Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

The next morning, the county government signing room

The morning light filtered through the window lattice, casting dappled shadows on the blue brick floor, but it couldn't dispel the heavy chill in the signing room. Zhang Jingwei hadn't slept all night, his eyes bloodshot, and a bluish stubble sprouted from his chin. He sat at his desk, his knuckles white from exertion, clutching the freshly-inked autopsy form he had just received. Those thin sheets of paper now weighed more than a thousand pounds.

"Rectal administration..." Zhang Jingwei's voice seemed to be forced out from between his teeth, carrying an unbelievable coldness and a rage that threatened to burst into flames. He looked up suddenly, the fire burning in his eyes almost igniting the air. "Are they beasts?! Using such a vile and cruel method!" He slammed the list down on the table, causing the papers to rustle harshly.

Wang Ergou, standing by, was startled by the young master's unprecedented fury, and then a surge of anger surged in his heart. He stepped forward, his voice trembling with excitement, "Young master! I will take my brothers and bring these thieves to justice!"

"Not only that!" Zhang Jingwei stood up suddenly, his tall figure casting an oppressive shadow in the morning light. He ordered firmly, every word like a knife edge tempered with ice, "Surround Gaoyang Tower! Don't let a fly out! Capture Shen Kaiyang! See him alive or dead! If there is resistance..." A cold light flashed in his eyes, "Kill without mercy!"

"Yes!" Wang Ergou's blood boiled in his chest. He clasped his fists and accepted the order, then turned around and rushed out to mobilize troops.

At that moment, the young yamen runner who had just delivered the document didn't bow and retreat as usual. Instead, he stepped forward and stood in front of Wang Ergou. He wore a strangely calm smile that was completely inconsistent with his status. His voice was low, but it clearly penetrated the solemn atmosphere in the room: "Master Zhang, wait a minute. I dare to advise you not to rush into anything."

Wang Ergou was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage. He pointed at the other person's nose and shouted, "Who are you! Do you have the right to speak here? Get out of here!" He reached out to push him.

The "yamen runner's" smile deepened, a hint of mockery etched in it. He unhurriedly pulled a neatly folded piece of white paper from his sleeve, held it between two fingers, and held it toward Wang Ergou. "Don't be impatient, Boss Wang. I happen to have a small note here that I'd like Master Zhang to personally... review."

Wang Ergou instinctively reached out to take the note and wanted to open it to see the contents.

The accident happened at this moment!

The "yamen runner"'s fingers, seemingly casually gripping the note, loosened, and the paper floated down. Just as Wang Ergou's gaze was drawn, he lowered his head slightly. Suddenly, a flash of icy light shot out from the wide sleeves of the other man, like a venomous snake spitting out its tongue! A three-inch-long sleeve blade, forged from fine steel, struck Wang Ergou's Adam's apple with lightning speed and uncanny precision!

The cold blade pressed against his skin, causing Wang Ergou's hair to stand on end. A chill shot from the soles of his feet straight up to his crown! He could clearly feel the death threat from the tip of the blade. His body stiffened instantly, and even his breathing stopped.

"This is a letter my teacher wrote to Lord Zhang," the "yamen runner's" voice was still calm, even with a bit of literary accent, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk, fixed on Wang Ergou, and his other hand gently supported the note that fell due to horror, "You are a servant, it is better... not to read it." The word "for the best" was light, but it contained unquestionable murderous intent.

The air in the signing room seemed to freeze. Zhang Jingwei's pupils suddenly contracted, and he stared intently at the hidden blade pressed against Wang Ergou's vitals. He didn't cry out in surprise, nor did he panic. Instead, he slowly sat back in his chair, his body tense as a bowstring, and his eyes swept across the face of the "yamen runner" like a knife. His voice was low and steady, with a kind of insightful understanding: "Gouzi, give me the letter." Then, he turned to the "yamen runner" holding the blade and, word by word, clearly uttered his judgment: "Your Excellency... are from the School of Mind, right?"

A flicker of genuine surprise flashed across the "yamen runner's" eyes, then transformed into a kind of admiration, like someone meeting a worthy opponent. He nodded slightly, the feigned respect completely fading, replaced by a slightly reserved pride. "Master Zhang truly has a keen eye for talent and extraordinary courage. He remains calm in times of crisis, and sees things clearly. I... admire you."

Zhang Jingwei stared at the other person, his right hand seemingly casually placed on the table, but in fact he had quietly pressed the spring of the soft sword at his waist: "Can you tell me your name?" He needed to confirm the other person's identity and weight.

The "yamen runner" raised his lips in a meaningful arc, as if announcing a name worth remembering: "I, a humble student, am honored to be the inner disciple of the head of the academy - 'Purple Clothes - Thousand Faces'!"

"Thousand Faces..." Zhang Jingwei chewed on this bizarre name, knowing that this person was no ordinary spy, but the core dark blade of the School of Mind.

"The creed has been delivered. Master Zhang... please reconsider before you act." With a slight flick of his wrist, Thousand Faces's deadly hidden blade instantly retracted into his sleeve, vanishing like a living being. The deadly pressure on Wang Ergou's throat suddenly vanished, leaving only a cold red mark on his skin and a palpitating heart. Simultaneously, the falling note was skillfully delivered to the table in front of Zhang Jingwei.

Before he finished speaking, Qianmian's figure retreated like a ghost, so swift that it left only a faint afterimage on the retina. Without even glancing at Zhang Jingwei and Wang Ergou, he turned around, seemingly strolling leisurely, but in the blink of an eye, he disappeared into the morning-lit corridor outside the door, as if he had never appeared.

The signing room was deathly silent. The only sounds were Wang Ergou's heavy, suppressed breathing and Zhang Jingwei's fists, knuckles clenched white. He slowly reached out, picked up the plain white paper on the table, and unfolded it.

There was only one line of small characters written in cinnabar, so strong that they could be seen through the back of the paper, and the color was as red as blood:

"Stop at Gaoyang Tower and wait for the situation to change. If you act rashly, everything will be destroyed."

Zhang Jingwei stared at the glaring word "stop", his eyes as sinister as the sea before a storm.

Wang Ergou said tremblingly: "Young... Young Master..."

Zhang Jingwei's face was gloomy, and he suppressed his anger. "How did he get in?"

Wang Ergou's face was filled with fear as he stammered, "Master...Master, I..."

Zhang Jingwei forced a rather unbearable smile: "You are such an incompetent 'spy chief'!"

Wang Ergou was so frightened that he fell to his knees with a plop. He knelt on one knee and clasped his fists, saying, "Master, please forgive me!"

Zhang Jingwei looked at Wang Ergou's terrified expression, and his anger subsided slightly, but he still felt a lingering anger. "Although I'm very angry, I'm a person who listens to advice. 'Wind and Cloud Change'... Can't even educated people speak human language?"

Wang Ergou lowered his head, not daring to say a word. After a while, he asked cautiously, "Master, what should we do next?"

Zhang Jingwei pondered for a moment, then ordered, "Go call Fang Yue over to me. Let's study this 'ghostly talisman' first."