Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Clue of the Blood-Stained Cloth! Xirong County’s Five Meridian Unlocking Realm Experts!

More than fifty martial artists, none dared to answer.

In the fierce battle just now, they had already realized that the man in black before them was not someone to mess with.

"If no one speaks, then come all at once."

An ordinary family of three, just because of their connection with Shen Yi, met with a tragic end.

Since these arresting captains and Jingyan Guards treat lives like grass, then let life pay for life.

"Go! Kill him!" The constable and Jingyan Guard acted first.

The man in black, bare-handed like a ghost, shuttled among the martial artists whom Shen Yi could not even fight back against.

Not bare-handed!

Shen Yi’s pupils trembled.

The mysterious man in black was holding... his broken saber.

Puff puff puff—

Every time the cold gleam flashed, something red was scattered.

As the air filled with a bloody smell, as the ground became sticky, and bodies fell one after another, Shen Yi forgot how to breathe.

And when that Strong Bone Realm Jingyan Guard was pierced by the broken blade, crawling unwillingly towards the outside, Shen Yi suddenly reacted.

Not knowing where his strength came from, he picked up a long knife.

Thud—

Thud—

Stabbing, pulling out, stabbing, pulling out.

One stab after another until he collapsed exhausted into a pool of blood that wasn’t his.

There was no smile of vengeance on his face, just a numb gaze at the night sky.

Chu Ming stood beside him, silent, knowing that Constable Shen Yi needed some time.

About a quarter of an hour later, Shen Yi seemed to emerge from his grief and anger, using a bit of his recovered strength to prop himself up and knelt before Chu Ming.

"Thank you."

Just two simple words, low in emotion yet filled with sincerity.

"Take this."

Chu Ming’s eyes lowered as he took out a medicine pill.

The pill was named the Golden Truth Pill, effective for healing injuries, obtained when they eradicated the Black Wind Stronghold.

Seeing the pill, a look of shock instantly spread across Shen Yi’s face.

The Golden Truth Pill, he had only read about in medical books, worth a hundred silver taels!

Such medicine, given away just like that?

"For the elder’s kindness, Shen Yi has no means to repay, this medicine, Shen Yi absolutely cannot... gulp..."

Shen Yi’s throat moved, his expression somewhat bewildered.

Had he swallowed something?

Within just a few breaths, a warm flow spread in his abdomen, and looking at the savior’s hand, the Golden Truth Pill was nowhere to be seen.

Just now... did I... swallow... a hundred taels?!

"Recover now."

Chu Ming, while Shen Yi was speaking, had flicked the Golden Truth Pill into his mouth, then went over to the corpses to search.

After a moment, he had three silver notes and several hundred pieces of broken silver in hand.

"Feeling better?" Chu Ming asked.

"Thank you, elder, Shen Yi feels much better."

Shen Yi knelt again in gratitude.

"Take it."

Chu Ming handed over some silver, then looked around at the bodies, saying solemnly, "These bodies need handling, or San Gou Village will face great calamity."

Actually, even disposing of the constables and Jingyan Guards’ bodies wouldn’t prevent disaster for San Gou Village.

So many people coming to ambush at San Gou Village, and no bodies to be found, would Jingyan County not investigate?

Shen Yi hesitated for a moment, not daring to accept the silver, but when he met Chu Ming’s eyes, he couldn’t summon any resistance in his heart.

"Elder, sink them in the river, the rapid current will carry them to the White River where big fish will consume them by dawn."

"Hmm." Chu Ming nodded, "If you have the strength, please lend a hand."

Thus, the two worked together to push all the bodies into the river.

Shen Yi’s good brother’s family of three was placed on a small boat by the riverbank, and the two rode the boat downstream.

Until they reached the river’s mouth, all the bodies washed into the White River, and Chu Ming sank the boat, Shen Yi took his good brother’s family of three ashore.

Choosing the river’s mouth to bury the three, with no tombstone, no wine or meat for a ritual.

Shen Yi knew he had more important tasks to do.

"Elder, I’m ready."

"Hmm."

