The night was pitch-black. At the entrance of the Observation Department, a group of people emerged from the Imperial Prison, led by the current Governor of Fengqi Road, Zeng Shilin. He stood among the crowd like the moon surrounded by stars. His expression was solemn, his tone stern.
"Prefect Qi, the imperial court will soon allocate a batch of funds. It would be best if you personally oversaw the repairs on Tong'an Street."
"I understand."
An old man in a red official robe standing beside his father accepted the order. He was over fifty, his face etched with deep wrinkles. Apart from his shrewd eyes, he exuded an aura of twilight lethargy. This person was the current Prefect of Liangjiang Commandery, Qi Xiande. His father wasn't the only unlucky one implicated in the loss of the Dragon Inspection Map; Prefect Qi was involved as well.
"Good. Commander Wang, the theft of the Dragon Inspection Map has been solved by my son. The culprit has been identified as Attendant Wang Lang of the Map Institute. You must follow this closely, investigate strictly, and root out the mastermind behind the scenes!" As he spoke, a sharp light flashed in his father's Dan Feng eyes, and his tone grew extremely severe. The demeanor of an official with twenty years of experience suddenly surged, his authority awe-inspiring.
"Yes, sir!" A middle-aged man around forty trembled slightly and quickly bowed to his father, his voice booming with energy. His face was as dark as charcoal, with a thick beard and a square jaw—a typical Northern appearance. He was Wang Deli, the Commander-in-Chief of the Fengqi Road Observation Department. In truth, he was the first to bear the brunt of the blame for the loss of the Dragon Inspection Map.
"If I remember correctly, that Attendant Wang Lang also lives on Tong'an Street. If there are any unresolved issues regarding this case, the two of you can discuss them thoroughly."
"Yes, sir," the two men accepted the order simultaneously.
Commander Wang Deli turned his gaze to Zeng Anmin, his face full of gratitude. His dark face even seemed to reflect the moonlight, and his voice boomed. "I must thank you immensely for this case, Anmin! If it weren't for your brilliance, I'm afraid there wouldn't even be anyone left to burn paper offerings at my grave next year! Damn it all, if I could learn even half of Governor Zeng's skill in raising a son, that brat at home wouldn't be sneaking off to the Imperial Music Bureau behind my back all day!"
Wang Deli was a boorish man by nature. Even in the presence of his direct superior, he had no filter when he spoke. His father frowned slightly, feeling a bit displeased. To be a scholar was to be the pinnacle of society. Martial Artists truly spoke with such vulgarity.
"Indeed. Anmin is brilliant both inside and out. His performance in this case was remarkably calm and exceptionally insightful. It truly makes one envious that Lord Zeng has such a Qilin'Er!" said Qi Xiande, the Prefect of Liangjiang, sighing with a bitter smile.
Look at that. Scholars simply spoke better than those boorish Martial Artists. Sure enough, his father was now smiling, his right hand instinctively stroking his beard. "Haha, my son merely had a bit of luck."
Nearly half an hour had passed since Zeng Shilin's release from prison. Emperor Jianhong had long since taken Princess Ning'an back to rest, and the White-clothed Venerable hadn't stayed long either due to his discord with his father. After his father finished arranging the official duties, he dismissed everyone.
At the entrance of the Observation Department, the carriage from the Governor's Mansion was parked. Once everyone had left, his father put away his smile, his expression turning indifferent.
"Let's go home."
"Understood." Zeng Anmin nodded, following his father without pause toward the carriage. He truly wanted to get back to his room and properly study exactly what was going on in his Sea of Consciousness.
The carriage was massive, pulled by a full six fast horses. Although it didn't look extravagant at first glance, a closer look revealed its subtle luxury.
"Master."
As soon as the two boarded the carriage, Zeng Anmin saw a beautiful woman sitting inside. She was draped in a red dress. Below her slender, jade-like neck, her creamy white cleavage was half-concealed, and her waist looked fragile enough to be grasped in one hand. Her face radiated the elegance of a noble lady, her eyes brimming with a soft allure, and a charming grace lingered at the corners of her eyes. The haggardness of just having been released from prison added a touch of pitiable frailty to her.
