novelraw Chapter 111 - the prefecture magistrate appearing
Chapter 111 - the prefecture magistrate appearing
Chapter 111: Chapter 94 - The Prefecture Magistrate Appearing
The atmosphere was silent.
“If we don’t annihilate the Xuanming Sect as soon as possible, it will be a huge blow to our prestige,” Zhou Zheng said. “Once the demons and sects in Qing Province follow suit and cause a large-scale riot, we won’t be able to leave.”
The governor nodded in agreement.
“Not only must we exterminate them, but we must also do it with thunderous means. Only then can we serve as a warning to others.”
Seeing the other three looking at him, Jiang Jingxiu could no longer feign fear.
“Don’t look at me. I really have no choice—unless I ask for help from the capital.”
The three prefecture magistrates exchanged glances. Zhou Zheng suddenly recalled something.
“Did we forget about the Divine Sword Guards? The Xuanming Sect and Huangsha Sect have been fighting for years. If they could destroy the Huangsha Sect, it shouldn’t be difficult to take out the Xuanming Sect.”
“That’s true,” the governor admitted, “but we’ve never treated the Divine Sword Guards well. The Xuanming Sect is also a mission assigned by the Sacred Martial Division. If we ask for help now, wouldn’t it be like stretching our faces out for them to slap?”
“You’re the one who created this mess. You fix it,” one of the magistrates sneered.
“I can’t help it,” Jiang Jingxiu replied coldly.
After some time discussing, they still couldn’t come up with a solution. They parted on bad terms. Jiang Jingxiu flicked his sleeves and left angrily.
The remaining three magistrates were visibly upset. One of them slammed his fist on the table.
“Useless trash who can’t do anything right!”
They couldn’t afford to keep pretending. The Xuanming Sect was under their jurisdiction, and a battalion of Dragonblood Warriors had already perished. They had to provide an explanation.
Helpless, they made up their minds: they would ask the Divine Sword Guards for help at dawn.
“Sigh! I’m afraid after this, the sky of Qingzhou will change,” one of the magistrates sighed.
“There’s no choice. Either we mobilize the Dragonblood Warriors or ask them for help. Either way, we won’t be able to keep our positions,” Zhou Zheng added.
At Dawn - Outside the Divine Sword Guards
A group of uninvited guests arrived. Looking at the entrance, the three magistrates felt awkward. This was their first time stepping into the Divine Sword Guards since aligning with the Sacred Martial Division.
“I’m looking for your Lord. Please inform him,” the governor requested.
“Please wait a moment,” the gatekeeper replied, and quickly went in.
Inside the Divine Sword Guards
Shen Yiming received the message and blinked in surprise.
“Why are they looking for me?”
He waved the messenger off and summoned Xiao Ran and Xiao Zhou.
Once Xiao Ran arrived, he explained the situation.
“It must be about the Xuanming Sect,” Xiao Ran said.
“Agreed. There’s nothing else it could be,” Shen Yiming replied.
“What do you think?” he asked them.
“We can take action, but only if they show sincerity,” Xiao Ran said.
“Even if we all attack, we can’t beat a tenth-grade Grandmaster-level fiend,” Xiao Zhou added.
“Exactly. We can’t do this alone. If we have help from the Dragonblood Warriors, maybe we could. The key is their sincerity. Otherwise, they’re just bluffing. We’ve just taken heavy losses destroying the Huangsha Sect,” Shen Yiming said.
After planning their approach, they decided:
Xiao Zhou would act as the "black face" and push for high compensation.
Xiao Ran would play the decision-maker.
Shen Yiming would arrange for their reception.
Meeting the Prefecture Magistrates
The magistrates felt embarrassed when Shen Yiming didn’t come to greet them.
“This Shen Yiming is too arrogant,” one grumbled.
“We went too far in the past. We’re lucky they’re even letting us in,” the governor sighed.
Inside the hall, Shen Yiming stood up with a faint smile.
“The three lords are usually very busy. What brings you here today?”
The three magistrates smiled apologetically. As the saying goes, “One does not slap a smiling face.” Shen Yiming had no choice but to invite them to sit.
“The Sacred Martial Division is useless,” one of them complained. “They couldn’t even destroy the Xuanming Sect and lost half their men. They’ve lost all face for Qing Province.”
Shen Yiming remained silent, sipping his tea.
“We’ve heard that the Divine Sword Guards have many experts. Lord Shen’s cultivation is sky-high, and your swordsmanship is unfathomable. We’ve come to request your help in destroying the Xuanming Sect.”
“It’s not that we don’t want to help,” Xiao Zhou said. “But we’ve lost too many people. We don’t have enough manpower.”
“We understand. As long as the Divine Sword Guards agree to act, the state capital will send a battalion of Dragonblood Warriors. Moreover, we promise future cooperation in whatever you need,” the governor offered.
“It’s still difficult. We really might not be able to help,” Xiao Zhou persisted.
Xiao Ran put down his cup.
“The lords have come in person. Wouldn’t it be rude to reject such a sincere request?”
“To be honest, the Divine Sword Guards are poor and severely understaffed. Apart from a few gatekeepers, we have no one else.”
The governor understood immediately — there was a deeper meaning.
“After this matter is resolved, the government will allocate two million taels to assist the Divine Sword Guards in development. We’ll also prioritize assigning personnel from nearby troops.”
Xiao Zhou raised an eyebrow.
“Two million? That’s not enough. That’ll be gone in a flash. We need at least five million to make a difference.”
The magistrates exchanged glances, their expressions twitching.