Mu Wanjun and Chen Ping'an conversed for a long time, learning a lot about his situation and also asking if he needed any help.
In response, Chen Ping'an expressed his gratitude, saying that he currently didn't need to trouble the Chief Warrant Officer and thanked her for her concern.
Mu Wanjun grew to value Chen Ping'an even more, and Chen Ping'an also intended to leverage her influence; the two conversed very happily.
"Hmm, if there's nothing else, let's stop here for today. I will handle Fu Yuanming; you don't need to worry."
Recalling the scene of Fu Yuanming causing a ruckus earlier, Mu Wanjun put away the smile on her face and said indifferently.
"Thank you, Lord."
Chen Ping'an said solemnly.
"Alright, go back first. Seize this opportunity to establish your authority well. I hope you can firmly grasp control over the Nancheng Prison."
Mu Wanjun instructed.
"Yes, it should be so."
Chen Ping'an cupped his hands in salute.
"Xiaodie, please see Ping'an out."
"Lord, this..."
"It's fine."
Mu Wanjun said indifferently.
At this moment, her regard for Chen Ping'an had reached an unprecedented level. Having Xiaodie see him out was also a sign of her respect and courtesy.
With Mu Wanjun's insistence, Chen Ping'an didn't say much more.
He initially thought Xiaodie would just see him downstairs as usual, but unexpectedly, after leaving the pavilion, Xiaodie also walked out with him.
"Miss Xiaodie, please stop."
Chen Ping'an smiled elegantly.
"Xiaodie will see Lord to the Zhenfu Division gate."
Xiaodie bowed slightly and smiled sweetly.
Regarding Chen Ping'an, Xiaodie felt nothing but admiration.
She still remembered when they first met, he was only at Qi Blood Second Stage Perfection. In the blink of an eye, he had entered the Qi Blood Sixth Stage, and his Martial Dao Realm had already surpassed hers.
For true Martial Dao Geniuses, Xiaodie was always generous with her smiles.
"In that case... then I will respectfully comply."
Having Xiaodie see him off was, to be honest, beneficial to Chen Ping'an and not harmful.
Nominally, Xiaodie was seeing Chen Ping'an off, but in reality, Mu Wanjun was telling everyone in the Nancheng Suppression Office that she was protecting Chen Ping'an!
Xiaodie escorted Chen Ping'an all the way to the main entrance of the Nancheng Suppression Office before bowing gracefully.
"Lord Chen, walk safely."
"Thank you, Miss Xiaodie."
Chen Ping'an cupped his hands slightly.
This scene astonished the Yamen Runners at the Nancheng Suppression Office gate.
Lord Chen, he has such prestige!
Mu Wanjun's personal maid, Xiaodie, escorted Chen Ping'an, the warden of Nancheng Prison, all the way to the Nancheng Suppression Office gate, and the two conversed very happily during that time.
This news spread throughout the entire Nancheng Suppression Office in a very short time.
This incident also signified that Chen Ping'an had truly become a minor giant within the Nancheng Suppression Office, solidifying his position as warden.
Some Yamen Runners began to genuinely pay attention to this young Lord Chen.
As more and more people learned, information about Chen Ping'an continuously circulated within the Nancheng Suppression Office.
Martial Dao Genius!
Qi Blood Sixth Stage!
Perfection-level Gongmen Thirteen Blades!
...
Returning from the Nancheng Suppression Office, Chen Ping'an resumed his daily routine.
Saying he returned to his daily routine isn't entirely accurate.
Now, he held absolute power within the entire Nancheng Prison, truly moving towards a dictatorial situation.
With Chu Qirong's incident preceding it, coupled with the authority he established in front of everyone, and his widely rumored backing within the Nancheng Suppression Office, Chen Ping'an's path was smooth, and no one dared to defy him.
Of course, under normal circumstances, Chen Ping'an wouldn't make any strange requests.
In terms of discipline, Nancheng Prison was much stricter than before.
These past few days, Chen Ping'an had heard news of Chu Qirong.
Chu Qirong was dead!
However, it wasn't his doing.
In that battle, Chu Qirong was essentially crippled, becoming useless. Coupled with Mu Wanjun's maneuvering, and the ironclad charges against him, he had completely fallen into the dust.
Chu Qirong had many rivals, and now that he was in trouble, some people would kick him while he was down.
Through various means, he somehow ended up dead.
It was said that Fu Yuanming later stood up for him, using the opportunity to make a scene and incidentally killing many people, slightly turning the tide.
No matter what, Chu Qirong was Fu Yuanming's person. Since Chu Qirong met such an end, Fu Yuanming naturally had to take action, otherwise, his subordinates would become disheartened.
Whether Fu Yuanming's action was a pretense or genuine emotion, no one bothered to dwell on it.
Just these past few days, a not-so-small incident also occurred within the Mu Family in the Inner City.
"A Martial Dao Genius with the potential to be on the New Talent Rankings?"
Inside the Mu Family's Patriarch Hall, many Patriarchs listened to Mu Wanjun's report, their expressions showing considerable interest.
