Zhang San, please behave yourself!
Chapter 280 - 269: Three Qiongqi!

Chapter 280: Chapter 269: Three Qiongqi!

Zhang San and Fang Cunzai had left Fengdu County City when they noticed that everyone had already gathered together.

The battle in Fengdu County City had cost the Town Martial Office a good number of Martial Artists, and several Martial Artists from the Ministry of Punishment had also perished.

Of course, the group that suffered the most were the six hundred soldiers brought by the Deputy General, with casualties nearly half.

However, if one were to say which group suffered the highest number of casualties, it was probably the common people of Fengdu County City who had suffered a disaster through no fault of their own.

Zhang San had just approached and bowed respectfully to the Deputy General and Shang Bufa.

Just as he was about to express his gratitude, Zhang San suddenly noticed Zhang Pu walking over.

Just as Zhang San was about to exchange a few pleasantries with Zhang Pu, he saw Zhang Pu lift his robe and kneel down.

Behin Zhang Pu, thousands of Fengdu County residents who had been rescued also knelt down towards Zhang San.

"On behalf of all the residents of Fengdu County, I express gratitude for Military Chief Zhang’s life-saving grace!"

Zhang Pu said, and he was the first to start kowtowing.

The common people behind him also knelt down in unison.

Just as the few teams gathered together, many acquainted common people were finally able to meet each other.

In this undeserved calamity, some people heard a bit of conversation from Zhang San and his group, so they knew why they were able to survive, apparently because these people were willing to rescue them.

But in reality, it was Zhang San’s decision.

If Zhang San had chosen to save the officials in the prison cart instead of the common people at that moment, then at this moment, not a single resident of the entire county could have walked out alive.

Everyone knew it was Zhang San who had saved them.

Especially Zhang Pu, who had heard that the mission of Zhang San and his group was actually to escort these officials.

As a result, everyone tasked with the escort perished here, an event for which Zhang San was certain to be punished by Kaihuang.

"For the life-saving grace of Military Chief Zhang, I, of Fengdu County, have nothing with which to repay. I am willing to stake my family and my life to petition on behalf of Military Chief Zhang to Kaihuang to forgive the choices he was compelled to make during this mission."

Zhang San knew Zhang Pu meant well, but he still helped Zhang Pu up and asked all the people behind him to rise as well.

"County Magistrate Zhang, I accept your kindness. But with your connections in the Imperial Court, pleading for me might actually do more harm than good, as it might give my enemies fewer reasons to target me."

Though Zhang San said this, he knew.

His finding and reporting the Bai Yucheng ledger to Kaihuang had undoubtedly offended the Crown Prince and the group under him.

Now that these people were dead, the Crown Prince would certainly try to add insult to injury and use the opportunity to eliminate him.

If Zhang Pu really pleaded for him, Zhang Pu might also become implicated.

Though Zhang Pu had moved from a capital official to a local County Magistrate, which really didn’t have many ramifications, Zhang San still talked this way primarily because he did not want such a good official as Zhang Pu to come to harm.

Having all the people of Fengdu County rise, Zhang San then asked Deputy Commander Guo to help settle them down, as dealing with the resettlement of the common people was truly not a strong suit of the Town Martial Office.

Then Zhang San asked Big Head Wang to summon a Qiongqi and report everything that had happened here truthfully; after writing it down, he had the Qiongqi send it off.

After writing it down, Zhang San looked in the direction of the deathly still Fengdu County City and sighed helplessly.

Zhang San felt like ever since Bai Yucheng’s death, everything he did seemed to go smoothly and rather well.

How had it come to pass that ever since he encountered Bai Yucheng’s soul, he had become unlucky again?

Could it be that he just wasn’t meant to mesh with me?

Moreover, now that these officials, who were originally supposed to be escorted to the Capital, were dead, Zhang San didn’t know what to do for the moment.

As long as Zhang San did not know this matter, apart from angering Kaihuang, whether the Crown Prince would breathe a sigh of relief and then try to win him over or seize the opportunity to strengthen the accusation against him remained uncertain.

