East City.
"Big brother, sister-in-law, you can stay here for now. I've already bought this house!"
Jiang Ning pushed open the door, and the vermilion gate swung open, revealing a desolate and dilapidated courtyard.
A small stream trickled through the pebble-lined brook in the front yard.
"A-Ning, you've spent too much!" Liu Wanwan looked at Jiang Ning with a complicated expression.
Jiang Li patted Jiang Ning heavily on the shoulder. "Little brother, thank you!"
Bai Luoyu stood on the steps at the entrance, gently fanning himself with a folding fan, a faint smile on his face.
Jiang Ning also smiled.
"Big brother, sister-in-law, go ahead and take a look around the house. I'll chat with Brother Bai for a bit."
"No problem!" Jiang Li replied. "You go ahead and take care of your business. I'll start cleaning up the courtyard."
"Brother Jiang, shall we take a walk by the river?" Bai Luoyu spoke first.
"Sure!" Jiang Ning nodded.
By the one-zhang-wide riverbank, Jiang Ning and Bai Luoyu walked side by side.
"Brother Bai, I'll have to trouble you for the next few days!"
"It's nothing!" Bai Luoyu chuckled. "I'll send someone to find Yu Manyun right away, and there will be people stationed at the east city entrance. As soon as Yu Manyun appears, I'll be notified immediately."
"Your home will also be under surveillance. If anything happens, I'll be there right away. A mere five hundred meters is nothing no problems will arise!"
Jiang Ning clasped his hands in gratitude. "Thank you, Brother Bai!"
"No need for formalities!" Bai Luoyu smiled, flicking open his folding fan with a snap.
Then, Bai Luoyu asked, "Do you need my help with your master's matter?"
"That won't be necessary," Jiang Ning shook his head.
"Alright, then I won't interfere," Bai Luoyu continued to fan himself lightly as the two walked on.
After a moment, Bai Luoyu spoke again. "Brother Jiang, since you've just bought this new house and are moving in, I don't have anything grand to give you. How about some furniture and a few servants?"
"Then I'll thank Brother Bai in advance!" Jiang Ning expressed his gratitude.
Bai Luoyu smiled. "I'll arrange for someone to coordinate with your brother. By the time you return, you'll have a brand-new residence waiting for you!"
"Thank you, Brother Bai!" Jiang Ning stopped and bowed sincerely.
Before meeting Bai Luoyu, he hadn't expected things to go so smoothly or that Bai Luoyu would offer him such substantial help.
Through Bai Luoyu, he had also witnessed just how useful power and influence could be.
For ordinary people, these matters would have been incredibly difficult, but Bai Luoyu had resolved everything with just a few words.
The house had been purchased at a low price because it was a confiscated property public property, and the authorities had the final say.
And the so-called authorities were represented by Liu Fugu, whom Bai Luoyu had summoned.
With Bai Luoyu's influence, the house was practically given away at a discount.
What satisfied Jiang Ning the most about the house were the artificial waterfalls, babbling streams, and several small lakes scattered throughout the courtyards.
For him, this environment was perfect.
Moreover, outside the residence flowed a man-made river, one zhang wide, channeled from a tributary of the Raging River.
With this river nearby, even if he faced an unbeatable enemy, he would have a way out.
By drawing on the power of the river, he could unleash unimaginable strength.
Thus, the one-zhang-wide artificial river outside the residence was his favorite feature.
Additionally, the house was only about five hundred meters away from Bai Luoyu's residence.
For someone of Bai Luoyu's strength, five hundred meters was nothing a mere burst of speed would cover the distance.
With the dragon carp and the old turtle around, as long as the enemy wasn't completely invincible, they could buy enough time for Bai Luoyu to arrive.
Moreover, according to Bai Luoyu, there would be covert surveillance around his residence, further enhancing security.
Not to mention, there would also be people watching the east city entrance. The moment Yu Manyun appeared, her whereabouts would be exposed.
At this point, Jiang Ning felt completely at ease.
After that, he bid Bai Luoyu a brief farewell and returned home once more.
At the entrance of the residence, Lü Yi stood by the gate, gazing wistfully at Jiang Ning's retreating figure.
"Young master..."
She murmured under her breath.
Only when Jiang Ning's figure had completely disappeared did she close the gate again to prevent her four-and-a-half-year-old little one from wandering off?
Meanwhile.
Jiang Ning soon arrived at the towering city wall of the eastern district.
At this moment, the wall was crowded with pedestrians, as the view from here was broad and uniquely beautiful.
