Chapter 143

The Zhang Clan of Tongren had completely left the Tongren Province that they had ruled for over five hundred years and moved to Guiyang. They had already bought seven hundred mu of land outside of Guiyang, including fields, forests and a river. It looked like they were planning to imitate the Tian Clan and build a family-style town.

Once they arrived at Guiyang, the Zhang family heard the news of Wei Ye's death and could not help but feel a sense of sadness. However, at this moment, what could they do? They moved away from Tongren not only because they were afraid, but also a declaration.

After hundreds of years of painstaking cultivation, the roots were so deep that no one could dig them out completely. Only by uprooting the tree, would the roots that it left in the soil gradually wither or grow into an independent plant.

Only by moving the Zhang family could Ye Xiaotian and Yu Junting be at ease and give up on any possible persecution of them. The descendants of the Zhang family arrived in Guiyang silently. No one noticed their arrival at all. To be precise, no one from the upper echelons noticed their arrival. Even such a huge caravan, consisting of hundreds of ox and mule carts and thousands of people, did not notice their arrival. On the other hand, Song Yingming only brought ten to twenty iron-blooded guards and rushed to Guiyang City. However, in less than half a day, everyone knew of him.

Ever since Song Xiaoyu killed someone on the street, they knew that a game between the big shots was about to unfold in Guiyang City. And the two parties in this game were Song Yingming and Ye Mengxiong. Although Song Clan's Sky Blade was an outstanding talent among the younger generation, he was not qualified enough to compete with Imperial Inspector Ye.

When Song Yingming arrived in Guiyang City, he did not even go to his residence and rushed straight to the Fu Tai yamen like a gust of wind. Ye Mengxiong did it in an extreme manner — he did not see him!

Even when the Song Clan Master of the Four Heavenly King Clans came to see him, he did not see him. The reason was that before the final trial, as the main judge, it was not appropriate for him to meet the prisoner's family in private.

Ye Mengxiong actually did it in such an extreme manner. Everyone thought that Song Yingming would fly into a rage and mobilize his forces in Guiyang City to smash open the doors of the Fu Tai yamen. But what shocked them even more was that Song Yingming did not get angry at all. He only made another request — — he wanted to see his daughter.

Logically speaking, this was also not in line with the rules. That person was a murderer, not an ordinary thief. But, the problem was, Song Yingming wasn't an ordinary person. Ye Mengxiong wasn't a stubborn and inflexible Mr. Hai Rui; he knew when to stop.

Thus, Song Yingming entered the Punishment Bureau's prison without any obstructions.

Song Yingming was dressed in a casual robe, and the female prisoners in the prison did not know his identity. However, when they saw that the usually majestic chief and deputy chief warden had suddenly turned into a little brat and was running on tiptoe behind this person with an incomparably humble smile on his face, they immediately knew who this person was — Heavenly King Song, a high and mighty existence. To them, he was a god-like existence that resided above the Nine Heavens.

"Heavenly King!"

"This …"

The jailer touched the key and looked hesitantly at their Lord Warden. The smile on Gaosiyu's face disappeared, and he leaped up with a whoosh. As if he had teleported, he was incredibly fast. He snatched the key from the jailer's waist, pushed him aside, and quickly opened the cell door. He nodded and bowed, saying, "Old Master Song, please come in."

Song Yingming looked at the decorations in the cell and the gloominess on his face dissipated. Ye Mengxiong had not gone to the extreme. Otherwise, even if he had to sacrifice his vitality, he would not hesitate to fight Ye Mengxiong. Song Tiandao said in a low voice, "Little sister, Daddy is here to see you."

Song Xiaoyu hugged her knees and curled up on the bed, lost in thought. Even with so many people in front of the cell door, she did not seem to see them. Only when she heard Song Tiandao's voice did she suddenly wake up. "Father!"

