Chapter 375: 89 Time
Chapter 375: Chapter 89 Time
May 22, evening.
As the senior officials of Datong Prefecture and the investigation team from the provincial city met, Li Fei returned to Wuda and went straight to the Exotic Beast Breeding Area.
It was late at night, so he encountered many patrolling guards and checkpoints along the way, but with the token given to him by Shi Caiming, he passed through unobstructed.
Soon, he arrived once again at the foot of the small hill where Shi Caiming resided.
He looked up at the hilltop and started climbing.
Minutes later, he reached the big lawn he had visited before.
The night was beautiful, with bright moonlight shining on the lawn, making it clearly visible without the need for any electric lamps.
Still near the cliff’s edge, Shi Caiming was sitting in a reclining chair, drinking.
Li Fei wondered if the principal was actually jobless every day, just smoking and drinking.
“Principal.”
Li Fei walked over and came to Shi Caiming’s side, bowing respectfully.
“Care for a drink?”
Shi Caiming gestured with the wine pot on the table towards Li Fei.
“No, thank you, Principal. I have important matters.”
Li Fei responded seriously.
“Oh.”
Shi Caiming shook his head slightly in disappointment, lifted his cup toward the moon overhead, and then drank down the wine in one gulp.
“Principal, earlier a senior lecturer at Wuda, Chen Xiang, who conspired with Western spies to murder me, just confessed. He was acting under the orders of Wuda professor Xu Jing!”
Li Fei relayed the truth he had coerced out of Chen Xiang.
Hearing that Xu Jing was the mastermind, Li Fei immediately started connecting it to many other things.
For instance, was it Xu Jing who initially took him to “Challenge the Sect”, and was that also part of the opponent’s scheme?
Through the first clash with Gu Xianfeng, was he probing Gu Xianfeng’s capabilities, preparing for a subsequent encounter?
And there was the past grudge between Xu Jing and Hao Yi, where Xu Jing nearly had his Heart Realm shattered by Hao Yi, delaying his Breakthrough to become a Martial Arts Master by thirty years.
If one were to talk about revenge, Xu Jing certainly had a motive.
So was this a collaboration between Xu Jing and the provincial city? Did both sides have something to gain?
Li Fei couldn’t yet see what their ultimate scheme was, but he knew Xu Jing’s ultimate target must be aimed at Hao Yi!
Therefore, he came directly to find Shi Caiming, hoping to resolve Xu Jing through this principal.
“Is there evidence?”
Shi Caiming turned to look at Li Fei, asking casually.
“Chen Xiang can act as a witness.”
Li Fei said.
He had already negotiated terms with Chen Xiang in the dungeon at the Inspection General Office before coming here.
Now, Chen Xiang had no choice but to help Li Fei identify Xu Jing.
“Just having a witness is not enough.”
Shi Caiming shook his head.
To convict a Wuda professor, especially a Martial Arts Master, was no easy task.
Even if there were sufficient evidence, and it could really prove Xu Jing’s collusion with Western spies, it was uncertain if he would be truly sentenced.
This was different from Gu Xianfeng’s case.
The investigation team threatened the entire officialdom of Datong Prefecture, and it was only to preserve everyone’s positions that Bian Jingru was determined to take action against Iron Blade Sect.
“At least we should detain Professor Xu Jing for an investigation, right?”
Li Fei continued to attempt.
Shi Caiming looked at him: “Although I’m Wuda’s principal, Wuda isn’t just my word. Wuda’s professors hold at least an honorary rank equivalent to an Imperial Official, and someone like Xu Jing, a Martial Arts Master, even enjoys the treatment of a Sitting Official.”
“Within the internal affairs of Wuda, I have authority, but outside the university, I have no power to order any lecturer to work for me, let alone handle a professor.”
Li Fei clearly understood this, as in order to prevent the twelve universities from becoming ‘independent kingdoms,’ the court supported them to the extent it limited them.
Although Shi Caiming, as the principal of Wuda, commanded a significant number of strong contenders, he theoretically had no power to even mobilize the lowest-ranking lecturer for his personal matters.
If a lecturer or professor at Wuda committed a crime, it could only be handled by the Government.
Therefore, Li Fei was operating on a dual Track; while he came to find Shi Caiming, Xia Huan was reporting the matter upwards to Qu Xun and to Bian Jingru.
“But you are the principal of Wuda, a Great Grandmaster, there must be a way if you are willing.”
Li Fei looked at Shi Caiming with hopeful eyes.
He didn’t actually have any right to demand anything of Shi Caiming; his only hope lay in Shi Caiming’s past appreciation of Hao Yi.
Had the other party kept Hao Yi safe in the past, might he be willing to extend his helping hand again?
Shi Caiming chuckled and pointed at the wine pot on the table.
Li Fei immediately poured him another glass of wine.
Shi Caiming took a sip and shifted his position in the recliner:
“Didn’t Hao Yi tell you about that time?”
Li Fei was startled, shaking his head: “My teacher didn’t tell me.”
“Back then, I sacrificed my reputation to save him, reaching a promise with those people: Hao Yi would never set foot in Datong Prefecture City again in his lifetime! If violated, whether he lives or dies, I could no longer interfere.”
Shi Caiming looked up at the moon, his gaze deep.
“….”
Li Fei fell silent.
Previously, because Shi Caiming, a Great Grandmaster, stood in front, those behind the scenes had refrained from attacking Hao Yi.
Now that Hao Yi had willingly come to Datong Prefecture City, Shi Caiming could no longer stand in the way.
If that was the case, Li Fei indeed couldn’t ask this elderly man to do anything more.
What could be done had been done, and any support that could be given had been provided.
Wu’an Guard, token, data.
He stepped back and deeply bowed to Shi Caiming:
What do you think?
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