230: Chapter Eighty-Two “Story”_1 230: Chapter Eighty-Two “Story”_1 Just outside the mine’s entrance, a crowd of resting miners had gathered, blocking the way, all there to watch the excitent.
It was only when Jiang Wang arrived with his n that they made room.
This was Jiang Wang’s third encounter with Xizi Chu, and this ti, the latter had fewer young ladies with him.
It seed that even soone as dissolute as he wouldn’t bring his flock of beauties to the mine area, a place hardly suitable for leisurely outings.
However, upon noticing the young servant wearing a green cap behind him who lacked an Adam’s apple, Jiang Wang realized he was still sowhat naive.
Had this guy learned the way of plundering vitality in East King Valley?
Regardless of the chaotic thoughts in Jiang Wang’s mind, Xizi Chu said as he approached, “I made it clear to you last ti, I’m not a fool.”
He shook his head, “It seems others don’t think the sa.”
Jiang Wang glanced at the five people kneeling before Xizi Chu, each dressed in opulence, clearly of so stature.
At the mont, with hands bound behind their backs, all knelt silently, their faces ashen.
“Who are these people?”
“Five families from Jia City, it seems they were dissatisfied with our Xi Family’s governance of the city.
They secretly conspired with one of the managers of my Xi Family, hollowing out this vein.
They hoped to provoke a rift between the Zhong Xuan Family and my Xi Family, using the Zhong Xuan’s blade to take the heads of the Xi.
After you arrived on behalf of the Zhong Xuan Family, they even bribed assassins to attempt your life, seeking to further infla the situation.
Fortunately, Brother Jiang, you are exceptionally capable.”
Xizi Chu spoke in a asured tone, “The cultivator who stole from the Hu Clan Mine Site was planted by that traitor from my family.
Although with Brother Jiang’s wisdom, you would have uncovered this connection sooner or later, since I have returned to Jia City, as the host, I cannot always trouble a visitor to exert themselves so much.
The heads of these five families are here; whether you choose to verify the truth or deal with them directly, Brother Jiang, is completely up to you.”
“Young Master Xi is too kind.
Speaking of the host’s duties, it is I who should be extending them, as this place belongs to the Zhong Xuan Family.
Here, you, Young Master Xi, are the distinguished guest,” Jiang Wang replied, neither too gently nor too harshly, “Please, let’s find sowhere to sit and talk.”
“No need for that.
I visited this place many tis as a child; I’m quite familiar with it.”
Xizi Chu took the role of the host from the mont he arrived, and when Jiang Wang tried to assert authority, Xizi Chu began emphasizing history.
Jiang Wang had already realized from previous encounters that this was a man accustod to taking the initiative and found nothing strange in his behavior now.
He rely asked, “What about the manager from the Xi Family who was involved?”
“I’ve dealt with him,” Xizi Chu said indifferently.
“Since it was a matter concerning the Xi Family, there is no need for the Zhong Xuan Family to be troubled.”
He had gone through the trouble of bringing these people to the mine site explicitly to avoid conflict with the Zhong Xuan Family.
Yet he was resolutely guarding his own line of authority.
Jiang Wang remained noncommittal, “While it is a matter concerning the Xi Family, the issue has implications for the Zhong Xuan Family.”
“Although the Zhong Xuan Family’s losses were purely due to these people’s conspiracy and technically have nothing to do with my Xi Family—whose only fault could be oversight—I would still like to show our sincerity.
The Xi Family is willing to compensate ten percent of the losses suffered by the Zhong Xuan Family.”
The offered sum was quite generous, indeed a substantial gesture of goodwill.
An asset like a mineral vein is a long-term investnt, requiring ti to be developed.
This particular Tianqing stone vein had been projected to be mined over the span of several decades.
With this compensation, the Xi Family would enable the Zhong Xuan Family to access a substantial amount of resources right away, an offer that was beyond reproach.
To the Zhong Xuan Family as a whole, these resources might not an much, but for Zhongxuan Sheng, they were significant.
He was eagerly expanding and in desperate need of various resources.
Jiang Wang nodded, “Very well.
I’ll keep these n.
If Young Master Xi has no other business, then please, you may leave.”
Xizi Chu gave Jiang Wang a penetrating look, “I trust Brother Jiang will make a fair judgnt of the truth and the rights and wrongs of the situation.”
With that, he strode away.
He had arrived, herding the heads of the five families like cattle and sheep, but he left with only the young servant in tow, his steps light as if out for a spring stroll.
