How come I'm invincible?

Chapter 101: The General Administration's commendation shocked everyone; I, Lin Fan, deeply felt the allure of power.
“Master, the Grand Tutor is now a veteran official of three dynasties, the head of the civil officials, and wields immense power. His disciples and former officials are all over the country, and his influence is deeply entrenched. He is not someone to be trifled with.”

When Ning Yu mentioned the Grand Tutor, her brows furrowed, clearly indicating that she did not have a good impression of him.

"Is he a good person?" Lin Fan asked.

Ning Yu shook her head without hesitation, her tone certain, "He is definitely not a good person. He practically controls everything in the court, and his actions are extremely domineering and tyrannical. Those who obey him prosper, and those who oppose him perish. Among all the civil and military officials, it is probably impossible to find many who dare to openly disobey him now."

"Oh."

Lin Fan thought about it and figured that since they were involved with cults, they must not be good people.

Ning Yu said, "Master, the struggle among the princes in the court is very fierce. This Grand Tutor supports the eldest prince, while the Grand Preceptor and Grand Protector support the second prince. The ninth prince behind the Ximen family is the second prince's half-brother."

Lin Fan wasn't particularly interested in the internal strife within the royal family.

He now has a new goal.

I just want to figure out what exactly the saintess's methods are all about.

……

a few days later.

Anzhou was peaceful. Lin Fan's daily routine consisted of leading the team in training and then returning to the prefecture to improve the proficiency of the skills on the panel.

At this moment, in the head guard's room.

"My lord, this is a summary of recent information regarding bandit activities in the surrounding areas of the eight counties under Anzhou's jurisdiction."

Xu Ming respectfully placed a neatly prepared document in front of Lin Fan.

"After investigation, it was found that most of the bandits were just small groups of ten or so outlaws, and could not amount to much."

At present, the only large-scale and threatening bandit stronghold is the Wulong Valley bandits, which are entrenched in Qingping County.

The terrain there was treacherous, and it was also a vital route to neighboring prefectures and states, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Xu Ming was reporting the situation.

During this period, the authorities ordered a thorough investigation of bandits within the territory, and the county security offices successively sent out reports on the bandit suppression efforts, which also included official documents from some outstanding constables who had made great contributions and requested commendations.

"Well, let me see."

Lin Fan looked closely. The bandits of Wulong Valley were located in Qingping County, which was only about a hundred miles away from Anzhou. The local government had tried to suppress the bandits several times, but with little effect.

He decided to personally lead the team to suppress the bandits.

Such an awesome existence is not allowed within Anzhou.

Lin Fan memorized the information about the bandits recorded on the paper, then looked up at Xu Ming and asked, "What are you holding in your hand?"

Xu Ming handed over the official document requesting commendation. "Sir, this is an official document from the Changyang County Security Bureau. When the security bureau was clearing out bandits, a constable named Zhao Hu bravely killed four bandits. In order to save a child, he stood in front of the child and had his arm cut off by the bandits."

"Ah? Really? Let me see it quickly." Lin Fan took the official document, carefully looked at the contents, and exclaimed, "What a brave constable! The clerk of Changyang County is quite good; he didn't try to take credit for himself."

"Xu Ming," Lin Fan immediately instructed, "A brave man like Zhao Hu must be richly rewarded. His deeds and contributions should be publicized throughout the prefecture and recorded in detail in his performance evaluation file to recognize his merits and inspire future generations."

"Yes, sir, I will take care of it immediately." Xu Ming nodded and accepted the order.

Lin Fan thought for a moment, then stood up and said, "Wait, I'll write the commendation order myself. Prepare the pen and ink."

A moment later, the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone were ready on the table.

Lin Fan picked up his pen, stood in front of the table, pondered for a moment, and then, with a flick of his wrist, the pen tip, laden with ink, landed steadily on the paper, and began to write.

"Zhao Hu, a constable from Changyang County..."

Xu Ming, watching from the side, was filled with envy; this was the first time an adult had personally written a commendation order for someone else.

Soon, Lin Fan handed the written commendation order to Xu Ming, saying, "Have someone make a few copies and distribute them to the various counties. At the same time, prepare to take some people with me to Changyang County to visit this hero of Changyang County."

"Yes, sir." Xu Ming turned and left.

