Chapter 155: Hu Wanhai, Suspected Martial Ancestor

After mutual salutations, Lu Yunchuan cautiously asked Lu Sheng, "Since Your Highness has arrived here in disguise, are there any particular arrangements?"

"Should I notify the others so they can pay their respects to Your Highness together?"

"The others?" Lu Sheng shook his head and asked directly, "Aside from you and Lu Ping, where are the county vice-magistrate and the county military defender among the officials of Jinling County?"

"Why is it that you are running things here instead of the vice-magistrate or the military defender?"

During the journey with Tian Manyin over the past few days, Lu Sheng had learned that the chief officials in this world typically did not manage matters directly; rather, they delegated tasks and left the execution to their subordinate officials.

Take the county magistrate, for instance: matters of civil administration were mostly handled by the county vice-magistrate and the records clerk, while military and security affairs were managed by the county military defender.

As the county magistrate and a formidable Great Martial Master, Lu Yunchuan personally leading the records clerk to renovate the Mausoleum of the Prince of Jin was far from standard practice.

"Your Highness has a keen eye!" Lu Yunchuan offered a wry smile and replied, "Jinling County is the site of the Prince of Jin's mausoleum. The official posts here have always been held concurrently by mausoleum officials appointed by the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs."

"I originally hail from this commandery, and out of a desire to return to my homeland, I requested this appointment as county magistrate."

"The vice-magistrate, Lu Yuntong, is a clansman of the Prince of Fanyang. He is already fifty-seven years old this year and is entirely consumed by the desire to break through to the realm of a Great Martial Master, completely ignoring all other affairs."

"As for the military defender, Lu Yungeng, he is usually quite enthusiastic. However, he is a clansman of the Prince of Gaoyang, and a few days ago, a letter arrived from Gaoyang stating that a clan member had passed away. Using mourning leave as an excuse, he returned to his hometown."

"To this day, Lu Yungeng has yet to return!"

"Mourning leave? A clansman?" Hearing this reasoning, Lu Sheng fell into thoughtful contemplation. It was quite obvious that Lu Yungeng—or rather, the Prince of Gaoyang standing behind him—held little sense of allegiance toward him.

Yet, Lu Sheng chose to set these matters aside for the moment. Turning his gaze back to Lu Yunchuan, he asked, "How many officials are there in total in Jinling County?"

Lu Yunchuan replied, "Those holding substantive posts with official ranks, aside from the magistrate, vice-magistrate, and military defender, consist solely of subordinate officials such as the records clerk, the merit officer, the legal clerk, and the roaming patrol officer."

"Altogether, there are sixteen such individuals."

With that, he retrieved a roster from his spatial storage artifact and presented it for Lu Sheng to inspect.

"I see. Sixteen individuals, all of whom are at least at the Martial Warrior realm, and the majority of them belong to the Lu clan," Lu Sheng observed after glancing through the roster.

However, within this roster, he did not spot anyone who had contributed merit or karma to him, nor anyone with whom he was already familiar.

Having scanned it once, Lu Sheng handed the roster over to Tian Manyin and asked Lu Yunchuan, "Are there any other rosters? Bring them all here for me to see!"

"Other rosters?" Lu Yunchuan was slightly taken aback. "If Your Highness wishes to inspect the official documents of this county, you can simply go to the county office."

"The only things I carry with me are some of the essential legal codes and administrative records of the county."

So saying, he took out all the official documents and records he carried within his spatial storage artifact and presented them to Lu Sheng.

***

"Rosters of Martial Masters and Great Martial Masters!"

Looking over a document that Lu Yunchuan had compiled privately, Lu Sheng opened it and spotted several familiar names. Pointing at them, he asked, "Lu Yingwei, Liu Xionglze, Zuo Boqian, Gao Zhiwei, and this Hu Wanhai—what kind of people are they?"

These five individuals were the very people who had contributed merit or karma to him after he was enfeoffed as the Prince of Jinyang. Consequently, Lu Sheng held a deeper concern regarding them.

Upon hearing the names Lu Yingwei, Liu Xionglze, Zuo Boqian, and Gao Zhiwei, Lu Yunchuan's expression shifted slightly as he said, "Your Highness, are you already aware of the matters concerning these individuals?"

"I will instruct these four right away to make them keep a low profile!"

*It seems these are merely local disputes,* Lu Sheng thought to himself, before saying aloud, "The issues concerning these four are not of any great consequence. However, this Hu Wanhai—tell me about him in detail!"

Although Lu Yingwei, Liu Xionglze, Zuo Boqian, and Gao Zhiwei had each contributed merit or karma to Lu Sheng to varying degrees, the total amount from all four of them combined did not match the sheer volume of karma contributed by Hu Wanhai alone.