Stunning! A beautiful woman who could easily score a ninety out of a hundred! Zeng Anmin subconsciously took a second look, then a third... He only quickly withdrew his gaze when the memories of his predecessor surfaced.
Mrs. Zeng Lin. The concubine his father had taken more than four years ago. His predecessor hadn't cared much for her and rarely spoke to her. Strictly speaking, she was his stepmother.
"Mhm," his father nodded faintly, glancing over. "Is everything settled at the mansion?"
"It's settled. The servants arrested by the Observation Department today have all been released," Ms. Lin replied, her face haggard and her voice slightly hoarse. "Are you unharmed, Master?"
"I am fine." His father slowly raised his head to look out the carriage window, a trace of coldness in his voice. "This tribulation has certainly allowed me to see the true colors of quite a few people."
Silence. Complete quiet. His father had always commanded great authority in the household, so whenever he was in a mood, no one dared to speak.
"It is time for the Observation Department to be purged..." The end of his father's sentence carried a chilling tone that made one shudder.
"Dad!"
A milky, childish voice rang in Zeng Anmin's ear. He subconsciously looked toward the source of the sound. In the corner of the carriage, a toddler with big eyes, wearing a soft tiger-head hat and gnawing on his fingers, was looking over with bright eyes.
He wondered, "Aren't I an only child? When did I get a younger brother?!" He was just about to shoot his father a questioning look when his face suddenly froze. He thought, "This kid... seems to be calling me?"
Memories regarding the little toddler surfaced. Hu Zi. His older female cousin's son. In the early years during the great war between the Holy Dynasty and the Demon Race, his cousin's husband's family, along with her own household, had died one after another because of the conflict. Crazy rumors then spread that his cousin was a cursed lone star who brought misfortune to those around her. With her fierce temperament, his cousin simply joined a Daoist Sect, devoting herself entirely to the Dao. Before leaving, she left her only son with his father.
He wondered, "But why is he calling me Dad?!" Zeng Anmin's scalp tingled. This was clearly his cousin's son! He felt a scandalous panic creeping over him and frantically searched through his memories.
After a long while, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. So that was it. That explained it... The toddler, Hu Zi, had lived in the mansion for over two years. Once, he came back crying to the predecessor, saying that others had mocked him for not having a father. When asked who mocked him, the boy couldn't give a clear answer. So, in a moment of desperation, the predecessor blurted out, "From now on, you call me Dad! Let's see who dares to laugh at you!" Hu Zi was incredibly stubborn; ever since then, he had never changed how he addressed him.
"Hu Zi." A smile appeared on Zeng Anmin's face, and he waved at him. "Come here and sit." In his past life, he had also been someone who deeply loved children.
"Uh-huh..." Hu Zi wobbled over, blinking his big eyes as he began to speak aggrievedly. "Dad, someone yelled at me today. They even locked me in a small room and wouldn't give me any food... I called for Grandpa and Dad, but none of you came!"
There was a hint of a sob in his voice. A child's voice was the easiest way to touch the softest parts of the human heart. Let alone Zeng Anmin feeling heartache, his father simply snorted coldly. "Be a good boy, Hu Zi. Tomorrow, Grandpa will carry you to the Imperial Prison. Whoever yelled at you, not a single one will get away!"
Hearing this, Hu Zi quickly raised his chin, striking while the iron was hot, and pointed at Ms. Lin. "They didn't just yell at me, they yelled at Mom too!"
Zeng Anmin couldn't help but feel pity for those Red-clothed Guards in the prison. When the Governor of Liangjiang Commandery settled his scores, a few small fries like them wouldn't stand a chance...
Wait a minute!! Zeng Anmin suddenly snapped his gaze toward Hu Zi.
He mentally screamed, "Kid, what did you just call Ms. Lin?!! No, Dad, listen to me explain!!!"