Chapter 30 Standoff

Chapter 30 Standoff

Everyone present was in a state of panic. The Zhong Family, unable to handle the shock, hastily left.

This time, Chen Jiao led a group to the Zhong Family to arrest people, involving two cases.

One case was Zhong Xianghan’s death in a brothel in Baitang, and the other was Zhong Zhimin’s forcibly taking a virtuous woman, which led to her husband’s disability.

Over twenty officers arrived to make arrests, stirring up a major uproar.

Most Daxing villagers were Zhongs, with deep ties to the Zhong Family, tracing back to the same ancestry.

Since the Zhong Family’s ancestors had once served as county magistrates, most of the village’s lands were put under the Zhong Family’s name to dodge taxes. Now that Chen Jiao came to arrest people from the Zhong Family, the villagers grabbed hoes and sickles to protect them.

Almost the entire village, young and old, came, all fired up, showing no fear towards the officers.

They understood that if the Zhong Family fell, Daxing Village would be left without protection.

Confronted by a mob of over a hundred angry villagers, Xu Zhao’s head was spinning.

Fearing something might go wrong, everyone quickly protected Chen Jiao. Clutching the arrest warrant, she was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

The clan’s unity was at its strongest at this moment, as the villagers of Daxing Village hurled curses left and right.

Previously, when the officers clashed with the Wang Family’s servants during the grave-digging incident, they could still take on ordinary folks.

But Chen Jiao had reservations, afraid of sparking a rebellion. The Prince of Huai'an had set a clear boundary for her: no civil unrest or chaos should be provoked.

If Daxing Village were to fall into chaos, her plans would be ruined.

The officers were surrounded by the villagers, preventing them from arresting anyone from the Zhong Family.

Xu Zhao was stuck in a bind and looked at Chen Jiao, saying, "Ninth Lady, looks like today’s not your day."

Ma Chun was also afraid of things going wrong and nervously said, "Young lady, you’d better back down today. Given the current situation, it’s not advisable to provoke a conflict. After all, they are common people. If this blows up, it’ll be a mess."

The villagers surrounding them were all unruly, with someone shouting, "What saint is she supposed to be? In my eyes, she’s just a female demon! How can someone who dares to dig up ancestral graves be any good?!"

"Exactly! The Wang Family might be easy to bully, but we Zhongs won’t put up with her nonsense!"

"A woman, where does she get the audacity to act so domineering? Has Huizhou gone lawless?"

"Huizhou’s finished! That foolish Prince of Huai'an, letting a woman cause chaos below. It won’t be long before it’s like Minzhou, where officials force the people to rebel!"

"Get her out of Daxing! Don’t let her run wild on our turf!"

"Yes, yes! Make her leave! Get her out of Wei County!"

Everyone was emotionally charged, brandishing their tools, yelling and ready to fight, not allowing the officers to get any closer to the Zhong Family.

Chen Jiao’s team was boxed in, unable to advance or retreat.

She’d underestimated the clan’s pull in the local area. They could sway government offices above and incite the common people below, showcasing their formidable power.

When Zhong Zhijin and his group hurried back from the Wang Family and saw the villagers surrounding them, they immediately avoided direct confrontation, taking a detour to enter through the back door.

The Zhong Family members at home, seeing them return, quickly explained the chaos outside.

Madame Zhong, in her eighties, adored her great-grandson Zhong Xianghan above all and absolutely could not tolerate the authorities coming to arrest him.

She sat upright on the bed, tightly holding Zhong Xianghan's hand, and sternly said, "She's just a prostitute; her death is no big deal. Chen Jiuniang is stirring up trouble with hidden intentions. Even if we hand over the eleventh son today, the Zhong Family won't escape calamity."

Zhong Zhijin hurriedly said, "You're absolutely right, Mother. Once we hand over the eleventh son, he’ll end up like Wang Zhenrong—dead for sure."

Zhong Xianghan's mother, Mrs. Su, anxiously said, "But the yamen won’t let go of the eleventh son. What should we do?"

Madame Zhong replied, "Send him out of Wei County to lay low for a while." After a pause, she asked, "Second son, what did the Wang Family have to say when you went there?"

Zhong Zhijin answered, "We’re planning to file a joint petition with the prefecture, pressuring the Prince of Huai'an to call Chen Jiuniang back."

Madame Zhong nodded, "That's good. If the Zhong Family can hold out, we might save the eleventh son."

Outside, the chaos continued, with endless shouts and threats. The courtyard servants were armed with sticks, ready to defend.

