"What's wrong, President Jing?"
Jing Ba narrowed his eyes: "Since you yourself said you know the case-handling procedures, what, do you intend to break the law knowingly?"
Jing Ba simply couldn't stand Jing Zhe.
Whether it was their opposing camps or the fact that Jing Zhe had repeatedly made things difficult for him, even threatening him with a sword, he hated them immensely and wished he could kill them.
However, Jing Zhe's status was not low, and he was about to become the leader of the martial arts alliance, so Jing Ba had no way to deal with him.
I thought I'd never have another chance to hurt him, but tonight one just came along!
The prime suspect in Lin Qingshan's murder is Jing Zhe. Although we can't convict him, locking him up and making him suffer is always an option!
Moreover, he received instructions from "above," which is why he was able to act so recklessly!
So what if you're an official appointed by the imperial court?
Even a prince is subject to the same laws as a commoner, let alone someone as minor as you.
Therefore, Jing Ba was fearless and, upon hearing Jing Zhe's rebuttal, prepared to humiliate him.
"Prefect Jingba, you are mistaken! It is precisely because I know the procedures for handling cases that I cannot leave!"
"Oh? What do you mean?"
"Prefect of Jingba, can you be sure that I killed Lin Qingshan?"
"This... of course not, so I can only say that President Jing is the most suspicious! Taking him back is just to understand the situation!"
Jing Ba raised his head and said.
"Alright, then I'll ask the prefect of Jingba again to find out the situation. I can find out here. Wouldn't it be a waste of time to go back to the yamen with you?"
Wasting time is only wasting your time!
While thinking this to himself, Jing Ba snorted coldly and said, "Of course, cases should be handled at the yamen. What's the point of doing it here? Besides, it's not just Chief Jing who's a suspect. We'll bring the others back to the yamen as well!"
"Really? With so many suspects, if the prefect of Jingba were to interrogate them personally, could he manage it all in one night?"
"Well... of course it won't last all night! It's already so late, I need to go back and rest, and then we can discuss this further. We might start the interrogation tomorrow!"
"Oh? So just because I'm a suspect they can take me back and lock me up for a night?"
Jing Zhe sneered inwardly, already understanding his tricks.
It's nothing more than putting him in jail, making him stay there overnight, having a trial the next day, and then releasing him without charge.
When he comes out, everyone will know that he was imprisoned. It will probably get back to Jingzhou soon, and the people of Jingzhou will laugh at him!
This wasn't what Jing Zhe was most worried about.
Although he often wrote back to Jingzhou after arriving in Jinxi to let his women know he was safe, wouldn't sending such messages back only increase their worries, since he was going to stay in Liangzhou for an unknown period of time?
Therefore, no matter what, he cannot go to the government office now!
"Well... this is the standard procedure for handling cases. Does President Jing expect any special treatment?"
Jing Ba expressed his dissatisfaction.
“Prefect Jingba, I didn’t kill Lin Qingshan. You can’t just take me back and lock me up for a night because you suspect me, can you? I’ve already given you a lot of face by agreeing to go to the yamen!”
"Since you've agreed, why don't you leave?"
"I did agree, but not now! I'm sleepy right now and need to take a nap! I'll go to the government office tomorrow after I wake up, and say a few more words to you in front of the people of Jinxi!"
Jing Zhe said slowly and deliberately.
Going to the yamen in front of all the people is a completely different experience from being taken to the yamen and locked up in jail late at night.
Jing Ba naturally understood this principle and immediately refused.
"No, we have to leave now?"
"Just because the prefect of Jingba suspects me?"
"Yes!"
"Then I suspect that the prefect of Jingba has disregarded imperial authority and committed the crime of deceiving the emperor!"
"You...you're spouting nonsense!"
Jing Ba said angrily.
"We are now in Jinxi. As the magistrate of Jinxi, I have the authority to thoroughly investigate any murder cases that occur within the city! You must cooperate with this investigation, otherwise—"
"Otherwise what?"
Jing Ba was speechless because Jing Zhe had pulled out the gleaming Emperor's Sword again, pointed it at his face, and gestured at him.
"You, you, you—although you possess the Emperor's Sword, His Majesty did not grant it to you so that you might intimidate court officials without cause! Even if I were to report this to His Majesty, I would not be afraid of you!"
"The prefect of Jingba is mistaken."
Jing Zhe shook his head and continued to brandish the Emperor's Sword at Jing Ba's face.
"I only suspected you of disrespecting imperial authority, which is why I drew the Emperor's Sword to purge those who disrespect imperial authority!"
"You...you can kill someone just because you suspect them?"
"So you brought me back to the yamen just because you suspected me?"
"..."
The situation instantly reached a stalemate; it seemed that as long as Jing Ba dared to bring Jing Zhe back to the yamen, Jing Zhe would dare to execute Jing Ba on the spot.
After weighing the pros and cons, Jing Ba decided to give up.
He underestimated Jing Zhe's shamelessness.
He reasoned with Jing Zhe as a normal person, thinking that as long as he used the court's case-handling procedures to pressure him, he could easily bring him back to the yamen that night.
But to everyone's surprise, although he held the title of a government official, his behavior was just like that of a street thug.
Bah! Even thugs aren't this shameless. Besides, he's just being unreasonable. I could just ignore him and take him away—assuming he doesn't know martial arts, of course…
He knows martial arts, and he's very good at it, which makes things difficult.
When a scholar encounters a soldier, reason is useless!
He had no choice but to back down, saying, "Well... what President Jing said makes sense. Since it's just suspicion, it's not too late to go to the yamen tomorrow morning... I'll head back now..."
Without waiting for Jing Zhe's reply, he prepared to slink away.
"Wait!"
"..."
Jing Ba stood still, wondering what other trouble Jing Zhe was up to. He cursed his bad luck inwardly, thinking, "This is truly a case of trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead! If I had known this would happen, anyone who came would be a fool!"
"Oh? Is there anything else, President Jing?"
"Oh, remember to close the door behind you."
After saying that, he got into bed and lay down to sleep.
"..."
Jing Ba gritted his teeth and strode away, but in the end, he still sent someone to close the door for Jing Zhe...
He had only taken a few steps when Su Moyan and Prince Jin arrived.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, and Your Highness the Prince of Jin!"
"Prefect Jing has quite the nerve, daring to barge into the Prince of Jin's residence to arrest someone? What, should we take me with us too?"
"This humble official dares not!"
"If you don't dare, then get out of here!"
"yes!"
Jing Ba lowered his head and didn't take it seriously, because he knew that the King of Jin was only scolding him for Su Moyan and Jing Zhe's benefit.
At this moment, the King of Jin said from inside the house, "Chief Jing, I am a little late, and I apologize for the inconvenience caused to you!"
“Your Highness is too kind. I am not aggrieved at all, but the Prefect of Jingba is probably quite aggrieved.”
"..."
Lying back on the bed, Jing Zhe sneered: "Little brat, with such mediocre skills, you still dare to act as someone's gun?"
————
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