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

Mao Erlang turned his head and glanced at the arm on his shoulder, then crouched down and dodged to the side, respectfully clasping his hands in a salute: "Brother, please respect your status. Putting your arm around someone's shoulder in public is unbecoming of others."

"Tch, we're brothers, why so many rules? You've always been so rule-bound, it's annoying." After saying that, Ma Dalang tucked Zhou Qingfeng's head under his arm and said with a grin, "Fourth brother, don't you think so?"

Zhou Qingfeng was almost rolling his eyes from being choked: "Yes, yes, yes... whatever you say is right, brother, can you let go first? You're choking me so much I can't breathe."

Upon hearing this, Ma Dalang laughed and let go of her hand, then put his hands on his hips and said with a magnanimous air, "Fourth brother, how about it? Are you confident in finding the mastermind behind the murder of Guan Wan? Do you want your elder brother to send some experts to help you?"

Zhou Qingfeng rubbed his neck, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Thank you, brother. I will definitely ask you if I need anything."

Ma Dalang put his hands on his hips and laughed, "Alright, keep up the good work, I'm rooting for you."

Mao Erlang: "???" Why are you mimicking my speech?

"Hey, fourth brother, let's find somewhere else to talk." Mao Erlang wanted to get closer to Zhou Qingfeng, and of course he wouldn't let the opportunity pass him by. Besides, having his eldest brother, who didn't know any better, around was really a downer.

Upon hearing this, Ma Dalang could easily see through Mao Erlang's little scheme. He couldn't possibly let Zhou Qingfeng and Mao Erlang get together. "The person I've set my sights on, Erlang, don't even think about it!"

He wouldn't give Mao Erlang any chance, so he hooked his arm around Mao Erlang's shoulder again and half-pushed, half-urged him out of the council chamber: "Second brother, what are you saying? Let fourth brother handle things. We brothers have nothing to do today, so why don't we go to Tiger Might Ridge and catch a few vampires? Those things are very nutritious."

Mao Erlang was furious and struggled fiercely: "Big brother, I'm just talking to Lao Si for a while, why are you causing trouble?"

Zhou Qingfeng watched the two leave, scratched his head, and chuckled to himself. He could tell that neither his eldest brother nor his second brother had any ill intentions towards him, and both wanted to win him over.

However, one thing needs to be made clear: if either side tries to win you over, you cannot clearly take sides, otherwise it will immediately arouse the other side's hostility and break the current favorable situation.

Only the three assistant commanders, Tang, Song, and Zhu, remained in the council chamber. When they passed by Zhou Qingfeng, they greeted him with a smile and clasped their hands in salute before leaving one after another. Only Zhou Qingfeng stood in the council chamber for a long time before going to find his master, Qiu Chengde.

It is located in the independent courtyard where the head steward of the outer courtyard lives.

Zhou Qingfeng sat at the stone table in the courtyard, drinking tea and reading, quietly waiting for his master to return.

After about an hour, Master finally returned to the courtyard.

Zhou Qingfeng put away his books, set down his teacup, stood up, clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, and said, "Master."

Qiu Chengde first sat on the stone bench, smiling and gesturing with his hand: "Sit down, no need for formalities."

Zhou Qingfeng took his seat upon hearing this.

Qiu Chengde smiled slightly: "You didn't go to do your business, but came here specifically to wait for your teacher. Is there something you want to say?"

Zhou Qingfeng clasped his hands in response: "Master is wise. In fact, I concealed some important information about the Renxin Sect in the council chamber. This information has not been verified and is purely my personal speculation."

Qiu Chengde raised an eyebrow: "You suspect that the mastermind behind the Killing Official Pill case is the Ren Xin faction."

Zhou Qingfeng nodded seriously: "Yes."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Chengde seemed to be thinking about something. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "You did the right thing. Don't report things you're not absolutely sure about. Investigate first. If it's confirmed that it was the Renxin faction that did it, then it's not too late to report."

Zhou Qingfeng clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Yes, Master."

Qiu Chengde looked at his apprentice with satisfaction, because his apprentice had kept his teachings in mind and put them into practice step by step in his work. He had previously taught his apprentice not to report to the city lord on things he was not absolutely certain of.

There are four main reasons for doing this.

First, avoid conveying uncertain messages. If the city lord's information is not accurate enough or lacks sufficient certainty, it may confuse or mislead the city lord, affecting the city lord's ability to make correct judgments. Especially at critical moments or in important decisions, uncertain information may bring unnecessary risks.

Secondly, it protects personal reputation. Personal reputation is built through successfully completing tasks and providing reliable information. If one frequently reports things that are not entirely certain, the city lord may doubt one's professionalism and reliability, thereby damaging one's reputation.

Third, reduce ineffective work. Reporting to the city lord too early without being absolutely certain may mean that more investigation, analysis and confirmation work is needed. This will not only increase your own workload, but may also put the city lord in unnecessary waiting and anxiety.

Fourth, it promotes effective communication. Before reporting, thorough investigation and research are conducted to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information, which can make communication more effective. In this way, when reporting to the city lord, more specific and valuable suggestions or solutions can be provided, which will help the city lord make more informed decisions.

"Si Lang has become more and more mature and steady, and now he has the potential to become a pillar of the nation."

"It's still thanks to my master's teaching that I'm so good."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Chengde stroked his beard and smiled: "Madam said that you should be rewarded for solving the case of the murder of an official and the plot to rebel, and that you should be rewarded according to your merits. However, you requested in public that the two cases be combined into one and volunteered to continue the investigation. Therefore, the matter of the reward can only be put aside for now. You will be rewarded together with the case of the murder of an official."

Zhou Qingfeng didn't care much. Compared to the immediate benefits he could obtain, he cared more about the generous rewards he would receive for accumulating merit by combining the two cases into one after expanding the results of the battle.

"I serve the Sword Tower not for rewards, but for its prosperity and eternal glory."

Zhou Qingfeng wasn't talking nonsense. As the fourth young master of the Sword Tower, he shared the rise and fall of the Sword Tower. If the Sword Tower prospered and remained immortal for eternity, then Zhou Qingfeng would also benefit from it, continuing to be the fourth young master, second only to the emperor, and enjoying wealth and honor forever, having whatever he wanted.

With the Sword Tower gone, everything Zhou Qingfeng currently possesses will vanish like a dream. He won't be reduced to a refugee, but he'll fall from grace and into the mud, a feeling Zhou Qingfeng definitely doesn't want to experience again.

Therefore, anyone who dares to overthrow the Sword Tower will be Zhou Qingfeng's mortal enemy.

Qiu Chengde smiled and said, "I have good news for you. Madam knows that Xiao Hongyun and Ye Tingxiu work well with you and have collaborated with you many times, so she specially transferred Xiao Hongyun here temporarily to help you."

Zhou Qingfeng was taken aback, then smiled and said, "It would be best if Lao Xiao could come and help me. It's been ten years since we last met, and I've missed him quite a bit. Master, where is Ye Tingxiu? Why didn't you send him here?"

Qiu Chengde said, "Ye Tingxiu has run into some trouble and is currently out of town and unable to return. I haven't inquired about the specifics, but if you're interested, you can ask Xiao Hongyun yourself tomorrow; he knows more about it."