Chapter 94: Chapter 86: Lower Your Head and Behave

Then, Chen Sheng paused. His tone was light, but it held an unquestionable power. "Replacing you with a more sensible County Magistrate wouldn’t be a difficult matter."

Ordinarily, Lin Shou would have scoffed and mocked Chen Sheng for his arrogance and ignorance.

The chief official of a county—a court-appointed official of the Standard Seventh Grade—couldn’t be replaced on a whim. Yet, having personally witnessed Chen Sheng’s ruthlessness and unfathomable backing, Lin Shou couldn’t muster an ounce of courage to argue.

"...I... understand."

Lin Shou replied hoarsely, his head bowed.

He tried to hide the seething resentment and indignation in his eyes.

He seethed inwardly. ’This humiliation can’t end here. As soon as I get out of this, I will send a secret report to Vice General Hao. I absolutely cannot let Commander Chen completely crush me.’

After all, he was the highest authority in the county.

"No, you don’t understand."

Chen Sheng, as if reading his mind, shattered his hopes. "I know what you’re thinking. Are you planning to write a letter the moment I leave? To go crying to your backer in the Ning’an Military Preparation Army—Vice General Hao Tong—begging him to stand up for you and turn the tables?"

At these words, Lin Shou snapped his head up, his eyes filled with sheer terror, as if he had seen a ghost.

’How could he know about Vice General Hao?’

’Our relationship is my most hidden trump card. I’ve never told a soul.’

His gaze then shot back to Madam Yang. ’It must have been this bitch who leaked it! She must have found out somehow and told Chen Sheng.’

Reeling from shock and fury, Lin Shou forced a sliver of composure onto his face, grasping at the last straw.

"Commander Chen, since you know my backer is General Hao, aren’t you afraid of incurring his thunderous wrath? As for today’s events, as long as you hand this bi—... hand this woman over to me, I can pretend none of this ever happened."

"From now on, I am willing to cooperate sincerely with you, Commander Chen, and County Captain Wu. The three of us can join forces and rule Changshan together!"

Now that his cards were on the table, he dropped the pretense. He hoped to use "cooperation" as a ploy to buy himself time, while also demanding Madam Yang to both vent his fury and silence her for good.

Hearing this, Madam Yang, nestled in Chen Sheng’s arms, trembled. Her face went as white as a sheet, and she subconsciously tightened her grip on his arm, terrified that he would actually use her as a bargaining chip for some greater gain.

Though she hated to admit it, her relationship with Chen Sheng was fundamentally a transaction. Her greatest value was in aiding his cultivation. If he broke his promise...

She had no way to stop him, for she held no more chips to bargain with.

Chen Sheng seemed to sense the fear of the beauty in his arms. He looked down and gave her a soothing, reassuring glance before his gaze, now filled with scorn, returned to Lin Shou.

"County Magistrate Lin, it seems you still don’t grasp the situation. I didn’t come here today to discuss cooperation."

His tone turned cold. "I knew Hao Tong was behind you and I still dared to do this. Do you really think... I’m some reckless brute with no backing of my own?"

"You... What do you mean?"

The ominous feeling in Lin Shou’s heart grew stronger.

"Would your dear Vice General Hao really go against me, at any cost, for an ’old friend’ like you? An old friend who’s already lost his value and could potentially drag him into a nasty scandal?"

Chen Sheng analyzed methodically, "Don’t forget, I’m not without backing myself. What’s more, from what I hear, Vice General Hao Tong is famously protective of his reputation. He values his good name above all else."

"Tell me, if I were to subtly spread the secret of your... ’particular inclinations’... would he protect you at all costs and get himself embroiled in the filth? Or would he immediately disavow you, and maybe even... personally clean house to prove his own innocence?"

"You... You dare?!"

Lin Shou was in a full-blown panic, his voice cracking.

Every word of Chen Sheng’s analysis had struck a fatal weakness.

