Chu Zhiyuan frowned instantly: "Thick Earth Hall?"
"Exactly Thick Earth Hall!" Gao Lingfeng sneered repeatedly: "So arrogant, I knew they would get into big trouble one day!"
Chu Zhiyuan sat back behind his desk, waving his hand: "Sir Gao, please sit down and tell me the details."
"Yes." Gao Lingfeng clasped his fist and sat in the armchair below the steps.
"Someone, bring tea." Chu Zhiyuan said loudly.
A petty official quickly came in to serve tea.
Gao Lingfeng took the teacup, opened the lid, took a light sip, and placed it on the table. He cleared his throat and said in a deep voice, "This matter occurred last night."
"Mm."
"Last night, disciples of the Thick Earth Hall and the Flying Flower Sword Sect had a dispute in a bookstore over a woman. They eventually fought, injuring two Flying Flower Sword Sect disciples, one lightly and one seriously, and two Thick Earth Hall disciples with minor injuries."
"How many people were involved in total?"
"Two Flying Flower Sword Sect disciples against two Thick Earth Hall disciples. That Linglong girl from Zhenlong Pavilion is the lover of a Thick Earth Hall disciple. As a result, when she was drinking with a Flying Flower Sword Sect disciple, the Thick Earth Hall disciple happened to come over, and the two sides first quarreled and eventually fought… Hmph, these martial artists are all like this, drawing their swords at the slightest provocation, not stopping until they see blood!"
"How serious is the injury of the Flying Flower Sword Sect disciple who was seriously injured?" Chu Zhiyuan asked.
"His arm was broken, and he lost a lot of blood. He's pretty much useless now."
"His life isn't in danger, is it?"
"Fortunately, no one died."
"That's good."
Chu Zhiyuan breathed a sigh of relief.
Whether someone dies or not is a completely different matter, just like criminal cases and civil cases in his previous life.
"Where are the people?"
"They are all detained in the Town Guard Division."
"How will the Town Guard Division handle it?"
"In this kind of matter, where no one has died and it's a sect dispute, the Town Guard Division will first look to our Sect Martial Division for guidance."
"Then what is Lord Langzhong's opinion?"
"Lord Langzhong wants you to make the decision, my lord."
"…Heh!" Chu Zhiyuan smiled and shook his head.
They are all old foxes.
Gao Lingfeng said: "My lord, this time we can't be soft. We have to give them some hardship and establish some rules for their sects!"
"What rules?" Chu Zhiyuan asked.
Gao Lingfeng straightened his face and said in a deep voice: "Everyone, no matter who they are, must abide by the law and follow the rules of the imperial court. Otherwise, if the disciples are unfilial, then the sect will be implicated!"
"This rule…" Chu Zhiyuan shook his head: "If we really do this, I'm afraid there will be endless troubles everywhere."
He had wondered why the imperial court was so tolerant of the martial arts sects, managing them so loosely. With the power of the imperial court, it could even make the martial arts sects obedient and submissive.
But the reality was that it didn't. The imperial court didn't suppress the martial arts sects, and the Town Guard Division only dealt with those who committed crimes.
He didn't know the specific reason, but he knew there must be a reason.
Then, as the Prince, he shouldn't go against the imperial court and insist on strictly regulating the martial arts sects, tightening the reins on them.
Gao Lingfeng harbored the world in his heart and upheld justice, wanting to eliminate the adverse effects of the martial arts sects, but that was a kind of idealism.
He and Gao Lingfeng were not on the same path.
Being selfless and enforcing the law impartially was certainly good, but his goal was not to be a good official, but to become a Grandmaster.
If he wanted to become a Grandmaster, he should focus on cultivation. Official positions were only for earning merit and obtaining cultivation resources, and there was no need to compete with the various martial arts sects.
Going along with the flow was the most worry-free and trouble-free approach.
Gao Lingfeng said in a deep voice: "Is my lord afraid of trouble?"
"I am indeed afraid of trouble." Chu Zhiyuan nodded without hesitation.
"My lord!" Gao Lingfeng hurriedly said: "My lord is of noble birth, how honorable, why be afraid of these guys?"
"Alright, Sir Gao," Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand and said: "Let them wait for now, just don't let the Town Guard Division release them."
Gao Lingfeng widened his eyes and swallowed.
If they were really detained like this, the pressure would only increase.
Not to mention the Flying Flower Sword Sect, which would bring out Grandmaster Song, the Thick Earth Hall would probably bring out the Thirteenth Prince, Prince Huai.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled meaningfully: "Sir Gao, what do you think?"
Gao Lingfeng didn't think this was a good idea and said: "My lord, please think twice."
"Inappropriate?" Chu Zhiyuan's smile deepened.
"…My lord, I'm afraid the Town Guard Division doesn't want to bear this responsibility."
"Then how should it be handled?"
"This… My lord, these things actually have precedents to follow."
"Give each side fifty strokes and impose a heavy fine?" Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile: "Generally, what kind of heavy fine?"
