The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 56 Aftermath
"Lord Qi is truly decisive. If it were me, I'm afraid I would have hesitated and looked back too much," Yang Wu exclaimed.

If he fails to kill Old Master Luo, or leaves any evidence against him, then Qi Chong's term as magistrate will likely be over, and he might even lose his life.

Moreover, killing someone is easy, but it will cause a lot of trouble afterward, and the Luo family will definitely not let it go unpunished.

"Hmph! It's always good to strike first. When the time is right, we must act decisively. Otherwise, if the Luo family makes their move first after they've finished preparing, I'm afraid I'll be the one who dies!" Qi Chong sneered.

“What you say is true, sir, but there will be trouble later. We need to prepare early, and we don’t know if we have left any evidence against us,” Yang Wu said.

"Don't worry, the killer is a skilled soldier. He acted swiftly and decisively. From infiltrating to killing to leaving, the whole process took no more than ten breaths. Even if there are any clues, they won't be able to find anything in a short time. The Luo family can't just attack me based on a few guesses. They must have solid evidence. I am a county magistrate, an official appointed by the imperial court," Qi Chong said calmly.

"A master in the military? No wonder he's so powerful!" Yang Wu exclaimed.

He had already learned the whole story of Old Master Luo's death. A man in black sneaked into the house and shattered Old Master Luo's body with a single palm strike. Although a large number of the Luo family guards had been transferred away, there were still no fewer than thirty guards near Old Master Luo's residence, but they were completely unable to stop him. This showed just how high the man's martial arts skills were.

There is no such powerful figure in Baiyun County. Considering that Qi Chong's backer is General Qi, he couldn't help but wonder if this was General Qi's idea.
But then he thought it was unlikely, since General Qi, with his status and position, wouldn't have time to pay attention to a conflict in a place like Baiyun County.

"However, although no evidence has been left behind, if Luo Sheng leads the police to investigate thoroughly, it's hard to guarantee that they won't find some evidence." Qi Chong frowned, feeling somewhat worried.

“That’s right. There’s another point: the Luo family in the county town might send someone over, which is also a potential problem,” Yang Wu added.

The reason why the Luo family has such a stable position in Baiyun County and can easily defeat other families is because this place is only a branch. When faced with a crisis, the Luo family in Baiyun County can ask for help from Luo family warriors in other places. Even if the Luo family is at a disadvantage for a while, they can quickly turn the situation around.

"It's alright. It will take at least seven or eight days for the Luo family in the county to send people over. During this time, I will first try to weaken the Luo family's power in the city. The first person I will make a move against will be Luo Sheng!"
"Yang Wu, quickly send someone to gather evidence against Luo Sheng. In a few days, I need a reason to remove him from his position as head of the constables. If he continues to investigate like this, I won't be able to eat or sleep in peace," Qi Chong said.

"Okay, I'll take care of it right away." Yang Wu turned and left.

...

The Luo family mansion.

Since the death of Old Master Luo, the Luo family has been in turmoil, and even the courtyard gate has been closed, with no one allowed to enter or leave at will.

Inside the Luo family's main hall.

Luo Sheng sat in a chair, his brows furrowed, listening to the report from the Luo family guards in front of him about what had happened the night before.

Upon returning from outside the city and hearing the news of the old master's death, he rushed back to the Luo family mansion immediately.

"That man in black was incredibly strong. He smashed Niu Zhuangshi to pieces with a single palm strike. We couldn't even catch a glimpse of him. We only felt a gust of wind pass by, and then the old man was dead."

“Yes, yes, that man claimed to be the Yin-Yang Scholar. This villain is too terrifying. It’s not that we didn’t try our best, but we were really no match for him,” another person said.

"Sir, spare your life!"

...

The guards were all afraid that Luo Sheng would use their incompetence as a pretext to punish them according to family law.

The Luo family's rules were extremely cruel. Their servants were often beaten until their skin was torn and bleeding, and many were even beaten to death.

