Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

While Bian Yushu was granted leave to recuperate, Qin Ji was far from idle.

A month has passed since I left the Yushan hunting grounds, and I've accumulated quite a few non-urgent folded papers.

While he was away from the capital, the city was bustling with activity.

No sooner had Qin Ji left the capital than rumors began circulating that Shen Jiangliu had blown up the river embankment and killed disaster victims, portraying him as an utterly wicked and heartless official who had no regard for the people.

The story spread like wildfire, from one person to ten, from ten to a hundred, and somehow, the version changed again, leading to a dramatic reversal in Shen Jiangliu's reputation.

He was portrayed as a good official who, despite being persecuted by a group of corrupt officials, quelled the floods, comforted the people, and remained unfazed even when faced with swords and axes.

The breaching of the river embankment was for flood control; the killing of disaster victims was actually the work of corrupt officials' henchmen who deliberately sent people to incite unrest. The previous rumors were all spread by corrupt officials who paid others to do so.

Both rumors were described in vivid detail, as if they had been witnessed firsthand in Ning'an, leaving the people completely confused.

Is Lord Shen a good official or a corrupt one?

While the two rumors were locked in a tug-of-war, many influential literati, students from various academies, and even the Imperial Academy began to write poems and essays praising Shen Jiangliu's integrity and subtly criticizing the corrupt officials in Ning'an for embezzling the large sums of money allocated by the court each year for river maintenance.

The pen of a scholar is like a knife that cuts through bones.

So many great writers and talented scholars have expressed their opinions, and their poems, which are easy to understand and catchy, have been published. When the common people hear them, they can't help but curse the corrupt officials.

The Ning'an Provincial Governor was immediately condemned by everyone.

Such a reversal of power was naturally orchestrated by Qin Ji.

Before leaving the capital, he suppressed the matter of Shen Jiangliu, knowing that some people would be desperate and cause trouble. Therefore, he ordered Sheng Jiang to stay in the capital to keep an eye on the situation.

As soon as the rumors started, Sheng Jiang led his men to investigate the mastermind behind the scenes, while also having his subordinate Cha Zi sabotage the rumors to make them develop in a direction favorable to Shen Jiangliu.

As for those scholars, even if Qin Ji had the brains of Bian Yushu, he would know whose work it was.

As the first disciple of the sect, the Poison Master naturally treasures him greatly!

Evidence of the assassination, the mastermind behind the rumors, the attitudes of intellectuals, and public sentiment.

The advantage lies with me!

All that's needed is for Shen Jiangliu to return to the capital with Ning An's evidence, and then his knife will fall on Ning An without any problem.

Qin Ji was very satisfied.

The next morning at court, Qin Ji didn't need to use his sword.

Because the Provincial Governor of Ning'an had already been beheaded by Shen Jiangliu, and Shen Jiangliu was already on his way back to the capital.

"Shen Jiangliu, without submitting a memorial to the emperor or consulting with the court, actually colluded with the General of Ning'an to execute a second-rank official. His intentions are despicable!"

"Shen Jiangliu's actions are a blatant disregard for Your Majesty and the court. Your Majesty must not let him off lightly!"

"Lord Zhong, didn't your Censorate even stop the imperial inspector sent to Ning'an? Are you just letting him run wild?"

"Lord You, you heard it too. Shen Jiangliu colluded with the General of Ning'an. What use are my two inspectors from the Censorate? Are they to be used as sacrificial offerings?"

"His Majesty once explicitly granted Shen Jiangliu the power to execute first and report later. The Provincial Governor of Ning'an obstructed the water supply project and embezzled river management funds. Shen Jiangliu's execution of him was entirely justified. How can you distort the truth and accuse him of disrespecting the court?"

"Lord Yang, even if you have a deep friendship with his teacher, is there any need for such blatant protection? His Majesty granted him the power to execute first and report later, but he didn't allow an imperial envoy to collude with the General of Ning'an. To put it bluntly, that's treason! Besides..."

Moreover, everyone knows that the power to act first and report later is more often than not just a deterrent.

The imperial envoy, wielding the Shangfang sword, represented the emperor's authority. How many of them actually didn't report to the court and instead used the Shangfang sword to behead high-ranking officials of the second rank?

Who wouldn't be apprehensive, weighing whether they might offend His Majesty's authority and displease him?

The court was once again in an uproar because of Shen Jiangliu. Qin Ji's lips were almost pursed into a slit, and he tapped his fingers twice on the imperial desk.

Seeing the emperor's displeasure, the ministers wisely fell silent.

Qin Ji glanced around and slowly said, "Since I have granted Shen Jiangliu the power to execute first and report later, I am giving him the authority to act as he sees fit. Do you all think that the imperial sword I bestowed upon him is just for show?"

"The token to mobilize the General of Ning'an was also bestowed by my secret decree. What, my ministers, are you saying that I am plotting my own rebellion?"

His Majesty's two rhetorical questions clearly showed his intention to protect Shen Jiangliu, and the courtiers fell silent.

Many people thought to themselves: When did Shen Jiangliu get so lucky that he caught His Majesty's eye and was even given such a secret decree? This is treating him as a confidant!

The politically astute ministers had already sensed the impending storm: it seemed that the Ning'an officialdom was about to undergo a major upheaval, and it was best to stay out of Ning'an's affairs for the time being to avoid getting bloodied.

"As for whether the Ning'an Provincial Governor should die, we'll have our say when Shen Jiangliu and the Imperial Inspector return to the capital."

Qin Ji flicked his sleeve, stood up, and left.

He was cursing Shen Jiangliu in his heart.

You cheap senior brother, you're just looking for trouble! Just you wait!

...

The next day was Bian Feibai's day off.

Qin Ji jumped off the carriage and rushed into Jiang Jibai's small house, shouting, "Teacher, something terrible has happened!"