Chapter 888: First Volume, Chapter 888: Do Not Rush Into the Muzzle of the Gun

First Volume, Chapter 888: Do Not Rush Into the Muzzle of the Gun

To ensure the four women's "surprise" wouldn't be ruined, Qin Feng suppressed his murderous intent and held out until now—this performance was finally over, so it was time to get down to real business.

Logically, someone like Chen Biao wasn't worth Qin Feng's rage, let alone deserving it—but this bastard had crossed Qin Feng's forbidden line: he had intended to strike at Qin Feng's Jia Guan.

Clearly, Chen Biao was no longer a clueless little thug; he had officially become Qin Feng's enemy.

If he was an enemy, things became much simpler.

The Qin Feng who had earlier seemed aloof and calm now wore a face of frost, looking down coldly at Chen Biao: "The money has been paid to you—why won't you take it?"

Chen Biao was already terrified beyond reason; staring at the white silver before him, he lacked even the strength to move, let alone pick it up or raise his arm—his entire body had collapsed under overwhelming fear.

With Qin Feng's "mind," he could devise countless tortures to make Chen Biao wish for death—wanted to take the silver? Easy: swallow it all, and every step Chen Biao took afterward would bring him the agony of ruptured guts and shredded intestines. But Qin Feng's moral bottom line would never permit him to inflict such cruelty on others, no matter how vile their crimes—he would simply kill them and be done.

As for torturing people? Qin Feng had not sunk to that level.

Yet Chen Biao, who had crossed Qin Feng's forbidden line, could not be let off so easily.

"Since you won't take it, I'll send someone to return it to you—Ning Hu, take all this silver to the Yong'an Treasure Bureau."

Ning Hu didn't hesitate; he swept up the silver with a wave of his hand and led men to carry it off toward the Yong'an Treasure Bureau.

Chen Biao slumped on the ground, staring blankly at Qin Feng; after a long while, he finally emitted a faint, trembling voice: "My Lord, your servant… your servant deserves to die ten thousand deaths."

"I know I've committed an unforgivable crime and cannot possibly live—but I beg Your Lordship to grant me a swift death."

Qin Feng gave a light snort: "Don't worry—you will die, just not yet."

"Though I've killed many, I do not kill wantonly, nor do I casually destroy lives. These fifteen hundred taels are compensation for your death—whether your parents, siblings, or even the concubines you kept outside, if they wish to claim a share, they need only come to the County Yamen and find Chen Tian."

"I'm certain County Magistrate Chen will distribute it fairly, without favoring anyone."

Hearing Qin Feng's words, for some reason, Chen Biao felt a flicker of gratitude—he knew he deserved death, yet Lord Qin had personally provided this much silver to settle his affairs, as if the folk tales were true: Lord Qin truly was a Living Bodhisattva reborn.

Almost the instant Chen Biao thought this, Qin Feng doused him with icy water.

"Don't thank me—no one knows yet who among your family and friends will receive any money."

"Since arriving in Changshui County, I've heard your vile reputation many times, but I thought you were merely a petty thug, not worth my time. Since you insisted on barging into my presence, congratulations—you've earned my full attention today."

"County Magistrate Chen."

Hearing Qin Feng call him, Chen Tian didn't dare delay; he immediately rose: "My Lord, what are your orders?"

Qin Feng spoke casually: "Zhang Dahu and Wang Gang are both Chen Biao's subordinates. Even such minor thugs dared to rob and extort in broad daylight—this proves Chen Biao's tyranny in Changshui was no recent thing."

"I'll ask one by one; you answer one by one."

"How many comrades did Chen Biao have?"

Chen Tian swallowed hard and answered truthfully: "Your Lordship, the Yong'an Treasure Bureau had eight clerks, and like Zhang Dahu, there were over twenty such subordinates."

Qin Feng nodded, then asked: "Among them, are there any good men? Or anyone whose hands were clean, who never bullied neighbors?"

Chen Tian shook his head firmly: "None. All of them followed Chen Biao, oppressing men and women, committing every evil."

Qin Feng waved his hand casually: "Within one Envoy, bring me the heads of all of them to the DaTang."

At these words, the temperature in the County Yamen seemed to drop several degrees; everyone's eyes on Qin Feng were filled with terror.

For since Qin Feng arrived in Changshui County, he had treated the common folk better than any Father Official—anyone struggling to feed themselves could summon courage to approach him and receive Winter Grain. Those who labored to build the storage depots not only received grain but also daily meals matching Beixi County's standard; many villagers even sent word asking if Qin Feng was still hiring workers.

Qin Feng had brought countless blessings to Changshui County—calling him a Living Bodhisattva was no exaggeration.

But now…

One sentence from Qin Feng condemned over thirty heads to fall—in an instant, heaven and earth had reversed.

Those present finally realized: Qin Feng was not merely a Living Bodhisattva—he was also the most fearsome ghost of death.

Chen Tian's back chilled; he immediately ordered Zhou Bantou to lead the Yamen Runners to arrest them.

At that moment, Qin Feng's chilling voice rang out again.

"Did Chen Biao's parents ever oppress the villagers?"

Chen Tian wiped sweat from his brow—this was no lie he could afford to tell; Qin Feng's army had eyes everywhere, and Chen Tian dared not utter a falsehood: "As the son is so brutal, the parents naturally flaunt their power—his mother once quarreled with someone and had Chen Biao beat them into permanent disability."

"His father, old and depraved, used his son's notorious reputation to harass women; when the husbands discovered him, he turned the tables, driving them to divorce, losing their children, and destroying their families."

Qin Feng waved his hand as lightly as before: "Kill Chen Biao's parents too."

Chen Biao knelt, paralyzed, staring blankly at Qin Feng—just moments ago, he had thought Qin Feng a good man, even offering to settle his affairs after death—but now… in an instant, his comrades, subordinates, and parents were all dead… this… this…

Yet Qin Feng had no intention of stopping—anyone who dared touch his Jia Guan must pay with blood.

"Since Chen Biao has no wife, what of the concubines he kept?"

Chen Biao's feet turned cold; he trembled violently: "Two were from brothels, and one was a widow—I've never heard she did anything wicked."

Since she had done no harm, Qin Feng asked no further, turning instead to Chen Biao's siblings, relatives, distant kin, and clan members—anyone bound by blood, none spared.