Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

Sword Tower City, Imperial Medical Institute, as the name suggests, is a high-level institution specifically responsible for providing medical services to the elite sons of the Sword Tower and high-ranking officials.

The imperial physicians employed there were all medical monks who had specially studied medicine.

Their combat strength is relatively low among those of the same level, but as medical cultivators, they have no chance to fight. If they were to roll up their sleeves and go into battle, it would basically be time for the city to be destroyed and people to die.

Normally, these imperial physicians have no opportunity to fight.

For these imperial physicians, combat prowess was not particularly important.

Importantly, they are experts in treating all kinds of difficult and complicated diseases.

Whether it is a physical injury, a spiritual injury, or a mental illness, it can be treated effectively.

Luo Bingyi was a high-ranking official. After taking leave to seek medical treatment, he received treatment at the Imperial Medical Academy and had a private courtyard to live in. Imperial physicians diagnosed and treated Luo Bingyi every day, and his daily life was taken care of.

At this moment, six high-ranking officials from the five Plum Blossom Bureaus were gathered in the small courtyard.

The imperial physician is diagnosing Luo Bingyi's condition.

"Doctor, how is Teacher Luo's condition?" Pei Xingchun asked with concern.

The imperial physician said, "Old Luo's illness is a mental illness caused by long-term mental stress, accompanied by mental symptoms such as headaches, insomnia, anorexia, palpitations, schizophrenia, visual and auditory hallucinations, and memory decline."

"Relying on long-term medication to stabilize mental state is not enough; it only treats the symptoms, not the root cause."

"If the illness is left untreated, it can easily evolve from a mental illness into a form of spiritual pollution. At that point, emotions, beliefs, values, morality, and the pursuit of the meaning of life will all collapse and become distorted, quickly turning into demons."

“I had advised Mr. Luo to put aside his official duties and take good care of himself before, but he wouldn’t listen to my advice.”

Pei Xingchun frowned deeply. "Doctor, you're asking too much. I'm asking if it's curable, not how difficult the illness is. Give me a straight answer: can Teacher Luo recover?"

The imperial physician smiled wryly: "Miss Pei, why are you in such a hurry? I haven't even finished speaking."

Seeing this, Luo Bingyi felt a warmth in his heart.

Pei Xingchun was his favorite student, but also the one who caused him the most trouble. Pei Xingchun's ability to do things was undoubtedly strong, but his bad habit of always offending people really made him feel frustrated.

Miss, we're here for a medical checkup.

Why are you being so arrogant with the doctor?

Don't you know the principle that you should never offend a doctor?

He chuckled as he reprimanded the student, then smoothed things over for him: "Alright, Xiao Pei, the doctor is examining me, why are you always interrupting? If you keep interrupting, I'll kick you out."

Upon hearing this, Pei Xingchun immediately bowed and clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, replying, "Yes, teacher."

Although they were not officially teacher and student, they were in fact teacher and student. Pei Xingchun respected the highly respected Teacher Luo from the bottom of her heart, and even believed that the teacher's words carried more weight than her father's.

Seeing this, the imperial physician smiled and said, "It's alright, Elder Luo, I understand."

"Young Master Pei, I'll be frank, it's unlikely that Elder Luo will fully recover."

"The main problem is that the illness has been dragging on for too long, and with the long-term medication to stabilize my mental state, the condition has now deteriorated to the point where it is incurable. It's no exaggeration to say that I'm only a hair's breadth away from having my mind corrupted."

"but……"

As soon as the word "but" was uttered, everyone present tensed up, knowing that something important was about to happen.

The imperial physician changed the subject: "It's not incurable. As long as Elder Luo puts aside his official duties, rests well from now on, enjoys life, doesn't worry, and gets away from the high-pressure environment, his mental state will gradually stabilize. With the help of the specially prepared pills I've made, I can guarantee that his condition will not worsen in the future."

Pei Xingchun and the other five students breathed a sigh of relief, thanked the imperial physician repeatedly, and escorted him out of the small courtyard where he was recuperating before returning together to their bedroom to visit Luo Bingyi.

