A person sacrifices himself to become a saint in a chaotic world of martial arts.

Chapter 122 Using Methods

The guards at the gate were pale and their legs were trembling.

They were just low-ranking yamen runners; they had never seen anything like this before.

Those are members of the Li family of the prefecture! A behemoth that could kill them without leaving a trace with just a word!

Su Bai glanced at the guards and then at his incompetent subordinates, sighing inwardly.

Fenjiang County is too small, so small that even the guards under the Li family can cause such chaos here.

This is what makes these powerful families so terrifying.

The government? They weren't that scary in their eyes.

But he showed no fear on his face, simply saying calmly, "I am an official who enforces the law, and I only recognize the law, not people. If you want to see someone, you can, but go to the prefectural government and get a note from the prefect. Without a note, no one can set foot in the prison."

After saying that, he turned and left.

"Lord Su!"

The middle-aged man gave a low shout and moved his feet to chase after them.

Just then, a burst of unrestrained laughter suddenly echoed from deep within the prison: "Hahaha! You old dog, you really think you're someone important?"

Laughter echoed from the dimly lit passageway, reverberating between the stone walls, carrying undisguised mockery and arrogance.

The sound of footsteps grew louder as they approached.

A young man dressed in a brocade robe was "invited" out by two jailers. Although they called it an invitation, the two jailers didn't dare to approach at all. They just followed at a distance, their faces showing a mixture of embarrassment and fear.

The young man walked with an arrogant air, as if he were there to inspect his own backyard rather than to go to jail. Sunlight fell on his face, illuminating a young man with the spoiled air typical of scions of noble families, and a disdainful smile playing on his lips.

It was Li Yuehu.

"Young Master!"

The middle-aged man's face lit up with joy, and he hurriedly took a few steps forward, only to be blocked by the bars of the prison door, and could only peer inside through the iron bars. The guards behind him also breathed a sigh of relief, as if their pillar of support had returned.

Li Yuehu waved his hand casually, as if shooing away a fly in his own yard. He walked to the inside of the prison gate and looked down at Su Bai through the iron bars. Sunlight slanted in from outside, falling on his brocade robe, making the dark patterns on the fabric subtly flow like ripples on water.

A cold smile played on his lips, his eyes filled with contempt.

"Su Bai," he began, enunciating each word clearly, "I'm sitting right here. You'd better lock me up tight, or the day I get out, you'll be the first one I take your dog's life."

He said the last four words with a smile on his face, as if he were talking about something funny.

Su Bai turned around and looked at him expressionlessly.

Sunlight streamed in from outside, falling on Su Bai and his face. His face was calm, as calm as a stagnant pool, devoid of anger, fear, or even any emotion. He simply looked at Li Yuehu as if he were looking at a child who didn't understand.

Li Yuehu did not back down, meeting his gaze with a look full of provocation.

He was the eldest son of the Li family, accustomed to a life of luxury and arrogance since childhood. What kind of situation hadn't he seen in the prefectural government?

So what if he beats a few lowly commoners to death? In the prefectural government, how many people has he beaten to death? At worst, he can just pay some money, and have his father say a few nice words. What can't be settled then?

The people of Fenjiang County really don't know their own limitations!

As he thought about it, the cold smile on his lips deepened.

Su Bai remained silent for a moment.

In that moment of silence, the cell was so quiet that the only sound could be the wind seeping in through the skylight, a mournful wail, like someone crying in the distance.

Then, he suddenly laughed.

The smile was faint, just a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, yet it sent a shiver down Li Yuehu's spine.

"Take my life?" Su Bai spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears. "Young Master Li, what do you think this prison is? Your Li family's backyard? Or do you think I, Su Bai, am afraid?"

Li Yuehu's expression changed slightly.

That smile, that tone of voice, and those eyes—those eyes looking at him as if he were looking at something unrelated to him, without anger, without fear, without even contempt. Just—looking.

Su Bai stopped looking at him and turned to the Li family guards at the door.

His gaze swept across their faces, one by one, as if he were trying to memorize them.

"If you want to wait, then wait outside," he said. "But I'll make this clear—anyone who dares to step into the prison will be treated as a prison breaker and will be killed without exception."

After he finished speaking, he looked at the trembling constables standing to the side, and his voice suddenly turned cold: "Go, take him to the dungeon and keep him under strict guard. Who gave you permission to release him? If you dare to let him move around freely in the dungeon again, I'll skin you alive."

The constables trembled with fear, their faces turning deathly pale, yet they remained rooted to the spot, their legs shaking, too afraid to move.

