Demon, don't come any closer!

Chapter 34 Officials force people to rebel

They've stopped acting and pretending.

Xiang Jielong's true colors were revealed; he came to their door to arrest them.

Dou Changsheng's heart sank. He knew that the Golden Jade Guards had come with ill intentions, but he never expected them to be so unscrupulous.

That's right, this is the normal state of the Golden Jade Guard. The Golden Jade Guard's attitude in the previous two instances was abnormal. The Golden Jade Guard was originally an important military and violent institution of the Great Chu, and now it also shoulders the important task of arresting spies. Naturally, it is even more arrogant and domineering than the Embroidered Uniform Guard in Dou Changsheng's previous life.

Dou Changsheng took a step back, instinctively shielding Cui Shuyu in front of his chest. Dou Changsheng was very considerate and didn't need Cui Shuyu to protect him. Sharing the leader's worries and anxieties was what a subordinate should do.

Cui Shuyu was furious, but the next moment he was completely stunned, because he had already stood in front of Xiang Jielong and withstood all the pressure and anger. Was he in a daze?

If I remember correctly, I didn't move.

"What a bunch of bastards," Cui Shuyu cursed inwardly, but she knew that she absolutely could not back down at this moment. It wasn't Dou Changsheng forcing her to abdicate now, so taking a step back wouldn't be a big deal; at most, she would be labeled a coward.

If they retreat now, and Xiang Jielong were to arrest Dou Changsheng, Xiang Jielong would definitely force a confession through torture and make him sign the document. If it were a false accusation, that would be one thing, and they could argue about it. But the key is that this is true.

Both deaths of Jin Yuwei were closely related to Dou Changsheng, something that cannot be brought to light and cannot be taken seriously.

Cui Shuyu raised an arm, holding it horizontally to one side, and said in a deep voice, "Where's the evidence?"

"Dou Changsheng is no ordinary person. I have appointed him as the clerk of Lang County. If he is arrested by the Golden Jade Guards without any evidence, what will the other people in Lang County think?"

"Wouldn't the local gentry and powerful think that Jin Yuwei wanted to use this to start a major case in Lang County, to use them as merits and stepping stones to advance their own careers and make their own official hats red?"

As soon as Cui Shuyu finished speaking, Zhang, the county magistrate who had been silent, immediately stood up and said, "That's right."

"Young Master Dou was a hero. When demons were rampant in Chenjiazhuang, Master Dou went to the village overnight to kill them. His story of slaying demons while the wine was still warm became a legend in Lang County."

"Such a good man who risked his life for the people has been falsely accused of colluding with the Black Ice Bureau. If there is evidence, we will naturally consider Master Dou a wolf in sheep's clothing. But if there is no evidence, you are slandering a hero."

"If the Golden Jade Guards want to use their power to oppress us, I can tell you that Lang County will not yield."

Constable Wang's eyes were filled with malice. The Jin Yuwei's malice was too obvious. They wanted them dead. He would also be responsible for killing the Jin Yuwei. This had directly driven Constable Wang into a dead end. Even a rabbit will bite when cornered.

The usually law-abiding Constable Wang, for the first time ever, completely disregarded the difference in status between the two sides and roared loudly, "When officials force the people to rebel, the people have no choice but to rebel."

"At worst, we can sink Lang County."

"Let the world see whether the backbone of Lang County is soft or hard."

Good heavens, that's really good heavens.

County Magistrate Zhang subconsciously took two steps to distance himself from Constable Wang. This man was usually quite composed, but unexpectedly, he lost his composure when faced with a major event. Could he really say such things?

At most, a hint or two would suffice. To say it outright would be to tear off the mask of civility, forcing Jin Yuwei into an awkward position, and ultimately leading to a lose-lose situation.

With Constable Wang performing so admirably and not losing face, Dou Changsheng naturally couldn't back down. Now was the time to tie Lang County to his own control. Only by taking control of the entire county could he make the Golden Jade Guards hesitant and wary.

Dou Changsheng originally didn't intend to take this step because it was too extreme, but Jin Yuwei was determined to kill him right away, leaving Dou Changsheng no way out. If he were captured, his life and death would be entirely in Jin Yuwei's hands.

Jin Yuwei said you are guilty, even if you are not guilty.

Dou Changsheng took out the blood-written letter that Constable Wang had given him, and with a gentle shake, the cloth fluttered in the wind, revealing the scarlet names clearly in everyone's view.

Dou Changsheng raised the blood-stained letter high with both hands and said in a deep voice, "The Golden Jade Guards came to Lang County without reporting to the county government. What does this mean?"

"Does this mean they don't trust Lang County?"

