Finally Entering Bianjing

Bianjing was far more prosperous than places like Dingyuan and Shouzhou.

Upon the Bian River, countless large ships sailed in and out, while small boats from the Transport Office darted back and forth near the docks like white fish glinting upon the water.

The docks were bustling with life.

“Heave-ho—heave-ho—heave-ho...”

“Put your muscle into it—heave-ho—”

“Ropes upon our shoulders—heave-ho—”

The trackers shouted boat chants at the top of their lungs, their bare upper bodies glistening with sweat, their shoulders covered in thick layers of calluses built up year after year.

Porters carrying heavy sacks darted onto the ships, shouting out warnings to passing merchants and travelers:

“Make way! Make way!”

“Out of the way! Out of the way!”

There were also folks receiving or bidding farewell to friends and family, standing on the docks reluctantly saying goodbye, their faces etched with complex, melancholy emotions.

Young women carrying shoulder poles to hawk perilla water, burly men squatting at the base of walls chewing baked cakes while waiting in line for work, wealthy officials' family members disembarking into sedans, and crew members carrying cargo back and forth in strenuous labor—together, they formed a vivid, bustling panoramic image of the Bian River docks.

Within Bianjing lay four great canals—Huimin, Jinshui, Wuzhang, and the Bianshui Canal—but only the Bianshui Canal spanned the entire city. Feeding from the Yellow River above and connecting to the rivers and lakes below, all incoming ships from outside Bianjing entered through this route.

Thus, though dawn had barely broken, countless vessels were already waiting on the water to enter the city.

Ships of all sizes queued into two long lines, bobbing up and down upon the water. From afar, they resembled a colossal dragon of vessels coiling formidable across the azure waves.

This was the entrance to Bianjing. Once entering the Bian River, one had to travel forward for a short while longer to truly step inside the city of Bianjing.

...

A petty official responsible for ship registration trotted over with his back hunched, repeatedly wiping the sweat from his face before coming up to his superior and whispering a few quick words:

“...From Shouzhou... major case... Demon Suppression Division... human traffickers...”

The superior official was currently registering incoming and outgoing vessels. Hearing this, his complexion immediately changed, and he confirmed repeatedly:

“Is that true? Have you verified it clearly?”

“In a matter of this magnitude, your subordinate naturally verified everything thoroughly.” The petty official caught his breath and nodded: “The ship owner had a hand row a small boat ahead to report this. Fearing the news might be mistaken, I personally sent someone aboard to check. There are twenty abducted civilians in total—six young men, seven women, and seven young children—all currently on the ship. As for that demon suppressor's token, I examined it closely as well. It is indeed an arrest token without a doubt.”

“This involves over twenty civilians; it truly is a massive case!” The Transport Office official slapped his thigh in anxiety and exclaimed:

“Quickly send someone to inform Kaifeng Prefecture and tell them to dispatch men here at once! Have our men secure this ship. Until the people from Kaifeng Prefecture arrive, not a single person on board is allowed to leave! Forget people—if even a bird flies out, I will hold you responsible!”

As the petty official was about to leave, he suddenly hesitated and reminded: “Sir, should we also notify the people from the Demon Suppression Division?”

The bad blood between the Demon Suppression Division and Kaifeng Prefecture was something every official in Bianjing, high and low, knew full well.

Bao Zheng, Prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture, oversaw all administrative and judicial matters in the metropolitan jurisdiction. All legal cases within the capital were handled by Kaifeng Prefecture, and His Majesty had even specially granted Bao Zheng the authority to decde minor cases independently and petition the throne for major ones.

—Which meant that, in theory, even cases occurring within the Imperial Palace fell under Kaifeng Prefecture's jurisdiction.

However, over the years, strange occurrences had frequently plagued the capital. From the former 'Hat Demon incident' to the royal secret of the 'Civet Cat for Crown Prince mystery,' the Demon Suppression Division had long operated in the capital by imperial decree to handle demonic and supernatural matters.

