Chapter 247 - 242: Everyone’s Here, Let the Killing Begin
On the long street, everyone stared in disbelief as Gu Zhan flogged Mo Qinghuan. For a moment, no one dared to intervene; at the slightest movement, those wolfish Embroidered Uniform Guards would unsheath their blades and charge in.
Inside a tavern,
Patriarch Liu, Liu Qingming, smashed the teacup in his hand to the floor in rage, barking, "Who told that fool Mo Qinghuan to provoke Gu Zhan?"
The members of the Liu Family exchanged uneasy glances.
An elder spoke up, "Patriarch, according to our plan, it was the Government Army who should provoke Gu Zhan, and Mo Qinghuan was supposed to step in and mediate, inviting Gu Zhan and Mo Beiyan to the Law Enforcement Hall for a confrontation. That way, Mo Qinghuan could justifiably reclaim the title of Young Master and subsequently vie for power against Mo Beiyan. No one told him to provoke Gu Zhan directly, he... must have acted on his own."
"That idiot!"
Liu Qingming was so furious he was about to explode.
Back when Mo Qinghuan was eliminated from the succession race, he had already lost all status—whether his official position conferred by the Court, or his role within the Beidou Bang, both were stripped away at once.
Now, putting Mo Qinghuan forward was merely to conveniently reclaim the Young Master’s identity for him during the final act, to stand against Mo Beiyan, plotting step by step so that Mo Beiyan would be unable to take over Canglan City directly.
Yet none of them expected that Mo Qinghuan, already over forty, would be so devoid of judgment, giving out orders at such a time.
What right does he have to issue commands,
Gu Zhan is the Squad Leader of the Kaiyang Sub-Branch. In terms of rank, even some of the Elders in the Elder Council don’t outrank him—it’s only the Dragon King Guardians and the senior Elders in the Council. All of Canglan Dao has no more than ten people above him.
"Quick, don’t let him actually get beaten to death by Gu Zhan," Liu Qingming said coldly. "Send people from the Law Enforcement Hall and the Elder Council at once!"
...
On the long street,
Gu Zhan was publicly lashing Mo Qinghuan, who wailed miserably. In the end, he collapsed to the ground, begging for mercy again and again.
"Worthless!"
Gu Zhan spat, then raised his eyes to where the Government Army faced a group thundering in on horseback, all clad in the attire of the Law Enforcement Hall.
This Law Enforcement Hall held a special position in the Beidou Bang,
somewhat akin to the Astronomical Bureau within the Court, empowered to supervise all levels of the Beidou Bang, even entitled to enforce before reporting—effectively both the eyes and blade of Dragon King Mo Jingzhou.
Currently, the Hall Master of the Law Enforcement Hall was Yun Wei, the Right Protector—one of Beidou Bang’s two great Protectors.
However, the one arriving now was not the Right Protector, but rather an Elder from the Law Enforcement Hall.
"Squad Leader Gu, please show mercy!" That Elder spurred his horse forward, clasping hands in salute. "I am Liu Fang, Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall. On receipt of an official order from the Elder Council, I am here to ask Squad Leader Gu to cooperate with our investigation regarding the assassination of the Eldest and Fourth Young Masters!"
In an instant, the crowd erupted in commotion.
The news of Mo Yan’an and Mo Zhening’s deaths was something that, until now, was only known among the most powerful in Canglan City—and had not been publicly disclosed.
But now, the Law Enforcement Hall’s Elder had publicly confirmed it, causing an uproar on the spot.
Gu Zhan glanced at Liu Fang and said coldly, "The Liu Family’s influence truly runs deep; you’ve even managed to infiltrate the Law Enforcement Hall. What, you can’t stand the sight of me and want to pin some trumped-up charge on me?"
Liu Fang’s expression did not waver; he clasped his hands and said, "Squad Leader Gu jests. The Law Enforcement Hall belongs to no faction, acting with fairness and justice to maintain order in the Beidou Bang."
Gu Zhan said frostily, "Since you claim to be fair and just, then step aside for now. I have urgent business to attend. I’ll come to the Law Enforcement Hall myself later."
Liu Fang hurriedly replied, "That... I’m afraid that won’t do. Squad Leader Gu, with both Eldest and Fourth Young Masters assassinated, you are our primary suspect..."
Gu Zhan snorted, stepping toward Liu Fang, his aura surging ever stronger. As he drew near, Liu Fang began to tremble all over, as though a mountain were bearing down on him.
"Liu Fang, as an Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall, do you know the penalty for framing a Squad Leader? Furthermore, I said I have urgent business—do you not understand plain words?" Gu Zhan said coldly.
Liu Fang braced himself and replied, "Squad Leader Gu, the assassination of the Eldest and Fourth Young Masters is the most pressing matter..."
"I believe the foremost matter is escorting the Lady of the City’s memorial tablet into the Ancestral Hall," Gu Zhan said gravely.
"Absurd!"
At that moment, a scolding voice rang from beyond the crowd. Surrounded by an entourage, a noblewoman strode over—it was none other than Lady Liu, First Madam of the City Lord’s Mansion.
Behind Lady Liu followed a contingent—Elders from the Elder Council.
She arrived, cast a glance at the memorial tablet in Mo Beiyan’s arms, and said coldly, "What wandering soul dares presume to call herself Lady of the City? Gu Zhan, do you dare tarnish the Dragon King’s name so brazenly? You have some nerve!"
Gu Zhan looked at Lady Liu, then at the Liu Family members and Elder Council behind her. With a slight roll of his neck, he said, "Looks like almost everyone is here. All right—let’s settle everything today and avoid future trouble!"
With that, Gu Zhan beckoned lightly,
immediately, several Embroidered Uniform Guards hurried over, carrying tables and stools.
Gu Zhan slowly sat on a chair, picked up a teacup from the table, sipped, and said calmly, "Anyone else to show up? Elder Council, City Lord’s Mansion, Young Master’s Mansion—let all parties present themselves at once!"
Seeing Gu Zhan’s posture,
Lady Liu’s face grew instantly dark, and she was about to speak out in rebuke.
However, just then, a commotion arose on the fringes of the crowd,