mtl008 Chapter 612 is just deliberately messing with you.
Chapter 612 is just deliberately messing with you.
After the order to search was issued, Guan Xing did not rest. Instead, he personally went to the county government office to take charge, coordinate all parties and deal with emergencies. At the same time, in order to prevent innocent people from being wrongly accused, Guan Xing personally interrogated the arrested criminals. After confirming that there were no problems, he immediately released them. Unexpectedly, the interrogation brought many surprises.
In just a few hours, the patrol team arrested more than 2,000 people of unknown origin. Interrogation revealed that only 60% of them were mistakenly arrested because they were too weak-willed and instinctively trembled at the sight of soldiers. The remaining 40% were fugitives wanted by various counties and prefectures. Some had offended people in their localities and fled to Jiangling, some had committed crimes and fled, some had been wanted for murder, and there were even bandits who had gone down the mountain to rob people but failed due to infighting over the division of the loot. There were also those who had committed the above-mentioned crimes in Cao Wei and fled here because they could not survive. All kinds of criminals were there, and the crimes they committed were even more varied, enough to compile a "Handbook of Crimes in the Han Dynasty".
Of course, there were also victims who were wronged locally but had nowhere to turn for help, so they came to Gangneung to escape persecution.
Guan Xing categorized these cases, organized them, and then transferred them all to the relevant government offices for processing. Cases involving officials were submitted to the Censorate.
Guan Xing handled these matters with ease and composure, greatly astonishing the officials assisting in the search. They had originally thought that Marquis Shence was only good at fighting, but they did not expect him to be so skilled in handling government affairs as well. He was truly an all-around talent who was proficient in both civil and military affairs.
But these were all side tasks; their real goal was to capture the assassin.
The interrogation revealed that dozens of spies from Cao Wei's Office of Investigation and Statistics, as well as hundreds of peripheral members of the Office of Investigation and Statistics, were also captured.
The so-called peripheral members are those who themselves do not know that they are working for the School Affairs Office. They are just hired to gather information or deliver intelligence. As for why the other party asked them to gather information, or who the information was delivered to, or what the final impact was, they have no idea about these specific details.
Nevertheless, Guan Xing followed their confessions and easily dismantled several secret strongholds of the School Affairs Bureau. He continued interrogation and arrests, and finally deduced from their confessions that the head of the School Affairs Bureau lurking in Jiangling City was likely hiding in the commercial district of the South City. He decisively increased manpower in the South City and intensified the investigation.
This method of using a cannon to kill a mosquito was indeed effective. Around 4:45 PM, Zhang Bao rushed into the county government hall and said to Guan Xing, who was reviewing the confessions and searching for loopholes, "Marquis Shence, we caught him! We caught Zhang Jing, the clerk of the School Affairs Office. He's a big fish."
Guan Xing excitedly stood up abruptly and asked, "Is this really true?"
Zhang Jing, the clerk of the School Affairs Office, was an old acquaintance. Back in Wushang, Cheng Li and Wang Bin escaped because of their lack of experience, but this time they were finally caught.
Zhang Jing's capture was a huge blow to Cao Wei's Imperial Secretariat, making it more cautious and less likely to extend its reach south of the Han River.
Furthermore, as the Chief Clerk of the Imperial Secretariat, Zhang Jing must know many secrets of Cao Wei. If we can get him to talk, the information we can obtain will be enough to make Guan Xing pop the champagne.
Guan Xing took a deep breath to calm himself before sitting back down and saying, "Bring him in."
Soon Zhang Jing and Li Sheng were brought into the main tent. Guan Xing stared at the two for a long time before smiling and saying, "Zhang Jing, I've heard so much about you. We're old acquaintances."
Zhang Jing snorted coldly: "I really didn't expect that the Marquis of Shence would condescend to arrest me personally. But then again, losing to the Marquis of Shence isn't entirely unjust. It's just that it's a waste of talent for the dignified Marquis of Shence to personally come down and arrest a mere clerk like me."
As a secret agent sent to Kuaiji County by the Imperial Academy, he knew Guan Xing's strength all too well. Apart from Zhou Tai, almost all of the Twelve Tiger Generals of Jiangdong had fallen at his hands. Even Yu Jin, the foremost of the Five Elite Generals of Wei, had been killed by Guan Xing. With so many famous generals of the time falling at Guan Xing's hands, what was he, a mere clerk in the Imperial Academy, worth?