Su Bai looked at their expressions and sighed inwardly.

What the hell is Wei Zhiyao up to?

They can't even handle this simple matter properly. They've already arrested the person, yet they still let him show up at the door again.

But these bailiffs didn't dare to move, standing there like wooden stakes.

He looked at Sun Hou and the others beside him.

Sun Hou immediately understood.

As Su Bai's loyal subordinates, they naturally had no fear of the Li family.

Sun Hou waved his hand, and led two constables forward, grabbing Li Yuehu's arm.

"What are you doing! What are you doing!" Li Yuehu struggled to his feet, a hint of panic finally showing on his face. "Let me go!"

Do you even know who I am?!

Sun Hou ignored him, tightened his grip, and dragged him deeper into the prison.

Li Yuehu struggled to turn around, looking at the guards at the door, his voice trembling: "Bastards! Just you wait! When my father's men arrive, we'll see how you die!"

His voice echoed in the dimly lit corridor, growing farther and farther away, until it finally disappeared into the depths.

The Li family guards looked at each other, but dared not make a move.

No matter how arrogant they are, they really don't dare to storm the prison. The words "kill without mercy" still echo in their ears.

That would be pointless to kill them.

The middle-aged man stared at Su Bai with a sinister look in his eyes, but ultimately made no move.

Su Bai glanced at them, then turned around and prepared to return to his duty room.

Just then, a carriage drove towards them.

A figure appeared in front of Su Bai.

The sunlight was already setting in the west, shining in from outside the door and spreading a golden hue on the ground.

The person walked against the light, so his face was obscured; only his blue robe could be seen swaying slightly in the wind.

As he approached, Su Bai could see his face clearly. He was in his forties, with a fair complexion and a worldly wisdom that came from years of dealing with people.

It was an air of refinement cultivated in a prominent family; when he smiled, fine lines appeared at the corners of his eyes, but the smile never reached his eyes.

Two servants followed behind him, each carrying a wooden box. The box was painted red and gleamed warmly in the sunlight.

"Lord Su." The man cupped his hands in greeting, his face beaming. "My name is Li Yao, the steward of the Li family. There has been some misunderstanding regarding today's events, and I have come to explain things to you, my lord."

Su Bai stopped and looked at him without saying a word.

Li Yao wasn't annoyed. He stepped forward and lowered his voice.

His voice was very low, so low that only the two of them could hear it, but there was a natural intimacy in his tone, as if he were talking to an old friend.

"Lord Su, to be honest, the matter concerning my young master is almost settled at the government office. The exoneration certificate will be issued soon, and then my young master will be free of guilt. In my opinion, why is your lord in such a hurry? If we were to imprison my young master today, it wouldn't sound good if word got out. Don't you agree, sir?"

As he spoke, he winked at the servant behind him.

The servant stepped forward and opened the wooden box.

Sunlight fell into the wooden box, inside which were ten silver ingots neatly stacked, their whiteness dazzling like snowflakes.

That was official silver, fifty taels per envelope, ten envelopes would be a thousand taels. The silver ingots still bore the official seal, clearly visible in the sunlight.

"Here is a thousand taels, as an apology from the Li family to you, sir," Li Yao said with a smile, his smile full of sincerity. "Please be lenient, sir, and let me take the young master back. Once the pardon is issued, the young master will come to thank you in person."

Su Bai glanced down at the silver in the wooden box.

The silver gleamed in the sunlight, dazzlingly white. He stared at the silver for a moment, then looked up at Li Yao.

The sunlight was bright, making his features stand out clearly.

He looked at Li Yao as if he were looking at something unrelated to himself.

"Until the acquittal document is issued," he said, his voice as flat as if he were commenting on the weather, "he is still a sinner."

Li Yao's smile froze slightly.

The stiffness lasted only a moment, and he quickly returned to normal, but Su Bai still saw it.

"The sinner," Su Bai said, enunciating each word clearly, "is about to go to jail."

The smile on Li Yao's face slowly faded.

He straightened up, looked at Su Bai, and there was something else in his eyes.

The gaze was still polite, but beneath that politeness lay a hidden meaning.

"Lord Su," his voice lowered, no longer as warm as before, but carrying an indescribable meaning, "the Li family and you have had some past relations. I think it's a win-win situation for everyone, Lord Su, don't you agree? You're young, with a bright future ahead of you, why ruin the harmony over such a trivial matter?"

That was said politely, but everyone understood the meaning behind it.

