At the street corner, a sedan appeared, followed by a group of spear-wielding guards marching aggressively.
The crowd showed fear, retreating to the sides of the road.
“Protect the master!”
Da Liu quickly led the veterans to shield Jin Feng’s sides.
Amei quietly moved to Qing Mulanzhou’s horse.
“Second Uncle, save me!”
The tigress, head drooping as if defeated, sprang to life at the sight of the sedan, twisting and screaming.
The sedan opened, and a man in his fifties or sixties stepped out.
“Second Uncle, you must get justice for me!”
The tigress wailed, her cries heart-wrenching.
“Shuang’er, don’t worry, I’ll tear them to pieces!”
Seeing his niece hung on the tree, her skirt torn by whips, the governor’s eyes reddened, “Guards, free Shuang’er now!”
Several guards rushed toward the tigress.
But Jin Feng stepped forward, blocking her.
Da Liu and the veterans followed, staring coldly at the guards.
The veterans, battle-hardened and fresh from crushing bandits, exuded a presence far beyond the county guards, who were used to strutting in the city.
The guards froze, glancing back at the governor.
“Brat, I planned to deal with you slowly after saving Shuang’er, but since you’re eager to die, I’ll oblige!”
The governor glared at Jin Feng, shouting, “Captain Xiao, seize these rebellious traitors!”
“Rebellious traitors? What a vicious scheme!”
Jin Feng’s eyes narrowed.
In feudal times, rebellion was the gravest crime, warranting clan extermination!
The governor’s accusation wasn’t just about killing, it was about wiping out Jin Feng’s entire lineage!
“Yes!”
A young armoured officer waved, rallying the guards.
“Form up!”
At Da Liu’s command, the veterans formed a battle formation.
Four held long swords in front, the rest aimed crossbows from behind.
“They have crossbows!”
Seeing the crossbows, the governor’s face paled, and he instinctively hid behind a servant, losing a shoe.
The front guards, even more shaken, ducked into the crowd, clutching their heads.
It wasn’t the governor’s cowardice, but Dakang’s chaotic society, where desperate people often took drastic actions, targeting officials before death.
Two years ago, a neighbouring county governor’s son abducted a girl, and her four brothers killed the governor’s family in the street during a banquet.
Officials became paranoid, and crossbows terrified the governor.
“Captain Xiao, what are you waiting for? Act!”
Regaining composure, the governor, embarrassed, shouted, “Kill any who resist!”
“Yes!”
Captain Xiao, uneasy but under orders, urged the guards forward.
“Killing without cause, what authority you wield, Governor!”
Jin Feng shouted coldly, “If you’re so bold, don’t hide, step out and talk!”
“A rebellious thief like you isn’t fit to speak to me!”
Knowing crossbows were aimed, the governor stayed back.
“Not fit to speak?”
Jin Feng sneered, pulling a token from his chest and waving it, “Governor, look again, am I qualified now?”
The governor squinted, peering through the servants’ arms.
Seeing the token’s text and design, his pupils shrank to pinpoints.
As governor, he instantly understood its meaning.
“I’m done, how is Jin Feng a noble?”
His mind raced.
He knew Jin Feng’s identity before arriving but dismissed it.
Jin Feng’s poems, hailed as masterpieces by the masses, weren’t favoured by those in power.
So, he thought, no matter Jin Feng’s talent, he’d never rise high.
Killing a commoner was easy for a governor, any excuse would do.
But he never imagined Jin Feng was a noble!
By Dakang law, local officials couldn’t arrest or judge nobles.
If Jin Feng was in the wrong, he could report to the court.
But he knew his niece’s nature and had learned the incident’s details, she was at fault.
If Jin Feng pursued this, he was powerless.
Knowing Jin Feng wasn’t a desperate outlaw eased his fear of being shot.
He put on his shoe, stepping out from behind the servants.
“Now am I qualified to speak?”
Jin Feng asked coldly.
“Sir, this is a misunderstanding.”
With his beloved niece in Jin Feng’s hands, the governor forced a smile.
“Misunderstanding? Rebellion is a misunderstanding?”
Jin Feng’s gaze sharpened.
“Truly a misunderstanding, you don’t know, recently bandits raided Qin Family Village outside the city, killing over ten innocents.”
The governor said, “Locals said the bandits rode horses, seeing you all armed and mounted, I mistook you for them.”
As a regional power, the governor knew Jin Feng, a mere baron with no real authority, couldn’t touch him.
Jin Feng understood, not bothering to argue, waving his hand, “Since the governor says it’s a misunderstanding, please leave.”
“Thank you, Mr Jin, I admire talented scholars, your poems are excellent, visit my residence someday, we can discuss them.”
The governor, not wanting escalation, saluted, moving to free the tigress himself.
But after two steps, Jin Feng blocked him again.
“Mr Jin, what’s this?”
The governor’s face darkened, his tone displeased.
“Governor, I said you can leave, not her!”
Letting her go so easily after waiting this long? What about the whip he took?
“Mr Jin, Shuang’er didn’t know your status, she offended you, that’s her fault, but you’ve punished her, what more do you want?”
The governor frowned, feeling he’d given Jin Feng enough face, yet Jin Feng was pushing it.
