Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Demanding

If the case involved anyone else, no matter how many doubts there were, just the fact that they appeared together with the butcher Hu's body would be enough for Liang County Magistrate to imprison the whole group.

But the place where they "appeared together" was in their own home.

And the people involved in the case were the younger brother of the current emperor, a favorite of the emperor...

Just yesterday, he was telling his wife that with the relationship he had with Prince Jiu, who stayed at their home, he might be able to be transferred to the capital for the upcoming three-year assessment. Even if he couldn’t get into the capital, he would at least be assured of an official position in a wealthy southern county. Who could have expected such a thing to happen?!

Thinking of this, Liang County Magistrate couldn't help but sigh five or six times, making the scribe beside him nervous.

After Liang County Magistrate finally calmed down, the scribe couldn't resist asking, "My lord, what exactly...?"

Liang County Magistrate replied, "Didn't you hear what Prince Jiu said? The case involves demons and evil spirits. The murderer has already had his soul scattered, so it's considered closed."

Scribe: "..." He had heard it, but was that something one could say to the butcher's family?

Liang County Magistrate naturally understood this. However, he couldn’t burden Prince Jiu with his troubles; all he could do was complain to his scribe.

"Forget it," he finally sighed deeply. "Go through the old case files and find a murderer who hasn't been caught yet, and put this case on his head. Prince Jiu said that when he returns to the capital, he will report these strange matters to the emperor."

Thinking this way, Liang County Magistrate felt somewhat relieved. At least the body was discovered while the prince was staying at their house.

Otherwise, when the assessment officials came, and they saw how carelessly he had closed the case, they would definitely give him a poor performance review. At that point, his future would truly be hopeless...

While they were troubled here, the few people who had narrowly escaped death were also struggling with their own worries.

This started with the memory Liu had shown them before her disappearance.

Through Liu’s eyes, Bai Zhengliu and the others clearly saw that the "yin talismans" that Old Master Chang and Old Master Huang had used to control the household servants were the same "spirit talismans" that Old Master Chang had instructed them to carry!

Thinking about the power of these yin talismans, the group immediately broke out in cold sweat. Especially Wang, who remembered the multiple talismans she had once held in her hands, feeling as if she had narrowly escaped death.

Furthermore, what exactly was that "Star Picking Record," and where did it come from... The people Prince Jiu had sent to investigate had already returned from Miaoji Temple on the outskirts of the city, and they had no idea what it was or about the Chang family’s involvement.

Apart from Wang, who was focused on returning home, the other four felt increasingly restless.

Although they often had disagreements with their elder brother, at times like this, Fu Ming was eager to return to the capital and inform his elder brother about his findings in Guang'an Prefecture.Mei Yinghan hoped to return to Mount Tianshan as soon as possible.

Previously, the Blood Demon Patriarch had appeared, causing a great calamity in the martial world. Now, even more dangerous forces were beginning to show their traces, and all the major sects in the Jianghu needed to prepare.

This was not something he could accomplish alone. He would need to rely on the reputation and standing of the sect in the Jianghu.

Moreover, Mei Yinghan had begun to question some of the long-standing rumors within his sect. If ghosts and evil spirits truly existed, then the “Mountain Obstruction” that had been passed down from generation to generation among the disciples of Mount Tianshan... could it also be?

The two of them had determined their paths, and then it was Bai Zhengliu and Gu Miao’s turn.

Bai Zhengliu took the initiative to propose that he would accompany Mei Yinghan.

His reasons were similar to Mei Yinghan’s. He had some fame, but how far could one person’s voice really reach by shouting? It would be better to travel with Mei Yinghan and act as a witness when others asked about Mei Yinghan's details.

Seeing that even he had made his decision, Gu Miao became slightly anxious.

He was in a dilemma.

As a disciple of Mount Tianshan, he should stay with his senior brother and return to the sect. However, the option of returning to the capital with Fu Ming was also hard for Gu Miao to reject.

He cast a heavy glance at Mei Yinghan, his thoughts weighing on him—if his senior brother were to ask him to stay, he might not be unwilling…

Mei Yinghan said, "In that case, Junior Brother Gu, you should return to the capital with Prince Wang."

Gu Miao’s pupils suddenly contracted. "You!"

Mei Yinghan looked at him with a calm expression. "Since you and Prince Wang have become close, you should meet his family and elders."

Gu Miao was stunned by his words. Just three days ago, he and his senior brother were still lovers! Although he and Fu Ming… Looking at his senior brother’s reaction, he didn’t seem angry or jealous. Instead, he looked like he had been relieved?

Was it because he was finally free from him, no longer having to pretend?

Gu Miao was enraged, but mixed in with his anger was a feeling of sorrow.

This was the person he had been yearning for all these years? No, on second thought, it was still Fu Lang…

Thinking back on all the times he had spent with Fu Ming, Gu Miao’s anger slowly turned into a cold laugh.Yes. Unlike Mei Yinghan, who always saw him as a junior disciple, Fu Ming had always treated him with tenderness and charm. When he was with him, Gu Miao never felt the lack of joy.

In the past, he would still think about his senior brother at times like this, feeling that they should be together to enjoy the beautiful scenery. But now, seeing as his senior brother had no affection for him...

Gu Miao sighed deeply, coldly saying, "What my senior brother said is indeed true. But once we return to Mount Tianshan, I’ll trouble my senior brother to explain things to the elders, senior sisters, and junior sisters."

Mei Yinghan showed a trace of helpless bitter smile but said nothing.

Having listened to the entire conversation, Bai Zhengliu, who was astonished that Mei Yinghan could tolerate Gu Miao’s temper, said: "..."