The fact that you and the Li family had some past ties was a reminder to him that the Li family was not one he could afford to offend.

"Hello, I'm happy, we're all happy" is just giving him a way out.

The adult is young and has a bright future—that's telling him not to ruin his future for something like this.

Why ruin the harmony over such a trivial matter—that was the final ultimatum.

Su Bai simply looked at him.

The sunlight slanted in from the west, falling between the two people.

Su Bai stood in the light and shadow, his face expressionless.

He looked at Li Yao for a moment, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

That smile held no warmth whatsoever; it was more like a cold winter wind.

"Did you damage the harmony?" he said. "What does the harmony of your Li family have to do with me?"

After saying that, Su Bai looked at Li Yao.

Li Yao looked at him, his expression gradually darkening.

The sunlight continued to shine, illuminating his face, which shifted between light and shadow; the thousand taels of silver carried by the two servants; and the imposing high walls of the prison in the distance. Those walls were a bluish-gray, tinged with a golden hue by the setting sun, but beneath that golden glow remained a chill.

A breeze blew in from the alley entrance, causing his robes to sway gently.

He stared at Su Bai, his eyes dark, and remained silent for a long time.

The servant behind him asked cautiously, "Manager Li, this—"

Li Yao forced out a few words through gritted teeth: "Go back."

Su Bai stood at the prison gate, watching Li Yao's face gradually darken, his heart unmoved.

As the sun began to set, it cast his long shadow on the ground.

He turned around and said to the constable at the door, "Close the door."

"What?" The constable was stunned for a moment, thinking he had misheard.

"I said, close the door." Su Bai's voice wasn't loud, but it was clear. "From now on, no one is allowed to enter or leave the prison without my warrant."

The constables exchanged glances, then looked at the group of Li family guards outside the door, hesitating to make a move. Su Bai's gaze swept over them, his eyes as cold as knives. The constables shivered and quickly stepped forward, working together to push open the two heavy wooden doors.

"Squeak"

The wooden door closed slowly, making a dull sound.

The Li family guards outside the door looked at each other in bewilderment. Some of them wanted to step forward to stop him, but the middle-aged man reached out and stopped them.

He stared at the slowly closing door, his gaze dark, but he made no move.

"Su Bai!" Li Yuehu's voice came from deep within the prison, tinged with exasperation, the last syllable splitting in his throat, "You just wait! When I get out, you'll be the first person I kill!"

The sound crashed and jolted through the dark passageway, striking the mottled stone walls on either side, bouncing back again and again, creating a buzzing echo.

At the end of the passageway, the torch stuck in the hole in the wall was startled by the sound, its flame shrinking downwards before suddenly leaping up again, stretching the shadows on the wall into varying lengths.

Su Bai stood behind the door, leaning against the door frame, his fingers resting on the keychain at his waist, motionless.

The firelight illuminated half of his face, making that half appear red, while the other half remained hidden in shadow, its expression unreadable.

He stood there until the voice completely disappeared into the crack in the stone wall before speaking: "Lock him in the innermost cell. Give him a hard time and make him behave."

The sound was faint, like a pebble thrown into a deep well.

The noisy cell fell silent for a moment. Several prisoners who had been peeking out to watch the commotion withdrew their heads back behind the bars, the chains rattling briefly before falling silent again.

Li Yuehu was being dragged deeper into the corridor by two constables when he heard this. He jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, forcefully turning his head around, his eyes bulging as if they were about to pop out of their sockets: "What did you say?!"

Those two words were squeezed out from between his teeth, sharp and piercing.

The two escorting officers looked at each other in bewilderment and stopped in their tracks.

The two hands that were supporting Li Yuehu loosened, but they didn't dare to completely let go, so they just stood there, half-supporting and half-suspended.

Even Sun Hou, who was following behind to inspect the cells, stopped in his tracks, turned to look at Su Bai, his gaze sweeping over Su Bai's face. He swallowed hard but remained silent.

Li Yuehu.

The eldest son of the Li family in the county town.

Although Fenjiang County is dozens of miles away from the prefectural capital, everyone in this prison has heard of the Li family's reputation.

According to the old custom, bringing such a person in is just a formality—they take a walk around the cell, drink half a cup of tea, and before they can even sit down properly, people from the prefectural government or the garrison arrive, politely ask them to leave, and then they go about their business.

If we really want to get to the innermost cell, we'll have to resort to other methods—

If the Li family investigates in the future, who can bear the responsibility if everyone in this prison is imprisoned?