Chapter 95: Food This Much To My Taste Is Poisoned? Fine, I’ll Die Right Here For You To See
Overbearing!
Stimulation!
Li Zhengdao stood to the side, feeling his heart pound rapidly, his gaze towards Lin Fan filled with unspeakable shock.
He hadn’t even seen the Ninth Prince in person.
And yet he had already offended the Ninth Prince. Honestly, he felt Lin Fan offended people too quickly.
Ning Yu walked to Lin Fan’s side, her small face full of indignation. She pouted and said, “Master, this Ninth Prince has no judgment at all. He offended you without even meeting you. If he hadn’t been born into privilege, with the way he offends people, he would have suffered greatly long ago.”
Lin Fan said softly, “Ning Yu, being born into privilege is also a skill. Look at us, as long as we are wholeheartedly just, the common people will stand by us.”
After speaking, he turned to the surrounding common people who had not yet dispersed, clasped his hands, and said, “Fellow villagers, thank you for your righteous words. Please rest assured, no matter who pressures our Public Security Bureau, all of us in the Public Security Bureau will not break our spirit under such threats.”
The common people cheered.
“Master Lin, well said.”
“Dressed in fine clothes and riding a spirited horse, a young man, who doesn’t know the Silver Rod King of Anzhou—Master Lin!!!”
At this moment, Lin Fan had a smile on his face, but when he heard these words, his smile instantly froze.
What?
Who spread this talk?
Damn it!
Could it be that Qin Si, that dog, secretly came to Anzhou to spread this?
The common people pondered.
“That’s a good saying. The iron rod Lin Ye carries weighs sixty catties. It’s truly a divine weapon. The title of Silver Rod King is well-deserved. Who dares to disagree?”
“Born with divine strength, possessing immense power, he is a reborn Overlord!”
Lin Fan couldn’t let the common people continue to boast wildly. He quickly asked them to leave. He was truly afraid that if the common people lingered there and continued to tease him.
He would truly solidify the title of Silver Rod King in Anzhou.
Damn Qin Si.
Indeed, one cannot be too soft-hearted. What’s the point of being praised if it leads to this? No matter how you shape your image, it’s no match for a fool’s sudden inspiration.
Hateful!
Hateful!
At this moment, Battalion Commander Song, who left the Public Security Bureau in a sorry state, was angry. But not long after leaving, his anger was extinguished by a chill.
“A shameless person, truly lives up to his reputation.” The more Battalion Commander Song thought about it, the more afraid he became. If he hadn’t held back and clashed with the other party, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
The Ninth Prince would definitely be implicated.
No…
It seems he already has been implicated.
Commander Qin said, “Brother Song, this time you’ve seen it with your own eyes, who is our Chief Lin? He’s crazier than a mad dog. The Ninth Prince’s status and position are so noble, yet he doesn’t even take the Ninth Prince seriously.”
Battalion Commander Song raised his hand, “Brother Qin, please don’t talk about this matter anymore. This person is difficult to provoke. What do you think will happen if the events that just occurred get out?”
Meanwhile, Master Ximen, who was beaten black and blue, ignored the strange looks from the surrounding common people and pleaded, “Sir Song, my son hasn’t been rescued yet, you can’t leave.”
Battalion Commander Song put on a stern face and berated him in a low voice, “What more do you want? If this matter escalates, it will not just be your Ximen family’s business. It could seriously damage His Highness’s reputation. If it is reported to His Majesty by someone with ill intentions, I tell you, not only will I be in trouble, but it’s questionable whether your entire Ximen family can be preserved.”
“Ah?” Master Ximen’s face instantly turned as pale as paper, clearly frightened by these words.
He looked at Prefect Zhao for help, hoping the prefect would say a few words for him.
When he looked at Prefect Zhao, whose face was grim, head bowed, and lost in thought, he knew his plea for help was completely in vain.
Who suffered the most?
It wasn’t Master Ximen, who was beaten, nor Battalion Commander Song, who was kicked.
It was Prefect Zhao, who considered himself a parental official to the common people.
He still couldn’t understand: I, Zhao, accompanied Battalion Commander Song, only said a few words, and was slightly more forceful, and was slapped twice on the spot.
I was even tripped to the ground in disgrace.
Many common people saw this. He still has to serve as an official in Anzhou in the future. What about his reputation?