Seeing Song Yingming standing outside the cell door, Song Xiaoyu was first delighted. She leaped off the bed and was about to leap out of the cell door. Seeing Song Yingming's half-white hair, her heart ached. She suddenly knelt down and kowtowed deeply to Song Yingming. "Father, your daughter is unfilial. I have been raised by Father and Mother for so many years, but I have not repaid them in the slightest. I have even caused you so much trouble. Your daughter is unfilial …"

As Song Xiaoyu spoke, two clear lines of tears flowed down her cheeks. Song Yingming's nose ached, and his eyes reddened. He stepped into the cell and walked over to Song Xiaoyu on the thin carpet. He gently caressed her head and sighed in a low voice. "Silly girl, silly girl …"

Song Yingming bent down to help his daughter up and said seriously, "Daughter, don't worry. Father will quickly get you out." He then turned his head to glare at Gao Siyu, who was waiting outside, and said coldly, "Take good care of this old man's precious daughter. If you let her suffer even the slightest grievance, this old man will make sure that not even your bones remain!"

Gao Yingjie was so frightened that he knelt on the ground and repeatedly promised, "Don't worry, Old Master Song. Even if this lowly one ate the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard, this lowly one would not dare to let Eldest Young Mistress suffer even the slightest grievance!"

…

Cheng Fan filed a lawsuit, Shangmaqiao filed a lawsuit, Hong Fan filed a lawsuit, Papaya filed a lawsuit, Shuidong filed a lawsuit, Di Zhai filed a lawsuit, Dragon Raising Pit filed a lawsuit … The chieftains rushed to Guiyang one after another. Even Song Yingming was given the cold shoulder. Of course, they wouldn't ask for trouble by knocking on the Inspector-General's door.

In reality, they did not need to go. They had rushed to Guiyang. On the surface, they did not appear to have anything to do with this matter, but everyone knew that they had come for the Song Clan. They had only come to express an attitude, an attitude of advancing and retreating with the Song Clan. This was the most crucial point that no one could overlook. Its effect was even above the law.

However, when it came to the law, Song Yingming did not relax. Since Ye Mengxiong said that the final trial had not been decided, then there would still be a final verdict. The significance of such a case had already risen to the political level. The significance of the law itself was negligible, but this effort to save face still had to be done. As a result, three of the four great litigation masters of Guiyang were hired by the Song Clan.

The four great litigation masters of Guiyang were led by Li Qiuchi. However, although Li Qiuchi earned a lot as a litigation master, his social status could not be raised. No one knew what triggered him, but he suddenly went to Hulu County to be a counselor.

This fellow had a sharp eye. He actually sought refuge with Ye Xiaotian, who was only a county magistrate at the time. Now, he was the "housekeeper" of the Crouching Bull County Magistrate. This was not as simple as being a counselor. In the future, he would definitely become the head of an area, and his legacy would be passed down for hundreds of generations.

Of course, Ye Xiaotian was only an official now. He did not have the right to be titled "premier", "housekeeper", or "head". However, everyone knew that was just a joke. His influence only increased. Even Heavenly King Song had been slammed at the door by Inspector Ye Mengxiong, yet Ye Xiaotian was able to become a guest of honor. Was there such an overbearing official in the world?

It was enviable. Every time the other three great litigation masters thought of this, they would feel pain. Why did this raindrop have to fall on Li Qiuchi's head? They only thought that Li Qiuchi had a sharp eye. If they knew that Li Qiuchi had gone to Hulu County to make things difficult for Ye Xiaotian, they would not know what they would think.

Ye Mengxiong allowed Song Yingming to deploy his troops, and he did not budge. He only set one principle. Did the "Little Western Paradise" have the determination to rebel? As long as they didn't, what could they do?

… …

When Ye Xiaotian came to Guiyang city this time, he had originally planned on becoming the center of attention of the entire city. He never thought that no one would pay attention to him because of the game between Heavenly King Song and Ye Mengxiong.

He still remembered when he had become the chieftain of the Crouching Bull Mountains and first arrived in Guiyang, he had been confident that he would become an influential figure in Guiyang. Who would have thought that basically no one at the top of Guiyang would pay attention to a complacent new noble like him? If it were not for the bloody incident in Flower River, he would have come silently and returned silently.

This time, Ye Xiaotian could be described as the greatest victor in Guiyang. Unfortunately, he had only gained the limelight when the inspector personally received him. With Song Xiaoyu's arrival, he rapidly became a foil. Even in the Tian family, the person who attracted the most attention was Tian Jiaxin. Great master Ye had been completely forgotten.

