Seeing Lin Ji had no intention of continuing the fight, Zhan Chengfeng's face showed a hint of disappointment.
It's a pity, no lives were lost.
At that moment, Wu Fei hurriedly approached Zhan Chengfeng.
"Sir, you must help me!"
"Step aside, don't you know the cause of this matter in your heart?" Zhan Chengfeng was not like Lin Ji. Regardless of whether you are seriously injured or not, he raised his hand and slapped Wu Fei, leaving him dazed.
After arriving here, he incidentally learned about the situation from the constables on the side.
Facing the town's officials, a group of ordinary constables dared not speak a false word.
It was precisely because of this that Zhan Chengfeng, who knew the origins of the matter, felt quite disgusted with Wu Fei.
"Sir Zhan." Lin Ji also came to Zhan Chengfeng's side and greeted him.
Zhan Chengfeng looked at Lin Ji and asked, "How about it, are you satisfied with this gift from your subordinates?"
"More than satisfied. After I take office, none of these constables who hang around with Wu Fei will be left." Lin Ji smiled.
This group of constables who spent their days with Wu Fei didn't seem like good people.
Lin Ji was not without a sense of justice, but what he couldn't accept was abusing their official positions to bully others. Apart from that, they could do as they pleased, and if they went too far, he would deal with them.
In Qingyang County, his subordinates dared not cause trouble with the common people.
But in Liang City...
By observing a small part, one can infer the whole. Just from the cautious appearance of the innkeeper today, Lin Ji could roughly understand the usual behavior of these constables who hung around with Wu Fei.
Zhan Chengfeng nodded slightly. He didn't care about these trivial matters; when Lin Ji took office, he could do as he pleased.
"Lin Ji, do you know why Wu Fei is targeting you?" Zhan Chengfeng suddenly smiled.
"I do not know, please enlighten me, sir."
"When you went to the capital to report, after killing the ghost general, did you encounter Wu Fei who was sent by me to investigate?"
"That did happen." Lin Ji pondered and nodded, looking at Wu Fei with confusion.
Could it be because he took matters into his own hands and killed the ghost general near Liang City, causing this person to lose face?
"After this kid returned, he claimed to have killed the ghost general himself, with your assistance."
Wu Fei's face instantly lost all color. He didn't know that this matter had long been seen through by Zhan Chengfeng.
Lin Ji couldn't help but laugh.
"Haha, my apologies."
Looking at Wu Fei, Lin Ji teased, "Trying to steal a chicken only to lose the rice, but it's not entirely your fault. Who could have expected that killing a ghost general would lead to such trouble?"
"Blame his lack of integrity and greed!"
Zhan Chengfeng looked coldly at Wu Fei. "Lin Ji has already broken through to the Fourth Realm. He has been diligent and conscientious in Qingyang County. Therefore, not long ago, I recommended his name to the capital as a candidate for the position of Chief Constable of Liangzhou."
"The Fourth Realm? Chief Constable? Him?!" Wu Fei suddenly raised his head and looked at Lin Ji.
The amount of information was too much, and he was a bit overwhelmed.
"Now that he has come to Liang City, he is ready to fill the vacancy of Chief Constable and oversee the affairs of the entire Liangzhou for the Ministry of Heaven. Wu Fei, you were in the wrong from the start, and you dared to be insolent. I should have investigated you for a serious crime, but considering that your cultivation has been crippled, I will only strip you of your official position and send you back to farm."
With just a few words, Zhan Chengfeng pronounced Wu Fei's fate.
Then, he looked at Lin Ji.
"The position of Chief Constable is quite important, and leaving it vacant is not ideal. You will take office tomorrow."
"The former Chief Constable's residence is now yours, and the housekeeper and servants are still there for you to command as you wish."
As soon as he finished speaking, without waiting for Lin Ji's response, Zhan Chengfeng disappeared.
Lin Ji looked at Wu Fei, who was standing beside him in a daze, said nothing, and turned to leave.
This matter was not worth his attention.
Leaving the yamen, Lin Ji followed Zhan Chengfeng's men all the way to the former Chief Constable's residence.
This residence was located in the heart of Liang City, with a grand gate, blue bricks, red tiles, and a pair of majestic stone lions standing at the entrance.
Just by looking at the gate alone, Lin Ji felt that this place was not much inferior to the Prime Minister's residence in the capital.
"So this is the residence of the Chief Constable of Liangzhou, a mere sixth-rank official? The lackeys of Wu Fei who mocked me as a country bumpkin weren't entirely wrong."
After entering the residence, Zhan Chengfeng's men left.
A steward in his forties came forward.
"Sir, I am Li Ying, the steward of your residence."
When he said this, Steward Li appeared somewhat embarrassed and nervous, unsure if the new master would keep him.
Lin Ji was someone who avoided trouble.
Since Zhan Chengfeng dared to leave these people behind, it meant they were trustworthy, and Lin Ji didn't want to bother with them.
He didn't have anything to hide anyway.
"Steward Li, right? My surname is Lin, and like your former master, I am the Chief Constable of Liangzhou."
"Congratulations, sir."
"Don't flatter me. Everything in the house remains the same. Now, go and prepare some food for me, that's all."
With a few words, he sent the steward away, and Lin Ji began to wander around the residence.
Upon entering the gate, there was a screen wall, behind which was a garden. At the end of the garden was a hall for receiving guests.
On either side were paths leading to other courtyards. The entire residence was enveloped in various flowers, pleasing to the eye in this late spring season.
"Quite luxurious," Lin Ji couldn't help but exclaim.
Before long, Steward Li hurriedly found Lin Ji.
"Is the meal ready?" Lin Ji's eyes lit up.
"Sir, there is a visitor."
"A visitor?" Lin Ji frowned. He didn't know anyone in Liang City.
"They must have heard about you coming to take office as Chief Constable and have come to congratulate you," Steward Li explained.
Lin Ji understood, then impatiently waved his hand.
"I won't see anyone."
As soon as he said this, Steward Li didn't move, just wearing a wry smile.
"Sir, the visitors are not simple. It's not good to offend them... You should go and meet them."
"How extraordinary are they?" Lin Ji turned back, somewhat curious.
"Representatives from several major families in the city have come. These families hold important positions in the city, have been in business for many years, and are deeply rooted."
"So, if I don't see them, will they dare to make trouble for me?" Lin Ji sneered. "Let them try to make trouble."
Seeing that Lin Ji was determined not to give face, Steward Li could only helplessly respond.
Lin Ji didn't care about these so-called major families.
Although he was relatively casual with his subordinates and the common people in Qingyang County, it didn't mean he was afraid of trouble.
When Wu Fei provoked him several times, he dared to directly cripple his cultivation. How could the families in Liang City be any different?
He was a cultivator in the Fourth Realm, the Chief Constable of Liangzhou appointed by the Ministry of Heaven! In this vast Liangzhou, apart from Zhan Chengfeng, no one could command him. Even those major sects and families, he could disregard.
"It's best for everyone to get along peacefully. If they come to provoke me for no reason, don't blame me, the new official, for being ruthless and causing trouble for them."