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Chapter 198: 191: Hehuan Sect Takes the Blame_2
Chapter 198: 191: Hehuan Sect Takes the Blame_2
Chapter 198: Chapter 191: Hehuan Sect Takes the Blame_2
“Punishment that comes without cause?”
He furrowed his brow and said, “Junsheng, don’t you feel something’s off?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Tell me, why would the Lu Family of Hehuan Sect want to kill Mr. Gao?”
Song Junsheng thought for a moment, then said, “Of course it’s revenge against the court’s policy of exterminating demons. It’s very common for the Demonic Tao to take drastic actions in retaliation against the righteous path.”
“That’s where the problem lies,” Jiang Cheng said with one hand on his chest and the other stroking his chin. “Think about it carefully, what are Liang State Court’s actual policies on demon extermination?”
Song Junsheng followed Jiang Cheng’s line of thought and carefully recalled.
In the end, he realized, hey, he really knew nothing about any court policies on demon extermination.
“Guangming, do you remember any of the court’s policies on demon extermination?”
Ding Guangming pondered and said, “Discovering a clue pointing to a Foundation Establishment Stage demon grants a reward of fifty thousand Spirit Stones?”
Zhu Hongcai laughed and said, “Ha ha, that’s Tongtian Sect’s policy. Even I know that!”
Ding Guangming felt utterly disheartened: “Ah? Even Hong Cai knows about it?”
Zhu Hongcai flew into a rage: “Fuck! Ding Guangming, what do you mean by that!?”
As a result, everyone in dorm room 316 fell silent for ten minutes, and they couldn’t come up with a single court policy on demon extermination.
Song Junsheng felt a chill run down his spine.
“Jiang Cheng, could it be that the Liang State Court doesn’t actually exterminate demons at all?”
Jiang Cheng said with finality, “They do have policies, but they are not very strong, better than nothing. The main force in the fight against demons has always been the Immortal Sect. Mundane dynastic powers tend to act as a protective umbrella for the Demonic Tao to a certain extent to keep the Immortal Sect in check, and rarely go as far as to actively exterminate demons.”
“Ah?”
At Jiang Cheng’s words, the pupils of the other three in the dormitory shook violently.
It seemed like they had just learnt something astounding.
Ding Guangming clutched his head saying, “Doesn’t that mean we’ve been living alongside the Demonic Tao all this time?”
“Don’t be too nervous, at least Lotus University is still very safe,” Jiang Cheng consoled.
Quick-witted Song Junsheng was the first to react. He picked up the newspaper and read it again.
“If, according to Jiang Cheng, the court does not exterminate demons, then why would the Demonic Tao seek revenge against the court? And if not for revenge, why would the Lu Family of Hehuan Sect want to kill Mr. Gao?”
Ding Guangming said in agony, “Junsheng, stop talking; my head is so itchy, I think it’s about to grow a brain!”
Zhu Hongcai stared and said, “Guangming, what did Junsheng just say? I didn’t understand a thing!”
Jiang Cheng asked, “Hong Cai, I have a question for you. If you were to take a concubine, would you go for someone in her twenties, or thirties?”
With the query landing in Zhu Hongcai’s area of expertise, he instantly grasped the concept.
“I wouldn’t take either! I only like them eighteen years old! Oh, nineteen is also fine. Cheng is nineteen years old. I’m willing to make that concession for her.”
Song Junsheng, not understanding, said, “Jiang Cheng, what does Mr. Gao’s case have to do with the age of the Lu Family?”
Jiang Cheng explained, “The Lu Family is thirty-three years old, and I guess Mr. Gao didn’t just marry her.”
Zhu Hongcai slapped his thigh in anguish, “That’s definitely impossible! If you can pick twenty, why pick thirty, or pick eighteen, why choose twenty! Mr. Gao has lived for more than two hundred years, how could he not understand such a simple thing? I’m only eighteen, and I already get it!”
Enlightenment dawned on Song Junsheng, “What Jiang Cheng means is, the Lu Family wasn’t married off recently, but has been for quite a number of years. Given how Mr. Gao didn’t frequent the Jiaofang Division, it seems his relationship with the Lu Family wasn’t bad.”
Ding Guangming scratched his head continuously, “So what does all this information indicate? Jiang Cheng, stop keeping us in suspense and give it to me straight!”
Jiang Cheng said with a smile, “It indicates that the Lu Family had no reason to kill Mr. Gao. If Mr. Gao died, the Lu Family would lose its protective umbrella and have to live at the mercy of Mr. Gao’s wife. No concubine would wish for that. Hence, she wouldn’t have wanted Mr. Gao to die too early. Moreover, based on a normal Foundation Establishment cultivator’s lifespan, Mr. Gao could have lived around fifty more years, which would have been enough to shelter the Lu Family for the rest of her life.”
Realization hit Ding Guangming, “I get it. You’re saying, the case of Prince Liang Chu is far from over! The killer is very likely not from the Demonic Tao!”
Jiang Cheng shook his head, “I don’t know about that, but this case is full of mysteries. The investigation team from the three government offices hasn’t figured it out at all.”
Song Junsheng suddenly grabbed Jiang Cheng’s hand and said, “Jiang Cheng, I know you don’t want talismans to be banned. But first, calm down, this isn’t something we students should be touching if even the investigation team is afraid to handle it!”
“It has nothing to do with talismans. I’m just purely curious.”
Regarding the banning of talismans, Jiang Cheng was actually indifferent.
