A Clash of Gods - Chapter 174
Chapter 174 Big Dipper
Seventh Martial Brother also sneered. “That’s right. Since this guy is so arrogant, we need to let him suffer a bit,” He said in a low voice, “Let’s beat him for thirty lashes first.”
Yang Ning remained calm. “Who dares?” As his voice was extremely calm, his gaze was sharp, making him look incomparably dignified.
The middle-aged soldier asked Yang Ning cautiously, “You say you’re from the capital. Where do you live?”
“The Pipa Street!”
The middle-aged soldier was a little shocked. Ximen Zhanying frowned and asked, “You live in the Pipa Street?”
“I can’t remember my home wrong,” Yang Ning said calmly, “I can give you more details to search. Maybe you can find a few dried corpses in my house.”
Chen Qi frowned, “Aren’t all the official residences on the Pipa Street?”
“So you also know,” Yang Ning said.
Seventh Martial Brother was a little shocked and said coldly. “It’s impossible for you to live in the Pipa Street.”
Yang Ning ignored him and looked outside the door. “It’s almost daybreak. My family should be looking for me soon.”
At this moment, as the crowd heard footsteps, a man dressed in a blue brocade walked in from outside. He was short and fat with small eyes. However, he looked very friendly with a smile.
Seeing the person, Seventh Martial Brother and Ximen Zhanying stood up to cup their hands together and said, “Second Martial Brother.”
Yang Ning thought that this fatty was Second Martial Brother. Judging from the ranking, his status should be high here.
Fatty glanced at Yang Ning and the others and asked, “Seventh Martial Brother, what’s going on?”
Seventh Martial Brother glanced at Yang Ning, then walked to Fatty to whisper something. Fatty frowned, but soon a smile appeared on his face. He walked straight to sit across from Yang Ning, smiling, “I am Qu Xiaocang, the Tanlang Captain of the Big Dipper of the Mansion of the Divine Marquis. Your name is Qi Ning?”
Yang Ning thought, “What is the Big Dipper of the Mansion of the Divine Marquis?” However, he still nodded slightly.
“You already know that there are people in the capital who kill people and suck blood at midnight.” The fatty’s tone was kind. “Qi Ning, can you raise your hands to show us?”
Yang Ning didn’t know his intention. After a moment of hesitation, Yang Ning opened his palm in front of Qu Xiaocang.
Although his eyes were small, Qu Xiaocang quickly swept across and said with a smile, “Actually, there are few people here, who work very hard to handle many cases. The news of this recent blood-sucking incident has always been strictly sealed. To find the murderer, we work day and night.”
Yang Ning smiled, “Now you’ve found it.”
“To ensure the safety of the common people, we will not let go of anyone who is suspected, which is the principle of the Mansion of the Divine Marquis. “Fatty smiled and said gently.” However, a suspect is not a real criminal. The Mansion of the Divine Marquis won’t let go of any criminal, nor frame a good person.”
Yang Ning thumbed up and nodded, “This is a smart guy.”
Qu Xiaocang glanced at the file on the table and asked, “You said you were there because you happened to pass by?”
“Yes!”
Qu Xiaocang nodded and wrote a few words on the file. Then he said with a smile, “Alright, the interrogation ends here. You can leave first.”
Yang Ning was still and asked with a smile, “Are you done?”
Qu Xiaocang said, “Yep.”
Seventh Martial Brother was a little anxious and hurriedly shout, “Second Martial Brother, he…”
Qu Xiaocang suddenly turned around and changed his gentle tone, said sternly, “Yan Lingxian, don’t you know that you are making a mistake?”
Seventh Martial Brother said doubtfully, “Second Martial Brother, I…”
Qu Xiaocang stood up, glanced at Ximen Zhanying and then said coldly, “You dare to do it without permission?”
“Second Martial Brother, I…”
Qu Xiaocang interrupted, “Shut up. Except for you two, the Marquis has ordered the Marquis’s people to pursue the murderer. Yan Lingxian, since the last time you made a mistake, the Divine Marquis punished you not to go out for three months. How dare you leave without permission? And you, Zhanying, are you allowed to act by Marquis?”
Feeling dissatisfied, Ximen Zhanying was about to speak when Qu Xiaocang said in a low voice, “What else do you want to say? You still haven’t formally become an soldier of the Mansion of the Divine Marquis, how dare you act in the name of the Mansion of the Divine Marquis?” He pointed at Seventh Martial Brother Yan Lingxian, “And you, knowing the law and breaking the law, your sins are unforgivable. Hurry up to accept your punishment.”
