Chapter 205: Chapter 124: Three Prostrations and Nine Kowtows

Mao Wei knew there was no escape, so he could only say, "I plead guilty!"

"A life for a life. Since you’ve confessed, just wait for the Great Yu Law to deliver your punishment," Chen Cheng said flatly, then waved a hand toward the meeting hall.

Ma Zehua and Li Sheng took the hint and immediately led several constables into the meeting hall. They began ransacking the place, confiscating silver coins and other valuables.

Chen Cheng couldn’t be bothered to watch them work and simply waited calmly.

Just then, a constable rushed over to report.

"Chief Chen, Lord Ji is here."

"No matter," Chen Cheng said, ordering him to return to his post outside.

Ji Jingbei stormed over with a few constables. When he saw the members of the Tiger and Leopard Gang and the corpses on the ground, his expression instantly turned grim.

"Chief Chen, you’ve got some nerve! Daring to kill so many people without cause and confiscate the Tiger and Leopard Gang’s assets. Who gave you that order?" Ji Jingbei demanded, his voice and expression severe.

Chen Cheng remained perfectly composed. "Lord Ji," he said calmly, "I was ordered to investigate the massacre of Gentry Zhang’s family. The case is now closed. It was none other than the Tiger and Leopard Gang’s Gang Leader, Li Hu, and Vice Gang Leader, Zhang Bao, who ordered their Incense Master, Kong Yixiang, and their men, Mao Wei and Kuang Yixiu, to carry out the deed.

"Li Hu, Zhang Bao, and the others resisted arrest, so I had no choice but to cut them down."

Ji Jingbei’s voice was low. "Do you have concrete evidence?"

"I have both a witness and physical evidence," Chen Cheng said, already prepared. He handed over Mao Wei’s written confession.

Ji Jingbei took the confession and glanced at it. "This is just testimony," he said, his expression serious. "It’s not enough for a conviction. Where is this physical evidence you spoke of?"

He was clearly trying to find fault. Chen Cheng had moved against the Tiger and Leopard Gang without reporting to him, the Chief Constable, so of course he had no intention of letting Chen Cheng get his way.

Moreover, he planned to use the lack of physical evidence as a pretext to charge Chen Cheng with oppressing the common people.

The Tiger and Leopard Gang may be a Jianghu Gang, but its members were citizens all the same.

And as for the spoils from raiding the gang, he would naturally be the one to take them over and handle the disposition.

After all, there was plenty of room for creative accounting when confiscating assets from Jianghu Gangs. As the investigating chief, Chen Cheng would get the first pass at the spoils before reporting them to his superiors. There was no telling how much would be left by then.

Chen Cheng remained perfectly composed. "I have physical evidence as well, but you’ll have to wait a moment."

Ji Jingbei snorted. "Fine. I’d like to see what kind of physical evidence you’ve managed to find."

Before long, Ma Zehua and his men came out carrying several boxes, large and small. The rosewood box was among them.

Chen Cheng continued to wait calmly.

A little while later, Mu Song and several constables arrived, leading a group of people dressed in white mourning clothes.

"I am Zhang Zongfang. Greetings, Master Chen!"

Zhang Zongfang was over sixty, with a full head of white hair and a matching beard that made him look ancient. After Mu Song introduced Chen Cheng, he began to kowtow, his body trembling with age.

The people behind him followed suit, prostrating themselves on the ground.

Zhang Zongfang was Gentry Zhang’s elderly father. Two middle-aged men, Gentry Zhang’s younger brothers, and a few youths from the Zhang Family’s younger generation were with him.

They had all rushed from the county seat upon hearing the terrible news about Gentry Zhang. The grief of losing a son in his old age—of a parent having to bury their child—had utterly devastated Zhang Zongfang. He had fallen gravely ill upon arriving in Linji City and had nearly not recovered.

Chen Cheng had heard of his condition and visited him once, promising to bring the murderers to justice. Zhang Zongfang had forced himself to hang on, waiting for this very day.

"Please, elder, get up," Chen Cheng said, quickly helping Zhang Zongfang to his feet.

"Master Chen, is it true? Have you caught the men who murdered my son?" Zhang Zongfang asked.

Chen Cheng pointed to the boxes that had been brought out from the meeting hall. "Elder, please take a look first. See if you recognize any items from the Zhang Family."

Zhang Zongfang and his two sons immediately began to search through the boxes.

"These are my son’s property deeds!"

"This silk brocade coin purse belonged to my brother! His name is embroidered on the lining."

"This is the longevity lock I gave to my nephew. His name is engraved on it."

...

As one item after another from Gentry Zhang’s home was identified, tears streamed down Zhang Zongfang’s face, and the other members of the Zhang Family were also overcome with grief.

...

"Lord Ji, is this enough physical evidence for you?" Chen Cheng asked in a low voice, turning to the ashen-faced Ji Jingbei.

What more could Ji Jingbei say? He shot Chen Cheng a deep, meaningful look before turning on his heel and storming away, his constables in tow.

"Master Chen, I wish to see the fiends who murdered my son and his family."

Zhang Zongfang said, composing himself and giving Chen Cheng a respectful bow. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Chen Cheng pointed out Kong Yixiang, Mao Wei, and Kuang Yixiu.

Zhang Zongfang first shot a hateful glare at the corpses of Kong Yixiang and Kuang Yixiu. Then, supported by his sons, he walked over to Mao Wei.

Seeing his son’s murderer, he grew strangely calm. He stared, wide-eyed, directly at Mao Wei. The intensity of the gaze made Mao Wei’s skin crawl, and, as if possessed, he offered an apologetic smile.

But Zhang Zongfang, with a sudden burst of strength from an unknown source, broke free from his sons’ grasp. He pulled a dagger from his robes and plunged it violently into Mao Wei’s eye socket!

It happened so suddenly that Chen Cheng had no time to stop it. ’A major criminal in a massacre case like Mao Wei should have been publicly beheaded in the market square,’ he thought.

Mao Wei struggled for a few moments before going still. His hatred still not sated, Zhang Zongfang wrenched the dagger out and plunged it into Mao Wei’s other eye.

...

As Chen Cheng and his constables prepared to depart, Zhang Zongfang led the members of the Zhang Family to kneel and prostrate themselves, performing the full ritual of three kneelings and nine kowtows...