Everyone said that Governor Liang feared no wealthy merchants in Jinling City; he must have someone backing him.
His son’s marriage to the granddaughter of the Duke of Wei was already common knowledge.
Naturally, everyone implicitly linked the person behind him to the Duke of Wei, and some even thought of the Ninth Prince.
It was likely that Governor Liang’s future prospects would be even smoother, with people scrambling to curry favor with him.
The Cao family was the first to be affected!
Especially upon learning that Zhu Xiaoxian had been ordered to be beaten to death by Liang Quanbin, they felt an immense sense of satisfaction.
The Zhu family had cost them one governor, and they had returned the favor with the ruin of their lineage. It was said that Chi Lingying’s unborn child had also been kicked out of her.
Every time they thought of this, they felt incredibly pleased!
Therefore, they became even more diligent in showing respect to Liang Quanbin.
Since arriving in Jinling City, the bribes Liang Quanbin had accepted already exceeded the private assets the Liang family had accumulated over decades of diligent work.
No wonder so many people were desperately trying to get into Jinling City. Thinking of this, he was immensely grateful for the Duke of Wei’s arrangements.
Thus, he prioritized the matter of the year’s official grain.
He was determined to achieve something significant to show the Duke of Wei that his placement here was of great importance!
He was both happy and worried.
At this moment, the two individuals who had truly thrown Jinling City into disarray were sitting in the Yin Guang Temple, playing chess!
Xiao Tingyi held the black pieces, while Chi Zimo played white. They spoke as they played.
From afar, they presented a picture of peaceful tranquility.
“Patriarch Chi, your moves are truly merciless. The Zhu family is, after all, related to your Chi family by marriage. How will this end?”
A black piece was placed, capturing a cluster of Chi Zimo’s white stones.
Chi Zimo, however, showed no concern and calmly replied,
“Your Highness jokes. The navy arrested them, Governor Liang set the fire, others kicked them while they were down, and they themselves cut off their own lineage. What does this have to do with me?”
With these words, he not only absolved himself and the Chi family but also gained a good reputation for the Chi family’s act of offering help in their time of need.
Chi Zimo’s actions were indeed extraordinary, and even Xiao Tingyi felt a sense of admiration.
“Now that you have more than half of the Zhu family in your hands, what about the official grain and evidence you promised me?”
“Your Highness, rest assured. Within ten days, the items will be delivered to you. As for the Zhu family, since my younger sister has left, their fate is in Your Highness’s hands.”
The Zhu family had committed so many heinous acts that even if they hadn’t been framed, they would have faced severe punishment once exposed.
Now that Chi Lingying could be safely brought back, it was already a stroke of luck amidst misfortune, which was why Chi Zimo felt no pity for the Zhu family.
Having been in business for many years, he understood that failing to kill a snake would only lead to it biting you back.
Mercy towards an enemy was cruelty towards oneself. He believed that Prince Ding shared this sentiment.
They didn’t speak further, quietly finishing the game. In the end, Xiao Tingyi proved superior, suppressing Chi Zimo’s white pieces.
He, however, did not show any dejection in defeat, smiling faintly at Xiao Tingyi and saying,
“Your Highness is indeed formidable. Then I, Chi, shall await your good news.”
Xiao Tingyi did not reply, rubbing a black stone in his hand as if contemplating something.
The Zhu family’s funeral lasted for several days, but it was no longer the lively affair it once was.
Let alone visitors offering condolences, many of the household servants had been dismissed. Now, besides the butler, only four or five people remained by Zhu Hong’s side, a far cry from the past.
Three coffins were neatly placed in the main hall. Zhu Hong was dressed in white, and Huo Chong, standing beside him, was also in plain attire.
His eyes glinting with ferocity, he looked at his brother-in-law, Zhu Hong, whose face was pale with a grayish hue, and gritted his teeth, saying,
“Brother-in-law, let me go and deal with that beast named Liang. Otherwise, Xiaoxian and the others will die with their eyes open in the underworld!”
Ever since the series of misfortunes befell the Zhu family, Huo Chong had harbored thoughts of slaughtering the Governor’s mansion. If Zhu Hong hadn’t restrained him, Liang Quanbin would either be headless by now, or Huo Chong would have died in vain.
The former would naturally be a good outcome, but the latter would only bring joy to their enemies and sorrow to their loved ones.
Therefore, Zhu Hong had not agreed, instead suppressing Huo Chong’s desire for revenge and preventing him from overthinking.
Huo Chong did not understand why his usually spirited brother-in-law would endure such humiliation. However, having been accustomed to obeying commands for many years, he did not act rashly.
Alas, sometimes, even when you wish to quell a disturbance, others prefer to cut the grass and remove the roots.
Thus, just after the seventh day of mourning for the Zhu family, Liang Quanbin’s men came to arrest Zhu Hong.
The charges were that a court official had defied the law, not only holding an unauthorized banquet but also attempting to assassinate the governor. Furthermore, it implicated the Zhu family in past corruption related to official grain. A few of the Zhu family’s private warehouses were found, filled with large quantities of official grain. With this, the Zhu family would be unable to defend themselves even if they had a hundred mouths.
Huo Chong clenched his fists, about to charge forward.
However, the approaching men were not only aggressive but also armed with firearms. If Huo Chong dared to resist further, he would likely die on the spot.
Zhu Hong grabbed him and deliberately lowered his voice, saying,
“A gentleman’s revenge is never too late. Do you remember Fuxi Village? Find an opportunity to escape, go there, and meet someone. He will tell you what to do next.”
“Brother-in-law, what about you?”
Zhu Hong smiled, his eyes filled with a resolve to face death.
“My second brother is gone, Xiaoxian is about to be gone. There’s no point in me living. Since he wants to arrest me, let him. It’s just that I will die with regret if I don’t see Liang Quanbin’s entire family annihilated. If you ever have the chance, do not spare even a single blade of grass or a single tree in his mansion! I want him to taste what it means to have his family wiped out!”
“Understood!”
Huo Chong’s eyes welled up with tears, his hatred for Liang Quanbin reaching its peak.
If he were present, he would likely have risked his life to kill Liang Quanbin.
Zhu Hong was taken away, but Huo Chong escaped in the chaos.
His martial arts skills were not poor, and having roamed Jinling City for so many years, he naturally had ways to evade the pursuit of the officials.
It was only when he reached Fuxi Village that he met the person his brother-in-law, Zhu Hong, had mentioned.
News of Zhu Hong’s arrest quickly spread throughout the streets and alleys of Jinling City.
Without exception, Xiao Tingyi also received the news.
Or rather, Zhu Hong’s arrest was also part of his scheme.
After so many years, he had grown accustomed to manipulating everything from the shadows, so he had plenty of ways to use others to kill.
Since Liang Quanbin had already taken on this enmity, he might as well see it through to the end, allowing those who escaped from the Zhu family to have someone to seek revenge against and hate!
Moreover, Xu Lin was secretly following the escaped Huo Chong, so the person behind the Zhu family would likely be discovered soon.
The prefect’s prison was burned down, so Zhu Hong was imprisoned in the secret cells of the navy camp.