Commander Qin, seeing the oppressive atmosphere, said, “Brother Song, don’t dwell on these unhappy things. It’s not easy to come here. Let me, Qin, treat you. Let’s brothers have a good drink and chat.”
Prefect Zhao looked at Commander Qin, “At this point, you still have the mood for drinking?”
Commander Qin sighed, “Brother Zhao, who would want to see something like this happen? But it has happened, what can we do? If you can’t let go, it will only spoil your mood.”
Damn it.
Prefect Zhao cursed Commander Qin in his heart.
Easy to say when it’s not happening to you.
It’s not you who got beaten, you would surely say it lightly.
“No, I need to go back and report immediately.” Battalion Commander Song waved his hand, then looked at Master Ximen, “Rescuing your son is not that I won’t help you, but this Chief Lin simply doesn’t show any respect. You should find a way to stabilize the situation first. After I report this matter to His Highness, we will decide then.”
Master Ximen’s mouth opened and closed, wanting to say something but stopping.
His mind was also blank at the moment.
What he thought was a foolproof plan turned out to be dragging them along to be slapped in the face by that Lin fellow.
“I’m not resigned! Is there really no one who can deal with him?”
Master Ximen wailed inwardly. When had he ever encountered such a situation? Thinking of himself spinning like a top after being slapped, his heart ached.
City Gate.
Battalion Commander Song led his men away, only saying a polite remark. He was not returning to Zhuoming Prefecture, but heading to Yong’an.
He needed to thoroughly investigate Lin Fan’s identity and what happened in Yong’an.
Although Brother Zhao and Brother Qin had both told him.
He would only believe seventy percent; the remaining thirty percent might be the most crucial.
Dust flew.
Commander Qin watched the receding figure, sighed heavily, and looked at Prefect Zhao and Master Ximen, “There’s no other way. I’ll go back to my barracks and focus on training soldiers. Brother Zhao, Brother Ximen, I think you should give up. You can’t beat him.”
Prefect Zhao clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.
Can’t beat him?
Such few words.
Master Ximen gritted his teeth, “I don’t believe I can’t beat him. I don’t believe it.”
…
The events at the Public Security Bureau spread quickly.
Every common person present was an excellent spreader. They would take what they saw, add a few details, and re-create it, portraying Lin Fan as someone who feared no authority, who, at the cost of his own promising future, confronted the Ninth Prince, Prefect Zhao, and Commander Qin head-on.
Some bolder storytellers, inspired, began to create.
《 The Silver Rod King Fights Three Evil Dogs》
And who would be the most scared right now?
It would certainly be the gangs still rooted in Anzhou. For a while, they had been in peace. The Public Security Bureau hadn’t acted against them, and they thought it might be because Chief Lin had offended too many people.
And was too busy to deal with them.
But now, they felt a chill of fear.
This Chief Lin was a lawless individual. Even the people sent by the Ninth Prince were bullied to this extent. He even spoke such rebellious words publicly.
He actually dared to confront the Ninth Prince.
Is this something a normal person would dare to say?
Evening.
“Sir, these are the files from recent interrogations and the proposed punishments. Please review them.” Yang Ming placed a thick stack of files in front of Lin Fan.
Lin Fan casually picked up a file and looked at it.
“Hmm, are these all according to the highest penalties of the 《 Law》?”
Yang Ming nodded, “They are all according to the highest penalties. Some crimes are not capital offenses, but require imprisonment ranging from three to ten years.”
Lin Fan said, “Go and arrange for some people to compile the sentencing results for these individuals and post an announcement so that the common people of Anzhou can see what the final outcome is for those who were once tyrannical.”
“Also, for those sentenced to caning, you must personally select the executioners. They must be strong and robust, and the execution must be public.”
Yang Ming nodded, “Yes, Sir.”
Two days later!
The situation in Anzhou Prefecture was very stable. There were very few local ruffians, and the common people’s happiness index rose sharply. All of this was attributed to Master Lin.
If Master Lin hadn’t arrived and implemented strict reforms, Anzhou would not be as stable as it was now.
Restaurant.
“Master Lin, your Kung Pao Chicken is here.” The waiter enthusiastically brought the dish and placed it on the table, then waited by the side.
Lin Fan picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a piece of diced chicken, and was about to put it in his mouth when he looked up and smiled at the waiter, “You go about your business, no need to serve here.”
