Chapter 184: The Conflict Concludes

Chapter 184: The Conflict Concludes

At the entrance of the Inspection Bureau.

As Jiang Ning took action, everyone was astonished.

No one expected Jiang Ning to strike directly.

"Release Captain Xiao!"

"Release Captain Xiao!"

". . ."

Several voices echoed simultaneously.

Jiang Ning ignored them and said, "Xie Xiaojiu, take these two. They dared to attack me, and now they're committing inferior defiance. Arrest them first."

"Yes, sir!" Xie Xiaojiu, standing behind him, responded promptly.

With Jiang Ning's support, Xie Xiaojiu's confidence soared.

Having the backing of one of the four deputy commanders, what was there to fear from these captains? This was her newfound confidence.

The next moment, Xie Xiaojiu, holding her long sword, transformed into a swift gust of wind and rushed towards Lu Renyao and another captain.

The two captains, having just been struck by Jiang Ning's full force and injured, were not in their prime condition. Seeing Xie Xiaojiu charging towards them, they immediately stood up to counterattack.

"Brothers, we are all from the Martial Academy. Come with me!" Lu Renyao shouted.

Hearing Lu Renyao's words, several people from the crowd stepped forward.

At this moment, Jiang Ning no longer paid attention to the fight on Xie Xiaojiu's side.

He had just struck down two people—a captain and Lu Renyao.

Especially Lu Renyao, who had been punched by him the day before and attacked him again today. Jiang Ning didn't hold back, and he could imagine that Lu Renyao was not feeling well at the moment.

In such a situation, if Xie Xiaojiu couldn't handle it with her steady rhythm, it would be a shame to her reputation as Heaven's Pride.

It would also be a disappointment to Lin Qingyi's trust in her.

Jiang Ning looked at Xiao Tianhe in his hand.

"Speak up. Where did you hide the person you captured this morning?"

Xiao Tianhe pointed painfully at his throat, his face turning red, unable to make a sound.

Seeing this, Jiang Ning released his grip.

Plop—

Xiao Tianhe fell from mid-air where he was suspended.

Cough, cough—

He coughed a few times, took a deep breath, and then said, "I didn't know that there was a friend of the commander among those civilians. The commander told me who that person was, and I will go to the county hall's prison to release that person later!"

At this moment, Xiao Tianhe surrendered.

Just then, a voice rang out, "Useless!"

A thin and pale He Jinyun emerged from the crowd again.

"You dare to touch my people?" He said to Jiang Ning.

"Is the young marquis trying to abuse his power?" Jiang Ning smiled.

Upon hearing this, He Jinyun gave Jiang Ning a serious look.

"You're very bold!"

Jiang Ning said, "The young marquis is also very bold! In front of so many people, he still dares to shield his subordinates!"

"You're indeed very bold!" He Jinyun's eyes darkened as he spoke.

"Enough!" A deep voice came from the entrance of the Inspection Bureau.

Everyone was startled upon hearing this voice.

They turned around and saw Hong Minghu and Ye Qiu approaching.

The crowd parted, making way for the two of them.

"Greetings, Marquis, and Commander Ye!"

Someone spoke up, and the rest followed suit.

"Greetings, Marquis, and Commander Ye!"

"Greetings, Marquis, and Commander Ye!"

"Greetings, Marquis, and Commander Ye!"

". . ."

"What a disgrace!" Hong Minghu glanced at He Jinyun and Jiang Ning. "To create such a ruckus at the entrance of the Inspection Bureau is like a mob, and it's embarrassing if it gets out."

"Please investigate, Marquis!" Xie Xiaojiu, who had stopped fighting, stepped forward. "Captain Xiao accepted bribes from others and abused his power. He arbitrarily blocked those taverns and prevented them from doing business."

"Is that so, Captain Xiao?" Hong Minghu's gaze fell on Xiao Tianhe, his voice calm.

Looking into Hong Minghu's tranquil eyes, Xiao Tianhe's heart trembled.

"Confess truthfully, and you'll be treated leniently," Hong Minghu said again.

Hearing this, Xiao Tianhe nodded slightly. "I did accept bribes!"

"I sentence you to a month in solitary confinement. Are you satisfied with this punishment?" Hong Minghu asked.

"I accept it!" Xiao Tianhe replied in a low voice.

. . .

Hong Minghu turned to Xie Xiaojiu.

"Xie Xiaojiu, you have done a meritorious service by reporting this, but you also committed inferior defiance. Your merits and demerits offset each other. Are you satisfied with this decision, with no rewards or punishments?"

Xie Xiaojiu nodded repeatedly, "I accept it."

Then Hong Minghu looked at Jiang Ning.

"Commander Jiang, you took the initiative to stand up and uphold the discipline of the Inspection Bureau. Consider this a minor achievement."

