Chapter 160 – 141 Inspector
Amid the deep silence of the towering walls,
Chen Mu walked calmly forward; he was now close to the Inspectorate, having entered the territory of the Prefectural Government of Yu City.
“Those two Qi just now…”
Although his eyes maintained their calm, a faint glimmer now flickered deep within them.
Though the unusual Qi that had suddenly emerged in the outer alley had flashed past briefly, being close and with his ‘Autumn Wind Sense’ for detecting Qi, he was able to sense a trace.
The first Qi to appear was thick and muddled, likely from the Gen Mountain Sect, and the one following, moist and agile, was undoubtedly from the Kan Water Sect. Therefore, it was not hard to guess their identities.
The person from the He Family.
And the person from the Yu Family.
“The He Family really is bold, knowing that I am summoned by the Inspector, yet still trying to strike at me so close to the Prefectural Government. If one blow doesn’t kill me, evidence will definitely be left behind, which won’t lead to any good outcome afterward.”
A chill crossed Chen Mu’s mind.
He was very close to the Prefectural Government, and the strength he publicly displayed was not an easy target. Even if a Five Viscera Realm expert struck, it would not be without noise as it would require showing Yuan Gang Qi to have a chance to take him down in one hit.
However, even so, it would likely be too late to remove his body and clear all traces, not to mention if the attack didn’t kill him, causing even more commotion… Inspector Yan Jingqing was right in the Chamber Building of the Inspectorate!
And it would probably take just a few moments for him to arrive here!
Chen Mu guessed that the person from the He Family might have been half testing, half desperately lashing out. If there had been a real chance, he would not have hesitated to strike, and sensing Yu Jiujiang subtly following behind, he retreated immediately, without delay.
Throughout the journey, Chen Mu had not detected the presence of Yu Jiujiang, but he sort of guessed it, for a simple reason: the mandate from Yu Zuyi conveyed that the He Family certainly detested him to the extent of wanting him gone swiftly; yet no one from the Yu Family accompanied him, which was illogical.
Therefore,
either this stretch of road was absolutely safe, with no one daring to defy the will of the Inspector, or there was a presence far more secure than ordinary followers – in the Yu Family, that could only be Xu Hongyu’s grandfather, Yu Jiujiang.
Interestingly, he had yet to meet Yu Jiujiang in person.
“Actually, if He Wuyou were to strike, I would like to test the prowess of a Five Viscera Realm exponent…”
Chen Mu shook his head slightly.
He Wuyou backing off due to Yu Jiujiang’s presence, and not launching an attack, was actually a fortunate event for the He Family, because with his current level of Thunderbolt’s second step, it was impossible for He Wuyou to land a fatal blow on him, and he only needed to withstand a few strikes.
The commotion would surely alert Yan Jingqing, and once he arrived, the He Family would face severe consequences.
But now, this was better; he could continue to conceal some of his strength, and while exchanging blows with a Five Viscera Realm exponent was always dangerous – as he had never before encountered someone of this level – avoiding risk was preferable.
Soon,
after passing through the tall quartz walls, Chen Mu had stepped into the Prefectural Government, bypassing the City Lord’s Mansion, and arrived at the newly built, six-story Chamber Building, the Inspectorate.
In the past, the City Lord’s Mansion was the tallest building in the government, having only three floors but each extremely lofty, taller than the four or five-story buildings outside; now, this newly established Chamber Building of the Inspectorate towered even higher.
Calling it a building was actually more like describing a tower, but this tower was merely part of the entire Inspectorate, which extended into a large area and courtyard beyond.
“Lord Chen.”
At the base of the Chamber Building of the Inspectorate, a Chamberlain, stationed there, saw Chen Mu approaching, bowed slightly, and formally said, “The Inspector is on the top floor, you may go up.”
“Thank you.”
Chen Mu nodded to the Chamberlain and then entered the Inspectorate, ascending the floors.
Upon reaching the sixth and top floor,
another waiting Chamberlain led Chen Mu into the main hall.
This main hall was not particularly spacious or elegant, but rather plain, featuring just one hall table and two rows of bookshelves. Sitting behind the table was a man in plain white clothing, appearing quite young, likely in his early thirties, with a scholarly appearance and a refined demeanor, closely reading a book in hand.
If seen outside, it would be hard to recognize him as the Inspector from the State Government Office, a fourth-rank official of the Imperial Court.
Yan Jingqing quietly read his book, seemingly engrossed, not noticing Chen Mu’s arrival. Chen Mu, likewise, made no further moves, nor did he speak to disturb, standing quietly at the front and waiting.
After a while,
Yan Jingqing suddenly showed a slight smile, as if finding something in his reading amusing, lifted the teacup beside him to take a sip, nodded slowly, and then set down his scroll.
Then he looked up at Chen Mu, sizing him up, and suddenly asked:
“How should a gentleman cultivate himself?”
Caught off guard, Chen Mu quickly responded, “A gentleman governs himself by tranquility and nurtures virtue by frugality. Without detachment, there is no clarity of purpose; without tranquility, distance cannot be achieved.”
Yan Jingqing’s eyes flashed with surprise, but he continued to ask, “And how should one govern a country?”
Chen Mu quickly pondered and responded respectfully, “Govern with policy, align with punishment, where the people are spared disgrace; govern with virtue, align with rituals, where there is shame and hence refinement. One governs the people not merely by these measures but must also delve into their origins.”