Heaven rewards diligence; he fought his way through chaos to become a saint.

Chapter 105 The Death of a Scholar

As Magistrate Fang stepped out of the gate, he looked up and saw crowds gathered on both sides of the street.

However, none of them went forward to spy, but they blocked their way.

The crowd gradually separated.

The group walked to the front, and the man at the head, dressed in a scholar's robe, saw Magistrate Fang.

The man bowed deeply and said, "Greetings, Magistrate Fang."

"Mr. Wei! Why—why—do you have to do this?"

Magistrate Fang sighed deeply.

Wei Ting spoke slowly and deliberately: "Magistrate Fang is also a scholar; does he truly lack even the slightest integrity?"

"You can choose not to report a commoner being killed in the street, but what if more than twenty scholars like us were killed?"

He was followed by more than twenty Confucian scholars, all with solemn expressions, walking towards the escort agency behind Wei Ting.

There was not a trace of fear on their faces.

The Great Qian Dynasty was founded on military strength, but there was also a path for scholars to enter officialdom. Although scholars were not officials, they were all registered.

If too many people died at once, even the county magistrate wouldn't dare not report it.

Because not reporting it will definitely lead to death anyway.

Magistrate Fang felt as if Wei Ting was a knife that had come to kill him.

The group walked to the door and saw the body inside.

"Zhang Guan! A traitorous minister, a villain who brings disaster to the country and its people!"

An elderly man, well over fifty years old, suddenly shrank his pupils and roared angrily, his voice booming like a bell, echoing through the streets and alleys.

"You slaughtered villages and towns in Jiaozhou, set fire to the city, and turned people's homes into ashes."

"White bones lie exposed in the wilderness, and for a thousand miles not a rooster crows!"

"You trampled upon my fertile land of Songjiang, slaughtering innocent civilians the moment you entered the city. And look at your actions today—you treat the law as nothing and the people as worthless weeds!"

"...

""

The old man's angry shouts continued, listing all the fabricated charges against him, his spittle flying as he spoke.

Inside the escort agency, the sounds of clashing weapons rang out, indicating that the agency's members were putting up a fight. However, the old man's loud voice quickly drew out two personal guards from inside.

Just as they were about to step forward, they heard a voice say, "Wait."

Zhang Guan slowly stood up, casually picked up the bow and arrow from a soldier's shoulder, and looked at the old man with a smile: "A general in the field should make decisions on the spot. Even the Emperor understands this. How can he allow you to talk nonsense and disturb the peace?"

Then he turned to Song Rongyi beside him and asked, "Why do you think the people of Songjiang County aren't afraid of me?"

"This place has never been ravaged by war, and the people know nothing about it."

"In other words, they never died."

Zhang Guan swiftly nocked an arrow, and a piercing sound rang out as the surroundings fell silent in an instant.

The arrow struck the old man precisely in the mouth. The old man silently swung his arms twice and crashed heavily to the ground.

A young man stepped forward.

"Heaven's justice is clear, and retribution is swift and certain."

Before he could finish speaking, there was a "whoosh" sound, and the young man's eyes widened in anger as he fell to the ground.

"Retribution? I am your retribution."

Zhang Guan looked at Magistrate Fang, who was standing there stunned by the door, and slowly said, "This general hates such talkative people the most."

At this moment, Wei Ting looked at Magistrate Fang and said, word by word, "You also bear responsibility for the disaster caused by Zhang Guan."

"He deceives the emperor and the common people, kills innocent people and claims credit for their crimes, harms the people and wreaks havoc on the nation! How dare you know this and not tell the truth?" He slowly drew his bow and aimed at Wei Ting, but his eyes were on Song Rongyi beside him. He still smiled and said, "What nonsense is he spouting? This general has rendered meritorious service in defending against the enemy. Although there were some accidental injuries, his merits outweigh his faults."

"Yes."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a "whoosh" was heard. The arrow did not strike Wei Ting, but rather a scholar behind him.

The man fell to the ground, and Zhang Guan slowly drew his bow and nocked an arrow again.

