Zhang San, please behave yourself!
Chapter 208 - 201: If Only I Were the Sect Hierarch of the Heavenly Punishment Sect!

Chapter 208: Chapter 201: If Only I Were the Sect Hierarch of the Heavenly Punishment Sect!

"Mad! Absolutely mad! Do you know whom you are threatening? You are threatening a governor, a trusted minister under the Crown Prince!"

Zhang San sneered and glanced in the direction of the two subordinates of Chen Jingxue, not far off.

"These two subordinates of yours have confessed everything."

Chen Jingxue snorted coldly, disdainfully said, "What use is their confession? As long as I don’t confess, you can’t do anything to me!"

Zhang San truly didn’t know where this kind of person got their confidence from.

Your subordinates in the True Core Realm couldn’t withstand it, and you, a scholar who isn’t even in the Primordial Qi Realm, you could withstand?

If your backbone was really that strong, would you still be a dog for the prince in the officialdom?

Zhang San pulled out a token from his bosom and placed it on the table.

"Do you know what this is?"

Chen Jingxue glanced at it and didn’t utter a word, clearly clueless.

"This is a token from the Heavenly Punishment Sect."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jingxue couldn’t help but feel alarmed.

As an official of the Imperial Court, they were not afraid of the Town Martial Office. Although the Town Martial Office had many powers, it was limited to dealing with Martial Artists. As it was not a law enforcement department, it naturally couldn’t do anything to them as court officials.

But the Heavenly Punishment Sect was different. The Heavenly Punishment Sect didn’t care whether you were a Martial Artist or not; if you committed an offense and the Heavenly Punishment Sect knew, they would come and kill you!

"You... you are a person from the Heavenly Punishment Sect?"

At this moment, the look in Chen Jingxue’s eyes when he gazed at Zhang San also contained more respect and fear.

Zhang San furrowed his brows and with a sneer, glanced at Chen Jingxue and asked, "Are you stupid? If I were a person from the Heavenly Punishment Sect, would I bring a group from the Town Martial Office to capture you?"

Chen Jingxue suddenly realized, and then became aware that he had been too nervous just now, causing his mind not to turn sharply enough.

"This token was found on you."

Upon hearing Zhang San’s words, Chen Jingxue was utterly confused.

"You, siding with the Heavenly Punishment Sect, then stirred up Martial Artists to cause trouble, instructing them to band together to attack the Dragon Serpent Gang, wanting to cause great chaos. Fortunately, your plot was timely thwarted by my Town Martial Office. When we came to find you, you knew your sins were heavy and hanged yourself. Or if you wanted to run away that’s fine too, either way, you ended up dead. I will arrange the specifics of how you died later. That’s roughly the plot; are you satisfied with it?"

At this moment, Chen Jingxue was terrified, his face pale as death.

Usually, when he judged cases, it went just like this; sometimes he would even do it without preparing any evidence, just directly framing.

He had never imagined that he would encounter someone more professional than himself.

The other party had even prepared the evidence to frame him.

"Just now, I, Chen, was reckless. Here, I apologize to you brother; may I know how to address you?"

"Acting Military Chief of the Town Martial Office, Zhang San."

"Military Chief Zhang, I wasn’t thinking straight just now. You came looking for me today certainly with some guidance. Rest assured, whatever conditions you, Chief Zhang, propose, I will definitely agree!"

Chen Jingxue wasn’t actually sure what Zhang San coming to him was all about.

But he knew he could try speaking this way first.

If the other party really could spare him, it would also be a chance.

Zhang San gestured to Wang Ziteng, who was not far away. Wang Ziteng came over and sat on the other side of Chen Jingxue, taking out a list.

Chen Jingxue looked at it and saw it listed properties, shops, and some enterprises, all belonged to himself.

"This is..."

Then, Wang Ziteng took out a document and placed it in front of Chen Jingxue.

Zhang San, smiling, said, "This gentleman here is my sworn Sixth brother, Wang Ziteng of the Wang Family."

"The Wang Family!?" Chen Jingxue was somewhat shocked.

Who among the people didn’t know that although it was Kaihuang who ruled the world today, the most prestigious were the families of Li, Cui, Lu, Zheng, and Wang.

These five families were not only powerful martial aristocratic families but also had tremendous influence in the Imperial Court. Even more, the Jin River region in Taiyuan, where their families were located, was akin to covering the sky with one hand.

