Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Chu Li laughed. “Crown Prince Bao, do you know Field Officer Zhou?”
Prince Bao scoffed and said, “I’m not close to Field Officer Zhou, but I can’t just blindly watch as you falsely incriminate a good man, so what if you’re the Head Chief, you have to provide proof to your statements too!”
“That’s good. Crown Prince Bao if you’re close to Field Officer Zhou, it will be troublesome… Field Officer Zhou, how about this, we won’t investigate your identity too,” Chu Li said.
“Hmph! Well, I must really thank you for acknowledging that I’m from the Li Dynasty, Head Chief Chu!” Zhou Zhixiong said coldly.
Chu Li said, “You’ve done quite a number of outstanding services, Field Officer Zhou, I really respect meritorious scholars from the battlefield!”
“Hah! I really can’t see that!” Zhou Zhixiang cast a sidelong glance at him.
Chu Li shook his head and said, “It’s precisely because I admire these commendable elites, I can’t tolerate it if anyone betrays them!”
“Head Chief Chu, I’d really like to ask you, which part of me is unpleasant to your eyes, why do you only insist that I’m the traitor? We have never hated each other in the past, nor do we bear any hatred towards each other today, am I right?” Zhou Zhixiong frowned and said.
Chu Li replied, “We have never hated each other in the past, nor do we bear any hatred towards each other today, so why do I only pick on you and not on anybody else?”
“It’s because I’m too conspicuous! Using me to show off your powers and show how prestigious you are as the Head Chief? You’re letting us know that no matter how laudable of a service we’ve performed outside, back at the Fairy’s Capital, we will still have to behave ourselves!” Zhou Zhixiong scoffed.
Chu Li could not help but laugh. “Your words are quite interesting, the Fairy’s Capital is indeed a place with talented individuals in hiding. You really are capable, doing your best to swerve in and out, even if you contradict the Royal Highness, no one will punish you for your sins!”
“Hmph, we dare not! I’m just an ordinary soldier, how could I have the courage to do that, even if I behave well, it’s unavoidable that I will still be given a hard time. Out of ten parts of the credit, eight will be taken away, with just two credits left, we’re already very grateful!” Zhou Zhixiong sneered with sarcasm.
His words caused the rest of the cavalrymen to have even colder looks, their looks towards Chu Li became more and more unfriendly.
Chu Li said, “Field Officer Zhou, you’re very eloquent, I respect it, you’re ferocious and brave in wars as well. Unfortunately, a talent like you can’t be used by the Great Ji, it is very, very unfortunate!”
“Shut up! Chu Li, that is irreconcilable!” Zhou Zhixiong yelled out loud.
Chu Li smiled and looked at him.
The ladies in the gazebo were all looking towards their direction since their volume was not low at all, the blowing wind carried their words towards them.
“He’s from the Green Mountain Town,” Lu Yurong said.
“Cousin Sister, you recognize him?” Leng Ying quickly asked.
Lu Yurong nodded. “I recognize him!”
“You actually recognize him? If that’s the case, he’s not a traitor?” Leng Ying said in shock.
Lu Yurong said, “He’s considered to be a genius, he became a field officer at a very young age. He can hardly be seen in the Green Mountain Town any longer. I’ve seen him once with my own eyes, and I’ve investigated him before.”
Leng Ying said, “If he’s really from the Great Ji Dynasty, he can’t be a traitor then, can he?”
Leng Qing and Leng Qiu frowned.
Song Liuying and Xue Ningyu looked at Xiao Shi with worry.
If the matter turned out to be a false alarm and was made into a big deal, Chu Li would be in great trouble. He would certainly cause those meritorious cavalrymen to be enraged, moreover, to seek an explanation, they might even vent all of their accumulated grievances onto Chu Li.
In order to appease the outraged elite soldiers, the Imperial Court might actually punish Chu Li for it.
Xiao Shi forced a smile and thought to herself, Chu Li was stirring trouble up again!
Xue Ling and Yang Xu looked calm and relaxed as well, the three of them knew how capable Chu Li was at purging traitors.
——
“He’s from the Great Ji, but it’s hard to say whether he’s a traitor or not. Xiao Ying, not all traitors are from the Li Dynasty.” Lu Yurong shook her head.