"This act is truly chilling. Therefore, after learning about it, people of virtue and integrity from all walks of life in Lang County wrote this letter in blood, asking Jin Yuwei one question: Are we still people of Chu?"

This punch of mine carries the power of thirteen thousand households. Let's see how you withstand it.

Cui Shuyu's defeated howls, Zhang County Magistrate's bluster and cowardice, and the incompetent rage of a lowly constable—none of these caught Xiang Jielong's attention. But when Dou Changsheng produced the blood-written letter, Xiang Jielong's expression changed drastically, his eyes turning icy as he stared intently at Dou Changsheng.

A surge of anger rose within Xiang Jielong, constantly challenging his reason.

How dare you?

A tiny insect.

They actually dared to threaten him with rebellion.

Enraged, Xiang Jielong took a step forward, but immediately felt his clothes being tugged. The girl carrying a long sword spoke in a clear, cold voice: "The affairs of state come first!"

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Xiang Jielong's head, completely sobering him up.

Thinking of the Qin Dynasty's all-out southward advance, and how the patriarch Xiang Yan had been working tirelessly for months to hold off the Qin army, and how the Xiang family had sacrificed everything to support the Chu Dynasty.

At this critical juncture when hundreds of thousands of elite troops from both countries are locked in a standoff, the consequences would be unimaginable if a rebellion were to break out in the rear of the Great Chu.

Xiang Jielong said to Sun Wenxiu, "Thank you!"

Once Xiang Jielong regained his senses, he immediately realized something was wrong. He was too easily angered, and in his impulsiveness, he almost did something he would regret.

Xiang Jielong's heart sank. This change in personality was so different from usual, it must mean that someone had done something to harm him.

The situation in the small county of Lang is extremely complicated. If I'm not mistaken, it will be the Qin state's Black Ice Guard that will turn against me.

The Zhao royal family's secret martial art, "Seven Emotions Heavenly Skill," is said to have the power to control the seven emotions and six desires. After Qin destroyed Zhao, many members of the royal family either died or were captured. The major inheritances of the Zhao royal family have basically been seized by Qin.

Xiang Jielong, born into the Xiang family of the Lower Ministers, held an important position in the Golden Jade Guard. Naturally, he was knowledgeable and experienced, and not only did he realize that he had been ambushed, but he also found clues.

Suppressing his shock and anger, now was not the time to deal with this matter. With a sharp gaze fixed on Dou Changsheng, Xiang Jielong finally laughed loudly and said, "It's a misunderstanding."

"Lang County is part of the Great Chu, and this will not change even after a thousand or ten thousand years."

"Originally, this matter involves the secrets of the Golden Jade Guard and should not be told to outsiders, but I did not expect that you all misunderstood us so deeply, so I will break the rules this time."

"The Jin Yuwei who came to Lang County not long ago did not receive any orders at all. They came to Lang County on their own. We have come here to investigate this matter."

"We suspect that the deceased Jin Yuwei was bribed by the Black Ice Guard and then came to Lang County to cause trouble, deliberately sowing discord between Jin Yuwei and you gentlemen, so that you would misunderstand the court and the Great Chu."

"It is only natural that you all reacted too strongly this time. On behalf of the Golden Guard, I declare that the misunderstanding has been cleared up and all past grievances will be forgiven."

Xiang Jielong emphasized the phrase "past offenses will not be blamed," making the underlying meaning very clear.

Upon seeing this, Magistrate Zhang was immediately tempted to back down and ease the tension between the two sides, so he said, "Since it's a misunderstanding..."

Before he could finish speaking, Dou Changsheng tugged at his sleeve. What a useless piece of trash.

Is that all?

Thinking that Jin Yuwei wouldn't pursue the matter further is a joke.

This is merely Xiang Jielong's attempt to maintain stability. Once this matter is completely over, the reckoning will begin. Local factions uniting against the central government has always been a major taboo. If the punishment is not severe, other places will follow suit, and the Great Chu will fall apart.

The moment the blood letter was produced, there was no room for reconciliation between the two sides. No, the moment Xiang Jielong was about to kill him, Dou Changsheng knew that he was finished.

Even if he gets through this hurdle, Jin Yuwei will not let him go afterward. His plan to escape quietly is no longer feasible, unless he goes to the East China Sea to make a living.

Going to the land of foreign tribes is too dangerous, and going to the Qin state is also unlikely, because the Qin state is too strict and has a strict household registration system, which can be described as abnormal.

Known for its rigor and enforceability, it meticulously registered population information, including the head of household's name, title, height, occupation, as well as the names, ages, and marital status of his wives, concubines, and children.

This also includes the structure of the house, the number of servants, the types of livestock, and even whether the person has any physical disabilities.

