Chapter 80: Slapping Faces and Resigning from Office

Huang Huang Chaoran's face looked extremely ugly: "Jiang Da Ren, Zhu Zhu Tianxiang has been detained, and Miss Liu has received justice. As a person, you should know your place and not provoke troublesome trouble without cause."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sneered: "Just now, who spoke with such certainty, saying that if I produced evidence, you would resign and retire? What, do you want to break your word?"

Huang Huang Chaoran said disdainfully: "So what if I break my word? This is not Jingcheng; do not seek trouble without reason."

Huang Huang Chaoran's face instantly became even uglier; the unwillingness and hatred in his eyes were obvious.

At this moment, Liu Liu Yifei, still kneeling on the ground, softly advised: "Jiang Da Ren, let it be." She rationally reminded Jiang Jiang Mingyu not to provoke Huang Huang Chaoran further, lest the situation continue to worsen.

However, Jiang Jiang Mingyu paid no attention and turned to Wang Zhe: "Inspector Da Ren, you saw the matter clearly just now, did you not? The words about resigning and retiring were spoken by the Chief Clerk himself; I did not force him. Now that Miss Liu has produced evidence, it should be time for the Chief Clerk to fulfill his promise, should it not?"

Wang Zhe appeared somewhat embarrassed; he shook his head bitterly: "Jiang Da Ren, that was merely a joke. We are all officials of Great Feng; let us remain harmonious. Where one can spare a person, one should spare them."

His expression seemed somewhat helpless.

A hint of coldness flashed in Jiang Jiang Mingyu's eyes: "Forgive me for speaking plainly, Inspector Da Ren, but your words are a bit too light. If Miss Liu had not arrived in time, I fear I would already have been killed by the Chief Clerk. He clearly intended to put me to death."

"I ask: if Miss Liu had not arrived in time, would the Chief Clerk also have raised his hand in mercy and spared me?"

He continued on his own: "That is impossible; he had long prepared to send me to the Ministry of Personnel for punishment."

"Am I not correct, Chief Clerk Da Ren?"

Huang Huang Chaoran twisted his large mouth: "So what? You struck my nephew in the street; how could I let you go so easily?"

Huang Huang Chaoran curled his lips: "That is right; you struck my nephew in the street; how could I let you go easily? My Huang family and the Zhu family are both great clans in the prefecture; if I let you go, where would our face be?"

"Jiang Jiang Mingyu, I warn you: best do not continue to entangle yourself, or you will not have a good outcome."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's tone was like ice: "You make such a fuss because I struck your nephew. But when Zhu Zhu Tianxiang harassed a common woman in the county, why did you say nothing?"

"Do you think, in your eyes, your nephew is a person, but the common women of the county are not people, and deserve to be bullied by you?"

His voice was like thunder; the vast hall shook with it.

Hearing him filled with righteous indignation, Liu Liu Yifei could not help but blush.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu spoke to Wang Zhe again: "Inspector Da Ren, matters have come to this; he has no intention of repenting and openly threatens me. If he is not severely punished, and this matter spreads, who will still hold you in regard?"

Wang Zhe's face turned ugly; Jiang Jiang Mingyu continued: "Moreover, you may not yet know that before coming here, Zhu Zhu Tianxiang said he had a high official in the prefectural yamen as his backer. Not only was he the law in the prefectural city, but even you, Inspector Da Ren, had to give him some face. More than a dozen of my attendants heard this with their own ears; if you do not believe me, you may summon them to confront him in court."

"I truly cannot think of anyone in the prefectural yamen other than the Chief Clerk who could back that rascal. Zhu Zhu Tianxiang made wild boasts first, and the Chief Clerk openly broke his word afterward; these two families, Zhu and Huang, are truly admirable. If he is not severely punished and this matter spreads, who will still hold you, this Inspector Da Ren, in regard in the future?"

Wang Zhe's expression instantly became serious: "Chief Clerk Huang, I truly underestimated you and your nephew. It seems that at some point in the future, I, this Inspector, may have to ask you uncle and nephew for much care."

Huang Huang Chaoran was instantly greatly alarmed and hurriedly begged for mercy in a fawning manner: "Da Ren, this subordinate dares not, this subordinate dares not. Even if this subordinate had the courage of heaven, he would not dare to despise Inspector Da Ren; please do not listen to Jiang Jiang Mingyu's nonsense."

His voice sounded somewhat changed in tone.

However, Wang Zhe snorted coldly: "Dare not? In this prefectural city, is there anything Chief Clerk Gao dares not do? Do you truly think I do not know what kind of thing Zhu Zhu Tianxiang is? Do you truly think I am blind and deaf?"