The waiter said sincerely, with admiration, “Master Lin, please let me serve you. I admire Master Lin the most. Since Master Lin vigorously reformed Anzhou, I haven’t encountered any local ruffians anymore.”
Lin Fan smiled, “This is the responsibility of our Public Security Bureau. As the Chief, if I don’t do some practical things, how can I live up to your trust?”
“Master Lin, you’re right. You might not know, but recently there’s a storybook called ‘The Silver Rod King Fights Three Evil Dogs’ that’s very popular. It’s about your deeds.” The waiter had heard of this storybook.
Under the storyteller’s passionate narration, he felt his blood boil.
Lin Fan: …
Damn it!
The title he tried so hard to avoid was actually written into a storybook by a storyteller and publicized.
Wouldn’t this solidify it in the future?
Sigh!
A sigh from his heart, conveying his helplessness.
Could he arrest the storyteller and personally reprimand him, telling him not to promote this title anymore?
He knew without even thinking.
He couldn’t do such a thing.
Lin Fan put the diced chicken into his mouth. It was sour and spicy, his favorite dish. This was a treasure restaurant he had discovered. The food tasted very delicious.
After all, without any technological enhancements, it was difficult to make the taste so good.
A piece of diced chicken, a mouthful of rice.
It was so delicious he wanted to cry.
【 Poison Resistance +1】
【 Poison Resistance: LV3（0/1000）】
Huh!?
Poison resistance has increased to LV3.
This is an unexpected joy… Wait, I’m just eating a dish, eating rice, where did the Poison Resistance +1 come from?
Is it poisoned?
This dish is poisoned. Someone secretly poisoned him.
He looked at the waiter beside him.
Could it be him?
But that’s not right. The waiter in front of him still had a face full of admiration, and his eyes didn’t lie. It wasn’t the waiter who poisoned him, so the only one who could have touched this dish was the chef who cooked it.
He pretended to be nonchalant, pulled the plate closer, covered it with rice, stirred it, picked up his spoon, and ate large mouthfuls.
If it was the chef who poisoned him.
That means, from now on, he would never be able to eat Kung Pao Chicken that suited his taste again.
【 Poison Resistance +1】
【 Poison Resistance +1】
…
Soon, the dish and rice on the plate were completely gone, not a grain of rice left.
Lin Fan took a deep breath, suddenly stood up, pretended to be dizzy, staggered back, knocked over several tables and chairs, his face instantly turned pale, he secretly bit the inside of his cheek, and a trace of blood oozed from the corner of his mouth.
He tremblingly raised his hand and pointed at the empty plate on the table.
“There’s… there’s poison!!!”
Before he finished speaking, his body fell backward straight down, crashing to the ground with a bang, motionless.
“Ah! Master Lin!”
The waiter’s face changed drastically, and he rushed over, in utter panic, “Master Lin, what’s wrong? What’s wrong with you? Don’t scare me.”
The surrounding diners also showed looks of horror.
The waiter tremblingly reached out and placed his finger under Master Lin’s nostrils. He couldn’t feel any breath.
“Ah! Master Lin is dead, Master Lin was poisoned to death.”
The waiter shouted in panic.
He looked at the empty plate. The dish had only passed through two people: the chef and him. But how could he possibly poison Master Lin to death?
Thinking of this, the waiter turned and roared, “Quick, go to the Public Security Bureau and notify the constables, Master Lin was poisoned!”
After speaking, he ran towards the kitchen like a madman.
He was going to arrest the chef.
When Master Lin came to the restaurant to eat, he personally told the chef that this was for Master Lin, and they had to be careful and use their best cooking skills.
He didn’t expect it to have caused Master Lin’s death.
When he rushed into the kitchen, everyone else was still busy, completely unaware of what had happened.
The waiter shouted, “Where is Li Gui?”
“Huh, he was just here. Where did he go?”
The people in the kitchen were very confused.
The waiter shouted, “Hurry up and find him! He poisoned Master Lin to death!”
Instantly.
Everyone busy in the kitchen seemed to be under a petrification spell, frozen in place, wondering if they had heard wrong.
Poisoned?
Master Lin is dead?
…
Public Security Bureau.
Everyone was busy. Ning Yu held a teacup, staying in the courtyard, enjoying the bright sunshine.
Suddenly.
