In the following days, Li Qingmu and Long Yue remained inactive, residing at the inn, one practicing spiritual technique, the other painting.

Outside, chaos ensued as Jiang Wen was openly escorted out of the prison by a mysterious imposter posing as Lord Governor, prompting a city-wide search for him and those mysterious individuals.

However, no traces were found.

They even searched the inn, but with Jiang Wen wearing a human skin mask, he slipped into Li Qingmu’s area whenever there was any commotion, leaving them unable to find him.

On this day, another search was underway downstairs, checking room by room, leading Jiang Wen to hide in Long Yue’s room.

"Mr. Li, when do you plan to visit my family’s ancestral home?"

Previously, they agreed to smash the jade bed there and explore inside, yet now there’s been no action. What’s going on?

Li Qingmu replied calmly, "You’ve escaped from the prison, and they’re searching for you. They might be lying in wait at your ancestral home. Do you still want to go?"

Jiang Wen paused and then shook his head, "I acted recklessly."

Then, seeing Li Qingmu drawing a map, Jiang Wen exclaimed in surprise, "Mr. Li, your drawing is truly incredible, it looks real! But why are you drawing a landscape map?"

Li Qingmu stopped and looked at him, asking, "How big do you think the tomb beneath your family home is?"

Jiang Wen shook his head, "I don’t know. After all, our generation is too far removed, leaving us unaware of much, just basic ways to open it and a rough idea of its contents. Sorry, that’s all I know."

"No worries."

Li Qingmu shook his head slightly; what Jiang Wen said was true. After passing through dozens of generations by word of mouth, having even three-tenths available would be considered good.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

At that moment, a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps approached, signaling the government was coming to make arrests.

Long Yue hurried in, announcing, "A Mu, Mr. Jiang, someone’s attempting to arrest your family!"

Jiang Wen, upon hearing this, couldn’t stay seated and immediately charged out.

Long Yue and her husband quickly followed suit.

"Bang!"

A group of government officers burst in with aggressive force, kicking open the door and rushing inside.

"What do you want?"

Ru’er shielded her son protectively upon seeing the officers storm in, eyeing them warily, wanting to call for Jiang Wen, but fearing they were here for him, she dared not make a sound, just watched them in fright.

"Hey, what? Your husband escaped from prison, we failed to capture him, therefore, we can only arrest you!"

That’s a warped logic: if you cannot capture the husband, seize the wife.

While claiming that her husband is an utterly unpardonable criminal might lend some credence, the injustice inflicted upon an innocent couple simply due to the tomb beneath their ancestral home is unconscionable.

But at times, reality denies you recourse.

Several government officers, disregarding any reason, turned to seize Ru’er and her child, just as Jiang Wen arrived.

"Stop!"

He shouted, rushing to Ru’er and her child’s side, glaring at the officers, "Even if you are from the government, you shouldn’t randomly arrest civilians! You are defying the law!"

"Law? Hahaha, listen to him say we defy the law? Ha! That’s the funniest joke I’ve heard in years. In Liuzhou City, our boss is the law! The boss says we arrest you, then you’re arrested, what can you do?"

The officer sneered, fixating a hostile gaze on Jiang Wen, "Kid, I don’t recognize you, yet you’re protecting this mother and child. Do you have a connection with them?"

Jiang Wen’s expression darkened, was it their intention to also arrest him?

With a human skin mask, he was someone else; however, these government men intended to capture him indiscriminately, truly a disregard for human life!

"Hey, who cares about him? This kid is meddling, let’s seize him too, our cells are empty, hahaha!"

Another officer laughed boldly, truly audacious and arrogant!

"You, you all..."

Jiang Wen clenched his teeth, shaking with rage, yet restrained from acting.

Once he acts, he would be recognized, and not only him, but his wife and child would face consequences.

He originally had no crimes, merely victimized by conspirators leading him into enormous debt, which creditors used to incarcerate him.

Now, escaping prison renders him guilty several folds.

And it’s not a minor charge.

"Hey, us? Us what? Kid, stop babbling, this is your last chance to leave, or we take you all!"

The officer snapped harshly.

Immediately, two officers moved to seize Ru’er and her child.

"Smack!"

Just as an officer’s hand was about to touch Ru’er, a long whip suddenly flew over, striking precisely on the officer’s arm.

"Awoo—"

The officer let out a squeal like a dying pig, retreating repeatedly, glancing down to find a bright red whip mark on his arm.

"Damn it, which blind dog’s..."

He cursed angrily, turning around, just as another gleaming light shot toward him, with a "smack," the whip hit his mouth.

"Mm-mm-mm..."

The officer crouched in pain as the fiery ache on his mouth rendered him speechless.

The twist of events happened swiftly, drawing all the officers’ gaze towards where the attack came from, finding it was a woman.

The woman approached with a whip wrapped around her hand, glaring coldly, "As officers of protection, you should care for the public; persecuting the weak and elderly here is truly disgraceful!"

"Hey, who crawled out of which cesspool..."

"Smack!"

"Awoo—"

An officer was still cursing when the woman struck him with the whip as well.

Her skill was astoundingly adept, making one ponder if she were a professional prison guard, how was she so precise in using the whip?

"Well, still want to curse?"

Long Yue swung the whip, flashing a radiant yet toxic smile.

The officers exchanged glances, instinctively retreating.

In these times, people often bully the weak, assuming they can trample over them to assert their dominance, but when facing more formidable foes, they flee far away.

Seeing Long Yue’s poised demeanor and those precise strikes made them all fear her.

"Um... we... we’re officers, you better not obstruct our duty!"

One officer stammered from fear.

Long Yue squinted with a smile, "Obstructing duty? How am I obstructing your duty? You call bullying civilians duty? What a joke!"

"We... we are executing duty, you... you disagree, then go to Capital City and file a petition against us?"

An officer retorted impulsively against Long Yue’s insolence.

However, as soon as he spoke, a series of hoofbeats resounded, followed by panicked voices.

"The Imperial Envoy has arrived, the Imperial Envoy has arrived, Shengjing sent the Imperial Envoy!"

The voice drew nearer rapidly, reaching them soon, causing the officers’ faces to pale one by one.