Since someone wanted to pluck the peaches,Su Xin would not be polite either.
Yin Xixue had warned Su Xin in advance,and Su Xin had let the news spread,making all the chief constables of the major state capitals aware.He didn't say much about it.
Although Su Xin didn't say much,it didn't mean that those below couldn't figure it out.
Listening to the excuses from above,some were afraid that Su Xin was not capable enough,so they sent someone to help.However,the people below were not blind.They knew the current situation of the Six Fan Gates in Jiangnan Dao.Who came to help whom?
Three days later,news came from the Six Fan Gates spies that the Inspector Yin Ji had arrived.
Su Xin deliberately gathered all the chief constables of the major state capitals,prepared to"welcome"this inspector.
Of course,Su Xin wouldn't show off like Lei Yuan did.That would be too petty.Everyone in the Six Fan Gates was a fellow disciple,at least on the surface,they should maintain some decorum,right?
In less than half an hour,led by the Six Fan Gates spies,a middle-aged man in Six Fan Gates official attire walked into the hall.
The middle-aged man looked about forty,with a young face.Strangely,he wore a pair of silk gloves on his hands and had not taken them off.
"Welcome,Lord Yin Ji,to Jiangnan Dao.Why don't you all express your welcome?"Su Xin stood up and said with a smile.
The chief constables of the other state capitals also stood up and saluted,but there was a hint of playfulness in their eyes.
Yin Ji also saluted and replied with a gentle voice,"Thank you all.I am here to work with my colleagues in Jiangnan Dao.Please advise."
Yin Ji didn't come off as overbearing,but rather affable.
Su Xin pointed below and said,"Today,the chief constables of the major state capitals in Jiangnan Dao are all here.Lord Yin,please take a seat first.I have already sent someone to arrange a banquet for you.We will give you a warm welcome later."
Yin Ji glanced around the hall.The entire hall had only Su Xin in the main seat.Where should he sit?
In theory,his position as an inspector was on par with that of a chief constable.If he sat below Su Xin,wouldn't it make him look inferior?
So Yin Ji sneered inwardly,but he didn't sit down.
Actually,he misunderstood Su Xin.Su Xin really didn't have the intention of asserting dominance here.
All the headquarters of the Six Fan Gates in the Great Zhou Dynasty were configured in the same way.Each chief constable had an unquestionable position,so there was only one main seat in the council chamber,and everyone else sat below.
Last time,Lei Yuan had created two main seats just to assert dominance over Su Xin.But that odd configuration had naturally been corrected.
Yin Ji sighed and said,"No need for a welcome banquet.I was sent down not for feasting and revelry.The situation in Jiangnan Dao is critical.Mr.Su,please first brief us on the current situation in Jiangnan Dao.As long as everyone completes their tasks,it will be a worthy return for the Emperor and the court's cultivation."
The chief constables present couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
Yin Ji's official language sounded grand,but most people present,whether former bandits or local-born chief constables,weren't impressed.They weren't swayed by eloquence.
Su Xin,with a cold look at Yin Ji,asked,"What do you mean,Lord Yin Ji?Is the situation in Jiangnan Dao really so critical?Are you implying that I,Su Xin,am incompetent and unable to solve the problems in Jiangnan Dao?"
Yin Ji shook his head,"I didn't say that.However,Mr.Su,some things cannot be concealed.The problems in Jiangnan Dao have not been completely solved.Otherwise,there would be no need for me to come down to inspect and assist you in governing Jiangnan Dao."
With these words,Huang Bingcheng immediately burst out,"Nonsense!The prestige of our Six Fan Gates in Jiangnan Dao is well known.Those second-rate and third-rate sects are all polite to us.Which one of them does not show respect to the people of our Six Fan Gates in Jiangnan Dao?Where did you see that the situation of our Six Fan Gates in Jiangnan Dao is critical?"
"Old Huang,be polite in your words."Su Xin reprimanded,but it had no effect.Huang Bingcheng still looked at Yin Ji with disdain.
Yin Ji's face immediately darkened.
A lackey who hadn't even reached the Innate Realm dared to speak to him like this?
Yin Ji said coldly,"Mr.Su,what is the crime of going against superiors in the Six Fan Gates?"
