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

"Yes, Commander." Upon hearing this, Jin Wei rushed over and grabbed Yunmen's shoulder, saying, "You brat, the Commander gave you a chance, but you're useless."

Cloud Gate said in a panic, "I have what you want. If you don't give me what I want, I won't give it to you."

Jin Wei smiled menacingly: "You still don't understand the situation? Negotiations are based on the premise that both sides are of equal strength. You think you can just name whatever you want? You really dare to name whatever you want?"

“If I were you, I would choose to hand over the items directly, and then take whatever reward the commander gives me.”

"This is the correct way for the weak to negotiate, but unfortunately, you lack self-awareness."

Cloud Gate looked surprised and shouted, "What do you want to do?"

Jin Wei dragged Yunmen outside, threw him outside the courtyard, and pulled out a leather whip from his waist, lashing him wildly.

Zhou Qingfeng returned to the steps and poured himself another cup of tea, enjoying the warmth of the sun on his body. However, the screams outside the courtyard were quite jarring, completely disrupting his leisurely mood.

So Zhou Qingfeng said in a moderate tone, "Drag the fight further away, it's blocking my sunbathing!"

"Yes, Commander!" Jin Wei's reply came from outside the courtyard, and then he dragged Yunmen away to continue whipping him.

The old cripple walked out, leaning on his cane, and glanced at Zhou Qingfeng.

Zhou Qingfeng sat on the steps, hands on the ground, and turned around with a bright smile: "Mr. Liao, out to enjoy the sun?"

The old cripple said calmly, "The city lord's mansion will summon you back tomorrow for questioning. Aren't you afraid?"

Zhou Qingfeng tilted his head back and chuckled: "What's there to be afraid of? If something really happened, I would have already been secretly arrested and brought back to the manor to be punished. No outsiders would know my whereabouts at all, so there's no need for this formality."

The old cripple narrowed his eyes, secretly alarmed.

This child is incredibly intelligent, his understanding of things is so profound, it's terrifying.

If he continues to grow like this, he will definitely become a giant in ten years.

The old cripple couldn't help but say, "The commander's talent and ability are among the best in the world. However, the commander should also know a principle: those who are too talented at a young age often die young."

Zhou Qingfeng shrugged helplessly: "Many things are beyond my control. Do you think I got to where I am today because I wanted to? It's the ever-changing situation that forced me to move forward. I actually wanted to be the sixth one."

The old cripple sighed softly, looking up at the sky: "Alas, when you're caught up in something, you can't help yourself."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng clapped his fists together and complimented, "Mr. Liao's words are insightful. In short, it's about being caught in the middle and having no choice but to act!"

The old cripple could easily tell the compliment was genuine. He shook his head, limped away with his cane, and said, "A golden carp is no ordinary fish; it transforms into a dragon when it encounters wind and clouds. Commander Zhou, the small Night Patrol Division cannot accommodate you."

Zhou Qingfeng frowned slightly, touched his chin, and felt even more that the old cripple's identity was somewhat mysterious.

If I have the chance in the future, I must find out more about him and figure out who he really is.

A moment later, Jin Wei dragged the battered and bruised Yunmen and reported, "Commander, he confessed."

Zhou Qingfeng stared at the trembling Cloud Gate: "Where are the things?"

Yunmen said in a trembling voice, "I left the things with the innkeeper at Hengtong Inn."

Having received the answer he wanted, Zhou Qingfeng waved his hand and said, "Lock him in a cell and await sentencing."

Jin Wei cupped his hands and asked, "Commander-in-Chief, on what charge?"

Zhou Qingfeng said calmly, "Hiding evidence and obstructing official business, you can add more charges as you see fit, up to the point of death."

Upon hearing this, Yunmen fainted from fright.

Jin Wei bowed and clasped his hands in response, then hoisted Yunmen onto his shoulder and strode towards the prison.

The evidence of Yunmen's crimes was quickly recovered from the innkeeper of Hengtong Inn and presented to Zhou Qingfeng for review.

