Xiaoxiao.

Xiubei County is located in the hinterland of the Nanshan Mountains.

For thousands of years, the people here have lived a self-sufficient farming life, working at sunrise and resting at sunset.

The people here lack enthusiasm for the world beyond the mountains.

The people here are content and at ease;

Although the self-sufficient lifestyle was austere, it was passed down from generation to generation, and people were content with it.

Economic development once enabled this isolated county to develop rapidly.

However, in recent years, Xiubei County has fallen into a strange state of depression.

Three consecutive county magistrates died in office, and none of them served for more than a month.

Among them were newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) assessed by the Ministry of Personnel, as well as former protégés and officials recommended by high-ranking court officials.

The last one was even the emperor's personal selection of the top scholar, but all of them died in office under mysterious circumstances.

"Such a strange situation, didn't the Ministry of Justice send anyone down to investigate?" Kuang Zheng asked doubtfully, listening to the account given by Yao Changqing, the attendant assigned to him by Qin Chuanxi.

“Of course there was. When the first magistrate got into trouble, the prefect sent people. The last one even alarmed the emperor. The Ministry of Personnel, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Ministry of Justice all sent people down. I heard that even the Shadow Bureau was mobilized, but after investigating, they only came to the conclusion of ‘accident’ in the end,” said Yao Changqing, the attendant.

"Oh? That's amazing?" Three consecutive county magistrates have died unexpectedly? It seems being a county magistrate is quite a high-risk job. Hehe..." Kuang Zheng said.

“What you say is true, sir. We’ve been discussing it privately too. What a coincidence! There must be some conspiracy involved,” Yao Changqing said.

Seeing Kuang Zheng's expression, Yao Changqing stammered, "Well, sir. It's said, I only heard it from my colleagues, just hearsay. They say the three Zhang brothers from Xiubei County killed someone. Of course, this is just hearsay, something others said, don't take it seriously. Hehe..."

Kuang Zheng looked into the other person's eyes and casually asked, "You're from Xiubei County, aren't you?"

“Yes, the smaller one is from Dayaozhuang in Xiubei County,” Yao Changqing said.

"From your great-grandfather onwards, there have always been members of your Yao family among the elders of Dayao Village, right?" Kuang Zheng said casually.

Upon hearing this, Yao Changqing broke out in a cold sweat!

He had originally planned to deceive this ridiculously young county magistrate in order to seek benefits for his family.

He believed that the principle of "even a powerful dragon cannot suppress a local snake" meant that the newly arrived magistrate would inevitably try to win over a group of locals to serve him.

In this way, my opportunity will come.

But little did he know that the other party had already thoroughly investigated his background.

How could this not surprise him?

Although Dayaozhuang is just a village in Xiubei County, its population of nearly 100,000 gives it considerable influence in the county.

Since ancient times, imperial power has not extended to the countryside, and many things in the county have to rely on the village elders to manage them.

They were indispensable for things like the collection of imperial grain and the conscription of corvée labor.

This is why they have a strong voice in the county.

Otherwise, how could Yao Changqing, who was only twenty years old, have managed to rise to the position of a county guard?

You should know that the rank of Wuwei is equivalent to that of a shopkeeper in a county. How could he have become a Wuwei at his age without someone backing him up?

Yao Changqing thought he had done everything secretly, but the young magistrate in front of him had hit the nail on the head, so how could he not be surprised?

"Uh... um... I guess it's because the villagers love and respect me! Hehe..." That smile was more like a grimace.

"I guessed so, hehe..." Kuang Zheng didn't dwell on the issue and continued, "Are the three Zhang brothers very arrogant in the repair work?"

“You can get the answer by asking any question you may have during the repair process,” Yao Changqing said.

Sensing that the newcomer was no ordinary person, Yao Changqing suppressed his own ulterior motives.

Time passed slowly as the two chatted casually, and Xiubei County was already in sight.

Just then, a group of thugs suddenly appeared from both sides of the road.

They were armed with steel knives and surrounded us in the blink of an eye.

"If you want to live, get off the bus! If you delay even a little, we'll take your heads!" one of the bandits shouted.

