Chen Tang, having gone through quite a bit, slept soundly, his heart at ease.

Zhiwei was actually already awake.

Seeing Chen Tang sleeping on the other side, even though there was someone else in between them, she still felt a burst of joy, an inexplicable peace of mind.

This feeling was just like when she was a child, with her father and mother by her side.

Her memories of her mother were already faint.

Even the appearance was somewhat blurred.

But she still clearly remembered that before sleeping each night, she needed her mother to gently pat her body to fall asleep.

Chen Tang's slightly low breathing, to Zhiwei, actually felt reassuring.

As long as this sound was there, she knew that Chen Tang was always by her side, protecting her.

Before long, Zhiwei also fell asleep.

Among the three, the only one troubled was Qingmu.

Though the situation didn't count as sharing a bed, they were sleeping on the same heated platform, and beside her lay a spirited young man.

She had cultivated the "Great Joy of Heaven and Earth," with plenty of moves in her mind, yet she had never practiced them with others.

Rich in theoretical knowledge, zero practical experience.

"Did he really fall asleep just like that?"

"What if he wakes up first and crosses boundaries while I'm asleep?"

"Drawing a sword straight away doesn't seem quite right, what if it wakes Zhiwei?"

"If it's just an unintentional touch, it doesn't really count as crossing boundaries. Just push him away."

"But if it's intentional?"

"Hmph, there's no way I'll let him succeed easily!"

Listening to Chen Tang's breathing, Qingmu felt restless, her mind wandering.

After enduring for over an hour, Chen Tang indeed lay still, sleeping deeply like a dead pig.

In the dark, Qingmu spat lightly in his direction, "Truly worse than a beast."

Despite her words, Qingmu felt relieved, her eyelids heavy, and gradually she fell asleep.

The night passed without incident.

Morning.

Chen Tang woke up groggily, feeling something heavy pressing on him. He instinctively pushed it.

As soon as he placed his hand on it, he sensed something wasn't right.

What on earth?

Suddenly, he came to his senses!

The 'heavy object' on him also suddenly lifted its head, looking at him with sleepy eyes.

At some point, Qingmu had ended up lying on top of him.

Qingmu: "???"

Chen Tang: "..."

Next, the room was filled with chaos and commotion.

Chen Tang was driven out.

The chubby old man had just gotten up as well, stepped out, breathed in the fresh air, stretched lazily, appearing energetic and refreshed.

"I slept really well last night."

The chubby old man looked satisfied.

Chen Tang maintained a calm demeanor, greeted the chubby old man, and went out to buy some breakfast.

He casually brought the breakfast into Qingmu's room, then, under Qingmu's gaze, fed the horses as usual and practiced his fists and saber as if nothing had happened the previous night.

It seemed as though nothing had happened last night at all.

Qingmu pondered for a moment; she couldn't really pursue the matter.

After all, she was the one who crossed the boundary in the morning.

Somehow, after falling asleep, she had inexplicably ended up lying on him…

Normally at the Cyan Dragon Bureau, she wore armor and carried a sword, but here, Chen Tang continued practicing the Tiger Subduing Fist and the Burning Wood Saber.

When learning the "White Ape Swordsmanship" on the Snow Mountain, his words to the Mountain Guest resonated deeply with him.

The weapon is an extension of the body.

As long as the body is trained to move in a coordinated, natural, and fluid manner, using any weapon becomes easy.

Chen Tang, even wielding a sword, didn't seem like a novice.

Picking up the Cyan Dragon Sword, Chen Tang weighed it slightly and could immediately sense the precise weight, length, and width of the sword, forming an understanding in his mind.

After practicing at home, Chen Tang donned armor and carried a sword to head to the Cyan Dragon Bureau.

There were no significant cases usually, nor were there any instructions from above. The Cyan Dragon Bureau usually didn't have much work.

Occasionally, they would follow and monitor some officials.

But when Chen Tang first arrived at the Cyan Dragon Bureau, Cai Yin didn't assign him any tasks.

In Cai Yin's words, for the next six months, Chen Tang's most important task was just one: to quickly cultivate to the Seventh Grade!

Occasionally, familiar Cyan Dragon Guards like Wei Qun and Yue Shou would spar with Chen Tang.

Under Cai's leadership, in name it was sparring, but it was actually just accompanying Chen Tang for training, feeding him moves to help him quickly master the Cyan Dragon Swordsmanship.

Most of the other time, Chen Tang was in a state of leisure.

Remembering a few things the Mountain Guest instructed, Chen Tang searched through the files at the Cyan Dragon Bureau.

There were indeed some records about the Emperor Qian.

Since the new emperor had just ascended the throne, there wasn't much information about him, only that his name was Yuan Qingshan.

A very ordinary name.

But through these documents, Chen Tang also discovered some unknown secrets.

In the Qian Country's palace, there was an extremely cruel rule: once a son was honored, the mother was doomed to die.

Once a prince was made the Crown Prince,

the mother of that prince would be granted death by Emperor Qian!

Emperor Qian had three sons and one daughter.

The eldest prince was Yuan Qingshan.

However, more than a decade ago, when this new emperor was made Crown Prince, his biological mother, a lady from the Dugu Clan, was granted death by Emperor Qian.

Emperor Qian explained the reason to the Crown Prince, but the Crown Prince, who was always filial and deeply cherished his mother's grace, cried day and night without ceasing.

No matter how Emperor Qian described grand principles, it was of no use. Seeing the Crown Prince so stubborn, it instead aroused Emperor Qian's fury, imprisoning the Crown Prince in the Celestial Prison, preparing for execution...