Ye Xiaotian, on the other hand, was more than happy to do so. He could be considered a formidable character now, so he couldn't just fight and kill all the time. Standing high above the Nine Heavenly Layers, deciding the fate of people with a single word and determining their status with a single thought was how a true important figure should behave.

In the imperial court, important figures like that were the combination of the emperor and his cabinet. In Guizhou, old master An was an impressive figure like that too. Ye Xiaotian was nowhere close to them, but it was past the time for him to personally lead the charge.

For example, prefect Zhang of Tongren and County Supervisor Yu, apart from the game between important figures of equal status, was there anything that they needed to do personally? If they had to personally take action for everything, it would only prove that the organisation had yet to take shape.

Ye Xiaotian enjoyed his current life very much. He toured the scenic spots of Guiyang with Tian Miaowen every day. He was at ease, like an immortal. However, Ye Mengxiong did not want him to be so free. After the people of the Cao family, Tong family, Zhan family, and Yang family arrived in Guiyang one after another, an official in black appeared at the entrance of the Tian family's courtyard.

"Sir Futai has ordered for the son-in-law of your family and the head of the Crouching Bull Bureau, Ye Xiaotian, to visit the government office tomorrow. Sir Futai will personally come and 'resolve' the chieftains of the Shi Qian and Tongren prefectures! "

The Zhan family, Yang family, and Zhang family of Tongren had already been completely subdued by Ye Xiaotian. Before sir Futai could even mediate, the Zhang family had already moved to Guiyang. How could they still compete with Ye Xiaotian? They could only accept their fate.

As for the Shi Qian and Cao family, they still refused to give up. They did have a reason to refuse. Although Cao Ruixi had never had any good intentions towards the Tong family, the Cao family and the Tong family had never truly clashed after all. The Cao family had worked with the Zhan family to divide the Yang family and take over the Crouching Bull Ridge, but a dog that bites does not bark. The Tong family that had remained silent the entire time suddenly took action and raided the Cao family's nest. Who were they supposed to reason with?

Unfortunately, the situation was against them. Ye Mengxiong was clearly biased towards Ye Xiaotian. He actually had no objections to the Tong family taking over the Cao family. Ye Mengxiong completely ignored the Cao family's complaints. He only asked a few questions symbolically before making the decision to have the Tong family rule over the Cao family's homeland and people.

"Thank you for upholding justice for me, sir!"

Ye Xiaotian and Tong Yun both left their seats and thanked Ye Mengxiong. On the side, the Cao, Zhan, Yang, and Zhang family's faces were extremely strange. "Upholding justice? You've taken over my land, taken over my people, and chased me out of my homeland, yet you're saying you're upholding justice for you? "

Tong Yun trembled in excitement. His face was flushed. This was the merit of expanding his territory! Ye Xiaotian was much more composed. To Tong Yun, this was a great merit that far surpassed his father's. He would even be heavily recorded in the clan's ancestral records. To Ye Xiaotian, he had personally conquered everything. As the ancestor of the Crouching Ox Ye clan, what was there for him to be excited about?

Tong Yun only needed to bow and thank Ye Mengxiong. Ye Xiaotian had now been demoted to an official, so the difference in rank was far too great. He had to kneel if he wanted to bow. Ye Xiaotian was unwilling. Just as he slowly squatted down with his stiff legs, he saw Ye Mengxiong glance at him indifferently. "Ye Xiaotian!"

Ye Xiaotian took advantage of the situation and stood still. "I'm here."

Ye Mengxiong smiled faintly. "You're still young, but you sure are unyielding. I've spent my entire life conquering the south and conquering the north. I've made great contributions to the imperial court, which is why I'm the governor of a province today. In terms of age, I can be your grandfather. In terms of official position, the difference between us is like heaven and earth. Is it wrong to ask you to kneel to me? "

Ye Xiaotian's face reddened. He thought about it carefully. No matter how he looked at it, kneeling to this famous official did not seem to be a big deal. There was one good thing about Ye Xiaotian. He was able to correct his mistakes. He immediately straightened his expression and said to Ye Mengxiong, "Sir, you're right. I know I was wrong!"

