Li Ye took Li Chongde back to the Chang’an Office, but after fifteen minutes, he let Li Chongde go.

Li Ye didn’t care who was right and who was wrong in the dispute between Li Chongde and Li Yao in the Xiangling Pavilion. It was just an excuse to take Li Chongde back to the Chang’an Office for questioning.

Although Li Chongde came from an ordinary family and was only an unimportant Leader of a hundred people, Li Ye was still very polite and close to him in his speech and manner. When Li Chongde left, Li Ye saw him off in person.

Although Li Chongde himself was not very important, Li Ye could meet more generals of the Regal Guards through him. Li Chongde was a key person for Li Ye to infiltrate the Regal Guards.

It was already late. After settling the dispute between Li Chongde and Li Yao, Li Ye intended to return home. As for how to handle Li Yao, Li Ye didn’t care about it and left this matter to his subordinates.

Nowadays, Li Ye didn’t need to face Li Yao directly. To Li Ye, Li Yao was just an ant.

However, as Li Ye planned to leave, trouble came unexpectedly.

Wang Li rushed to report. “Vice Magistrate Zhang came to the prison and wanted to take Li Yao. His attitude was very brutal. He said that we had caught the wrong person and said he wanted to talk to you!”

Vice Magistrate Zhang was the other magistrate in the Chang’an Office. His name was Zhang Xingjian. He was the younger brother of Xu Shaomu’s wife and was thirty years old. In those days, he went to work in the Chang’an Office as a Same Imperial Scholar. As for qualifications, his was one level lower than Wang Li’s, a real Imperial Scholar. However, in six years, he had become a Four-class official from an unimportant official.

Of course, one of the reasons had been that he was Xu Shaomu’s close relative. It could be said that nepotism was popular in today’s imperial officialdom.

“Let’s go see him.” Li Ye frowned slightly.

When Li Ye and Wang Li arrived at the door of the prison, Zhang Xingjian walked out with Li Yao and was accompanied by a large group of officials and police.

Li Yao still looked like a dead man. But, when he saw Li Ye, he immediately stared at Li Ye fiercely with hatred, hoping for his chance to eat Li Ye.

Zhang Xingjian was in his prime, but he had grown fat. His waist was big and his belly was round, and his face was greasy. He looked down at everyone as if he was afraid that the others didn’t know he was a high-ranking person. Li Ye only had to look at him once to know that Zhang Xingjian was a sophisticate in the officialdom.

“Vice Magistrate Zhang, you want to take my people away?” Li Ye stood in the courtyard, asking him with a bad tone.

The dispute between Li Yao and Li Chongde was the first matter Li Ye handled after taking office. It was self-evident how important it was to Li Ye. Li Ye had not yet reached a final conclusion on this matter. But, Zhang Xingjian said that Li Ye had caught the wrong person and freed Li Yao without negotiating with Li Ye. It could be said that Li Ye was despised to the extreme and Zhang Xingjian did not take into account the friendship of colleagues. It was also obvious that Zhang Xingjian’s behavior would influence Li Ye’s prestige. If Zhang Xingjian took away Li Yao successfully today, Li Ye wouldn’t need to work in the Chang’an Office anymore because nobody would take him seriously.

Zhang Xingjian, with his big belly, looked at Li Ye, chin raised. “Vice Magistrate Li, I have already investigated the matter that happened in the Xiangling Pavilion. It is Li Chongde who made trouble. Childe Yao is not just the wrong person, but the victim. He should be allowed to go home.”

Li Ye’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Oh?”

Zhang Xingjian snorted with great righteousness. “Vice Magistrate Li, the truth of this matter is obvious. However, you didn’t ask for the truth, you allowed subordinates to beat Childe Yao, and arrest him. As for the culprit, Li Chongde, you didn’t punish him and let him go. You confused black and white. How do outsiders view the Chang’an Office? How does the Chang’an Office maintain order in Chang’an and convince the people of justice in the future?”

Speaking of this, Zhang Xingjian smiled slightly. “Vice Magistrate Li, you’re young, and this is your first time to take office. You have no experience. So it’s understandable that you didn’t think carefully and acted wrongly. But, you have to remember clearly that in the future, you need to consult colleagues more in dealing with affairs. You can’t act recklessly any more and damage the prestige of the Chang’an Office.”

“Let’s go! Send Childe Yao back to his home!” While saying that, Zhang Xingjian waved his hand to beckon the people behind him to go before Li Ye could say anything.

Through Zhang Xingjian’s attitude, he had made it clear to Li Ye that he was intentionally targeting him.

Zhang Xingjian was Xu Shaomu’s subordinate, so this was Xu Shaomu’s instructions behind his back.

And, it was very likely that this had been inspired by Wei Baoheng.

The only purpose was to suppress Li Ye so that he would shrink back from difficulties and be idle in the future of the Chang’an Office.

So, presently, Zhang Xingjian taking away Li Yao, with a large number of officials, was just to show Li Ye who was really in charge of the Chang’an Office.

Li Ye stood in the courtyard and blocked the exit. He did not move even half a step. “You want to take away Li Yao, without my consent?”

Zhang Xingjian had taken two steps, and his look turned gloomy as he heard Li Ye’s words. “What do you mean?”

Li Ye said, “My meaning is very clear.”

Zhang Xingjian sneered. “The meaning of my presence is also very clear! Childe Yao is not guilty and should not be detained!”

Li Ye said, “You can’t say anything about it.”

