All Heavens: A Role-Playing System Starting from Tianlong

Chapter 81 The Luoyang Bloodbath

Zhang Cheng looked at the man who was engrossed in reviewing documents and began to use "soul-searching through telepathy" to inquire about his identity and background.

This middle-aged man was named Zhang Xiaochun, a judge in the Xijing Garrison Command, a seventh-rank official.

His ancestors were officials; his father was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) during the reign of Emperor Yingzong and rose to the position of Tongpan (assistant prefect) of Shanzhou. Unwilling to be subservient to powerful figures, he retired at the age of fifty and returned to his hometown.

He spent a few years in Qingzhou, on the northwestern border, with his uncle when he was young, and that's when he learned his martial arts skills.

After returning to his hometown, he studied diligently and passed the imperial examination in the third year of the Yuan You era at the age of thirty-one.

He first served as the Judicial Advisor of Hezhong Prefecture, where he cleared up more than a hundred backlog cases and overturned seventeen wrongful convictions. Because powerful and influential people became less influential, he was praised by the people and was transferred to the position of Inspector of the Western Capital Garrison in the first year of Shaosheng.

After listening, Zhang Cheng waved his hand in front of Zhang Xiaochun. Seeing that the other party had no reaction and was clearly still under control, he couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement.

This kid... wait, this Zhongdeng is a real talent. Let's rule out the possibility that he's boasting while in a daze.

Without a teacher, he practiced on his own until he reached the level of Duan Zhengchun, Gao Shengtai, and Yue Laosan. Then, relying on his solid political achievements, he climbed up the ranks to become a seventh-rank official without any connections.

He seems pretty impressive. Should we just pack him up and take him with us?

Zhang Cheng ultimately gave up on the idea.

They have families to support and aren't alone, so it's not appropriate to force them. We should focus on the important matters at hand.

He asked Zhang Xiaochun to explain in detail the division of power within Luoyang.

Then he asked who Zhang Xiaochun considered "deserving to die" and what crimes each of them had committed.

Zhang Xiaochun is an interesting person. He is more worldly than his father, but he is still a man of integrity at heart.

After several unsuccessful attempts to report the crimes, he began to secretly collect evidence against various forces, perhaps preparing for something big.

This actually made things easier for Zhang Cheng. He simply had Zhang Xiaochun repeat it to him.

Although Zhang Xiaochun couldn't memorize every single crime, knowing roughly who was involved was enough. Zhang Cheng could ask about the rest himself.

Zhang Xiaochun's eyes were vacant as he recounted everything in detail.

The power structure in Luoyang was deeply entrenched, but ultimately it boiled down to three categories: local tyrants and shady characters. These people had legitimate businesses on the surface, but behind the scenes they bullied men and women, seized land, and lent money at exorbitant interest rates. They had a gang of thugs under their command, and they had powerful connections above them, so the government couldn't do anything about them.

Second are the families of mid-level bureaucrats. These people are neither rich nor poor, but they rely on their connections in the imperial court to act tyrannically in their localities, colluding with powerful clans to oppress the people.

Thirdly, there are powerful families and maternal relatives. These are the truly formidable ones, backed by influential figures in the capital. Moving one would implicate a whole string of others.

Zhang Xiaochun rattled off a long list of names, which Zhang Cheng memorized one by one. He then turned and left the Xijing Garrison Office.

No sooner had he left than Zhang Xiaochun slumped onto the table and fell into a deep sleep.

The effect of "soul search by sound" will soon disappear on its own, and the other party will forget the memories during the period when their soul was captured.

Although the sudden deaths of the main perpetrators listed in the evidence he collected might trigger a return of his memories, Zhang Xiaochun isn't stupid; he wouldn't make things up after regaining his memories.

Zhang Cheng didn't have much time today, so he naturally went to deal with the most influential powerful families and relatives first.

When it comes to powerful maternal relatives, the Xiang family is an indispensable name in Luoyang.

The Xiang family, being relatives of Empress Dowager Xiang, had used this relationship to run rampant in Luoyang for many years, seizing land, establishing private courts of torture, driving people to their deaths, and committing all sorts of evil deeds. Yet, no one could stop them.

Zhang Cheng infiltrated the Xiang family mansion and, based on the tight security, deduced the location of the Xiang family head. Then, he used the same tactic as before, continuing to question the other party using "soul-searching through telepathy."

With this trick, as long as there is one person in the know, he can bring out all the people involved in the case.

Half an hour later, Zhang Cheng left the Xiang residence, taking with him thirty percent of the living people inside. This was only after he had spared those he felt didn't deserve to die.