Moreover, the passage atop the wall was exceptionally wide enough for three horse-drawn carriages to travel side by side.
There were even wandering vendors setting up stalls along the wall.
This alone spoke volumes about the bustling foot traffic.
Jiang Ning stood atop the wall and gazed at the distant scenery.
He could clearly see the Raging River flowing from north to south, splitting Dongling City in two, with the terrain gradually sloping downward along the river.
From the edge of the wall, the entire western district was laid out before him, every movement within the city visible at a glance.
Taking in this sight, Jiang Ning gained a deeper understanding of why land prices were higher on the eastern side.
The feeling of looking down from above, naturally superior, was something few could resist.
Then.
With a light leap, he landed on the battlement.
"Young master, the wind is strong here. Be careful not to get blown off," a soft voice called from behind, carrying a distinct Southern accent.
Jiang Ning turned to see a young woman in a pink dress, her demeanor that of a refined lady with an air of scholarly grace.
When their eyes met, the young woman froze for a moment.
"Thank you for the warning!" Jiang Ning smiled.
Then, with another light leap, he soared into the air.
"No!!!" The young woman lunged forward, reaching out with her right hand to grab Jiang Ning as he hung in midair.
But as the wind whipped his robes, fluttering them wildly, her fingertips barely brushed the fabric of his sleeve.
She could only watch as Jiang Ning plummeted straight into the Raging River below.
"No..." the young woman murmured again, her voice trailing off.
The commotion drew the attention of others on the wall.
"Someone jumped into the river to end their life!" someone nearby explained after witnessing the scene.
The crowd immediately understood.
Soon after, they heard a loud "splash" as his body hit the turbulent waters.
"What a shame!" one onlooker remarked, gazing at the raging river with a hint of regret.
"Indeed, such a pity. Why would someone so young give up on life?" another echoed, equally sorrowful.
"Miss!" A maidservant rushed to the side of the young woman in the pink dress.
"Miss, what's wrong?" the maidservant asked anxiously.
"He was so handsome... Why would he choose this?" the young woman lamented, her face clouded with sorrow.
"Miss, there's no need to grieve for a coward. Such a man is nothing more than a pretty face!" The maidservant, though she hadn't seen what happened, followed her mistress's words to offer comfort.
"Xiao Wan, enough," the young woman in pink chided softly. Then she added, "Send someone downstream to retrieve his body and give him a proper burial."
"Yes, Miss!" The maidservant nodded before sighing in admiration. "You truly have a kind heart, Miss!"
In the Raging River.
As he sank to the riverbed, Jiang Ning immediately sensed the complex and fierce undercurrents.
But to him now, no matter how turbulent the currents, they were powerless to shake his footing.
Soon, his gaze turned toward Luoshui County.
Though the Raging River didn't connect directly to Luoshui and couldn't take him all the way there, by following it, he could cut the distance to the county by half.
His deliberate leap into the river was precisely to return to Luoshui County as quickly as possible.
The next moment.
With a thought.
He activated the Great Five Elements Water Escape technique, merging seamlessly into the river's flow.
In an instant.
He reappeared thirty li away, his body drained of energy.
He floated silently in the water, allowing the river to replenish his strength.
After a short while.
Once his energy was fully restored.
He performed the Great Five Elements Water Escape again.
After several cycles.
Once he had recovered, he emerged onto the riverbank.
Scanning his surroundings and the distant landscape, he quickly pinpointed the direction of Luoshui County.
Then, he set off at a steady pace, maintaining about half his top speed.
This speed allowed him to conserve stamina most efficiently.
Just as an ordinary person could only sprint a few hundred meters at full speed but could jog several times that distance before exhaustion, the same principle applied here.
Half an hour later.
As the modest city walls came into view, he let out a soft exhale.
"We're here!"
He now stood outside the gates of Luoshui County.
A journey that would have taken days on foot was completed in just over an hour at his current speed.
"My legs truly are fast!" Jiang Ning mused to himself.
With that, he strode toward the city gates.
Dongling City.
Eastern District.
In the rear courtyard of Bai Luoyu's residence.
Bai Luoyu sat across from a scholarly-looking man, a tea set placed on the stone table between them.
"Glug-glug-glug"
As steaming hot tea was poured, wisps of white vapor curled upward.
"Prefect Zhao, please enjoy the tea," Bai Luoyu gestured politely.
The title "Prefect" unmistakably revealed the man's identity as one of the three prefects of Dongling City.