After all, on his side, the history-making mission of the Willpower Empowerment Talisman had been accomplished.
It not only revitalized the three new stores of the Miaodan Workshop, but also helped the Tongbao Pavilion’s Huayuan Road Store make a comeback. Plus, earning nearly thirty million was more than enough.
Even if it was banned, he wouldn’t be at a loss.
The most important thing was, Jiang Cheng didn’t want to stand by idly. He planned to find out the real mastermind behind the scenes, overturn the previous judgment, and clear the Lu Family of her wrongful charges, while at the same time, conveniently, by coincidence, avoid paying the fine.
Jiang Cheng continued, “Don’t you guys think that the Lu Family was unfairly made the scapegoat in the case of Prince Liang Chu? If she wasn’t intentionally murdering, she shouldn’t be deserving of the death penalty.
Song Junsheng nodded, “That’s indeed the case. Prince Liang Chu often broke the law, and his death was well-deserved. But this Ms. Lu, it seems she hasn’t done anything bad.”
Zhu Hongcai laughed loudly, “Hilarious, you guys don’t plan to help someone else’s concubine overturn a conviction, do you? Are university students so idle these days? Why not go to the park with me to see 18-year-old female university students? Youthful and full of collagen. Obsessing over a woman in her thirties, are you sick in the head?”
Ding Guangming spoke up for justice, “Hong Cai, you haven’t even seen her, how do you know Ms. Lu isn’t up to par?”
Zhu Hongcai sneered, “A woman in her thirties, how can she compare to an 18-year-old?”
“But Minister Gao died in his own bed.”
“So what… wait a minute!”
Zhu Hongcai also realized this point.
Minister Gao, being a high-ranking official of the Liang State Court, lacked neither money nor power. As long as his aesthetic sense wasn’t terribly off, his concubines couldn’t be too bad.
And while everyone else died in the Jiaofang Division or brothels, he died at home…
Could it be…
Zhu Hongcai changed his tune, speaking with solemn gravity, “I think Jiang Cheng is right. Ms. Lu doesn’t deserve the death penalty. We can’t just stand by and do nothing!”
Ding Guangming: …
Song Junsheng: …
Jiang Cheng: …
Zhu Hongcai was filled with righteous indignation, “Jiang Cheng! How are we going to save her? A prison break or what? You think of the plan, Junsheng and Guangming will provide the muscle, and I’ll provide the money! Afterward, we’ll split the benefits 70-30. I’ll ride her, and you three can go play elsewhere.”
Song Junsheng and Ding Guangming looked at Jiang Cheng, waiting for him to speak.
However, the first to speak, Jiang Cheng, shook his head, “No rescue. The nature of this matter is that the investigation group from the three departments has made a wrongful conviction. Our correct course of action is to write whistleblowing letters to the government office, The Censorate, and the Cabinet Scholar. Breaking into a jail is a criminal act, if caught, you’re facing a minimum of three years, up to life imprisonment.”
Song Junsheng frowned, “But Jiang Cheng, if the investigative group dared to do this, it’s very likely they’re in cahoots with other officials. Our whistleblowing letters will probably sink like stones to the bottom of the sea.”
“We still have to write them,” Jiang Cheng said, “We must follow the legal process.”
Zhu Hongcai anxiously interjected, “What’s the use of being lawful! If the officials themselves are unlawful, by being lawful, aren’t we just tying our own hands and asking for trouble?”
“Hong Cai, cut it out,” Ding Guangming urged.
Jiang Cheng completely ignored the red-faced and anxious Zhu Hongcai, calmly saying, “It’s not about tying our hands, but about having a clear conscience.”
Zhu Hongcai closed his eyes in anguish, “Jiang Cheng, can you stop being so pretentious?”
“I’m just telling the truth.”
“Why do you make telling the truth sound as pretentious as you can?”
Jiang Cheng pondered for a moment, then said, “Maybe because I always do what I say.”
Zhu Hongcai’s scalp tingled.
He’d been outdone by him again!
Damn it, how is Jiang Cheng so good at this!
He’s practically the epitome of speaking pretentiously!
When will I ever be like him, where pretentiousness follows my every word!
With the collective effort of Room 316, Jiang Cheng wrote a case analysis pointing out some key doubts and handed it over to Counselor Cui Zhifei.
Cui Zhifei earnestly advised Jiang Cheng and the others not to meddle in affairs too much and to learn to protect themselves wisely.
Then, Room 316 sent the case analysis in the name of Counselor Cui Zhifei to more than a dozen units or individuals including the government office, The Censorate, and the Cabinet Scholar.
Since Cui Zhifei could be considered the guardian of Talisman Drawing Class 1 at Lotus University.
Therefore, there was no problem using his name for Room 316’s case analysis.
As expected, the letters went unanswered.
Jiang Cheng sent out over a dozen, but three whole days passed with no response whatsoever.
Zhu Hongcai was burning with impatience because, in the last couple of days, he had seen Ms. Lu’s photo in the newspaper.
Upon seeing her face, Zhu Hongcai knew immediately that she must be innocent!
Zhu, always eager to do good deeds, couldn’t bear to see a beautiful woman suffer unjustly in prison.
This woman, he, Zhu Hongcai, was determined to save!
“Jiang Cheng, there’s no reply, what do we do?”
Jiang Cheng casually said, “This afternoon a reporter is going to Ms. Lu’s prison for a visit, we’ll pay to accompany them and go have a look.”