Liangzhou Prefecture is located in Longyou, so rain is usually rare.
But these past two days, the heavens seemed to be drunk, as a rare downpour began, coming and going as quickly as customers at the Zuihua Brothel, leaving only muddy puddles in the ravines.
Inside the small courtyard of Jingyao Workshop, Jiang Yuechu slowly opened her eyes and exhaled a long, steady stream of white Qi.
["Tiger Roar Demon Suppressing Saber" (Perfection)]
After investing 185 years of Dao Cultivation, "Tiger Roar Demon Suppressing Saber" finally advanced from mastery to Perfection.
She picked up the horizontal saber from the table and firmly drew it across the skin of her arm.
Her skin remained completely unbroken.
She added a bit more force, but it was still the same.
Only when she used all ten tenths of her strength did the sharp blade leave a shallow white mark on her skin, while the blade itself actually showed a slight, minute chip.
Tsk... The standard horizontal sabers issued by the Demon Suppression Division are all uniformly forged by the military's artisan workshop.
Although they can't be called divine Sharp Weapons, they are still tempered a hundred times, and ordinary cast iron can hardly damage their edge.
Such a blade, which hadn't broken even when dealing with Demons before, actually chipped against her own body.
This "Sealing Mouth and Solidifying Qi Method" is indeed formidable!
Amidst her surprise, Jiang Yuechu felt a sense of satisfaction.
With such a body-tempering technique, when facing enemies in the future, even standing still and letting them chop would likely take a considerable effort.
As she was thinking this.
A knock came from outside the house.
Hmm?
Jiang Yuechu frowned slightly.
Everyone living in this Jingyao Workshop was from the Demon Suppression Division, and normally, besides Liu Chen, she had no dealings with anyone else.
On such a rainy day, who would come looking for her?
Puzzled, she got up and walked into the courtyard, opening the gate.
Outside the gate, the rain fell like a curtain.
A figure stood silently in the rain, tall and straight like a pine.
Dressed in dark everyday clothes, handsome as jade.
Who else could it be but Xu Changfeng?
Beside him, a man with a stern face held an oil-paper umbrella for him, its surface tilted, mostly covering Xu Changfeng's head, while half of his own body was already soaked by the rain.
Jiang Yuechu was taken aback.
Other than that day's reporting, she had no other interactions with this superior, so why would he come to her home?
But despite her confusion, the proper etiquette was still observed.
"Lord Xu."
Jiang Yuechu cupped her fist and saluted.
"Mm."
Xu Changfeng merely responded indifferently, "Let's talk inside."
"Yes."
Jiang Yuechu stepped aside.
Xu Changfeng walked in, and the man behind him closed the umbrella and followed.
The furnishings inside were simple, clear at a glance.
"Please be seated, my Lord."
Jiang Yuechu pointed to the chair in the room.
She had intended to boil some hot water for tea, but then she remembered that she couldn't even find a speck of tea leaves in her courtyard, so she gave up the idea.
Instead, she took two coarse porcelain bowls, poured two bowls of cool boiled water, and placed them on the table.
Xu Changfeng didn't mind, he sat down casually and scanned the room with his gaze.
"It's quite tranquil here."
"This subordinate lives alone, so it's better to be quiet."
Jiang Yuechu stood to the side, hands clasped.
She couldn't gauge his intentions, so she could only speak less to avoid making mistakes.
Xu Changfeng picked up the bowl of cool water, took a sip, and said nothing.
For a moment, only the pitter-patter of rain outside the window could be heard in the room.
After a long while.
Xu Changfeng finally put down the bowl and casually asked, "What do you usually like to do?"
...
No way.
Surely this superior didn't come all the way here on a rainy day just to chat idly with her?
She grumbled inwardly, but her expression remained calm as she replied indifferently, "Nothing much, just practicing martial arts and reading books."
Xu Changfeng raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued: "Oh? You like to read too? What kind of books do you read?"