A figure rushed into the Public Security Bureau in a panic, shouting in fear, “Help! Master Lin was poisoned to death at the restaurant!”
With a *crack*!
The teacup in Ning Yu’s hand slipped and shattered on the ground. She widened her eyes, looking at the messenger in disbelief.
This cry spread through the entire Public Security Bureau like thunder.
The constables rushed out of their offices like madmen.
Xu Ming lunged forward, grabbed the messenger’s collar tightly, and roared with bloodshot eyes, “What the hell did you say? Say it again!”
The messenger was so scared he almost collapsed, and said with a sob, “Master Lin… Master Lin was poisoned to death at the restaurant.”
“You bullshit!!!”
Xu Ming roared.
At this moment, Ning Yu, who had snapped back to her senses, rushed out of the Public Security Bureau without a word, like an arrow shot from a bowstring, and ran frantically towards the restaurant. She knew her master liked to eat at a certain restaurant recently.
The moment Ning Yu left, the entire Public Security Bureau erupted as if it had exploded.
All the constables who received the news turned pale, dropped everything they were doing, and rushed towards the restaurant in a frenzy.
Inside the restaurant.
Ning Yu stood beside Lin Fan, her eyes wide open, her mouth agape, watching her master lie on the ground with a pale face. She let out a cry and threw herself at him, shaking Lin Fan vigorously.
“Master! Master! Wake up!”
There was no response.
Xu Ming and the others also arrived.
“Quick, call a doctor!” Xu Ming roared madly, as if the sky had fallen. He felt dizzy and could barely stand.
Okay, okay…
Yang Ming, Wu Yong, Qian Tao, and others, who had already lost their composure, quickly went to find a doctor.
Li Zhengdao frowned. Such a sudden incident was beyond his imagination, completely unexpected, something he had never even considered.
Ning Yu threw herself on Lin Fan, crying loudly, “Master, wake up, you can’t be in trouble.”
As the doctor arrived.
Ning Yu quickly asked the doctor to examine him.
At this moment, Lin Fan perfectly controlled his own body. The Guiyi Body Refining Method allowed him to achieve a certain degree of control over himself. His breathing, blood flow, and heartbeats were all autonomously controlled, allowing him to perfectly enter a state of suspended animation.
“Doctor, how is my master?” Ning Yu asked, her voice trembling.
The doctor examined him carefully and shook his head heavily.
Ning Yu grabbed the doctor tightly, her eyes red, her face contorted, and roared, “Save my master, and I will give you a lifetime of glory and wealth.”
“He’s truly beyond saving. Chief Lin has no pulse, his heart has stopped beating, his body is starting to cool, and he’s been poisoned. Even if the God of Da Luo appeared, it would be too late.”
“Nonsense! My master has divine strength, how could he die like this?” Ning Yu roared.
Suddenly, Ning Yu thought of the waiter and grabbed him. With a clang, she drew the sword from her waist and held it to the waiter’s neck, “Tell me, did you poison him?”
“It wasn’t me, it was the chef Li Gui. How could I possibly poison Master Lin? Master Lin is the person I admire most.”
“Then where is he?”
At this moment, Ning Yu was like a furious tigress, completely enraged.
“I don’t know, he ran away,” the waiter cried.
Ning Yu looked at her colleagues and cursed, “What are you all standing around like idiots for? Seal the city gates! No one is allowed to leave Anzhou, no matter who it is. At the same time, search the entire city for Li Gui’s whereabouts. If you find him, I will tear him to shreds.”
The panicked constables all rushed out in anger.
Lin Fan, lying on the ground, naturally heard everything around him. At the same time, he kept his eyes open, as one would say “died with eyes open.”
Besides, he needed to see the situation around him.
He didn’t expect Ning Yu to be so explosive.
She truly inherited his essence.
“Master…” Ning Yu knelt beside Lin Fan, sobbing, and reached out to close his eyes. “Master, don’t worry, your disciple will avenge you.”
She wiped them, and his eyes opened again.
She wiped again, and they opened again.
Seeing this, Ning Yu was even more grief-stricken, her heart feeling as if it were being twisted with a knife.
Her two followers exchanged glances, their brows furrowed. How could he have been poisoned and died so inexplicably?
This was too hasty.
Suddenly.
Ning Yu abruptly stood up, her eyes filled with hatred, “I know who it is! It must be Old Dog Zhao and Old Dog Ximen! I’m going to hack them to death and grind them into meat paste.”
