Chapter 208 Power Struggle

"The Jiang Family of the North, so what?"

These eight words were flat and calm, yet like a slap, they struck Jiang Yuheng hard across the face.

Born into the Jiang Family of the North, he had grown up immersed in Family glory, the dignity of his elders, and the awe of his peers. When had he ever been mentioned with such contempt?

Moreover, the person saying this was an outsider whom he despised from the bottom of his heart, someone who had only managed to sneak into the Prefecture Demon Suppression Division by relying on the Jiang Family's connections.

Jiang Yuheng's face instantly flushed red, then faded to a ghastly pale. His chest heaved violently, and his rage threatened to burst through his skull. He raised a trembling hand to point at Chen Mu, his lips quivering, on the verge of throwing caution to the wind.

"Enough!"

A cold, sharp shout interrupted him.

Shen Suning stepped forward, placing herself between Chen Mu and Jiang Yuheng. The shame and anger from being slandered had faded from her face, leaving only a trace of near-pity.

She raised her hand and gently unfastened a jade pendant from her waist. The pendant gleamed with a warm luster under the cold moonlight; its carving was intricate and delicate, featuring a spread-winged Black Bird on the front and two small ancient seal characters on the back.

Jiang Yuheng's gaze instinctively fell upon the jade pendant.

"The Black Bird pattern… the Imperial Family?"

His pupils suddenly contracted.

"Jiang Yuheng, you keep prattling on about the Jiang Family of the North, but do you know where the law stands? Do you know where the regulations of the Demon Suppression Division stand? You willfully slander a colleague here, spew vile words, and even intend to resort to violence. Do you take this Prefecture Demon Suppression Division to be the back garden of your Jiang Family?"

Overwhelmed by her Aura, Jiang Yuheng instinctively took a half-step back, his lips trembling slightly.

"You…"

Shen Suning pressed forward another step. Her tone was calm, yet it sounded like a thunderclap.

"My surname is Shen. My father, Shen Shichang, is a Cabinet Minister serving as the Senior Grand Secretary. My elder sister, Shen Qingyi, resides in the Central Palace as the current Empress."

"…"

The daughter of the Senior Grand Secretary… the biological younger sister of the current Empress…

The air turned stagnant. Jiang Yuheng stood with his mouth agape; the arrogance on his face instantly froze, transforming into incredulous bewilderment, followed by a deathly pallor.

The Jiang Family of the North was indeed a long-standing martial arts Family with deep-rooted influence in the region and even some sway in the imperial court, but that was, after all, regional.

The Senior Grand Secretary was a close minister to the Emperor and a leader of the pure officials. The Empress of the Central Palace was the mother of the world, possessing supreme status. In front of such imperial relatives, the identity of a Jiang Family descendant was not a protective talisman; rather, it could become a death warrant.

After all, if his words and actions today were confirmed as disrespectful to the imperial Family, the Jiang Family would be the first to not let him off; they might even proactively hand him over to appease the imperial Family's wrath.

Jiang Yuheng's throat went dry, and his lips twitched a few times. His previous arrogance had long since vanished. After a long moment, he lowered his head, clasped his hands, and bowed, lowering his posture to the extreme.

"I did not know Young Miss Shen was… I have offended you greatly and deserve to die."

Shen Suning did not look at him; she simply tied the jade pendant back to her waist before raising her eyelids.

"It is not me you offended, but Chen Mu. You groundlessly slandered a colleague's merit, questioned a superior's verification, spoke frivolously, and tarnished another's reputation. Jiang Yuheng, is this how the rules of the Demon Hunting Division taught you to behave?"

Jiang Yuheng's body stiffened, and he lowered his head even further, though his heart was in turmoil.

He hated himself for not recognizing this noble lady sooner. He hated Chen Mu, that rustic bumpkin, for having the audacity to earn her protection. And he hated… he hated his Family.