Therefore, the moment Lu Sheng laid eyes on that name, his vigilance was instantly aroused.

Realizing that Lu Sheng had no intention of pursuing the matter of the other four, Lu Yunchuan relaxed his worries and answered, "Hu Wanhai is not a local. He is an instructor invited by Jiang Guangping of Yuling Township, and he arrived here three years ago."

Pausing for a moment, he asked, "Your Highness, does this person perhaps have some extraordinary background?"

Naturally, Lu Sheng knew nothing of Hu Wanhai's origins or background. However, from the streams of karma he had continuously received over these past few days, he could distinctly sense that this person harbored malicious intent toward him.

Without offering an explanation to Lu Yunchuan, Lu Sheng ordered, "Gather information on him and investigate his origins."

At the same time, mindful of the vast quantity of karma Hu Wanhai had contributed, he instructed Lu Yunchuan sternly, "Remember, you must maintain the utmost secrecy. This person possesses at least the cultivation of a Great Martial Master!"

"A Great Martial Master!" Hearing this, both Lu Yunchuan and Lu Ping were startled, their expressions turning grave in an instant.

Even though Jinling County boasted a population of two or three hundred thousand and served as a settlement for the clansmen of the Bingzhou Lu clan, when it came to Great Martial Masters, including Lu Yunchuan himself, the entire county possessed a mere four individuals.

If Hu Wanhai truly was a Great Martial Master, regardless of his background, he warranted the utmost attention from them.

Moreover, from Lu Sheng's words, the two of them could infer that Hu Wanhai's cultivation likely surpassed even that of a mere Great Martial Master.

"Should we head to Jinyang City first and return only when it is time for the ancestral sacrifices?" Tian Manyin asked, unable to conceal her worry.

If Hu Wanhai truly proved to be a Martial Ancestor, Lu Sheng's situation in Jinling County would become perilous.

Throughout all of Bingzhou, only the Governor of Bingzhou—who was likewise a Martial Ancestor—alongside the Great General stationed in Bingzhou, could possibly hope to block such a figure.

"Jinyang City? There is no need for that!" Lu Sheng thought for a moment. He looked at Tian Manyin's worried expression, then glanced at Lu Yunchuan and Lu Ping, who looked equally inclined to offer counsel. "However, just to be safe, we can still report this matter to the Governor."

He then instructed Lu Yunchuan, "When you make the report, you may ask the Governor to dispatch the Divine Catch Bureau to assist. We must uncover Hu Wanhai's true origins."

"The Divine Catch Bureau!" Hearing this name, Tian Manyin nodded in agreement. "The Divine Catch Bureau handles affairs of the pugilistic world; reporting it to them is entirely appropriate!"

Although the Divine Catch Bureau's primary duty was apprehending those who threatened the court of the Great Jing Empire, they maintained extensive intelligence archives on the vast majority of Jianghu figures.

As long as Hu Wanhai had ever been active in the pugilistic world, it would be impossible for the Divine Catch Bureau to fail to investigate him.

***

"Then it is settled!" Lu Sheng gave the final verdict, saying, "Magistrate Lu, you will take charge of this matter."

"I want to know Hu Wanhai's purpose in Jinling County as soon as possible!"

Sensing the gravity of Lu Sheng's tone, and though unaware of how the prince had obtained intelligence on Hu Wanhai, Lu Yunchuan bowed and accepted the order with solemn obedience. "Your Highness can rest assured. I will certainly report this matter to the Governor's Mansion and bring men from the Divine Catch Bureau!"

He then offered a suggestion to Lu Sheng, "Your Highness, you and Lady Tian arrived today riding a rhinoceros-dragon beast, which must have startled quite a few people."

"Although Hu Wanhai may not necessarily know your identity, nor harbor any malicious intent yet, just to be on the safe side, I beseech Your Highness to remain within the Mausoleum of the Prince of Jin and refrain from wandering about casually."

"With the surrounding Jinling Guards stationed here, and Jinyang City being close by, should any trouble arise, they will be able to escort you safely into the city!"

"Very well! I understand!" Lu Sheng acknowledged, before issuing further instructions to Lu Yunchuan and Lu Ping, "There is one point you must both bear in mind: the news of our arrival in Jinling County has only been disclosed to the two of you!"

"Even when you go to the Governor's Mansion, do not leak this matter!"

"Understood!" Acknowledging Lu Sheng's command, Lu Yunchuan arranged for Lu Ping to properly settle Lu Sheng and Tian Manyin, while he himself hurried out to make his report to the Governor's Mansion.

With the sacrificial rites of the Prince of Jinyang imminent, the discovery of an individual suspected of being a Martial Ancestor within his jurisdiction left him deeply unsettled, plagued by the fear that catastrophe might strike.