It's truly rare to find such dedicated servants in Anzhou Prefecture these days. He must commend them and give them a proper report.

They used it as a model to promote.

……

The next day.

Changyang County.

The area in front of Zhao Hu's house was already packed with neighbors.

The crowd whispered among themselves, their faces filled with surprise and regret.

No one expected that Zhao Hu, who was usually kind and upright, would suffer such a terrible fate while clearing out bandits, and had his arm chopped off.

In these days, how can a strong laborer survive after losing an arm?
Wouldn't that make me a useless person?
The atmosphere inside was heavy.

Zhao Hu lay weakly on the bed, his face as pale as paper. At the severed wound of his right arm, which was wrapped in thick gauze, waves of excruciating pain kept coming, making him clench his teeth and bead up with cold sweat on his forehead.

"My son, you've lost your arm, what will become of you..." Zhao's mother sat by the bed, her rough hands tightly holding her son's intact left hand. Looking at her son's empty right arm, she was heartbroken and tears streamed down her face.

Zhao Hu forced a smile and said, "Mother, it's alright. It's just losing an arm, nothing serious."

Upon hearing this, Zhao's mother felt as if her heart was being torn apart. She could only turn her face away and silently wipe away her tears.

"Dad, doesn't it hurt?"

Zhao Hu's seven-year-old son, Zhao Xiaoshan, lay by the bedside, his big eyes wide open, timidly looking at his father's blood-soaked, darkened gauze, his little face full of heartache and fear.

Zhao Hu took a deep breath, used all his strength to support half of his body, and stretched out his good left hand to gently stroke his son's head.

"It doesn't hurt, silly boy. To your dad, this little injury is nothing. It doesn't hurt at all."

Zhao Hu's wife was a typical simple woman, wearing patched coarse cloth clothes, standing aside silently shedding tears.

Don't underestimate Zhao Hu just because he's a government official.

Their family's life was even less comfortable than that of some ordinary people.

Because Zhao Hu was too upright and honest, he never stooped to associate with those who oppressed the people and embezzled money. He lived on his meager salary and subsidies every month, so his family was naturally poor.

at this time.

There was a commotion at the door, and three people arrived.

Zhao Hu looked up and saw that the child being protected in the middle was the one he had risked his life to save.

The family of three entered the cramped room and, without saying a word, knelt down in front of the bed with a thud.

"My benefactor, thank you so much for saving my child. You are my family's benefactor."

Their child had been kidnapped by bandits, who demanded a ransom. Just when they were at a loss, no one expected that the constables from the garrison would go to suppress the bandits.

They also rescued their child.

Especially when they heard that this constable Zhao Hu had taken a knife from a bandit with his own body to protect their child, resulting in the loss of his arm.

While they were grateful, they felt even more heartache.

"Hey, get up, get up! You mustn't, you absolutely mustn't."

Despite the excruciating pain, Zhao Hu hurriedly leaned out of bed and struggled to support himself with his one arm. "This is my duty. Since I wear this uniform and receive this salary, protecting the safety of the people is my responsibility. I do not deserve such a great gesture from you."

Then, Zhao Hu patted the child's head and rubbed it, saying, "Kid, you can't just run out of the city like that in the future, it's very dangerous."

"Yes." The child nodded.

At this moment, Zhao Hu saw his colleague appear with a cold face.

"Brother Zhao."

The colleague who came was named Wang Zhong. He was a commoner in the Zhi'an Prefecture and had been working for Zhao Hu. Zhao Hu had been a formal constable for ten years but had never been promoted.

Forget about the position of squad leader, he didn't even manage to become the deputy squad leader.

"Please have a seat," Zhao Hu said.

Wang Zhong grunted in a muffled "hmm," moved a small stool to sit on the edge of the bed, stared intently at Zhao Hu's injuries, his chest heaving violently, feeling incredibly aggrieved and wronged for Brother Zhao.

After a long while, when the family of three, who were expressing their gratitude profusely, had left, Wang Zhong could no longer suppress his anger and complained indignantly, "Brother Zhao, that clerk is a real piece of work."

"Be careful what you say, and don't talk nonsense," Zhao Hu said.

Zhao Hu's wife stood to the side with her head down, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes with both hands.

Although she was a woman, she had been by Zhao Hu's side for so many years and was well aware of the intricacies of the government office.