If you don't have a household registration, you'll be easily discovered, and then you'll face a government crackdown. The powerful Black Ice Guard always has a package deal to welcome you.

Even if the five states he conquered were not as monstrous as the Qin homeland, finding loopholes would still require the help of local strongmen. Dou Changsheng believed that the chances of them helping him were slim, and the probability of them betraying him was much higher.

There's no way out, but what can we do?

He had no choice at all.

Having been pushed to this point step by step, Dou Changsheng's current way to break the deadlock is to firmly grasp the hearts of the people in Lang County and not give those who have boarded the train a chance to back out. Once he loses their support, the Golden Jade Guards can kill him; a mere centurion would suffice.

However, if the people of Lang County are united, even scions of prominent families like the Xiang family, who have a distinguished lineage, will have to back down and compromise with him. His ancestors taught him this long ago: in such a situation, one must rely on foreign powers to enhance one's own standing.

Having lived two lives, Dou Changsheng had no affection for his ancestral Dou family in the north of the city and rarely associated with them, let alone the inexplicable Chu Kingdom. While others would have to carefully consider and struggle with their thoughts about betraying their country, Dou Changsheng treated it as simply as eating and drinking.

He easily betrayed his own men in the Golden Jade Guard. Do you really expect him to forgive and forget?

Dou Changsheng held up the blood-written letter, stepped forward, and said in a deep voice, "Since they came here on their own, we cannot abandon the punishment of them just because they are dead."

"Their crime of treason should be widely publicized to deter others and let them know that there is no good end to treason."

"What does Your Excellency think?"

Xiang Jielong remained calm, showing neither joy nor anger, but he was trying his best to control his temper. He had already given the other party a way out, but instead of taking advantage of the situation, the other party dared to push his luck.

To accuse the centurion and two deputy centurions who came last time of treason is a complete slap in the face to Jin Yuwei. They're doomed, and Dou Chang is doomed.

Xiang Jielong's murderous intent towards Dou Changsheng had reached its peak; he now wished he could devour Dou Changsheng alive.

Sun Wenxiu, who was standing nearby, spoke up, saying, "They have already betrayed the country, so they should naturally be severely punished."

"Even if you don't say it, we, the Golden Jade Guard, will do the same thing, being fair and just."

"If there's nothing else, let's go and take care of the aftermath of these traitors."

Dou Changsheng shook his head and said, "Sir, what are you joking about? What do you mean by 'it's all over'?"

"Your words are laughable. I clearly remember that this Lord Xiang just accused me of colluding with the Black Ice Guard and betraying the Great Chu."

"For someone as important as you, this is just a matter of a few words, but for me, it's like the sky falling. If I can't handle this matter properly, I will be branded as a traitor."

"My Dou family in the north of the city has maintained a good reputation for generations, but it is about to be ruined in one day."

"I, Dou Changsheng, was born innocent and upright. Who wouldn't give me a thumbs up and praise me as a good person?"

"You come from the capital and are a big shot in the Golden Jade Guard. Does that give you the right to break the rules and make baseless accusations against an innocent person?"

"How can anyone believe that you are really here to investigate the Jin Yuwei's treason and collusion with the enemy, when you act so recklessly? Perhaps you are just using a pretext to secretly carry out a major case."

He turned his own affairs into everyone's affairs, and at the same time reminded Magistrate Zhang that the words of these people could not be trusted.

Sun Wenxiu's beautiful eyes flashed coldly. This was forcing them to apologize. They were incredibly audacious and arrogant. Did they not know the meaning of the name "Jin Yuwei"?

When did such a petty scoundrel dare to act so arrogantly over Jin Yuwei?

Sun Wenxiu also became very angry and couldn't help but shout, "Insolence!"

Before Sun Wenxiu could say anything more, Xiang Jielong placed a hand on her shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Calm down, don't let your emotions affect you."

Sun Wenxiu was taken aback, then shocked, and fell silent.

Xiang Jielong tried his best to be patient. Dou Changsheng's aggressiveness was not scary. What was truly scary was that the Black Ice Platform was lurking in the shadows. If a conflict broke out, it would only allow the Black Ice Platform to succeed in its scheme.

If the natives of a remote small town can survive until now, there are countless ways to kill him.

Take a deep breath, take a deep breath, take a deep breath.

We can't let him affect the overall situation. Stay calm, stay calm, we must stay calm.

It's just an apology, what's the big deal?

"Kneel down and kowtow three times. Master Dou is magnanimous; he'll just pretend this never happened."

The sudden sound made Xiang Jielong blush completely, and the thread of his reason snapped!

Kill him.

We must kill him.

How dare anyone insult Xiang Shi like this! They must die!

Xiang Jielong was startled, and Dou Changsheng was also surprised.

Who said that?