The Prodigal Son

Wangjiangtai is located on a small hill about fifteen miles west of Jiangning Prefecture, the capital of Fangzhou Prefecture.

Standing on the Wangjiang Terrace, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the magnificent scenery of Pingjiang.

Early in the morning, near noon, Jia Dequan led his men to the foot of the mountain.

He also received news of the accident in Linhai early this morning.

He knew that if he had received the message, Sun Min must have received it as well.

He understood that if the imperial court was serious this time, he would most likely be doomed!

No wonder Sun Min wanted to commit suicide out of guilt.

This corrupt official just wants to cut off his own trail in order to save himself!

If I don't agree, this corrupt official will most likely want to get rid of me.

However, he was already prepared.

Sun Min wanted to kill him, but he wasn't going to take it lying down!

If Sun Min talks to me properly, we can work together to find a way to get through this difficult time.

But if he wants my life, I'm not one to be trifled with!

Jia Dequan walked slowly up the mountain, his face gloomy with thought.

The higher he went, the more he felt a chill that seeped into his bones.

Before long, Jia Dequan led his men to the Wangjiang Terrace on the mountaintop.

Sun Min had not yet arrived at this moment.

Jia Dequan looked around and ordered the few experts he had brought to hide, leaving only one follower behind.

Standing on the Wangjiang Terrace, Jia Dequan looked out over Pingjiang and, reflecting on his current predicament, felt a pang of regret.

It's impossible for the imperial court to eliminate all ten salt merchants at once.

In the past, they competed to see who was bolder, who dared to obtain more smuggled salt to pass off as official salt, or who bribed more people.

But now, they should be competing to see who is the most timid.

The less serious the offense, the more likely the person is to survive this ordeal.

If I hadn't been so greedy and reckless, it would be other salt merchants, not myself, who would be in trouble now!

But in the end, it was all Qin Yu's fault!

I've already smoothed things over.

He diligently traveled along the Grand Canal, inspecting and enforcing regulations along the way.

These people aren't ignorant; they could arrange everything perfectly for him along the way, letting him live a life like a god!

Finally, everyone chipped in some money, and a few insignificant minor figures stepped forward to take the blame. This way, Qin Yu could give an account to the court, and they could land safely.

Wouldn't that be a win-win situation for everyone?

Why does he have to be so serious?

What kind of honest official is this scoundrel who sells official positions in Minjiang?

Just as Jia Dequan was filled with resentment, he heard a series of hurried footsteps.

Jia Dequan turned around and saw Sun Min leading a group of soldiers rushing up.

"Jia Dequan, I've been looking everywhere for you, but I never expected you to be hiding here!"

Before Jia Dequan could speak, Sun Min waved his hand and ordered, "Seize this unscrupulous merchant who dares to smuggle salt!"

"yes!"

A group of officers and soldiers immediately rushed forward.

A cold glint flashed in Jia Dequan's eyes, and he coldly snorted, "Lord Sun, are you in such a hurry to kill someone to silence them?"

He naively thought that Sun Min would have a proper talk with him.

Killing someone to silence them was Sun Min's last resort.

But to his utter surprise, Sun Min was about to take him down right away.

If I fall into Sun Min's hands, will I have any chance of survival?

At that time, Sun Min will have a thousand and one ways to "commit suicide out of fear of punishment"!

"Nonsense!"

Sun Min, brimming with righteous indignation, shouted sternly, "I have sufficient evidence that you are smuggling salt illegally and disregarding human life. I am merely arresting you according to the law! I have already ordered my men to surround this place! You had better surrender obediently, or you will be executed without mercy!"

"Lord Sun, have you thought this through?"

Jia Dequan's eyes flashed even colder. "If you're willing to talk, we can sit down and have a proper discussion! But if you insist on taking my life, then don't expect me to fight you to the death!"

"As an official appointed by the imperial court, I will not be threatened by you!"

Sun Min waved his hand again and loudly ordered the soldiers, "Take them down! If they dare to resist, kill them without mercy!"

"Sun Min, I'll fuck your mother!"

Enraged, Jia Dequan's eyes flashed with a murderous glint: "I knew you scoundrel would pull this stunt! Let me tell you, I was prepared! If my whole family dies, your whole family dies too!"

Sun Min looked at Jia Dequan coldly, his heart filled with disdain.

Last night, I sent my son to secretly keep an eye on the Jia family, and another group of my men went to the Jia mansion to ransack it!

No matter what evidence Jia Dequan has, it will all be taken to the grave with him!

Seeing that Sun Min was completely unharmed, Jia De's last glimmer of hope vanished, and he roared murderously, "Fight this corrupt official to the death!"

As Jia Dequan finished speaking, realizing that the place was surrounded, those hiding in the shadows all rushed out to fight.

Whoosh!

Just as everyone charged out, a stray arrow suddenly shot out from the forest.

The arrow was swift and deadly, its tip gleaming with the light of death.

puff!

The arrow struck Sun Min precisely in the neck, despite him being protected by several soldiers.

A sharp pain clearly spread throughout my body.

Sun Min stared wide-eyed, raising his hand with difficulty to look at Jia Dequan, "You..."

As soon as he opened his mouth, large gulps of blood gushed out, making it impossible for him to utter another word.

Sun Min's face was full of resentment, his bulging eyes staring at Jia Dequan.

He never dreamed that Jia Dequan would be so heartless and ruthless as to kill him without a second thought!

The sudden cold arrow stunned everyone, even Jia Dequan himself didn't react.

Who did it?

Are they one of our own?

Although he had a few skilled men among the people he brought with him, Sun Min, the governor, didn't have a single decent person by his side.

You killed him so easily?

"Lord Sun!"

After a brief moment of shock, the officers and soldiers began to shout in panic.

The head guard steadied Sun Min as he fell backward, and ordered menacingly, "Kill them! Avenge Lord Sun!"

"kill!"

"Kill them!"

Upon receiving the order, a group of officers and soldiers immediately charged towards Jia Dequan.

Without thinking twice, Jia Dequan yelled at his guards, "Quickly, rush down the mountain!"

"Kill them all! Don't let them escape!"

The guard commander put Sun Min's still convulsing body down and drew his sword to kill Jia Dequan and the others.

"clang……"

The guard captain blocked the attack of Jia Dequan's bodyguard with a single slash, kicked him away, and charged straight at Jia Dequan with murderous intent.

Jia Dequan seized a weapon from a soldier who was charging at him and tried to fight his way out, but the enemy gave him no chance at all.

The guard commander cleaved the weapon from Jia Dequan's hand with a single blow, then with a backhand slash, severed Jia Dequan's head.

On the other side, the government troops were also engaged in a fierce battle with the men brought by Jia Dequan.

These men were all skilled recruits that Jia Dequan had spent a lot of money to recruit, and their strength was much greater than that of the soldiers in these prefectures.

However, the state government had a large number of soldiers, and Sun Min's guards also included some skilled fighters.

After killing more than a dozen state soldiers, the men Jia Dequan brought with him were all killed by the remaining state soldiers and left to bleed in pools of blood.

Having confirmed that all those who deserved to die were dead, Mo Wu, who had been hiding in the dense forest, quietly departed.

Time to get on with the rest...