Chu Ming gave a salute to the Jian Tomb, his gaze falling on Shen Yi.

"If the elder has any questions, I will tell all I know."

Having saved his life and avenged his blood feud, Shen Yi felt endless gratitude towards the man in black.

As he buried his good brother’s family of three, he secretly vowed to repay such kindness with his life.

"Why did you and that miner design the collapse, killing the officials?" Chu Ming went straight to the point.

"Because they deserve to die!"

Before tonight, Shen Yi couldn’t understand why Iron Pillar said all officials deserved death; he helped Iron Pillar only for brotherhood.

But after witnessing his good brother’s family tragically die, he understood Iron Pillar’s hatred.

Shen Yi, full of anger, knelt at the grave and continued, "The miner the elder mentioned is my younger brother, named Iron Pillar."

"When Xiaozheng was young, during a famine, he got separated from the family and was rescued by the Tie family couple..."

Shen Yi told everything about Iron Pillar.

He didn’t know the man in black’s identity, but he felt that the man who saved him had the ability to clear Xiaozheng’s grievances.

"It was because Uncle Iron saw something he shouldn’t have, that they killed him to silence him; Aunt went to the Prefecture Yamen to sue but disappeared."

"Xiaozheng could have fled, but he..."

At last, Shen Yi removed his clothing, the cold river wind hitting him but he remained expressionless.

He took out the blood-stained cloth he carried close to his body, respectfully presenting it to Chu Ming: "Elder, this blood cloth is the evidence."

Chu Ming’s eyes glimmered as he looked down.

On the blood cloth, two locations were written.

One was West Capital Grand Canal! The other was Baiyun Pier!

Moreover, the blood on the edge of the blood cloth does not match the aura of the blood characters.

"Senior, this blood cloth belongs to Uncle Iron Pillar’s clothes, the blood characters were written by Xiaozheng, most of the blood beside it is Uncle Iron Pillar’s, but this part of the blood..."

Shen Yi gritted his teeth and said, "It’s the blood of some high-ranking official, a high-ranking official secretly transporting Jingyan Salt!"

Baiyun Pier...West Capital Grand Canal...Jingyan County...County Magistrate Lv Wen...County Magistrate Zhou Xun...Surveillance....

Chu Ming’s eyes shot out a sharp brilliance, connecting the clues in his mind.

Secretly transporting Jingyan Salt!

Daring to commit such a beheading crime!

The County Magistrate and County Magistrate of Jingyan County don’t have such power, there must be a powerful backing behind them.

Who could it be?

The Imperial Examination Hall? County Governor Baili Xinghua of Xirong County?

Or that powerful and influential Governor An Hengying?

All these people are intricately linked to the Jingyan Salt Mine.

The Jingyan Guard is directly under the Imperial Examination Hall, and the Governor oversees the Imperial Examination Hall, monitoring the entire Xirong County, if there’s an issue within the Imperial Examination Hall, would such a big figure remain unaware?

Baili Xinghua used to serve as the Chief Clerk and would inspect Jingyan County annually.

Moreover, Baiyun Pier on the blood cloth is also linked to him.

Baiyun Pier was led by this County Governor for construction, the ’Bai’ in Baiyun Pier is actually taken from his name.

Nominally, the pier is controlled by the Commandery Mansion, but in reality, it’s governed by Baili Xinghua.

However, the blood aura on the blood cloth is different from all these people, leaving him unable to identify who it belongs to.

The water of the White River slapped against the shore, bringing icy water vapor.

"Put on your clothes." Chu Ming said in a deep voice.

Shen Yi put on his clothes and knelt in front of Chu Ming: "This humble one’s life was saved by the senior, if the senior doesn’t mind..."

"Three miles to the east, there’s a cave, hide there for now."

Before Shen Yi could finish speaking, Chu Ming picked up the blood cloth and disappeared into the darkness.

"Senior...?"

Shen Yi was shocked, looking everywhere, but couldn’t find even a shadow of his rescuer.

"Three miles to the east, there’s a cave..."

He hesitated for a moment, then walked towards the east.

