Chapter 297: "Preparing for the New Year" (Part 6) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Inside Fugu City.
A remote and abandoned commoner's house.
"How's the investigation going?"
The furtive figure lowered the brim of his straw hat, carefully observing his surroundings, and only after confirming that no one was following him did he weave his way into this place.
Before he could even stand still, several haggard-looking middle-aged men stepped forward and pressed him for answers. Seeing their hopeful eyes, he closed his eyes tightly, shook his head, and let out a long, complex sigh.
He said to one person, "...My condolences."
Upon hearing this devastating news, the man was so shocked that he collapsed to the ground, his head feeling as if it had been struck twice with a hammer; he could hear nothing but a buzzing sound. The others panicked and hurriedly inquired about their own situation.
The good news is that it's not our turn yet.
There are too many case files and documents piled up. Even if we read them word for word, it would take several cycles from day to night, not to mention the sentencing and execution of those involved. Today, we'll start with Zhang, the river magistrate, and his henchmen!
But the bad news is—given Shen Tang's ruthless actions today, sooner or later their families and relatives will be next. Their fate will likely be no better than Zhang's today…
The only difference between the two is that one dies earlier and the other later.
"How hateful! How hateful!"
An emotional man kicked a piece of trash at his feet, and the abandoned low table smashed into pieces against the mud wall.
Still not satisfied!
"Just who is this Shen Tang...?"
"...Why treat us like this..."
In the past, prefects had considered the need to balance the power among various families.
But the idea of eliminating them was never even considered.
Firstly, they lacked the capability; secondly, their presence was entirely beneficial to the prefect—it wouldn't be easy for an outsider to manage the river administration, but with the covert support of various families, things were different. People, money—what better allies could there be?
It's just that none of them think it's good enough.
Therefore, they couldn't understand Shen Tang's behavior! Why did he have to exterminate them all? How could Shen Tang gain full control of the River Governor's Office after killing so many of them? Was it with Shen Tang alone? Or with all those scoundrels he brought with him?
"That's a question for Zhang..."
The person who went to the high platform to inquire about the news had an unfriendly expression.
Those Zhang clan members who had managed to escape were enraged upon hearing this. They jumped to their feet, their eyes blazing with fury and veins bulging, and demanded, "What do you mean by that?"
It suggests that they might resort to violence at the slightest disagreement.
The Zhang family was wiped out by Shen Tang, while the members of the other families are still alive. Why are they making such sarcastic remarks?
"What do you mean? Don't you know? Shen Tang admitted today that he came to He Yin to find a close relative within five degrees of kinship. After some inquiries, he found out that the person was in your family and had already been killed. That's when he became resentful, but he was worried that the other families would object, so he simply decided to go all the way and wipe them all out! Those ignorant commoners all clapped and said that the Zhang family died a good death!"
Simply put, without Zhang's actions as a trigger that caused Shen Tang to suddenly take action, none of their families would have been in any trouble!
Even Shen Tang won't come to take up his post as the Prefect of He.
The others came from different families.
Her eyes reddened upon hearing this.
However, they still retained some composure and didn't immediately lose their temper. It was the Zhang family member who didn't believe it, stubbornly arguing, "This is all slander! Slander! What a coincidence! Perhaps Shen Tang just made it up!"
That's not impossible!
That's definitely it!
"Slander? False? Where's the evidence?"
His accomplice stumped him with a single question.
Zhang has no way to prove her innocence now, because too many women have died over the years, directly or indirectly. Even if it wasn't a member of the clan who did it, it could have been Zhang's servants who did it using Zhang's name... It's impossible to figure it out!
His face flushed red, then turned pale.
He blurted out, "How are you any better than the Zhang family? It's not even certain whether the Zhang family killed the person!"
While the heads of the various families were at odds with each other, the relationships among the younger generation were not so sharp, especially among the like-minded playboys who often gathered together to have fun and play very recklessly.
Who knows how Shen Tang's "elder sister" died?
"you--"
"Alright! Now is not the time to argue about this!"
Seeing the two men on the verge of exchanging blows, some people couldn't stand it and stepped forward to intervene, trying to mediate and calm them down.
"We have a blood feud with that petty thief Shen Tang. We should work together to break this deadlock instead of fighting amongst ourselves. What's the use of saying all this now? Let's think about how to get out of this predicament!"
The crisis they face is no small matter.
They were all "escaped fish" who had hastily fled in the chaos, carrying few valuables with them, and even survival and shelter were in question. As long as Shen Tang refused to open the city gates, they would be trapped in the city, and sooner or later their whereabouts would be exposed!
It's not that I don't want to find old acquaintances, but those people are all opportunists. Their families were overthrown by Shen Tang overnight, and they're too busy severing ties to even think about taking me in.
Fight our way out?
They lack confidence.
He didn't want to sacrifice himself to buy time and create an escape opportunity for others. He knew what he had done; if caught by Shen Tang's men, he would surely die!
"Hmph! Find a way to escape? Easier said than done—" one person sneered, his tone sarcastic and unpleasant. His eyes were cold and venomous, and a wicked thought arose in his mind, "Since we're going to die anyway, might as well…"
Why not?
Everyone wanted to hear his idea.
Unfortunately, the rest of the sentence was interrupted by a sudden commotion. The tightly closed wooden door was kicked open from the outside, and a burly, imposing figure came into view. Behind him were rows of soldiers armed with swords.
The lookout didn't even issue a warning.
He collapsed to the ground, his fate unknown.
Arrest them all!
At Gong Shuwu's command, Lili took the lead.
The cramped, dilapidated house made it difficult to even hide, and these people were not strong enough. One Tanuki alone could choke a person by the neck with his left hand, grab a person's skull with his right hand, and kick a person so hard that they rolled on the ground. The other soldiers surrounded and followed.
They were quickly captured in one fell swoop.
Similar scenes are happening everywhere.
When Lili and his group returned "laden with their loot," Shen Tang learned that the "escaped fish" had been brought to justice. They had all had their legs broken and were sent to "reunite" with their families—this might be their last meeting. Hearing the wailing and vicious curses behind him, Lili was in high spirits, praising Gu Chi's brilliant strategy.
He was truly impressed that he could spot the "fish that slipped through the net" mixed in with the common people with just a glance!
As for the truth... only a few people who know the way of Gu Chiwenshi know the truth.
When Qi Shan learned of this, she expressed her disapproval—Gu Chi had gone too far, catching all the "fish" in one fell swoop.
Gu Chi rolled his eyes inwardly: "Why not?"
Qi Shan said, "These families have been operating in Heyin for many years, and their hidden henchmen are definitely more than just these few. It would be better to let them out, play the long game, and then eliminate them in one fell swoop."
(*^▽^*)
I'm still asking for monthly votes today, and also giving a shout-out to my friend MiTu Novels.
"My Master is Too Cold" (Eastern Fantasy Category)
Synopsis: A carpenter father and son in the village take in a mentally challenged girl whose origins are unknown.
Suddenly one day, the girl regained consciousness.
P.S.: I have something to complain about, but I'm not sure if I should say it: the copywriting is even worse than mine...
(End of this chapter)
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