Ye Xiaotian stood upright. Just as he was about to kneel to Ye Mengxiong to thank him, Ye Mengxiong had already stood up. He left the official's desk and stood still with his back to the north. Suddenly, his expression turned solemn and he said in a deep voice, "Ye Xiaotian, receive the decree!"

Ye Xiaotian jumped in fright. No matter if they were excited or depressed, they all raised their heads in shock. Ye Mengxiong looked at Ye Xiaotian and teased, "What, you're still not willing to kneel?"

Ye Xiaotian laughed dryly. "Sir, you must be joking. Cough! Your subject, Ye Xiaotian, receives the decree! "

Ye Mengxiong slowly unfolded the imperial decree that he took out from his sleeves. He slowly unfolded it and began to read it in cadence. From what he read, it probably said that ever since Ye Xiaotian was punished, he had turned over a new leaf. He knew his place and restrained his people. He helped the weak and small, built bridges and paved roads for the benefit of the village … Therefore, the Emperor decided to restore him to his official position.

The Zhang family, Zhan family, Yang family, Cao family, and others who were kneeling on the side heard this and cried. "Isn't it just Ye Xiaotian handing over the jurisdiction of the territory he seized to the imperial court? Is there a need to describe him as a kind and benevolent person?"

Ye Mengxiong finished reading the long and smelly imperial decree and rolled it up. Ye Xiaotian immediately raised his hands and received it solemnly. Ye Mengxiong said with a smile that was not a smile, "Official Ye, congratulations! The Emperor's kindness is vast and mighty. I hope you can understand the Emperor's intention and do a good job. Don't let the Emperor down. "

Ye Xiaotian said respectfully, "This lowly official will remember Sir's teachings."

Ye Mengxiong waved his hand and said to Zhang Zhan and the other families, "You can all leave. Ye Xiaotian, stay. This old man still has something to say to you!"

Ye Xiaotian bowed his head and said solemnly, "Yes!"

Everyone filed out in a single file, and the hall cleared up. After everyone left, Ye Xiaotian's obedient appearance disappeared. He didn't wait to give up his seat and walked to the side and sat down. He said to Ye Mengxiong with a smile, "Sir, this is a good move. This move of knocking the mountain to scare the tiger is well done!"

Ye Mengxiong glared at him and sat on the seat of honor. He said coldly, "What mountain did I knock? What tiger did I scare? Why didn't this old man know? "

"Old sir, you don't have to be so hypocritical when you're on the same side, do you?"

Ye Xiaotian said with a smile, "Heavenly King Song is currently recruiting troops and sharpening his knife. Sir, you chose this time to 'break up' with us and even came up with an imperial edict. What is the meaning of this? Sir, you're telling those local officials who came to Tongren to show off to you that you're not a local official and that you'll leave one day. But as long as you're here, you represent the imperial court. You can make people noble, but you can also make people lowly. If they want to help Heavenly King Song deal with you, they'd better think about the consequences, right? "

Ye Mengxiong snorted coldly, "Nonsense! You're gauging the heart of a gentleman with the heart of a villain! This old man is upright, righteous, magnanimous, and does things in an upright manner. As the inspector-general, every word and action represents the imperial court. Why would I be secretive and secretive? "

Ye Mengxiong reprimanded him in a righteous manner. He suddenly leaned to the side and lowered his voice slightly, "You must cooperate with me regarding the establishment of the judicial yamen in the Yang and Zhan families' old haunt! The imperial court attaches great importance to this. There can't be any mistakes. "

Ye Xiaotian, "…"

Ye Mengxiong continued, "Also, if Song Yingming doesn't save his daughter, he won't let this matter rest. This old man doesn't have to make things difficult for his daughter, but the Song family has always looked down on me. Looking down on me is looking down on the imperial court. This time, I have to teach him a lesson. However, things are unpredictable. If things really get to a point where it's hard to get off … "

Ye Xiaotian coughed and said seriously, "Don't worry, Sir Futai. Just fight him with all your might. If things really get out of hand, I'll help you move a ladder."

Ye Mengxiong stroked his beard and nodded, "You're worth teaching!"