Zhang Xingjian laughed and looked Li Ye up and down. His eyes were full of contempt. He looked at Li Ye as if he was looking at a hot-headed teenager. “Vice Magistrate, it’s your first day in office and it’s your first day of being an official. I’m afraid that you’re so complacent that you don’t know who you are.” To tell you the truth, in the Chang’an Office, there’s nothing that I can’t decide. If you understand that, you’d better retreat obediently. If you insist on stopping me, I can tell you that you will find it difficult in the Chang’an Office. That I didn’t blame you for allowing your subordinates to harm Childe Yao was to give you face. You’d better know what’s good for you!”

With that, he waved again and was about to pass by Li Ye with the group of people behind him.

Wang Li stood behind Li Ye in a worried mood. He served in the Chang’an Office for many years. He knew the real situation of the Chang’an Office very well. Zhang Xingjian represented Xu Shaomu, which was the consensus of the whole Chang’an Office. No one had dared to go against Zhang Xingjian for many years.

Therefore, Wang Li was more aware of Xu Shaomu’s dislike of Li Ye and that he would not have a good life in the future. If he submitted to the humiliation today, he would be able to be an idle vice magistrate in the future. If he confronted Zhang Xingjian, he might find it hard to work in the Chang’an Office.

Wang Li sighed internally, thinking that Li Ye was about to retreat. After getting along with him all day and seeing how he got along with others, Wang Li knew that Li Ye was not a hot-headed young man. But, if he was rational, Li Ye would not go against Zhang Xingjian.

Li Ye obliquely looked at Zhang Xingjian and said, clearly and calmly, “If you go one step further, I’ll let you know what regret is.”

“You would dare to attack me? That’s really bold of you! Teach me regret? You deserve that lesson?!” Zhang Xingjian was very angry. He was a domineering man and used to being peremptory in the Chang’an Office. He wouldn’t tolerate Li Ye’s provocation. He immediately stepped forward and punched Li Ye with his palm striking first. “Get away!”

Li Ye sneered in his mind. People in officialdom never show their weakness to others. If there were conflicts, they would suppress people with their power. Very few of them would not leave any room to manoeuver.

Zhang Xingjian had dared to do so. It was obvious that he didn’t take Li Ye seriously.

Zhang Xingjian pushed forward his palm. The strong wind blew greatly and the branches and leaves of the acacia tree in the courtyard were knocked around noisily. The police of low cultivation behind him were unable to stand steady and were forced to retreat. The Spiritual Qi in front of his hand condensed into a huge palm that came at Li Ye directly!

Although Zhang Xingjian acted domineeringly and looked down upon everybody, it had to be said that his strength was also overbearing. His strength of Qi-refining Level 4 showed at this moment. He was also better than the common practitioners of the same realm. The common cultivators of Qi-refining Level 4 would be seriously injured under this palm if they didn’t retreat.

That was what Zhang Xingjian wanted and he sneered.

The palm of his did not fall fast, in order to give Li Ye the opportunity to respond and withdraw.

This way, Li Ye wouldn’t be injured, and Zhang Xingjian’s failing would not fall into the hands of others.

On the other hand, Li Ye would fail if he retreated. Then he would have no face to investigate today’s affair.

Zhang Xingjian was very confident in his own strength. He firmly believed that Li Ye would retreat. Under the palm of his all-out efforts, few cultivators of the same realm would dare to confront him.

Wang Li’s face also changed greatly and he felt terrible. He hadn’t expected that Zhang Xingjian would attack without mercy at all! At this moment, he only hoped that Li Ye would retreat at once!

When Zhang Xingjian’s palm fell, Li Ye disappeared in place.

Wang Li breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that it was fortunate that Li Ye was not hit, otherwise, he would have been seriously injured. But, at the same time, he felt disappointed. Because Li Ye’s prestige would be destroyed and disappear once he was humiliated by Zhang Xingjian. In the future, Li Ye’s situation in the Chang’an Office would be difficult. Which meant, Wang Li, who was Li Ye’s subordinate, would not get any benefits. He no longer had any hope for Li Ye.

The huge palm made up of Spiritual Qi fell, slate cracking and dust flying. Many people cried out and shouted. Zhang Xingjian was very satisfied with this scene. He knew that Li Ye would retreat. His attack caused other people to cry out, which showed the recognition of others. In this world, strength was supreme. Through today’s matter, his prestige in the Chang’an Office had been elevated.

Zhang Xingjian looked at Li Ye.

His look became serious suddenly.

He didn’t see Li Ye!

Where was Li Ye?

Did he run away directly? It was better to leave early than to be humiliated here.

As Zhang Xingjian had this thought, his eyes suddenly widened.

Because he saw that a figure had come to him.

Zhang Xingjian had no time to react or think before he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his lower abdomen.

It was the pain of being punched by a fist!

Then, Zhang Xingjian felt his body became light, as he flew through the air!

He was able to see clearly that Li Ye was standing back in his original position, appearing harmless!

How was that possible?

How could he be so fast!

He launched a counter-attack at me while avoiding my attack?!

How dare he attack me?!

“Bang!” Zhang Xingjian felt it as he hit something on his back and then he was stuck!

He looked left and right and immediately understood. He was hanging on the eaves!

He looked at Li Ye angrily, and saw Li Ye as he said three words contemptuously, “You’re a fool.”

Zhang Xingjian finally realized that the cries from the people just now weren’t due to the huge power of his palm.

They cried out when they realized that Li Ye had arrived at him using an incredible speed and hit him with a punch!