Chapter 124 Bowing Down in Praise of Loyalty

In the back alley of the separate courtyard, the crime scene of the human skin case.

Liu Ziming stood at the alley entrance, watching Chen Mu and Qi Huan disappear around the street corner, before slowly turning around and wiping away cold sweat.

The righteous and stern rebuke he had just given the two had left his legs trembling; he could not forget Chen Mu's calm eyes—unruffled, yet seemingly able to pierce through skin and flesh, straight to the heart.

"Chief Liu."

Xu Changze's voice came from behind; Liu Ziming started, quickly turning around.

"Lord Xu."

Xu Changze stood with his hands behind his back, his bright red official robe particularly striking in the sunlight. He looked Liu Ziming up and down, his gaze like a blade, before slowly speaking after a long moment.

"You did well just now; you know when to advance and retreat, and you understand the gravity of the situation. You are far superior to the likes of Chen Mu."

Liu Ziming's eyelid twitched, and he bowed his waist even lower.

"My Lord, you flatter me. This subordinate only keeps your teachings in mind, prioritizing the dignity of the Imperial Court and your majesty in all matters."

Xu Changze gave a non-committal grunt and began walking towards the separate courtyard.

"Follow me."

Liu Ziming dared not delay, dragging his injured leg as he followed closely behind.

Entering the separate courtyard, they went straight to the two-story small building.

The main hall, which had been full of people yesterday, was now deathly silent. The interior had been simply cleaned, but the heavy incense, seemingly trying to cover something up, mingled with the faint scent of blood, making one's stomach churn.

Xu Changze sat in the main seat and pointed to the chair beside him.

"Chief Liu, sit."

"Thank you, My Lord."

Liu Ziming sat on the edge of the chair, his body tense and straight.

Xu Changze unhurriedly picked up a teacup; the tea was already cold, but he still went through the motions of skimming the foam.

"You have handled your duties in Qinglin Town passably well; the blockade at the town entrance is tight, and your handling of the scene just now was appropriate. It seems I did not misjudge you."

A flattered, obsequious smile appeared on Liu Ziming's face.

"It is all thanks to your guidance, My Lord. This subordinate is dull-witted and fears I have not done well enough..."

"It is not good enough."

Xu Changze suddenly interrupted him, setting his teacup down with a clatter.

"Why did Chen Mu and Qi Huan appear in Qinglin Town? And to brazenly barge into the separate courtyard this morning! It seems you still have lingering feelings for them?"

Liu Ziming stiffened, his knees going weak, and he nearly knelt down.

"My Lord, please see the truth! They act absurdly and are notorious; this subordinate has already drawn a line between us!"

"When the two intruded this morning, this subordinate tried my best to stop them, but they are formidable. I do not know how they entered Qinglin Town. They took me hostage, and I had no choice but to act that way, merely to deceive them."

He spoke quickly and anxiously, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, his voice slightly distorted by his eagerness to express his loyalty.

Xu Changze stared at him coldly for a moment, leaving Liu Ziming barely able to breathe. After a long time, Xu Changze slowly said:

"Get up."

Liu Ziming felt as if he had been granted a reprieve and shakily climbed to his feet.

"I know your difficulties. This Chen Mu does have some strange luck and perhaps has backing. Although Qi Huan is reckless, he is, after all, a Banner Officer of the Prefecture; moving against him openly would cause quite a bit of trouble."

Saying this, Xu Changze leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice.

"It is precisely because of this that I need someone like you."

"You have had dealings with them and know their background well, and you have been in the Demon Suppression Division for many years, familiar with the rules and methods."

"There are some things I find inconvenient to do personally, but there are some people who need to be watched on my behalf."

Liu Ziming immediately realized the critical moment had arrived, abruptly kneeling again and bowing his head to the ground.

"My Lord, please see the truth! My previous association with Chen Mu was truly because I was being marginalized in the Demon Suppression Division. He was a newcomer who seemed to have some ability, and I only wanted to find some support; I have absolutely no disloyal intentions!"