Although the Zhong Family did not have the glory of the Wang Family, their unity was strong, since most of Daxing Village shared the same roots.

With their protection, and the fact that the old residence was built like a Hakka walled village, it was designed for shelter.

Thanks to the Zhong ancestors’ foresight, Daxing villagers could take refuge in the Zhong residence during unrest, temporarily saving their lives.

Chen Jiao and her team outside also surveyed the Zhong Family residence. If they guarded the gates, it’d be hard to get in and arrest anyone.

After about half an hour, the Zhong Family noticed that the commotion outside had died down. A servant went out to investigate and found that the yamen's people had left.

Zhong Zhijin personally went out to thank the villagers, saying, "Thanks for backing the Zhong Family. Without your help, Chen Jiuniang would’ve run wild, like she did with the Wang Family!"

"Second son, you’re being too modest. We are all part of the Zhong Family and cannot tolerate a woman bullying us."

"Yes, Chen Jiuniang is simply outrageous. Who can stand a woman who digs up ancestral graves?!"

"If she comes back, we’ll chase her off and show her Daxing Village’s strength!"

"That crazy woman needs a beating! A woman should stay in her place, not stir up trouble. It's a joke!"

Everyone attacked and cursed, all focusing on her gender, as in their eyes, women should be submissive.

This time, Chen Jiao returned in defeat. Back at the yamen, Wu Yingzhong inquired about the situation. She said unhappily, "Trouble comes from rough places. The Daxing villagers are like rabid dogs, attacking anyone in sight. I feared sparking a revolt and had to leave empty-handed."

Wu Yingzhong said, "The Zhong Family seems tough to deal with."

Chen Jiao frowned and ordered someone to bring in a local constable for questioning.

A constable surnamed Wei, who was familiar with the Zhong Family's situation, explained to Chen Jiao the family's roots in Wei County.

Most villagers in Daxing Village shared the Zhong surname. The Zhong Family ancestors were also officials, but the family had declined, with each generation faring worse than the last.

Currently, the old master of the Zhong Family was over eighty, suffering from a stroke and unable to speak, almost completely paralyzed.

He had once served as a county magistrate in a neighboring prefecture and retired to live out his years in peace. According to imperial law, those with official titles were exempt from taxes, so all the farmland in Daxing Village was registered under the old master's name, exempting the villagers from paying taxes to the government.

The villagers benefited naturally and supported the Zhong Family. Additionally, during past unrest in Wei County, the Zhong Family had opened their doors to shelter the villagers, who felt indebted and willingly repaid the kindness.

Comparatively, the Zhong Family was more troublesome than the Wang Family. The Wang Family, no matter how capable, only had servants, while the Zhong Family incited the common people.

But this also revealed the influence of these officials and gentry in the region.

They were exempt from taxes, could use their abundant resources to annex land, monopolize education, and incite the common people for their own purposes. Above, they colluded with the yamen to commit evil deeds; below, they controlled the common people to cause trouble, effectively acting as local emperors.

Chen Jiao felt a headache coming on. She rubbed her temples, feeling completely stumped.

The influence of the Zhong Family in the local area is indeed too significant, a thorn in her side, undermining government control.

Wei County has only about sixty thousand mu of arable land in total, with nearly twenty thousand mu of tax-evading land. Only half of the land is actually cultivated by the common people, while the rest is all controlled by the wealthy elite.

These tax-free lands will eventually be passed on to the common folk to cover the shortfall. When the people have no land to cultivate and tenant farmers can't feed their families, they will end up as refugees.

The uprising in Minzhou is a cautionary tale.

If Huizhou wants to strengthen itself, the gentry must be dealt with.

Chen Jiao paced with her hands clasped behind her back. Though she commanded troops, she couldn't use force against the Zhong Family, as civil unrest is the Prince of Huai'an's red line.

She treasured this chance to turn things around immensely. If she failed, given the Prince of Huai'an's temperament, he would surely lock her away in the inner quarters, not allowing her to stir up trouble again.

Taking control of her destiny has always been her goal, and she couldn’t afford to fail in Wei County.

A person who is usually outgoing and flamboyant suddenly turned quiet, and Chen Jiao was a bit troubled.

She returned to the official residence and stood in the spacious courtyard. Summer had crept in unnoticed, and she had been so busy with official duties that she hadn’t taken a moment to clear her head.

The sky was azure, without a trace of clouds.

Chen Jiao stood at the door, arms crossed, gazing at the sky.

