.

The scholarly general seemed to notice Ding Suian’s gaze, and his eyes, which had been fixed on the scroll, suddenly swept over.

The cold stare was like a physical ice pick. In that instant of contact, Ding Suian’s Divine Court suddenly felt a sharp pain. He quickly lowered his eyes to break the gaze, but the stinging sensation did not disappear.

And it was much stronger than the last time at Jintai Temple.

Fine beads of sweat quickly seeped out near his temples.

At this point, the scholarly general slowly put down the book and spoke with a stereotypical effeminate voice, “Squad Leader Ding, detail the battle at Jintai Temple.”

“Reporting, General,” Ding Suian’s eye muscles twitched slightly as he calmly and briefly recounted the events of that night.

His address for the man in black armor had also changed from ‘Your Excellency’ to the more masculine ‘General.’

The other party wore armor and attached a beard to his jaw, likely because he minded his identity as a eunuch.

“…By the beginning of noon on the twentieth of the twelfth lunar month, Lord Li, the Prefect, arrived at the crime scene with constables and able-bodied men. We handed over the case and departed.”

The moment Ding Suian finished speaking, the scholarly general gave him no time to breathe or think, immediately pressing, “The Old Side Consort perished, yet the Princess Consort was completely unharmed. Isn’t that a little too coincidental?”

Eunuch, shouldn’t you just be going through the motions?

We’re all on the same side, so what are you playing at?

“General, the murder of the Old Side Consort was due to my dereliction of duty. I request that the General punish me.”

“Whether it was dereliction of duty is beside the point for now,” the scholarly general smiled softly, his words hiding a sharp edge. “But rumors outside claim that you are having an affair with the Princess Consort of Lanyang and colluded to frame and murder the Old Side Consort. How do you explain yourself?”

Ding Suian’s expression turned serious. He cupped his fists and stated solemnly, “When the Princess Consort was in distress, I protected her once, which inevitably led to rumors outside. Recently, the Du Family has been fighting over property, leading to even more slander spreading through the streets! I swear to Heaven that my relationship with the Princess Consort is completely innocent. I ask the General to investigate thoroughly!”

“Oh? So you’re saying all the rumors are baseless?” The dead eunuch neither confirmed nor denied it.

The stinging pain in his Divine Court acupoint grew stronger and stronger. In just a few breaths, his inner clothes were soaked.

Fortunately, his mind remained clear.

Yet, doubts arose spontaneously. What exactly did this dead eunuch want to achieve?

Wasn’t stripping the Prince of Lanyang of his title part of Princess Xingguo’s plan?

Was the dead eunuch being outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant toward the Big Boss? Or was he in conflict with the Shadow Division and using this opportunity to cause trouble for him?

But regardless of the reason, he had to deny everything vehemently!

Ding Suian was silent for two breaths, organized his thoughts, and spoke righteously, “General! I am but a common man and do not care about reputation! But the Princess Consort of Lanyang was personally conferred the title ‘Role Model for Women Under Heaven’ by His Majesty. The rumors outside appear to be slandering me and the Princess Consort, but they are secretly implying that His Majesty ‘lacks judgment in selecting people’!”

“Oh?”

The dead eunuch smiled and ‘Oh’d again.

Oh, oh, oh, oh your mother!

“In Squad Leader Ding’s view, what should be done?”

“General! Those who spread rumors are attacking the sovereign by slandering the Princess Consort! In my humble opinion, we should arrest these malicious individuals, interrogate them severely, and charge them with the crime of great disrespect!”

The dead eunuch rose from the main seat on the platform, slowly walked closer, and circled Ding Suian with interest before suddenly bursting into hearty laughter. “Good! From now on, no matter who asks you, you must repeat exactly what you said today, word for word!”

As the laughter faded, the stinging pain in his Divine Court vanished.