"Oh no! We've run into a powerful figure!" Yao Changqing exclaimed in alarm.

"Hehe... Interesting. In broad daylight, there are still highway robbers on the outskirts of the county town. Interesting, very interesting. Hehe..." Kuang Zheng laughed as he got off the carriage.

"My lord, be careful, be careful. Let me go and negotiate with them," Yao Changqing hurriedly called out.

But Kuang Zheng ignored him and got out of the car. Yao Changqing had no choice but to bite the bullet and stand in front of Kuang Zheng.

He only hoped that the visitor would recognize him as the young master of Dayao Village.

"Heroes, let's talk this out. We're just passing through. I imagine you're all a bit short on cash lately. I happen to have some loose change here, consider it a small favor to help you out in your time of need. Please take it and buy some wine. It's nothing but a small token of my appreciation," Yao Changqing said, bowing repeatedly.

"Hmph... You corrupt officials are the most cunning. You're all rolling in money, yet you spout such sour talk about being broke. Do you think your grandfather's knife is useless?" the leader roared.

"Your Majesty, it's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!!" Yao Changqing continued to bow, but anger was already evident in his eyes.

He was, after all, the young master of Yaozhuang. When had he ever been treated like this?

If it weren't for the county magistrate behind him, whose true abilities were unclear, he would have revealed his identity and shown his true colors right now.

"Hey! Grandpa's not here to listen to your nonsense. Men, grab your weapons! Chop these guys up, and afterwards I'll take you all to have some fun! Haha..." the leader suddenly roared, his eyes filled with bloodlust.

"Kill!" The bandits shouted and charged forward immediately.

Yao Changqing showed no fear upon seeing this, and the sedan chair bearers who accompanied him had no choice but to bite the bullet and go on. If anything happened to Kuang Zheng, how would they survive? In the blink of an eye, everyone was fighting.

The newcomers were clearly no ordinary bandits; they attacked with deadly moves, aiming their knives at vital points!

The sedan chair carriers had never seen anything like it before; they were all hacked to the ground in a single move.

A life that was just moments ago vibrant was instantly severed from its head, the bloody scene shocking everyone present.

Seeing this, Yao Changqing no longer held back, leaping and tumbling through the crowd. Each strike of his long sword sent up a cloud of blood mist.

The battle reached its climax right from the start, with shouts, battle cries, and wails filling the air.

It must be said that although Yao Changqing relied on his family's influence to rise to power, he also had some ability.

He moved with surprising skill and composure, showing he was not a good-for-nothing spoiled brat.

But after all, two fists can't fight four hands, and this gang of strongmen were no ordinary thieves.

Their attack seemed chaotic, yet it subtly revealed traces of battle formations.

The opponent not only had a well-organized offense and defense, but also had people constantly trying to bypass him and attack Kuang Zheng, attempting to "capture the king first" to distract him.

Yao Changqing had to face the attacks of the bandits while also taking care of Kuang Zheng. How could he not be defeated?

Suddenly, the thief seized the opportunity and stabbed him in the chest.

Yao Changqing made a desperate sideways movement, using all his strength to avoid it.

Although he avoided the fatal heart area in this critical moment, he was still pierced through by the opponent.

With a loud "whoosh!", he even heard the sound of a blade piercing flesh.

A wave of dizziness washed over me, and all my strength seemed to be suddenly drained away.

Yao Changqing suddenly felt a darkness before his eyes. Seeing this, the thief would not let go of such a great opportunity. He instantly drew a short blade from his waist, ready to deliver a fatal blow.

In the blink of an eye, the leader suddenly shoved the strongman aside and knocked Yao Changqing unconscious with a single slash. Everything was done smoothly and effortlessly.

"Big brother!" the man exclaimed in confusion.

"This person cannot die; the one we need to kill is the one who will die," the leader said, pointing his long sword directly at Kuang Zheng.

"Heh...you're not some highway robbers, you're assassins, aren't you?" Kuang Zheng said calmly, looking at the nine bandits who were still standing.