Maintaining independence on the outskirts of Qi Country had to an East King Valley was no ordinary place.
From this person, Xizi Chu, one could see glimpses of its prowess, a far cry from the likes of Ge Heng of the Qingmu Immortal Gate.
At this ti, Su Xiuhang, Zhang Hai, and Xiang Qian were all present; from the Hu Clan Mine Site’s transcendent cultivators, only Zhu Bijing remained confined in the courtyard, not allowed to leave.
Jiang Wang said to Xiang Qian, “You handle the interrogation of these five individuals to see if their stories differ from what Xizi Chu has told.”
Xizi Chu had delivered these individuals himself, which virtually guaranteed their guilt and left no reason to fear an investigation.
But the process could not be skipped.
It also gave Xiang Qian sothing to do, a slight nudge to guide him.
Jiang Wang was short on manpower, so even though he was dealing with an utterly dispirited man lacking any drive, he had no choice but to make do.
Xiang Qian had no reason to refuse his superior.
Dragging his dead-fish eyes, he lifelessly moved to the first person on the left.
“Is what Xizi Chu said true?”
The head of that small family also froze for a mont, having already prepared himself for severe torture, only to be surprised by how casual the other party’s question was.
“…Yes.”
Xiang Qian then moved on to the second person: “Is what Xizi Chu said true?”
“Yes, yes, yes.”
Then it was the third’s turn…
Jiang Wang didn’t speak, silently waiting for him to finish questioning.
After asking five people, Xiang Qian probably felt he was being too perfunctory, so he asked again, “You’re not lying to , are you?”
After receiving a positive response, he seed to finally gain so confidence.
Looking at Jiang Wang, he said, “What Xizi Chu said is true.”
Su Xiuhang’s eyelids twitched at his side, overtly casual in front of everyone—was this Circulation Realm uncle truly out of hope or what?
After that devastating “Heavenly Punishnt and Earth Extermination Pill”, Jiang Wang’s level of terror had escalated to the extre in his mind.
Although he lacked empathy, he couldn’t help but silently mourn for the unfamiliar uncle in advance.
Zhang Hai kept silent, his flickering eyes betraying his nervousness.
All those present were waiting for Jiang Wang’s reaction.
This is power, status.
It ca from leveraging the Zhong Xuan Family’s influence and also from Jiang Wang’s own personal conduct.
In a world of the transcendent, power is strength, and strength is power.
To everyone’s surprise, Jiang Wang did nothing to Xiang Qian.
Looking at Xiang Qian’s innocent dead fish eyes, he just sighed, “Your na shouldn’t be Xiang Qian, it should be Xiang Hou (to move backward).”
Xiang Qian sighed deeply, “Moving backward is tiring too, I should’ve been nad Xiang Xia (downward).
Lying down is the most relaxing.
Where you fall, there you should sleep.”
“Alright, alright, go back and sleep,” Jiang Wang said, too lazy to let out a competitive sigh.
He then instructed Su Xiuhang, “I’ll leave it to you, you should be good at this kind of work.
Give a complete report later.”
Xiang Qian simply didn’t want to work for him, and it wasn’t even personal—just a simple lack of desire to work.
Jiang Wang was not about to fly into a rage over it; at most, he would let him go at the end of the month.
…
As an assassin, Su Xiuhang naturally had a variety of ans at his disposal.
The report he turned in was very detailed and indeed verified what Xizi Chu had said.
The Xi Family of Jia City dominated alone, leaving no living space for other families.
The smaller families had long harbored grievances, but they dared not express their anger.
The stake that the Zhong Xuan Family marked out for mining developnt in this region provided them with an opportunity.
These families united, starting with the mining interests, to set a trap for the Xi Family.
In the whole affair, Hu Shaong rely acted as an opportunist.
After all, the Hu family was one of the smaller families within the domain of Jia City, living under the pressure of the Xi Family; they were very happy to see the Xi Family run into trouble.
As soon as Xizi Chu returned to the city, he imdiately sensed the sche and swiftly retaliated with thunderous thods, killing traitors from his family on the spot and directly capturing all the key figures of these small families, handing them over to Jiang Wang, representing the Zhong Xuan Family, for disposal.
This storyline was very logical, incredibly so.
It was much more plausible than the simple narrative of Hu Shaong framing the Xi Family.
And the evidence was irrefutable.
Such a story presented as it was, by all logic, should leave no room for doubt.
But this was precisely Jiang Wang’s biggest question.
Only a “story” can be so perfectly reasonable and coherent.
Real life is never perfect.
User Comments
0 comments from readers