Jiang Ning said, "I am content with this!"

Upon hearing this, Hong Minghu nodded slightly.

He then looked at the few people who had clashed with Xie Xiaojiu.

"Lu Renyao, Huang Xianzong, the two of you dared to attack Commander Jiang, committing the act of an inferior defying a superior. Huang Xianzong, as a captain, will be punished with half a month in the torture cage. Lu Renyao, as a patrol guard, will be punished with three months in the torture cage. Do you accept this?"

Upon hearing these words, Lu Renyao's face changed slightly.

Three months in the torture cage.

This was not a secluded place for martial practice, but a dark, sunless dungeon where one would endure two months of torment.

He had seen the torture cage of the Inspection Bureau that morning.

The torture cage was also known as the water dungeon.

Inside the torture cage, it was cold, damp, and dark, with no sunlight. Moreover, since the torture cage was underground, the space was not spacious, and the ceiling was low. He couldn't even stand up straight.

In such an environment, he doubted he could endure even three days, let alone three months.

Moreover, inside, he could only feel the passage of time, unable to do anything else.

"I do not accept this!!" Lu Renyao immediately spoke up, raising his head to look at Hong Minghu. "Lord, you are biased, favoring this native Jiang Ning."

"Unacceptable? Biased?" Hong Minghu's face darkened.

"Hmph!" He coldly snorted.

Instantly.

It seemed as if an invisible force exploded in the air, causing Lu Renyao to stagger backward, falling to the ground, and spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood.

"Disobeying orders, add another month!" Hong Minghu said calmly.

Then, he turned to the few people who had fought with Xie Xiaojiu.

"You few, forming cliques and fighting in public, you will be punished with three days in the torture cage. Do you have any objections?"

"I accept the punishment!" With Lu Renyao's example, the others dared not say another word, all expressing their acceptance.

At this moment,

Ye Qiu finally stepped forward.

"Everyone, disperse! Today, Lord is lenient because you are new to the Inspection Bureau and are still unfamiliar with the rules."

"If there is a next time, it won't be so lenient!"

"Everyone, when you return, take a_good_look_at_what_you_should_be_doing, what you need to_do, and what you need_to_follow!"

"The Inspection Bureau has extremely strict rules!!"

Leaving these words, Ye_qiu turned his head to look at the man beside him.

One of the four deputy commanders, Tang Miaomiao.

"Commander Tang!"

"Lord, please speak!" Tang Miaomiao bowed in respect.

She came from the academy, the academy of Guangning Prefecture, and naturally understood the Inspection Bureau better than the students of_dongling_city's_martial_academy.

Thus, she showed no disrespect to Ye Qiu.

Strictly speaking, only Ye Qiu, Hong_minghu, and a few others were the core members of the Inspection Bureau in various regions.

These people below them were merely on the periphery, a mere mob.

At this moment,

Seeing Tang Miaomiao bow, Ye Qiu nodded slightly.

"The punishment of those people, I'll leave it to Commander_Tang!"

"Lord, please rest assured!" Tang Miaomiao replied.

As Ye Qiu and Hong Minghu left, the crowd also dispersed.

"Jiang Ning, I_will_remember_you!" He Jinyun paused beside Jiang Ning, leaving a message before departing.

"Lord!" Xie Xiaojiu came_to_Jiang Ning, "Thank you, Lord! It was my fault, I've caused you trouble!"

Jiang Ning smiled slightly. "There's no need for such formalities! Since you are under my command, how could I sit idly and let you be bullied? Not to mention, Xiao Tianhe grabbed one of my friends this morning!"

"Then, what should we do now, Lord?" Xie Xiaojiu asked.

"Go find Feng Jiuge and have her gather some people. We'll go to the County Hall!"

"Yes, Lord!" Xie Xiaojiu bowed in response.

On the other side,

Inside the Inspection Bureau, Ye Qiu and Hong Minghu walked side by side.

"Lord, today you_have_been_unusually_magnanimous." Ye Qiu said.

Hong Minghu slowly replied, "These people are all students from the Martial Academy and children of prominent families in Dongling City. It's not good to punish them too harshly!"

"Does that mean, if the young lady hadn't had Commander Jiang's intervention, you_were_preparing_to_make_an_example_of_her?" Ye Qiu turned and asked.

"Exactly!" Hong Minghu admitted frankly.

Then he continued, "The effect is much_weaker_today, but it can't be helped. These people are not easy to handle."

Ye Qiu said, "From this, it seems Lord is giving Commander Jiang great face!!"

"Jiang Ning?" Hong Minghu repeated Jiang Ning's name, then smiled. "Commander Jiang's face cannot be denied! He is a young master after all!!"

"Lord has such high expectations for him?"

(End of_Chapter)

The corner of Ye Qiu's mouth twitched in surprise.

