Chapter 247: Chapter 202: What’s to Fear? A Beating at Most.

No wonder Xiao Jinghong was furious.

Two days ago, she had repeatedly warned Li Changqing to guard the warehouse carefully and prevent any miscreants from succeeding.

But upon her arrival, she was met with the disastrous scene around Iron Wall Town’s Summer Grain Storage Room.

Any joy she’d felt knowing that Cang Lang and Profound Armor Towns were safe instantly vanished.

Xiao Jinghong scanned her surroundings and asked, "What is the situation now?"

A soldier, his entire body blackened by smoke, hastily knelt.

"Reporting to the General, of the nearly five hundred thousand stones of summer grain, we... we only managed to save two hundred thousand..."

"But thanks to the heavy rain, the fire is under control. There should still be quite a bit of grain left underneath."

Xiao Jinghong’s hand subconsciously went to the hilt of the sword at her waist.

’If Li Changqing were here right now, she might have run him through with her sword.’

’Three hundred thousand stones of grain... That was equivalent to nearly four months of rations for the soldiers of Iron Wall Town.’

’For a loss this great, having Li Changqing’s head for it would not be an overreaction.’

However, upon seeing the crucial warehouse reduced to ruins before her and the soot-streaked faces and bodies of the surrounding soldiers, Xiao Jinghong sighed softly and gave her orders:

"Continue salvaging the summer grain. Save as much as you can."

"Also, when General Li arrives, tell him I will be waiting for him at the General’s Mansion."

"Yes, General."

In a flash, Xiao Jinghong was at the town’s General’s Mansion. She sat upright in the main hall, watching the downpour outside.

As her True Essence circulated, she calmed her heart and mind, and the events of the evening inevitably surfaced in her thoughts.

’If someone hadn’t warned her in advance, the losses would have been even greater.’

’Losing less than three hundred thousand stones of grain was a stroke of luck amidst this misfortune.’

’Moreover, the perpetrators were all eliminated, including those of the Evil Demonic Dao from the Bright Moon Building. The outcome wasn’t so terrible.’

’As long as she found the mastermind, she was certain the Xiao Family had the power to recoup these losses.’

But a flicker of anger still remained in Xiao Jinghong’s heart.

She wasn’t angry about the loss itself, but about Li Changqing’s arrogance and pigheadedness.

’If Li Changqing had been like General Ma Kui of Profound Armor Town and taken strict precautions, how could the fire possibly have started?’

「A short while later.」

Li Changqing hurried back with his men. After telling the Armored Warriors to wait at the entrance, he straightened his appearance and solemnly walked into the hall.

He knelt on one knee, clasping his hands in a salute.

"Li Changqing, General of Iron Wall Town, pays his respects to the General."

Xiao Jinghong watched him calmly. Seeing no remorse for his impending punishment in his expression, she spoke:

"Report what happened this time."

Li Changqing inwardly breathed a small sigh of relief. ’At least Xiao Jinghong didn’t just cut me down with her sword.’

Without hesitation, he said from his kneeling position, "The loss of summer grain in Iron Wall Town is my fault. My momentary negligence allowed the miscreants to succeed."

"However..."

Li Changqing paused, took a letter from his robes, stood to place it before Xiao Jinghong, and then knelt back down. He continued:

"However, I also made a discovery. I found this, which should help you, General, find the mastermind behind this incident."

Xiao Jinghong picked up the letter and began to read, her eyes immediately narrowing.

*[If you wish to become the Xiao Family Patriarch, you must cooperate with my Young Master... Show your sincerity... Burn the summer grain in the Three Towns...]*

*[An initial payment of three hundred thousand silver coins, with another three hundred thousand upon completion... Wishing you success—Xiao Dongchen!]*

Xiao Jinghong’s gaze fell to the end of the letter. At the sight of the blood-red handprint and the blood-stained signature, a chill ran through her.

’Xiao Dongchen... Tonight’s events were the work of a traitor within the Xiao Family?’

Li Changqing looked up at her and said hesitantly:

"General, regarding the loss of the grain, I was indeed derelict in my duty. I await your punishment."

Xiao Jinghong snapped back to her senses and looked at him, her tone cold as she asked, "Where did you find this letter?"

Li Changqing paused, then clapped his hands and ordered to those outside, "Bring them in."

Several Armored Warriors quickly carried the bodies of Liu Wen and the others, placing them in the hall.

Li Changqing pointed to the rain-soaked body of Liu Wen and said:

"I found the letter on this man. He also had this Jade Pendant on him."

As he spoke, he also placed the Jade Pendant on the table.

Xiao Jinghong remained unmoved. Her gaze was fixed on Liu Wen and the others as she carefully examined the wounds on their bodies.

’Great Success in Spear Dao.’

’Great Success in Saber Dao...’

’This style feels somewhat familiar...’

’Liu Lang? Was it him?’

The image of that blade strike outside the Mutual Market surfaced in Xiao Jinghong’s mind, and her confusion only deepened.

Next, she picked up the Jade Pendant for a look, and her brow furrowed slightly beneath her mask.

’An identity Jade Token for someone from the Jing State Liu Family.’

As the thoughts flashed through her mind, Xiao Jinghong had already pieced together most of what happened that night.

’The burning of the summer grain in the Three Towns must have been the work of some Young Master from the Jing State Liu Family, in collusion with Xiao Dongchen.’

But this only raised more questions in her mind.

’Did Xiao Dongchen recruit the traitors in the Three Towns and the Evil Demons from Bright Moon Building?’

’Why was the Young Master Liu killed by Liu Lang and the others?’

’What other secrets lay hidden here?’

Xiao Jinghong had the faint feeling that something about tonight’s events was strange, as if another group with a different agenda was also involved.

Especially the death of the Young Master Liu here, and that letter, so deliberately signed and marked by Xiao Dongchen.

It was as if someone had orchestrated it all, serving up the culprits behind tonight’s events to her and the Xiao Family.

’But to what end?’

After a long moment of thought, Xiao Jinghong spoke, "Keep this matter confidential for the time being. Anyone with knowledge of this who leaks the information will be punished according to military law."

"Yes," Li Changqing replied, then asked hesitantly, "Then, what should we do next...?"

Xiao Jinghong stood up and looked at him. "First, secure the remaining summer grain. We will discuss everything else after that."

"As for your punishment... I will report this to the Marquis. He will be the one to decide."

"I hope you remember tonight’s lesson and do not repeat this mistake."

Li Changqing’s expression soured. He would rather have been punished by Xiao Jinghong now than face the Old Marquis.