He wanted to speak, but then hesitated. If he remembered correctly, wasn’t it Gu Xiaolang who was straddling two boats and got himself flipped over? Thinking further back, hadn’t you and Fu Ming already been exchanging glances and secret messages even before coming to Guang'an Prefecture?

Why does it seem like Mei Yinghan owes you something?

Bai Zhengliu couldn’t make sense of it. But then, he thought about it again and realized that he wasn’t much different from Mei Yinghan. In the past, Fu Ming and Gu Miao had been giving each other intimate looks right in front of them, yet he only thought that Fu Ming and Gu Miao came from noble families, so it was no wonder they got along well. He thought he should learn from them, so that his lover wouldn’t find him boring.

Alright, it seems like it’s not just Mei Yinghan who has bad eyesight—it's also me.

With that thought, Bai Zhengliu fell silent.

He assumed that the four of them would soon part ways, and that he wouldn’t see Fu Ming or Gu Miao again in the short term, so his mood gradually relaxed. But to his surprise, after the conversation between the brothers from Mount Tianshan, Fu Ming turned his attention toward him.

When their eyes met and Fu Ming’s gaze became determined, Bai Zhengliu grew alert once again.

He was well aware that, considering everything that had happened in the “Chang Manor,” Fu Ming would definitely not be holding back any affection toward him. Since that was the case, Fu Ming’s words were likely to be—

"Return the Twenty-Eight Generals to me."

The Ninth Prince spoke.

Why is Bai Zhengliu's beloved blade called the “Twenty-Eight Generals”?

Rumors say that when Fu Ming’s ancestors hunted in the Central Plains, many heroes came to follow him. Among these heroes, twenty-eight distinguished themselves and became the most capable generals under the Grand Emperor.Those years, the "Twenty-Eight Generals" referred to these twenty-eight people.

When the world was finally at peace, the Grand Ancestor Emperor did not forget the merits of his old brothers and awarded them titles one by one. The relationship between the emperor and his subjects became a well-known tale of harmony.

But unfortunately, the good times didn’t last long.

During the conquest, the Twenty-Eight Generals were all fierce and unyielding figures in their own ranks. Now that the world was peaceful, it was supposed to be a time to recuperate. However, the Twenty-Eight Generals were unwilling to settle down. They still yearned for pillaging and killing. But such acts could only be done to the enemy, not to their own people.

The Grand Ancestor Emperor initially hesitated to punish his old brothers, but as they became more and more outrageous, the emperor had no choice but to take drastic measures to teach them a lesson.

He did not expect that his effort to show them mercy and encourage them to live peacefully as officials and wealthy men was in vain. When the Twenty-Eight Generals realized that the emperor could indeed take action against them, the remaining ones secretly joined forces and began to plot rebellion, even intending to overthrow the emperor!

Fortunately, the Grand Ancestor Emperor discovered their plot in time. As a result, the Twenty-Eight Generals did not succeed.

They were all captured and imprisoned by the emperor, who sentenced them according to the usual method of punishment. The emperor, however, was greatly weakened by the betrayal of his old brothers and fell ill.

By the time he recovered from his serious illness, the Twenty-Eight Generals had already met their end. In theory, when facing a group of criminals, the emperor should no longer feel any mercy. But perhaps due to his old age, the Grand Ancestor Emperor still remembered the days of conquering the world together with his brothers. So, he secretly ordered the collection of many weapons used by the Twenty-Eight Generals in their lifetimes, gathering them together and melting them into a long blade...

These stories were told to Bai Zhengliu by Fu Ming.

At that time, Bai Zhengliu had just entered the capital with Fu Ming. His original Broken Water Blade had shattered in his battle with the Blood Demon Ancestor, and he was troubled about whether to repair it or simply replace it. At that moment, Fu Ming quietly told him that he had found a very fine weapon for Bai Zhengliu.

"Though the Twenty-Eight Generals were unforgivable, their weapons helped the Grand Ancestor Emperor win the world, so they were considered meritorious. If you wield this blade, you’ll naturally advance at a rapid pace."

See, it’s not that Bai Zhengliu was blind in the past—Fu Ming indeed had moments of kindness.

At that time, Bai Zhengliu was deeply moved as he accepted the blade. Now, however, his thoughts were calm as he reflected, "Indeed. It was originally something he gave me. If the Twenty-Eight Generals had not shown their supernatural qualities, Fu Ming probably wouldn't have cared. But since this blade has repelled the controlled Liu Shi several times and even made Liu Shi confess that she had a moment of clarity when stabbed, Fu Ming wanting it back is understandable."

However, Bai Zhengliu felt regret.

He was a swordsman, having followed his master to practice the sword since childhood. For him, the Twenty-Eight Generals had already become inseparable partners over the years, regardless of where the blade came from.

But since Fu Ming had brought it up, Bai Zhengliu had no reason to refute.

He said nothing more, unbuckled the sword from his waist, and was about to hand it to Fu Ming.

Seeing this, Fu Ming's eyes revealed a gleam of joy.He still had to maintain his composure, taking the blade from Bai Zhengliu's hand, while saying, "This blade was originally something from my elder brother’s private treasury. I had to beg him for quite some time, claiming it was meant for my future sister-in-law. Only then did he agree. Now, you and I... Bai Zhengliu," Prince Ji's expression changed slightly, "You should let go!"

Bai Zhengliu looked at Fu Ming in confusion before releasing his grip.

—The Twenty-Eight Generals remained suspended in mid-air, and no matter how many more actions Fu Ming attempted, they could not be moved.