Chapter 363 - 346: Threat

Chapter 363: Chapter 346: Threat

Watching the carriage disappear into the distance, Chen Shouheng stood at the gate and slowly let out a breath.

’He had finally sent that troublesome guest away.’

It turned out that yesterday, he had gone to the Commandery Magistrate’s Office to process the transfer of the Sun Family’s assets. His intention was to secure the properties he had already won as quickly as possible, to prevent any unexpected complications.

He never imagined the news would reach the Cao Family so quickly, much to their extreme displeasure.

Early this morning, Cao Danchen had personally paid them a visit.

It was called a visit, but in reality, it was a confrontation.

She expressed her dissatisfaction that he had gone to the Commandery Magistrate’s Office to handle the paperwork without first consulting the Cao Family or finalizing the details of the Official Tribute Contract.

She accused Chen Shouheng of not acting in good faith.

Chen Shouheng could only claim that his family was temporarily short on silver and couldn’t afford to acquire the fifteen thousand mu of fertile land the Cao Family had promised to transfer. Therefore, he wanted to secure the two properties he had already purchased first.

He also made the excuse that the terms of the Official Tribute Contract required careful consideration and that he dared not sign it rashly.

But how could such flimsy excuses deceive Cao Danchen?

She sneered and said bluntly that Chen Shouheng’s actions contradicted his words, showing a complete lack of sincerity.

Even Cao Wenxuan, who had come along, dropped her usual smile. Her tone laced with displeasure, she pressed him on what the Chen Family truly intended by this move. Were they trying to discard their allies after getting what they wanted?

Just as the atmosphere in the hall grew incredibly tense.

Zhao Yuanhong arrived.

The Acting Governor’s sudden arrival was like a clap of thunder, interrupting the Cao Family’s relentless pressure and getting Chen Shouheng out of a tight spot.

The Cao Family had left, but Chen Shouheng knew that Cao Danchen’s parting warning was no empty threat.

The partnership with the Cao Family had become a hot potato; agreeing or refusing both carried enormous risks.

He shook his head, pushing the chaotic thoughts to the back of his mind, and turned to walk back inside.

Back in the main hall, he saw Zhao Yuanhong still sitting bolt upright, clearly with no intention of leaving yet.

Without showing any emotion, he walked back to his seat, looked at Zhao Yuanhong, and asked calmly, "Lord Zhao, you stayed behind for a reason. Is there... something else you wish to discuss?"

Zhao Yuanhong’s eyes, bloodshot from a sleepless night and immense pressure, fixed on Chen Shouheng like a hawk’s.

After a few moments of silence, he spoke slowly, enunciating each word. "Chen Jieyuan, Madam Chen. I will ask one more time: do you truly not know the old man with the abacus from last night?"

Chen Shouheng met his intense gaze, his expression open and honest. He shook his head. "Lord Zhao, a person of such mysterious and unpredictable power... My wife and I are living in seclusion in Liyang. How could we possibly have connections to someone like that?"

Zhao Yuanhong stared intently at their eyes, searching their faces for the slightest flicker of emotion or sign of deception.

However, all he saw was genuine confusion and a hint of impatience at being doubted.

There were no cracks in their story.

At that moment, his suspicions began to waver.

He stopped probing. Taking a deep breath, his voice dropped to a low, suppressed tone as he delivered a bombshell.

"Governor Zhou... has passed away."

"What?!"

"How could that be?!"

The instant Zhao Yuanhong finished speaking, two shocked and incredulous voices cried out in unison.

Chen Shouheng shot up from his chair. "Lord Zhao, what did you say? Governor Zhou... he’s passed away? How is that possible?! Last night, even though the Governor fought with that villain, it looked like... it was just a superficial wound!"

Zhou Shuwei’s face also turned pale, her beautiful eyes wide with horror. "How exactly did Governor Zhou... pass away? What else happened last night?"

Zhao Yuanhong watched them like a hawk, but he was disappointed. He saw no feigned surprise, only the pure, raw shock of being caught completely off guard.

He had deliberately said "passed away" instead of the more direct "was killed," precisely to see if they would react strangely.

But clearly, their reactions were entirely consistent with the horror one would feel upon hearing of the sudden, violent death of a high-ranking Governor who was also a Martial Dao Grandmaster.

’Oh, well,’ he thought. ’Pursuing this now is pointless.’

The tension coiling in Zhao Yuanhong’s chest actually eased slightly at their ignorant reactions.

He slumped back in his chair, his voice hoarse. "It wasn’t the wounds from last night... He was... assassinated. In his private chambers. Silently."

"Assassinated?!"

Chen Shouheng and Zhou Shuwei exchanged a look, each seeing the profound terror in the other’s eyes.

A Guiyuan Grandmaster, assassinated without a sound inside the heavily guarded Governor’s Mansion?

What terrifying means!

Zhao Yuanhong stopped probing and dropped all pretense. He lowered his voice, as if laying all his cards on the table. "Chen Jieyuan, Madam Chen, at this point, I won’t hide anything from you. Governor Zhou’s secret trip to Liyang was for the sole purpose of dealing with the Chen Family."

"And I... was merely a pawn, following orders."

Zhao Yuanhong laid out all of Zhou Bo’an’s schemes, a bitter expression on his face. "Much of this was not of my own volition. I’m telling you this today, first, in the hopes of earning some understanding, and second... because the situation has changed so drastically that I am forced to make a choice."

Chen Shouheng slowly sank back into his chair, his initial shock giving way to deep thought. Zhou Shuwei’s brow was also furrowed in concentration.

Although they had long held their suspicions, hearing the complete conspiracy laid bare sent a chill down their spines.

