"How dare you!"
Feng Wuxing was instantly enraged, raising his hand to strike with a palm towards Su Yunying's face.
Bang!
The two palms collided, and Feng Wuxing was immediately knocked back, crashing through a wall.
"Oh... I really didn't use much strength."
Su Yunying looked at Shen Zhao with an innocent expression.
Shen Zhao rolled his eyes at her. Isn't that obvious? You're nearly a Rank 6 Soul Sea Realm cultivator, blessed with the Mysterious Phoenix Bloodline. Wouldn't taking down someone in the Nascent Yuan Realm be a complete stomp?
Also…
You ruined my chance to show off again.
This employee is no good. I need to go back and properly train her, or who knows, she might try to climb all over me someday.
The Pang Family was completely stunned by this scene, so shocked they couldn't even manage a fart for a long time.
Pang Yang didn't dare to have any thoughts about Su Yunying anymore. With her strength, she could make him start practicing "How to be Reincarnated into a Good Family" with a flick of a finger.
As for the others at the banquet, they were left wanting more, unable to say a word.
However, the Pang Family servants and the butler Pang Da, who had been taught a lesson by Shen Zhao yesterday, immediately revealed looks of admiration.
Pang Da immediately said arrogantly to everyone, "See that? This is the Public Arbitration Council's foundation. How can a small Tai Chu Peak compare?"
Then, he pointed at the Pang Family members with his head held high, looking aloof, "You think your Pang Family can cover the sky with one hand? Little do you know, the sky is far wider than you imagine."
Judging by his tone and attitude, one would think Pang Da was the one who defeated Feng Wuxing.
Yan Shufen's face instantly turned the color of a pig's liver. She knew she had kicked a hornet's nest today, and it was possible her entire family would be wiped out. Her heart leaped into her throat.
Pang Hu's pants were soaked, and he looked at Shen Zhao with a strange, mocking expression.
Shen Zhao cracked his neck and spoke, "Patriarch Pang, you have violated your previous promise to the Public Arbitration Council. The Public Arbitration Council never tolerates those who are untrustworthy.
Therefore, to set an example for the entire Immortal Martial Continent, I'm afraid things won't end well for your Pang Family today."
Pang Hu was shocked, "No, please, Immortal Master, give my Pang Family another chance. I am willing to compensate you double. Please, Immortal Master."
Yan Shufen also pleaded desperately, "Immortal, it's not easy for our Pang Family to be where we are today. Please, spare the Pang Family this once."
Shen Zhao was about to speak when Pang Da stepped forward, slapping Pang Hu and Yan Shufen directly across the face. "Now you know you're wrong? Why didn't you realize this sooner?"
"You dog slave, I..."
Slap!
Before Pang Hu could finish, Pang Da slapped him again.
"You dare to boast even when death is upon you? It seems you have no self-awareness at all."
"You..."
Slap!
"You still dare to speak? Are you defying the heavens?"
"I..."
Slap!
"What 'I' are you talking about? Facing death, do you still have the gall to speak?"
The next moment, the Pang Family all knelt, their arrogant and overbearing attitudes gone.
"Immortal Grandpa, are you satisfied with how your little one handled things?"
Shen Zhao was speechless. In Pang Da, this standard yes-man, he fully understood what it meant to be a "liberated serf singing songs."
In this situation, Shen Zhao had nothing to say, and directly slapped Pang Da across the face.
"You've hogged all the limelight. Have you even considered how I feel?"
Pang Da, after being slapped, didn't seem angry at all. Instead, he wore an expression of pure enjoyment, clutching his cheek with the five-fingered imprint and said with satisfaction:
"Truly incredible! Being struck by a divine grandfather like this, the shackles within me seem to have loosened a bit. From now on, my Pang Family will surely have a place on the Immortal Martial Continent."
Everyone: ???
Is this guy greedy or just plain stupid?
Shen Zhao was moved by Pang Da's shamelessness.
So, he just threw him out the door.
"Patriarch Pang, it seems impossible to settle this peacefully. But I'm still willing to give you a chance. As long as you compensate ten times the penalty as agreed, I can consider letting your family go."
"Huh? Ten times?"
"What, you have a problem with that?"
"But… I really can't come up with that much…"
"Looks like this Pang Family is determined to go head-to-head with the Public Arbitration Council."
"No, no, no, that's not what I mean. Please, Immortal Master, don't misunderstand."
"Then what do you mean?"
"I'd like to ask the Immortal Master to give us a few more days."
"A few more days? To let you find those useless people to back up your Pang Family? Heh, I advise you to drop those petty schemes,
"Even if you called the Profound Heaven Empress and the Luo God Empress, you still wouldn't be able to save your Pang Family. Not even Jesus could stop it, I'm telling you!"
Pang Hu was utterly speechless. After a moment of thought, he decided to pay to avoid disaster.
After all, compared to the fate of the Pang Family, losing some money wasn't a big deal, was it? As long as they stayed alive, there would always be a chance to earn it back.
Soon, a large pile of priceless treasures were displayed in the living room, causing everyone present to widen their eyes.
They had imagined that the Pang Family might be wealthy, but they truly hadn't expected them to be so unbelievably rich.
Ding Bu'er greedily sized up the pile of treasures in front of him, wishing he could instantly claim them for himself.
Gu Jingyan, who was standing at a distance, also wore a frosty expression.
