Life? Wang Wentian was a bit confused. How did this get connected to his own life?
He could ignore other things, but how could he not care about his own life?
Seeing his father turn to go back to the inner room to rest, he also got a bit anxious and could not help but call out, “Father…”
Wang Xueting stopped and turned back, asking, “What is it?”
The words reached his lips, but Wang Wentian could not say them. The key point was that he did not know how to ask.
Wang Xueting stared straight at him and had already walked back. Wang Wentian felt guilty and was forced to step back repeatedly, only stopping when he bumped into the armrest of a chair.
Wang Xueting asked, “Tell me honestly. Is this matter related to you?”
Since things had reached this point, Wang Wentian had no choice but to go along with it and said weakly, “That child was kidnapped by me through a local boss in Haishi…”
Wang Xueting’s eyes widened instantly, and he swung his hand to deliver a slap.
Slap! Wang Wentian covered his face, not daring to show anger, and shrank back.
Wang Xueting wore an expression of disappointment that his son could not be made into steel. When he had first heard Zhu Xuan’s words, he had known that this matter was most likely related to his son. Now, his trembling finger pointed at his son, “When I first heard the news about Ah Shiheng, I was worried you would act recklessly. Did I not repeatedly tell you that Ah Shiheng, who killed a merman and still managed to retreat safely from the Nether Temple, must have already attracted attention? Anyone who acts rashly could be targeted. Did you treat my words as wind passing by your ears?
Why does Ying Xiaotang dare to oppose the Earth Mother in Jinguo? Do you not know the relationship between Ying Xiaotang and the Nether Monk? Have you not heard of the relationship between Ying Xiaotang and Ah Shiheng? That Ah Shiheng is not someone our father and son can openly move against. Even if we wanted to kill him, we must never let anyone know it was us. Once you provoke Ying Xiaotang’s evil fire, do you think he would not dare to mobilise a large army and find an excuse to level Zheluo Mountain?”
Wang Wentian said with an extremely aggrieved look, “Father, I know he is not easy to move against, and I did not want to kill him. I only wanted to lure him to ‘Jinghong Hall’ and use female charms to ruin his reputation. I did not intend to harm that child either. I was just using him and would naturally release him later. How was I to know that that mentally ill fellow would actually go and smash Zhenbao Zhai, which has nothing to do with this?”
Hearing this, Wang Xueting gradually calmed down. With his hands behind his back, he pondered back and forth for a while. “So to speak, Zhenbao Zhai was deliberately smashed by that Tanhua Lang. Could it be that he wanted to use the Zhenhai Office’s hand to help them find that child?”
Wang Wentian immediately released his hand from his face. “Father is wise. Exactly. This damned Tanhua Lang is sinister enough. He absolutely wanted to use the Zhenhai Office’s hand. Otherwise, how could it have been connected to Zhenbao Zhai?”
Slap! Wang Xueting swung his hand and delivered another slap.
Wang Wentian was hit and covered his face again, with some shock and grievance, not knowing why his father had struck again.
“Whether he is sinister or not is not important. What is important is that this matter is related to you.” Wang Xueting was furious beyond measure. He pointed at the list on the table and asked, “Now Zhu Xuan wants to settle this account with us. Nearly six hundred million. What do you say we do?”
Wang Wentian said grievously, “Zhu Xuan himself is not certain that I did it. He himself said he was only asking you to show it to me and see if you could provide some clues for their Zhenhai Office’s investigation. If he had evidence, he would not have asked you to come and ask me.”
Wang Xueting again wore an expression of disappointment. His finger poked at Wang Wentian’s forehead repeatedly. “Asking you to provide clues in this manner, it is more like he is the one who is ill. If he really wanted you to provide clues, he could simply send someone to question you.”
“Father, are you overthinking this?”
“Idiot. What does attaching a bill mean? Can you not understand? This is asking us to pay out money. This is telling us that he has already grasped a considerable amount of information and can produce evidence to arrest you at any time. He does not say it outright, leaving room for manoeuvre. If we pay the money voluntarily, everything will proceed naturally, and everyone will save face. These kinds of people like this manner of not speaking clearly.”
“Father, we did not smash Zhenbao Zhai. On what basis should we pay this money? If anyone should pay, it should be that Ah Shiheng!”
“He gave you the bill. Is he reasoning with you? Try not giving the money. Do you believe he can immediately find out that you are the mastermind behind the kidnapping case? Do you think that without paying the money, he will let you leave Haishi alive?”
“Father, rest assured. I did not use our own people to handle this matter. The local boss of Haishi, ‘Qing Ya’, you must have heard of him. He handled everything single-handedly. This person has been able to stand firm in Haishi until now, so he still has some ability. With him blocking in front, they will not be able to trace it to us.”
“What local boss? Foolish! No matter what place it is, without people on the surface providing cover, where would local bosses come from? What kind of place is Haishi? To be able to operate freely here, it is impossible without someone’s tacit approval. Otherwise, forget about being a local boss, he would probably already be dead without a burial place. Zhu Xuan has already bypassed that local boss and directly sent the bill to us. Are you still expecting a local boss to stop him?”
Wang Wentian was immediately stunned and said with slight panic, “Father, what should we do now?”
Slap! Wang Xueting swung his hand and delivered another slap, out of anger.
What else could be done? The Zhenhai Commissioner’s shop had been smashed due to the Wang family’s actions, suffering huge losses. As he himself had said, without paying compensation, do not even think about leaving Haishi alive. Zhu Xuan had the ability to prevent their father and son from leaving.
