I, a prison guard in the Heavenly Prison, secretly became invincible thanks to the system.

The massacre of the Li family did not cause any stir.

In other words, it seems that nobody really knows what happened.

It took Ye Kang two days to figure out what was going on.

On this day, a red-maned steed stopped at Ye's wine shop.

Ye Kang looked in the direction of the voice and found that the person who came was Zhang Gong, another deputy commander of the Imperial City Guard.

"What brings you here, Lord Zhang? Are you here to buy wine too?"

Ye Kang spoke with a smile.

Zhang Gong also said with a smile, "We'll talk about the wine later, Commander Ye. The Commander-in-Chief wants you to return to headquarters immediately."

Upon hearing this, Ye Kang knew that Lord Leng's mission had arrived.

He nodded; having promised, he would naturally go.

"Thank you, Lord Zhang. Please accept this jar of peach blossom wine and use it with some side dishes."

Ye Kang tossed out a jar of peach blossom wine, which the latter easily caught.

"Then I'll accept it without hesitation. By the way, Commander Ye, you owe me a favor."

After Zhang Gong finished speaking, he rode away.

Ye Kang immediately understood.

It was Zhang Gong who stepped in to clean up the mess left by the Li family.

Although I don't know why he helped me, he saved me a lot of trouble, so I should remember this favor.

Ye Kang greeted his father, changed into his uniform, and rushed to the headquarters of the Imperial City Guard without stopping.

Upon meeting Lord Leng, the latter immediately tossed out a scroll.

"A notorious bandit has appeared in Jiangping Prefecture. He stole the ten luminous pearls that Consort Jing had given to the Prefect of Jiangping, and left a note showing contempt for the imperial court. This matter is entrusted to you to handle."

"Me? Lord Leng, I'm a jailer."

"The prison guards are also part of the Imperial City Guard and must obey the commander's orders. You only need to lead a team to check the situation. If things go wrong, you can write back for help. If you handle this matter well, Consort Jing will not treat you unfairly."

After Lord Leng finished speaking, he told Ye Kang to leave, his tone leaving no room for refusal.

Ye Kang had no choice but to agree.

Then he went to the armory and selected a fine sword and a fast horse.

As soon as I stepped out of the headquarters, twenty elite Imperial City Guards were already waiting outside.

The leader walked over, cupped his hands, and said, "Commander Ye, my name is He Zhi. We will cooperate with you on this mission and will be at your command."

Ye Kang glanced at it.

These twenty people were all elites of the Imperial City Guard, with an average level of third-rate experts, and He Zhi was even a second-rate expert.

Ye Kang greeted everyone, then rode his horse out of the city and headed towards Jiangping Prefecture.

On the way, Ye Kang and He Zhi chatted.

"Lord He, how much do you know about this mission?"

He Zhi shook his head.

"I have never been to Jiangping Prefecture. I have only heard that the Prefect of Jiangping is a relative by marriage of Consort Jing. Consort Jing must be very angry about the theft of the luminous pearl."

He Zhi didn't put on any airs.

In the world of martial artists, strength reigns supreme.

They all considered Ye Kang to be a top-tier expert, and therefore held him in high esteem.

Along the way, Ye Kang looked through the files while getting to know these people.

A few days later, the group entered the territory of Jiangping Prefecture.

Upon arrival, a huge wanted poster was seen on the city gate.

"A reward of three thousand taels of silver will be given to anyone who captures the notorious bandit."

"It seems Prefect Jiangping has really gone all out. Those ten luminous pearls aren't even worth three thousand taels, are they?" Ye Kang joked.

He Zhi, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but chuckle.

"After all, the luminous pearl represents Consort Jing. If it is stolen in Jiangping Prefecture, the significance will not be just about the money. It seems that the Prefect is also very anxious."

The group revealed their identities and entered the city.

Soon, upon receiving the news, Prefect Jiangping sent people to welcome him.

The newcomer was a beautiful young woman with fair skin, bright eyes, and a magnificent longsword hanging from her waist.

He saw Ye Kang and the others, dressed in the uniforms of the Imperial City Guard, walking quickly towards him.

"Are you gentlemen sent by the Imperial City Guard to investigate this case?"

"Indeed, and who is this young lady?"

“My name is Zhou Ying. My father is Prefect Zhou. He is watching people compete in the Sword Debate Arena. I will take you to the Prefect’s Mansion.”

Upon hearing this, Ye Kang frowned.

"The governor still has the leisure to watch people compete, so it seems that this matter is not so urgent."

"Please don't be offended, sir. My father had no choice. Today's sword competition was organized by a martial arts sect, and as a government official, my father couldn't refuse to attend."

Zhou Ying's eyes showed bitterness, and she quickly explained.

"Jiangping Prefecture has a thriving martial arts scene, with more than a dozen small sects and three major sects. The three major sects are the Iron Sword Sect, the Purple Cloud Sect, and the Giant Wolf Gang."

He Zhi added from the side.

Ye Kang nodded, indicating his understanding.

That's just how the world is. Heroes use their martial arts to break the law, and powerful martial arts sects control martial arts resources and have overwhelming strength. They simply don't care about local officials in the imperial court.

Upon arriving at the prefect's residence, Ye Kang dismounted.

He then took out a magnificent brocade box from his horse and said loudly, "This is a birthday gift that Consort Jing ordered me to bring secretly. Inside is a thousand-year-old ginseng. Remember, no one should know about it."

Zhou Ying was completely stunned.

Brother, I already said it was a secret, why are you saying it at the door?

Zhou Ying looked around, but the people on the nearby streets acted as if they hadn't heard anything, and everything continued as usual.

He quickly put away the brocade box and rushed home.

He Zhi smiled wryly from the side, "Sir, this tactic of entrapment is rather crude."

Ye Kang laughed heartily.

"It's alright, just trying it out, what if it works?"

"If that notorious bandit falls for this trick, he'll probably be laughed at by his peers for the rest of his life."

“The ginseng is just a cover, Lord He. Tonight, you and your men will steal three times in the city. I heard that the notorious bandit left a note after stealing the luminous pearl. Just follow his example and leave a note as well.”

He Zhi was stunned upon hearing this: "Sir, we are imperial spies, not thieves."

Ye Kang laughed loudly, "The fact that that notorious thief left a note proves that he is extremely arrogant and enjoys the thrill of committing a major crime. Such a person must care a lot about his reputation, so let's ruin his reputation and force him to show himself."

……

It was night before Prefect Zhou finally returned.

When he heard about Ye Kang's plan, he was both amused and exasperated.

"Young Master Ye, your trick is indeed cunning, but something about it feels off to me."

Zhou Ying, standing behind the prefect, said, "Father, since we can't catch anyone anyway, why don't we let Lord Ye give it a try?"

The prefect could only nod: "That's fine, but sir, please don't go too far. If it gets to the capital, it will be difficult to explain."

Ye Kang nodded.

"Don't worry, Prefect, I know what I'm doing. To be honest, this is my first mission, and I still have a lot to learn from you."

Ye Kang's words were very flattering, which made Prefect Zhou feel very pleased.

After all, he had been a guest at the sword competition all day, and those martial artists were all arrogant and proud, so no one took him seriously.

Now that Ye Kang, a master, has praised him, his mood has immediately improved a lot.

He waved his hand and said, "Guards! Bring wine to welcome the esteemed officials of the Imperial City Guard!"

The governor was so pleased that he immediately brought out his private dance troupe.

For a time, the governor's mansion was filled with singing and dancing.