At this moment, the dead eunuch’s face was amicable. “I was just jesting! The person recommended by Chief Officer Ruan is indeed excellent. In recent years, Prince Lanyang’s relatives have seized countless amounts of public land under his name. After the New Year, you will help the Princess Consort investigate the estate’s land holdings and turn over the seized fertile land to the court. If you encounter difficulties, our West Yamen will back you up!”

‘Jesting’?

Are we close?

I jest your mother!

Just then, Li Fengrao poked his head out from beside the Ornamental Gate outside the hall, peering around like a turtle.

The dead eunuch had finished what he needed to say. Seeing this, he instructed the Black Cavalry outside the door to invite Li Fengrao into the rear hall.

Seeing that Ding Suian was also in the hall, Li Fengrao quickly straightened his back, feigning the appearance of an upright official unafraid of imperial lackeys. “Inspector Sun, many common people and merchants have arrived outside and wish to meet with Inspector Sun.”

“Meet me?” The dead eunuch held his hands behind his back, slightly confused.

“Yes.” Li Fengrao’s originally straight posture unconsciously bent lower as the conversation progressed. “The Jintai Temple case has not yet been closed, and the death of The Third Place Scholar Li has not been officially announced. But the news inevitably leaked out these past few days. The families of the victims harmed by this bandit years ago, and the merchants whose trade routes were affected, heard that the wicked bandit was executed and specially prepared generous gifts to express their gratitude.”

“Oh?” Inspector Sun turned his head to look at Ding Suian, smiling faintly. “If the common people are offering thanks, they should be thanking your An Squad. What does this have to do with me?”

Perhaps the ‘gift silver’ Hansu Lin had unintentionally planted a few days ago was now taking effect. Li Fengrao quickly winked at Ding Suian, who then cupped his fists and said, “If not for the benevolent influence of the Holy Son of Heaven and the care of the Imperial Court, how could my small An Squad achieve such a great merit? Inspector Sun comes from the capital, which is equivalent to the Imperial Court arriving in person. Please, Inspector, speak a few words on behalf of the Imperial Court to reassure the people.”

“Very well.”

Inspector Sun seemed convinced, but before leaving, he looked back at Ding Suian again, revealing a meaningful expression.

These common people and merchants arrived too coincidentally!

Ding Suian followed the dead eunuch and Li Fengrao out of the rear hall, subconsciously glancing toward Prince Lanyangs Estate.

Regardless of the dead eunuch’s purpose today, the appearance of the common people added a halo of righteousness—’eliminating harm for the people’—to Ding Suian and his squad.

Mobilizing public opinion added a layer of protection against unexpected trouble for the An Squad.

Hansu Lin was truly bold, daring to pull such a trick right under the nose of the West Yamen.

Outside the yamen, heads were bobbing, and several layers of common people had gathered.

Some, dressed in mourning clothes, knelt and wailed, tearfully thanking the Imperial Court for executing the wicked bandit and avenging their relatives.

Other merchants held up hastily written couplets: ‘Iron face and ice heart execute the wicked, thunderous methods pacify the populace.’

Inspector Sun quickly walked down the steps and conversed cordially with the merchants and elders.

Just looking at his refined smile, one felt as if bathed in a spring breeze; there was no hint that he was a notorious spymaster.

Ding Suian, the involved party, naturally knew not to steal the leader’s spotlight. He stood behind and observed silently. He was quite surprised when he heard Li Fengrao refer to the dead eunuch as ‘Inspector’ just now.

The full title of Inspector is ‘Governor-General Inspector and General Overseer of 【X】.’

The West Yamen, under Princess Xingguo, established four Inspectors: the Shadow Division Inspector, the Black Cavalry Inspector, the Internal Affairs Inspector, and the Foreign Affairs Inspector.

All of them are pillars of the West Yamen.

A person of such standing came personally to Lanyang just to urge Prince Lanyangs Estate to clear out land holdings?

Thanks to reader: Ge Niansheng, for the tip~