If not for his father, Chen Li’s, earlier warning, and the unexpected disruption caused by the old man with the abacus, the Chen Family might have already walked right into this deadly trap.

After a moment of silence, Chen Shouheng looked up and asked in a low voice, "Lord Zhao, what is your true purpose in revealing such a confidential matter to us?"

"My purpose? Chen Jieyuan, you’re a smart man. Why ask a question to which you already know the answer?"

Zhao Yuanhong’s voice was low. "Governor Zhou died violently. A Fourth Grade Governor, a Guiyuan Realm Grandmaster, meeting an unnatural end in Liyang. Add to that the deaths of Governor He and three Thousand Commanders from the Garrison Command. With this string of major cases involving the murder of officials, do you think the Court will let this slide? Jiangzhou, and Liyang in particular, is about to become the eye of a storm. There will be no more peaceful days."

He stared intently at Chen Shouheng. "And Governor Zhou’s target on this trip was the Chen Family. If this is reported, regardless of the truth, the Chen Family will be the primary suspect. You may be a Martial Arts Examination Champion Scholar, Chen Jieyuan, and local officials might not dare to touch you."

"But if the Court dispatches an Imperial Envoy, or even mobilizes the Garrison Command and sends an army, no one will care about your title then. No one will listen to your explanations. Once you’re thrown into the Imperial Prison, what confession couldn’t they torture out of you? Even if the Chen Family is truly innocent, how many of your household do you think would make it out of the Imperial Prison alive?"

"Are you threatening the Chen Family, Lord Zhao?"

The chill in Chen Shouheng’s eyes intensified.

"It’s not a threat. Just a statement of fact."

Zhao Yuanhong stated firmly, "I came to seek cooperation. To find a path to survival—for the Chen Family, and for myself. As long as you are willing to cooperate with me, Chen Jieyuan, I have a way to extricate the Chen Family from this deathtrap."

Zhou Shuwei, having regained some of her composure, retorted, "Governor Zhao, are you suggesting you suspect the Chen Family is involved in Governor Zhou’s death? The Governor was a Grandmaster. What ability would our family have to do such a thing?"

"Madam Chen, you misunderstand. That is not my meaning at all. I am only seeking a path to survival."

Zhao Yuanhong shook his head. "Only I know the full inside story of Governor Zhou’s visit to Liyang. Originally, I planned to link the Governor’s injury from his fight with the old man with the abacus to Governor He’s daughter. I would claim her sect had come seeking revenge for He Mingyun’s death and that Governor Zhou was unfortunately caught in the crossfire... But after hearing Madam Cao mention the old Opium case today... I have a much better idea.""

Chen Shouheng’s gaze sharpened. "What idea?"

A sharp glint flashed in Zhao Yuanhong’s eyes. "Are you aware, Chen Jieyuan, that Hidden Emperor Castle’s secret trafficking of Opium was something of an open secret among Jiangzhou officials back in the day? And the Celestial Sword Sect, who took over from them, might not be so clean themselves. Now, the Celestial Sword Sect’s masters have suffered heavy losses, He Mingyun and Zhou Bo’an are both dead, and last night, an old man with an abacus appeared—someone who is very likely connected to that old Opium case..."

"If we just nudge the narrative a bit, we can attribute all of these bloody murders to remnants of the old Opium case seeking revenge and silencing witnesses. It all fits perfectly. The Court’s attention would naturally shift away from Liyang and the Chen Family, and focus entirely on hunting down those remnants."

After hearing Zhao Yuanhong’s audacious plan, Chen Shouheng frowned deeply, lost in thought. 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

He mulled it over and realized the proposal was indeed highly plausible. He subconsciously exchanged a glance with Zhou Shuwei.

But the matter was too important for him to decide alone.

After a moment of silence, he said slowly, "What you’ve said... does make a certain amount of sense, Lord Zhao. Please allow me some time to consider it carefully."

With that, he turned his head, seemingly casually, and said to Zhou Shuwei, "Shuwei, please go instruct the kitchen to prepare a proper meal. We’ll have Lord Zhao stay for lunch."

Zhou Shuwei understood at once. She immediately rose, gave a slight bow, and said, "Yes, husband. Please wait a moment, Lord Zhao. I shall return shortly."

Zhao Yuanhong’s eyes flickered. His gaze lingered on Zhou Shuwei’s back as she turned to leave. He knew the instruction for the kitchen was merely an excuse.

But he didn’t stop her—he couldn’t—and simply gave a soft "Mm." He picked up his cup of cold tea and said no more.

Zhou Shuwei moved quickly, crossing several courtyards until she reached a secluded small courtyard within the estate.

The courtyard gate was ajar. She pushed it open and went inside, where she saw Chen Li sitting cross-legged under a plum tree. His gaze was serene, as if he had been expecting her all along.

Some days ago, after Chen Shouheng had rushed back to report on the situation in Liyang Commandery City, Chen Li knew things were bad.

He knew his eldest son would have a hard time dealing with the cunning old foxes of the political world and the web of schemes spun by the great Noble Families.

He immediately had Shouheng arrange for Shouyue to pick up his younger siblings.

Then, he had come to Liyang Commandery City with his eldest son.

His original intention was simply to watch from the shadows and ensure they secured the family’s new assets smoothly. He had not expected the situation to escalate so rapidly.

"Father."

Zhou Shuwei stepped forward, gave a slight bow, and was about to speak.

But before she could utter a word, Chen Li slowly turned his head and looked at her calmly. "Agree to his terms."

Zhou Shuwei froze for a second, but then realization dawned.

Her father-in-law may not have been in the main hall, but with his unfathomable Cultivation, he had surely heard every single word of their conversation.

"Yes, I understand."

Zhou Shuwei said nothing more, simply nodding in respectful agreement.