Chapter 62

"Exactly Ma Zhou!" Liu Hui said with a slight smile, as if afraid that Zhao Chen would be wary of Ma Zhou, he added, "This person is exceptionally talented and has a strong sense of justice, having long harbored resentment towards Zhao Yuankai's evil deeds. Having him write the letter would be perfect!"

"That works too!" Zhao Chen nodded and said, "If so, then please, Mr. Liu, go and arrange for those people first. Later, have Ma Zhou come to the county office. As for me!"

At this point, a cold glint flashed in Zhao Chen's eyes: "I will go and arrest Zhao Yuankai immediately!"

"Since that's the case, I'll take my leave!" Liu Hui stood up, bowed to Zhao Chen, and then turned around briskly, limping out of the door and heading straight to the inn where Ma Zhou was staying.

After seeing Liu Hui off, Zhao Chen was about to go out to gather Qin Ming and his men to head to Zhao Yuankai's residence. Last night, after Zhao Yuankai entered the city, Zhao Chen had been busy dealing with the mess left by Xue Wanche, and hadn't had time to deal with Zhao Yuankai, allowing him to escape a crisis.

However, just as he was about to go out, Wei Hui unexpectedly came to see him. Wei Hui looked as if he had something to ask but found it hard to speak. After some hesitation, he finally managed to say what he wanted.

It turned out that Wei Hui's plan was to leave Xue Wanche and the other two in Lantian, go back to Chang'an first, and plead for their forgiveness before Emperor Taizong. Once he obtained the imperial pardon, he would return to Lantian to escort Xue Wanche and the others back to Chang'an.

"Has Mr. Wei discussed this with Xue Wanche and the others?" Zhao Chen asked, feeling a bit envious of Xue Wanche and the others, who didn't have to worry about anything and could stay comfortably in their rooms while Wei Hui did all the running around.

Usually, it wouldn't matter, but now, with the cold weather, the trip from Lantian to Chang'an and back would be pure torture!

"After last night's incident, General Xue and the others are deeply suspicious of me. It will take some time to clear up the misunderstanding!" Wei Hui replied with a bitter smile, sighing, "Only when the Emperor personally pardons General Xue and the others will the misunderstanding be resolved!"

Zhao Chen was taken aback for a moment, then frowned and asked, "It's fine to leave them in Lantian for now, but what if they try to escape?"

"Absolutely not!" Wei Hui replied without hesitation.

"Nothing is absolute. If Mr. Wei goes to Chang'an, it's best to go and return quickly!" Zhao Chen said with a cold laugh, then looked at Wei Hui, his tone suddenly turning cold, "If Mr. Wei takes too long to return and Xue Wanche and the others try to escape, don't blame me for being unsympathetic!"

Wei Hui's mouth opened as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing, merely bowed to Zhao Chen and hurriedly left without another word.

Watching Wei Hui leave, Zhao Chen couldn't help but laugh coldly. At this moment, he had important matters to attend to and had no time to send Xue Wanche and the others back to Chang'an. Wei Hui's actions suited his plans perfectly.

Leaving the house, he called Qin Ming and fifty soldiers and headed straight for Zhao Yuankai's residence.

Zhao Yuankai's residence was located in a坊 (ward) in the southern part of the city. As soon as they entered the southern part of the city, they could see the largest house in the ward from a distance. According to Wang Ning, this house originally belonged to a silk merchant but was seized by Zhao Yuankai.

This guy had been acting like a local tyrant in Lantian!

It was around the third hour of the morning, and the gates of Zhao's residence had just opened. A servant from Zhao's household was listlessly sweeping the snow in front of the gate.

Seeing Zhao Chen approaching with a fierce demeanor, the servant was momentarily stunned. The next moment, he let out a strange cry, dropped his broom, and tried to run back to close the gate. However, Qin Ming, who had been awake all night and was already exhausted, moved even faster, and in one swift step, kicked the servant to the side.

Qin Ming, who had been exhausted from staying up all night, immediately perked up when he heard about Zhao Yuankai's crimes. With Xue Wanche and the others now in their hands, adding a criminal like Zhao Yuankai would almost balance out the trouble Zhao Chen had caused in Lantian. Therefore, he was even more enthusiastic than Zhao Chen.

Zhao Yuankai, who was having breakfast in the hall, heard the servant's cry and was about to send someone to check when Zhao Chen and several dozen fierce soldiers burst in.

"What... what are you doing?" Zhao Yuankai, who had lost his initial arrogance after last night's incident, turned pale and stammered when he saw Zhao Chen and the fierce soldiers.