"My father says I'll be ennobled in a few years, so why are these scholars opposing me?"

Wei Ting roared, "You beast, you eat the emperor's food—"

sieve-

Another arrow.

It was still one of the people behind Wei Ting who fell to the ground.

Zhang Guan shook his head regretfully: "Why are you forcing me?"

"Stop talking, stop talking! Let's go!"

Magistrate Fang was so anxious that he almost burst into tears, and he chased them away like an eagle chasing chicks.

sieve-

As soon as Zhang Guanyi let go, another person in the crowd fell to the ground.

Wei Ting remained silent for a moment. He knew Zhang Guan's intention: to instill fear in his group and then disperse on their own.

But no one retreated at that moment.

Someone angrily retorted, "You've wreaked havoc on all sides, what right do you have to be granted a title?"

Zhang Guan didn't even look at him, and continued to say to Song Rongyi: "Everything I have done is for the sake of the Great Qian Dynasty. I have fought against the Southern Barbarians on the frontier for many years, and I deserve to be ennobled."

A young man in the crowd roared, "You beast, kill me first!"

sieve--

The arrow fulfilled the young man's wish.

Some continued to angrily denounce: "Heaven does not tolerate evil; you will be cursed for eternity and left with a bad name for ten thousand years!"

Zhang Guan's smile remained unchanged: "I serve the court, which is the greatest loyalty. How dare you call me treacherous? I led my army into the southern barbarian lands for thousands of miles, and was the first to charge. I was praised by the emperor, who promised me that I could choose my own title in the future. I have already thought of the title: Marquis of Champion. This marquis will only be remembered for eternity."

At this moment, someone else shouted curses.

Zhang Guan chuckled and drew another arrow—

He nocked and shot arrow after arrow, not missing a single one, showing no mercy whatsoever.

Screams rang out one after another, but no one retreated, and no one begged for mercy.

A moment later, Magistrate Fang collapsed to the ground, looking at the blood-stained bluestone road, and wailed like a child.

Wei Ting looked at the figures falling one by one around him, his gaze unusually calm.

Those who fear death will not come today.

He spotted a figure in the crowd and bowed again in that direction: "Everyone should sweep the snow from their own doorstep and not worry about the frost on others' roofs. One day, the snow will cover your own back. If you stand idly by today, when swords are drawn against yourselves, no one will speak up for you."

Zhang Guan narrowed his eyes, his smile gradually fading: "You're plotting a rebellion."

If Wei Ting was a scholar before, these words would truly be a provocation, an attempt to incite others to oppose him.

Zhang Guan slowly drew the bow to its fullest extent: "Traitors, you shall be executed!"

The crisp sound of the bowstring vibrating pierced the sky, and the cold light was dazzling. Wei Ting also closed his eyes slightly, his expression calm.

Just as the arrow was about to touch Wei Ting, a dark figure appeared out of thin air in front of Wei Ting like a thunderbolt. As the clothes fluttered, a large hand with distinct knuckles and thick calluses suddenly reached out and the five fingers, like iron clamps, precisely grabbed the speeding iron arrow.

The arrow trembled violently, and the fletching at its fletching shook wildly, yet it could no longer advance even an inch.

Zhang Guan squinted and looked at the man.

This man was dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, and his white beard stood as straight as steel needles.

With a slight exertion of his fingers, a "crack" was heard, and the iron-forged arrow shaft broke in two.

"Black Tiger Martial Arts School Chongyue".

Many people in the surrounding area recognized the newcomer. As one of the owners of the three major martial arts schools, Chong Yue had never considered himself a good person.

Some of his disciples were wicked, but he felt that teaching martial arts was like forging a sword; if the sword killed someone, it wasn't the sword's fault.

Wei Ting bowed and said, "I admire Master's great righteousness."

Chong Yue glanced at him and spat out a mouthful of phlegm: "Shut your dog mouth. Just stop cursing me so much. Who are you trying to talk to all day long, criticizing me?!"