“Master, I’m going to hack them to death right now to avenge you.”
Saying this, Ning Yu angrily took her sword and rushed towards Prefect Zhao’s mansion. Her two followers, seeing this, dared not hesitate and immediately followed.
City Gate.
Xu Ming arrived with a group of constables radiating murderous intent.
“Seal the gate! No one is allowed to leave the city without my order.” Xu Ming’s voice was hoarse with anger.
The news of his superior being poisoned to death was like a bolt from the blue, making him almost lose his mind.
“What are you doing?” The gate guards asked angrily.
This was their post, and the Public Security Bureau’s reach was extending too far, interfering here.
“Scram!!!”
Xu Ming drew his saber and kicked a gate guard to the ground. The kicked soldier was about to resist Xu Ming, but when he met Xu Ming’s murderous gaze.
He immediately backed down.
At the same time, the other constables’ eyes were also filled with anger and murderous intent.
They’ve gone mad, these constables have all gone mad.
At this time.
When the common people learned that Chief Lin had been poisoned to death, their first reaction was disbelief. When they came to the restaurant and saw the motionless Master Lin being carried out.
Many common people felt as if the sky had fallen, their vision went black, and with a thud, they knelt on the ground, wailing.
“Master Lin, how could you have been poisoned to death? Who was the damned killer?”
“It was Li Gui, Li Gui poisoned him.”
“Find him, skin him alive.”
The common people were enraged.
They had finally waited for a good official who was willing to think of them, and who would have thought he would be poisoned to death?
This completely extinguished their hope.
Their most beloved and respected Master Lin had been harmed, and the common people’s anger erupted.
…
Prefect’s Mansion, Entrance.
Ning Yu looked at the closed main door and rushed forward, kicking it. With a bang, the door didn’t open, but she was thrown back several steps.
“Ah—!” Ning Yu roared with rage, turning to her followers and shouting, “Kick the door down!”
A follower stepped forward, bowed his head, and said, “Miss, at a time like this, you must remain calm. You absolutely cannot…”
“Shut up!”
Ning Yu’s eyes were blood red, her face contorted with extreme anger, and she shouted, “I told you to kick the door, didn’t you hear me clearly? Or are you going to disobey my orders?”
The follower dared not say more and immediately bowed his head, “Yes, Miss!”
The two followers no longer hesitated and prepared to kick the door with all their might.
Just then, the main door creaked open from the inside. A servant poked his head out with an impatient expression, “Who the hell is blind, doesn’t know this is the Prefect…”
“Get lost!”
Ning Yu didn’t wait for him to finish. She kicked him away and, holding her gleaming long sword, strode directly into the mansion, shouting hysterically as she walked, “Old Dog Zhao, get out here! I’m going to hack you today.”
At this time, Prefect Zhao, who was feeding fish in the back garden, was unaware of what was happening outside. He hadn’t left home for the past few days.
He didn’t want to become a laughingstock.
Even less did he want to see that Lin fellow.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Suddenly.
He looked at a figure not far away with confusion. He saw a figure seemingly holding a sword, charging towards him angrily. This made him very puzzled.
Who is it?
So bold?
“Old Dog Zhao, give me back my master’s life!” Ning Yu’s angry roar exploded like thunder.
She raised her sword high and charged forward with extreme speed.
Seeing this, Prefect Zhao’s expression changed. He dropped the fish food in his hand and retreated repeatedly, “What are you doing? What do you want to do?”
He naturally recognized that the person holding the sword was Ning Yu.
He had also seen the follower beside her, who came from the Imperial City. Although he didn’t know his exact identity, he was certain that the follower’s identity was not simple.
“What am I doing? I’m killing you.” Ning Yu charged at Prefect Zhao with her sword.
Frightened, Prefect Zhao immediately ran around the pond, putting distance between himself and Ning Yu.
“Miss Ning, what do you mean by this? I haven’t offended you.” Prefect Zhao was truly panicked.
Judging by her momentum, she was clearly not joking.
She truly intended to kill him.
“Old dog, don’t run, I’m going to kill you.” Ning Yu chased after him.
Prefect Zhao continued to circle around.
It was as if he had mastered the essence of King Qin circling the pillars.