After walking three miles, he indeed saw a cave.

As soon as he entered the cave, there was a sound from outside.

He turned around and saw a package at the entrance, which had appeared without him noticing.

Inside the package, there were enough food and drinks for half a month.

"Thank you, Senior!" Shen Yi knelt and bowed.

"Wait for me to find you."

Chu Ming stood in the dark, left these words, and departed.

"Senior, I still don’t know your esteemed name..."

No response.

...

In a dark room.

Governor An Hengying of Xirong County slightly bowed his body.

"Blood Servant, Yan Huan has escaped, and a mysterious expert of the Meridian Unlocking Realm has appeared in Black Wind Stronghold..."

Sitting in front of An Hengying was a person wearing a red mask.

"Meridian Unlocking Realm..." This person murmured, and his blood-colored eyes seemed to shoot out sharp glances.

He extended his hand, spreading his five fingers, his voice devoid of any emotion: "The five Meridian Unlocking Realm experts in Xirong County."

"First is Commander Xiang Yue of the 300,000 Tiger Armor Army, Xiang Yue left two days ago to attack the Nine Hordes Kingdom, making it impossible for him to be the expert who appeared in Black Wind Stronghold."

"If it were Xiang Yue, the severely injured Yan Huan would have no chance of survival."

An Hengying nodded, silently listening.

"Second is Xiao Jianxin, stationed at Xirong County, guarding County Magistrate Xiao He, unlikely to appear in Black Wind Stronghold."

"Third is you, Governor of Xirong County, fourth is the Fortress Master of Blood Vine Castle..."

The masked Blood Servant paused here, his gaze like an eagle staring at An Hengying.

An Hengying’s expression changed drastically, and he immediately bowed, saying: "Blood Servant, I and the Fortress Master of Blood Vine Castle are loyal to you..."

"Hehe, no need to be nervous," Blood Servant laughed lightly, "I don’t doubt you."

Cold sweat broke out on An Hengying’s back, hearing this, he hastily said: "And there’s one more, The Medicine Maniac!"

"Hmm, currently, The Medicine Maniac is the most suspicious, he has no attachments, his whereabouts are mysterious, even I don’t know his whereabouts."

Blood Servant nodded and said: "The Medicine Maniac’s lifespan is nearing its end, he’s becoming more audacious with his actions..."

An Hengying remained silent.

His strength surpassed The Medicine Maniac, but the most terrifying aspect of this person wasn’t his Meridian Unlocking Realm, but his mastery of poisons.

Martial artists who’ve completed nurturing their internal organs generally have immunity to earthly poisons.

Yet... The Medicine Maniac possesses several types of poison capable of killing martial artists of the Refining Organ Realm and... a drug that can invisibly injure martial artists of the Meridian Unlocking Realm!

Unless absolutely necessary, An Hengying didn’t wish to provoke such a person nearing the end of his lifespan.

"Blood Servant, I didn’t find any traces of drugs at the scene, could it be an expert from outside Xirong County?"

Blood Servant shook his head: "There have been no expert arrivals from outside Xirong County recently."

"It’s true that The Medicine Maniac kills with poison, but being a Meridian Unlocking Realm expert, he might not need to use poison against a severely injured Yan Huan."

An Hengying felt troubled.

He preferred facing a martial artist of the same realm rather than encountering The Medicine Maniac.

"Alright," Blood Servant stood up, his voice deep, "The matters concerning The Medicine Maniac and Yan Huan don’t concern you."

"Thank you, Blood Servant."

"How is the situation with Jingyan Salt?"

"..." An Hengying pondered, "Everything that needed cleaning has been cleaned, I’m searching for a new route."

"Since it’s all cleaned up, why search for a new route?"

"Because the Fifth Prince of the Great Qin Dynasty is targeting you, you don’t want to lose your position as Governor?"

"Or are you, An Hengying, afraid to deal with even a Little Chief Clerk’s Office?"

An Hengying panicked.

"I suspect that the mysterious person who saved Chu Ming and the expert who attacked Black Wind Stronghold and fought Yan Huan are the same person."