Chapter 161: Chapter 161: Noble Family Infighting
Chen Ping’an had never been a fan of the ways of the Noble Families.
If it were the Clan Elders of a Noble Family here, Chen Ping’an might have patiently listened to a few words. But a mere Steward dared to act like this?
’How utterly ridiculous!’
Upon entering the prison gates, Chen Ping’an ordered them shut immediately, locking everyone else out.
’I don’t care what Fang Family you’re from. As long as you’re on my turf here in the South City Prison, you follow Chen Ping’an’s orders.’
As for the Outer City Garrison Command processing Fang Rui’s exoneration, that was their business. As long as the process wasn’t complete, Fang Rui was a prisoner of his South City Prison!
’Flogging more than a dozen commoners in the street, with three dying from their injuries?’
Chen Ping’an’s eyes narrowed, a knot of frustration tightening in his chest.
He caught up to Constable Min and, seeing the clamoring Fang Rui, kicked him without a second thought.
Fang Rui’s body lurched forward. If Constable Min hadn’t been holding him, he would have face-planted.
"You fuc—"
Fang Rui started to yell, but before he could finish his sentence, Chen Ping’an kicked him again.
This time, he really did eat dirt.
"You—what are you doing!"
Unexpectedly, Fang Rui’s bravado evaporated. The lawless arrogance from before was gone.
’Just as I thought. These so-called scions of the Noble Families are used to bullying the weak and fearing the strong.’
’As long as you’re ruthless enough, they’ll all be afraid of you!’
"I don’t like the look of you!"
Chen Ping’an stepped forward and kicked him again, drawing a series of pained cries from Fang Rui.
"Wrong yet?"
Another kick from Chen Ping’an.
Fang Rui just screamed in pain, not answering.
Seeing no response, Chen Ping’an landed another vicious kick.
"Wrong yet?"
Fang Rui didn’t answer, so Chen Ping’an kicked him again.
After several more times, Fang Rui finally broke and begged for mercy.
"Don’t! Don’t kick me anymore! I was wrong!"
"Really?"
Before Fang Rui could confirm, Chen Ping’an kicked him again.
"Really, really! I was wrong, I was wrong!"
Fang Rui blurted out, terrified that if he spoke too slowly, Chen Ping’an would land another kick.
Recalling the arrogant Fang Rui from moments before, who had looked down on them as if they weren’t even human, and then seeing his current state, the spectating Constable Min felt an immense sense of satisfaction.
’Noble Families, Noble Families. So what if they’re a big deal!’
’Aside from the ones who’ve truly earned my respect, scum like Fang Rui are just trash!’
’He was just born into a good family! Otherwise, he’s worth less than a farmer digging for food in the dirt!’
Constable Min felt as if every one of Chen Ping’an’s kicks landed right where he wanted them to. Watching him do it was even more satisfying than doing it himself.
’He’s our boss, alright. He really is... tough!’
Chen Ping’an looked at Fang Rui groveling on the ground and felt nothing but contempt.
He turned to glance at the ecstatic Constable Min and said, "What are you staring at? Get him inside!"
Constable Min snapped back to his senses and quickly agreed.
Watching Fang Rui being dragged away, Chen Ping’an felt the tightness in his chest ease considerably.
This Fang Rui was at the Qi Blood Third Layer of the Martial Arts Realm. A few kicks like that weren’t enough to kill him.
’Speaking of which, Fang Rui is a real piece of trash. As a Legitimate Son of the Fang Family, with famous teachers to guide him and a vast supply of resources, he’s only reached this Realm at his age! He’s truly pathetic!’
’Trash!’
...
Chen Ping’an had thought the matter with Fang Rui would be resolved quickly.
After all, he’d already heard that the Outer City Garrison Command was processing Fang Rui’s exoneration. Once the procedure was complete, that piece of scum Fang Rui could be legally released.
But unexpectedly, Fang Rui remained locked up until nightfall. There was still no word of an acquittal from the Outer City Garrison Command, nor did the South Town Garrison Command send anyone to get him out.
"Now this is getting interesting."
’It seems there’s been some kind of hitch in Fang Rui’s exoneration process.’