Luo Bingyi lay on his hospital bed, smiling at his six students: "I'm glad you all came to visit me today, but what about the official duties of the Fifth Division? What will the new commander think?"

Pei Xingchun clasped his hands and said, "It is only natural and proper for a student to come and visit his teacher. I can't control what the new commander thinks. He can think whatever he wants. Anyway, he won't be staying in the Fifth Division for long."

Luo Bingyi frowned slightly: "What did you do?"

Pei Xingchun lowered her head silently, without saying a word.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Luo Bingyi turned to Che Yuxuan and Zhai Xingyuan and said, "You two speak."

Upon hearing this, Che Yuxuan and Zhai Xingyuan lowered their heads and remained silent, looking rather guilty.

Seeing this, Luo Bingyi frowned and glanced at Yan Wenjiu, Bi Muge, and Hao Duanhun. At the same time, the three of them lowered their heads to avoid eye contact. Luo Bingyi realized that the students were hiding something important from him.

He panicked and suddenly felt himself drenched in sweat.

His tone became much harsher.

"Are you going to tell me or not? If you don't, don't call me teacher anymore."

Upon hearing this, the six students looked at each other.

Finally, Zhai Xingyuan, the deputy director of the Fifth Division, spoke up: "Teacher Luo, don't be anxious. We are just being passive and trying to sow discord among the new commander. We are not openly opposing him."

“He just arrived at our Fifth Division, Plum Blossom Bureau, and is eager to make a name for himself. Right now, there’s a major treason case. You know the details, and it was originally a case you were in charge of. The matter is only half-finished, so why should he get the credit?”

“Let’s just drag out the case and not investigate it. When the City Lord’s Mansion blames us, Zhou Qingfeng will be the first to be dismissed and investigated. Once Zhou Qingfeng is gone, the position of deputy commander will be vacant, and you can take a step up smoothly.”

"Foolish!" Luo Bingyi roared in fury upon hearing this. He grabbed the celadon teacup from the bedside and smashed it onto the marble floor. Shards and tea splashed everywhere, and the six students were so frightened that they fell silent and took several steps back.

Zhai Xingyuan's forehead was covered in sweat. He clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Teacher, please calm down. We are doing this for your own good."

Che Yuxuan stammered, bowing and advising, "Teacher, don't be angry. We didn't tell you because we were worried about you. Don't worry, we promise to make Zhou Qingfeng leave with his tail between his legs."

"Shut up, all of you!" Luo Bingyi was so angry at the students' attempts to explain that he felt dizzy and had a headache. His brain felt like it was about to explode, and he wished he could dig it out, wash it, and put it back in.

He clutched his head, groaning in pain and panting heavily, trying his best to calm himself. His cloudy eyes looked at the six concerned students by his bedside, a multitude of thoughts rushing through his mind.

These students have been learning their skills from me at five different places for anywhere from fifty to over a hundred years. They are capable talents that I have personally cultivated. Only when I take a step up can they hope to move up in rank.

Zhou Qingfeng's arrival completely disrupted the existing situation.

She hadn't decided whether to fight Zhou Qingfeng, which is why she took sick leave to seek medical treatment, hoping to stay away from the power struggle, step back, and temporarily think about what to do next from an outsider's perspective.

I can't bring myself to be subservient to Zhou Qingfeng, the deputy commander who was parachuted in.

Because he was just half a step away from the position of deputy commander.

Besides, by keeping a low profile, Zhou Qingfeng had already reached the limit of his position as the head of the Fifth Division. How could he allow Zhou Qingfeng to hold onto power? At most, he would use gentle methods to make Zhou Qingfeng step down to the second line and stay away from the core of power.

Along with him, his students will also be squeezed out of the core of power by Zhou Qingfeng and completely marginalized.

As for fighting Zhou Qingfeng, he was confident of winning. After all, the Fifth Division of Plum Blossom Bureau was his territory, which he had been operating in for many years and had deep roots in. It would be difficult to drive Zhou Qingfeng away, but it was not impossible.

But he couldn't bring himself to make the decision to fight against Zhou Qingfeng, the adopted son of the city magistrate and the beloved disciple of the commander.