"Nothing much!" Zhao Chen suddenly smiled at the pale-faced Zhao Yuankai and said, "I just suddenly remembered that when I first came to Lantian, I was so busy with trivial matters that I forgot to have a small gathering with County Magistrate Zhao. I'm here to invite you to the county office for a small gathering. You wouldn't refuse, would you?"

"How could I! How could I!" Zhao Yuankai, now truly afraid of Zhao Chen, quickly replied, "It would be an honor to have a heart-to-heart talk with the inspector!"

"Ha ha, that's great!" Zhao Chen laughed and said. As he spoke, he entered the hall, and his gaze was immediately drawn to a spirit tablet in the center of the hall.

The spirit tablet was carved from pine wood, about one and a half feet tall, with the inscription: "Spirit Tablet of the Deceased Wife, Lady Cui of the Zhao Family."

It was the spirit tablet of Zhao Yuankai's wife, and Zhao Chen was a bit stunned! In those days, every household had a family shrine, but no one placed a spirit tablet in the hall, let alone one for a deceased wife!

Zhao Chen frowned at the spirit tablet in the center of the hall, then suddenly smiled. This Zhao Yuankai was truly extreme! The spirit tablet was probably for the Cui family to see, and its purpose was obvious!

"Since County Magistrate Zhao has no objections, let's go to the county office together!" Zhao Chen withdrew his gaze from the spirit tablet, smiled at Zhao Yuankai, and gestured for him to go.

"The county... county office can be spared!" Zhao Yuankai, who hated Zhao Chen to death, forced a smile and said, "I'll book a private room at Yan Shun Tower. How about we go there?"

Zhao Chen shook his head coldly and smiled at Zhao Yuankai, "County Magistrate Zhao, let's go to the county office together!"

"I... I know I was wrong last night!" Zhao Yuankai, seeing Zhao Chen shake his head coldly and the fierce soldiers around him, swallowed hard and said pitifully, "Can the inspector give me a chance to redeem myself?"

As he spoke, fearing that Zhao Chen would refuse, he quickly added, "I have a piece of glass as valuable as gold. If the inspector is willing to forgive me this time, I will willingly hand it over!"

Glass!

Zhao Chen was taken aback for a moment, finding it absurd, then shook his head with a strange expression and said to Zhao Yuankai, "County Magistrate Zhao, please follow me to the county office!"

As he spoke, Zhao Chen turned to Qin Ming, who had a similar strange expression, and ordered, "Take men to the back of Zhao's residence and gather everyone in the front courtyard. From now on, no one is allowed to enter the back without my order!"

"Understood!" Qin Ming bowed to Zhao Chen, smiled at Zhao Yuankai, and then signaled to his men. Immediately, he led a dozen fierce soldiers to the back of the residence.

"Are you crazy! Do you know what you're doing?" Zhao Yuankai's face turned deathly pale. This was clearly a setup to raid his home, but as a seventh-rank official of the court, even if it came to a raid, it should be done with an official order from the court!

Zhao Chen's actions were clearly unauthorized, acting first and reporting later!

"I'm not crazy, and I know what I'm doing!" Zhao Chen looked at the pale, trembling Zhao Yuankai and smiled coldly, "The question is, does County Magistrate Zhao know what he has done?"

"You have no authority!" Zhao Yuankai, now almost mad, shouted at Zhao Chen, "Even if I am guilty of heinous crimes, you have no authority to raid my home!"

"County Magistrate Zhao, you can eat anything, but you can't say anything!" Zhao Chen smiled coldly at Zhao Yuankai and said calmly, "I already explained that I am inviting you to the county office for a reunion, and you agreed!"

Zhao Chen's words almost made Zhao Yuankai spit blood. He thought, "You brought so many people, burst into my home, and gathered everyone in the front courtyard. How can you say this isn't a raid?"

"You are rebelling!" Zhao Yuankai panted, wishing he could pounce on Zhao Chen and fight, but seeing the dozen fierce soldiers around him, he could only say with a pale face, "I will impeach you, and you will be punished by the Emperor!"

"Ha ha ha ha!" Zhao Chen laughed at Zhao Yuankai's words. At this point, it was truly absurd that he could still say such naive things.

Whether Emperor Taizong would punish him or not was unclear, but Zhao Yuankai, Zhao Chen felt, was doomed!

Qin Ming moved quickly, and soon there was chaos in the back of the residence, with cries and curses. A few moments later, seven or eight young women, dressed in fine clothes, were brought out by Qin Ming and his men.

"County Magistrate Zhao, you are truly blessed!" Zhao Chen looked at the seven or eight young women, paused for a moment, then laughed loudly and turned to the completely pale Zhao Yuankai, saying with a big laugh.