Chapter 502: Luck

Chapter 502: Chapter 502: Luck

Jiang Cheng was severely intimidated by Pang Ban, so naturally he was in a foul mood. Especially after Pang Ban pointed out the current state of affairs in the Temple Hall, Jiang Cheng felt even more anxious. The problem was, Shen Hao—the instigator—had yet to send any Copper Rod to explain himself.

Is he playing dead? Or is he perfectly confident about everything?

Jiang Cheng didn’t believe Shen Hao was unaware of the matter. The Black Water Plan had already reached beyond the Jingxi Territory; there must be Shen Hao’s eyes and ears in the Imperial City. With such a major event taking place, that bastard probably knew about it before even he did. The lack of news from Shen Hao must mean there was already some action underway.

So, even though Jiang Cheng was anxious, he still didn’t go to press Shen Hao. But his patience would only last one day—if Shen Hao still didn’t make a move by tomorrow, he would have to sound the alarm.

It must be said that Jiang Cheng knew Shen Hao, his former disciple, quite well. He had just formed his plan, and as evening approached and he was preparing to finish his shift, the deputy outside announced that Deputy Thousand Households Shen Hao of the Fengri City Black Banner Battalion was requesting an audience.

Well, there he is.

"Let him in."

Jiang Cheng seated himself back in his chair, and only after Shen Hao entered did he notice that the instigator wore a broad smile, with no hint that he realized the trouble he’d stirred up. But this, too, settled Jiang Cheng’s heart somewhat—at least it proved Shen Hao remained steady and clear-headed.

"Subordinate greets, my Lord! I’ve brought you trouble, my Lord. Please punish this subordinate."

"Hmph, so you know you’ve caused me trouble? I just came from the Commander’s Office this afternoon—the noble Lord Pang told you to pick your fate between ’Waist Slash’ and ’death by a thousand cuts.’ Which one do you choose?"

Shen Hao saw that, although Jiang Cheng seemed to be half-smiling, his gaze was serious. He realized the two so-called choices were no joke, but truly orders from Pang Ban. At once, Shen Hao understood that his prior assumptions had been too simplistic; the commotion in the Temple Hall over this matter was likely far greater than he’d imagined.

"This subordinate is terrified. Even ants cling to life; I would still like to live a few more years, so I won’t be choosing either. Instead, I want to handle the matter properly."

Jiang Cheng asked with a laugh, "Handle it? Do you have a strategy?"

"I do. My Lord, resolving this matter only requires going to the source. How things turn out mostly depends on good fortune, rather than scheming. Before I came, I already had people find all seventeen of those who first spread the rumor about Miss Qin being seized by the Xuanqing Guard. Yesterday afternoon, they left the Imperial City and scattered across the Dynasty. As of now, all these people have been rounded up in the Fengri City Black Banner Battalion’s dungeons and have confessed."

"You’ve found them?!" Jiang Cheng leaned forward in astonishment—he now understood what Shen Hao meant by ’good fortune.’ The people who usually spread such rumors would have been cleaned up immediately, yet they were still alive, and in less than a day, all were captured. If that’s not luck, what is?

"Yes, my Lord. Their backgrounds are ordinary; they’re riffraff from the city streets—gamblers or idlers, only remarkable for being well-connected in the underworld, quick with the grapevine. They took someone else’s silver to spread word that Miss Qin had been seized by us, and later, that she and the Fifth Prince were engaged—the same lot spread that, too.

Last night, they were told by the person behind the scenes to ’lay low.’ Supposedly, they were given a large sum and told not to come back for three years."

Jiang Cheng quickly asked, "Who’s the instigator?"

"A hoodlum boss named Pang Tou. He’s been caught as well. According to him, he did this on Qin Xiuyuan of the Qin Family’s third branch’s orders."

"It really was someone from the Qin Family?"

"Yes. There are witnesses—but also the silver notes Qin Xiuyuan gave Pang Tou. The note numbers have been checked in the Imperial City’s Money Shop and did, in fact, come from a Qin Family shop. Going by Local Government Office regulations, this hard evidence is enough to bring Qin Xiuyuan in for questioning."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Cheng burst into laughter, the stone finally dropping from his heart.

"My Lord, do you think with these witnesses and evidence we can directly apprehend Qin Xiuyuan?" Shen Hao probed. After all, as long as they caught Qin Xiuyuan, and seeing how sloppily he handled these street thugs, Shen Hao was absolutely sure he could pry open the man’s mouth. By then, the Qin Family’s exact role would become clear.

However, the other party was still the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue’s household, someone whose status in the Jingjiu Dynasty was not to be underestimated. Shen Hao, with his slender arms and legs, dared not charge in single-handedly—he’d need solid grounds.

This was why Shen Hao sought Jiang Cheng’s opinion.

"Your case, your trouble—and now you think to ask me?" Jiang Cheng shot Shen Hao a glare, annoyed. This bastard’s little calculations—how could he not see through them?

"My Lord, please don’t be angry. I just didn’t want to burden you further, that’s all. If I were to decide, the Xuanqing Guard has its own rules, which have worked for years—there’s no need to be hindered by minor issues." Shen Hao laid out his view directly: as long as Jiang Cheng didn’t oppose, he had nothing to fear.

"Very good. Remember, handle everything according to Xuanqing Guard regulations. Also, have an answer ready for why the Qin Family did this. You’ve been fussing over that last remnant of the Wen Family, haven’t you? See if you can tie up that loose end while you’re at it. Always dragging it out doesn’t look good for us."

"Understood, my Lord. I’ll interrogate them thoroughly and won’t overlook anything. However, my Lord, the Imperial City isn’t quite the same as Fengri City. Should we use the Governor’s Office signboard?"

Jiang Cheng was taken aback at first, then laughed with delight, pointing at Shen Hao several times before replying, "You may use the Jingxi Town Governor’s Office signboard, but prepare your own men."

Fengri City was a pilot site, entrusted with cross-regional Xuanqing Guard authority, but why did Shen Hao still want to use the Jingxi Town Governor’s signboard?

Jiang Cheng’s smiling face showed he understood—flattering people to Shen Hao’s level was enough to make even a straightforward military man like Jiang Cheng feel pleased.

With his name on it, the case files could be directly marked with the Jingxi Town Governor’s Office. They’d proceed to the Celestial Listener without a hitch.

Of course, Shen Hao himself didn’t think he was currying favor with Jiang Cheng—though it certainly looked like it. His true purpose lay elsewhere: he just wanted a big name out in front. Being a scapegoat wasn’t fun. Last time, raiding Xu Hong’s house earned him widespread infamy among the military; now, cleaning up the Qin Family would make him equally detested among the civil servants. With the Jingxi Town Governor’s Office leading the way, at least not all the cursing would land on him.

That very night, Shen Hao took Jiang Cheng’s newly written Order and knocked on the main gate of Qin Xiuyuan’s residence, the third house in the Qin Family.