'Announce what?'
Yuan Chenyang speculated subconsciously. Looking at Zhang Hongbo's relaxed and contented appearance, it didn't seem like good news.
'But it doesn't seem like they have anything on , right?'
"I'll do it." Gu Bing stood up, speaking in an indifferent tone: "By the decision of Chief Inquisitor Xia Hanshi, Zhang Hongbo is relieved of his position as City Lord. The Minister of Supervision, Yuan Chenyang, will temporarily stand in as the acting City Lord."
'Relieve of my position? What exactly did he...' Yuan Chenyang thought subconsciously. Then, his expression abruptly stiffened, suddenly becoming inextricably colorful, his voice turning hoarse: "Relieve Zhang Hongbo of his position as City Lord?"
"That's correct. Congratulations, City Lord Yuan." Gu Bing nodded.
"Congratulations." Zhang Hongbo also chid in.
"Hah..." Yuan Chenyang stared at Zhang Hongbo, suddenly bursting into hearty laughter. "You... oh, you. You put on quite the convincing act. When I walked in and saw you looking as if everything were entirely within your grasp, I thought I was the one in trouble."
"To think it was actually you who ran into trouble. Haha..."
"The matter has already occurred, and I have already accepted it. Do you expect to wear a face of mourning for the rest of my days?" Zhang Hongbo said airily.
"Stop pretending." Although Yuan Chenyang still didn't understand the full picture, he still felt a wave of pent-up frustration release, laughing 'haha':
"You think I don't know you? How many years have the two of us been partners? Do I even need to ntion your desire for control? The Supervision Departnt is filled with people you planted!"
Yang Yan and Gu Bing remained silent. As high-ranking officials of Nanfeng at the sa ti, the two naturally had so friction.
"Putting on this facade to maintain your dignity... who knows, maybe you'll be wiping tears in secret sowhere." Yuan Chenyang was in an excellent mood, even patting his own bald head. "Old Zhang, exactly what happened? You even got ousted from the City Lord seat. Corruption?"
Zhang Hongbo's expression was ugly as he said coldly, "A failure to judge character. Zhang Feng was colluding with the Evil God Cults."
"The Evil God Cults?" The teasing look faded from Yuan Chenyang's face, growing more solemn. "A failure to judge character? But that's your younger brother."
"Elder Xia has basically confird that Zhang Hongbo is clean," Gu Bing added.
"Ah, I see. No wonder he's still alive. Elder Xia is truly rciful."
With the position of City Lord falling from the sky, Yuan Chenyang was in an excellent mood. Under normal circumstances, the City Lord seat would never fall to him.
Even though it was currently just an 'acting' position, once the news from here reached Yingfeng, his teacher naturally wouldn't let him step down again. By extension, his impression of Xia Hanshi also improved significantly.
'As expected, it was just spreading falsehoods. Chief Inquisitor Xia still handles cases impartially. Where did all that bad reputation co from?'
At the ntion of Xia Hanshi, the expressions of the other three grew sowhat subtle.
Zhang Hongbo's originally ugly expression also eased up. Sweeping a glance at the high-spirited Yuan Chenyang, he couldn't help but say, "City Lord Yuan, you truly concealed things deeply."
Yuan Chenyang's brows furrowed. "What do you an by that? If you have sothing to say, speak plainly. Don't act in a secretive and evasive manner."
"Su Chen is truly a good seedling," Zhang Hongbo sighed with emotion.
"What do you an by that?" At the ntion of Su Chen, Yuan Chenyang's expression instantly turned chilling. "Are you trying to threaten ?"
"What are you thinking? How could I dare..." Zhang Hongbo frowned, then said slowly, "How could I possibly dare to threaten Elder Xia's student...?"
"Elder Xia's student?" Yuan Chenyang's expression froze, suddenly realizing sothing. He hurriedly looked toward Yang Yan and Gu Bing, both of whom awkwardly turned their heads away.
Yuan Chenyang's heart sank to the bottom of the valley. 'Such a huge student of mine... actually got snatched away just like that?'
Seeing Yuan Chenyang's darkened face, Zhang Hongbo's mood inexplicably improved greatly.
"Elder Xia has already taken Su Chen as his student?"
Perhaps due to unwillingness in his heart, Yuan Chenyang still wanted proper confirmation.
"That's correct." A voice abruptly ca from behind. Yang Yan and Gu Bing instantly stood up, addressing him: "Elder Xia."
Looking as if he was both crying and laughing, Yuan Chenyang turned his head. "Elder Xia..."
"Looking as if your teacher died. The Third is still alive and well," Xia Hanshi said absentmindedly.
Yuan Chenyang instantly reined in his expression, unable to stop himself from saying, "Elder Xia... Su Chen... I discovered him first."
"I know." Xia Hanshi nodded, speaking as though it were a matter of course: "Therefore, you will beco the City Lord of Nanfeng without any obstruction. Otherwise, if your teacher wanted to facilitate this matter, he would also have to pay a certain price."
"But..." Yuan Chenyang struggled inwardly. "For you to do this... isn't very appropriate, right?"
Xia Hanshi cast a surprised glance at him, saying straightforwardly: "Following gives him far better prospects than following you. Following you, he is the student of a Chief Inquisitor's student. But following , he is the student of a Chief Inquisitor. The resources and status involved in the two are entirely different."
"Moreover, don't you also have quite a few teachers? I am rely his second teacher; it's not like he refuses to acknowledge you."
"Besides, you can ask your teacher if he accepts this transaction."
Yuan Chenyang was speechless. It was indeed true; at every stage of growth, one would have new teachers to guide them along a stretch of the journey.
Furthermore, based on his understanding of his own teacher, the man would probably acknowledge this trade.