The risk is too great.

Even if you win the battle, you can still hope to be promoted to deputy commander by using all your connections and relationships.

If you lose the fight, whether you can safely get ashore is another matter entirely.

These past few days, I've been extremely conflicted.

Taking a step forward offers the hope of promotion, while taking a step back ensures a safe retirement.

Before he could make a decision, his students had already made the decision for him.

The six students made their move without warning. Zhou Qingfeng wasn't stupid; seeing his students playing tricks, he would definitely assume that he was behind it all.

These six students essentially carried their teacher forward into battle.

"Whose idea was this?" Luo Bingyi's voice was hoarse, but his expression had returned to calm.

The six students remained silent for a moment.

A hand reached out from behind the crowd: "Teacher, it was me. I was the one who instigated them to slack off with me. I also wanted to get rid of Zhou Qingfeng. It has nothing to do with them."

Luo Bingyi stared at Pei Xingchun with his cloudy eyes, but did not get angry or scold her, because he knew that Pei Xingchun was easily manipulated and had great respect for him, her teacher.

If she were to argue with Zhou Qingfeng over her own sake, Luo Bingyi believed she was capable of doing so.

However, Pei Xingchun lacked the ability to organize and premeditate such a counterattack and assassination against Zhou Qingfeng, nor could she persuade the two deputy supervisors, Che Yuxuan and Zhai Xingyuan, as well as the three main persons in charge, Yan Bihao.

Pei Xingchun's stepping forward at this moment is clearly an attempt to take the blame.

Luo Bingyi said calmly, "Yuxuan, Xingyuan, aren't you ashamed to make Xiao Pei step forward and take responsibility?"

Che Yuxuan and Zhai Xingyuan exchanged a glance and gave an awkward smile.

Zhai Xingyuan looked admiring and respectfully clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute: "A teacher is a teacher. Nothing can be hidden from you. I just feel sorry for you and am not convinced. You are dedicated to your duties, incorruptible, and honest."

"What is Zhou Qingfeng compared to someone like you? He's a traitor who'll follow whoever feeds him. What gives him the right to ride roughshod over you? Is it because he's the Fourth Young Master? Or Qiu Chengde's disciple?"

"He has connections and powerful backers, but don't I have anyone above me?"

"Let's fight! Who's afraid of who? It's hard to say who will win. I support you taking the position of deputy commander."

Che Yuxuan looked indignant and clasped his hands, saying, "Teacher, you are highly respected and can swallow this insult, but I cannot. I am petty and cannot bear to see you being bullied. No matter what, I will support you."

Luo Bingyi's cloudy eyes swept over the two men. He knew that these two had been waiting for a long time to be promoted to the position of supervisor. Only if he was promoted would one of them have the opportunity to take the next step.

Filial piety, perhaps, exists, but this filial piety is mixed with more self-interest.

Thinking of this, Luo Bingyi sighed inwardly.

His extensive network of connections, built over a century ago, helped him rise to the position of head of the fifth division. However, now that the ship is too big to turn around, he can no longer decide what he wants.

First of all, none of these students would agree. In addition, the big shots behind them would not allow the Plum Blossom Division to lose its power. Even if they wanted to stop or retreat, they would be pushed to the forefront and pushed forward.

We won. We won everything.

If you lose, there is no recovery.

Luo Bingyi felt utterly exhausted, as if he had aged in an instant.

He conceded: "Tell me, what are your plans next?"

Seeing that her teacher hadn't blamed her, Pei Xingchun excitedly spoke first: "We plan to observe secretly, slack off, and outwardly comply while inwardly resisting, to see if Zhou Qingfeng has the ability to solve the treason case."

"If Zhou Qingfeng shows any signs of success, we will try to sabotage him at a crucial moment to ensure that he takes the blame completely. Afterwards, several colleagues from the Supervisory Commission will jointly impeach Zhou Qingfeng, making the matter bigger and ensuring that all civil and military officials in the region know about it."

"After such a combo, even if Zhou Qingfeng is the adopted son of the city, he'll have to pack his bags and get out of here."

