"I’ll kill you!"
SWOOSH.
Wei Quan drew the sword from his waist, about to strike down the County Governor.
"Don’t be hasty," Zhao Feng said in a deep voice.
Hearing Zhao Feng’s words, Wei Quan suppressed the anger in his heart and sheathed his sword.
"Where are the records of General Wei’s Annual Salary for the past two years?" Zhao Feng asked, looking at the County Magistrate.
"General... General Wei?" The County Magistrate was taken aback, a look of surprise on his face.
"General Wei Quan has followed General Zhao since the campaigns in Han, fought through the bloody battles in the Zhao state, defeated Wei Wuji, and helped destroy both Han and Zhao, achieving nurous military exploits," Zhang Ming stated icily. "He is now a Wanjiang."
As his words fell, everyone was stunned.
"Wei Quan... has beco... a general?"
"How is this possible?"
"Wasn’t he in the Logistics Army?" the County Governor exclaid, his eyes filled with fear. At this mont, he finally understood. He had offended soone who could take his life, and his face turned deathly pale.
Beside them, Wei Quan’s wife stared in shocked disbelief, seemingly unable to process that her husband had truly beco a general.
"Incredible!"
"Wei Quan actually beca a general."
"A general! That’s a position far higher than a County Governor."
"No wonder General Zhao Feng would personally seek justice for Wei Quan. His status is completely different now."
"This ti, the County Governor and the Bai Family are finished."
"So many years of resentnt are finally coming to an end."
"Yes, the County Governor and the Bai Family brought this upon themselves. They targeted the Wei Family for so long, trying to drive them to their deaths. And they even embezzled General Wei’s Annual Salary! That’s a violation of the law."
...
The surrounding commoners began to murmur amongst themselves again. The way they looked at Wei Quan had changed completely; none of them could have ever imagined that he would beco a general.
"For... for the past two years, Wei Quan’s—no, General Wei’s—Annual Salary records were simply thrown away," the County Magistrate stamred. "As for the salary itself, it was still distributed as before, at only one-ninth of the proper amount."
Now, he fully understood. The reason the County Governnt’s funds had inexplicably increased so much was all because of Wei Quan. As a general, his noble rank had to be of the seventh degree or higher. The combined Annual Salary from his title and the monthly salary from his office was a substantial sum of money.
It looks like you’ve embezzled from more than just General Wei, Zhao Feng thought, his gaze sweeping over the man. If this were just an error concerning Wei Quan alone, they might have investigated it. But they didn’t even know his noble rank or official position and just embezzled the funds directly. Clearly, this County Governnt’s corruption runs far deeper than just one man.
"I... This humble official..." The County Magistrate trembled, at a loss for words.
Just then, his eyes darted to the County Governor beside him, and he shouted, "This humble official is willing to make a report! All the embezzlent was orchestrated by the County Governor and the Head of the Bai Family!"
"To curry favor with the Bai Family, the County Governor gave them nearly all the embezzled money as bribes! In return, the Bai Family used their connections to cover up all of his cris! This humble official didn’t embezzle a single coin; it was all the County Governor and the Bai Family! As for the matter of the rape, it was the County Governor who single-handedly suppressed it! This has nothing to do with ! I was coerced by them! I swear I haven’t taken a single coin of the embezzled Annual Salary!" the County Magistrate cried, his face a mask of misery.
"Are you sure you want to report this?" Zhao Feng asked, looking at the County Magistrate.
"I am willing to atone for my cris!" the County Magistrate nodded repeatedly.
"Write down every cri committed by this County Governor and the Bai Family. If you do, I can be lenient with you," Zhao Feng said gravely.
"I am willing," the County Magistrate replied, not daring to refuse.
The County Governor, standing nearby, was completely dumbfounded, looking on in utter horror. The laws of Qin were strict, especially after the King of Qin began his personal rule. The embezzlent of an Annual Salary was taken with the utmost seriousness. Anyone caught would have their entire clan exterminated. Yet here, in Linguan, the County Governor had dared to collaborate with a major local clan to embezzle a general’s salary. It was an act of audacious recklessness.
"Good," Zhao Feng nodded and gestured with his hand.
Zhang Ming imdiately produced a blank set of bamboo slips and a carving knife, handing them to the County Magistrate.
At that mont, a commotion erupted.
"How dare you!"
"Who in the hell are you?"
"How dare you treat our Family Head like this?"
"Who is your superior? How dare you act so brazenly?"
"Are you blind? We’re from the Bai Family!"
"Insolence..."
Han Chenyan arrived with a group of trusted aides, escorting nearly a hundred people. Even after being arrested and dragged to the Governnt Office, these people remained arrogant, cursing loudly.
"General," Han Chenyan reported, approaching Zhao Feng. "Everyone from the Bai Family has been captured. Not a single one was missed."
"Wei Quan, find the man who raped your sister," Zhao Feng ordered after a single glance.
Without hesitation, Wei Quan walked toward a luxuriously dressed man among the Bai Family mbers.
"Bai Zhong," Wei Quan growled, his eyes bloodshot with raw hatred as he stared at the man before him. "Do you rember ?"
"Wei Quan? It’s you," Bai Zhong said, surprised but showing no fear. "You have so nerve, mobilizing troops to barge into my residence and arrest people. Who gave you the audacity?"
"I did," Zhao Feng replied coldly.
Bai Zhong’s gaze sharpened as he turned to Zhao Feng. "And who are you?"
"The Main General of Lantian, Zhao Feng," Zhao Feng stated.
Bai Zhong’s expression changed drastically, and he stared at Zhao Feng in abject horror. "You... you..." He was so shocked he couldn’t speak.
"Years ago, you raped Wei Quan’s sister and grievously injured his entire family. Do you rember?" Zhao Feng asked in a deep voice.
"General Zhao," Bai Zhong pleaded. "I was too impulsive back then. I am willing to offer compensation. Please, General, be lenient."
User Comments
0 comments from readers