Chapter 28: The Case

Zhang He, who had been knocked flying, clutched his face, too terrified to speak.

The man in green hurried forward to smooth things over, saying

"My Lord, this cannot be blamed entirely on the young master. The people of the Six Doors have been plotting this for a long time; it was truly impossible to guard against."

Gao Changrui slowly calmed his emotions, shot a fierce glare at Zhang He, and then turned his gaze toward Guan Shanxue.

He pondered for a moment, then instructed the man in green

"Zhu Zhi, go notify the Six Doors and have them come to deal with this woman. Let today's matter end here."

Hearing this, Zhu Zhi showed a look of confusion and asked hesitantly

"My Lord, are we really just going to let this go?"

"And if we don't? The Seventh Prince is still in the Heavenly Prison. Currently, the Ministry of Revenue is leaderless, and even the Minister is barely holding on under the pressure of those other princes."

Gao Changrui sighed, a look of deep exhaustion appearing on his face. He said

"Everything must wait until the matter of the Seventh Prince is settled. Under the current circumstances, it is not wise to lean toward any side."

As he spoke, he looked at Zhu Zhi and reached out to pat his shoulder

"We must be cautious with every step we take. Otherwise, a single misstep will plunge us into an abyss of no return."

"Remember, you must be more careful in everything from now on. Go."

Hearing this, Zhu Zhi nodded, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

Gao Changrui did not linger either and walked toward the exit of the room.

However, as he passed by Zhang He, he gave him a heavy kick

"Get lost!"

"Uncle, I was wrong! I won't dare speak recklessly again!"

Zhang He cried out with his head tucked low, scrambling and crawling as he ran outside.

Yet, the moment he turned his head, a flash of extreme, hidden malice crossed his face.

...

The headquarters of the Six Doors was situated on the central axis of Zhuque Avenue, featuring three sets of gates, totaling six doors.

The towering crimson lintels, the bronze-cast gates, and the majestic, solemn martial lions standing before the entrance all exuded an air of solemnity and killing intent.

Any commoner passing by the gates was intimidated and kept a respectful distance.

As one of the three major institutions of Great Li directly under the command of Emperor Yuanwu, the Six Doors' primary responsibility, beyond catching thieves and investigating criminal cases, was to oversee the affairs of the various martial arts sects across the land.

This also secured its vital status within both the imperial court and the martial arts world.

Some enthusiasts in the martial arts world even compared the Six Doors to a "Fifth Great Sect," standing alongside the four major sects of the world...

At this moment, in front of the headquarters of the Six Doors, Ji Feiyun leaped down from his horse and strode purposefully inside.

The constables on duty at the gate saluted one after another, while Zhou Chuan, Guo Ning'er, and the third person followed closely behind him.

Once they entered the inner courtyard of the headquarters, the grim-faced Zhou Chuan spoke in a low voice

"Boss, I messed this up. I will accept any punishment."

Ji Feiyun walked through the front courtyard without looking aside, waving his hand. "It's not your fault. If it weren't for Guan Shanxue, you might have succeeded."

As he spoke, Ji Feiyun entered an office hall and sat down at a desk.

He quickly wrote a letter and handed it to Guo Ning'er, who was standing by the desk.

"Ning'er, take this letter to Manager Lin at the Fifth Prince's manor in a moment."

Then, he scanned the three people before him and said

"After today's events, Gao Changrui will certainly be on guard. For now, do not waste any more time on him."

At this, Ji Feiyun fell into thought for a moment before turning his gaze to Zhou Chuan. "Can you help me track someone?"

"Boss, just say the name. Who is it?" Zhou Chuan asked hurriedly. He was skilled in hidden weapons and lightfoot techniques, making him an expert at tracking.

Within the Six Doors, he even held the nickname "Meteor Flying Kick." Ji Feiyun asking him to track someone was clearly a recognition of his skills, and Zhou Chuan wanted to use this to make up for his mistake.

"You should have seen the young man beside Cang Yin月 today. He is the one I want you to track."

Ji Feiyun spoke slowly. Zhou Chuan was momentarily stunned, seemingly unable to understand why they would track a complete stranger with no connection to them.

Ji Feiyun clearly saw his confusion. He tapped his finger on the table and said

"Based on my years of experience in the Six Doors, I feel this person is not simple. He remained far too calm, whether facing Guan Shanxue or myself."

"I suspect he not only possesses significant martial cultivation but also likely possesses an extremely formidable movement technique."

As he spoke, Ji Feiyun shook his head and smiled. "Then again, I'm doing this for Brother Fu's sake. This man appeared suddenly by Cang Yin月's side with an unknown background, and he's quite handsome—we have to be on guard!"

Hearing this, Guo Ning'er covered her mouth and chuckled. Looking at Ji Feiyun, she said

"Boss, your relationship with Captain Fu is truly like brothers. However, someone as capable and excellent as Captain Fu is hard to find in this world. I believe Captain Cang should know how to make her choice."

"I hope so. I hope she doesn't do anything foolish."

Ji Feiyun's eyes narrowed instinctively, then he waved his hand. "Alright, you all go and get to work."

Zhou Chuan and Guo Ning'er acknowledged him and turned to leave the hall.

The remaining large man, Cao Po, scratched his head and proactively asked

"Boss, do you have any tasks for me?"

Ji Feiyun stood up from behind the desk, his gaze turning sharp. "Of course. And it's a big one. Follow me to the Aurora Pavilion in a moment."

Upon hearing this, a look of surprise appeared on Cao Po's face.

"Has something happened at the Aurora Pavilion?" He shook his head to himself. "But the Sky Brocade Guards are stationed there, and the security is tight. Logically, that shouldn't be the case."

Ji Feiyun let out a cold laugh and spoke as he walked out of the hall.

"Five people suddenly died in the Aurora Pavilion overnight. The Sky Brocade Guards couldn't find the cause, so they handed the case over to us."

"Originally, the Divine Constable requested that Brother Fu handle it personally, but he is tied up investigating another case and cannot leave. So, this matter has fallen to me."

Hearing this, Cao Po hurried to catch up, his eyes gleaming. "Almost the entire Imperial Capital is watching the Aurora Pavilion right now. If you can solve this case, Boss, it won't just be a great achievement—you might become famous throughout the capital!"

A sharp light flashed in Ji Feiyun's eyes, but he quickly shook his head. "The Sky Brocade Guards are not useless. If even they can't handle a case, this matter is likely very complicated."

While Ji Feiyun was speaking, the two had already reached the main courtyard of the headquarters.

But in the next moment, Ji Feiyun suddenly stopped and looked toward the main gate.

Two constables were hurriedly carrying a stretcher inside, and the person lying on the stretcher was none other than Guan Shanxue.