“Miss Ning, let’s clarify any misunderstandings. When did I provoke you?” Prefect Zhao was about to break down, truly broken. He, a dignified prefect, was already bullied by that Lin fellow, and now he was being bullied by a young girl who hadn’t even fully developed.
Which prefect had it worse than him?
“Old dog, you poisoned my master to death, I’m going to dismember you.” Ning Yu roared.
Hearing this, Prefect Zhao was stunned.
What?
Lin Fan is dead?
Poisoned to death?
“Miss Ning, he’s dead?” Prefect Zhao showed his true feelings.
Overjoyed.
“Ah… you old dog dare to laugh? I’m going to hack you to death! What are you all standing around for? Grab him! I’m going to hack him to death!” Ning Yu roared.
The two followers exchanged glances.
They naturally couldn’t let their young lady kill Prefect Zhao.
The situation was not clear yet, there were many complications, and they could also see that Prefect Zhao might genuinely not know about this matter.
Besides, people wouldn’t be that stupid.
Poisoning and killing the Chief.
This was not a downfall caused by internal strife, but would be classified as quelling a rebellion.
Sensing that Ning Yu truly wanted to kill him, Prefect Zhao said nervously, “Miss Ning, it’s a misunderstanding! It wasn’t me who poisoned him. Even if you gave me ten more lives, I wouldn’t dare to poison an Imperial Official. I’ve been at home these past few days, I haven’t gone anywhere. You can’t falsely accuse me.”
“False accusation? I don’t care if it’s a false accusation or not. Anyone who had a grudge against my master, I’m going to hack. Let alone you, Old Dog Ximen won’t escape either.”
Ning Yu had completely lost her reason.
Her idea was simple.
That was to hack to death anyone who had a grudge against her master. Even if she killed the wrong person, at least one of them would be killed correctly.
Seeing that she couldn’t catch up to Prefect Zhao, Ning Yu, in her extreme anger, threw the sword in her hand towards Prefect Zhao. Frightened, Prefect Zhao dodged, and as he turned his back, the thrown sword firmly pierced his butt.
“Ah!!!”
Prefect Zhao jumped up on the spot, screaming, and without a second thought, ran out of the mansion at full speed.
“Don’t run.”
Ning Yu chased after him.
Prefect Zhao, who had run outside, looked around frantically. Ignoring the sword stuck in his bloody backside, he wailed, “It wasn’t me who poisoned him! Why are you insisting on blaming me? It wasn’t me!”
The direction Prefect Zhao was running was towards Commander Qin’s mansion.
Only Commander Qin could save him now.
Someone had to stop this crazy woman.
Now, the entire Anzhou was in an uproar. Everyone knew that Chief Lin had been poisoned to death, and the murderer’s name was Li Gui.
The common people who didn’t know Li Gui were looking for him.
Those who knew Li Gui were also looking for him.
Their goal was unified: to find Li Gui.
…
Night.
Public Security Bureau.
Lin Fan’s body was placed there. After a whole day of frantic searching and emotional ups and downs, Ning Yu was extremely exhausted. Her eyes were hollow and listless, and she sat limply to the side as if her soul had been drawn out.
The constables in the mansion felt extremely depressed.
A heavy, sorrowful atmosphere, like thick, dark storm clouds, hung over everyone’s hearts, pressing down on them until they could barely breathe.
Everyone hung their heads, unable to muster any spirit; the vibrant, bustling scenes of the past were gone.
It was unbearable, truly unbearable.
Qian Tao, Wu Yong, and others were still out searching for Li Gui’s whereabouts, truly searching the entire city, and the common people were actively cooperating, determined to find the murderer.
Inside the room.
Ning Yu tightly gripped Lin Fan’s cold hand, feeling no warmth at all; her tears had long since dried.
At this moment.
Li Zhengdao entered, holding a brand-new squad leader’s official robe, his voice low and hoarse: “Adult Ning, the deceased cannot be brought back to life… The entire city is now searching for Li Gui, we will definitely find him. Let me change the Chief Lin into his official robe. This outfit… he hadn’t had the chance to wear it formally yet.”
Ning Yu slightly raised her head, her eyes unfocused, her voice unusually hoarse, “Put it down, I’ll change my master.”
“Alright.” Li Zhengdao replied, carefully placing the official robe aside, silently turned and exited the room, gently closing the door.
