Mortal Mage

"They are the real lackeys of the imperial court, and we are just gatekeepers."

Wang Han smiled bitterly, lifted up Zhang Mingxuan's leg and began to bandage it. "If you don't mind my poor courtyard, you can stay here for a few days. I have martial arts skills, and I can protect you from petty thieves."

Wang Han said with a slightly red face.

"You are a fifth-rank doctor, but your mansion doesn't even have a gatekeeper."

Zhang Mingxuan smiled bitterly and shook his head. "That's not necessary. I will close the door tightly tomorrow. If it doesn't work, I will stay in the Ministry of Revenue and not go home. I don't believe they can commit crimes in the palace."

"Ministry of Revenue? Aren't you in the Ministry of War?"

"The emperor has transferred me to the Ministry of Revenue and appointed me as the Right Vice Minister, and asked me to lead the reform of the court."

Zhang Mingxuan gritted his teeth and smiled bitterly.

Hearing the sound of "thump", Wang Han fell to his knees. "Master Zhang Zhang Zhang... Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, then, then that is... from... Second, second, rank?"

Wang Han was so excited that he sprinkled the medicine powder all over Zhang Mingxuan's legs.

Zhang Mingxuan bared his teeth fiercely; "Getting the treatment of a third-rank official, doing the work of a second-rank official."

"That's still the second rank!"

Wang Han said excitedly, and then kowtowed three times to Zhang Mingxuan. "Master Zhang, you can think of me in such a critical moment. I, ...

"If you have nothing to say, stop being so arrogant. You are not Wang Mingde. We are brothers. Help me bandage the wound first. I have two dead bodies in the yard and need to go back to clean them up."

Zhang Mingxuan's legs were so painful that they were soaked with sweat.

"Hey, hey, we're all brothers! Brothers!"

Wang Han quickly got up and continued to bandage Zhang Mingxuan.

"Dong dong dong."

There was another hurried knock on the door. Wang Han looked puzzled: "It's already midnight, how come there's still someone here?"

Zhang Mingxuan frowned slightly; "Ask who it is."

"Who is it? In the middle of the night!"

Wang Han walked out of the yard and shouted at the gate.

"Foolish! It's me! Lao Guo! Open the door!"

Wang Han hurriedly opened the door and was greeted by Guo Zhuoran, who looked anxious. "General Guo, is there anything urgent?"

"The maid from the Ministry of Revenue's Palace just came to my house and told us to go to Lord Zhang's house to check, fearing that something might have happened!"

"The news is late."

Wang Han sighed; "Come in, Master Zhang is in my room."

Guo Zhuoran stared at Wang Han with a puzzled look on his face, then walked across the courtyard and into the house.

Zhang Mingxuan was lying on his side on the bed in Wang Han's room, his shoulders and legs wrapped in bandages.

Seeing Zhang Mingxuan like this, Guo Zhuoran suddenly realized something. With a shocked tone, he bowed and asked Zhang Mingxuan with concern, "Master Zhang? Do you know who did this?"

Zhang Mingxuan shook his head. "I don't know why the two maids from Qiguguo suddenly committed a crime tonight."

"The two Qigu country maids in your house?"

"The trafficking of foreign slaves was all done by Lu Ming, a captain of the Feathered Guards of the Western Depot. If this matter is reported, it can only be reported to the Western Depot Command Office. However, the Feathered Guards of the Western Depot are already on the side of the prince, and the Feathered Guards of the Eastern Depot are not involved in border affairs. I'm afraid this matter requires your Excellency to come to the emperor in person!"

Guo Zhuoran stroked his chin and spoke slowly. Zhang Mingxuan pressed his hand and motioned Guo Zhuoran to sit down and talk. Guo Zhuoran was not polite either: "Master Zhang, do you know Lu Ming, the captain of the Feather Guard of the Western Factory?"

Zhang Mingxuan bared his teeth and shook his head.

"Master Zhang should have known that His Majesty strongly suppressed the cultivation of immortals."

Zhang Mingxuan nodded slightly.

"Lu Ming is responsible for this matter. Over the past one hundred years, he has slaughtered almost all the cultivators outside the Taicang Empire's palace."

Guo Zhuoran touched the hilt of the knife lightly with some uneasiness. These things were not something that could be talked about casually, so he signaled Wang Han to close the door.

After thinking for a while, he continued, "But ever since Lu Ming defected to the Crown Prince, he has been pretending to obey Your Majesty, and our East Factory Feathered Guards are well aware of this. As far as I know, our East Factory Captain has repeatedly reported to Your Majesty about the beating of Lu Ming, but Your Majesty always ignored it. I don't know whether he is unwilling to intervene or unable to intervene.