The Empress's No.1 Lackey-Chapter 359 - 307, Return to Beijing (Two in One)

Is that enough?

The atmosphere at the crab banquet solidified for an instant as shock-ridden gazes focused on Wang Chusheng, who had been missing for many days.

After a brief silence, the officials present could no longer maintain their composure, and a tumultuous uproar erupted.

"Wang Chusheng! He's the County Magistrate of Taicang!"

"The imperial envoy actually brought him back? How come there was no news?"

"What exactly is going on? Wasn't it said that despite extensive searches, he was not found and was suspected to have escaped Linfeng already?"

At the table, Governor Gao Lian, who had initially led the charge with calm confidence, was stunned on the spot, his pupils shrinking to a pinpoint as if turning into a stone sculpture.

Exhausted from exertion, Liu the Inspector stood up, his face flushing with excitement:

"It's you... It really is you..."

Governor Sun was startled, suddenly turning his head, but his gaze fixated on the side profile of Zhao Douan, mixed with astonishment, joy, confusion, wariness, emotion, and fear:

"Mr. Zhao, is this..."

Is this your doing? The so-called, striking the final blow?

...Xu Junling was dazed.

Although she did not understand the truth, she had already realized that Zhao Douan indeed did not care about the so-called counterattack in the Linfeng officialdom.

Because he had already prepared everything.

"Quiet."

Zhao Douan waited for a few moments, allowing people time to digest, then raised his hand and pressed down in the air.

Suddenly, the noisy banquet quieted down.

He walked around the hall with a smile, his voice burrowing into the ears of the local officials:

"I know you must be puzzled and curious right now, wanting to know what exactly is going on. But the process is not complicated; I believe many here already know that a few days ago, I was at the Taicang county government.

Yes, outsiders might not be aware, but you surely are.

It was simply that when I entered the city, I split the forces into two paths, ordering some to disguise themselves as the imperial envoy to attract attention, while I first went to the Song family estate to retrieve the carefully investigated evidence of crimes stored there by Mr. Song."

"Why such an elaborate scheme?

It is because the case of silver mine corruption could not possibly be managed by just a county magistrate, it is because the order from the capital had not yet been issued, it is because two key figures mysteriously disappeared, it is because of your... fervent resistance and opposition to me!"

As Zhao Douan said this, his finger swept across the room.

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Wherever it passed, the officials all averted their gazes, unable to meet his eyes, regardless of their rank.

"Ha!" Zhao Douan scoffed, his eyes filled with mockery:

"Indeed, this approach was correct. If it were not for this, perhaps even the last bit of evidence left by Mr. Song wouldn't have ended up in my hands! Nonetheless, these alone are still not enough.

A mere examiner can only obtain so much evidence; ultimately, it still cannot touch the core. Luckily, I had a third group of troops when I entered Taicang City, not just two splits.

It was also because I attracted the attention of some people openly, allowing the capture of Wang Chusheng."

Splitting into three paths!

Hearing this simple, uncomplicated, yet unexpectedly effective answer, the officials present couldn't help but be stunned.

Governor Sun and Liu the Inspector suddenly realized, unaware that Zhao Douan had also used similar tactics against the Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

However, that time, it was only a splitting into two paths.

The three groups, the fake imperial envoys at the posthouse, were to cover for the real imperial envoy, and that day, Zhao Douan deliberately exposed his identity.

It was to cover for the Shadow Guard.

When Zhao Douan openly declared the "real and fake imperial envoys," the local officials would subconsciously think that was all.

And they wouldn't have guessed there was another layer.

Such schemes never need to be complex; the more complex they are, the more likely the entire system is to fault, increasing the probability of failure.

Just like a false coup: meticulously planned, step-by-step, ultimately winning masterfully.

The real coup: inviting people to dinner, embedding a few trusted individuals, and catching them off guard to strike.

As for how Zhao Douan vaguely mentioned finding Wang Chusheng,

Governor Sun and others had a hunch, perhaps related to a disguise similar to some extraordinary method.

It didn't matter anymore.

What truly mattered was...

As everyone snapped back to reality, crossing gazes, their hearts beating like drums, the quiet hall suddenly echoed with the sounds of some people swallowing their saliva.

A tense atmosphere mingled with anticipation began to permeate.

Since the key figure in the case, Wang Chusheng, had been captured.

Then...

Does that mean the powerful backers behind him will also be exposed?

Furthermore, combining what Zhao Douan had said earlier, today's "crab banquet" was evidently premeditated.

Gathering the significant officials and gentlemen of the city in this Chrysanthemum Platform, with the city's large army pressing in, seemed quite like closing the door to beat the dog.

"Im... Imperial Envoy... you are Zhao Dou..."

At that moment, crawling out of a sack, collapsing on the ground, having already submitted after the Shadow Guard's torture, the Taicang County Magistrate finally spoke tremulously.

His bruised eyes, fixed on Zhao Douan, seemed slow in thought.

Beside him, the hand of a frail scholar-looking Shadow Guard quietly rested on the County Magistrate's shoulder, causing him to shudder:

"Directly calling the imperial envoy by name, it seems you still haven't grasped the situation."

"No... not..." Wang Chusheng's face turned pale, fear overwhelming him, suddenly kowtowing repeatedly, "Mr. Zhao, your servant... no, this lowly one greets the imperial envoy..."

"Don't scare people."

Zhao Douan gently admonished the Shadow Guard before smiling warmly and looking down at him, saying in a low voice: