Chapter 398 - 237: The Gathering

Chapter 398: Chapter 237: The Gathering

"Lord Su, the Wenren Family was behind this. The Chen Family is weak and had no choice but to be swept up in their plans."

"However, the Chen Family has already secretly set aside a shipment of stone. Whenever you need it, Lord Su, we can deliver it to Bailu Academy immediately for the construction of the new buildings."

Chen Yougong bowed low, almost bent in half, a broad smile plastered on his face as he spoke.

Su Mu sat in the Taiping Government Office in Songjiang Prefecture, his head bowed as he sifted through a stack of dossiers. He listened to Chen Yougong’s words without once looking up.

Chen Yougong remained hunched over, not daring to rush Su Mu.

The moment he heard Su Mu had been attacked in the street, he had rushed to the Taiping Government Office and sold the Wenren Family down the river.

He’d had no choice. He had studied Su Mu’s history; the man was ruthless. If given the slightest opportunity, he never hesitated to strike.

Now, having just been appointed, Su Mu had already survived an assassination attempt. Knowing Su Mu’s typical style, Chen Yougong would have found it unbelievable if he *didn’t* use this as a pretext to make his move.

Chen Yougong had to act this way to avoid becoming the target of Su Mu’s wrath.

It was a classic case of better you than me. The Chen Family was small fry; they weren’t equipped to play the Wenren Family’s games.

"Captain Yang, did you get all of that down?"

After what seemed like an eternity, Su Mu finally looked up from his dossiers and spoke slowly.

"Yes, my lord. It’s all been recorded,"

Yang Yungzhong replied with a solemn expression.

"Good. Take the list he provided and investigate every family on it."

Su Mu said coolly, "The Bailu Academy in Songjiang Prefecture is a major imperial project. These people are obstructing its construction. I now suspect they are in league with the Pure Land Sect, intending to sabotage the peace talks between the Da Xuan and the Demon Court."

Chen Yougong’s face turned deathly pale, and his back was instantly drenched in a cold sweat.

’Thank goodness I reacted quickly and came when I did.’

’Just as I thought. Su Mu is using this as a pretext to make his move!’

’And to think Wenren Yuan actually thought he could go head-to-head with Commander Su. How laughable.’

"My lord is right!"

Yang Yungzhong boomed, "We’ve already identified the assassins—they’re all followers of the Pure Land Sect! These families conspired against you, my lord. Ten to one, they’re in league with the assassins!"

"We mustn’t wrong an innocent man, but we also mustn’t let a guilty one go free."

Su Mu said, his face devoid of expression. "Go. Get to the bottom of it."

"As you command!"

Yang Yungzhong marched out, his chest puffed with pride.

Cold sweat beaded on Chen Yougong’s forehead as he bowed even lower. "Captain Yang," he said hastily, "allow me to lead the way!"

After muttering an excuse to Su Mu, he scurried out after him.

...

The Taiping Bureau of Songjiang Prefecture became a hive of activity.

The Taiping Captains couldn’t remember the last time they had been this busy.

Not that they minded the bustle.

It was a chance to flex the Taiping Bureau’s muscles without any real danger. Who wouldn’t welcome that?

Nearly every prominent family in Songjiang Prefecture had joined the Wenren Family’s campaign to resist Su Mu.

Acting on Chen Yougong’s information, Yang Yungzhong and his men went knocking on doors, one family after another.

The results were entirely predictable.

Everyone caved immediately.

The few who showed a hint of defiance were hauled off to the Taiping Bureau’s prison by Yang Yungzhong.

A few days behind bars was all it took to tame them.

In just a few short days, the entire political landscape of Songjiang Prefecture had been turned on its head.

"Lord of the Prefecture, Songjiang is now in a state of panic. Everyone feels they’re in danger. If this chaos continues, I fear it will lead to a major disturbance."

Zhang Luzhong said to Li Dangsen, the Prefect of Songjiang Prefecture, with a wry smile.

They had considered many possible outcomes of Su Mu’s appointment to Songjiang Prefecture, but this was not one of them.

Who could have predicted that Su Mu would face an assassination attempt the moment he arrived in Songjiang Prefecture?

And that Su Mu would then use the hunt for the culprits as a pretext to move against the great families of Songjiang Prefecture with such swift and decisive force.

Even now, Li Dangsen was still having trouble processing it all.

"Master, you don’t think... this assassination in the street, it couldn’t have been a little show Su Mu directed and starred in himself, could it?"

Li Dangsen asked, the whole affair giving him a major headache.

"I doubt it. The assassins were confirmed members of the Pure Land Sect. It’s more likely that Su Mu has simply made too many enemies."

Zhang Luzhong said with a wry smile.

He couldn’t decide if Su Mu was lucky or unlucky.

Call him unlucky, and you’d be right—he was targeted for assassination the moment he arrived in Songjiang Prefecture.

But call him lucky, and you’d also be right—he immediately used the assassination attempt as the perfect justification.

Without it, he would have had no legitimate reason to move against the families of Songjiang Prefecture.

But now, with the Pure Land Sect involved, he had the perfect excuse to investigate all of them.

With this one move, Su Mu had instantly become the man calling the shots in Songjiang Prefecture.

Now, all the families only knew of the Taiping Bureau Governor; who even remembered the Prefect of Songjiang Prefecture anymore?

Li Dangsen tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair, his face a mask of contemplation.

’I have to find a way to deal with this,’ he thought. ’If I let Su Mu continue this rampage, he’ll turn Songjiang into a complete mess, and I’ll be disgraced as its Prefect.’

"Master, send another invitation to the Taiping Bureau. I wish to host a banquet for Su Mu. This has gone on long enough. Continuing this chaos benefits no one."

After a moment of deliberation, Li Dangsen decided to step in and act as a mediator.

"Yes."

Zhang Luzhong replied.

Just then, a constable rushed in.

"My lord, it’s terrible!"

The constable gasped, "The scholars of Songjiang Prefecture... they’ve gathered outside the Taiping Government Office! They’re demanding an explanation from the Taiping Bureau!"

A chill shot through Li Dangsen and Zhang Luzhong, and the color drained from their faces.

"What?"

Li Dangsen shot to his feet.

’A public protest... This is a sign of my failure to govern. My annual performance review is completely ruined.’

"Get the carriage ready! To the Taiping Bureau!"

Li Dangsen roared.

"Lord of the Prefecture, you can’t!"