Chapter 24: I Want to Strangle You

The Great Ning Dynasty was founded by the Zhao brothers. The elder brother ascended the throne as the founding emperor, Ning Taizu, while his younger brother succeeded him as Ning Taizong. Since the passing of Taizong, imperial power has remained within the lineage of his descendants.

It is an ancient truth that conquering a nation and governing it are two entirely different matters. During the reign of Taizu, the military faction was highly favored and held immense prestige at court. However, after Taizong took the throne, he systematically weakened the military's influence. First, he purged practitioners from the military and established the Demon Suppression Bureau, effectively splitting the military faction in two. Next, he placed the Demon Suppression Bureau under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel, implementing a series of regulations to further tighten control. He even signed treaties with neighboring countries, preferring to pay annual tributes rather than engage in war. Consequently, the military faction was gradually marginalized from both the court and the public eye.

With the disintegration of the military faction, the descendants of Taizu lost any hope of reclaiming the throne. Nevertheless, the lineage of Taizong never relaxed its surveillance of the military. Every five years, the Ministry of Personnel conducts a thorough audit of all Demon Suppression Bureau branches. These audits include, but are not limited to, investigating interference in local civil affairs, selective handling of demonic unrest, internal corruption, collusion with demons, and the formation of illicit cliques. They also scrutinize the frequency of demonic incidents within each jurisdiction and the equitable distribution of cultivation resources allocated by the imperial court.

Zhao Xiaoshi had been in the Demon Suppression Bureau for exactly five years. She still remembered how, during the last audit of the Jinan branch, she had scrambled about, clutching thick stacks of dossiers for the high-ranking officials to review. She never imagined that this year's year-end audit would be moved up to mid-September. It was a blessing from heaven, her final lifeline, and she knew she had to hold onto it with everything she had.

"My lord, you must seek justice for me!"

Steward Xu felt his heart sink; the officials from the Ministry of Personnel had arrived at the worst possible moment. The official presiding over the Jinan audit was Pei Hu, the most difficult man in the Ministry. He would certainly seize upon this incident as a pretext to launch his investigation. Steward Xu stepped forward, adopting a deferential posture.

"Lord Pei, this woman betrayed her team during a mission, leading to the deaths of three members of the Demon Suppression Bureau."

"My lord, I did not! They are framing me!"

The reason for the early audit was leaked information suggesting that descendants of Taizu were secretly contacting the Demon Suppression Bureau and the military, plotting to overthrow the regime. It remained unclear, however, who the masterminds were, which generals were involved, or how many branches of the Demon Suppression Bureau were compromised. The Emperor had ordered that all audits of the Bureau be conducted with extreme rigor.

Jinan Prefecture had always ranked highly in previous audits, which was why Pei Hu was assigned to it. He was a man of meticulous detail, a person who would examine the very texture of a tiny object if he found it suspicious.

***

Pei Hu had anticipated a grueling struggle upon arriving in Jinan. He had not expected such a perfect "stepping stone" to be delivered right to his doorstep. He would certainly put it to good use; it would serve as an excellent entry point. Pei Hu loved nothing more than unraveling a mystery thread by thread.

"Steward Xu, you claim she betrayed her team and caused the sacrifice of three members. Do you have evidence?"

Steward Xu replied, "We have their three demon-slaying swords and one witness."

"Bring the evidence and the witness to the main hall of the Demon Suppression Bureau." As he spoke, Pei Hu glanced at the others. "Steward Xu and the senior generals should accompany us as well."

With that, he led the group toward the main hall. Steward Xu hurried ahead to lead the way and open the doors. They crossed the front courtyard, passed through a long, wooden right-angled corridor, and entered the heart of the Bureau. A spacious, brightly lit hall stood amidst grounds covered in white pebbles. Steward Xu pushed open the doors to welcome Lord Pei inside.

Inside the hall, Pei Hu took his seat on the right, and Steward Xu sat on the left. Pei Hu’s entourage sat in a row of chairs on the right side of the hall, while the senior generals of the Jinan Demon Suppression Bureau sat opposite them on the left. The protagonist of the incident knelt in the center of the hall, while Chu Chen, the sole witness, stood beside Zhao Xiaoshi. The little girl he had brought back from outside stood obediently behind Bai Ning.

Once everyone was seated, Steward Xu’s gaze lingered on Bai Ning. Had Chu Chen not been the only witness to this affair, she would never have bothered attending such a tedious interrogation. Bai Ning sat in her chair, her eyes never leaving Chu Chen. Her emotions had been on a roller coaster lately—from complete indifference toward this cheap apprentice to finding him interesting, then hearing of his various feats from the local storyteller, and finally, being struck by the news of his death. She had gone from disbelief to forced acceptance, even contemplating a slaughter of all demons to vent her rage, only for Chu Chen to return alive. Now, Bai Ning had one goal: keep a close watch on her apprentice and never let him run off again.

Pei Hu also looked at Bai Ning, his eyes filled with confusion. He had researched the Jinan branch before arriving and knew of General Bai Ning—a woman of extraordinary power, a volatile temper, and a solitary nature. But there was no need to worry; this "female war god" never participated in the annual audits.

***

Even when the Emperor requested an audience, she would refuse, citing that it was too much trouble. Yet here she was in the hall; if this wasn't Bai Ning, who could it be? Pei Hu was sensitive to anomalies and felt profoundly uncomfortable without an answer. Deciding to put the matter of Bai Ning aside for now to focus on the case at hand, Pei Hu spoke.

"Colleagues of the Demon Suppression Bureau, I have always upheld the law with impartiality. I will not wrong the innocent, nor will I let a single villain escape. If it is proven that this person betrayed her team, I will certainly report it to the Ministry of Personnel and have her exiled to the Endless Wall. However, if she has been wronged, I will surely see that justice is served."

As he finished, Steward Xu cupped his hands in a salute. "I have long heard of Lord Pei’s reputation. Everyone in Jinan Prefecture trusts that you will uphold the law with justice."

"Steward Xu is too kind." Having finished the pleasantries, Pei Hu shifted into his own rhythm. "Bring forward the evidence."

At his command, his men placed the three demon-slaying swords before him. As he inspected them, Steward Xu whispered an explanation at his side.

"Lord Pei, a demon-slaying sword can be considered the second life of a member of the Bureau. The fact that the three of them entrusted their swords to Chu Chen shows that they had placed their very lives in his hands."

Pei Hu looked up and asked, "Are you Chu Chen?"

"I am."

"The young hero of Jinan. I heard no shortage of stories about you on my way here."

Pei Hu understood now why Bai Ning was in the hall—she was accompanying her apprentice. He felt much better now. He might be comfortable, but Chu Chen looked utterly miserable. *It’s over,* he thought. *Everything I feared is coming true—the rumors really did spread.*

"My lord, it’s all false. I’m not as powerful as the rumors say. I’m just an ordinary practitioner at the Qi Refining stage."

"Of course I know it’s false. Who would believe the words of a storyteller?"

*Someone will,* Chu Chen thought to himself. *Xu Xiaoyao, where the hell are you? I haven't seen you all day. I want to strangle you!*