Either the chief prefect or one of the two deputy prefects.
The surname Zhao is well-known to those in the know it refers to the magistrate of the fifth rank, the head of the prefectural government.
He is also one of the publicly recognized grandmasters in Dongling City.
Zhao Yunlong picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then set it down.
"Investigator Bai, I heard that Jiang Ning from Luoshui County has arrived."
"The magistrate is well-informed!" Bai Luoyu nodded. "Indeed, he has come, and he even purchased a residence in the city."
"Oh? He bought a house?" Zhao Yunlong raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Then he added, "I heard he's a candidate for the position of chief investigator in Dongling Prefecture?"
"That's correct!" Bai Luoyu nodded again.
"How interesting!" Zhao Yunlong chuckled. "Where is his newly purchased residence? I'd like to meet him. For someone so young to rise from a small county to this level it's nothing short of legendary!"
Bai Luoyu shook his head. "Magistrate, you won't be able to see him now."
"Why not?" Zhao Yunlong looked puzzled.
Bai Luoyu replied, "He has just set off back to Luoshui County."
"Back to Luoshui County?" Zhao Yunlong asked. "Did something happen there?"
"The magistrate guessed correctly. Indeed, something related to him has occurred," Bai Luoyu nodded.
He then recounted everything he knew.
A short while later, Zhao Yunlong nodded in understanding.
"So that's what happened. If Yu Manyun did this, she's truly audacious!"
"Absolutely!" Bai Luoyu agreed.
"Well, then," Zhao Yunlong stood up. "If Jiang Ning returns to Dongling City, Investigator Bai, please inform me. I'm very curious about him and would like to meet this exceptional talent in person."
"Of course, Magistrate!" Bai Luoyu also rose to his feet.
Then he asked, "Are you leaving now, Magistrate?"
"Yes, I'll head back first." Zhao Yunlong waved his hand. "No need to see me out!"
With those words, he took a step forward, his movements as swift and elusive as a ghost. In just a few strides, he reached the rear courtyard gate and vanished from Bai Luoyu's sight.
Luoshui County
Canglang Martial Arts School
"Shi...Shixiong!!"
"Senior Brother Jiang!!"
The two disciples guarding the martial arts school were stunned when they saw Jiang Ning appear before them. One of them even rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
After the news spread, they learned that Jiang Ning had left for Dongling City by carriage.
Only a few days had passed since then, and now they were seeing him again right in front of them they could hardly believe it.
Then, they watched as Jiang Ning stepped over the threshold and entered the school's main courtyard.
"That is Senior Brother Jiang! Am I seeing things?"
"You're not I see him too!"
Passing through the deserted front courtyard, Jiang Ning soon arrived at the rear courtyard where Wang Jin resided.
As soon as he stepped through the rear gate, he saw Zhou Xing and Cheng Ran sitting in the pavilion, deep in conversation.
When they heard the sound of Jiang Ning's footsteps, they turned to look.
The next moment, both of their eyes widened in shock.
"Sir!!" Zhou Xing called out.
"Commander!!" Cheng Ran echoed.
"Where is Master Wang?" Jiang Ning asked calmly, unfazed by their stunned expressions.
"Master Wang is inside," Zhou Xing answered first.
Cheng Ran added, "Commander, the prefect, and Commander Ye are also inside."
Hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded slightly.
"Senior brothers, I'll go in first to check on Master Wang."
A moment later, the two exchanged glances.
"Why has the commander suddenly returned?" Zhou Xing wondered.
"No idea," Cheng Ran shook his head. "Based on the timeline, Brother Jiang should still be in Dongling City. How did he suddenly appear at the martial arts school?"
Both were deeply puzzled.
Inside the Room
"Prefect!"
"Brother Ye!"
Jiang Ning greeted the two men in the room.
There was also another person present one who carried a strong scent of medicine. Jiang Ning recognized him as one of Luoshui County's most renowned physicians.
At this moment, Hong Minghu and Ye Qiu looked at Jiang Ning in surprise.
"Commander Jiang, why have you returned so suddenly?" Hong Minghu asked, astonished.
He was the one who had notified Dongling City, asking the investigation bureau there to relay the news of recent events to Jiang Ning.
Thus, he had a rough idea of when Jiang Ning would have received the message.
"Brother Jiang!" Ye Qiu also greeted him.
Then, his gaze shifted to Wang Jin, who lay on the bed, his entire body tightly wrapped in bandages.
-support me on Patreon for more chapters, 410+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LordoftheReader