Can't a girl be a traitor like Cao Cao?

Even if I might leak secrets, aren't the prefect and the military commander completely innocent of any suspicion?

After Mao Qingyan finished speaking with great confidence, he did not expect that at this moment, Li Yi and the county magistrate would both look at him.

A strange expression appeared on his face.

Mao Qingyan was somewhat puzzled, so he asked, "Isn't that right?"

Li Yi shook his head and said, "I didn't know we were going to suppress bandits tonight. Miss Lin Jun only said that we would be sending troops in the next few days. But she didn't tell me the specific time of the deployment."

Mao Qingyan was startled and subconsciously looked at the county commandant.

The county commandant shook his head and said, "Miss Lin Jun told me yesterday that we were going to send troops, but when I waited until evening, she said that tonight's operation was canceled and told me not to inform anyone. Although I don't know why, I did not tell anyone else about sending troops."

"This……"

Upon hearing this, Mao Qingyan broke out in a cold sweat.

At this moment, Chi Junlin continued with a smile, "I knew the traitor was in the county office, so I prepared several plans in advance."

In order to find the mole, the time I told you about the bandit suppression was all different.

The troops from the other prefectures and counties only knew that they had to prepare for an attack every night.

But you know that on the very day you're about to send troops, the river bandits also find out immediately.

"I wonder how Your Excellency, the Prefect, should explain this?"

After Chi Junlin finished speaking, the surrounding fishermen and sailors all looked coldly at Mao Qingyan, wanting to hear how he would argue his way out of this predicament.

Mao Qingyan quickly said, "It has nothing to do with me! There must be a traitor in my household! They overheard me talking about sending troops and secretly passed the news out... How... how could it be me?"

Mao Qingyan insisted that the other party had no direct evidence.

However, simply knowing the timing of the troop deployment is not enough to convict a high-ranking official!

Chi Junlin, however, remained unperturbed, seemingly finding the matter amusing and wanting to play with this rascal a little longer.

So he waved his hand, indicating to Wenren Tianxia.

Wenren Tianxia immediately brought out a guy who was tied up in a nearby room.

Upon seeing this person, Mao Qingyan immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

Because this person was none other than his trusted confidant, Manager Liu with the mustache, whom he had sent to the island.

Previously, when Mao Qingyan saw the corpses all over the ground, he thought that he was dead and that there was no way to verify the matter.

But I never expected that he was still alive!

Why is he still alive?!

At this moment, Chi Junlin patted Manager Liu on the shoulder and then asked with a smile, "Does the Prefect know this person?"

At this moment, when Manager Liu saw Mao Qingyan, he also showed a look of panic and immediately said, "Sir! I...I..."

"That's the guy!"

Mao Qingyan immediately pointed at Manager Liu, who was kneeling on the ground, and said through gritted teeth, "He's the one who betrayed the news of Xiangshui County's troop deployment! He's the traitor!"

When Manager Liu saw that Mao Qingyan sold him off without hesitation, he was immediately stunned.

You should know that after he was captured by Chi Junlin, he resisted all the way and didn't mention Mao Qingyan once!

"Oh?"

Chi Junlin looked surprised upon hearing this, then laughed, "I was only going to say that this person was the mastermind behind the Xiangshui County gambling den that ordered Lai Yuanwei to betray the Hui family. I didn't expect there to be this connection. Tsk tsk... It seems this person really deserves to die..."

At this moment, Manager Liu looked at Mao Qingyan with a venomous expression in his eyes and said, "Prefect, how could you be so vicious! I never thought that my loyalty would be rewarded with your heartless betrayal!"

Since that's the case, I'll stop pretending! My fellow heroes! That scoundrel Mao Qingyan is a traitor who colludes with outsiders! All these years, he's been the one ordering me to contact the river bandits!

The Xiangshui County's repeated attempts to suppress bandits were all in vain, all because of this beast who betrayed their information! He was the only one who could communicate with the bandits, and the bandits' extortion profits over the years were split between him and this beast!

Furthermore, those wealthy families whose entire households were wiped out by river bandits over the years were also the work of this beast in collusion with the river bandits!

This son-blind bastard is utterly depraved and utterly wicked!