Since it involved a Legitimate Son of a Noble Family, Chen Ping’an didn’t take it lightly. Before getting off duty, he went to the South Town Garrison Command to find Mu Wanjun.
It seemed Mu Wanjun already knew the purpose of Chen Ping’an’s visit.
"Are you here about Fang Rui?"
"Your foresight is godlike, My Lady. That is indeed why I’ve come."
Chen Ping’an laid on the flattery.
"Oh, Ping’an, you..."
Mu Wanjun gave him a coquettish glance.
Having been through a life-or-death situation together, Mu Wanjun no longer saw Chen Ping’an as just a subordinate, but more as a friend.
When Chen Ping’an recounted what had happened, Mu Wanjun didn’t hold anything back and explained the situation to him.
"A struggle between Noble Families!?"
Chen Ping’an listened with a look of astonishment as Mu Wanjun explained.
’Just as I suspected, the matter with Fang Rui wasn’t so simple. There was a power struggle between Noble Families behind it all.’
Ordinarily, when someone like Fang Rui committed a crime, the Outer City Garrison Command wouldn’t act so decisively. They wouldn’t have left zero room for negotiation and just ordered the arrest of a Noble Family’s Legitimate Son on the spot.
The Outer City Garrison Command not only arrested him but also quickly escorted him to the South City Prison.
He wasn’t sent to a prison in another district, nor to the dungeons of the Outer City Garrison Command itself.
’This whole affair is rather delicate!’
Whose territory was the South District!?
It was Mu Wanjun’s territory!
And behind Mu Wanjun stood the Weishui Mu Family!
On the surface, this was about Fang Rui’s arrest. But in reality, it was a covert struggle for interests between the Mu Family and the Fang Family!
Fang Rui’s crime had given the Mu Family the perfect opportunity to make a move!
Normally, with Fang Rui’s status, killing a few lowlifes was nothing. With a few tricks, some compensation to appease the victims’ families, and by pulling some strings at the Outer City Garrison Command, getting him released would have been a piece of cake.
But how could the Mu Family let such an opportunity slip by?
Having finally found a weakness to exploit in the Fang Family, the Mu Family naturally had to play this card well.
With the Mu Family also exerting its influence, Fang Rui’s exoneration process wouldn’t be completed so easily.
Of course, in the grand chess game between the two great families, the matter of Fang Rui was just a small card to play. It wasn’t as if they intended to crush the Fang Family with this single incident.
That would be completely impossible!
When the family’s interests are at stake, even Clan Elders can be sacrificed at times, to say nothing of a mere Legitimate Son!
After explaining the situation, Mu Wanjun looked at Chen Ping’an and said, "Ping’an, with Fang Rui locked up in your prison, don’t go easy on him. Let him suffer a bit! After all, he’s responsible for several lives!"
"Understood."
Chen Ping’an nodded.
’Of course. Power struggles over interests... they exist everywhere.’
The Mu Family and Fang Family were fighting because of the interests tied to the Long’an Trade Route. The Long’an Trade Route was of great importance, and Weishui County City had a share of its profits.
And this share had to be divided among the various powers in Weishui, both high and low.
In this so-called division, who got more and who got less?
’It all comes down to who has the strength and skill!’
The game between the Mu Family and the Fang Family also involved the Liu Family, the Fu Family, and other clans both large and small. It was incredibly complex.
It was definitely not something that could be explained in just a few words.
However, all of this was still too far removed from Chen Ping’an.
In a struggle between Noble Families, if a mere Second Stage of Inner Qi cultivator like him tried to take a stand and get involved, he would probably be ground to dust!
Caught in such a powerful current, there was no need to overthink. The most correct choice was to pick a side and play his own role well.
As long as he didn’t stray from the main current, he was strong enough to protect himself at his current Realm.
But even so, a faint sense of crisis began to sprout in Chen Ping’an’s heart.
’Under the heel of these powerful factions, I’m still too weak!’
’Cultivation! Breaking Realms! Getting stronger!’
After learning the full situation from Mu Wanjun and exchanging a few more pleasantries, Chen Ping’an took his leave.
