Chapter 173: with translation of chapter title

Chief Clerk Wang lowered his head and glanced at the Puke Knife resting on his neck, his ferocious expression scrunched into a lump, "Chen Xingyuan, you idiot, this woman doesn't know how long she's been hiding upstairs; she definitely heard everything she should and shouldn't have. At a time like this, are you sitting on the fence like a mud horse? Kill them, and we have a way out!"

"Wang Yaozu, shut your mouth!" Chen Xingyuan shouted angrily.

"You colluded with Madame Zhu Liu, killed the magistrate, and framed the constable—do you think I had no idea? I merely lacked evidence! Now all the officials of the Imperial City Department have seen this, yet you dare to spew such lunatic nonsense—you're practically begging for death!"

Chief Clerk Wang snorted repeatedly, "Chen Xingyuan, you dishonest dog, you'll die a worse death than me! I'll be waiting for you down below; I believe it won't be long!"

"Shut up!" Chen Xingyuan struck Chief Clerk Wang's face with the back of his knife.

A spray of blood shot out, carrying several teeth.

"'Come, take him down!' that alluring dark-red figure said lightly."

Two Imperial City Department constables quickly stepped forward, one on each side, knives in hand, flanking Chen Xingyuan and his companions.

Chen Xingyuan understood, grabbed Chief Clerk Wang and pulled him out from the doorway, then pointed his knife at Madame Zhu, "Go!"

After this group was detained in the courtyard lit by a few sparse lanterns, that alluring yet ruthless dark-red figure slowly walked into the room.

She glanced at the headless corpse of Zhu Wei on the main seat, crouched beside Chen Wuji, tore a strip of cloth from her own collar, divided it into three, and gently bound his wounds.

"'Stop pretending, get up and thank me for saving your life!' She leaned in, blew a breath into Chen Wuji's ear, her rosy lips lightly biting and covering his earlobe."

Chen Wuji shuddered all over—this fairy!

You don't know the difference between occasions, do you?

Chen Wuji hurriedly sat up from the ground, "How did you get here?"

"'I've been here a while, watching this great show of the snipe and clam fighting.' Qin Zhanhong said teasingly."

"'When did you arrive?'"

Qin Zhanhong narrowed her eyes, "Guess."

"'I won't guess.' Chen Wuji said irritably, 'In such a solemn place, you're still sparring with me.'"

Qin Zhanhong said, "However, I seem to have forgotten some details; it probably wouldn't appear in a secret memorial. So I must have come... when Chief Clerk Wang was killing someone, around this time."

Chen Wuji understood in his heart and quietly thanked her.

"'Next time, put in more effort—when I go against my principles, I always expect some benefit, don't you agree?' Qin Zhanhong said, the corners of her mouth turning up, sexy and enchanting."

"'No more next time—from now on I'll give it my all; you're practically a living bodhisattva today!' Chen Wuji said sincerely; if Qin Zhanhong hadn't appeared suddenly, he would have been ready to lead his clan into banditry."

Qin Zhanhong chuckled softly, "I've thought it over and decided to take your advice and gamble, but the manpower I can mobilize in Yunan is truly too few. To be safe, I prepared to come see Zhu Wei, force him to compromise, and mobilize the county office's personnel."

"'Who would have thought that just as I arrived, I'd see you being dragged into Zhu Wei's room? Fortunately, I don't have strong feelings for this guy who defiled me, so I held back then.'"

"'As for what happened later, you kept pretending to be unconscious on the ground, and we saw the same thing. Who would have thought such a tiny county office could be so complicated, that a mere chief clerk would dare to dream of overshadowing the magistrate and controlling the office?'"

Chen Wuji gave her a sideways glance and said softly, "Mobilizing the county office's personnel is indeed a good idea, but it's still a bit rash; fortunately, something changed. Everyone in the Yunan County Office is in cahoots with Zhang Mingyuan—mobilizing them might backfire."

"'But now the bad thing has turned good.' Qin Zhanhong gave a charming smile, 'The Yunan County Office isn't only filled with those who wear the same pants as Zhang Mingyuan; there are also those who wear the same pants as you—these people shouldn't pose a problem, right?'"

"'I just found out too, but I think there shouldn't be any problem—when should we make our move?' Chen Wuji asked."

Qin Zhanhong said in a low voice, "At dawn tomorrow, we'll storm the Zhang Residence; I need not only material evidence but also testimonies from the entire Zhang Clan, up and down."

"'Acting beyond my authority carries huge risk; I must gather enough evidence so they can't find a single flaw, and I also need to use these things to corroborate my motive for taking extraordinary measures in extraordinary times. That pack of high-and-mighty self-proclaimed purists bite like mad dogs—it really hurts, and we can't be careless.'"

"'I understand, but I believe you'll win the bet.' Chen Wuji said firmly."

The Emperor desperately needs a breakthrough; he will surely safeguard his own eyes and ears.

Qin Zhanhong brushed her hand casually over Chen Wuji's leg and said softly, "Later I'll launch a surprise interrogation of Chief Clerk Wang and that unchaste woman; you and your clan keep each other informed, let him control the county office and bring his confidants out—today's affair must not leak."

Chen Wuji felt helpless; though he spoke so seriously, his hands were anything but honest.

This woman is just too much.

"'Good!' Chen Wuji replied, firmly squeezing Qin Zhanhong's pert buttocks twice."

"'To receive without returning is impolite; this kind of thing must be reciprocated.'"

Let's be honest, Qin Zhanhong is truly round and pert.

She is the most outstanding woman she has seen so far, surpassing even those later generations who artificially sculpt their bodies with exaggerated physical methods.

"'I'll go first!' Qin Zhanhong whispered, exhaling fragrant warm air into Chen Wuji's ear."

"'Mm.'"

Not long after Qin Zhanhong left, a bewildered Chen Xingyuan walked in.

"'The Imperial City Department people let me in—what does this mean?' Chen Xingyuan frowned and asked Chen Wuji."

"'We need to talk.' Chen Wuji said, 'Which branch of West Mountain Village are you from?'"

Chen Xingyuan shook his head, "'Xishan Village is all main lineage; we have no chance to live there. I am the Chen of Nine Households, in the northern part of Yunan; Nine Households is a town.'"

It seems San Shu never told you about our Chen clan's origins—you are the main lineage's main vein, i. e., the Family Head line; the other branches of Xishan Village are also main lineage, while the rest of us Chen are side branches.

Chen Wuji stared, "My bloodline holds such a lofty position in the Chen Clan?"

Those two shabby huts actually belong to the Chen Clan's Family Head line—this…

Damn, who would believe that!

"'So the Chen Clan hasn't completely scattered?' Chen Wuji asked, taking the opportunity."

"'There is, but only some side branches born of concubines; the true Chen Clan… is still the Chen Clan.' Chen Xingyuan lowered his voice to a whisper, merely mentioned it briefly and moved on, 'This isn't the place to discuss these matters—are you familiar with the Imperial City Department people?'"

"'Oh, that's your sister-in-law!' Chen Wuji said with a light smile."