When Zhou Qingfeng saw that the so-called evidence was actually two thick diaries, which contained all the shameful things that Feng Yun and his companion had done with Lu Sifu over the years, he couldn't help but say, "Despicable."

Jin Wei watched from the side, completely baffled. After all, he rarely saw the commander-in-chief swear. He didn't know why finding evidence of wrongdoing, which should have been a happy thing, had upset the commander-in-chief.

However, this did not stop Jin Wei from agreeing, because what the commander said was always right, absolutely correct. Even if he said that excrement smelled good, it would still smell good: "Yes, the commander is right, it is indeed despicable."

Zhou Qingfeng glanced at him sideways: "Jin Wei, you don't happen to have a habit of keeping a diary, do you?"

Upon hearing this, Jin Wei shook his head repeatedly: "I won't write it. What's the point of writing that stuff?"

Zhou Qingfeng observed Jin Wei for a while and only felt relieved after confirming that Jin Wei was not lying.

If Jin Wei dares to write in his diary behind his back, that guy will die, die immediately.

Before being summoned back to the manor for questioning the next day, Zhou Qingfeng picked up a brush and summarized the entire case, burying himself in writing the closing statement. After dark, Zhou Qingfeng ordered Jin Wei to send the case file to the city lord's manor as soon as possible.

After all this was done, the dust settled.

Zhou Qingfeng felt a great weight lifted off his shoulders and couldn't help but laugh.

……

Sword Tower City, City Lord's Mansion, Inner Courtyard, Lotus Pond.

Lotus Pond is located on the mountainside and is enclosed within an inner courtyard. A waterfall cascades down from the summit, and the craggy rocks form a pool of icy cold water.

The area is often swept by howling winds and shrouded in mist year-round.

Nine lotus platforms sit on the surface of the lotus pond, and in the center of the lotus platforms is a well that imprisons dragons.

The First Lady looked down into the depths of the Dragon Prison Well and said indifferently, "Hongye, it's been ten years. Do you know your mistake?"

"I did nothing wrong, I did nothing wrong, I will never admit my mistake, Mother, I just want to be with the one I love, what's wrong with that!" A towering flame spewed from the well, accompanied by a woman's angry and defiant voice.

A complex look flashed in the First Lady's eyes, which then turned even colder: "Foolish! Since ancient times, the rich have been matched with the rich, and the poor with the poor. How can a pheasant be matched with a phoenix? Your wishful thinking will only harm you!"

"Mother, I'm willing to hurt myself. Aren't you and Father the same? What right do you have to tell me what to do!"

The First Lady earnestly advised, "It is precisely because I have suffered that I do not want you to repeat the same mistakes. Besides, is your so-called lover worthy of being compared to your father?"

"Where is your so-called lover? Ten years have passed, has he dared to set foot in the Sword Tower?"

"If he dares to risk his life to propose to you, then your mother might think more highly of him!"

"Unfortunately, he was just a coward and irresponsible person."

A heart-wrenching scream erupted from the Dragon-Prison Well: "Mother, let me go! Let me go! I want to get out!!!"

"Fool! How could I have given birth to such a fool!" The First Lady, furious at her son's lack of self-respect, turned and left.

Stepping out of the lotus pond, the female swordswoman Jianwu presented the case file with both hands: "Madam, this is the case file that Zhou Qingfeng presented overnight. Steward Qiu has already reviewed it and is waiting to be summoned in the outer courtyard."

The First Lady, still furious, didn't even bother to look at it: "Let him handle it. It's a small matter, don't bother me!"

Upon hearing this, Jianwu stepped back while holding the case file.

"and many more!"

The sword dance stopped immediately.

"Let me see it." The First Lady suppressed her anger and gestured for Jianwu to hand over the case file.

Jianwu stepped forward two steps, bowed, and handed the case file to the lady.

The First Lady opened the case file, read it for a while, and her anger gradually turned into a smile. She casually instructed, "That Zhou Qingfeng is quite interesting. Have Chengde wait for me in the council hall. I'd like to hear his opinion."