"Good to know, we grandpas are here to take your dog's life," one of them shouted.

"Can I die knowing the truth? Was it the Zhang brothers? Zhang Zhen or Li Gui? It couldn't be Yao Changqing, could it?" Kuang Zheng said.

“Telling you won’t hurt. Who sent you here to die? Don’t blame anyone else. We are…” One of them was about to reveal the name of the mastermind when he was suddenly interrupted by the leader.

"Hmm!!" The leader gave a soft hum, and the man immediately shut his mouth.

Several people formed a fan shape around them, standing in a standard military formation.

"Kill!" The group immediately charged forward.

Although there were only nine of them, they were quite intimidating. They held their long swords horizontally and thrust them at Kuang Zheng.

Closer, closer.

When the long sword was only half a centimeter away from Kuang Zheng's brow, he still did not move.

Just as they were about to dismember the body, a faint buzzing sound suddenly came from the forest.

Upon hearing this voice, Kuang Zheng smiled.

In the blink of an eye, at the same moment the buzzing sound rang out, the previously ferocious bandit suddenly seemed frozen in place, his long knife, which was only half an inch from his brow, unable to advance any further.

Suddenly, the group collapsed to the ground like mud. Upon closer inspection, each person was broken into several pieces, with only a faint bluish-green mark on their wounds.

The nine people's eyes were filled with horror, and their eyeballs were still rolling even now...

"The boss is as bloodthirsty as ever," a man's voice echoed from the woods.

"Hmph! So much nonsense," a woman said, her voice not very loud.

"Uh... Big Sister is awesome!" the male voice said.

"Hehe... you sycophant!" the girl said haughtily, her tone quite pleased, clearly very pleased.

The two emerged from the woods. They appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen years old; the girl was tall and had delicate features. Her proudly displayed breasts, in particular, left a deep impression.

The man was tall and thin, with an ordinary appearance. But his eyes were as deep and mysterious as a still lake.

"Big Brother!" the two called out.

"Hehe...you two are such a pair of bickering lovers, always having to pinch each other." Kuang Zheng laughed.

"Brother, you're saying that again. You've always been the only one in my heart," Ying Yue said tenderly.

"This is such a mess of dog food. Ugh..." Wu Rensheng said helplessly.

Even though he was used to Ying Yue's boldness, Kuang Zheng still blushed after being teased by her. Looking at Ying Yue's fiery eyes, Kuang Zheng wished he could disappear into the ground.

"The royal family's education is truly perverse! Even matters of the heart are the same," Kuang Zheng thought to himself.

"Yue'er's flying needle technique has become increasingly refined! Even a handful of pine needles has such power. Not bad, not bad!" Unable to resist the other party's enthusiasm, Kuang Zheng quickly changed the subject.

"It's all thanks to Zheng-ge'er's excellent teaching!" Ying Yue said with eyes full of affection.

"Uh..." Kuang Zheng was completely stumped and quickly looked to Wu Ren for help.

Wu Ren seemed oblivious, calmly observing the surrounding scenery. He thought to himself, 'Hmph! Serves you right! Who told you to flaunt your love in front of me?'

They completely ignored Kuang Zheng's pleading eyes.

Only after Kuang Zheng's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets did he say with a smile, "That's right, the boss just casually plucked a handful of pine needles from the tree and waved them around lightly. Those weaklings turned into pieces. Amazing, really amazing!"

After saying that, he imitated it in an extremely exaggerated way, but the movements were extremely exaggerated!

"Okay, okay! That's too much! Haha..." Ying Yue laughed.

"Why didn't you go directly to find the object this time, brother? Why did you become a county magistrate instead?" Wu Ren asked curiously, while Ying Yue, who was standing next to him, also cast a questioning glance at him.

"It's nothing, I just feel that we've all been too busy these past few years. Before, when we were in Longyan, and later, when we were dealing with health issues. We've always been rushing around, and it seems like we've never truly experienced what it's like to be human," Kuang Zheng said.

"What's it like to be human?" Ying Yue asked, puzzled.

"Does Brother mean we're only pursuing the goal and forgetting the process?" Wu Ren asked.

