"You don't understand what you're saying, Lord. Surely you're not accusing me of killing this person and starting this fire?" Liu Heng asked with a cold laugh.
"What? You did it but won't admit it?"
Zhang Jing clenched his fists until they creaked. At this moment, he couldn't do anything to Liu Heng.
"My Lord, you jest. I was with the prison guards all last night, never leaving their side. I was even with them when the fire was being put out. These dozen or so guards by my side can all testify to that. Although you are the City Lord, you cannot just slander innocent people out of thin air. If you claim I killed the person, then please, my Lord, present your evidence!"
"You!"
Being rebuked by Liu Heng in front of everyone, Zhang Jing truly wished he could strike him down at that moment.
"It seems, my Lord, that you have no evidence. Since you have no evidence, and the witness is also gone, I ask that you please clear my young master's name!"
Facing Liu Heng's relentless pressure, Zhang Jing was truly defeated.
"Release him!"
Gritting his teeth fiercely, Zhang Jing finally squeezed out a few words between his teeth.
"Thank you, my Lord!"
Having obtained the answer he desired, Liu Heng, satisfied, led his group of lackeys directly towards the prison.
"Send someone to investigate. Find out where this fellow has been these past few days, who he met, what they said, and what they did. I want all the details!"
Only after Liu Heng had left did Zhang Jing say fiercely.
"Yes, sir!"
---
"Thank you, sir, for your help with this matter!" Two hours later, on the vast blue sea, Liu Siye finally met Shao Bowen again on a fishing boat.
"My young master, you jest. Your escape from disaster is your own fortune and destiny. What does it have to do with me?" Shao Bowen said, holding his fishing rod. His eyes were fixed on the water, and he didn't even glance at Liu Siye.
"I, Liu Siye, will never forget this kindness!" Although Shao Bowen denied it, Liu Siye still stubbornly cupped his hands in greeting.
"May I ask what are your plans, my young master?" Shao Bowen smiled noncommittally, then changed the subject and asked directly.
"Of course, it's to enter officialdom. However, at this moment, the positions of City Lord in several coastal cities are all filled. It's quite difficult to find an opening..."
"If I provide you with a thousand pills, do you think you can secure the position of City Lord of Haifang City?" Shao Bowen suddenly said after a moment of silence.
"But there's already a City Lord there!" Haifang City was one of the few natural harbors in Jiaozhi. Not only was the land fertile, but it was also one of the main ports for trade with the Song Dynasty. Because Jipo Island was not far away, the winds and waves in the vicinity were much calmer. If they could take control of this place, it would be extremely convenient for Shao Bowen and Han Mo's future plans. However, such an important port city naturally could not be taken by just anyone. The City Lord of Haifang City was a direct descendant of the Liu family! Even with Shao Bowen's help, Liu Siye was not confident in securing such a coveted position.
"That is not important. What is important is whether you have the confidence, my young master! If you are confident in taking this position, then in ten days, there will be no City Lord there!" Shao Bowen said, his eyes still fixed on the water while he spoke to Liu Siye.
"Are you serious, sir?" Upon hearing Shao Bowen's words, Liu Siye's heart skipped a beat. After all, that was a City Lord, and a direct descendant of the Liu family at that! Did Shao Bowen really have the confidence to depose him within ten days?
" I generally don't joke around!" Shao Bowen said, looking up at Liu Siye for the first time.
"If you can do it, sir, I will definitely secure this position!" Liu Siye said directly after taking a deep breath.
"In that case, you may return and prepare. I will await your good news in ten days!"
"Yes, sir!"
The most important thing for a person is to know their place, just like Liu Siye now. Although he had always been proud of his talent, he showed no arrogance in front of Shao Bowen.
"The wind is strong at sea. If you have nothing else to do, my young master, you should return. I will be heading south these next few days. I hope that by the time I reach Haifang City, you will have already assumed your post!" Shao Bowen said, reeling in his fishing rod.
"May your words be prophetic!" Looking at the straight steel needle at the tip of Shao Bowen's fishing rod, Liu Siye's pupils contracted. Indeed, the willing have taken the bait... Even though he knew he was just a pawn, he had no chance of turning back.
---
"Sir, here is all the information regarding Huang Qianshan, including some that Grand Tutor Liang obtained from the Imperial City Bureau. Do you think this information is useful?" In the courtyard behind the Cuju General Association, Zhe Wanchun spoke while placing a brocade box in front of Yuan Xingchi.
"Thank you, Manager Zhe. I'll take a look first!" Yuan Xingchi said, taking out a thick stack of documents from the brocade box and beginning to examine them.
"Where did these come from?" As he flipped through, Yuan Xingchi's eyes suddenly lit up.
"This was sent by Master Nie from the Ministry of Personnel!"
"Interesting. I think this one is enough!" Yuan Xingchi said, pulling out that single document.
"This happened in Yuanfu Year Three. Bringing it up now might not hold much weight..." Zhe Wanchun frowned slightly after glancing at the contents of the document.
"If it were said by an imperial censor of the court, it would indeed have no effect. But what if it were said by a Daoist priest..." As Yuan Xingchi spoke, a wicked smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Daoist priest? Are you referring to Lin Lingsu, sir?" Zhe Wanchun asked tentatively.
"That's right. In Yuanfu Year Three, the earth trembled, mountains and canyons shifted, the common people suffered heavy casualties, and countless houses collapsed. Yet, this fellow dismissed it with a simple 'it's nothing'!"
"But what of it? After so many years, hasn't he still achieved high office and ridden fine horses?"
"That's why I say, it depends on who you say it to!"
"For instance, the current Grand Tutor, sacrificing over ten years of his lifespan, risked his life to deduce the nation's fortune, stating that the reason for our Song Dynasty's current predicament is that the Dragon Vein of Tianshui has been broken..."
"What nonsense?"