Set a goal, and the system takes over the body.

After he finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence.

The people who had just been making sarcastic remarks immediately looked away, their throats churning with words, but they dared not utter a single syllable.

Nine resounding sounds!

There are only a handful in the entire Tianfu City.

If Qi Qingshan really succeeds in breaking through, they won't be able to handle him.

Pang Qing's expression darkened.

"Hmph! Qi Qingshan has truly raised a fine son. He hasn't shown any skill whatsoever, but his tongue has become incredibly sharp. I'd like to ask you, you're just a greenhorn who hasn't even touched the threshold of Qi and Blood in ten years, where do you get the audacity to be so arrogant in front of your elders?"

Pang Qing gave a cold snort, glancing sideways at Qi Xiuyuan.

"Is this how Qi Qingshan taught you? You don't even understand the rules of respecting elders and superiors?"

His words emboldened the others who had been silenced by Qi Xiuyuan's rebuke, and they began to echo his sentiments.

"In my opinion, Qi Qingshan is too ashamed to show his face, so he sent you, a mere child, instead, right?"

"That's right. Qingshan Martial Arts School has been at the bottom of the martial arts competition for two consecutive years. They've lost all face. How could they possibly show their faces now?"

"According to the rules of Tianfu City, martial arts schools that rank last in the martial arts competition for three consecutive years will be relegated to the bottom tier. In just over a month, Qingshan Martial Arts School will fall from its position as a first-class martial arts school. At that time, let's see if some people will still be so arrogant!"

The group chatted away, getting more and more animated as they talked, feeling a sense of relief and satisfaction. Their faces were all beaming with a triumphant smile.

But when she looked at Qi Xiuyuan, she didn't see the furious look she expected. Instead, she saw him grinning with a nonchalant expression on his face.

"My father is just a rough martial arts man. When it comes to educating his son, he is definitely no match for Master Pang. For example, he taught his son how to compete with others for the title of courtesan. If he couldn't win, he would lose his life. Our Qi family can never compare to that kind of skill."

"Bang!"

Pang Qing's face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot. He slammed his hand hard on the table, causing the cups and saucers to clang and spill tea all over the table.

He glared angrily at Qi Xiuyuan, his aura terrifyingly heavy.

"Hey kid, say that again?!"

Qi Xiuyuan remained seated steadily in his chair, showing no fear on his face.

"When it comes to bullying the younger generation, even my father would never dare to compare with Master Pang."

Pang Qing clenched his fists so tightly they cracked, his teeth were clenched, and his whole body trembled slightly with anger. He wished he could tear Qi Xiuyuan to pieces on the spot.

But he held back in the end.

If someone were to actually hit a junior at the prefect's banquet, wouldn't that be tantamount to confirming Qi Xiuyuan's words?

How will Zhentian Martial Arts School ever be able to hold its head high in front of its peers again?

He couldn't afford to lose face, nor did he dare to.

The martial artists who had chimed in beside him, having witnessed Qi Xiuyuan's sharp tongue, wisely kept quiet, fearing they might get burned.

But Qi Xiuyuan turned his gaze to those people, making them feel uneasy.

Just then, a hearty laugh came from outside the room.

"Hahaha... I'm late, please forgive me."

Zhao Yanzong, dressed in dark blue casual clothes, strode into the side room. The clothes were made of fine material and embroidered with subtle patterns. They looked unassuming, but they exuded the air of someone who had long held a high position.

Behind him followed a middle-aged man with imposing features, a tall and upright figure, and a calm and reserved demeanor. He was none other than Zhu Ju, the chief constable of the Tianfu Yamen.

Everyone in the room stood up and bowed in greeting.

"Greetings, Lord Zhao!"

As Zhao Yanzong and Zhu Ju walked past Qi Xiuyuan, a faint scent of pine resin wafted into their nostrils.

"It's him?"

Qi Xiuyuan stared at Zhu Ju for a moment.

The scent of this pine resin is exactly the same as the scent of the silk thread left by the dark figure in the night.

As the chief constable, what was Zhu Ju's purpose in sneaking into the Qingshan Martial Arts School in the dead of night?

Qi Xiuyuan quickly looked away, lest he attract Zhu Ju's attention.

Zhao Yanzong walked to the main seat and sat down, raising his hand in a gesture of restraint.

"Please, everyone, don't stand on ceremony, please be seated."

Everyone took their seats.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Zhao Yanzong then talked about people's livelihoods and the harvest, mentioning the recent heavy workload of the government office. His words conveyed an attitude of being considerate of the people's feelings and diligent in governing.

Many merchants followed suit and flattered him, one after another, creating a harmonious and pleasant atmosphere at the banquet.

"well……"

Zhao Yanzong suddenly sighed, his smile vanished, and his face was filled with sorrow.

The room fell silent instantly.

Everyone wisely kept quiet, knowing full well that the real show was about to begin.

Zhao Yanzong slowly scanned the room, and seeing that no one responded, he cursed inwardly, "A bunch of old foxes," and stopped beating around the bush, speaking solemnly.

"This governor of the prefecture is dedicated to ensuring the livelihood and safety of the people, so that all the people in the city can live and work in peace. However, recently, mountain bandits have been rampant, gathering in Black Wind Stronghold. They not only repeatedly rob passing caravans and kill travelers from escort agencies, but also dare to sneak into the city to commit murder and death, acting with no restraint."

"This Black Wind Stronghold has become a major threat to our Tianfu City. If it is not eliminated, the people will not have peace for a single day."

He paused, his tone becoming increasingly solemn.

"I have invited you all here today to discuss with you the grand plan to suppress the bandits."

"Those with money, contribute money; those with strength, contribute strength. I am willing to personally lead my yamen runners and soldiers. Please assist me from the side. Let us go all out and wipe out Black Wind Village in one fell swoop, restore a bright and clear world to Tianfu City, and restore a peaceful world to the people."

What do you all think?

Before attending the banquet, everyone had already anticipated this and prepared their own explanations.

Merchants immediately took the lead in expressing their opinions.

"My lord, my Zhu family has been merchants for generations, but our martial prowess is lacking. Our guards are also of little use and cannot be of much help in suppressing the bandits. However, the Zhu family is willing to contribute three thousand taels of silver to fully support you in eliminating the bandits and restoring peace to the land!"

"My lord, my Li family is also willing to contribute three thousand taels of silver as a small token of our assistance!"

"My family runs a small business, far from the wealth of you tycoons, but we are willing to contribute one thousand taels of silver to help you, sir, suppress the bandits!"

"I'll also offer three thousand taels!"

"My Zhou family contributed three thousand taels!"

"My Liu family is willing to offer five thousand taels of silver!"

As soon as Master Liu finished speaking, several wealthy merchants at the table subconsciously glanced at him, their eyes filled with subtle dissatisfaction.

These are all prominent families in Tianfu City. Everyone tacitly agreed to contribute three thousand taels, but your Liu family contributed five thousand taels, making it seem like you have a lot of money and know how to please the government.

What the heck?

Zhao Yanzong clapped his hands and laughed heartily, very satisfied.

"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! On behalf of all the people of Tianfu City, I thank all the gentry for their strong support! I believe that as long as we unite as one and work together with one heart, we will surely be able to wipe out the banditry in one fell swoop, a feat that will benefit the present and future generations!"

Despite the disapproving looks from the others, Master Liu pretended not to notice and simply smiled apologetically at Zhao Yanzong.

Zhao Yanzong's gaze quickly turned to the heads of various martial arts schools and security escort agencies at the banquet.

Although he hadn't spoken yet, his words already carried a meaningful meaning.