Chapter 199 - 197: Fooled You

Ye Xuan asked, staring at the Qilin Chief with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

The Qilin Chief glared viciously at Zheng Changgong, wishing he could just put a bullet in his head. The man was completely incapable of doing anything right, but more than capable of ruining everything!

Faced with Ye Xuan’s interrogation, the Qilin Chief lied without batting an eye. "Heh, I’m afraid there must be some misunderstanding here. Section Chief Zheng and I are merely tea buddies.

"As for what he said about taking orders from me and working for me, that was all a joke. At most, I just ask him to help me purchase some fine tea leaves or hunt for some nice tea sets."

Ye Xuan was no fool; he naturally knew the man was lying. He sneered, then pulled out his phone and said casually, "Is that so? But I recorded everything Section Chief Zheng just said. If I were to submit it to the military tribunal, I wonder if they would agree that you, the Qilin Chief, simply had Section Chief Zheng buying tea for you?"

Hearing this, the Qilin Chief could no longer maintain the fake smile on his face.

Zheng Changgong, upon hearing that there was a recording, collapsed directly onto the ground, all the color draining from his face. He never expected Ye Xuan to pull a trick like this. Furthermore, when had he even recorded it? He hadn’t noticed a thing!

Ye Xuan grinned as he watched their expressions drastically change. In truth, he hadn’t recorded anything; he was just bluffing to scare the Qilin Chief and Zheng Changgong. But seeing their reactions now, he could practically confirm that there were indeed shady dealings between the two.

"Qilin Chief, this Zheng Changgong is your man. You’re not going to deny it now, are you?" Ye Xuan asked, putting his phone away with a smile.

"Ye Xuan, what exactly do you want?" the Qilin Chief asked in a low voice, his face darkening as he met Ye Xuan’s gaze.

"I don’t want anything. It’s just that Zheng Changgong has been throwing his weight around. Not only did he allow his brother-in-law to bully civilians, but he also abused his authority.

"I just wanted to ask you, Qilin Chief, how does the military deal with someone who bends the law for personal gain and shows blatant disregard for military discipline?" Ye Xuan shrugged, his tone feigning complete innocence.

Zheng Changgong completely panicked upon hearing this. He scrambled over to the Qilin Chief, hugging his thigh and wailing with snot and tears streaming down his face. "Qilin Chief, I have given my all for you these past few years! I may not have glorious achievements, but I’ve certainly put in the hard work!

"Please, for the sake of everything I’ve done for you, save me this once!"

The Qilin Chief’s lungs were practically bursting with anger. How could Zheng Changgong be as stupid as a pig?! Saying something like that right now essentially proved that they had illicit dealings! Even if he wanted to save him, he couldn’t do it now!

He kicked Zheng Changgong viciously twice and roared in exasperation, "Shut the fuck up!"

These were no ordinary kicks. Given the Qilin Chief’s skill and strength, two kicks were enough to send Zheng Changgong coughing up blood. Standing to the side, Ye Xuan watched their exasperated display, sneering inwardly.

"Cyan Dragon Chief," the Qilin Chief began, forcing himself to speak, "although Zheng Changgong’s attitude can be a bit poor at times, he hasn’t committed any unforgivable crimes.

"How about you do me a favor and let him off the hook this time?"

Although the Qilin Chief wanted nothing more than to rip Ye Xuan’s tendons out and skin him alive, he couldn’t afford to abandon Zheng Changgong right now. The current situation was at a critical juncture, and as the Section Chief of the Logistics Department, Zheng Changgong played a crucial role in alleviating the Qilin Hall’s financial issues. If he was ruined, it would undoubtedly be a massive loss for the Qilin Hall.

Therefore, even if it meant bowing his head to Ye Xuan, the Qilin Chief had to protect Zheng Changgong.

Upon hearing the Qilin Chief’s plea, Ye Xuan’s face instantly darkened. "Qilin Chief, what is the code of conduct for our military? Please, enlighten me," he demanded sternly.

The Qilin Chief was taken aback by the question. He thought for a few seconds before answering, "Enforce the law impartially; serve the people and the nation."

Ye Xuan sneered at his response. "Oh, so you actually remember those words? Since you know them, why are you still acting out of favoritism and engaging in corruption?

"You say Zheng Changgong hasn’t committed any unforgivable crimes, but his brother-in-law nearly ran someone over just now. Is that not a serious matter?

"Zheng Changgong knew full well that his brother-in-law was in the wrong, yet he still covered for him and even threatened to lock me up for the rest of my life.

"He is nothing but a lowly Section Chief in the Logistics Department, yet he dares to make such arrogant threats. Tell me, how am I supposed to just let him off the hook?!"

This harsh reprimand left the members of the Qilin Hall seething, yet they didn’t dare speak out. They knew Ye Xuan was simply using Zheng Changgong’s incident as an excuse to make a point, issuing a warning and slapping the Qilin Hall in the face. Yet, frustratingly enough, they couldn’t do a thing about it, nor could they refute him. It was infuriating.

The Qilin Chief’s mind raced before he came up with a makeshift solution. "Since the incident was caused by Zheng Changgong’s brother-in-law, we will handle it strictly by the book and let the Police Department deal with the matter.

"As for Zheng Changgong, he acted out of familial affection and a moment of panic. He will be demoted to Deputy Section Chief of the Logistics Department and have one year’s bonus deducted as punishment.

"I wonder if the Cyan Dragon Chief has any further dissatisfaction with my proposed resolution?"

This was the biggest concession he could make. No matter what, Zheng Changgong could not leave the Logistics Department.

Ye Xuan pursed his lips, holding the Qilin Chief’s gaze for a long moment before finally breaking into a grin. "Although I’m not entirely satisfied with this resolution, I’ll let Zheng Changgong off the hook this time for your sake.

"Also, I didn’t actually record anything just now. I was just lying to scare you."

Knowing when to quit while he was ahead, Ye Xuan didn’t push the people from the Qilin Hall too hard. It wasn’t the time to completely burn bridges with them just yet. He gave the Qilin Chief and Zheng Changgong a meaningful glance, his eyes brimming with mockery.

"You!" One of the Qilin Hall’s men flared up instantly upon hearing Ye Xuan’s confession. He stepped forward, ready to strike, but was stopped by the Qilin Chief.

"As expected of the Cyan Dragon Chief. You actually played me," the Qilin Chief said through gritted teeth. "However, I advise you not to be so arrogant. The current situation in Jingcheng is no longer the era that belonged to you.

"The dissolution of the Four Palaces and the old leader stepping down is only a matter of time. If you want to leave a way out for the members of the Four Palaces, you’d better stop going against me."

Ye Xuan narrowed his eyes at those words. "It’s quite something for you to say that with such confidence. But whether the Four Palaces dissolve or not isn’t up to you.

"You’re far from qualified to take my position.

"Furthermore, even if the old leader steps down, it won’t be the person above you taking over as the new leader.

"Whether it’s you or the people backing you, none of you have the right to claim these things."