Chen Tang investigated some other materials and casually chatted with Wei Qun and others, gathering some information.

It was said that after entering his sixties, Emperor Qian indulged in debauchery, being arbitrary, disharmonious with his brothers, suspicious of his ministers, and capricious.

Regarding the matter of executing the prince, they all strongly believed Emperor Qian was capable of doing it.

It's said that, somehow, that night the Crown Prince mysteriously disappeared from the palace's Celestial Prison, unknown where he went. Along with him, the princess also vanished.

Some said they were secretly released by Emperor Qian, while others claimed they were secretly executed.

Over these years, after more than a decade, Emperor Qian suddenly passed away. The Crown Prince had been missing for years, and by succession, the Second Prince should ascend the throne, but at this moment, the Crown Prince suddenly returned to the capital!

Logically, since the Crown Prince was still alive and not abolished, he should inherit the reign.

Naturally, the Second Prince was unwilling, and the two princes contended and fought in the capital. Ultimately, the Crown Prince, missing for over a decade, emerged victorious.

Of course, there were many discrepancies and doubts in the details.

For instance, how did the Crown Prince suddenly appear after missing for a decade, and where had he been all these years?

Why did the princess also disappear together? Where are they now?

These belong to hearsay, might not be accurate, and Chen Tang took it as mere gossip, not taking it seriously.

Thus, Chen Tang practiced his fists and knives at home daily, and at night, with his Divine Soul stationed in the Mud Pill, he practiced breathing techniques.

During the day, he practiced "White Ape Swordsmanship" at the Cyan Dragon Bureau, coupled with Celestial Ginseng Monkey Wine, his cultivation showed extremely obvious progress every day!

Just after the start of the first month, Chen Tang had cultivated to the lower Eighth Grade!

In terms of strength, it was comparable to the upper Eighth Grade, able to draw the Six-Stone Bow!

Just as the Mountain Guest said, through day and night cultivation, training both internally and externally, within half a month, his realm broke through!

During this half month, Wu'an County was relatively peaceful, with no major incidents.

Since joining the Cyan Dragon Bureau, indeed, no one came to trouble him.

Even that Third Young Master Huo, who previously held hostility towards him, quieted down, no longer taking action.

But this matter, Chen Tang remembered.

After Xu Tong died, a wave was stirred at the Profound Celestial Temple, but after a few days, it calmed down.

It seemed suppressed by the methods of the old fat man, and the matter passed.

On this day, Wang Yanli returned, travel-worn.

As one of the duties of the Cyan Dragon Guard, occasionally, they would go to the surrounding counties to inspect and monitor the circumstances of various officials in the county, making records.

If there were no issues, they would return in a day or two.

Some special circumstances might cause a longer delay.

Wang Yanli had been out for about ten days this time.

Upon seeing Chen Tang, Wang Yanli smiled and said, "Haven't seen you for ten days, how's your swordsmanship progressing? Let me rest for a day, then I'll practice with you."

"Alright."

Chen Tang agreed and casually asked, "Where did you go this time, Sister Li? You were gone for so long?"

"To Changze County, it's near your hometown."

Wang Yanli said, "Just half a month ago, the Changze County Magistrate and a Chief Constable went missing, leaving vacancies that just got filled. I stayed a few more days to record the situation."

"Oh?"

Hearing it was Changze County, Chen Tang showed some interest.

Since parting ways with Meng Liangyu that night, they hadn't met, and he wondered about his current situation.

Chen Tang asked, "Who is the Changze County Magistrate now? The County Captain position has been vacant for a long time; is it filled now?"

Meng Liangyu was actually of Eighth Grade.

In Chen Tang's opinion, with Meng Liangyu's ability, being a County Captain in Changze County was more than sufficient.

Besides, generally, in such cases, a County Captain is often promoted locally, as they are more familiar with the surrounding people and matters.

Wang Yanli said, "The County Magistrate's surname is Zheng now, and a County Captain has indeed been appointed, transferred from Wu'an County, named Duan Zhao, a man of considerable strength, in the upper Eighth Grade."

Chen Tang nodded.

It seemed Meng Liangyu hadn't been promoted after all.

After all, in the Court, possessing strength and ability doesn't necessarily provide opportunities to demonstrate them.

But it's alright, Brother Meng doesn't seem like someone who cares for fame and fortune.

He planned to find a chance to return to Changze County and gather with him.

Just as Wang Yanli was about to leave, Chen Tang, with a sudden thought, asked, "When you were in Changze County recording officials, did you pay attention to Chief Meng Liangyu?"

"Him?"

Wang Yanli shook her head, saying, "His current situation is quite miserable; he's locked in the County Government Office's prison, about to be executed."

"Hmm?"

Chen Tang's expression changed, asking urgently, "What's going on? How did he end up in prison, about to be executed?"

Wang Yanli said, "Recently, it's been time for a large-scale manhunt for remnants of the Evil Wolf Gang all over Wu'an County. The new County Captain found out that Meng Liangyu had dealings with the Evil Wolf Gang before the incident that night."

"Reportedly, Meng Liangyu had also facilitated the negotiations between two major gangs that night."

"So, the County Captain arrested and interrogated him, probably eager to score some achievements as a new official."

"Also, Meng Liangyu indeed has some issues. According to investigations, he received three thousand taels of silver from the Evil Wolf Gang, but at least one thousand taels are unaccounted for, and he refuses to explain."

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