Cui Jue returned from outside, having already heard from Xu Zhao about her troubles with the Zhong Family.

Seeing her unhappy expression, Cui Jue entered the courtyard. He was dressed in a light gray summer robe, with wide sleeves, walking with official steps, exuding the charm of a scholar.

Chen Jiao suddenly noticed that the scoundrel was somewhat good-looking.

However, the scoundrel's words were not pleasant at all. He deliberately asked, "Ninth Lady, why the long face? Did you hit a wall?"

Chen Jiao rolled her eyes and said irritably, "Assistant Inspector Cui, why are you meddling in things that don’t concern you?"

Cui Jue was taken aback and said, "You’re really worked up. I should have Ma Chun prepare some cooling chrysanthemum tea for you."

Chen Jiao didn’t feel like engaging with him and went inside unhappily. Cui Jue suddenly said, "This morning, Wang Ni caught a rat in the house you rented. Do you want to see it?"

Chen Jiao poked her head out, "What rat?"

Cui Jue: "It’s just some pest you’ve drawn in. It should have been sent by Xue Liangyue to gather information, and Wang Ni caught it."

Chen Jiao: "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Cui Jue: "You didn't ask."

Chen Jiao wanted to go to the yamen to check the situation, but Cui Jue said, "It's already dead. Going there would be a waste of time."

Chen Jiao: "???"

Cui Jue: "Wang Ni didn't know his own strength and accidentally killed it." After saying that, he went inside, "I'm thirsty, let me have some water."

Chen Jiao pressed, "Just like that, it's dead?"

Cui Jue didn't answer and called for Ma Chun to prepare tea for him.

Chen Jiao was very dissatisfied with his attitude and kept complaining, "Mr. Cui, you're so clever, why don't you know how to play the long game?"

Cui Jue suddenly made a "shush" gesture, and Chen Jiao shut her mouth.

Soon after, Ma Chun brought the tea, specially preparing a chrysanthemum drink for Chen Jiao to cool her down, but she was feeling a bit frustrated.

Cui Jue sat on a square stool, took a sip of his tea, and then fanned himself with his hand, saying, "If it weren't for you, my esteemed ancestor, why would I have come to Wei County to eat dust?"

Chen Jiao found him irritating. Seeing sweat on his forehead, she tossed the deertail fan to him, "Cut the sarcasm."

Cui Jue took the deertail fan and started fanning himself, saying earnestly, "The government offices in Fanyang are far superior to this place, and I don't have to run around under the sun."

Chen Jiao impatiently said, "Are you finished?"

Cui Jue imitated Wu Yingzhong's tone and said, "You're the boss, your word is law."

Chen Jiao didn't want to argue with him and sipped her chrysanthemum drink to cool down. Suddenly, Cui Jue said, "The noble families are steadfast, while the princes are transient. If the local officials and gentry were easily removed by you, their ancestors must not have been much either."

Hearing this, Chen Jiao was momentarily stunned, "What are you getting at?"

Cui Jue snorted lightly, "You're going after Magistrate Zheng and the merchants in Wei County. Even if you make a mess, it can be swept under the rug.

"But you can't touch the gentry because they will retaliate fiercely. Once they unite in resistance, it will inevitably lead to local chaos. By then, the Prince of Huai'an will surely make you stop.

"Not only will he summon you back, but the people in the prefecture won't let you off easily either. They will kick you while you're down to make sure you never bounce back.

"Ninth Lady, you're still young and unfamiliar with the complexities of the bureaucracy. Although I'm not clear on what agreement you have with the Prince of Huai'an, I absolutely don't believe he would allow you to meddle with the gentry."

He spoke with such conviction that Chen Jiao raised an eyebrow and tentatively asked, "What does Assistant Inspector Cui think?"

Cui Jue lifted his chin slightly, with a hint of pride, "It's a matter of seeking advice."

Chen Jiao was amused and cupped her hands, "Please, Assistant Inspector Cui, share your wisdom."

Cui Jue sharply asked, "Is going after the gentry Ninth Lady's own doing?"

Chen Jiao remained silent for a while before saying, "Are you afraid?"

Cui Jue countered with a question, "You've picked the toughest road. If you stumble, will you have regrets?

"After all, Ninth Lady has a prince as her father. With such a powerful backer, as long as you behave, the household will surely find you a good husband, guaranteeing you a carefree and secure life."

Chen Jiao laughed, leaning halfway on the armrest, and said bluntly, "I buy your baloney. What happened to Chen Wuniang in the household will happen to me.