"Considering that we are colleagues and have cooperated hand in hand, I have always restrained myself and said nothing. I hoped that one day you uncle and nephew would suddenly repent, but I did not expect you to become even more excessive. Now that matters have come to this, you still dare to threaten Jiang Da Ren with words; truly, you are unrepentant to the end."

"As a high official governing a border region, you publicly broke your promise; the face of all Great Feng officials has been utterly lost by you. Do you think I can be bullied?"

"You say Jiang Da Ren speaks nonsense; very well, I will summon his attendants and ask the truth."

"But think clearly: once outsiders learn of this matter, you will have no room for turning back."

Wang Zhe slapped the desk and said sternly: "Hand over the Chief Clerk's seal immediately, and I can still let you leave. Otherwise, I will review the daily accounts and punish you both for multiple crimes; decide for yourself how to proceed."

Hearing this, Huang Huang Chaoran's legs went soft, and he collapsed onto the ground, soulless and lost.

He never expected that because his own nephew harassed a woman, he would lose his official post.

At this moment, Huang Huang Chaoran wished he could carve Jiang Jiang Mingyu into a thousand pieces and also wished he could curse Zhu Zhu Tianxiang, who had been beaten half to death, over and over again for tens of thousands of times.

If it were not for you, a beast who only knows how to eat, drink, play, and flirt with flowers, how could matters have come to this? Truly utterly deserving of death!

Wang Zhe had already made up his mind to punish him severely; if he did not voluntarily resign and accept blame, he feared he would be thrown into prison awaiting sentencing.

Seeing that Huang Huang Chaoran still sat motionless in place, Wang Zhe snorted coldly and said: "Since Chief Clerk Gao is unwilling to voluntarily accept blame, then I will not force him. Men, take Huang Huang Chaoran..."

Before the words finished, Huang Huang Chaoran, his face ashen, hurriedly opened his mouth and begged for mercy: "Da Ren, calm your anger; I will hand over the seal now, I will hand over the seal now!"

Speaking thus, with trembling hands, he handed the Chief Clerk's token, symbolizing power, to the Yamen Runners who were preparing to drag him away.

Looking at Jiang Jiang Mingyu, who wore a smiling face, Huang Huang Chaoran gritted his teeth and said: "Jiang Jiang Mingyu, just you wait; I swear I will not let you go!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu stepped forward two paces and slapped him hard across the face, saying coldly: "Huang Huang Chaoran, you are now just an ordinary person; do you deserve to mention my name? If you wish to take revenge, just come; I will accompany you to the end!"

Huang Huang Chaoran, having received a heavy slap, his eyes wide and red, was like an irritable bull: "Good! I, Huang Huang Chaoran, will definitely take revenge and settle the score; I will not stop!"

He ground out these words through his teeth, his voice low and sinister.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sneered: "You had better think about whether I will let you go if you continue to make trouble."

"Enough; the Inspector's residence is not a place for a villain like you to run wild. Men, drag him out."

Then, Huang Huang Chaoran, who had just been high and mighty, was roughly thrown out by the Yamen Runners like a bag of garbage.

Seeing that the matter had concluded, Jiang Jiang Mingyu clasped his fists and bowed to Wang Zhe: "Thank you, Inspector Da Ren, for upholding justice today; this official is deeply grateful."

"This matter has reached a conclusion; this official will now take Miss Liu back to Shangmu and take his leave." Having spoken, he nodded slightly and prepared to turn and leave.

However, Wang Zhe called out to stop him: "Jiang Da Ren, stay; there is an important matter to discuss."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu was startled and asked, puzzled: "Inspector Da Ren, what further orders do you have?"

Wang Zhe's face showed slight concern: "The Zhu and Huang families are also powerful and wealthy in the prefectural city; now that you have offended Huang Huang Chaoran, your days will likely not be easy."

Hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled calmly: "When soldiers come, block them with generals; when water comes, block it with earth. A mere Huang Huang Chaoran is nothing compared to external threats. Moreover, with Inspector Da Ren guarding the prefecture, how could the Zhu and Huang families stir up any waves? This official takes his leave." Having spoken, he bent slightly once more and prepared to leave.

Just then, Wang Zhe rolled his eyes and called out to stop him again: "Jiang Da Ren, please stay; I, your humble servant, have an urgent matter yet to explain."

Hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu stopped in confusion, his head full of fog, and became even more curious about what Wang Zhe intended to say.