This Gao Lingfeng, although upright, was not truly stupid. It wasn't that he didn't know, but that he disdained to do it, upholding the beliefs in his heart.
He had read some records of the Sect Martial Division's actions in the Tongtian Pavilion, and knew how to deal with precedents for disputes over jealousy and love: give each side fifty strokes.
Ignoring who wins or loses on either side, there was nothing to say if they lost, only to blame themselves for being inferior and go back to practice hard.
But it didn't directly pursue the sect's responsibility, only targeting individuals.
Gao Lingfeng was too greedy.
"Deduct merit." Gao Lingfeng sneered: "Merit is their lifeline, their pain."
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said: "Deduct two Ninth Rank merits from all four of them?… Are there any interrogation records?"
"The Town Guard Division is still going through the process, and it's estimated that it won't be submitted until tomorrow."
"Then let's wait until we've reviewed the records tomorrow."
Before he understood clearly, he couldn't make a rash decision. There were precedents to follow, but he also had to find out whether they could be followed, whether it was a real dispute over jealousy and love, or whether there were other secrets.
"My lord is wise!" Gao Lingfeng clasped his fist.
"Sir Gao…" Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said: "Sir Gao is also learning to be cunning. Officialdom can indeed change people."
"My lord…" Gao Lingfeng hurriedly said.
Chu Zhiyuan said: "Sir Gao is afraid that I will favor the Flying Flower Sword Sect, right?… Actually, it's not bad for them to suffer a little loss at this time."
The Flying Flower Sword Sect still hadn't corrected its position.
The imperial court wasn't borrowing their strength, but giving them a convenient door out of respect for Grandmaster Song, allowing them to enter the Town Guard Division.
But that was all.
If they felt that the imperial court would take care of them more in other aspects, then they were being too self-indulgent.
The Flying Flower Sword Sect had always taken itself too seriously and felt too good about itself.
"Yes." Gao Lingfeng sighed in admiration and clasped his fist: "My lord still thinks deeply and has good intentions, I hope they can understand."
He sighed inwardly.
He knew that this Fourth Prince was intelligent, but he didn't expect him to be so intelligent and act so carefully. Was this the power of the imperial bloodline?
Born with wisdom, able to see through people's hearts. He originally thought that his cultivation was sufficient, but in front of him, his experience became a joke. Who would have thought that he was only twenty years old and had been confined in the royal palace for twenty years?
"Go." Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand.
"Yes." Gao Lingfeng clasped his fist deeply and retreated.
Chu Zhiyuan watched him leave, frowned and pondered for a moment, feeling emotional.
This is officialdom, even the most upright person will have schemes.
…
He had just returned to his newly bought residence when Guo Chi came in to report that Huang Shirong had arrived.
Chu Zhiyuan got up to greet her.
Next to the bustling Phoenix Avenue, Huang Shirong stood under the steps at the door, wearing an apricot-yellow silk dress, her figure graceful like a willow branch swaying.
She was accompanied by two white-clothed girls.
Chu Zhiyuan stepped out of the door, clasped his fist and greeted her with a smile, leading her inside.
Huang Shirong entered gracefully, her bright eyes blinked: "Is this the Prince's new residence?"
When she was patrolling the street, the Qing Prince's Mansion guards took the initiative to come over and said that the Fourth Prince had invited her. She came over without hesitation.
"Let's go inside and talk."
Chu Zhiyuan led her to the stone table in the small pavilion in the courtyard and sat down.
The bright sunlight shone into the courtyard, and a patch of green bamboo branches gently trembled under the corner of the wall, the rustling sound seemed to isolate the noise of the street outside.
Zou Fang served tea.
After Chu Zhiyuan drank the tea, he slowly put down the white porcelain cup: "Last night's conflict between the Flying Flower Sword Sect and the Thick Earth Hall, has Hall Master Huang heard about it?"
"It was in the area of East One Hall," Huang Shirong frowned slightly and shook her head: "Jealousy and fighting are very common."
"Are there other shadows behind it?" Chu Zhiyuan asked.
Huang Shirong's bright eyes flashed, and she said softly: "Is the Prince suspecting that someone is manipulating it in secret, deliberately causing a conflict between the disciples of the two sects?"
"We can't help but guard against it."
"…I will inform Hall Master He of East One Hall and remind him."
Chu Zhiyuan pointed to the surroundings of the courtyard and smiled: "Hall Master Huang, what do you think of my residence?"
Huang Shirong looked around and looked around, then moved her lotus feet and looked around, returned to him, pursed her lips and smiled: "Doesn't the Prince mind the noise?"
This residence's door is Phoenix Avenue, and the bustling crowd never stops day and night. Even sleeping in the second or third courtyard, you will feel noisy.
"I like the liveliness."
"Then this is pretty good, the liveliest place in the city, the most lively."
The two chatted for a while, and Huang Shirong said goodbye and left.
Chu Zhiyuan had a feeling in his heart that this matter was not that simple, but he hoped that he was thinking too much.
Finally, he can concentrate on practicing the Sword Washing Skill!