Guan Xing's record is so dazzling that it's not considered too shameful for anyone to fall into his hands.
Zhang Jing was the same; far from feeling ashamed, he actually felt honored. "I'm the one who forced Marquis Guan Xing of the Divine Strategy to personally arrest me!"
Guan Xing teased, "Zhang Gongcao is too modest. Your position as Gongcao is not insignificant. Many high-ranking officials from both Han and Wei are under your surveillance. Moreover, His Highness the Crown Prince and I were almost killed by you a few hours ago. I can't eat or sleep if I don't arrest you myself."
Zhang Jing couldn't help but burst into laughter: "Hahaha, I am so honored that Marquis Shence said so. It's a pity that it's still a bit lacking. If only the 'a bit lacking' could be removed."
Seeing that he was still so arrogant even after being captured, Zhang Bao couldn't help but get furious. He kicked the man's ankle, pinned him to the ground, and cursed angrily, "You're pretty arrogant, aren't you? You really think I wouldn't dare to kill you?"
Guan Xing waved to stop Zhang Bao from continuing his violence, stepped forward to help him up, led him to the table, and pressed him into his chair. He then pushed paper and pen in front of him and said with a smile, "Zhang Gongcao, we're all smart people, so let's not beat around the bush. Write down the details of your assassination attempts on me and His Highness the Crown Prince, sign your names, and put your fingerprints on them. My task will be completed. As for the other secrets you mentioned, the relevant authorities will come looking for you later."
He was only responsible for investigating the previous killing of Liu Shan; he didn't want to deal with other matters for the time being and had no right to do so. He wanted to finish his get off work as soon as possible and get off work early.
Zhang Jing understood the principle of accepting defeat, so he finished writing and pushed the pen in front of Guan Xing, saying, "I'm hungry. Your Han army has prisoners waiting to be taken down."
Guan Xing said, "Don't worry, the hot pot is ready for you. Let's have a few drinks together."
After saying that, he ordered someone to bring over a hot pot and start eating with Zhang Jing. At the same time, Zhang Bao personally brought over a bucket of beer and poured it for the two of them.
Guan Xing raised his cup and clinked it with Zhang Jing's, drinking it all in one gulp. Then he smashed the bamboo tube in front of him and said, "Pour me some wine. A prisoner should be a prisoner. Don't expect me to pour you wine."
Zhang Jing rolled his eyes, picked up the beer barrel, poured beer for the two men, and then raised his glass to Guan Xing for a toast. After downing two glasses, he suddenly remembered something, looked at the beer in horror, and said, "This is... beer..."
Guan Xing teased, "That's right, it's the beer that caused me, His Highness the Crown Prince, and the entourage who came with His Highness from Chengdu to Jiangling to get poisoned and almost die from diarrhea. How did it taste?"
Zhang Jing: “…”
As the head of the School Affairs Office in Jiangling City, he naturally knew that Guan Xing's brewing almost sent him and His Highness the Crown Prince to their deaths. At the time, he even mocked Guan Xing for courting death, but now he himself has fallen victim to it.
Guan Xing laughed and said, "Don't worry, I've already developed a resistance to it. I'll only need to go to the toilet two or three times at most tomorrow. As for you, I hope you can get through this."
“Zhang Gongcao, don’t worry. We’ve already tested it. It won’t kill anyone. I’ll toast you again.”
Zhang Jing: “…”
Guan Xing, are you out of your mind? You drink poison like it's water every day.
Knowing the side effects of beer, he really didn't want to drink it, but he seemed unable to refuse, because Crown Prince Liu Shan had personally verified that this stuff could get you drunk; it was real alcohol, not poison, just with a few side effects.
The dignified Marquis of Shence invited you to drink, and you dared not drink? What do you mean by that?
Besides, Guan Xing was clearly trying to mess with him; if he didn't drink, Guan Xing would definitely force him to drink, given his nature.
Sure enough, seeing his hesitation, Guan Xing said with a malicious smile, "Today we're going to drink until we drop. If you don't want to drink, I don't mind forcing it down your throat."
Zhang Jing's expression changed slightly. After thinking for a moment, he picked up the wine barrel and said, "Let's drink then, who's afraid of who?"
(Yesterday's episode is here. The young man kept his promise. Thank you all for your support.)