Su Xin smiled and said,"Lord Yin Ji,there's no need to take it so seriously.People in Jiangnan Dao are straightforward and speak a bit rudely,but there's no malice.Please don't mind.Even when they talk to me,they are like this."
Su Xin turned to the people present and asked,"Isn't that right?"
The chief constables nodded,their expressions indicating that Su Xin was right.
The chief constables of the state capitals present immediately exclaimed,"That's right,we talk like this every day."
"Su Xin doesn't mind,why are you making it a big deal?"
"If saying a harsh word is considered going against superiors,wouldn't all of us in the Six Fan Gates be dead by now?"
Su Xin shrugged and made a gesture as if to say,"See,that's how it is,"causing Yin Ji's face to darken slightly.
However,being sent by Liu Fengwu to pluck peaches in Jiangnan Dao,Yin Ji was not a rash and irritable person.
Though angered inside,he put on a slight smile and said,"You're right,I might have been a bit too serious.However,the situation in Jiangnan Dao is indeed severe,and I'm not trying to scare everyone.The Six Fan Gates must exercise supervisory authority over the martial forces of the world.But it seems that the three major top-tier forces in Jiangnan Dao still resist our influence,resulting in limited information and intelligence collection for us."
"And even in judging the martial artists who violate the law,the Six Fan Gates in Jiangnan Dao haven't accomplished that yet.Instead,we have initiated a life-and-death challenge to let other sects settle disputes.Tell me,are we the Six Fan Gates or a martial sect?Why are we doing things that martial sects would do?"
Upon hearing this,Huang Bingcheng and others wanted to stand up and start cursing again.Yin Ji seemed to be deliberately stirring up trouble.
While what he said wasn't wrong,he failed to consider the context–this was Jiangnan Dao,the region with the strongest martial influence in the entire Great Zhou Dynasty.If they followed Yin Ji's suggestion and stirred things up,Jiangnan Dao would likely descend into chaos.
Most of the martial laws of the Six Fan Gates were outdated.These laws were compiled during the peak of their power when the Great Zhou Dynasty dominated the Central Plains.Now,after several decades,the power dynamics had changed,and blindly following those outdated laws would be suicidal.
Su Xin looked at Yin Ji with interest and asked,"So,Lord Yin Ji,what do you suggest?"
Yin Ji replied,"It's simple.Use strength to intimidate those sects,set an example,and make them submit to the teachings of the Six Fan Gates.This method has been effective since the establishment of the Six Fan Gates."
Yin Ji's eyes remained fixed on Su Xin without blinking.He wasn't a fool;he knew his proposed method wouldn't work for the current situation in Jiangnan Dao.However,why did he come to the Six Fan Gates in Jiangnan Dao?Though Liu Fengwu,his master,didn't explicitly state it,the implication was clear–seize power!
He didn't aim to completely sideline Su Xin from Jiangnan Dao.At the very least,he wanted to be a player in the division of power,gaining a portion of Jiangnan Dao's influence.Yin Ji couldn't allow Su Xin to monopolize Jiangnan Dao.
His earlier words were just to prompt Su Xin.If Su Xin said he couldn't do it,then Yin Ji could offer his assistance,smoothly taking control of a part of the Six Fan Gates in Jiangnan Dao.If Su Xin agreed to follow Yin Ji's suggestion,that would be even better.Yin Ji could then watch as Su Xin self-destructed,providing an opportunity for Yin Ji to seize power.
Of course,Yin Ji believed Su Xin wouldn't choose the latter option.
Su Xin had thoroughly examined everything about Jiangnan Dao before arriving.Not only was he powerful,but his strategic thinking was also deep.Inciting chaos throughout the martial world in Jiangnan Dao,such a reckless move,was something Yin Ji couldn't even dare to think about.
If Su Xin had reached the Transcendent Realm,it would be a different story.However,with only the Divine Palace Realm,any misstep could lead to the wrath of sects and a joint retaliation,risking the annihilation of Su Xin and the Six Fan Gates.
Su Xin looked at Yin Ji for a while and finally said with a smile,"Lord Yin Ji,you must be tired.Let's welcome you properly and then you can rest."
As Su Xin finished speaking,the many chief constables of the state capitals turned and walked away without hesitation,leaving the hall empty in an instant.Yin Ji's face immediately darkened,feeling like he had punched cotton.