The current clerks are greedy and have long been extremely dissatisfied with Zhao Hu's behavior of being out of touch with reality, always trying to investigate cases and seek justice for ordinary people, thus harming their interests. They have been openly and secretly ostracizing and suppressing him for a long time.

Fortunately, Chen, the clerk in the prefecture, was a longtime friend of Zhao Hu and did his best to mediate and protect him, which allowed Zhao Hu to barely keep his job.

Wang Zhong ignored all of this and remained furious.

"Brother Zhao, he treated you like this, and you won't even let me say anything? What does the success of this bandit suppression have to do with him?"

What did he do besides pointing and gesturing from behind?

Now that you, Brother Zhao, have been seriously injured in the line of duty, he has not only shown no intention of rewarding or compensating you, but has also not even shown his face or offered a word of condolence.

If Brother Chen hadn't acted first and managed to submit the commendation document directly to Anzhou Prefecture, I think he would have claimed all the credit for the bandit suppression for himself.

"Sigh..." Zhao Hu sighed softly.

How could he not know how much the clerk disliked him?

But no way.

As for whether he regrets it or not, he certainly doesn't regret it at all.

Since he entered the police station and became a constable, he has never thought about being afraid.

Meanwhile, inside the Changyang County Public Security Bureau.

The clerk, who was nearly fifty years old and slightly overweight, was staring at Chen Limu, who was standing in front of him, with a livid face and a gloomy look in his eyes.

His chest heaved violently, clearly indicating that he was extremely angry.

This clerk Chen, without his consent, took it upon himself to send the official document requesting commendation directly to Anzhou Prefecture by fast horse.

He only just realized that the official document didn't even mention his name.

"Chen, the clerk!" The registrar slammed his fist on the table. "Do you even respect me as your clerk anymore?"

Chen Limu remained calm, bowed slightly, and spoke in a tone that was neither humble nor arrogant, "Why do you say such things, sir? When has this humble servant ever dared to disrespect you?"

"Well, you still dare to argue!" The clerk trembled with anger, pointing his finger at him and cursing, "Then let me ask you, what's the deal with that commendation document? Why isn't my name on it? You better remember, I am the clerk of the Changyang County Security Bureau. Without my approval, how could there be a bandit suppression operation? Who gave you the authority to act on your own and even dare to report to me without my permission?"

Faced with the clerk's anger, Chen Limu calmly said, "Sir, this bandit suppression operation was initiated by Zhao Hu, who took the initiative to lead the men after learning of the bandits' rampant activities. Now, he is seriously injured while saving a child. If not him, who else can be credited in the commendation document?"

Upon hearing this, the clerk was so angry that he laughed. "Chen, I know that you and Zhao Hu have been friends for many years and you want to protect him. But do you really think that you can protect him? Do you really think that your application for merit will be taken seriously when it is sent to Anzhou Prefecture?"

"The Public Security Bureau has a rule that if someone is injured in the line of duty and becomes disabled, making it impossible for them to perform their current duties, they must leave the Public Security Bureau with their salary."

As the official uttered these words.

Chen Li's eyes widened suddenly, and he said angrily, "Sir, if you really want to do this, don't blame me for reporting to the Anzhou Security Bureau."

Despite the threat posed by Chen Li, the clerk paid it no heed.

At this moment, at the entrance of the Changyang County Government Office.

A rapid and rhythmic sound of horses' hooves approached from afar.

Lin Fan and his entourage reined in their horses, their imposing presence instantly attracting the attention of the surrounding people. They stopped to watch, whispering among themselves and speculating about the origins of this extraordinary group.

The guards, hearing the commotion outside, came out to investigate.

The first thing he saw was Lin Fan, who was sitting upright on his horse.

The constable subconsciously raised his head slightly, just in time to meet Lin Fan's calm gaze. His heart tightened for no reason, and he felt an invisible pressure coming at him, making it hard for him to breathe.

"Sir...who are you?" The constable dared not be negligent, stepped forward, and asked cautiously, his tone filled with obvious reverence.

Lin Fan said, "Lin Fan, Chief of the Anzhou Security Bureau."

"Ah!!!" Upon hearing this, the constable's eyes widened instantly, he gasped, and then bowed sharply, his voice trembling with nervousness, "This...this subordinate greets the Chief Constable!"