"Now that I have gained your appreciation, My Lord, and have been promoted to Chief, your kindness is akin to a rebirth. From now on, my life is yours. If you tell me to go east, I dare not go west. Whoever you tell me to watch, I will not even dare to blink!"

This expression of loyalty was earnest and tearful, vividly portraying a small-time character who had finally climbed to a high position and was desperate to cling to a new patron.

A smile of near-satisfaction finally appeared on Xu Changze's face; he reached out to gesture for him to rise, speaking indifferently.

"The sea of bitterness is boundless, but repentance is the shore. Ziming, remember what you said today."

"Yes, this subordinate will engrave it in my heart and never forget it for the rest of my life!"

Liu Ziming kowtowed repeatedly.

Xu Changze leaned back into his chair, his fingers tapping gently on the table.

"I have my own plans for Chen Mu and Qi Huan. The urgent priority is the demon infestation in Qinglin Town; this matter must be quelled as soon as possible and cannot be delayed any longer."

Liu Ziming frowned slightly. This matter was suspicious and had no leads at all; how could it be solved? So he asked cautiously:

"My Lord, you mean..."

A cold light flashed in Xu Changze's eyes.

"The case in the back alley of Yiqing Courtyard, as well as the disappearance of Clerk Hu and the others, must have an explanation. The culprit is that fox demon causing such a stir."

"Hasn't Chen Mu been entrusted with an important task by me? Then let him go and catch it. If he catches it, it is his duty; if he cannot catch it or if something goes wrong, it is his incompetence, or perhaps even collusion with the demon."

Liu Ziming gasped; only then did he understand the true lethal move behind Xu Changze's act of elevating Chen Mu.

This was an open plot, using public expectation and duty as shackles, and an unsolvable, bizarre case as the guillotine.

"This subordinate understands. I will certainly cooperate with you, My Lord, and keep a close watch on Chen Mu. If there is any abnormality, I will report it immediately!"

Xu Changze nodded, rubbing his brow wearily.

Last night, he had used evil blood-cultivation methods to heal his injuries and forcibly activated the damaged official seal. Although he appeared to have recovered quite a bit, he was actually hollow inside.

Where the soul-slaying blade had struck, the hidden pain was like a maggot attached to the bone. Now that his mind was slightly relaxed, that irritation surged up again.

To fully recover, he needed more supplements, and he also needed that official seal to be nurtured back to its original state as soon as possible.

Thinking of this, he rose, seemingly casually, and walked to the treasure shelf on one side of the inner room. Liu Ziming knelt on the ground, but the corner of his eye was locked tightly onto Xu Changze.

He saw Xu Changze reach out and press an inconspicuous wooden Pixiu carving, then rotate it half a turn to the left and right. A hidden compartment popped out, revealing a brocade pouch.

He untied the brocade pouch and took out an object from inside—it was the gilded official seal.

Xu Changze gazed at the official seal for a moment, then closed his eyes. He held the official seal in his palm with one hand and covered it with the other, a faint golden light seemingly flickering in his palm. It seemed he was silently nurturing it with his own vital blood.

After a moment, he put the official seal back into the hidden compartment and pushed the mechanism back.

"This seal concerns the dignity of the Imperial Court and my own authority, and it is even more of a reliance for dealing with sudden demon infestations; it must not be lost."

"This secret is known only to you. I trust you; do not let me down."

Liu Ziming's heart shook violently, and he hurriedly kowtowed.

"Rest assured, My Lord. This subordinate is willing to stake my life that I will never let anyone know the location of this seal, nor will I let anyone approach this place."

"Very good."

Xu Changze waved his hand.

"Go now. Report any movements from Chen Mu at any time."

"Yes!"

Liu Ziming kowtowed one more time before bowing and backing out of the small courtyard.

When the cold wind blew, he realized his inner garment had been soaked through with cold sweat and was sticking tightly to his back.

Looking at the sky, he finally sighed and left the separate courtyard.