The main reason he’d been transferred to Changshan County in the first place was that Hao Tong no longer wanted to be associated with him too closely, lest it affect his reputation.

If this scandal got out, Hao Tong would abandon him without a second thought.

"Lin Shou, what do you think? Do I dare, or don’t I?"

Chen Sheng leaned forward slightly. His commanding gaze carried a suffocating pressure, as if he held Lin Shou’s fate entirely in the palm of his hand.

Lin Shou trembled.

He didn’t dare to take that gamble.

Because this was his last, and most unreliable, lifeline.

Chen Sheng didn’t stop there. He raised the stakes.

"Furthermore, that ’generous gift’ you planned to present to Vice General Hao—Madam Yang’s Three Yin Body—has been ’gratefully accepted’ by me. Now tell me, having lost this precious gift that might have swayed him, and now facing the risk of complete ruin and disgrace... will Vice General Hao still fight me to the bitter end for you?"

Lin Shou’s face turned deathly pale, his last shred of hope utterly shattered. His voice trembled with despair.

"You... what in the world do you want?"

Chen Sheng stood and walked over to where Lin Shou had collapsed on the floor. Bending slightly, he patted the man’s cheek, the pressure neither too light nor too heavy, but his tone was chillingly flat.

"It’s simple. From now on, keep your head down here in Changshan County. Do that, and you can keep your wealth and status and continue being our esteemed County Magistrate. But if you get any more ideas you shouldn’t have..."

He paused, a cold glint in his eye. "When that time comes, just think about Gao Yuanfeng’s fate. And think... about your own."

Chen Sheng’s goal was never to simply kill Lin Shou.

Killing an official had repercussions that far outweighed the benefits.

What he needed was a completely subjugated puppet County Magistrate he could use, which would vastly increase his actual control over Changshan. Of course, this was all contingent on Lin Shou being ’sensible’ enough.

If he wasn’t, Chen Sheng wouldn’t show a shred of mercy.

Lin Shou’s face shifted through a spectrum of colors as a fierce struggle raged within him.

Only now did he truly understand Chen Sheng’s scheme. He also realized with stark clarity that he had no cards left to play. Having lost all his chips and his backer, before this formidable newcomer, he was utterly powerless.

The study grew even more silent. Lin Shou let out a long, shuddering breath, as if his very spine had been ripped out. He collapsed limply to the floor, his voice hoarse and weak.

"I... understand... From now on... from now on, I will follow all of Commander Chen’s orders."

"Now, that’s more like it."

A satisfied look finally appeared on Chen Sheng’s face, as if he had just completed some trivial task. "Since you understand, you can leave. Later, you will accompany me to see County Captain Wu."

Lin Shou nodded woodenly, struggled to his feet, and shuffled toward the study door. However, just as his hand touched the door, he froze.

’Something’s not right...’

’This is...’

’This is my study, isn’t it?’

’So how... how did I end up being the one kicked out?’

’Could Commander Chen want to....’

Lin Shou whipped his head around, just in time to see the ghost of a smile on Chen Sheng’s face. A chill ran down his spine. Not daring to say another word, he bowed, left the study, and obediently closed the door behind him.

.....

"So, that trouble has been dealt with. Are you satisfied, Madam?"

Chen Sheng asked with a smile.

"Commander Chen is truly a man of his word."

Madam Yang was overjoyed. With this burden lifted from her heart, she could finally be at ease.

"Given the current situation, if you wish to seek a divorce in the future, it would only take a single word."

"Thank you."

Madam Yang bit her lip, her eyes moistening as she threw herself into Chen Sheng’s arms, feeling an unparalleled sense of security.

.....

Outside the study door.

Lin Shou’s expression was stormy. For a moment, he was at a loss for words. After thinking for a long time, he could only sigh, order someone to bring his jade flute, and begin to play, masking any sounds from within.

At the same time, he stood guard, forbidding anyone from approaching.

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