Chapter 546
Suzhou.
The next day, Shen Rang learned what he wanted.
"My lord, I led men to investigate yesterday, and the evil deeds those people committed were far worse than what is recorded in the case file!"
"This young master Qi was strolling the streets last month when he saw a beautiful newlywed woman and simply abducted her. When the woman's husband came to demand justice, the young master Qi, right in front of the husband, raped the woman—"
Jing Er couldn't bear to say any more.
"And that young master Yao, the month before last, forcibly abducted a respectable girl in the street! By the time the girl's family arrived, she had been driven insane by the ordeal!"
"When questioned afterward, they all claimed they were drunk when they did it; they were all utterly shameless!"
Jing Yuan frowned and cursed fiercely, "These beasts!"
Shen Rang's expression was also very unpleasant.
Did you drink too much?
Why don't you just rob strong men or government officials when you're drunk? What's with staring at women?
The "drank too much" excuse is just that.
"Since the evidence is conclusive, let's proceed with everything."
He had barely finished speaking when the guest room door was suddenly pushed open, and the Suzhou prefect strode into the room, exclaiming, "Absolutely not!"
“Young Master Shen, I know you have come here on imperial orders, but the situation in Suzhou is far more complicated than you imagine! These forces are deeply entrenched, and any move you make will have far-reaching consequences!”
"Moreover, the fact that they can bully and dominate the market again means that the backing they have is beyond our imagination. Perhaps their family has powerful backers in the imperial court as well. If we were to uproot them, the consequences would be unimaginable!"
The Suzhou prefect's words were earnest and well-intentioned.
The Jiangnan region is so prosperous; the emperor has been paying attention to it for who knows how long. How could others not have noticed? Perhaps some with ulterior motives have already been operating here for many years!
People say that even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake, but Shen Rang is different; he always seems to be picking on the local snakes!
More importantly, even if Shen Rang causes trouble and leaves, he still has to stay and take up his post here!
Thinking of this, the Suzhou prefect became even more anxious.
"Lord Shen, the situation in the capital is different from that in other places. You would be better off thinking twice before you act!"
After saying this, the Suzhou prefect took a big gulp of water.
"I understand your concerns, sir, but please consider this: you are, after all, an official appointed by the court. I am here on His Majesty's orders. If you are unwilling to cooperate, what will His Majesty think of you if he finds out?"
"Now that things have come to this, I will no longer hide it from you, sir. His Majesty issued a secret order for my departure this time."
The Suzhou prefect's eyelids twitched: "A secret order?"
Shen Rang nodded slightly: "Your Majesty is naturally aware of the wealth and power of Jiangnan, but what troubles Your Majesty even more is the attitude of officials in various parts of Jiangnan."
The Suzhou prefect was incredibly astute; having only heard the beginning, he immediately understood Shen Rang's meaning: "So His Majesty intends for you, sir, to also assume the responsibility of oversight?"
Jingyuan stepped forward and placed the secret order in front of the Suzhou prefect.
"I hereby order you to take this decree to Jiangnan to oversee all officials. Anyone who disobeys this imperial edict or goes against my will shall be executed on the spot."
The Suzhou prefect's hand trembled, and he almost dropped the secret order to the ground.
He hurriedly put the secret order away again, handed it back to Shen Rang with both hands, and then breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
Fortunately, I had cooperated with Shen Rang in everything before—wait a minute!
The Suzhou prefect shuddered: "Lord Shen, every word I just said was for the sake of stability, and I had no intention of going against your wishes whatsoever!"
"Of course I trust you, sir. I've seen your cooperation these past few days."
Upon hearing this, the Suzhou prefect breathed a sigh of relief.
With the secret order already delivered, the Suzhou prefect had nothing more to say. He even said, "Lord Shen, this matter must be handled cleanly. If any future troubles are left behind, it will be a real headache for me!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