"Hmm." Lin Fan responded calmly, nimbly dismounting. "Take me to see your magistrate."

"Yes! Yes! Please follow me, sir!"

The constable quickly stepped aside to lead the way, his palms sweating.

For a lowly constable like him, the highest official he had ever seen was the county magistrate, while the man before him was the chief constable in charge of the entire Anzhou Security Bureau, and the superior of his superior.

Moreover, the imposing aura emanating from the other party made him afraid to even breathe loudly.

Upon entering the mansion, the local constables looked puzzled when they saw Lin Fan and his entourage, but some knowledgeable individuals immediately bowed respectfully upon seeing the clothes Lin Fan was wearing.

That's the uniform of the chief constable of the Public Security Bureau.

They never expected such an important figure to come to their Changyang County.

At this moment, Chen, the clerk who had just come out from the clerk's office, felt extremely heavy-hearted.

He and Hu Dianshi had just had a fierce conflict, almost to the point of no return.

At this moment, he was filled with worry about Zhao Hu's future fate. Judging from the clerk's attitude, he was determined to take this opportunity to kick Zhao Hu out of the prefecture.

Just as he was feeling troubled, he looked up.

Just then, I saw a group of people walking towards me.

His gaze froze instantly, fixed on the leader's clothing and the iron rod he was carrying on his back.

Anju Prefectural Commander!

Mr. Lin!
As a clerk, how could Chen Hai not recognize this military uniform that represented the highest authority of the Anzhou Security Prefecture?

His heart trembled violently. Without thinking, he almost instinctively stepped forward, past the guide, and stopped three steps away from Lin Fan. He bowed deeply, his tone filled with barely suppressed excitement and respect.

"This humble servant, Chen Hai, a clerk in the Changyang County Security Bureau, greets Your Excellency!"

Lin Fan's gaze fell on him, and seeing his respectful attitude, he nodded slightly and revealed a faint smile.

"Yes, Not Bad."

Chen Li stood up straight, but his heart was in turmoil.

Why did Commander Lin personally visit Changyang County?

Could it be... could it be because of the commendation document I submitted?

But as soon as the thought arose, he forcibly suppressed it. Why would a mere official document requesting merit from a constable be so alarming as to attract the chief sergeant to come in person?

This is too unreasonable.

He suppressed his surprise and doubt and quickly said, "I was unaware of your presence, sir. I have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me."

Lin Fan waved his hand and said, "It's alright. I came in a hurry and didn't send anyone to inform you. I saw the official document requesting merit sent by your prefecture and came here specifically for this matter. Where is that hero Zhao Hu now?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Limu was terrified.

To my surprise, they actually came with an official document requesting commendation.

An indescribable surge of joy and excitement instantly dispelled the gloom in his heart, making it almost impossible for him to control the expression on his face.

He forced himself to calm down.

"Reporting to your question, sir, Zhao... Zhao Hu is currently recuperating at home due to the severity of his injuries."

"Alright." Lin Fan nodded. "The first thing I've come here for is Zhao Hu. Go and summon your clerk. I have some questions to ask him in person."

"Yes, I will go immediately."

Chen Limu was very excited, feeling that things had taken a turn for the better.

When he returned to the clerk's office, the other party was still furious. Seeing him return, the clerk snorted coldly and said sarcastically, "Why are you back again? What, have you come to your senses?"

Now that he felt more confident, Chen Limu smiled faintly and said in a tone that was neither humble nor arrogant, "Minister Hu, Lord Lin, the chief of the Anzhou Security Bureau, has come to the prefecture and is currently in the front hall. He orders you to go and pay your respects immediately."

"Ah!!!" The clerk was shocked and stood up abruptly. "You said the Chief Steward is here."

"Yes."

Chen Li replied.

At this moment, the clerk had no time to argue with Chen, the clerk. He hurriedly straightened his official robes, smoothed his hair, and almost stumbled as he ran out of the duty room, completely forgetting about Chen.

When he arrived at the front hall, panting, he immediately saw Lin Fan sitting calmly in the main seat, sipping tea.

He quickly took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the panic in his heart, and took small, quick steps forward, bowing deeply to the very end, his tone extremely respectful.

"This humble servant, Hu Tao, the clerk of the Changyang County Security Bureau, pays his respects to Your Excellency."

