Mao Yong had already conducted a thorough investigation before coming to report and had a plan in mind. He immediately began his earnest analysis:

"The Qin Family has always focused on its influence in the Protectorate Army and rarely gets involved in the struggles of the Jianghu.

Chen Cheng previously served in the City Guard Department and is now a Purple-clothed Guard in the Demon Suppression Department. Even if he were to advance his career in the future, he wouldn’t join the Protectorate Army.

Whether he rises through the ranks or not has no bearing on the Qin Family.

Furthermore, the Qin Family’s own Qin Ruiyang is one of Zheng Hun’s True Disciples.

Therefore, the Qin Family has absolutely no reason to issue a Hidden Flower to assassinate Chen Cheng.

The Wang Family, on the other hand, controls quite a few Jianghu influences and has intricate ties with external forces active in the Black Market.

Some time ago, there was a case in the Ruyi District of the South City District. A distant branch of the Wang Family was wiped out overnight.

A disciple from that branch, Wang Li, also died. When the City Guard Department arrived, they found evidence at the scene indicating that Wang Li was, in fact, the assassin Ding Mo, of the ’Ding’ rank from the Wind and Rain Tower.

This same Ding Mo had once accepted a Hidden Flower contract to kill Chen Cheng, back when Chen Cheng was just a mere constable in the City Guard Department.

Shen Qingshuang has two subordinates with exceptionally high Martial Arts Talent. One is Chen Cheng, and the other is Yan Jian. Yan Jian’s Martial Arts Power was even greater than Chen Cheng’s.

Ding Mo also attempted to assassinate Yan Jian, severely wounding him and nearly killing him.

Therefore, Ding Mo’s death is very likely related to Chen Cheng and the Shen Family behind him.

The Wang Family has clearly realized this as well and probably believes that Yan Jian and Chen Cheng were responsible for the annihilation of their family branch.

On the night of Yan Jian’s marriage alliance with the Shen Family, he vanished without a trace and hasn’t been heard from since. This subordinate speculates that he was likely killed by someone the Wang Family sent.

After that, Zhou Hongjun, Patriarch of the Zhou Family in the South City District, disappeared, and Shen Qingshuang used the opportunity to eliminate the entire Zhou Family.

The Zhou Family was the Wang Family’s most capable subordinate force in the South City District. With the Zhou Family gone, the Wang Family has suffered a great loss and will certainly not let the matter rest.

And Chen Cheng, naturally, has become the target for the Wang Family to vent its fury.

In this subordinate’s opinion, the Wang Family is the most likely party to have issued the Hidden Flower to assassinate Chen Cheng."

"What you’ve said makes some sense, but there’s no concrete evidence. As for the Wang and Shen Families, if they want to fight, let them fight. I can’t be bothered to interfere."

Jiang Botao rubbed his forehead, looking somewhat irritated, and continued,

"But Chen Cheng is Zheng Hun’s closed-door disciple, after all. If he gets killed after being dragged into the quagmire of the Wang and Shen Family feud, that brute Zheng Hun will probably go berserk again. There’ll be no end to the trouble."

Mao Yong understood Jiang Botao’s meaning. The Zheng Martial Arts Hall’s momentum was already established; even the City Lord didn’t want to provoke Zheng Hun.

After all, when Zheng Hun left Linji City, he had stormed the City Lord’s Mansion, threateningly, to prevent anyone from harming the people of his Zheng Martial Arts Hall.

Now, not only had someone made a move, but they had issued a Hidden Flower, sending an assassin to the Zheng Martial Arts Hall itself to try and kill Zheng Hun’s closed-door disciple.

Fortunately, the assassin failed. If he had succeeded and incurred Zheng Hun’s wrath, even the Jiang Family, which controls the City Lord’s Mansion, would likely have to pay a heavy price.

As a subordinate, Mao Yong naturally knew his place and immediately offered a suggestion.

"My Lord, this Chen Cheng has already entered the Muscle Strengthening Realm at such a young age. He truly is a rare talent.

Why not recruit him into the City Lord’s Mansion, entrust him with an important position, and have him serve you, My Lord?

On one hand, this would quell the matter and serve as an explanation to Zheng Hun. On the other hand, placing a young man of such outstanding Martial Arts Talent right under our noses would also make him easier to control."

"Oh?" Jiang Botao seemed slightly tempted, but he quickly shook his head and said in a low voice, "You want me to personally recruit a mere Muscle Strengthening Realm Martial Artist? What would the Celestial Prides of my Jiang Family’s younger generation think?

My Jiang Family has no shortage of nineteen-year-old Muscle Strengthening Realm Martial Artists, and I am not so weak as to fear that Zheng Hun!"

Mao Yong hastily bowed and said, "How could this subordinate dare to trouble you to act personally, My Lord? What I mean is, I will go to recruit Chen Cheng.

Chen Cheng is currently a Purple-clothed Guard in the Demon Suppression Department, a post equivalent to the Chief Constable of the Outer City District. You could promote him to an Official in the Inner City Guard Headquarters, a one-rank promotion.

He will certainly be deeply grateful. At that point, I can give him a subtle hint that you, My Lord, hold him in high regard.

After all, Chen Cheng is just a minor figure from a Humble Family who hasn’t seen much of the world. He’ll surely come knocking on your door to request an audience.

He’ll be the one to proactively seek an audience. You, My Lord, can then condescend to grant him one, albeit reluctantly, and offer him some words of encouragement.

When word gets out, all the people of Linji City will praise your good name, My Lord, for disregarding family background and promoting based on talent alone."

Jiang Botao’s eyes lit up. He nodded in approval and chuckled. "Little Mao, you’ve been with me for thirty years now, haven’t you!"

Mao Yong said respectfully, "Thirty years, two months, and eight days."

"Mm." Jiang Botao nodded slightly, then suddenly stood up. He clapped Mao Yong on the shoulder and walked slowly out of the Government Office.

"Your eldest granddaughter should be of marriageable age soon, right? Why don’t we marry her to Jiang Lang as a concubine?"

Mao Yong was instantly overjoyed and bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your favor, My Lord! This subordinate thanks you on behalf of his granddaughter!"

Although Mao Yong was a Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm Martial Artist, his Martial Arts Achievement in this lifetime had nearly reached its peak.

Thanks to his influence, the Mao Family was barely considered one of Linji City’s prominent families, but compared to the Four Great Clans of the Inner City, they were leagues apart.

The younger generation of the Mao Family only had average to above-average Martial Arts Talent. Once Mao Yong grew old and retired, the Mao Family’s fortunes would likely decline and worsen day by day.

Jiang Lang was the number one Martial Artist of Linji City’s younger generation, personally appointed by Jiang Botao as the successor to the City Lord of Linji.