As Liu Liying flew into the sword sheath, Lin Zhao, astride the flying sword Hongye, descended from Yellow Crane Tower. He shot down and kicked the scar-faced man backward. This man was a fourth-realm martial artist, and a farmer dressed as one was clearly a ruse. The next moment, Lin Zhao pointed a finger, and the flying sword Mingyue shot out of the Jianyun Lake, piercing the forehead of a fiercely fighting second-realm martial artist with a "poof." A rain of blood exploded behind his head. Lin Zhao then slammed into the man's chest, seizing the opportunity to stuff a pouch of Qingfu money into his pocket. As the man stumbled backward and fell, he was already a corpse.
"Shua shua shua—"
Lin Zhao showed no mercy. Of the commoners who had surrounded Lu Huaining, anyone with even a trace of cultivation was not spared. Five immortal swords and twelve Great Desolation Ancient Swords rose and fell, continuously piercing their bodies, turning them into corpses. He continued to plant evidence, and finally, the flying sword Hao Ran swept past, piercing the throat of the leading scar-faced man. He followed up with a punch, stuffing a pouch of Feiyu money into the man's pocket as he struck.
Everyone was stunned. Not only were the commoners gaping, but Lu Huaining was also terrified. He had never expected Lin Zhao to be so decisive in his actions, killing without the slightest hesitation.
"All of you, retreat!"
Lin Zhao waved his hand, and eighteen flying swords formed a fan shape, their tips pointing at the crowd of commoners, protecting the pitiful Grand Scholar Lu behind him, who was covered in wounds.
"Esteemed elders!"
Lin Zhao clasped his hands and bowed to the crowd. "My name is Bai Yi, a swordsman from the deep mountains. After years of cultivation with my master, I have finally emerged to roam the martial world. Today, while visiting Yellow Crane Tower, I could not stand by and watch this scene unfold. Please, esteemed elders, do not be deceived any longer!"
He gestured to Lu Huaining behind him, whose face was covered in bruises and whose body had bloody holes from a rake. "A Grand Scholar of the Hall of Literary Brilliance, a Minister of the Ministry of Revenue of the second rank, and yet when you struck him with your fists and weapons, he did not order his subordinates to kill you all. Is such an official a corrupt official?! Why does Lu Huaining protect your lives, yet you do not consider Lu Huaining's well-being?"
He looked at the crowd and pointed at the corpses on the ground. "I, Bai Yi, have only killed those who deserved to die. Do you truly believe they were ordinary commoners like yourselves? You are mistaken. They were merely subordinates of those corrupt officials!"
Saying this, Lin Zhao swept forward and retrieved a pouch of coins from the scar-faced man's waist. He poured them out with a rustle – they were Feiyu coins, as many as 50. He picked one up and sneered, "Do you know what this is? Feiyu coins from the mountains. One coin can sustain a family of four for a hundred years. Do you think a farmer could possess so much money?"
"And this."
He kicked a corpse over and took out a money bag from its embrace. He poured out a pile of Qingfu coins with a clatter and said gravely, "Do you know what this is called? Qingfu coins, currency used by immortals in the mountains. One Qingfu coin is enough to support a family of four for a year. Could someone like him have so much money!?"
As he spoke, he overturned corpses one by one, finding bags of money. His face was filled with a cold sneer and disappointment. He pointed at the crowd of commoners with grief-stricken indignation. "You have been used by those corrupt officials, beating a clean official like Grand Scholar Lu. Does your conscience not ache? Lord Lu endured all sorts of grievances to protect your farmland, only to be met with your fists and kicks in the end. Those who hit Lord Lu just now, has your conscience been eaten by dogs!? Are you so willing to be used by wicked, corrupt officials?!"
As he spoke, Lin Zhao's righteousness flowed, like a mountain swordsman who hated evil and loved justice. Lu Huaining, the two ministerial inspectors, and the escorts from the minister's mansion were all dumbfounded.
"Plop..."
An old farmer holding a rake knelt down on both knees, tears streaming from his eyes. He bowed his head to Lu Huaining and said, "Grand Scholar Lu, we... we were too foolish. We were used and have harmed Grand Scholar Lu like this. We all deserve to die, we all deserve to die. Grand Scholar Lu, please draw your sword and kill me. I will have no complaints..."
From the crowd, the commoners fell to their knees one after another.
Lu Huaining hurried forward and helped the old man up. "Old man, please don't do this... As an official of the court, what is the point of being an official if I don't champion the common people? You were merely misled by villains. How could I, Lu Huaining, harm you? Everyone, please get up, please get up. I, Lu Huaining, cannot bear it..."
A while later, everyone rose. Lu Huaining bowed to the commoners. "Lu Huaining reiterates his words: please do not rush to sell your land. Help and support each other, and you will surely overcome this difficult period. I, Lu Huaining, guarantee to you that relief funds and grain will arrive in Jiangzhou soon. Please give me a little time."
An old man wiped away tears. "Lord Lu is an unparalleled clean official. We all believe in Lord Lu, and Lord Lu can surely save us..."
...
In the afternoon, in Jiangzhou City, at the prefectural office.
In the study, only Lu Huaining and Lin Zhao were present. Chi Zhongyu, Chi Yuran, Liu Liying, and the others were guarding the main hall.
"Young Hero Lin."