Lin Fan looked up at the other person, frowning slightly. His first impression of this clerk was not good; he felt that the clerk had the air of a corrupt official.

At this moment, Chen Limu also silently walked in from outside and stood respectfully to one side of the hall.

Lin Fan put down his teacup and said with a smile, "This bandit suppression operation was very successful. I was very pleased to hear about it. However, our hero Zhao Hu had his arm cut off by these bandits. My heart aches greatly. May I ask you, did the Security Bureau offer condolences to Zhao Hu immediately?"

Hu Dianshi's heart, which was originally excited, was now trembling. He did not expect that Chief Lin had come for this matter. Just now he had been arguing with Chen Hai, all for the sake of driving Zhao Hu out of the police station.

Hu Dianshi's mind raced, trying to concoct a lie that he had already offered condolences, hoping to get away with it.

However, before he could even utter a sound, Chen Limu, standing beside him, spoke first.

"Reporting to the Chief Squad Leader, there is no condolence message."

As soon as these words came out.

Hu Dianshi's face turned deathly pale, his heart pounding wildly, and he glared at Chen Limu with hostility. "Are you trying to kill me, you bastard?"

Lin Fan, whose face had been wearing a gentle smile, suddenly turned gloomy.

He narrowed his eyes, his gaze like two cold, sharp arrows. With a loud bang, the sturdy coffee table beside him shattered into pieces with a single blow, sending wood chips flying everywhere.

"What's going on?" Lin Fan's voice suddenly rose, filled with thunderous rage. "Could it be that your Changyang County Security Bureau is so poor that you can't even afford to comfort a hero who was injured in the line of duty and lost an arm to protect the people?"

He abruptly stood up, looked down at the trembling Hu Dianshi with a furious glare, and pointed angrily at him.

"As a clerk, how did you perform your duties?"

He could tell at a glance that the clerk was not a good person, and that this clerk Chen was behaving strangely, clearly showing his dissatisfaction.

"My lord, I...I..."

Hu Dianshi was so frightened by this terrifying aura that his legs went weak, he stammered and spoke incoherently, cold sweat poured down his forehead like a waterfall, and his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to explode.

Chen Limu said, "Your Excellency, we, Hu Dianshi, not only did not offer any condolences or compensation to Zhao Hu, but we also secretly plotted to take this opportunity to remove him from his post in the Public Security Bureau on the grounds that he had lost an arm and was unable to perform his duties. We would only retain him as a figurehead and pay him a meager monthly salary."

At this moment, Lin Fan took a deep breath and said angrily, "How dare you! Do you really have such thoughts?"

Pfft!
Hu Dianshi's body went limp, and he immediately knelt down, protesting, "My lord, I had no such intention. How could I possibly do such a thing? I..."

His mind is now blank.

He never expected that Chen Limu would be so ruthless.

This means they sold him off directly.

Chen, the clerk, respectfully said, "My lord, I am willing to risk my career today to report Hu Tao, the clerk, by my real name. During his tenure, he has been corrupt, abused his power, and extorted money from merchants and common people to enrich himself. The people of Changyang County dare not speak out against him. Today, since you are here in person, I implore you to investigate thoroughly and dismiss this black sheep from his post, so as to rectify the social atmosphere and reassure the people."

Hu Dianshi panicked completely, pointing at Chen Limu with extreme anger.

"Chen Hai, you...you have such a vicious heart! You're slandering me! You're framing me! This is blatant slander! Chief Sergeant, please don't believe his one-sided story!"

Hu Dianshi is about to cry.

He didn't expect Chen Hai to be so good at delivering the finishing blow.

They even exposed his past.

"Strip him naked first, take him down, and I'll deal with you after I've comforted Zhao Hu." Lin Fan waved his hand, and Xu Ming immediately stepped forward, ignoring Hu Dianshi's cries of injustice, and forcibly stripped him naked.

The commotion here naturally attracted the attention of many constables.

Although I didn't dare go into the hall to watch, I did hear the official begging for mercy.

They looked at each other.

No one expected that Commander Lin would take down the clerk as soon as he arrived.

That's incredibly fast!

……

Zhao Hu's home.

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Whatever the outcome, I, Zhao Hu, will accept it." Zhao Hu advised, hoping that Wang Zhong would stop dwelling on this matter.