Back then, when he wanted to join the Demon Suppression Division to serve the country and seek a real position, those old fogies in the Family made excuses, saying things like, "Jiang Family descendants should enter government service through the proper path of the imperial examinations; the Demon Suppression Division involves licking blood off the blade and is not a good choice," and even coldly remarked, "If you cannot even navigate a proper path, you are not worthy of being a Jiang Family descendant."

He had gone through so much trouble, greased so many palms, and suffered so many rejections, almost shedding a layer of skin just to barely squeeze into Team A and start from the bottom.

But what about this Chen Mu? A Squad Leader from some border county who popped out of nowhere—why should he be able to rely on the Jiang Family's connections to easily transfer into the Prefecture Demon Hunting Division? He even stole the spotlight on his first mission and gained merit, and now, even the Empress's own sister stood up to speak for him.

Justice? What kind of justice is there left in this world?

These thoughts roared crazily in his heart, nearly bursting out of his chest, but he dared not show a shred of it on his face. He could only follow her lead and take all the blame upon himself.

"It… it was Yuheng who lost his mind. Brother Chen possesses exceptional strength. In the battle of Shi Town, he bravely slew the demon snake and rescued his colleagues; his achievements are plain for all to see. Banner Master Cheng and Chief-Lieutenant Huo are discerning, and the merit they determined is undoubtedly fair."

"Just now, it was purely my jealousy acting up. I spoke without thinking and speculated maliciously; it was truly the heart of a petty person. I am willing to apologize to Brother Chen and accept punishment according to the division rules. I only ask that Young Miss shows mercy and does not let this upset your health."

He finished in one breath, speaking quickly and hurriedly, yet carrying the frustration of having no other choice.

Chen Mu watched him quietly, his face devoid of any expression.

Jiang Yuheng's apology lacked any sincerity and even contained veiled sarcasm. Chen Mu could clearly feel the almost tangible malice radiating from him, but he didn't care.

Whether it was the hostility of the Jiang Family or this man's grudge, in the face of the pressing time, they were merely minor irritations. What he cared more about were the endless variables that might arise after Shen Suning suddenly revealed her identity.

Seeing Jiang Yuheng soften and admit his mistake, Shen Suning did not press further. Revealing her identity was meant to intimidate, not to blow the matter out of proportion. After all, being in the Demon Hunting Division, there were many things that required weighing the pros and cons; going too far is as bad as not going far enough.

"Since you know your mistake, I hope you will be cautious in your words and actions in the future, adhere to the division rules, and never again rely on your Family background to do such senseless things."

"Regarding tonight's matter, I do not wish for any rumors to spread, nor do I wish to affect the harmony between Team A and Team C."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuheng hurriedly promised.

"Naturally. Tonight was my rashness; I will never dare to repeat it, nor will I dare to speak nonsense to others."

He now just wanted to escape, to leave this place that had caused him to lose all face and feel terrified.

"Go. This matter must not be mentioned to anyone."

Only then did Shen Suning wave her hand to dismiss him. Jiang Yuheng, as if receiving a pardon, fled into the darkness.

The training ground returned to silence, leaving only Chen Mu and Shen Suning. The atmosphere was momentarily subtle.

Shen Suning turned to face Chen Mu. The awe-inspiring dignity she had just displayed gradually receded, and she returned to the calm and meticulous female cultivator of Team C. After a long silence, Shen Suning spoke first, her voice much softer than before, carrying a hint of apology.

"I'm sorry, Chen Mu. I didn't want to use my status to pressure others, but his words were truly excessive. He involved the Jiang Family and tarnished your reputation. If I had let him continue rambling, it might have caused trouble, so I had no choice but to…"

Chen Mu shook his head, interrupting her.

"It's fine. Chen Mu thanks Miss Shen for the intervention."

His thanks were brief, but they were not mere formalities. Jiang Yuheng was not to be feared, but if he were allowed to keep making noise, it would indeed be troublesome. Shen Suning's action had certainly saved him a lot of trouble.