Hearing Manager Liu's unrestrained words, revealing all the things he had done, Mao Qingyan broke out in a cold sweat.

He immediately shouted, "Don't believe him, everyone! He's a traitor! He's trying to sow discord!"

Seeing that Supervisor Liu was still talking, the furious Mao Qingyan immediately snatched a long sword from a county soldier.

"You filthy lackey, still spewing filth! I'll kill you!"

As he spoke, he brandished his steel knife and slashed at Manager Liu!

However, Wenren Tianxia obviously wouldn't stand by and watch Mao Qingyan kill such an important witness.

So he stepped forward and kicked out.

He then kicked Mao Qingyan, sending him flying backward, his fat body rolling several times on the ground.

Then he collapsed to the ground in agony, vomiting—

He vomited internal organs and blood clots all over the floor.

Chapter 280 The Pure Love Party's Great Victory

Although Mao Qingyan's internal organs were ruptured and he vomited blood after being kicked by Wenren Tianxia.

However, he was obese and had plenty of energy, so he was obviously not going to die so easily.

Chi Junlin didn't want to use vigilante justice to kill a high-ranking official of the court. Otherwise, she would have taken action long ago, given the numerous opportunities she had in Xiangshui County.

Just then, Guo Shentong, who had been preparing for a long time on the periphery, suddenly appeared from some corner.

Then, pointing righteously at Mao Qingyan, he shouted, "You scoundrel, I knew something was wrong with you a long time ago!"

As an official appointed by the imperial court, he actually colluded with traitors from within, which is an even greater crime!

Guards! Arrest him and take him back!

Once I report this to the imperial court, I will have this corrupt official skinned and stuffed into straw as a warning to others!

As they were speaking, two county soldiers stepped out from behind Guo Shentong, grabbed Mao Qingyan, who looked pained, and took him away to prison.

Immediately, fishermen nearby knelt and kowtowed to Guo the Prodigy, calling out, "Master Qing Tang..."

At that moment, Guo Shentong looked at Chi Junlin.

Seeing her nod slightly, he left with Mao Qingyan, satisfied.

Once these issues are resolved, the follow-up work is naturally no longer the concern of Red King's Landing.

The commander then led a group of soldiers and fishermen to the fortress to eliminate any remaining bandits who might be hiding there.

And to gather the remaining wealth and grain stored in the fortress's granaries.

These tasks all required manpower and were difficult to complete in a short period of time. Therefore, the Commandant led some of the Commandant's soldiers to station directly on the island, intending to sort things out before reporting back to the garrison.

As for Hui Ziheng and the others, who were exhausted after a night's sleep, they returned to Xiangshui County with the group of wealthy merchants and prostitutes who had been rescued.

The pleasure boats that had been moored on the island had already left when the situation became chaotic at night and they caught fire.

Therefore, the group had no choice but to leave by borrowing a local villager's fishing boat.

When they reached Dongting Lake, someone set fire to the Never-Sleep Tower. The fire raged and burned for a long time.

So everyone poked their heads out of the fishing boats and looked at the burned-down pavilions, their expressions filled with a sense of loss.

It was at this moment that Liu, who was on the same boat as Chi Junlin and his party, suddenly broke free from Yi's embrace.

Through tear-filled eyes, he snatched a long sword from a nearby soldier's sheath and prepared to slit his own throat.

Li Yi had not expected such a change, and cried out in surprise, but it was too late to stop it.

Fortunately, Chi Junlin was at the bow of the ship. Upon seeing this, he used a finger sword to knock the blade out of Liu Shi's hand.

It fell into the water with a "plop".

Liu's will to die had not subsided; she still wanted to jump into the lake.

Li Yi immediately stepped forward and hugged her, exclaiming, "Liu'er, why are you doing this?"

Lady Liu shook her head, her face filled with sorrow, and said in a low voice, "I am already a withered flower, and I know that I am no longer worthy of Yi Lang. To be able to see you again in this life is already my wish fulfilled."

If one does not die, what then?

Seeing this, everyone wore a complex and helpless expression.

Clearly, what Lady Liu said was true, after all, in this day and age, women have always placed great importance on their reputation.

Since Lady Liu was abducted to the Nevernight Tower, so many days have passed, and obviously, things that should and shouldn't have happened have already happened.