"I wonder if the teacher thinks this is acceptable?"

Pei Xingchun's words were too mild. If the case involved the murder of an official and treason, Zhou Qingfeng, the deputy commander in charge of the Fifth Division, would bear primary responsibility and be charged with a series of crimes if he failed to solve the case.

For example, dereliction of duty, negligence, malfeasance, and crimes related to state affairs.

At best, they would be dismissed from their posts; at worst, their property would be confiscated and they would be executed.

Upon hearing this, Luo Bingyi closed his eyes slightly, turned his back and lay down, saying, "I'm tired. You can handle it yourselves. Remember, whatever you do, you can't violate the Sword Tower's laws. That's the red line."

Che Yuxuan, Zhai Xingyuan, Pei Xingchun, and Yan Bihao exchanged glances, wanting to know what Teacher Luo meant. If they wanted to drive Zhou Qingfeng away, how could they do it without breaking the law?

The six men clasped their hands in a salute, took a few steps back, and turned to leave the bedroom.

In the courtyard, Pei Xingchun asked, "Does the teacher agree or disagree?"

Zhai Xingyuan's eyes were deep, and he said calmly, "Since the teacher didn't object, it should mean he agreed. Xiao Pei, your father and Qiu Chengde are old friends. Are you sure you want to stand on the teacher's side to deal with Qiu Chengde's disciple?"

Pei Xingchun's expression turned serious: "My father is my father, and his friend is not my friend. Moreover, he is just my father's friend's apprentice. We have never met before and have never had any contact. What does he have to do with me?"

"Don't worry, since I've chosen to help the teacher get rid of Zhou Qingfeng, I won't switch sides at the last minute."

The only unstable factor among the six is ​​Pei Xingchun.

Now that they have received Pei Xingchun's official response, the other five people feel somewhat relieved.

They chatted for a few more minutes before gradually dispersing.

Two flowers bloom, each telling its own story. Meanwhile, Zhou Qingfeng was in the main hall, worrying about how to sort out the tangled web of interpersonal relationships. These five Plum Blossom Divisions seemed to be a completely monolithic entity.

It's more accurate to call them the Luo Family Gang than the Five Plum Blossom Divisions.

"Where did this intelligence come from? Is it accurate?" Zhou Qingfeng sat calmly in the tea room, placing the collected files on the tea table, and asked Jin Wei and Zhiqi.

Jin Wei and Zhi Qi exchanged a glance.

He responded with his weapon and clasped hands: "Commander, Jin and I have reviewed the official records, family backgrounds, home addresses, and number of family members of the seven officials."

“We personally visited all seven addresses and interviewed the surrounding neighbors to inquire about the closeness of the seven families, how long they had been in contact, and what their relationship was like on a daily basis.”

"Afterwards, I secretly went to see several of the most senior Plum Blossom Guards, and under the guise of seeking advice from the seniors, I invited them to dinner and gave them some small gifts to improve their cultivation. I found out the relationship between these seven people from them."

"Then we went to the archives and went through past case files, making a record of the cases handled by the seven people. If Luo Bingyi was the principal investigator in each case, then the names of the other six people must also be there."

Jin Wei added, "Commander, the relationship between these seven people and the forces behind them are probably deeper than we imagined. If we touch one of them, it will affect many others. At that time, their counterattack will be extremely fierce."

In my humble opinion, we should proceed cautiously and wait for the right opportunity.

"The most urgent matter is the case of killing officials and plotting rebellion."

"This case has reached the highest levels. If it is not solved, someone may use it as an excuse to get back at you."

After a moment's consideration, Zhou Qingfeng tapped the tea table: "The case will definitely be solved. This is not only an opportunity to solidify my position and eliminate opposition, but also an opportunity to redistribute resources."

“I don’t believe that the Fifth Division is a monolithic entity. Since the middle and high-level officials are so deeply entangled, I will win over the lower-level officials, give them opportunities to make contributions, and let them control power and resources.”

"You two should also take this opportunity to recruit a group of people to work with. Remember, you must recruit those who are frustrated and have not been promoted for many years, who have offended the seven supervisors, and who have been marginalized."

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