His main concern was that Wang Zhong, being young and impetuous, might get into unnecessary trouble by standing up for him.

Wang Zhong stood up, looking unwilling. "Brother Zhao, I'll go back first. You take good care of your injury. I'll come back tomorrow."

“Okay, go ahead.” Zhao Hu nodded.

As Wang Zhong's footsteps faded into the distance, Zhao Hu looked at his worried mother and wife, forcing a relaxed smile, "Don't worry, everything's alright, the sky won't fall."

Sudden.

Wang Zhong, who had just left, returned. He was standing at the door, one hand on the door frame, his chest heaving violently, his face showing a look of utter astonishment, excitement, and disbelief, as if he had seen a ghost.

"What's wrong? Why are you in such a panic?" Zhao Hu wondered.

Wang Zhong swallowed hard, pointed outside, and stammered, "Brother Zhao... Brother Zhao, Chief Lin of Anzhou Prefecture has come to see you in person."

Of course!

Zhao Hu's eyes widened instantly, his mind went blank.

Anzhou General Class?

Such an important person came to visit him in person?

Before he could even sort out his thoughts, a tall figure appeared at the door. Lin Fan, dressed in the uniform of the head class, exuded an aura of dominance.

Startled, Zhao Hu rushed forward, about to bow, but was stopped by Lin Fan.

"Our hero from Changyang County, there's no need for formalities." Lin Fan looked at the bandaged wound, which was still bloody and painful to see.

Zhao's mother and Zhao's wife stared blankly at the young man.

Although they didn't know Lin Fan's official rank or how many people he managed, they understood that this young man was a leader.

“My lord, I am no hero. I merely did what I was supposed to do,” Zhao Hu said respectfully.

He had immense respect for this Chief Lin.

I've heard his story.

When he was in Yong'an, he led the team to suppress bandits and made outstanding achievements. After he took office as the chief commander, he issued a notice requiring the security prefectures of each county to suppress bandits. These were all measures that benefited the people.

"Very well, the main reason I've come here is to visit you. Your deeds have reached the General Headquarters, and I am very proud of you," Lin Fan said softly.

After speaking, he looked at Xu Ming behind him and nodded slightly.

Xu Ming took out the commendation order and loudly proclaimed: "Commendation Order from Anzhou Prefecture: Zhao Hu, a constable from Changyang County, is loyal, brave, and courageous. During the suppression of mountain bandits, he encountered fierce resistance from the bandits. The bandits became extremely vicious and attempted to kill a child, creating a very dangerous situation."

Undeterred by the danger, Zhao Hu stepped forward to protect the child, shielding him from the knife with his own body. Tragically, he lost an arm in the process, his heroic act deeply moving.

This government has decided by special order:

First, reward Zhao Hu with one hundred taels of silver to help him recuperate and settle his family business.

Second, Zhao Hu was promoted to head of the Changyang County Security Office.

Third, he was awarded a major merit, which was recorded in the county annals and would be remembered for generations to come.

I hope that all the servants in my prefecture will take Zhao Hu as an example, be conscientious in their duties, and uphold justice.

Lin Fan, the chief constable of Anzhou's security prefecture!

Xu Ming's voice was loud and clear, and the people outside could hear it clearly. They never expected that the Anzhou Prefecture would actually reward Zhao Hu.

What they heard most clearly, and what kept echoing in their minds, was the reward of one hundred taels of silver.

What a fortune this is!

They had never seen it in their lives.

At this moment, Zhao Hu stood there dumbfounded, mouth agape, unable to believe what he had heard, until Chen Hai nudged his shoulder and reminded him, which brought him back to his senses.

Overwhelmed by joy and a sense of honor, he instantly lost his composure. His eyes reddened, and his voice trembled uncontrollably as he bowed and said, "Thank you, sir! Thank you, Chief Administrator! Zhao Hu will do his utmost to live up to your expectations!"

Lin Fan smiled with satisfaction. "Take good care of yourself and I hope you will continue to work hard and serve the people in the future."

"Yes, I understand," Zhao Hu replied enthusiastically.

At this moment, Wang Zhong clenched his fists excitedly. He hadn't expected that Brother Zhao would receive a commendation from the General Headquarters, not only being rewarded with silver but also being promoted to squad leader.

Great, that's wonderful!

