Chapter 24: Dispatching the Beggar

Chen Luo targeted a lone servant, swiftly hiding and grabbing him by the neck. With one hand, he dragged the man into the undergrowth. The speed was so quick that the servant barely had time to react, looking dazed even after being caught.

In the next moment, upon seeing Chen Luo’s menacing gaze, his entire body began to tremble uncontrollably.

“Grandpa, spare me! Spare my life!”

As soon as Chen Luo released him, the servant dropped to his knees, thumping his head repeatedly on the ground. Judging by his practiced movements, it seemed he had been frequently taken hostage recently. This wasn’t surprising, given how chaotic Qingya County had become, with soldiers arresting alleged ‘rebels’ everywhere. Those desperate for survival naturally turned to the source of their troubles for sustenance.

“I have a question.” Chen Luo kicked the servant lightly, signaling him to speak while standing.

“Where is the Qingya County Magistrate?”

“He’s at the Warm Autumn Pavilion! Just go straight from here; once you see the round gate, you’ll arrive.”

Without any hesitation, the servant betrayed his own master, even meticulously describing the appearance of the three gates along the way, seemingly fearing Chen Luo might get lost.

Having noted down the directions, Chen Luo raised his right hand, knocked out the servant, and tossed him into nearby bushes. He then captured two more individuals, interrogating them similarly, and received consistent information each time.

Confident there were no errors, he maintained stealth as he swiftly moved towards the Warm Autumn Pavilion.

The Warm Autumn Pavilion was a small courtyard within the rear residence area.

Its layout resembled a traditional quadrangle compound with a main hall flanked by side rooms, centered around a small yard. In the middle stood a circular flower bed containing ornamental plants unfamiliar to Chen Luo; they appeared somewhat akin to foxtail grass.

“This Fan fellow is outrageously arrogant, using Qing Ya County for his deeds yet giving me such a pittance! Is he trying to appease beggars?” an exasperated voice exclaimed from inside the room.

“Why let it bother you, sir? That Fan is merely a brutish warrior, already at the limit of his ambitions. What else could he possibly pursue beyond money? But you, sir, are different. If we handle this matter well, it might open opportunities for nobility or high office in the future,” replied another voice, sounding like that of the master’s advisor.

“I understand the logic, but I simply cannot let this indignity pass,” replied the initial voice, now considerably softer.

“If you truly can’t bear it, why not consider this approach? We could…”

Bang!

Before he finished speaking, someone crashed through the nearby window like a specter, entering swiftly amidst shattered wood and scattered paper decorations. Without wasting a moment, the intruder grabbed the speaker by the throat and twisted with force.

A sickening crack echoed, and the adviser who had been talking just seconds ago fell silent, his neck grotesquely bent backward.

Did Chen Luo target the wrong person?

Glancing at the clothing of the man in his grasp, Chen Luo furrowed his brow slightly. He had charged in following the sound of their voices, only to inadvertently kill an adviser instead. Fortunately, the other individual hadn’t escaped yet; worst comes to worst, he’d have another chance to strike true.

“Who are you?!” Magistrate Lou retreated fearfully, his face filled with terror.

He had encountered many ruthless criminals before, but this was the first time he met one who immediately went for a fatal attack without preamble.

Is he here solely to commit murder? I still have so much silver left unspent…

Chen Luo had no intention of wasting words; he always preferred swift and decisive actions.

With a single flick, he tossed the lifeless adviser aside like trash. The body collided with a table, knocking over two prepared teapots before rolling to the side.

Chen Luo found it beneath him to even consider consuming the ‘brains’ of such individuals who lacked any martial skills. These weaklings daring to scheme against a formidable imperial expert were truly fortunate that court regulations protected them; otherwise, their reckless behavior would have cost them ten lives over.

Sensing Chen Luo’s murderous aura, Magistrate Lou retreated into a corner. As Chen Luo approached, he opened his mouth to plead for mercy.

“Good sir-”

Before he could finish, darkness engulfed his vision, losing sight of his assailant. In the next instant, a sharp pain shot through his chest, followed by a forceful impact as he flew backward.

With a dull thud, Magistrate Lou’s obese body slammed into the rear wall. His eyes widened, and a trickle of blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.

“Crying ‘good sir’ won’t save you.”

Withdrawing his bloodied hand, Chen Luo’s eyes flickered with disappointment.

He had initially thought Magistrate Lou might possess some martial skills, only to find him truly just an ordinary scholar.

The corpse slid down the wall, leaving behind a chilling trail of blood.

Having dispatched his target, Chen Luo glanced around the room, his gaze settling on the table. There lay a bulging money pouch filled with silver notes worth one thousand taels each—a rough estimate put it at no less than one hundred thousand taels!

Such a vast sum?!

Even Chen Luo was taken aback.

This was not a small amount; most people would never encounter this much wealth in their entire lifetime.

Recalling the conversation he overheard before entering, he immediately understood the source of these funds. It likely came from that military officer surnamed Fan, as ‘hush money’ for the beggar incident.

“So much money just to silence a beggar? What kind of beggars make such fortunes?! Why wasn’t I informed?”

Chen Luo gained a new perspective on the financial dealings of Magistrate Lou and his associates.

Stepping forward, he pocketed the money pouch. The silver notes inside were unregistered, which made sense given Magistrate Lou’s illicit activities; they wouldn’t risk using traceable bills.

After pocketing the money, Chen Luo glanced towards the door.

Despite the commotion earlier, no one had come to investigate yet. This demonstrated Magistrate Lou’s authority; ordinary servants dared not interfere with matters concerning their master, fearing even to listen or inquire. Additionally, the other powerful presence showed no sign of moving, whether due to not hearing or choosing to ignore it.

With this realization, Chen Luo felt less urgency to leave immediately.

He hadn’t found Junior Sister He yet, and simply stealing some money on his first visit wouldn’t be satisfactory.

His gaze swept around the room before settling on the bookcases at the back.

Chen Luo approached, opened one, and picked up a book, briefly flipping through its pages. It contained tales of romance and frivolity, holding little value. Skipping that one, he examined several more books, but most were typical scholarly texts.

Next, Chen Luo moved to the second bookcase and retrieved another volume.

This cabinet was filled entirely with account ledgers.

The records were meticulously detailed, covering various departments’ incomes and expenditures in Qingya County, along with evidence of bribes received by key officials. In the local political arena, these documents could fetch significant sums, but to Chen Luo, they were no different from worthless scrap paper.

He moved on to the third, then fourth bookcase.

Finally, at the last bookshelf, he discovered something unusual.

“What’s this?”

Chen Luo opened the book blocking the front, revealing a hidden compartment within which contained a wooden box secured by a copper lock.

‘Might it be some precious treasure?’ Chen Luo’s interest was immediately piqued.

Without hesitation, he channeled inner qi into his fingers and exerted force.

With a crisp snap, the copper lock shattered effortlessly.

“Letters?”

Chen Luo felt slightly disappointed upon seeing the contents of the box. Instead of treasures or martial arts manuals, it held a thick stack of correspondence.

Skimming through a few letters quickly, he soon identified a crucial name:

Prince Ning!