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墨書 Inktalez
It was clear that they were being targeted.
In the vast Garrison, they made all sorts of excuses, refusing to provide even a tent. Qi Shuo had finally found a few flat patches of land, only to have them occupied by others using ridiculous justifications. The garrison leader came to watch the spectacle with a grin, and upon seeing Sang Qingxiao descend from the carriage, he maliciously teased, "Being an official in the Capital is indeed different. With so few people, you can act with impunity and carry an air of authority. Even on official business, you dare to bring along some entertainment. Brother, I haven't had a good laugh in days. How about you, Yuan Chang? You’re bold! Miss Sang is here to assist with the investigation; how dare you slander her?"
"Ha! A delicate lady is here to investigate?" Yuan Chang's mockery drew more and more eyes onto Sang Qingxiao, and those gazes grew increasingly brazen.
Sang Qingxiao felt annoyed; a powerful white light erupted around her, dazzling anyone who dared to look in her direction. Yuan Chang was the most affected; his eyes stung painfully. Once the bright light faded, he found himself momentarily dazed, unsure when he would recover.
"Qi Shuo," he thought, "they say we act with impunity and carry an air of authority; shouldn’t we quickly show that authority? The Office of Censors has the responsibility to oversee all officials. The Crow Incident was personally dispatched by His Majesty; what do you have to worry about? Let’s start with this Yuan Commander."
To be honest, this Yuan Commander was quite foolish.
The Imperial Tomb Garrison sounded impressive but was essentially a cold Yamen. The emperor only remembered it during his occasional rituals every few years, and due to its lack of resources, there wasn’t even money for upward communication.
Those who ended up in this position were either mediocre in ability, had committed mistakes, or came from fallen families seeking a seemingly respectable post—something that sounded good when mentioned. In short, unless absolutely necessary, who would want to be stationed here?
This Yuan Commander hailed from a declining marquisate. Once his elder passed away, the title would be stripped from their family. With mediocre qualifications and having gathered all the resources of his household, he managed to secure this seemingly prestigious position.
For these stationed troops, the Crow Incident represented both a crisis and an opportunity. If one were slightly clever and cooperated fully while seizing some credit for themselves, they could potentially maneuver within the Capital for a real position through family connections.
What a pity it was to waste such a great opportunity.
The stationed troops were far removed from the emperor's reach and lacked training; their strength was weak. Sang Qingxiao's burst of strong light diminished the combat effectiveness of many soldiers. When Qi Shuo apprehended Yuan Chang, there wasn’t even anyone to obstruct him; they merely shouted a few taunts before shrinking back at a glance from Qi Shuo.
Qi Shuo found a nearby tent and began questioning directly. Initially uncooperative, Yuan Chang soon complied after receiving a few punches from Qi Shuo.
"Was there any unusual activity before or after the crow attack?"
"No!" He answered quickly and decisively.
Qi Shuo warned him that failing to report any abnormalities would be considered harboring criminals. The Court suspected this incident was orchestrated by foreign spies; protecting spies was tantamount to treason—punishable by extermination of nine generations.
Yuan Commander thought carefully before speaking; at this point, his words could only lead to charges of dereliction of duty. However, if he provided useful information, perhaps he could redeem himself.
"Your Excellency," he began cautiously. The Yuan Commander knew well that his household could no longer withstand any turmoil.
With a hint of earnest concern for your well-being, the Yuan Commander completely abandoned his small thoughts and admitted, "My father often says that I'm not very bright. Even when it comes to maintaining what we have, I still fall short."
His words were indeed sincere; ever since the incident occurred, he had been thinking day and night. The Military truly seemed to be without any abnormalities.
"Or perhaps I'm just too dull to notice," he added.
Qi Shuo, who had some understanding of this person's nature, guided him further. "Then let me ask you a question: on the day of the crow attack, did anyone in the Military see a flock of crows?"
"I've asked many times, and everyone said they didn't see anything. If you don't believe me, feel free to summon my subordinates."
Qi Shuo pressed on, "Describe the situation in the Military that day, and we will judge for ourselves."
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