Although Li City governs more than a dozen cities, in the end it is only organized as a Hundred Households and is subordinate to the Fengri City Thousand Households Station.

As for its jurisdiction, the Li City Xuanqing Guard can only exercise its authority within Li City’s territory. Beyond that, they must "coordinate investigation and enforcement" with the local Xuanqing Guard.

This is a territorial restriction imposed by the Court to limit the Xuanqing Guard’s power, but for Shen Hao, it is a hindrance.

Why?

Because to put it nicely, it’s called "coordinated investigation." To speak plainly, it means "taking a share of the credit." After working so hard for so long on this case, how could he willingly hand over a large portion of the merit so easily?

Shen Hao was unwilling—at most, he’d part with a small share, but he had to keep the bulk for himself.

Therefore, besides support from Jiang Cheng and Chen Yiyun, he also needed Tang Qingyuan’s approval within the Li City Guard Station. Otherwise, if Shen Hao dared to reach his hand into Fengri City to make an arrest, that would be overstepping his authority—a good deed could easily turn into a disaster.

Tang Qingyuan naturally understood what Shen Hao meant—he was asking Tang to stand at the front and act as a shield! With Tang’s order, and support from Jiang Cheng and Chen Yiyun, the "taboo" of overstepping authority would be minimized. Outwardly, probably no one would jump out and curse, but it would definitely bring a lot of dissatisfaction from the Fengri City Xuanqing Guard.

This kind of pressure was something Shen Hao, as Flag Officer, definitely couldn’t handle. If public anger surged, he might even be thrown out to be left to his fate. But if Tang Qingyuan stood at the front, it would be totally different.

"My lord! There’s a high chance that Evil Cultivators are behind this case, and it’s quite likely a major case of collusion between Evil Cultivators and officials at the Government Office. How many years has Jingxi gone without seeing such a case? If you stand up and face the pressure, citing ’confidential case—temporary sole authority,’ and with Households Commander Jiang and Hundred Households Chen supporting us in the Thousand Households Station, things can definitely be stabilized. When the time comes, my lord, you’ll get first merit in the official reports!"

Tang Qingyuan narrowed his eyes, smiling yet not smiling, and asked, "First merit? Will Shen Zongqi be willing? Will Hundred Households Chen be willing?"

"Naturally I am willing. As for Hundred Households Chen, since he is stationed in Fengri City, he will surely get credit for field command. But since the investigation was led under your guidance, I believe he’ll have no objections."

This was Shen Hao’s plan. Since he couldn’t swallow all the credit alone, he might as well take the initiative to share it with those who could help him.

"You’ve thought it through. But how confident are you about this case?" Tang Qingyuan was willing to take a risk, but he wouldn’t act blindly. If Shen Hao wasn’t even confident about the case, there was no way he’d step forward.

"Right now, I’m certain the Population Department is involved and the case is closely connected to them. As for the Evil Cultivators, I am only fifty percent sure." Shen Hao could only speak honestly. At the moment, he had no solid evidence proving Evil Cultivator involvement.

Tang Qingyuan was silent for a long time. Looking at Shen Hao, he smiled and said, "By nature, I usually stay away from things where I have to balance between two sides. But I’ve seen your abilities firsthand, Shen Hao. To be honest, you even saved my life before. Fine, I’ll help you this time."

"Thank you for your support, my lord!"

Shen Hao understood well—Tang Qingyuan’s words could not be clearer: he was agreeing to help this time because of the life-saving favor during the previous Li Family case; otherwise, he’d never have accepted such an unreliable request.

In other words, this was Tang Qingyuan repaying the enormous favor he owed Shen Hao.

Was it worth it? Shen Hao felt it was more than worth it. He had never expected someone like Tang Qingyuan to "repay a life-saving favor with boundless gratitude." To have Tang bear the brunt of this storm was already more than enough.

After consulting further with Tang Qingyuan and confirming a few details, Shen Hao finally left the Guard Station.

The next day, Tang Qingyuan publicly announced that Shen Hao was granted five days’ rest, while two squads of Black Banner Battalion soldiers left the Li City garrison under the pretense of "field training."

...

Shen Hao’s current base was in the old street on the west side of Fengri City.

The house had been previously rented by Flying Dragon. There were eight more houses now housing scouts of the Xuanqing Guard; the remaining personnel were assigned by Shen Hao to three inns in the city.

They formed groups of three, disguising themselves as itinerant merchants or lone Loose Cultivators, easily blending into the crowds.

The reason for choosing West City Old Street as their temporary command post was simply its proximity to the small house rented by Zhao Chongwu; from the window, one could see Zhao Chongwu’s front door, less than a hundred meters away.

"A mere squad leader at the Population Department is living in a place this shabby? Is he truly this poor?"

Shen Hao didn’t believe it.

Before arriving, Shen Hao had inquired about official salaries—usually, a Population Department squad leader earned between twenty and thirty-five taels of salary silver per month, varying by location. As Fengri City was the central hub of Jingxi, its salaries were the highest in the Jingxi Region—over forty taels a month.

By ordinary standards, forty taels per month was definitely a high salary—enough to comfortably support a family of five or six.

Even if he had family back home to support, it couldn’t be so tight that he’d need to rent in such a dilapidated district as West City Old Street, could it?

Shen Hao placed a chair by the window. After his arrival, he sat there, able to peer through a slit in the papered window at Zhao Chongwu’s front door.

"Flag Officer, he should be back soon."

"Mm."

Zhang Liao was also guarding nearby. Despite his calm appearance, he was far less composed inside—this was the first time he’d worked a major case in the Black Banner Battalion. Whether he’d leave a good impression with Shen Hao hinged entirely on this; it was impossible not to be nervous.

Just as Zhang Liao finished speaking, Shen Hao saw through the window-slit a young man walking along the distant street. As he drew closer, his appearance became clear—a square-jawed, ordinary face, not yet thirty, skin somewhat dark and thin, his clothes worn and old, more like a village schoolteacher than a government official.

This man was Zhao Chongwu.

Zhao Chongwu walked all the way home and entered the door, seemingly unaware that several pairs of eyes were watching him from the shadows along the way.

A moment later, the door to Shen Hao’s room was pushed open, and two Black Banner Battalion scouts strode in.

"Report! The three of us, disguised and passing by the target separately, detected no True Qi on him, and the Evil Chasing Disc gave no response."

Shen Hao nodded noncommittally. "Don’t get careless. The undetectable aura could be because of a Concealing Talisman, or his Cultivation may be far higher than yours. Tell the brothers to stay sharp—it’s twelve hours, no relaxation. Make sure everyone has a Summoning Talisman in hand, just in case.

Also... arrange for a few skilled men. Tomorrow, after Zhao Chongwu leaves for duty, come with me to take a look inside."

"Flag Officer, you’re going in personally?"

"Is that not allowed?"

"Forgive me for speaking out of turn."

"When will Hundred Households Tang’s reinforcements arrive?"

"They should be here already, I think?"

Under the pretext of requesting his personal guards for combat training, Tang Qingyuan had borrowed one hundred Hundred Households Guards from the Fengri City Xuanqing Guard to stay in Fengri City for five days. Of these, seventy disguised themselves and were incorporated temporarily into Shen Hao’s Black Banner Battalion, ready to take orders. These men were Shen Hao’s true trump card.