Hong Minghu nodded, "Just wait and see. Soon enough, he'll have a place on the updated Dragon Ranking."

The County Hall Prison.

"Halt, intruders!"

The two prison guards on duty immediately drew their swords, their eyes filled with vigilance as they stared at Jiang Ning and his group.

"Call your head guard out here!" Feng Jiuge stepped forward and said.

"Who are you? Please state your identity," one of the prison guards swallowed his saliva, suppressing his inner fear as he spoke.

"Patrol Guard!" Feng Jiuge said indifferently.

Hearing these three words, the prison guard repeatedly nodded.

"Please wait here, I'll go call Head Guard Zhang out immediately!"

Feng Jiuge turned to Jiang Ning and said, "Sir, their reaction confirms what Xiao Tianhe said. The people he captured this morning are here.

Your code here

except:

Your code here

finally:

Your code here

Jiang Ning nodded, "He has no reason to lie. In front of the Prefecture Lord, he wouldn't dare."

The County Hall Prison.

"Damn it! Who disturbed my peaceful sleep? Why is Xiao Tianhe here again?" A middle-aged man with a sturdy build cursed as he got up.

"Sir, the people who came this time aren't the same as the ones from this morning. The leader is a woman, a very beautiful and extraordinary one."

"A woman?" The middle-aged man was slightly startled, then said, "Lead the way!"

A moment later.

The entrance to the County Hall Prison.

"Xiao Tianhe isn't here?" The middle-aged man, who had just emerged from the dark prison into the bright sunlight outside, narrowed his eyes as he looked ahead, his mind filled with thoughts.

The next moment.

"Greetings to all of you, sirs!" He immediately approached Jiang Ning and the others with a smile, "I don't know how to address you all? I am Zhang Cheng, the head guard of this County Hall Prison."

Feng Jiuge said, "Feng Jiuge, Squad Leader of the Inspection Bureau."

As she spoke, she took out a silver token and presented it to Zhang Cheng.

"So it's Squad Leader Feng!" Zhang Cheng hurriedly cupped his fists in greeting, "This subordinate pays his respects to Squad Leader Feng!"

At this moment, Jiang Ning also took out a golden token.

"Deputy Commander of the Inspection Bureau, Jiang Ning!"

"You're Jiang Ning?!" Zhang Cheng's eyes widened as he looked at Jiang Ning.

"Greetings, Commander Jiang!" Zhang Cheng came back to his senses and hurriedly saluted.

In his heart, he was also filled with astonishment.

The name Jiang Ning was already well-known to him, especially after yesterday's events. In the entire Luoshui County, almost everyone knew this name.

However, knowing was one thing, but actually seeing Jiang Ning's face was another matter.

He was one of the few who had seen Jiang Ning in person.

As the head guard of the County Hall Prison, guarding the county prison was his primary duty.

So, despite his seemingly leisurely life in the county prison, he wouldn't dare to leave his post without permission.

Guarding the county prison was a serious responsibility, and leaving one's post without permission was a capital offense.

At this moment, various thoughts flashed through Zhang Cheng's mind.

Then he said to Jiang Ning, "I don't know why you're here today, Commander Jiang?"

Jiang Ning spoke, "Head Guard Zhang, did anyone from the Inspection Bureau come here this morning to deliver a group of prisoners?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Cheng repeatedly waved his hands.

"I dare not accept the title of 'Head Guard'! In front of Commander Jiang, I, a mere Ninth Rank prison guard, am not qualified to be addressed as such."

Then he continued, "But you're right, sir. This morning, someone indeed brought a group of prisoners, and they're currently locked up on the second floor of the county prison."

"Take me to see them," Jiang Ning said.

"Yes, sir!" Zhang Cheng repeatedly nodded and led the way.

As he guided them, he said, "Commander Jiang, this group of people was brought in by Squad Leader Xiao Tianhe this morning. Before he left, he instructed me to keep them securely and not allow anyone to visit them."

Feng Jiuge said, "You mentioned that Xiao Tianhe has been locked up in the torture cage of the Inspection Bureau."

"He's been imprisoned?" Zhang Cheng's expression was one of surprise, and then he suddenly realized, repeatedly nodding, "This subordinate understands!"

A moment later.

Led by Zhang Cheng, the group arrived at the second floor of the County Hall Prison.

Compared to the first floor above, this floor was darker, damper, and more oppressive.

"Sir, it's just ahead!" Zhang Cheng said.

As they turned the corner, they saw several people locked up in the cells ahead.

The footsteps of Jiang Ning and the others had attracted their attention, and they all looked towards the corner.

"Miss Ninth?" Tong Xiuyun saw Xie Xiaojiu and her face lit up with joy.

"Brother Jiang!" Cheng Ran's eyes lit up.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end