Having done all this, Zhang Cheng saw that it was getting late, so he left Luoyang City and headed back towards the Valley of the Deaf and Mute.

The next morning.

Zhang Xiaochun, who was on duty, yawned and got up from the table.

He secretly mastered excellent martial arts skills. Although he was middle-aged, he could still easily stay up for several days without sleep, let alone stay up all night.

I don't know why I'm so tired today, it's like I've had my yang energy sucked away by a female ghost.

He shook his head, poured himself a cup of cold tea and drank it down, which made him a little more awake.

He was wondering why his colleague, who was supposed to be handing over the shift today, was nowhere to be seen when a constable stumbled in, his face ashen.

"Report! Magistrate Zhang! Something terrible has happened! The Xiang family—something has happened to the Xiang family!"

Zhang Xiaochun frowned: "What happened?"

"The Xiang family—the Xiang family was almost wiped out!"

"What?!" Zhang Xiaochun stood up abruptly.

Although he had always disliked the Xiang family, upon receiving the news, he immediately arranged for the officials on duty to be on standby, while he himself led a team to the scene.

On the way there, he inquired about the situation from the servants who had come to deliver the message.

Thirty-one people from the Xiang family died in one night. They came from all walks of life, from the head of the family to the servants. All of them were beheaded.

On the wall of the master's room, there were four large characters written: "A life for a life."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiaochun sneered inwardly.

What else is there to investigate? The killer's motive is obvious. Given the Xiang family's behavior, who knows how many enemies they have?

He had thought that if the other party was only killing some villains in the Xiang family mansion and not indiscriminately killing innocent people, then he would just go and protect the scene and do his duty, and he wouldn't bother to investigate the identity of the righteous man who took action.

Although failing to solve the case would certainly tarnish his political record, he had long realized that his career was already over because no one was promoting him from above. Whether the case was solved or not, it didn't really matter.

But when he entered Master Xiang's bedroom and saw the inscription left by the murderer on the wall, he was stunned.

Because the words on the wall were different from the blood-written words he had imagined. The words on the wall were carved there by something unknown.

The brushstrokes penetrate deep into the wall, reaching three-tenths of an inch into the stone. The brushstrokes are elegant yet powerful.

The person who left the message—what amazing swordsmanship, what powerful internal energy!

Zhang Xiaochun immediately became interested.

As a judge, his job should have been limited to giving orders, recording facts, and conducting trials. After all, Song Dynasty civil officials valued "propriety," and performing autopsies was considered "unbecoming of an official."

But he was someone who couldn't get promoted, so why would he care about "losing official decorum"? At this moment, he just wanted to go and see the deceased's injuries in person.

He immediately turned around and asked the servant who had reported to the authorities, "Among the dead, were there any martial arts guards or bodyguards employed by the Xiang family?"

The servant nodded: "Yes, several have died."

None of the martial arts instructors and thugs hired by the government yesterday escaped death. Some died in their sleep, but those on duty were killed outright.

"Take me to see the one with the highest cultivation level." Zhang Xiaochun immediately asked the other party to lead the way.

The servants led him to the room next to Master Xiang's bedroom.

"This is where Xie Ning, the Swift Swordsman, lives, and He Ying, the Cloud Eagle."

The servant explained, "The master's daily safety is ensured by the two masters taking turns on duty."

The two were assigned to the main room of the house, with one person keeping watch at night and the other resting.

If the enemy is spotted, wake the resting person, and the two of them will fight together.

Zhang Xiaochun nodded. He had heard of these two people before.

Xie Ning, the Swift Swordsman, was originally the chief镖头 (head镖师, chief镖师, of the Longmen镖局, a镖局 in Daming Prefecture). He was as fast as his sword and as fast as he was, and once defeated the instructors of seven martial arts schools in the southern part of Luoyang in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

He Ying, nicknamed "Cloud Eagle," was a master thief who was captured after committing a crime in Bianjing. He fled to Luoyang and was taken in by the Xiang family. Rumor has it that his lightness skill was no less than that of Yun Zhonghe, one of the Four Evils.

These two were the strongest martial artists in the Xiang family. — And just like that, they died.

Zhang Xiaochun pushed open the door and entered. Inside, two corpses lay on the floor. He walked over, squatted down, and examined them carefully.

Both men died from a single, clean, and smooth cut, severing their neck bones cleanly and decisively.

Xie Ning's sword was still in its sheath, not yet drawn. He Ying's body lay by the window, seemingly trying to escape through the window but unable to take that step.

One swift swordsman couldn't even draw his blade. The thief had nowhere to escape. Clearly, neither of them could withstand a single blow.

Zhang Xiaochun felt a headache starting to throb. Who on earth had come to Luoyang?