“From what I see, Field Officer Zhou is a heroic figure, how does he look like a traitor?! I can tell at once that he’s a strong and determined man, straightforward and upright, ambitious and lofty!” Leng Ying said with discontent.
Lu Yurong broke into a laugh, she pursed her lips as she smiled and said, “Judging a book by its cover is the most intolerable thing ever.”
“They always say that one’s appearance is formed through thoughts. An evil person has a vicious heart, it will naturally show on their faces, and it can be seen at once!” Leng Ying added.
“That is not necessarily.” Lu Yurong grinned.
“Anyway, I think that Field Officer Zhou is a hero, he’s not a traitor!” Leng Ying scoffed.
She turned around and looked at Leng Qiu and Leng Qing. “Younger Sister Qiu, Elder Sister Qing, do you think that Field Officer Zhou is a hero?”
The two of them looked hesitant.
Leng Ying smiled at Lu Yurong complacently. “Younger Sister Qiu, Elder Sister Qing and I think alike!”
“You… If you judge people that way, you’ll be at a disadvantage in the future, you better watch out!” Lu Yurong shook her head and smiled.
Zhou Zhixiong’s voice could be heard again, he sounded aggressive as he said out loud, “Head Chief Chu, I really didn’t think that a low standing person like you still exists in the Great Ji Dynasty! … We already have to risk our lives and kill our enemies in the war zone, now we have to keep a look-out for framings and difficulties from low standing people like you, do soldiers like us still have any means of subsistence!”
“Yeah!”
“That’s right!”
All the cavalrymen stared at Chu Li as they were agitated, they were ready to charge towards him and beat him up at any time.
In their eyes, Chu Li was just a little man who was envious of virtuous and able people, so he framed the heroes on battlefields with empty words. He was really hateful!
Chu Li faced the mad stares from the crowd with calmness, he checked them out one by one.
“You with the surname Chu, what proof do you have, after all, if you don’t have any then get lost, we’re busy performing commendable services!” Leng Tao’s voice was heard again.
Chu Li did not bother about Leng Tao, he said slowly, “Soldiers, I have a question.”
The crowd stared at him coldly and did not say a word.
Chu Li asked, “Does anyone know about the Holy Church of Light?”
Under the helmets, everyone’s expression slightly changed.
Chu Li chuckled. “The Holy Church of Light believes in Buddha, it’s a super rank sect in the Li Dynasty. In that church, the believers vowed to exemplify themselves as the Sun in this dark world, to shine their light through the world and to rid all living creatures from pain.”
“Why are you suddenly talking about the Holy Church of Light? We’re discussing traitors here,” Leng Tao said with disaffection.
Chu Li said, “Fellow soldiers, do any of you believe in this Church?”
Nobody said a word.
Chu Li sighed. “Field Officer Zhou, how about you? Do you believe in the Holy Church of Light?”
“You with the surname Chu, are you tongue-tied? You’re just rambling incoherently, you haven’t made yourself clear, why are you framing me? This time it’s me, what about next time, are you going to randomly frame another person just because you’re in a bad mood?” Zhou Zhixiong said coldly.
Chu Li laughed. “It looks like you believe in the Holy Church of Light too, am I right, Field Officer Zhou? I believe the Great Li Dynasty has quite a number of believers as well?”
Zhong Zhixiong sneered and remained silent.
Chu Li continued, “Which Apostles Association are you from?”
“You with the surname Chu, you’re a despicable man! I don’t know anything about the Holy Church of Light!” Zhou Zhixiong scoffed.
“Then it’s easy. I’ll draw a symbol of the Holy Church of Light, and you’ll just have to step on it.” Chu Li nodded.
“I’ll step on it then! When one trick fails, you cook up another one, you’re really vicious. Not only did you frame me to be a traitor, but you’re also falsely incriminating me to be a part of the Holy Church of Light’s congregation too!” Zhou Zhixiong humphed.
Chu Li turned around and said, “Royal Highness, may I have a brush and ink.”
Prince Bao waved his hand, a middle-aged cavalryman went upstairs and returned quickly with a desk. On the desk there were writing brushes, paper, and ink stone, the middle-aged man personally rubbed the ink stick on the ink slab.
Chu Li held the brush up and drew a few strokes on the paper, a sun was drawn on the paper, it looked like a rising sun with lofty light.