Read Chapter 6: — THE FALSE INSPECTOR

The surviving passengers had barely recovered when soldiers arrived and arrested Su Shanhe.

The charge was absurd on its face: insulting the river god and mismanaging canal funds.

The second accusation mattered.

The first was theatre.

Xiaoxi tried to reach her brother and was seized by the deputy transport officer, Li Sheng.

Tang Zheng stepped between them.

He had no plan.

What he did have was a counterfeit Jinyiwei badge.

He raised it high.

“I am a Northern Office inspector.”

Lin nearly closed his eyes.

Impersonating a Jinyiwei officer could cost a man his head.

Impersonating a senior one was worse.

Then Tang drew the sword at his waist.

The blade was cheap.

The engraving was not.

Peerless in Service.

Lin forgot to breathe.

The surname Tang.

The age.

The capital accent.

The missing father.

The copied blade.

Ten years of searching resolved themselves in one impossible instant.

Tang Zheng was Tang Xiao’s son.

Lin said nothing.

Instead, he knelt.

“Your Excellency.”

Everyone around them followed.

Tang’s eyes widened with gratitude and disbelief.

Later, out of earshot, he whispered, “You knew?”

“I know how to recognise authority.”

This was technically true.

The false inspector demanded Su Shanhe’s release.

The local magistrate, Zhou Yunqing, refused without proof.

Tang, improvising at high speed, gave himself three days to prove Shanhe innocent.

Outside the yamen, Lin asked him quietly, “Do you often wager your life against deadlines?”

Tang grinned.

“Only when a beautiful woman is watching.”

Xiaoxi was close enough to hear.

She rolled her eyes.

Lin had to look away to hide a smile.

For the first time in years, being beside Tang Xiao’s son hurt less than it healed.