Lu Huaining turned and was about to kneel and pay his respects to Lin Zhao. "Lu Huaining offers his respects!"
Lin Zhao, quick as lightning, moved his mind and entered the artistic conception of the "Formation Horse and Strong Wind Stance" martial art. After becoming a third-realm martial artist, this move of the Formation Horse and Strong Wind Stance seemed to have "awakened." The fist intent was profound. Following this pattern, when Lin Zhao became a fourth-realm martial artist, the fist intent of the fourth punch should also awaken. Although it had not yet formed a specific skill, it could be used, invisibly increasing Lin Zhao's actual combat power. And if one day he became a ninth-realm Wanderer, with the full awakening of the Nine Fist Intents of the Farmer, then he would truly be invincible.
"Lord Lu."
Lin Zhao helped Lu Huaining up and smiled, "In truth, I was merely acting on impulse."
"Hmm."
Lu Huaining frowned and said, "Actually, I, Lu, knew that those commoners were being manipulated and that there were those with malicious intent hiding among them. However... I, Lu Huaining, cannot be as decisive as Young Hero Lin. Judging solely by this, does Young Hero Lin think I, Lu Huaining, am too pedantic, merely a bookworm?"
"Not necessarily."
Lin Zhao smiled. "Lord Lu is a Grand Scholar of the Hall of Literary Brilliance, a learned scholar. I would like to ask, Lord Lu, you should also know that I used some methods to hide my Qingfu coins and Feiyu coins in the bodies of those corpses to prove that they were lackeys of corrupt officials. Judging solely by these methods, does Lord Lu feel that Lin Zhao is not upright?"
Lu Huaining's expression became solemn. "Young Hero Lin's intentions were good, so this matter cannot be considered not upright. I, Lu Huaining, can perceive that although Young Hero Lin is a sword cultivator, he is also partly a Confucian disciple. Since you are a Confucian disciple, would using such methods to verify the identities of these people be somewhat improper?"
"This requires clarification."
Lin Zhao crossed his arms and said with a smile, "Those who hid among the commoners to assassinate you, Lord, can be considered scoundrels, can they not? Judging them by their actions and not their intentions, these people deserve to die. And I, as a half-Confucian disciple, pursue the ideal of a gentleman who is cautious of himself and restrains his desires and returns to propriety. But in the end, it comes down to this: a gentleman judges by intention, not by action. My methods today are merely using their own tactics against them. I can live with this. Conversely, if I had clung to outdated principles and done nothing, watching Lord Lu maintain his integrity, that would truly be pedantic. Why should scholars be controlled by others? Why should they be bullied? There is no such logic in the world. Towards good people, we should indeed be gentle, respectful, diligent, and frugal. But towards evil people, a sharp approach is not excessive, I think."
Lu Huaining smiled and nodded. "I have learned..."
"What are your plans next, Lord?" Lin Zhao asked.
Lu Huaining frowned. "I cannot remain in Jiangzhou Prefecture. I, Lu Huaining, a mere individual, can do nothing even if I stay here. Therefore, I plan to return to the capital and report the situation in the southern provinces to His Majesty. If the policy of replacing grains with rice is not stopped, the fertile lands of the south may become barren and filled with starving people."
"Do you think it will succeed?" Lin Zhao smiled.
"Whether it succeeds or not, I must try."
"Alright."
Lin Zhao nodded. "This journey will likely be very dangerous. I will accompany you all the way to Ning'an City. It happens that my next stop in my travels through the land of a hundred flowers is also Ning'an City."
"Good."
Lu Huaining clasped his hands and bowed. "Since that is the case, thank you, Young Hero!"
...
In the evening.
The Chi family of Lingnan dispatched a Fuyu Dragon Boat to escort Lu Huaining north along the river towards Ning'an City, the capital. Lin Zhao and Liu Liying were still arranged in the VIP room upstairs. As for Lu Huaining, he stayed on the first floor to avoid attracting too much attention.
Two days later, they arrived in Ning'an City.
Everyone switched to horses. Liu Liying disguised Lin Zhao slightly. He was still in white, with a sword on his back, riding a white horse, but his appearance was completely different from the young swordsman in the Qinglu Inn. After completing this, Liu Liying once again hid in the sword sheath and accompanied Lin Zhao to escort Lu Huaining back to the capital.
At noon, without stopping, and without even returning to Lu Huaining's residence, the group escorted Lu Huaining directly into the Imperial Palace to meet Emperor Xu Chen of the Xu clan.
The capital was bustling, but there was no time for sightseeing. After entering the depths of the Imperial Palace, the Emperor summoned Lu Huaining in the Hall of Literary Brilliance. Lin Zhao, Chi Zhongyu, Chi Yuran, and other accompanying cultivators waited quietly outside the Hall of Literary Brilliance. Not far away stood the Imperial Guards, armed with swords and clad in armor.
"Will it go smoothly?"
Chi Zhongyu looked at the Hall of Literary Brilliance, feeling quite uneasy. "With Grand Scholar Lu's prestige in the court, he might actually be able to persuade the Emperor."
"Difficult."
Lin Zhao also looked at the Hall of Literary Brilliance and said, "The Emperor could have summoned Lu Huaining in many places, yet he chose the Hall of Literary Brilliance. Don't you think there's a deeper meaning to this?"
Chi Zhongyu frowned, his heart growing even more uneasy.