Thus, the next day, Wang Xueting personally went to the Zhenhai Office and met Zhu Xuan in the pavilion on the large rooftop of the Zhenhai Office.
Host and guest sat facing each other across a table. Wang Xueting took out a pile of prepared banknotes, banknotes wrapped in paper, and pushed them in front of Zhu Xuan.
Although the spirit plant sects ranked within the top ten of Jinguo were very wealthy, five or six hundred million was still not a small sum. It was also a considerable amount of cultivation resources, enough to make Wang Xueting feel the pain.
Zhu Xuan reached out and tore open a slit in the paper package, seeing the banknotes inside. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He did not open it to count the banknotes, assuming the other party would not dare to fool him. He reached out and gestured, “Have some tea.”
Wang Xueting lifted the tea and made a gesture of drinking, then put down the teacup and said, “Lord Zhu, how do you plan to deal with Ah Shiheng?”
Zhu Xuan: “You release the hostage. Once the hostage returns home and proves that Zhenbao Zhai did not kidnap anyone, and it was a misunderstanding, I will naturally have a reason to close the case and release the person. As for how you want to play, that is a matter between you. It is impossible for him to die in the Zhenhai Office’s prison.”
It was the same thing again. It was impossible to help the Wang family get that Tanhua Lang killed in prison.
Wang Xueting: “That is natural. However… Lord Zhu, could you first release the person and let my son have a face to face talk with him before releasing the hostage?”
Such a large sum of money had already been spent, and things had already reached this point. After pondering back and forth, he felt that his son’s method was not necessarily a bad idea. He also wanted Ah Shiheng to be utterly disgraced. Since things had come to this, he might as well go with the flow.
Zhu Xuan understood what he meant as soon as he heard it. After all, some matters had been instigated by him. He also wanted to continue watching the show, because he had not yet seen the goal he wanted to achieve. Besides, he had already received their money.
However, releasing the person without reason would be difficult for him too. If it were merely a matter of smashing his shop, he could completely overlook it and directly release the person. The problem was that it also involved a kidnapping case that had occurred in full public view. The case had not been investigated clearly, and the hostage had not even been found. How could the case be closed?
He was indeed the Zhenhai Commissioner, but he could not act without restraint in Haishi either.
After thinking it over repeatedly, he could only say slowly, “Brother Wang, as the saying goes, a person of low status has light words. But you know that person’s identity. Although the person is of low status, many people will hear what he says. If he runs out and shouts randomly, I will also be uncomfortable here. So, I can only say that I will try to find a way. If it really does not work, you still have to release the hostage on your side. It is better to close the case as soon as possible, otherwise it is easy for things to drag on and generate more dreams.”
Wang Xueting naturally nodded repeatedly in agreement…
Youjiao Bu, Miaoqing Hall.
A shopkeeper from the shop diagonally across the street strode over, came directly to the door, and called out to Gao Yunjie, who was reading under the lamp inside the counter, “Shopkeeper Gao.”
Gao Yunjie was also bored with nothing to do. However, his appearance of stroking his beard and reading under the lamp was still quite dignified. It was not without reason that Yu Qing could not stand the sight of him. He indeed looked more like a sect leader than Yu Qing’s wretched little moustache.
He looked up at this moment, was startled for a moment, quickly turned the book upside down, stood up, and smiled with clasped hands, “Shopkeeper Lin, what wind has blown you here?”
Shopkeeper Lin directly threw a letter onto the counter. “I received a letter. When I opened it and looked, there was another envelope inside with instructions to forward it to you.”
Gao Yunjie glanced at the envelope and already understood what was going on in his heart. This kind of thing was not the first time. He guessed who the letter was from and immediately nodded repeatedly, saying, “Yes, it is addressed to me. Thank you, thank you. I have really troubled you.”
Shopkeeper Lin said meaningfully, “Shopkeeper Gao, forwarding a letter is nothing, but it is best not to get us involved in any other matters, don’t you think?”
The meaning in his words was obvious. Do not bring them trouble.
Gao Yunjie hurriedly said, “No, no, absolutely not. Later I will be the host and treat you to drinks at ‘Youya Tower’. You must do me the honour.”
“Alright then.” Shopkeeper Lin smiled and agreed. He did not stay long and turned to leave.
Gao Yunjie hurriedly came out from behind the counter and personally escorted him out the door.
He went back around behind the counter, carefully examined the letter under the light, and only then opened it to read. As soon as he saw the contents, his expression changed instantly.
The letter was indeed sent by Yu Qing via Liu Piaopiao, telling them that something had happened on this side and asking the second brother to cooperate in the action.
After carefully reading the instructions above, which said to seize time, Gao Yunjie did not dare to delay. He immediately ran to the inner courtyard, called Chong’er over, gave Chong’er some instructions, let Chong’er guard the shop, and he himself quickly went out wearing a black cloak.
He walked quickly without stopping all the way, through streets, alleys, and rivers, even hiding by diving into the water.
There was no other way. Yu Qing had instructed in the letter that this trip must be kept secret. Once the grass was startled and the snake alarmed, Xiao Hei would very likely be killed.
When he reappeared and stopped, he was already standing at the head of a bridge before a steep cliff. Across the cliff was a towering huge cliff face exuding a mysterious aura, long shrouded in darkness, with no one able to see its full appearance completely.
On the bridge, lazy big cats of various colours, as huge as lions, were either lying down or wandering about.
Gao Yunjie, concealed in the black cloak, took a deep breath and finally strode towards the other end of the bridge…