Over time, as their duties were similar and their jurisdictions heavily overlapped, friction and conflicts were inevitable.

On occasion, ridiculous scenes would even unfold where a single criminal sparked a fierce race between the two Yamen to make the arrest.

In particular, Second-class Arrest Officer Lady Xu Zi of the Demon Suppression Division and Fourth-rank Imperial Guard Lord Zhan Zhao of Kaifeng Prefecture fought like bitter rivals whenever they met, neither willing to yield an inch to the other.

As time went on, the subordinate officials of both departments developed a covert rivalry. They got along like fire and water, and whenever they ran into each other, they practically yearned to fight it out properly.

Prompted by his subordinate's reminder, cold sweat broke out all over the Transport Office official:

Good heavens, he had almost forgotten about that!

Although human trafficking cases fell under the jurisdiction of Kaifeng Prefecture, the culprit was an evil Taoist, and the person who made the arrest belonged to the Demon Suppression Division.

If he only summoned Kaifeng Prefecture, there would surely be a messy dispute later on.

Yet he couldn't afford to offend either side!

“Here's what we'll do: first go to Kaifeng Prefecture to report, and then head over to inform the Demon Suppression Division.”

The official hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his face, then said solemnly: “No, no, it's safer to notify both sides at the same time. You, come here!”

The Transport Office official randomly pointed to another petty official, ordering the two to send reports separately. He then instructed his subordinates to safeguard the ship as it moored, waiting until representatives from both sides arrived.

Even after doing all this, he still felt uneasy. Thus, he adjusted his official cap and led his men onto a small boat, rowing out toward the cargo ship.

Before anyone arrived, he had to make sure he kept a close eye on this hot potato aboard the ship!

...

Kaifeng Prefecture.

The prefecture building stood near East Lake. Within it lay the Main Hall, the Deliberation Hall, and Plum Blossom Hall, complemented by Tianqing Monastery, Mingli Hall, Qingxin Tower, and Yingwu Tower, forming a majestic and imposing sight.

Before the vermilion gates stood a massive bronze gong and drum. The drum rested upon a base of sandalwood, finished with gold leaf trim and lacquer, with a large black mallet standing at its side.

This was the Drum of Grievances of Kaifeng Prefecture.

In front of the entrance, two stone lions sat on either side—one female, one male. Majestic and formidable, their stone eyes shone with radiant aura and murderously intense energy, deterring any wandering spirits from daring to approach.

“Hei! Ha! Hei-ha!”

“Hei! Ha!”

“Hei! Ha!”

In front of Yingwu Tower, more than a dozen bare-chested martial artists were practicing. Every punch and palm strike, every move and stance was performed with tiger-like vigor, stirring up gusts of strong wind.

Among them stood a tall, broad-shouldered man measuring six feet in height, dressed in crimson official robes. Whether walking, standing, or sitting, his movements resembled the agile prowl of a tiger or leopard, marking him clearly as a master of martial arts.

Someone hurried in from outside, cupping their hands in greeting to the man:

“Lord Zhan! Someone at the Bian River docks reported a case! They say someone captured the perpetrator behind the trafficking cases in the Shouzhou region! The abducted people are all on the ship entering the capital and are currently safe. The Transport Office wants us to head over and take over now!”

“Lord Bao has just entered the palace and likely hasn't received the news yet.” The man addressed as "Lord Zhan" reached out to grasp his saber and said in a deep voice: “Emergency dictates flexibility. Everyone, gather yourselves quickly and follow me there.”

He possessed a high-bridged nose, deep eyes, and eyebrows slanting up to his temples—unquestionably strikingly handsome, with eyes brimming with righteous integrity, like a wild leopard full of untamed grace.

—This man was none other than the current fourth-rank imperial guard, official itinerant of Kaifeng Prefecture, the Southern Hero Zhan Zhao himself.