Lin Fan looked at Zhao's mother and said softly, "Zhao Hu is a role model for all the constables in the prefecture. He deserves to be praised and promoted. We must carry on Zhao Hu's spirit and let everyone understand that the constables of our prefecture serve the people."

Zhao Hu, standing to the side, blushed deeply as the adults praised him.

He never expected the adults to praise him so highly.

At the same time, he felt that everything he had done was worthwhile.

His actions were all observed by the adults.

“My lord, this bandit suppression was not solely my achievement. Those brothers also fought on the front lines. I would like to distribute one hundred taels of silver to those brothers,” Zhao Hu said.

Lin Fan said, "No need. Keep this money and improve your life. As for the other servants, I will reward them accordingly."

"Yes."

At this moment, Zhao Hu felt full of energy and couldn't wait to return to the prefecture and rush to the front line.

Not long after, there was some commotion outside.

When the local magistrate learned that Lin Zongban, the prefect of Anzhou, had arrived, he could no longer wait idly and immediately brought his officials with him.

When the people saw the county magistrate, they whispered among themselves.

"Oh? Even our county magistrate is here! How high-ranking is the chief sergeant here?"

"I don't know, who would know? But it must be huge. Didn't you see our county magistrate running all the way here?"

"I think Brother Zhao turned misfortune into blessing this time. He not only got money, but he was also promoted to squad leader."

At this moment, the county magistrate approached Lin Fan and respectfully said, "This humble official, the magistrate of Changyang County, pays his respects to the Chief Sergeant."

Lin Fan looked at the county magistrate and nodded, saying, "Yes, your Changyang County has produced a hero this time. As the county magistrate, you should publicize him well, and the anti-bandit officers of the Public Security Bureau should also be rewarded."

The magistrate replied, "Yes, yes, Your Excellency is right. I will certainly publicize and commend you."

Facing the headmaster in front of him, who was also awarded the title of Loyal and Brave Captain, how could he, a mere ninth-rank official, dare to utter a word of dissent?

Although Lin Fan is the chief of the security prefecture and has no authority over these civil officials, his rank still matters. If he doesn't treat them well and it gets on his mind, Lin Fan can easily tell the prefect when he returns to Anzhou, and Lin Fan could be dismissed from his post as county magistrate.

Of course, little did he know that Prefect Zhao now harbored thoughts of killing Lin Fan.

Lin Fan looked at the county magistrate in front of him, raised his hand and gently patted his shoulder, "Do a good job. The county government and the prefecture complement each other. When we get back, I'll put in a good word for you with Prefect Zhao, hehe."

The magistrate was flattered and repeatedly said, "This humble official will definitely do a good job and will never let you down, sir."

Afterwards, Lin Fan said some encouraging words to Zhao Hu, then left the Zhao family and returned to the prefectural government to visit the constables who had participated in the bandit suppression.

The county magistrate, on the other hand, accompanied the county magistrate the entire time, treating him with utmost respect, as if he were his grandfather.

"Chen, regarding Hu Tao's situation, I will not interfere. I hereby promote you to the position of Registrar of Changyang County, and you will be in full charge of him."

At this moment, Lin Fan deeply felt the usefulness of power.

Given Chen Hai's situation, it would be very difficult for him to be promoted to the position of Registrar.

A carrot and a pit.

To be promoted from a clerk to a registrar, the original registrar position must become vacant.

"Yes, sir. I will never let you down," Chen Hai said excitedly.

The county magistrate standing to the side was filled with envy.

He so wished that Prefect Zhao was here too, and that he would see that he was doing a good job as county magistrate and be transferred to Anzhou Prefecture as prefectural official. If he were transferred to Anzhou Prefecture, even if he was still a ninth-rank official, he would feel that it would be a stroke of good luck.

A prefectural official is inherently half a rank higher than a county official.

Of course, he didn't expect that Hu Tao would be caught so quickly. When he thought about his own embezzlement, he broke out in a cold sweat, but when he thought that Lord Lin was from the Public Security Bureau, he breathed a sigh of relief.

We can't control him for now.

The county magistrate standing nearby said, "Sir, you must be tired from your journey. How about I host a welcome dinner for you? We have a restaurant in Changyang County that is quite unique. Would you do me the honor of joining us?"