“Third brother is right. We’ve lived like machines all these years. We’re always ‘high and mighty,’ never ‘down-to-earth’,” Kuang Zheng praised.

"What do you mean?" the two asked, puzzled.

“Although we are human, what we do is something that ordinary people would never encounter in their entire lives. This is just our life, but not the life of the people of Penglai Planet,” Kuang Zheng said.

"Does Zheng mean we're too far removed from ordinary people?" Ying Yue asked.

“No matter how far away we are, we are still in the Great Qin, in Penglai! Haven’t we always been like this?” Wu Ren said.

“Third brother, you misunderstood. What I meant was that we haven’t gone deep into the lives of most people. Have you noticed? Whether it’s Taoism, Buddhism, or Confucianism, their saints are all those who went deep into the common people. Those who meditate and practice asceticism in seclusion have never become Buddhas or patriarchs,” Kuang Zheng said.

"It seems so. It's not just the three religions. The same goes for the three great empires. Their foundations were all built step by step by their founders," Ying Yue said.

“Yue’er is right. So I have an idea, which is to go back to where we came from,” Kuang Zheng said.

"Where did we come from, and where are we going?" the two asked, puzzled.

“We also learned from those people, going deep into the countryside to experience the joys and sorrows of ordinary people,” Kuang Zheng said.

"Playing the field?" Wu Ren said.

"Yes and no. It's about both playing the game and experiencing it with your heart; it's mostly about following your heart and being spontaneous," Kuang Zheng said.

"Will this work?" Wu Ren asked.

“Who knows? Let’s give it a try! Anyway, we don’t know where we’re going next. Instead of sitting around waiting for the final moment, why not live life to the fullest?” Kuang Zheng said.

“I think so too. Even if we can’t do anything in the end, at least we’ll live happily. That’s better than Fifth Brother and the others, who could only run to the wilderness and self-destruct in the end. Although it was brilliant, it was still a regret!” Ying Yue said.

“Um…that’s true. Even if it’s truly beyond repair, we can quickly reach the wilderness. That way, we won’t implicate others…” Wu Ren said.

“Then let’s go and experience it properly, but we can’t forget about the important matters. However, this time we’ll try a different approach. Third brother, you go and investigate the sensing objects, and Yue’er will stay with me. I’ll play with these people first. Hehehe…” Kuang Zheng said.

Wu Ren gave Kuang Zheng a look that said he didn't believe a ghost, and said, "Aren't you guys being a bit too blatant? Yue'er's father has said time and again that you can only live together after you get married, and you've already arranged it?"

"What?! Zheng-ge is talking about serious business, very serious business! Serious!" Ying Yue blushed, a rare occurrence for her.

"Yes, it's important business!" Kuang Zheng said guiltily.

"Alright, alright, let's get down to business. Fine, I'll be off!" Wu Ren said with a smile as he left.

Looking into Ying Yue's gentle eyes, Kuang Zheng exclaimed that he couldn't take it anymore.

"Um, um. I really meant something important," Kuang Zheng emphasized again, looking into the other person's burning gaze.

"I know," Ying Yue replied, her enthusiasm undiminished.

"Okay! Alright. You stay in the shadows, and be careful not to reveal yourself when you strike." He could only pretend not to see, but his heart was pounding, and a mysterious change was occurring in a certain part of his body...

"Okay," Ying Yue said, trying her best to suppress her laughter as she saw the other person's embarrassed expression.

"What should we do with this person?" Ying Yue asked, pointing to the unconscious Yao Changqing.

“I’ll take this person with me. Please excuse me for a moment. I’ll wake him up now.” Kuang Zheng immediately regained his composure when it came to business.

"Okay, Zheng-ge'er. Um, Zheng-ge'er, can I sleep with you tonight? I'm scared being out alone! But, but even if we sleep together, we can't sleep in the same bed! Father said we can't, can't sleep together before we're married. Hehe..." Ying Yue said as she ran off and disappeared. At that moment, her face was as red as the sunset...

Upon hearing this, Kuang Zheng immediately collapsed to the ground...