"Maybe one day I'll be unlucky, and you, Mr. Cui, will find me irritating and gossip about me in front of the Prince of Huai'an, sending me off for a political marriage. Who will I turn to then?"

This left Cui Jue momentarily speechless.

Chen Jiao pointed at him and said, "You men are the absolute worst. Even if Chen Wuniang was favored by my father in the household, what difference did it make? She was still handed over to an old man without a second thought.

"I'd rather pin my hopes on something else than on you. Even if I die for it someday, at least I'll die with dignity, better than living a life of fear."

Cui Jue didn't refute this. Although he hadn't known her for long, he had some understanding of her temperament.

The two had always been at odds before, but today was the first time they sat down to discuss things calmly.

Chen Jiao also wanted to probe his intentions and asked, "Did my father give you any instructions when he sent you here?"

Cui Jue thought for a moment and replied, "He was afraid you would bite indiscriminately, and even at the necessary moment, he told me to bring Xu Zhao back, clipping your wings."

Chen Jiao: "..."

Cui Jue said seriously, "You're already biting now. If nothing unexpected happens, it won't be long before the prefecture learns about your troubles with the gentry."

Chen Jiao said dismissively, “I know the old man of the Wang family. He must have some skills to become a prefect.”

Cui Jue replied, “Not completely clueless.”

Chen Jiao, holding a glimmer of hope, asked slyly, “You’re a favorite of the Prince of Huai'an. Can you suppress Zheng Zhang?”

Cui Jue looked at her with the eyes of someone seeing a fool and mocked, “Ninth Lady, you give me too much credit. The Zheng family is influential in Huizhou, and they are also the Prince of Huai'an’s in-laws, with the heir in their hands. If you have the ability, you go and suppress them.”

Chen Jiao: “…”

Cui Jue continued, “If I were you, I’d count my blessings and think about how to deal with the pressure from the Prince of Huai'an.”

Chen Jiao remained silent.

Cui Jue probed again, “Why are you so determined to go after the gentry?”

Chen Jiao glanced at him sideways and proposed a deal, “If my father holds me accountable, would Mr. Cui be willing to take the blame for me?”

Cui Jue laughed incredulously, “Why should I?”

Chen Jiao said boldly, “If I go back, I’ll definitely tell my father that Cui Jue is deeply in love with me, letting me have my way with him, and beg him to grant us his blessing.”

This was truly excessive, and Cui Jue stared at her in disbelief.

Chen Jiao raised her eyebrows provocatively and shamelessly said, “What, never seen a woman before? Staring at me like that?”

Cui Jue’s face darkened, couldn’t stand her antics. She was utterly hopeless!

He stood up and left without hesitation.

Chen Jiao quickly rushed forward and clung shamelessly to his thigh, coaxing, “Mr. Cui, I was just joking with you! You’re my savior now. If you can help me withstand the pressure from the Prince of Huai'an, I’ll even call you daddy!”

Cui Jue gritted his teeth and said, “I don’t have such a shameless child like you!”

Seeing his anger, Chen Jiao thought to herself how petty he was while trying to appease him, “Don’t be angry, I’m really desperate, I’m not lying!”

Cui Jue couldn’t stand her rogue behavior and said disdainfully, “Let go of me.”

Chen Jiao: “No.”

Cui Jue: “Let go!”

Chen Jiao: “No!”

She clung to his thigh like a barnacle, making it impossible for him to move.

Cui Jue had long experienced her rogue behavior and was both angry and annoyed. He forcefully pried her off.

Unexpectedly, Chen Jiao acted shamelessly and shouted, “Pervert, you groped me!”

Upon hearing this, Cui Jue hurriedly retracted his hand as if bitten by a snake, his face flushed.

He didn’t consider himself a gentleman, acting without restraint. But when it came to propriety between men and women, his ingrained upbringing made him a thorough gentleman.

Chen Jiao wouldn’t let him go, hanging onto his leg like a dead weight, even pulling his pants down slightly. He awkwardly covered his waistband, his ears burning red, and said, “Chen Jiuniang, have some shame! This is improper!”

Chen Jiao looked up and said, “Tell me how to outmaneuver the Zhong Family.”

Cui Jue said angrily, “You’ve dug your own grave! If you want to die, don’t drag me down with you!”

Chen Jiao, adaptable as ever, immediately changed her tone, "If the gentry take this to the prefecture, how can I keep the Prince of Huai'an in check?"

Cui Jue's expression eased up a bit, and he gritted his teeth, "Get off me."

Chen Jiao: "First, tell me what to do."