How difficult it was to make it onto the New Talent Rankings!
Anyone who could make it onto the list was a shining existence in their region.
Such a Martial Dao Genius naturally deserved the Mu Family's efforts to win him over.
However, after hearing Mu Wanjun's plan to win him over, many Patriarchs fell into hesitation.
"A direct daughter of the Family, a marriage alliance?"
"Not a son-in-law who moves in! A marriage alliance? Wanjun, are you sure you didn't say it wrong?"
Seeing Mu Wanjun nod, some Patriarchs immediately voiced their opposition.
"My Mu Family has a Legacy of a thousand years; how noble are the direct daughters of the Family? Even if a talent values her, he must become a son-in-law who moves into my Mu Family. When has there ever been a reason for a marriage alliance?
No matter how exceptional Chen Ping'an's Martial Dao talent is, he is just a commoner from the Outer City. He has neither the support of an aristocratic Family nor a master of high standing. How can he form a marriage alliance with my Mu Family?"
"Ninth Brother makes sense! Wanjun, according to what you said, this person's talent is indeed extraordinary, and he is indeed worth my Mu Family winning over. However, marrying off a direct daughter of my Mu Family to form an alliance is truly inappropriate."
"Sixteenth Brother makes sense; my opinion is that if he is willing to become a son-in-law who moves in, for the sake of a talent, my Mu Family would be willing to give up a direct daughter. But I do not agree to marrying off a daughter for an alliance."
"A mere commoner from the Outer City, no matter how talented, will absolutely not marry a direct daughter. If that were the case, how would other aristocratic families view my Mu Family? Wouldn't they laugh at my Mu Family for having no one!"
"Reasonable, my Mu Family's prestige must never be tarnished!"
"Exactly! Having the potential to be on the New Talent Rankings is just our speculation. While this child's talent is indeed extraordinary, the Inner Qi Realm is not the same as the Qi Blood Realm. He progressed rapidly in the Qi Blood Realm, but that doesn't mean he can do the same in Inner Qi!"
"That's right, he's only at the Qi Blood Sixth Stage now, still too far from the qualifications to be on the New Talent Rankings. Who knows if he can cross that threshold! If my direct daughter is married off, and he can't even cross into the Inner Qi Realm in the end, wouldn't that be a joke!"
"Let alone marrying off a direct daughter, even becoming a son-in-law who moves into my Mu Family needs careful consideration. With his Family background, what if his Martial Dao talent is extraordinary!?
Talent is just talent; truly growing up requires overcoming a long journey. In this process, my Mu Family also needs to invest a massive amount of resources. In the end, it's still my Mu Family putting in the effort!"
"Becoming a son-in-law who moves in is already a great show of sincerity; I do not agree to marrying off a direct daughter!"
"It should be so!"
"..."
Seeing more and more Patriarchs voicing their opposition, Mu Wanjun couldn't help but feel anxious.
"Ancestors, I have personally witnessed Chen Ping'an's talent. It only took him a few months to go from having no Martial Dao knowledge to his current Qi Blood Sixth Stage. He is absolutely a true Martial Dao Prodigy!
If it weren't for his late start in Martial Dao, I would dare to assert that he would definitely make it onto the New Talent Rankings! Instead of just being said to have the potential for the New Talent Rankings as it is now!
Such a young Prodigy, I ask all you Ancestors to see clearly! Given time, when his Martial Dao achieves success, it won't just be my Mu Family wanting to win him over! If this opportunity is missed now, there will surely be endless regret!"
Mu Wanjun spoke with genuine emotion, and some of the Patriarchs who had not yet spoken were subtly swayed by her words.
"Wanjun's words do have some merit! However, he is currently only at the Qi Blood Sixth Stage, still quite far from being a true Prodigy. The matter of a marriage alliance is of great importance... we must not make a hasty decision!"
"Ancestor..."
Mu Wanjun wanted to speak further but was interrupted by a wave of a hand.
"Wanjun, let's put this matter aside for now. We will discuss it later!"
The speaker was the most influential of the Mu Family Patriarchs present; his words essentially set the tone for the matter.
Although Mu Wanjun was the Mu Family's second Prodigy, a Prodigy was just a Prodigy. To the Mu Family's power-holders, she was still ultimately part of the younger generation. In some truly major matters, her say was ultimately limited.
"Alright, that's enough about this matter. The urgent task now is to quickly assist Feiyu in fully breaking through and ascending the New Talent Rankings. We must not let that kid from the Liu Family monopolize the spotlight."
"That's right. If Feiyu can achieve Tianlin Descends Peak and break into the Inner Qi Third Level, with his Cultivation Technique and combat power, he will definitely make it onto the New Talent Rankings."
"At that time, my Mu Family's prestige will rise again, and we will definitely be on par with the Liu Family!"
"..."
The Mu Family Patriarchs discussed animatedly, their expressions excited, as if they had already seen that day.
Mu Wanjun looked at these power-holders of the Mu Family with a face full of dejection, feeling a surge of powerlessness.
