Chapter 46: When the Problem Can't Be Solved, Deal with the One Who Raises It
Lu Tianxing was about to lose his mind.
His only son had been torn in two.
No father could accept such a scene, especially not Lu Tianxing, who doted on his son above all else.
Now the situation had escalated beyond control, difficult to resolve.
If this were an ordinary case, the Embroidered Uniform Guard would have already moved to arrest the culprit.
But the problem was, the killer was no ordinary person.
In fact, in some sense, the threat posed by the killer surpassed even the wrathful Lu Tianxing.
A furious Lu Tianxing was terrifying, but the lawless Lu Yuan was even more so.
This man—
After the Six Doors’ last failed operation,
the Embroidered Uniform Guard received news immediately.
The conflict between the Six Doors and Lu Yuan was neither insignificant nor trivial.
On one hand, it was a personal grudge between Lu Yuan and the ground-level constable Luo Zhou.
On the other, it was Lu Yuan’s blatant disregard for his superiors, refusal to obey orders, and, going further, his contempt for the imperial court itself.
However, Lu Yuan’s strength meant the matter stopped short of anything beyond a personal feud between him and Luo Zhou.
According to Li Changge’s account, Lu Yuan’s power far exceeded that of a second-rank official, effectively possessing first-rank combat prowess.
No matter how mad Lu Tianxing was, he was only second-rank.
The difference in strength was clear at a glance.
Enough, enough, this has nothing to do with him.
Let the commander worry about it himself.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard cast a few silent glances at Lu Yuan before departing with the news.
Lu Yuan watched them leave, his expression unchanged.
“The Embroidered Uniform Guard, huh.”
“This won’t be easy to handle.”
Old Sun shook his head as he watched them go.
“Handle it however you see fit.”
“In Dayong law, attacking an official messenger is punishable by death.”
“They started it.”
“We have justification to kill him; you need not worry too much.”
“We reason with them; they’d better reason with us.”
Lu Yuan smiled and flicked the bloodstains from his hand.
“Fine, your fists are bigger, your cause just.”
“Hahaha.”
...
At the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s station in Hangzhou City.
“What did you say?”
“Lu Yuan killed Lu Tianxing’s son?”
“Didn’t you stop him?”
“Didn’t get the chance? Can’t you shout?”
“You shouted and he didn’t respond?”
“Damn, that madman Lu Yuan.”
“This is trouble. Lu Tianxing has only one son—he’ll go insane.”
“The Mo Yin Sect affair involves the Maritime Guild; we must appease Lu Tianxing properly.”
The Embroidered Uniform Guard commander was furious upon hearing the news, angrier still about Lu Tianxing’s son.
Lu Tianxing truly had given birth to an idiot.
For a lifetime, Lu Tianxing had been clever, yet he produced such a fool.
He swaggered recklessly, looking down on everyone—even government officials—with an arrogant air, as if his father were the emperor himself.
Lu Tianxing was only second-rank; where did his son get such confidence?
Such a fool deserved to die.
Who told him to pick a fight with the wrong person?
Had he clashed with any other iron wall, it would have been different.
Though others feared Lu Tianxing, they would still spare him out of respect for his father or the Maritime Guild.
This fool not only lacked brains but was also incredibly unlucky.
He just happened to collide with Lu Yuan, the iron wall.
Lu Yuan was notorious for his lawlessness.
When he lost his temper, he didn’t care whose son you were.
He wanted to kill the celestial-level constables of the Six Doors—let alone Lu Tianxing’s son.
“Commander, what now?”
“Lu Tianxing lost his son—can he be appeased?”
The Embroidered Uniform Guard wore a face of misery.
“I don’t care.”
“Whether he lost his son or even his mother, he must be appeased.”
“The Mo Yin Sect matter is an order from His Majesty personally.”
“Whoever dares interfere, I want dead.”
“Lu Yuan is a constable, nominally under the Six Doors.”
“This is their mess to clean up.”
“Our Embroidered Uniform Guard has no obligation to clean up after the Six Doors.”
The commander threw the case files onto his subordinate’s desk.
This matter had nothing to do with the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
“Commander, your words are cold.”
“We both serve His Majesty; there’s no need to be so detached.”
The God Catcher pushed open the door and entered the Embroidered Uniform Guard station.
“Hmph, if you don’t make distinctions, do you want the Embroidered Uniform Guard to take the fall?”
“Do I look like a fool to you?”
“Cut the nonsense.”
The commander looked coldly at the God Catcher, giving no quarter.
“Good.”
“Let’s get straight to the point.”
“The Six Doors already have a plan, but we need your Embroidered Uniform Guard’s stance.”
“Go ahead.”
“If Lu Tianxing cannot be appeased, we replace him with someone more compliant.”
“What do you think?”
The chance of appeasing Lu Tianxing was slim.
They had another solution—replace the leader.
They needed the Maritime Guild’s strength, not Lu Tianxing’s.
If Lu Tianxing was obstinate, replace him.
...
“Not so fast.”
“You think you can just replace him?”
“Do you know who stands behind Lu Tianxing?”
“Have you thought about how you’ll explain this to the people in the capital?”
The relationship between the Maritime Guild and the capital was complicated.
It involved the interests of the royal family and nobility; it wasn’t something you could change on a whim.
Do you really think Lu Tianxing has no backing?
If he didn’t, he couldn’t have held the Maritime Guild’s leadership for decades.
“Commander, rest assured.”
“I will personally explain matters to those in the capital.”
“I need your support.”
The God Catcher smiled and looked the commander in the eye.
“I have no objections.”
“The Maritime Guild has never been intertwined with our Embroidered Uniform Guard’s interests.”
“As for the Eastern Depot, that’s not my concern.”
“That old eunuch is notoriously stingy,” the commander hinted.
“No need to trouble you, Commander; I will explain it to the Depot Master myself.”
“Good.”
“Farewell.”
...
At the Golden Coin Hall.
“Why? Why?”
“A son's death is a grudge that cannot be forgiven.”
“As a father, don’t I even have the right to avenge my son?”
“My son…”
At the mourning hall, Lu Tianxing embraced his son’s coffin, weeping uncontrollably.
Present were several Maritime Guild elders and the Six Doors’ constables.
Lu Tianxing had expected the Six Doors’ constables to capture the killer, bring him to the mourning hall, and let him exact bloody revenge.
He never imagined.
The Six Doors’ men had come,
but only to persuade him to let go of his hatred and prioritize the greater good.
Damn it.
My son is dead, and you ask me to prioritize the greater good?
That’s nonsense.
I, the leader of the Maritime Guild, commanding hundreds of thousands, don’t even have the right to revenge?
I have to watch the faces of the Six Doors?
Do they think I, Lu Tianxing, am made of clay?
Have I no temper?
I serve the noble houses of the capital, but I am no lackey of the imperial court.
My revenge is mine alone, and no one else’s business.
...