Yan Lingxian and Ximen Zhanying looked a little confused.
“Aren’t you leaving?” Qu Xiaocang shouted coldly.
Yan Lingxian helplessly turned to leave. However, he heard Yang Ning said, “Don’t be in a hurry to leave.”
Yan Lingxian stopped, said angrily, “What did you say?”
“I said, don’t leave.” Yang Ning stood up and glanced at them with a smile, “Your name is Yan Lingxian? They called you Seventh Martial Brother. Are you also one of the Big Dipper Seven Stars of the Mansion of the Divine Marquis?”
“So what?” Yan Lingxian said unhappily, “You are not qualified to speak here.”
“How dare you,” Qu Xiaocang shouted, “Leave.”
“Captain Qu, don’t rush him to leave.” Yang Ning smiled faintly and said, “Since there are still some misunderstandings, won’t it be even bigger if we let him leave now?”
Qu Xiaocang turned around and said with a smile, “There’s no misunderstanding. Since the case has already been completed, you can go back first. We will seriously punish Yan Lingxian, who has violated the rules of the Mansion of the Divine Marquis.”
“You mean that these two brought me back is not the intention of the Mansion of the Divine Marquis?” Yang Ning asked.
Qu Xiaocang nodded. “Little Junior Sister has not formally become one of our members. As Yan Lingxian is in a period of confinement, The Mansion of the Divine Marquis won’t give missions to him. His actions only represent him,” After a pause, he said with a smile, “Of course, since they, as the soldiers of the Mansion of the Divine Marquis, have violated orders, we will punish them severely.”
Yan Lingxian felt that Qu Xiaocang’s reaction was extremely strange.
Among the seven generals, the most amiable one was Qu Xiaocang, the second-ranked captain. As he was usually very kind to everyone, he was well-liked by everyone in the mansion.
Normally, he rarely got angry, but he was in a bad mood now. And Yan Lingxian was surprised that Qu Xiaocang was so respectful towards Qi Ning.
Although Qu Xiaocang had always been kind to others, he, as a captain of the Mansion of the Divine Marquis, had always treated criminals coldly. Since he was extremely protective of his fellow disciples, but also extremely cold towards criminals, it made the people of the Mansion of the Divine Marquis both like but revere him.
Today, Qu Xiaocang was very polite to this criminal, completely different from the previous him. Moreover, he even reprimanded his fellow disciples in front of the criminal and even patiently explained to the criminal. If he had not seen it in person, Yan Lingxian would never believe it.
Although he was young and inexperienced in the Mansion of the Divine Marquis, Qu Xiaocang’s unusual behavior made him instantly think of something.
Yang Ning sighed, “In the case, though the two of them did something wrong outside, and even wronged someone, it has nothing to do with the Mansion of the Divine Marquis.”
Qu Xiaocang nodded. “Logically, that’s true.”
Yang Ning pulled a chair over to sit down, leaning back on the chair. He placed his hands across his chest and said, “If they hurt others and others retaliated against them, would the Mansion of the Divine Marquis not care?
“If they do something wrong, the Mansion of the Divine Marquis will punish them severely. If someone wants to take revenge on them, the Marquis’s Mansion will protect them.” Qu Xiaocang laughed, “Since we are a family, we can’t let our fellow disciples suffer.”
Yang Ning clapped his hands and laughed, “Brilliant, this is the style of the Mansion of the Divine Marquis.”
Seeing Yang Ning so impudent, Chen Qi shouted, “How dare you act so impudently in front of Second Martial Brother.” He suddenly felt Qu Xiaocang sharply staring at him. Then, he dared to say nothing and lowered his head.
At this moment, a person rushing in from outside. He arrived in front of Qu Xiaocang and said, “Second Martial Brother, someone is asking for a meeting.”
Qu Xiaocang looked outside, finding that it was already dawn, and asked, “Who is it?”
The man said, “They say they’re from the Mansion of the Marquis of Honor.”
The moment he said that Ximen Zhanying and Yan Lingxian was a little shocked. Ximen Zhanying quivered as she immediately looked at Yang Ning.
Qu Xiaocang tidied up his clothes and immediately said, “People from the Mansion of the Marquis of Honor are our friends. We also admire the old marquis and the great general Qi. Since the people from the Mansion of the Marquis of Honorcame, quickly invite them in.” He was solemn as if he truly admired the Mansion of the Marquis of Honor.
Yang Ning smiled slightly. He naturally knew that Qu Xiaocang’s words and actions were only for him to see.