Because Lady Liu deeply loved Li Yi, she was unwilling to tarnish the reputation of Li Yi, the prefect of the county, while she herself was being defiled.

Therefore, in her view, only by dying could she preserve the reputations of both Liu Shi and Li Yi.

However, at this moment, Chi Junlin shook his head and said, "Madam, you are mistaken. Perhaps you think that dying is indeed an easy way out, but why don't you ask the Prefect what he thinks?"

Upon hearing this, Lady Liu hesitated for a moment before looking at Li Yi.

Li Yi gripped Liu Shi's arm tightly with both hands, tears streaming down his face, and said, "Liu'er, we have gone through so much hardship to be able to see each other again, so why do you have to leave me like this? What was the point of my waiting all these years? What will I do if you die?"

Liu's tears flowed incessantly, as if she were too ashamed to face Li Yi again.

Chi Junlin sighed again and said, "Madam, do you know that in this vast world, the hardest thing to find is a sincere heart? Have you not heard the saying that a thousand pieces of gold are easy to obtain, but a sincere heart is hard to find?"

In my opinion, whether a person's body is dirty or not does not indicate whether a person is noble or not.

Take, for example, the Prefectural Magistrate Mao Qingyan. Although he held a noble position, he was as filthy as excrement inside.

Although the lady had once fallen into prostitution, it was not of her own volition. In truth, she possessed a heart of gold, shining with kindness.

Upon hearing Chi Junlin's words, not only Liu Shi, but everyone present felt their eyes light up.

They all agreed that what Chi Junlin said was correct.

Especially Hui Sanmei, who was standing to the side, although Chi Junlin did not say these words to her, they directly touched her heart.

At this moment, she couldn't help but stare at Chi Junlin, her heart completely captivated by him.

Seeing this, Madam Liu still hesitated, then said, "But my body is already defiled, after all, I've been with countless men these past few days..."

Upon hearing this, Li Yi quickly shook his head and said, "Liu'er, no matter what, I will accept you! In my heart, you will always be my good Liu'er..."

"Yi Lang..."

Liu was moved to tears and couldn't help but throw herself into Li Yi's arms, kissing him and the other two while they were still crying.

It moved people to tears.

At this moment, Hui Ziheng sighed again and said, "Speaking of which, all the women in the Nevernight Tower are not in control of their own lives. Most of them are beautiful women who were kidnapped from various parts of Dongting by the Water Gang. These Dongting Water Bandits are truly despicable!"

With the destruction of the Never-Sleeping Tower, they regained their freedom. However, many of the women had their entire families slaughtered by the river bandits, and no one knew where they would go from here on…

Upon hearing Hui Ziheng's words, many women around him showed expressions of disappointment and bewilderment.

Upon hearing this, Chi Junlin pondered for a moment, then turned to Hui Sanmei and asked, "Third Sister, do you have a solution?"

Hui Sanmei thought for a moment, then seemed to have thought of something and said, "Among my Hui family's properties, there are some places to go."

For industries like weaving and laundry, it's advisable to hire as many female workers as possible. This way, they can earn a living to some extent.

Hui Ziheng thought for a moment and then said, "Among the elite and brave men recruited by my troops, there are many from poor families who have difficulty finding wives."

"It would be good to arrange matchmaking between them and the reformed women in the Never-Sleeping Tower. If they find someone they like, they could get married, which would be a happy and auspicious occasion."

Hearing what the two said, Chi Junlin felt that this was a good solution.

He nodded and said, "Then, those rescued women who can find a way to return home will be given travel expenses and escorted home by the county government. Those who cannot will be left with a way out, as you two have suggested."

"Hui Ziheng, I'll leave this matter to you."

"Here!"

As for where the women in the building went after that, that's another story.

In addition, after the Water Gang was destroyed, the remaining family members who had worked there, whether they had committed any crimes or needed to be punished, were all handed over to the county authorities for detailed investigation.

Because so many people were involved, the aftermath of this incident dragged on for several months.

It took several years before it finally came to a complete end.

But what happened afterward was no longer relevant to Chi Junlin and the others.

Chapter 281 The Hardest Thing to Accept