While Zhang San was contemplating, he felt a small mirror on his body vibrating.

This was the little mirror Cui Jiu had given him before, probably because Cui Jiu wanted to contact him.

So, Zhang San immediately left the location of the main troop and went to a small ditch favored by martial artists, where he took out the small mirror.

"Zhang San, the ledger has been delivered to the Main Altar, and the internal discussion is very satisfied with you. Therefore, you are invited to visit the Main Altar."

Zhang San knew that his undercover mission was finally making progress.

"When should I go, and how?"

"I will divine your current location, then come to find you, you should also prepare yourself. The sooner you set off, the better."

Zhang San thought for a moment and asked, "Will this trip take a lot of time? Because I just encountered some trouble here, and it wouldn’t be good if I were away for too long."

"Don’t worry, it won’t take very long, you’ll be back in at most a day and a night."

Zhang San nodded in satisfaction and put away the small mirror.

He went back to find Big Head Wang, asking him to help bring back a qiongqi, wrote down the matters concerning the Heavenly Punishment Sect, and sent it to Third Miss Gan.

After all, his direct superior was Big Sister, so it was necessary to let her know about such matters.

After the second qiongqi was dispatched, the people from the Town Martial Office had also rested well.

Zhang San earnestly asked Deputy Commander Guo to take care of the people of Fengdu County for the time being because having the soldiers there gave everyone some peace of mind.

Moreover, since there were bodies everywhere in Fengdu County City, it would be difficult for the civilians to handle it themselves; it was better to rely on them to manage it.

Zhang San then took Shang Bufa by water route, striving to meet up with Third Miss Gan and her group first.

After all, there were no prisoners left to escort to the Capital now, so theoretically, Zhang San and his team no longer needed the help of Deputy Commander Guo and his soldiers.

However, just as Zhang San and his group had not walked far, they saw many martial artists’ bodies on the ground.

Even more, they discovered the body of Wen Ruchu ahead.

From afar, upon seeing the body, Zhang San immediately used the technique "Feng Chengying" and then ordered, "Approach slowly, check carefully."

As Zhang San said this, he and his men carefully proceeded forward step by step, eventually arriving beside the body of Wen Ruchu.

Xu conducted a brief examination and said, "There are wounds left by the Hairy Ghost King on the body and encounters with other zombies or iron corpses, but the fatal wounds are still the sword injuries."

"I know," Zhang San said, nodding his head, "there are twenty or thirty sword injuries on the body, it’s just unknown if it’s possible to tell whether the attacker was one of the ghosts and monsters or a martial artist, and what techniques were used?"

Xu shook his head and said, "The opponent did not use any sword techniques nor left any traces of Qi, so there’s no way to trace it."

Zhang San nodded, then spoke to the martial artists behind him, "Collect the bodies of Wen Ruchu and these martial artists of the Wen Family properly."

Having said that, Zhang San began writing the third letter to Third Miss Gan and then had Big Head Wang summon a qiongqi.

After all, Wen Ruchu was the eldest son and grandson of the Wen Family, and his death was definitely a significant event for the Town Martial Office.

Meanwhile, the Ghost Kings who had previously appeared in and around Fengdu County City had already retreated back into the Ghost Domain.

Standing in front of the many Ghost Kings who participated in this mission, Jiang Ziwen smiled and said, "This plan was successful, completed our arrangements in the Realm of the Living, and brought us one step closer to the success of our plan."

"Soon, we will be able to walk openly in the Realm of the Living. But before that, my lords must cultivate this secret technique well."

As Jiang Ziwen spoke, Wu Tong brought out the secret manuals previously copied by many little ghosts and began distributing them to the Ghost Kings present.

"These are the ’Family Protection Immortal Techniques’ gifted by a close friend of Ghost King Wutong. Remember, only by mastering this secret technique will you be able to walk openly in the Realm of the Living in the future!"