"Get out! All of you, get out of here, you bunch of useless trash!" Luo Sheng waved his hand impatiently and chased them all out.

"Yes, yes, yes!" The guards breathed a sigh of relief and scrambled out of the hall.

"Did the Yin-Yang Scholar do this?"

Once the room quieted down, Cheng Xiu, who was sitting next to Luo Sheng, frowned and asked a question.

"What nonsense about the Yin-Yang scholar! He has interests in my Luo family and we have dealings with each other. Unless he's gone mad, he would never lay a hand on the old master."

"Besides, I know the Yin-Yang Scholar's strength. He's quite capable, but he's not much stronger than me. This man in black is far stronger than the Yin-Yang Scholar. Someone must be using the Yin-Yang Scholar's name to attack the Luo family!" Luo Sheng cursed.

"This person is so powerful, he's probably not a local martial artist from Baiyun County, but an outsider! The only person who has a direct conflict with my Luo family and can mobilize an outside expert is Qi Chong!" Cheng Xiu analyzed. "It's most likely Qi Chong. This thief is very decisive. It will be extremely difficult for you and me to find out the truth. What we need to do now is stabilize the situation. I have already sent someone to the Luo family in the county town. Once our family sends someone, we will be able to find out the truth!" Luo Sheng said.

"We must be careful during this period. Qi Chong will likely continue to target the Luo family," Cheng Xiu said.

"Hmph! He can't possibly wipe out my entire Luo family, can he?" Luo Sheng sneered, his expression disdainful.

...

The next day.

Early in the morning.

Han Qing got up and practiced martial arts in the courtyard. Master Fang also woke up early and went out to call out, "Assemble!"

The group of teenagers immediately gathered together, their faces showing a hint of anticipation.

"As you all probably know, the recent arrests of the Yin-Yang Scholars have created many vacancies in the government offices, which presents you with a golden opportunity!" Master Fang announced loudly.

Han Qing stopped what he was doing and looked at the nervous yet expectant eyes of the boys, his expression becoming somewhat dazed.

He was the same a few months ago. How long has it been? He has already become a martial artist at the third level of the Body Dao Realm. The change is truly remarkable.

"This time I will select twelve people in total. Now, those whose names I call, please step forward!"

"Liu San!"

"Here!" The first one was Liu San, who stepped forward, grinned, and laughed heartily.

"Ma Yundong!" "Zuo Zixiu!"...

A total of twelve teenagers stepped out of the crowd, each one full of vigor and high spirits. Many of them had been waiting for more than two years.

Master Fang glanced at them and nodded slightly. This time, his selection of people was absolutely fair and just, with no shady dealings.

Those selected are either hardworking or have a long tenure. The few who are about to reach the end of their tenure in the institute can be selected unless their performance is particularly poor.

After all, he knew in his heart that these young people came here to try their luck in the future, and he didn't want to see them return empty-handed after three years of hard work.

"The rest of you don't need to be discouraged. Given the situation in Baiyun County, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future!" Master Fang shouted again.

The boys who weren't chosen were initially disappointed, but these words cheered them up.

Indeed, not to mention that the Yin-Yang Scholar has not yet been caught, there are still refugees causing trouble outside the city, clamoring to enter the city every day. The security situation in Baiyun County will not be good, and their opportunity will come soon.

"Listen up, you twelve men! Starting tomorrow, you won't be working in the afternoons. Go to the Minglu Hall compound and learn the Nine Yang True Skill from Headmaster Yang. Same rules as before, three months is the limit. If you perform well, you can be promoted to a regular position," Master Fang shouted.

"Yes!"

"Dumb guy, come here!!" Master Fang beckoned.

Han Qing strode over.

Master Fang patted him on the shoulder and said loudly, "If any of you can become the next mute, I will definitely cultivate you with all my might! Nourishing soup and elixirs will be indispensable!"

The teenagers' eyes lit up, and they looked at Han Qing with admiration.

Now, Han Qing has become an idol for the boys in this courtyard.

(End of this chapter)