"Miscellaneous things, I read everything."
"Then have you ever heard of the 'Mirror Flower Water Moon' four extraordinary women?"
"Never."
"What about the 'Three Friends of Winter'?"
"Never."
"Then..."
"My Lord, This subordinate has never heard of any of the things you mentioned."
A vein throbbed on Jiang Yuechu's forehead as she suppressed her impatience.
Xu Changfeng was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed.
The smile was fleeting, but it added a touch of vitality to his stern face.
"You are quite an interesting person."
Jiang Yuechu was noncommittal.
Xu Changfeng didn't mind, he reined in his smile, and his tone returned to its usual coolness: "Enough, I didn't come here today for idle chat."
Finally, he's getting to the point.
Jiang Yuechu sighed in relief.
If they continued chatting like this, she really wouldn't be able to resist offending her superior.
Whether she could win or not was another matter; the main thing was that it was too annoying.
"Tell me, what's the situation at Precious Temple?"
With these words, the atmosphere became somewhat quiet.
The man beside Xu Changfeng also fixed his gaze on the young woman.
Jiang Yuechu, however, wasn't surprised.
Qian Youwei, the Hechuan County Magistrate, unless he was an idiot, would certainly report everything truthfully for his own safety.
If the Demon Suppression Division didn't ask, Baosha Temple would.
She could even guess that perhaps experts from Baosha Temple were already on their way to Liangzhou Prefecture.
"This subordinate killed two monks from Baosha Temple in Hechuan County."
"Why kill them?"
"The two of them obstructed This subordinate's investigation, colluded with Demons, and in their words, showed great disrespect to our Demon Suppression Division and to the imperial court. By law, they deserved to be executed."
Jiang Yuechu answered crisply and cleanly.
"Heh."
Xu Changfeng let out a light laugh, "'By law, they deserved to be executed,' indeed."
He stood up and slowly walked in front of Jiang Yuechu, looking down at her.
"Do you know what kind of existence Baosha Temple is in Longyou Circuit?"
"I know."
"Aren't you afraid?"
Jiang Yuechu raised her head, meeting his deep eyes, her voice calm.
"This subordinate is a member of the Demon Suppression Division, and I killed those who colluded with Demons."
"If The Department cannot protect me, then This subordinate has nothing more to say."
...
Xu Changfeng remained expressionless, turned back to the table, took out a scroll from his Huai and threw it on the table.
"Take a look."
Jiang Yuechu picked up the scroll with some confusion, and as she unfolded it, her pupils constricted slightly.
[By this appointment, Xuan Battalion eighth-rank squad leader Jiang Yuechu is hereby appointed as the Vanguard Battalion Colonel for this trip to Yumen Pass.]
Colonel?!
seventh-rank colonel!
She suddenly looked up at Xu Changfeng.
"Lord Wei has already suppressed the matter of Baosha Temple."
Xu Changfeng sat down again, his tone returning to coolness, "As for you, instead of waiting for them to cause trouble in Liangzhou Prefecture, it's better to go to Yumen Pass and avoid the limelight."
He paused, then added.
"Your squad of men will also be assigned to the Vanguard Battalion, under your command."
"The Vanguard Battalion suffers the most casualties, but of course, it also earns the most merit."
"Whether it's a blessing or a misfortune depends on your own ability."
Jiang Yuechu took a deep breath, closed the scroll, cupped her fist, and bowed.
"Thank you for your patronage, my Lord."
Xu Changfeng said nothing more, walking directly to the door and pushing it open.
The man behind him quickly opened the oil-paper umbrella, shielding him from the rain.
Xu Changfeng walked a few steps, then suddenly stopped, his back to Jiang Yuechu, and spoke indifferently.
"Your courtyard is too quiet; it always lacks a bit of human touch."
"If you don't mind, you can come to my place tomorrow and get some flowers and trees to decorate your courtyard."
"Yes..."