Lin Fan smiled and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Magistrate, but I have important matters to attend to and cannot stay any longer. I will definitely give it a try when the opportunity arises in the future. I will also need your help in the future, Magistrate, as the Anzhou Prefecture is poor."

The magistrate nodded repeatedly, not daring to utter a single word of dissent.

He also hoped that the adults would put in a good word for him with Prefect Zhao.

The city gate.

The county magistrate personally saw them off.

"Your Excellency, may you have a safe journey," the magistrate said respectfully.

Lin Fan smiled and nodded, then looked at Chen Hai, "You must do a good job. I have promoted you to the position of Registrar, and I do not wish to hear of you using your power to oppress the people in the future. Otherwise, I will personally come and chop off your head."

This is someone he personally promoted.

If he were truly a corrupt official, then he would be a disgrace.

Chen Hai said respectfully, "My lord, rest assured, I will always serve the people and never do anything to oppress them."

"Okay, that's good. After you take office, you must personally reopen old cases. If anyone has been framed, you must clear their name," Lin Fan said.

"Yes, sir, I understand."

From their brief encounter, Chen Hai had come to understand Lin Zongban's character. He was a truly dedicated official who served the people. It was remarkable that Anzhou Prefecture had such a chief sergeant.

He was also full of energy.

Lin Fan nodded, waved, and led everyone away quickly.

As the county magistrate watched the receding figure, he couldn't help but sigh, "Chen Dianshi, this chief sergeant is truly a hero."

"Yes."

Chen Hai strongly agrees with this statement.

In his eyes, this headmaster was dazzling, like a blazing sun.

……

a few days later.

Qingping County, Wulong Valley.

The bandits who occupied this area were notorious in the region and were feared by countless caravans passing through.

at this time.

Inside the cage where people were imprisoned, a group of naked civilians looked around at the bandits with fear.

They never expected to be robbed by bandits.

Among this group of people, a young man was squatting in the cage, covering his private parts with his hands, looking at everything in front of him with a blank expression.

He never expected that the bandits in Anzhou would be so domineering.

As the ninth prince, he had never suffered such a humiliation before. He was filled with remorse and regret. He should have asked Mr. Yang to escort him here in the first place.

He just felt that the outside world might not be that dangerous.

He packed a few things and quietly left Zhuoming Mansion.

At first, everything went smoothly. He traveled through the mountains and rivers to Anzhou and enjoyed life. When he arrived at Wulong Valley, he was amazed by the valley's natural wonders and was deeply impressed.

Who would have thought that, with a whoosh, an arrow landed in front of him, and then a group of vicious bandits appeared with knives, and then... they brought him here, stripped him of all his clothes, and robbed him of all his money.

At that moment, the eyes of some bandits fell on him.

"This lad has fair skin and delicate features; he looks like a young master from a wealthy family."

The bandits thought it was possible, and they quickly went to report to their leader.

It didn't take long.

The leader walked over and waved his hand, "Bring him out."

Immediately, some bandits opened the cage, roughly dragged the Ninth Prince out, and playfully patted his bottom, laughing and saying, "Boss, he's quite bouncy."

The head of the gang came up to the Ninth Prince, sneered, grabbed his wrist, and examined his hand carefully. There were no calluses, and it was obvious that his hand was not used for manual labor.

"Tell me, where are you from?" the leader asked.

The Ninth Prince replied, "Reporting to the Chief, I am from Zhuoming Prefecture."

What are you doing here?

"The younger one is here to visit a good friend."

As the ninth prince, he acted very humbly at the moment, not wanting to be arrogant and domineering just because he was a prince.

He dared not let these thugs know his true identity.

Otherwise, it's a sure way to die.

Tying up the prince means certain death.

Killing the prince and concealing the truth might get him away with nothing.

The head of the gang said, "Tell me, what does your family do? How much silver do you think your life is worth?"

"Boss, my family is in business and has a lot of money. As long as you don't kill me, I'll give you as much money as you want."

"Any amount is fine? Can you give me ten million taels of silver?"

"can."

Without a second thought, the Ninth Prince nodded and said yes.

Snapped!
The head of the gang slapped the Ninth Prince across the face.

"Damn it, you dare to lie to me with your eyes open? You can afford ten million taels of silver? Do you think your father is the emperor?"

Eh……

My father is truly an emperor.

(End of this chapter)