Cui Jue's face twisted in embarrassment, "You're practically stripping me!"

Chen Jiao: "..."

Okay, he really seemed on edge.

Afraid she’d gone too far, Chen Jiao quickly let go of him but ran to the door and closed it, preventing him from leaving.

The room instantly darkened, and Cui Jue, afraid of being misunderstood, exclaimed, "Why the hell are you closing the door in broad daylight?!"

Chen Jiao ignored his complaint and asked, "Cut the crap, I just want to know, with things as they are, how can I stabilize the situation?"

Cui Jue frustratedly straightened his clothes, furious at her audacity.

Chen Jiao shamelessly said, "I didn’t lay a finger on you, so why are you freaking out?"

Cui Jue glared at her hatefully and gritted his teeth, "I, Cui Wen Yun, must’ve been cursed in a past life to encounter a troublemaker like you. If I’d known, I’d have let Xu Zhao finish you and your mother back then, sparing me this predicament today!"

Chen Jiao, with her sharp tongue, provoked, "Go ahead, kill me if you’ve got the guts."

She bet he wouldn’t dare, but she underestimated Cui Jue's ruthlessness.

He snapped, stepped forward, and grabbed her throat in a vice-like grip, pushing her against the door.

With a heavy thud, Chen Jiao's back hit the door, her head forced back, and her slender neck tightly gripped by his hand.

The man's grip was strong, and he was truly intent on killing her.

Her neck felt like it could snap in his grip.

Chen Jiao's breathing became rapid, and Cui Jue's face was filled with malice, radiating pure menace.

Realizing he was serious, she cursed her luck under her breath, she had gone too far!

She clawed at his hand, but he was like a brick wall.

The immense pressure enveloped her, and at that moment, Cui Jue's gaze was icy cold, like a demon from hell, just as she had seen him the first time.

Dark, brooding, and icy cold.

Chen Jiao's mind raced, regretting her overreach. Her chest heaved, and her mind raced, scrambling for a way out.

Cui Jue stared at her intently, hating this loss of control.

He had always prided himself on his self-control, but Chen Jiuniang had shattered his limits, both repulsing and intriguing him.

She had repeatedly crossed his boundaries, and surprisingly, he had tolerated it.

This was utterly incomprehensible!

Cui Jue couldn’t stand the feeling of losing control, as it made him extremely uneasy and insecure.

He wanted to put an end to this once and for all.

Now, Chen Jiuniang's life was in his hands. Her slender neck and fair, delicate skin looked so fragile; with just a little more force, he could easily crush her.

She had been so full of herself earlier, but now she seemed to understand fear, showing that his intimidation had worked.

The look of fear and pleading in her eyes made the ferocity in Cui Jue's gaze dissipate slightly. His thin lips parted as he coldly warned her, "If you overstep your bounds again, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Chen Jiao nodded repeatedly, clearly terrified, her eyes red and her expression pitiful.

Only then did Cui Jue feel satisfied and let her go slowly.

He had believed his intimidation had worked, but he underestimated Chen Jiuniang's malicious talent for manipulating people.

The moment he let her go, Chen Jiao recklessly threw her hunting net at him.

Cui Jue's neck was caught off guard when she hooked it. He was extremely tall, but she forcefully pulled his head down. Before he could react, Chen Jiao boldly kissed him.

The fragrance of her makeup filled his nose, and the lips he touched were warm and soft. It was Cui Jue's first time experiencing a woman.

His back stiffened, his mind went blank, and he was utterly stunned.

Chen Jiao had once again crossed his boundaries. She had never kissed a man before and didn't mind using him for practice.

The kiss was clumsy but thrilling, starting with a tentative peck and then playfully biting him. Cui Jue lost control once more.

He shoved her away as if she were a ghost, his face flushed as he took several steps back.

Chen Jiao showed no shame, just laughed at him, her hair slightly disheveled, her eyes sparkling with malice and cunning.

She taunted him deliberately, "Mr. Cui, didn't you want to kill me? I bet you can't bring yourself to do it."

Cui Jue's face turned pale, and he felt like he could devour her.

Chen Jiao laughed wildly, both provocative and teasing, reminding him, "You still have my lipstick on your lips. Aren't you embarrassed to go out and face people?"

This remark provoked him. Ignoring his flushed face, he awkwardly opened the door and fled, as if she were a ferocious beast, wanting to get as far away as possible.

Chen Jiao smiled triumphantly. Life was so damn thrilling!

Playing with people was the most interesting thing!