Li Zhengdao stood outside, looking up at the full moon in the night sky, shaking his head in distress. He truly hadn’t expected Chief Lin to be poisoned to death.
Thinking about Lin Fan’s usual brute strength, was that something a normal person would have?
He even felt Lin Fan was a monster.
But he was actually poisoned to death.
He thought that life was full of unexpected events, and by diligently following Lin Fan, there would be opportunities for progress. Who would have thought that such an opportunity would disappear just like that?
Li Zhengdao already had thoughts of quitting.
After dealing with this matter, he would resign and go home. Currently, the constables in the Public Security Bureau were all part of Lin Fan’s faction, and the next Chief would absolutely not tolerate them.
They would certainly be purged.
Inside the room.
Ning Yu touched the brand-new official robe, took a deep breath, and reached out to begin undressing her master, preparing to first clean his body before changing him into this official robe that her master had never worn.
Just then—
“Ning Yu, I am your master, don’t do anything rash.” Lin Fan, who had been feigning death, could no longer pretend. If he continued to disguise himself, he was afraid he would be completely undressed.
“Ah!?”
Ning Yu, her mood at its lowest ebb, was suddenly startled, as if she had heard an auditory hallucination. Was it due to excessive grief that she was experiencing such an illusion?
She looked at her master, wanting to look a few more times, but found her master smiling at her.
Ning Yu extended her hands to adjust Lin Fan’s facial expression, murmuring, “Master, let’s be serious, don’t smile. The murderer who poisoned you hasn’t been found yet.”
“Not found? Where do you think he’s hiding?”
“Master, how would I know.”
“Ning Yu, at times like this, you need to free your mind and think hard. With the common people of Anzhou searching, where could he be hiding?”
“Master, I know, but… no, Master, you… you?” Ning Yu suddenly came to her senses, her eyes wide, as if she had seen a ghost.
Lin Fan sat up with a smile, “Surprised? Delighted? I was faking my death.”
“Waaah—!” Ning Yu shrieked and threw herself into Lin Fan’s arms, pounding his chest with her fists, “Master, you’re too wicked! How could you scare me like this? Couldn’t you have given me a heads-up before pretending to be dead? I’ve lost so much face today.”
“Lost face? How did you lose face?” Lin Fan asked, affectionately stroking Ning Yu’s head with a smile.
Ning Yu said aggrievedly, “Today I was running around the streets with my sword, like a shrew. I’m supposed to be very refined, how will the common people see me after this?”
Lin Fan genuinely didn’t know about Ning Yu going to hack Prefect Zhao with her sword.
He also couldn’t imagine Ning Yu brandishing a sword to attack someone.
“It’s alright, people are diverse. Occasional outbursts help blood circulation and are good for physical and mental health. But remember, don’t tell anyone about my fake death for now. I really want to know, after I’m dead, if the gangs in the city, and the mastermind behind my poisoning, will reveal themselves.” Lin Fan said.
At this moment, Ning Yu was naturally weeping tears of joy, her mood brightened, and even her complexion was rapidly recovering.
“Master, who do you think poisoned you? Could it be Prefect Zhao?” Ning Yu asked.
Lin Fan shook his head, “No, he’s not that stupid. Everyone knows how fiercely I clashed with him. If I were poisoned to death, do you think he could escape blame?”
“Ah? Then… didn’t I just hack him for nothing?” Ning Yu suddenly felt a bit awkward.
“You actually went and hacked him?”
“Yes, I was so furious at the time that I threw my sword, and it ended up stuck in his backside.”
Lin Fan: …
Good heavens.
Ning Yu was truly lawless.
When he bullied Prefect Zhao, it was merely verbal humiliation, a mere tickle of his ego. Who would have thought his disciple would actually draw her sword and attack him? This was pure rage without reason.
“Oh, that’s fine,” Lin Fan said with a straight face, “It’s not your fault. You threw something, and he didn’t dodge it himself, so the responsibility isn’t yours.”
Ning Yu: …???
“Master, where can we find the murderer now? The city gates are guarded by Qian Tao and the others, preventing anyone from leaving. Moreover, the common people are helping us search, but from daytime until now, there hasn’t been any news,” Ning Yu said.
Lin Fan said, “It’s alright, he can’t escape. Besides, who administered the poison isn’t important. What’s important is who orchestrated it. My current suspect is Master Ximen.”