"I hope you will treat him kindly." Yuan Chenyang lowered his head helplessly.
"Bullshit!" Xia Hanshi was displeased. "He is my student; of course I will treat him kindly. Do you even need to say that?"
The Chief Inquisitor grew sowhat impatient. "Alright, since you're back, Yang Yan, inform him of all the recent events so he can take over the handling of matters."
Yang Yan, who had been stiff as a wooden post, finally stepped forward to narrate the details ticulously.
Yuan Chenyang's complexion, which hadn't been very good to begin with, gradually alternated between turning green and white.
"A Priest of Black Buddha actually ca? Just what exactly is present in Nanfeng City?"
"What... a Statue of Black Buddha!? They are preparing to summon an Evil God Vessel!"
"For Elder Xia to take action himself, how did he still let him escape..." Yuan Chenyang paused, swallowing the second half of his sentence.
'What the fuck kind of fine ss is this?'
'If this isn't handled properly, the entirety of Nanfeng City will be wiped out. What use would I have for this City Lord position then?'
Watching Yuan Chenyang's rapidly changing expressions, Zhang Hongbo's mood grew even more comfortable.
"Rest assured, if any real problems occur, we will just toss Zhang Hongbo out to take the fall. You won't be implicated." Xia Hanshi stated it just as bluntly. "After all, his younger brother cannot shirk the bla for this."
"Seeing as you gave face regarding Su Chen, I will help you."
Zhang Hongbo's expression completely froze.
Yuan Chenyang blanked slightly, his state of mind becoming very subtle. He hadn't expected Xia Hanshi's considerations to be so comprehensive.
'Was it because Su Chen suited his tastes so perfectly that he also grew fond of those related to him?'
'A teacher honored because of his student? Why does this feel so strange...?'
Yuan Chenyang quickly entered a working state, reviewing the previous docunts.
Xia Hanshi disappeared silently once more.
"...Transfer Su Chen to the North City Branch..." The newly instated City Lord Yuan soon found a transfer order, imdiately looking up and shouting angrily, "Zhang Hongbo, you've gone too far. Who gave you permission to use Su Chen as bait!?"
"And therefore, I have paid the price." Zhang Hongbo's reaction was very mild. He cast a deep look at Yuan Chenyang: "Old Yuan, you truly concealed it deeply. A Double Red Gold... yet you simply left him here in Nanfeng without caring for him."
The enraged Yuan Chenyang instantly froze. "D-Double... Red Gold?"
By the ti he snapped back to his senses, Zhang Hongbo had already left. His voice drifted faintly from the doorway, "Go inside. City Lord Yuan is waiting for you."
The next mont, Su Chen walked in.
Yuan Chenyang's expression beca complicated, desiring to speak but holding back.
Sensing the sowhat subtle atmosphere, Su Chen couldn't help but speak up first: "Teacher, sorry..."
"Sigh." Yuan Chenyang let out a sigh. "It was my incompetence. I failed to protect you."
'Uh...' Su Chen was slightly taken aback. He still wanted to say sorry to Yuan Chenyang.
Yuan Chenyang stood up from behind the desk, the door closing automatically. He forced a bitter smile: "I didn't expect the one to co this ti would be Elder Xia. It has been hard on you."
Taking over the position of City Lord made Yuan Chenyang feel as though he had only obtained all this by selling Su Chen out.
"It's not that bad. I feel Elder Xia is actually quite a decent person." Su Chen felt that others had a sort of misunderstanding about Old Xia. It was probably just because Old Xia's way of doing things was undeniably unconventional.
Yuan Chenyang couldn't help but ponder and deliberate: "I have been away from Yingfeng for a long ti. The information regarding this Chief Inquisitor is mostly rumors. Perhaps they truly are just spreading falsehoods."
"Perhaps, for you, it indeed isn't a bad thing. Your future prospects will be even broader."
Su Chen instantly said solemnly, "Teacher, everything you have done, I will engrave in my heart."
Yuan Chenyang felt gratified. "I didn't misjudge you."
He then continued to caution: "Rember this. You can learn from Elder Xia in other aspects, but when it cos to his style of handling matters, try your best to avoid it."
"Understood," Su Chen nodded earnestly.
Yuan Chenyang wasn't soone to dwell excessively on things either, shifting to casually chatting with Su Chen and couldn't help but complain:
"That bastard Zhang Hongbo dumped such a huge ss on . The Priest and the Statue of Black Buddha are still out there on the run. I'm terrified that the sky will suddenly turn dark and Black Buddha will just descend like that."
"Rest assured, we will definitely find them," Su Chen consoled.
"I hope so..." Yuan Chenyang uttered a prayer, then smoothly transitioned: "I am going to take over as City Lord. What do you think about having Du Jingming take over the position of Minister of Supervision?"
Du Jingming... was Du Yu's father. Understanding dawned on Su Chen, and he replied, "You can make the decision yourself."
Actually, the person Yuan Chenyang was asking wasn't him, but Xia Hanshi.
However, Su Chen considered for a mont and added, "Since Du Jingming is becoming the Minister, doesn't that leave a Vice Minister position empty?"
"What do you an?" Yuan Chenyang looked over.
"Brother Sun... Sun Tai." Su Chen said, "The clue regarding the Central Trade Depository was spoken out by Sun Tai while resisting Zhang Hongbo's pressure."
Fatty Sun couldn't very well bring up this kind of rit himself, so Su Chen naturally did it on his behalf.
"So that's how it is." Yuan Chenyang naturally didn't object; that was his old subordinate after all. He pondered and said, "Sun Tai is also very senior in terms of qualifications. Although he lacks a bit, with you acting as his guarantor, it shouldn't be a major problem."
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