He knew that the Pang Family, based on their family background alone, could not possibly possess so much wealth. It must have been obtained through plundering and accepting bribes.
"Immortal Master, this is all the Pang Family's property, please… take it…"
Pang Hu's face was filled with reluctance, and his voice trembled.
"No, that's not right! Father, this is all the Pang Family's property! We can't give it to an outsider."
Pang Feiyan suddenly stood in front of these treasures, preventing Shen Zhao from touching them.
"Feiyan! Get out of the way!"
Yan Shufen and Pang Hu spoke almost simultaneously, fearing that Pang Feiyan's actions would directly anger Shen Zhao and bring disaster to the Pang Family.
But Pang Feiyan ignored them, and said to Wang Shifan: "Young Master Wang, please, save my Pang Family!"
Her tearful appearance made her seem exceptionally charming.
If it were any other time, Wang Shifan would have wanted to scoop her up and get intimate the moment he saw her like that.
But now, he knew he couldn't let his lower body control his brain anymore; it would only drag him down.
So, he roared, "Your Pang Family offended the Immortal Master and brought this upon yourselves. Don't you dare try to drag my Wang Family into this mess."
Without waiting to see the look of disbelief on Pang Feiyan's face, he immediately turned to Shen Zhao and said, "Immortal Master, this lowly one remembers there are matters to attend to at home, so I will take my leave."
"Young Master Wang, is it? I almost forgot about you. Since you're here, you'll stay as well. This matter concerns you too."
Wang Shifan was instantly startled. In just a few seconds of daze, he had already cursed that slut Pang Feiyan a thousand times over in his heart.
If Pang Feiyan hadn't stopped him, how would Shen Zhao have noticed him?
It's all because of that bitch! Once I get through this, I'll see how I deal with you.
He turned around, forcing a smile that was uglier than a cry, and asked, "Immortal Master, what are your instructions?"
"You stay here for now. We'll talk about our business later."
Then, he turned to the guests, "And you all, if I find out any of you try to sneak away, I can't guarantee what will happen to your families."
Pang Da, who had just entered the living room, heard this and immediately, without a word, ordered, "Men, surround the Pang Family inside and out! Don't let a single fly escape!"
Soon, the Pang Family's guards quickly blocked the entrances and exits of the living room.
After everything was taken care of, Shen Zhao didn't bother with Pang Feiyan, who was protecting the family's treasure. Instead, he turned towards Gu Jingyan and said, "Lord Gu, I've stabilized the situation for you. Isn't it time for you to say a few words?"
Gu Jingyan was taken aback, then stood up and came before Shen Zhao, cupping his hands in thanks. "Thank you, Immortal Master. I am here under the Emperor's orders to investigate the burning of the seven prefectures' granaries.
However, it seems that even if we don't find evidence of the grain burning, these crimes alone are enough to uproot the Pang Family."
Shen Zhao shook his head. "One must see things through. The grain burning case and the corruption case must be investigated separately. Even if we die, we must give the world justice."
Gu Jingyan sighed. "It's a pity, but I haven't found any clues so far."
"Then let me make a deal with you."
"What deal?"
"I'll help you investigate the mastermind behind the grain burning case, but I must take half of the assets of those involved. Of course, all of the Pang Family's assets must be at my disposal."
"This..."
"What are you hesitating about?"
"I'm afraid it won't be easy to explain to His Majesty."
"What's there to explain? You solved the arson case, so you'll only rise in the ranks when you return. As for the corruption case, it's not within your jurisdiction. As long as you report back truthfully, the Emperor won't make things difficult for you."
"So, what do you plan to do?"
"We'll take the people to the back courtyard, and I'll interrogate them personally. I'll give you a satisfactory answer within half a day!"
Gu Jingyan only hesitated for a moment before agreeing: "Alright, I agree."
Shen Zhao breathed a sigh of relief and gave Gu Jingyan an approving look.
The reason he wanted to help Gu Jingyan was actually because Shen Zhao had his own selfish motives.
Gu Jingyan was Yu Xiyan's cousin, and in his previous life, after he married Yu Xiyan, Gu Jingyan had taken good care of him.
To be precise, other than Yu Xiyan, whether it was the Empress Dowager Gu's family or the Yu imperial clan, they all genuinely hoped that he and Yu Xiyan would grow old together, never looking down on him because of his humble background.
Especially Gu Jingyan. In his previous life, when Yu Xiyan had hurt him so badly that he could barely go on, Gu Jingyan would always come to his side with a pot of wine and comfort him.
When Shen Zhao was away on an expedition, and Lin Feng and Yu Xiyan were traveling in the suburbs like a couple, it was still Gu Jingyan who rushed to Yu Xiyan and sternly questioned:
"Xiyan, do you know what you are doing? Shen Zhao is risking his life to fight for the Great Yin Dynasty, and you are frolicking with that good-for-nothing?
You are the ruler of a country, the wife of Shen Zhao! Are you being fair to him? Haven't you noticed that Shen Zhao hasn't smiled in the past few years?
He wasn't like this before. If you really don't love Shen Zhao, then please, let him go quickly, don't torment him anymore, okay?"
It was such a good brother who stood by him time and time again to protect him when he was at his most difficult and helpless.
However, in the end, Gu Jingyan mysteriously drowned and died at the age of thirty-five.
In this life, Shen Zhao, who could control his own destiny, planned to help this good brother who had never abandoned him in nine lifetimes.
-----------------------
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