"It’s not just the official government offices, but also Prince Pingbian’s Mansion, the spies from the Border Region’s alien race, and even the Inspection and Supervision Department of the court, all will secretly send experts to investigate. The Northern Land will soon be in complete chaos, with spies from all sides appearing on stage. As you and Zhang Chen are involved, do you think you can walk away without a thorough investigation?"
Zhang Chen immediately became anxious upon hearing this: "How am I involved? What does it have to do with me? I was hunting in the mountains at the time, and that Zhang Chen was at home. He’s the one involved! He’s the one who caused the trouble, and now, unable to shirk responsibility, he wants to frame me. I’m truly being wronged to death."
"Scholarly Zhang Chen is, of course, the biggest suspect, as he was at the explosion site, and the first to witness it. He’s one of the involved parties. But who asked for your houses to be adjacent? Now, he insists on accusing you, saying you wanted to kill him and that the explosion is related to you. What should we do? Of course, it’s better to kill by mistake than to let go," Chief Liu said sympathetically, looking at Zhang Chen with eyes full of pity, feeling this guy was just unlucky.
He also believed that this had nothing to do with Zhang Chen. After all, Zhang Chen was wandering in the mountains at the time, completely unaware of what happened in the village, while Scholar Zhang Chen was at the scene. Anyone could tell who was the more suspicious one. But now, the crucial issue is that Scholar Zhang Chen won’t relent, so there’s nothing more to be done but this.
"How could I have such abilities? Perhaps it was some Celestial Thunder that hit and exploded the house?" Zhang Chen continually exclaimed his innocence.
"The Celestial Thunder explosion couldn’t possibly carve out a pit on the ground! The Inspection Guard checked it, and that’s not the power of Celestial Thunder," said Chief Liu.
The power of thunder is indeed strong, enough to strike animals and trees, but not enough to carve a pit on the ground! Zhang Chen knew this explanation couldn’t stand. Even in later generations with many lightning strikes, he’d never seen the ground split into a big pit!
Carving the earth into a pit isn’t lightning, it’s a missile!
"But I didn’t do that! If I had that power, I’d have long been a distinguished guest at the table of dukes and marquises. Why would I painstakingly hunt in the mountains?" Zhang Chen continuously protested his innocence.
"Of course, I know it wasn’t you! Not just me, everyone knows it wasn’t you. Otherwise, the ones coming to arrest you would be those guys from the Inspection Department, not just us ordinary constables. But now the County Magistrate needs a scapegoat to account for both the Prince’s Mansion and the Inspection Department. Just that scholar alone doesn’t seem weighty enough. A single poor scholar’s guilt doesn’t quite suffice, but adding you makes it more plausible, you understand my meaning?" Chief Liu said with a sly smile.
Zhang Chen was speechless at these words, suddenly remembering a phrase from his past life: sometimes the people who wrong you know better than you how wronged you are.
Undoubtedly, Zhang Chen was encountering this now.
However, he wasn’t anxious, as he still had the False Death Technique to disengage himself.
The group of people made their way to the county town, marking the first time Zhang Chen, both in past and present lives, was visiting the county town.
But the county town was a bit disappointing. From afar, it was a city with high walls, about five meters tall, with soldiers in regular clothes holding long spears at the gates, inspecting passersby.
Zhang Chen’s eyes fell on the soldiers, internally remarking, "Everyone’s been deceived by films and dramas. How could the gate guards wear armor? Only the elite soldiers might get a chance to wear armor, right?"
"This county town is more old and shabby than anything else. They call it a county town, but it’s not much different from the old rural towns," Zhang Chen muttered as he passed through the gates, observing the taverns on either side, his face showing a hint of disappointment.
The tallest tavern was less than three meters high and very rundown, with most being just one storey.
The street was bustling, people hurrying back and forth between streets and alleys, constantly busy, each wearing worn clothing with haggard faces, their eyes lifeless and without any vitality.
"Numbness!" A thought flashed through Zhang Chen’s mind as he observed the busy commoners.
Besides numbness, it seemed there were no other words to describe the lifeless county town residents devoid of the vitality people should possess.
There weren’t many street vendors either, sparsely scattered with stalls, occasionally being chased away by the city’s soldiers.
"This world also has urban management?" Zhang Chen was surprised upon seeing the soldiers overturning stalls.
"They call this a county town; it feels similar to southern towns, not even matching those small town scenic spots of later generations," Zhang Chen thought internally.
The last bit of curiosity about ancient county towns was wiped clean, leaving no interest.
As they continued on, they arrived at the government office, a simple courtyard far from the commanding presence shown on television.
However, upon seeing the county office, Zhang Chen involuntarily narrowed his pupils, his eyes gleaming with golden light flowing out.
Under his Dharma Eye, the ordinarily insignificant county office was shrouded in a layer of purple aura, dominantly overwhelming, even the golden light in Zhang Chen’s pupils reflected the purple, seemingly tinged by it, the gold tainting with strands of purple, as if about to be engulfed.
The sensation was akin to two dyes meeting, with the purple overpowering the gold, trying to turn it purple, startling Zhang Chen who hurriedly closed the golden light.
Then he saw the golden light within dissolving the purple aura penetrating through his pupils, allowing Zhang Chen to sigh with relief.
Sensing other skills, he found them heavy and obscure, difficult to use, with only Dragon Qi unusually active, like a dragon returning to the sea.
"What is that purple aura around the county office? Could it be the aura of a human dynasty? It’s said dynasties have such aura! The greatest aura in Heaven and Earth must be a dynasty’s. Otherwise, how could a dynasty slay dragons?" Zhang Chen mused internally.
Fortunately, the Beast Taming Technique was still usable, as was the Blood Control Technique, gradually easing Zhang Chen’s mind.
No matter how bad things got, he could just fake his death!
Moreover, he could sense the Fox Spirit still accessible under the cover of his Dragon Qi.
"Gladly! I can still use my skills!" Zhang Chen felt inwardly relieved.
At least he could still fake his death, and use the Fox Spirit to counterattack at critical times.
"Quickly report to the Lord, the suspect Zhang Chen is brought in, requesting orders," Chief Liu called to the subordinate at the door, then instructed another officer, "Lock him up."
The officer produced chains, cuffing Zhang Chen’s hands and feet, then told him, "What happens next depends on the County Magistrate’s decision. Hopefully, you will soon be cleared, and the County Magistrate will prove your innocence, sending you home to reunite with your family. Otherwise..."
Chief Liu didn’t finish the otherwise, but Zhang Chen understood it was not something pleasant.
"What a bunch of corrupt officials in this world!" Zhang Chen muttered silently.
Too dark!
They stood in the courtyard for a while until an officer announced, "The Lord commands, bring him to the main hall for questioning."
Chief Liu nodded, leading Zhang Chen towards the main hall.
"Majesty~"
A majestic shout was heard, someone from afar calling, "Where is the prisoner Zhang Chen?"