It couldn’t be said that the Wang Family was on equal footing with Kaihuang’s Yang Clan; rather, in certain aspects of influence, the Yang Clan had to give way to them.

"Yes, it is indeed the Wang Family you’re thinking of. Now, if you sign this voluntary donation agreement and give all these assets under your name to my sixth brother, you will at least appear to be a clean official on the surface," he added.

"As for the matters you mentioned your two subordinates handled, I will also take care of them. Do you understand?"

Chen Jingxue knew that this was damnably protection money.

But he had no choice, if he didn’t pay, the other side would take him down, then all his belongings would belong to them, and he would even bear the infamy of joining the Heavenly Punishment Sect to become one of the Demon Cult Followers.

He had no choice but to grit his teeth and sign.

Zhang San asked curiously, "There are some things I don’t understand. Is the Crown Prince really short of money?"

To this day, Zhang San still wasn’t sure whether it was the Crown Prince’s Horse Washer causing trouble or if the Crown Prince was manipulating something behind the scenes, so he took advantage of Chen Jingxue’s relaxed moment to probe him.

Chen Jingxue felt that Zhang San must have known the whole story, so he helplessly nodded and then shook his head.

"You say the Crown Prince knows nothing, I don’t believe it. But you say the Crown Prince knows everything, I don’t believe that either. Everyone knows Kaihuang is frugal. So naturally, the Crown Prince’s expenses for food, clothing, and use are not lavish. But there are so many people under the Crown Prince, relationships need to be managed, tasks need people, how can that not cost money? These things the Crown Prince doesn’t care about, but the people under him cannot but help the Crown Prince organize. So..."

"In these years, Bai Yucheng has suppressed the martial forces throughout Chuan-Yu Road through the Town Martial Office, then secretly established the Dragon Serpent Gang, giving the Dragon Serpent Gang a tremendous growth opportunity. Moreover, they let the Dragon Serpent Gang covertly engage in smuggling salt and iron among other businesses. These businesses naturally make money, but if local officials were not turning a blind eye, could the Dragon Serpent Gang have developed to this extent today?"

Zhang San finally understood and said with a cold laugh, "No wonder the Dragon Serpent Gang has trained so many female followers; it seems quite a few have been sent to officials here in Chuan-Yu Road, or even to the Capital."

Chen Jingxue responded with a wry smile.

"It can’t be helped, that’s the Crown Prince! The future ruler of the nation! What can we do? Can we just not help him?"

Zhang San gave a bitter laugh and said, "So the Crown Prince should know that some people below have done some dirty deeds, but to what extent these dirty deeds have been done, the Crown Prince doesn’t ask, and will not even bother to ask, right?"

After signing, Chen Jingxue nodded.

Zhang San waved his hand, and someone sent Chen Jingxue out of Yunxiao Pavilion.

Since Chen Jingxue indeed paid the money, Zhang San would no longer make things difficult for Chen Jingxue.

But the words Chen Jingxue said before leaving made Zhang San sit there for a long time without leaving.

Across from him, Wang Ziteng couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, "Brother San, did we go too far this time? I thought it was just some confidant of the Crown Prince. If this matter really gets traced to the Crown Prince, I’m afraid ..."

After talking, Wang Ziteng looked at Zhang San for a long while and couldn’t help asking, "Brother San, what do you think?"

Zhang San sighed helplessly, "My legs are weak. Haven’t you noticed I haven’t stood up yet? Sixth, come help me up."

"Hehe, Brother San, mine are too."

"Useless! Big Head Wang, come over here!"

That is the Crown Prince of a nation! And not to mention if Kaihuang knew about this affair, he might just say a few words and let it be, and even if he really got angry, how could Kaihuang do anything to his own son?

On the contrary, if I reported the Crown Prince’s misdeeds, not to mention the future when the Crown Prince ascends the throne and might make things difficult for me, even now the Crown Prince could make life unbearable for me.

Of course, wearing small shoes is still a good thing; one day, a formidable practitioner from the Purple Mansion Realm might just come along to Chuan-Yu Road and harvest me, and I wouldn’t even know how I died.

Thinking this, Zhang San shivered a bit.

Zhang San touched his own neck and sighed in his heart, being weak is really no good! If I were strong enough, would I fear these people or these matters?

Whoever disobeys, just smash them to pieces!

Alas—

It would be great if I were the Hierarch of the Heavenly Punishment Sect! I wouldn’t fear the Crown Prince then!