Famine and exile: I brought the Spirit Spring to save the entire Marquis's mansion.

The Prefect's Residence, Study.

Song Zhaolun immediately knelt on the ground.

"The general is a true man who serves the country and its people. I did not mean to deceive you before."

"I know, get up. Get to the point. I won't fuss over such trivial matters."

"Yes."

Song Zhaolun stood up and presented a booklet with both hands.

"Xiaomin was indeed mentally impaired before, and only recovered in the last two years. This is what Xiaomin, together with his classmate and Peng Huai, the magistrate of Suiyang County, found out in the last two years."

Inside are evidence of more than fifty Buddhist temples harboring filth and corruption.

There were also more than 300 merchants who lingered in these Buddhist temples.

This is not all; there are many more that haven't been found.

Song Zhaolun's eyes were filled with anger.

Then he looked at Huo Chang'an expectantly.

Huo Chang'an took the booklet and placed it on the table without opening it.

"What are you and Peng Huai planning to do after investigating so much? So many Buddhist temples, it's clear that there's a huge force behind them. You don't even have the ability to protect yourselves, how are you going to fight back?"

Why investigate so much?

Huo Chang'an just wanted to know why he was doing something that would do nothing but harm him.

“Yes, there’s nothing we can do…” Song Zhaolun’s voice was slightly low.

He had previously secretly submitted evidence of a crime committed by one of the Buddhist temples to the local government.

But he almost failed to escape the city that time.

He then learned that those Buddhist temples, like those in Xihua City, were all in cahoots with the government.

Later, he thought of going to the capital to intercept the emperor, but Peng Huai told him that it was not a good time to do so now that it was difficult to distinguish between the emperor's concubines and his concubines.

"In my moments of lucidity, I thought about not seeing or hearing anything, but I couldn't sleep day after day."

My mother said to do whatever you want. I was stupid back then, which was no different from being dead. At worst, I could just die again.

What's the difference between a person who pretends to be deaf and dumb their whole life and an unintelligent animal?

So I did it.

Although he didn't know if these incriminating facts would ever come to light, he couldn't stop. A voice inside him was driving him forward, forward.

Huo Chang'an's eyes showed shock.

What a wise mother she is!

"May I ask, what is your mother's background?" Huo Chang'an was genuinely curious.

"General, you misunderstand. My mother was just an ordinary peasant woman. She was probably influenced by my father."

My father was a scholar, but unfortunately he passed away early because…

Song Zhaolun paused for a moment, then continued, "He and my mother were childhood sweethearts. After he passed the imperial examination and became a scholar, he was favored by a rich young lady. My father rejected the young lady and married my mother instead, but the family of that lady held a grudge against him and sent someone to beat him up at night."

Because of the severity of his injuries, he missed the provincial examination. His mother went to the yamen to appeal, but was beaten by the magistrate who had accepted bribes. His father was depressed and, coupled with the severity of his injuries and the lack of money for treatment, he eventually succumbed to his injuries.

He told his remorseful mother that it wasn't her fault, but that the world was unjust and evil was lurking everywhere!

But he believed that someone would eventually break through the darkness, and that the day would eventually dawn.

Song Zhaolun looked at Huo Chang'an, his eyes filled with expectation once again.

"Now, I feel that you are the one who tears through the darkness."

"You too!" Huo Chang'an stared intently at Song Zhaolun.

"But you are more admirable than me!"

After all, he only exposed all this darkness when he had sufficient power.

Song Zhaolun, however, wandered alone in the darkness, unaware of where the light lay ahead.

But he still persisted in doing it.

Huo Chang'an admires him, truly admires him!

Just like Ning'er said, heroes aren't only those who stand in the light!

There are many unsung heroes fighting in the darkness in this world.

Huo Chang'an opened the booklet, which was filled with evidence of the Buddhist temple's crimes... It was shocking!

He patted the young man's thin shoulder heavily. "Song Zhaolun, the evidence you brought is perfect. I just received news that all the merchants I sent to search for have died suddenly..."

"I have accepted this evidence and list, and I promise you that after taking control of the capital, all these Buddhist temples will be confiscated!"

A flood of tears welled up in Song Zhaolun's eyes, but it did not diminish the fervent light within them.

He really waited for it!

“Thank you, General!” he exclaimed.

Huo Chang'an continued reading for a few more pages with a sullen face.

Suddenly I realized something: the earliest of these Buddhist temples was built five years ago!

What happened five years ago?

Such power could not have been created by a minor official.

Huo Chang'an searched his mind for possible figures: the Third Prince was dead, the Second Prince was a good-for-nothing, the other princes were still young, the Crown Prince was the heir apparent and had no need to rebel, the Grand Princess was a royalist, Prince Huaishan, Prince Hongkang... Hongkang!

Prince Hongkang was banished to the southern frontier by the emperor five years ago!

Moreover, they are mortal enemies of the Huo family!

The reason for the feud was that Prince Hongkang's distant nephew had framed his second uncle for embezzling money!

Using any means necessary to amass wealth seems to be the style of Prince Hongkang!

Could it be that it wasn't the Crown Prince who harmed the Huo family, but rather... Hong Kang?

Thinking about it this way, Huo Chang'an couldn't help but start to wonder again whether Prince Hongkang went to the southern border on his own or was driven away by the emperor.

If it's him... how much more military strength has he built up in the past few years!

Huo Chang'an's eyes narrowed.

If it is Hong Kang, he is currently lying low in the southern border, surely waiting for an opportunity. Could it be that he is waiting for both him and the capital to be severely weakened?

"What has the general thought of?" Song Zhaolun asked.

Huo Chang'an was unsure, so he asked Yan Meng to investigate, as Yan Meng was more familiar with the Southern Frontier.

"Song Zhaolun, my primary goal now is to enter the capital and unify the country. I have no time to linger here."

Now, you are appointed as the governor of Xihua City, and a group of people will be left to assist you in governing Xihua City.

If you want peace and prosperity, then unleash all your might.

Xihua City is not your destination, but your starting point.

Can it be done? "

Song Zhaolun was stunned.

He had considered Huo Chang'an's purpose in seeking him out: with no one else available in Xihua City, he could once again serve as the county magistrate, appease the people, and maintain order.

Or perhaps the prefect?

"I am a humble citizen, and I have only served as a county magistrate. According to the usual..."

"Don't worry about the rules. According to the rules, our Huo family should uphold the broken social order of 'If the ruler commands the subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die,' and die unjustly!"

Do you think it's fair? When someone else took your place as county magistrate, did you think it was fair?

Do you think it's fair that you, who are loved by the people, were not promoted but instead harmed by others?

"You want to tear the heavens apart? You're not even capable of being a mere prefect?"

Song Zhaolun's eyes were already filled with tears, his face showing resentment, defiance, and a long-hidden arrogance and sharpness.

Like lightning shattering heavy dark clouds.

"I have the ability! I do!"

His voice was so loud it was distorted, like a beast that had been trapped for a long time breaking out of its cage and roaring impatiently.

He knelt and bowed his head: "Your subject is willing to serve my lord, braving the waves and forging ahead, even if it means dying nine times!"