"Who dares cause trouble at the City Lord's mansion!" Bai Hong strode out from the City Lord's mansion, his voice cold.
Su Fan turned to look at the centurion. "Was it this person who trespassed into the military camp?"
The centurion nodded in agreement. "Yes, it was precisely this person. While you were leading troops to suppress bandits, he took advantage of our absence, injured us, and attempted to break prisoners out!" The centurion spoke loudly, using the words Su Fan had arranged.
"Villain! Trespassing into the military camp and attempting to break prisoners out violates the laws of the Tianlong Dynasty. Seize them!" Su Fan didn't hesitate and ordered the centurion to apprehend them.
Bai Hong's heart lurched. He hadn't expected Su Fan to be so audacious as to act within the City Lord's mansion. "I am the City Lord's personal guard. You dare to touch me!" Bai Hong immediately invoked Fang Shijie's name to intimidate Su Fan.
Su Fan smiled. "So you are the City Lord's guard. You led people to trespass into the military camp and abduct prisoners. Does the City Lord have any involvement in this?" Su Fan asked Bai Hong with a stern face. He had come to deal with Fang Shijie, and merely arresting a guard was not his desired outcome. The other party's words just now provided Su Fan with an opportunity to implicate Fang Shijie.
Bai Hong frowned slightly, instantly realizing he had been tricked by Su Fan.
"Who is making noise outside my door?" Fang Shijie, who had been hiding inside, knew that if Bai Hong continued speaking, trouble would escalate. He stepped out, stopping Bai Hong from saying anything further. "It's Lord Su. May I ask why you have brought so many people to my City Lord's mansion?" Fang Shijie asked Su Fan with a cold, displeased expression.
"You'll have to ask your subordinate. Trespassing into the military camp and breaking prisoners out. While I was outside working hard to suppress bandits for the stability of Beiling City, I returned to find my home ransacked. This will chill the hearts of my brothers. Who will follow me to suppress bandits in the future? If no one is willing to follow me, who will protect Beiling City? When the bandits break in, it will be the people of Beiling City who suffer!" Su Fan spoke with a pained expression, feigning righteousness and concern. Su Fan was a master of moral blackmail; he had seen it all before and could do it effortlessly.
Fang Shijie's face turned ashen. Su Fan's eloquence was too much. His speech had immediately placed Fang Shijie in opposition to the people of Beiling City.
"Someone trespassed into the military camp, and I also believe this person is audacious. However, you cannot apprehend my subordinate and hold him accountable. You claim he did it, but do you have any evidence?" Fang Shijie was not simple either. He directly denied Bai Hong's involvement. If Su Fan could not produce evidence, he would then accuse Su Fan of slandering his subordinate.
"Heh, my soldiers are beaten like this. Are the wounds on their bodies not evidence?" Su Fan sneered, having anticipated the denial. This was not modern times; there were no surveillance cameras, and evidence was not easily found.
"Their wounds only prove that someone trespassed into the military camp, but they cannot prove that these specific individuals did it. Do not falsely accuse good people," Fang Shijie remained unmoved. The injuries alone could not prove Bai Hong and his group were responsible.
"City Lord Fang, you have a clever tactic. If I had no evidence, do you think I would be standing here today?" Su Fan said with a cold laugh. "The scene of the crime in the bandit suppression camp's dungeon has not been touched. Yesterday, a soldier accidentally spilled lime powder in the dungeon. There are footprints in the dungeon now. Does the City Lord wish to take them to compare the footprints with the scene? Also, have you changed your shoes? Do you still have lime powder on your feet?" Su Fan had arranged everything in advance; he would not have stood here without confidence.
Bai Hong's heart stirred. He looked down and indeed saw traces of white powder on his boots.
"This morning, I saw them leave the city gates and head towards the bandit suppression camp. I believe they are the ones who did it!" A voice from the crowd of onlookers suddenly emerged, pointing directly at Bai Hong.
"The bandit suppression team worked hard to go out and suppress bandits, and you took the opportunity to break prisoners out. They must be arrested and severely punished!" The onlookers immediately began to condemn Bai Hong and his men.
Seeing this, Fang Shijie's brow furrowed deeply.
"My Lord!" Bai Hong looked at Fang Shijie with some guilt. The situation was very unfavorable to them now. Only the City Lord could save them.
Fang Shijie was also extremely troubled. How could he save them? He had no soldiers, and now the other party had gained the moral high ground. He might even be implicated.
"City Lord, your subordinates committed such acts. Does it have anything to do with you?" Su Fan asked Fang Shijie with a curious expression.
"How could it be! It's just my misfortune to have recruited such scoundrels. Guards! Seize them!" Fang Shijie's mind raced. He could only grit his teeth and cut his losses now. Otherwise, if this Su Fan continued to pester him, it would be even more troublesome.
"Since that is the case, I will not trouble the City Lord further. Seize them!" Su Fan ordered his soldiers. He didn't want these people confined within the City Lord's mansion; that would be no different from not arresting them.
The centurion and his men directly took control from the City Lord's guards and detained Bai Hong and the others. With Fang Shijie present, Bai Hong and his men dared not resist.
"Speak, where did you hide the prisoner you broke out?" Su Fan walked up to Bai Hong with a stern face and asked.
Bai Hong looked up at Su Fan in disbelief. *Are you a dog? When did I break anyone out?* Bai Hong had no idea what Su Fan was talking about. He had gone to the dungeon of the bandit suppression camp, but there was nothing there.
"Not talking?" *Slap!* A crisp sound rang out. Su Fan slapped Bai Hong directly across the face. This slap stunned Bai Hong. Su Fan was already level forty, and his strength was not comparable to ordinary people. If Su Fan used his full power, this slap might not kill Bai Hong, but it would certainly leave him half-dead.
"Do you know who you abducted? That is City Lord Fang's son, the young City Lord of Beiling City, Fang Wenxing. Although he committed the crime of instigating military unrest, it is not a capital offense. If you do not hand him over, his crime will be even greater!" Su Fan's words made Fang Shijie's heart skip a beat; he almost collapsed to the ground. With Su Fan's statement, it was already assumed that he had ordered Bai Hong and his men. His prestige in Beiling City would be severely impacted. Most importantly, Su Fan intended to make his son disappear!
"Su Fan! Do not speak nonsense!" Fang Shijie could no longer maintain his composure. He warned Su Fan with a cold expression.
Su Fan smiled slightly, feeling that it was enough and he shouldn't push the other party too hard. "City Lord Fang is right. Young Master Fang's offense is not a major one. I will exempt him from punishment. Live well at home from now on and do not go to the bandit suppression camp again. The bandit suppression camp is not suitable for a pampered young master like him." Su Fan said with a fawning smile. To outsiders, it looked as if Su Fan was bowing and scraping to Fang Shijie.