“Master, shall I go arrest him now and interrogate him severely?”
“No, don’t be in a hurry. Let this matter spread a bit more.”
“Oh.”
…
At this time.
The Prefect’s Mansion.
Commander Qin, Master Ximen, and Prefect Zhao, who was lying on the bed.
“Hahaha, he’s dead, truly dead. It’s great that he’s dead. Whichever Bodhisattva showed compassion and killed him, I will cast a golden statue and build a temple for them.” Master Ximen was ecstatic, feeling incredibly relieved.
Commander Qin said, “Brother Ximen, you didn’t poison him to death?”
“Brother Qin, how could I poison him? Moreover, the conflict between me and him was so great. If I had truly poisoned him to death, I would be the first suspect along with Prefect Zhao.”
Prefect Zhao, lying on the bed, grimaced, his backside hurting terribly, “What’s going on? What’s happening, tell me. Who did I offend? Why am I always the one getting hurt? If I hadn’t run fast today, believe it or not, I could have really died at the hands of that crazy woman. She really wanted to kill me.”
Commander Qin said, “Brother Zhao, be content. The great threat to our hearts has been removed. Anzhou is still ours. You and I are now the highest authorities in Anzhou. You must react immediately, temporarily take over the Public Security Bureau, and use this opportunity to expel all of Lin Fan’s cronies from the bureau and replace them with your people.”
Master Ximen beside him said gleefully, “Does that mean my son can be released at any time?”
Commander Qin replied, “Yes, it’s about that. But don’t rush. Now is the most critical moment. Don’t completely ignite the conflict. Brother Ximen, I’ll ask you again and again, did you send someone to administer the poison?”
Master Ximen vowed, “Brother Qin, it truly wasn’t me. If it were me, I would definitely tell you.”
“Alright, if that’s the case, then what we need to do is help the Public Security Bureau find the person who administered the poison,” Commander Qin said.
Master Ximen said, “Help the Public Security Bureau? They are our benefactors.”
“Nonsense! Not only does the Public Security Bureau suspect us, but even the common people suspect us of poisoning him. The way they look at us is as if they want to swallow us whole. Do you want to take the blame for that person?” Commander Qin said.
Master Ximen shook his head, “Of course not.”
“That’s right. Find that person, and then Brother Zhao will step forward, temporarily manage the Public Security Bureau, and immediately report this matter, recommending our own people to be squad leaders.”
“Not Chief Squad Leaders?”
“Chief Squad Leader is too troublesome. What if the Imperial Court parachutes someone in?”
“That’s true.” Master Ximen nodded, thinking it made sense.
Prefect Zhao said helplessly, “It’s a pity that Assistant Prefect Shang died too early, and those four original squad leaders were all beheaded by Lin Fan. If only they were still alive, how good would that be.”
Commander Qin said, “Don’t talk about the deceased. We’ll go to the Public Security Bureau tomorrow. Regardless, we must go and pay our respects. We must show the proper demeanor.”
Master Ximen nodded, “I understand.”
Commander Qin thought for a moment, “The most crucial thing you need to do now is mobilize all your connections to find the poisoner, no matter what.”
“Okay, I’ll go back and have people handle it now.”
Master Ximen got up and left in a hurry.
After the person left.
Prefect Zhao sighed, “He died well.”
Commander Qin said, “Indeed, he died well. The great threat to our hearts is finally gone. Brother Zhao, you’ve had a tough time these past few days.”
“Haha, as long as he’s dead, this hardship is nothing,” Prefect Zhao said with great joy.
…
Ximen Mansion.
When Master Ximen arrived home, the butler immediately informed him that Master Li, Master Hu, and Master Zhou were waiting in the living room for him to return.
Master Ximen was confused.
At this time.
What were those three masters here for?
But suddenly, Master Ximen’s brow twitched slightly, a hint of astonishment appearing in his eyes.
Could it be that they arranged for the poisoning?
The more Master Ximen thought about it, the more likely it seemed. However, he suppressed his doubts and quickly walked towards the living room. When he appeared, the three masters immediately stood up, and just as they were about to speak, Master Ximen interrupted them.
“Follow me to the study to talk.”
Arriving at the study.
Master Ximen directly asked without preamble, “Did you administer the poison?”
The three masters exchanged glances.
Decisive and straightforward.
“We found someone to do it.”
Good heavens.
It really was them.
