Chen Sansi arrived at the Governor Mansion.
Sun Buqi was very excited, "Finally, I get to see you in person, it really isn't easy!"
After exchanging a few pleasantries with him, Chen Sansi found Sun Li practicing with her knife by the lake behind the mountain.
Her constitution wasn't bad, and she had enough resources, while her realm had already reached Meridian Passage.
Chen Sansi was holding the fur of a Zouwu, "Take this, make yourself a big cloak."
"The feathers are really beautiful."
Although Sun Li was a woman at heart, she wasn't squeamish and took it openly: "Thank you."
"Shall I teach you how to practice with the knife?"
As soon as Chen Sansi said these words, he felt it was somewhat against heaven's principles.
Because back in Po Yang, it was he who had begged his sister apprentice for instruction.
He stayed at the Governor Mansion until the evening.
After having dinner with his fourth apprentice brother and the Sun Li siblings that night, Chen Sansi took his leave. On the way, he stopped several times, trying to see if he could meet Mr. Mei again.
The affairs of the Luotian Mountain Range, Mr. Mei might be able to shed some light on.
Unfortunately, he couldn't meet him as he wished.
Chen Sansi continued to concern himself with the army's affairs, drilling in the morning, inspecting the Great Wall afterward, then personally led a group of men into the city, prepared to try to investigate the Witch God Sect.
When passing near the Moon Splitting Mountain Villa.
A roar suddenly came from up ahead.
"Manor Master, calm down please!"
The gate of the villa collapsed.
Wen Zhi, with disheveled hair and wielding twin knives, charged down the mountain with bloodshot eyes, like one possessed by madness. He came to the gate and hacked wildly, creating several large pits even on the official road.
Then, he wanted to head towards the direction of the city.
"Manor Master, you mustn't do this!"
"Get out of my way——"
"Manor Master, we don't even know where the Witch God Sect followers are!"
At the critical moment.
A flash of sword light passed by.
Knocking Wen Zhi, who had leapt into the air, to the ground.
Shao Yujing stood atop the bamboo grove with his sword, his face just as haggard: "Rushing into the city in your state, you'll only harm the innocent, calm down first."
"Do I need you to meddle?!"
Wen Zhi rose with his knives, engaging in a fight with the other.
After about a dozen or so exchanges.
Perhaps because he was able to vent the resentment in his heart, or realizing that continuing the fight wouldn't get him out, Wen Zhi finally stopped, planted his knives in the ground, and slowly regained his composure.
The disciples of Moon Splitting Mountain Villa quickly helped support their master back up the mountain.
Not far away, soldiers from Hongze Camp happened to arrive.
As was his duty, Chen Sansi asked, "What happened?"
Shao Yujing slowly sheathed his sword and sighed deeply, "Old Wen has lost another child..."
Chen Sansi inquired, "Witch God Sect?"
Shao Yujing stared in the direction of Moon Splitting Mountain Villa, "Just last night, Old Wen's second son died violently in his own room, his heart rotten away, someone took his heart blood. If not the Witch God Sect, then who else could have done it?"
"I also had two True Inheritors die..."
He paused, then stressed his words.
"When the Eight Camps first arrived in Liangzhou, we from the Sky-reaching Sword Sect and Moon Splitting Mountain Villa were the leaders in non-cooperation."
"After all, we did as Lord Governor requested."
"Opened up our forests, allowed hunters to go hunting."
"Most of the land rent was also reduced to the lowest."
"The share of military expenses we agreed to shoulder, not a single Copper Coin was missing."
"These years, any profits we could give up, we gave up."
"Yet these past two years..."
"The Witch God Sect continuously murdered our Sect disciples."
"And you Beiliang Army still haven't found out why, up to now."
"Shouldn't you also be giving us an explanation?"
A cascade of questions poured forth.
The soldiers of Hongze Camp felt somewhat ashamed after hearing this.
However, their commander only hooked the corner of his mouth in a cold smile.
Shao Yujing was slightly taken aback, "What do you mean?"
Chen Sansi retorted, "Do you think that all of you Sects appear very merciful in willingly giving your money and food to help the court and the people, like sacrificing flesh to feed an eagle?"
"Merciful, perhaps not."
Shao Yujing responded, "But the people of Liangzhou should indeed be grateful to us."
Chen Sansi called out his name, each word striking like thunder, "Do you think I haven't seen Liangzhou's records of these years?!"
"Starting from the twentieth year of Longqing."
"The tax records, Fish Scale Book, yellow register in Liangzhou City, which year have they ever matched up, where did the excess tax go if not into the national treasury, Sect Master Shao, dare you settle these accounts with me?"
"Afterwards, when the Holy Emperor ordered the planting of Spiritual Grain, why wasn't any seen in your Sect's farmlands? Instead, the common folks' fields were forced to grow an extra tenth to cover the shortfall."
"Then, during disaster years, you buy good land at a cheap price, in plentiful years you force people to take high-interest loans, countless acts of clever extortion.
"How is it that when you have to spit out a portion, it's like a great injustice has been suffered, and the people should feel grateful for your 'favor'?!"
Upon hearing these words.
Shao Yujing's pupils shifted several times.
It was as if, he himself had been unaware of all this.
He insisted, "General Chen's words, what does that have to do with the Witch God Sect Followers' deeds? Regardless, you can't just ignore the life and death of our Sects, can you?!"
"So there's no connection now? Wasn't Sect Master Shao just threatening the Beiliang Army with this earlier?"
Chen Sansi fired back this question and continued as he saw the other's silence, "Moreover, we've never said we wouldn't care; we've simply not been able to find any concrete clues."
he gathered hundreds of men and strode through the gate of Moon Splitting Mountain Villa.
Chen Sansi was a Thousand Captain, his main duty had been patrolling the city, and the specifics of investigations weren't his concern. Now that he had the opportunity, it was time to try his hand at investigating, to see if he could uncover some clues.