Chapter 149 - 108: Domineering
Such a thing was far from impossible.
Jiang Ran was a Transmigrator and a man of the martial world. He would never believe that the Court represented absolute justice.
Although his system was based on official warrants, requiring him to hunt down people for rewards, that was merely the system’s logic and mechanics. It didn’t represent Jiang Ran’s own stance or his sense of right and wrong.
Therefore, the first thing he thought when he saw the wanted list was, ’How much of this is true, and how much is false? How many of these bounties are just personal vendettas disguised as official business?’
Or perhaps...
’...the Sword Holding Department was created just so the Court could eliminate those in the martial world who wouldn’t toe the line.’
When he first learned of the Sword Holding Department and the Assassin’s Order, the thought that came to Jiang Ran’s mind was to ’fight fire with fire.’
The martial world had been in turmoil for years, with troublemakers causing havoc everywhere.
It was understandable that the Court would resort to such a method.
Since Jiang Ran had his system, he wasn’t exactly thrilled about this state of affairs, but he hadn’t thought it concerned him much either.
But the appearance of this list gave him pause.
He could kill, but he was unwilling to become a blade wielded by another.
He wouldn’t kill the innocent, even if there were rewards to be gained.
That was his bottom line.
But he could think about that later. For now, no matter how he looked at it, the Sun and Moon Lords had to die.
’Either they die, or I die.’
’Or the old drunkard dies.’
Ever since the old drunkard had severed their arms with a single slash twenty years ago, this feud could only end with one side dead.
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Jiang Ran looked up at Chang Nian and asked with a smile,
"Where’s Dao Wuming?"
"He’s already gone."
Chang Nian chuckled.
"He comes and goes like the wind. When he arrives, I don’t know where he came from, and when he leaves, I don’t know where he’s going."
Jiang Ran nodded and didn’t ask again.
Just then, a government constable approached with a tray laden with silver notes.
"Count it, if you please."
Seeing this, Chang Nian gestured for the constable to present the silver notes to Jiang Ran.
Jiang Ran nodded and took the tray.
The next moment, a flood of notifications appeared before his eyes.
He didn’t have time to examine them closely, so he mentally dismissed the system interface.
He took the silver notes and counted them. The total was nineteen thousand, six hundred silver.
Chang Nian watched him count, his eyes wide with longing.
When Jiang Ran finally tucked all the silver notes into his robes, Chang Nian looked utterly dejected.
Jiang Ran chuckled at the sight.
"Well, our business here is concluded. I shall take my leave."
Ye Jingshuang promptly rose to leave as well.
Chang Nian forced a smile and said,
"What’s the hurry? Why not stay for a simple meal?
"However, the magistrate’s office is out of funds at the moment. I trust you two won’t mind some coarse tea and simple fare?"
"We wouldn’t mind at all, of course."
Jiang Ran said with a laugh,
"It’s just that I have a craving for meat today. We’ll impose on Lord Chang some other time."
"..."
Chang Nian was left speechless. He could only stand and see his guests out.
He watched them go until they were out of the Benma County Magistrate’s Office, then reluctantly turned back. It felt as though it wasn’t Jiang Ran who had walked away, but piles of gleaming silver.
Fortunately, the money wasn’t gone for good. Once he detailed the events and had the identities of the heads verified, the Court would transfer the funds from the National Treasury to reimburse the Benma County Magistrate’s Office.
Still, it was hard to say how much would actually end up in his hands after passing through so many departments, with each taking its cut.
Chang Nian felt another pang of anguish at the thought.
Jiang Ran, on the other hand, was in a good mood. He and Ye Jingshuang didn’t go directly back to the inn, but first went to Master Ma’s place.
His belongings were there, and he needed a change of clothes. The garish outfit he was wearing had been to blend in with the crowd from Heterodox Manor.
At that time, Tong Wanli and his group entered the Valley of Rebirth first, followed by the people from Heterodox Manor.
Jiang Ran had been hiding nearby, waiting for the Heterodox Manor group to arrive before slipping unnoticed into their ranks.
This was the only way to be certain when he would run into Tong Wanli and his men.
He had to avoid a situation where they didn’t fight on sight, and instead cleared things up with a few words. That would have rendered his entire performance pointless.
The fact that they had attacked each other on sight was all thanks to that first thing Jiang Ran had said.
Now that the job was done, it was time to change back into his own clothes.
Jiang Ran tossed the silver notes into his travel bundle and rummaged through it for a moment. He was starting to feel genuinely rich.
After the affair in Cangzhou Prefecture, Jiang Ran had earned thirteen thousand, five hundred silver.
Now he had another nineteen thousand, six hundred, and that was on top of all the smaller amounts he’d collected before.
It was no exaggeration to say he was now a man of immense wealth!
Besides, he still had two heads in his possession.
To turn in the heads of Dugu Yu and Yin Yue, however, he couldn’t do it at this magistrate’s office.
He had to go somewhere else.
The closest location was in Cangzhou Prefecture.
On his way back to the Ye family, he could take a detour through Cangzhou Prefecture and settle the matter.
As for the nineteen thousand-odd silver, Jiang Ran didn’t plan to keep it all for himself.
After all, Li Tianxin and the others had helped him with this job.
It wouldn’t be right not to share some of the silver with them.
After getting his things in order, Jiang Ran led Ye Jingshuang to the inn.
As they entered, they saw Li Tianxin sitting by himself. He was sipping from a wine cup, using his chopsticks to pick up a single peanut to accompany his drink, looking utterly content.