Chapter 175: Chapter 171: Master Jiang Saves Me
Looking at the once arrogant and unyielding Master Shen of the Miaodan Workshop, now bowing and scraping before him,

Jiang Cheng couldn’t help but sigh.

Life was so unpredictable, he had never imagined that a cultivator at the Core Formation Stage, a third-tier Pill Master, would one day kneel before him.

However, Jiang Cheng was not the type to kick someone when they were down, nor did he enjoy flattery from others.

Honesty and mutual aid were the principles that Jiang Cheng had always abided by.

Jiang Cheng said earnestly, “Senior Shen, I actually prefer your previous defiant demeanor, please revert to that.”

Shen Mi was taken aback, he looked at Jiang Cheng’s earnest and serious expression, but what he heard was the language of extreme irony.

He couldn’t even discern Jiang Cheng’s true intention.

Is Jiang Cheng mocking me? Or does he really want me to stand up and speak properly?

Once, Shen Mi’s subordinates would ponder over his words for a long time. Now, however, he had to carefully gauge Jiang Cheng’s meaning, fearing the slightest mistake.

“Senior Shen,” Jiang Cheng said helplessly, “let’s not talk about asking for help yet. If you come to me, you at least have to tell me what you’ve done, right? I’m just a freshman in the Talisman Department, I can’t predict the future.”

Shen Mi, hearing these words, thought there might be a chance.

He quickly shared his suspicions, that the fruit trees might have uprooted a princely tomb, without omitting a single detail to Jiang Cheng.

After listening, Jiang Cheng, without joking, said, “Senior, let’s not even talk about the crime of insulting the imperial family in the legal code. Just the charge of endangering national security alone, the tombs are generally linked to the nation’s destiny. If you’ve dug up the tombs, the imperial family of Great Liang can fully charge you with endangering national security.”

Shen Mi was well aware of everything Jiang Cheng said. No matter what the charge was, the royal family whose tombs were disturbed would never let him off.

He quickly asked, “So, is there any hope for me?”

Jiang Cheng said bluntly, “No, there isn’t.”

To have dug up the ancestral graves of the royal family and still expect to live was purely wishful thinking.

In the current situation, unless Shen Mi himself was an ancestor of the Great Liang imperial family, there was simply no chance at all.

Of course, even if he wanted to be an ancestor, it wouldn’t matter.

The Great Liang imperial family would have to kill him no matter what.

When Shen Mi heard Jiang Cheng’s verdict, his already unstable mind faltered once again, and his knees softened for the second time, kneeling in front of Jiang Cheng.

“Jiang Cheng, Master Jiang, please show me a clear path!”

Jiang Cheng thought for a moment and then said, “There is a way out, do you really want to know?”

As soon as Shen Mi heard that Jiang Cheng was willing to help, he immediately knocked his head on the floor in gratitude.

“Master Jiang, as long as you can save the Shen Family, I, Shen Mi, will from now on follow your lead! From this day onward, your word is law in my household!”

Jiang Cheng, flattered, said, “Senior Shen, that’s not necessary, it is just a simple effort. Every good-hearted citizen of Capital City would be willing to help just like me.”

Shen Mi was shocked to hear this!

A simple effort?

To stifle the imperial family’s rage was just a simple effort for Jiang Cheng?

No wonder he could draw such heaven-defying Talismans!

His background was unimaginably powerful!

Shen Mi now regretted it to his guts. If he had initially bought Talismans from Jiang Cheng and used them properly, with Jiang Cheng taking the lead, would his family and the Miaodan Workshop have fallen to such dire straits?

But it was not too late to realize this!

As long as he clung to Master Jiang’s coattails, there would be no lack of opportunities to turn things around!

Shen Mi looked at Jiang Cheng expectantly, waiting to see how he would “effortlessly quell the imperial family’s fury.”

He watched as Jiang Cheng calmly took out a communication talisman and dialled a number.

“Hello? Yes, I am a concerned citizen, currently at 30 Block, 1134 Room, Ming’an District in Jade Lake. Right, right, the Master Shen of the Miaodan Workshop is currently at my place. Yep. His fruit trees have uprooted a princely tomb, yes, he is prepared to turn himself in now, you should hurry over to arrest him. Okay, okay.”

After making the report with the communication talisman, Jiang Cheng patted Shen Mi’s shoulder with a meaningful gesture.

“Master Shen, don’t worry, I’ve already turned you in myself, and the Six Fan Gate is on its way. Remember, once you go in, you must cooperate fully with the government’s investigation. Speak the truth about what you know and don’t try to be too clever. Leniency for those who confess, severity for those who resist—aim for a more lenient treatment.”

Shen Mi: ???

I literally just kowtowed to you, and you turn around and sell me out?

Shen Mi originally wanted to curse out loud, even considering using his Core Formation cultivation to kill Jiang Cheng on the spot and then flee.

But when Shen Mi saw Jiang Cheng’s calm, peaceful, and confident smile, his heart skipped a beat.

Does Jiang Cheng not know that I am at the Core Formation Stage?

Does he not realize that I could snuff out his life in the blink of an eye?

Yet why would he dare to do this in front of me and still wear such a composed smile?

Could it be that he has another move up his sleeve, hence he doesn’t take me seriously at all?

Could it be that Chen Shen of the Blood Fiend Sect and his Core Formation Stage senior brother didn’t actually flee with the money, but were killed by people Jiang Cheng sent after a failed assassination attempt?

Having figured some things out, Shen Mi’s back was already soaked in cold sweat.

Jiang Cheng’s connections are probably not minor.

The biggest mistake Miaodan Workshop made was not offending the royal family, but touching Jiang Cheng’s interests!

Based on these speculations, Shen Mi wasn’t angered by Jiang Cheng “helping him to turn himself in.”

His brain was working rapidly, regarding Jiang Cheng’s words as an imperial edict, analyzing them sentence by sentence.

“Cooperate with the government,” “speak the truth about what you know,” “leniency for those who confess,” “aim for a more lenient treatment”…

Jiang Cheng looked at Shen Mi who had a grim expression and was kneeling motionless on the ground, and he also felt a sense of relief.

If Shen Mi had lost his mind and attacked him then and there, he probably would have been taken down by Snake on the spot.

But if Shen Mi came to his senses, then he would be taken away by the Six Fan Gate to be judged by the law.

As for Shen Mi, the Shen Family, and the Miaodan Workshop, what their respective outcomes would be depended on the roles they each played in the “grave digging at the fruit tree” incident.

Although Jiang Cheng was well-versed in the law, since he only heard Shen Mi’s side of the story, he couldn’t predict the final outcome.

However, Jiang Cheng believed that the government would investigate thoroughly and give Shen Mi a fair verdict.

Jiang Cheng always believed that a person’s greatest background is not having a powerful backer, but justice, righteousness, and the public’s support.

Since the incident happened unexpectedly, and Shen Mi had gotten wind of it in advance through the Nation Duke’s channels, Six Fan Gate hadn’t received any orders to arrest Shen Mi.

However, the matter of “excavating the imperial tomb” was too outrageous, and facing Jiang Cheng’s report, Six Fan Gate couldn’t pretend they hadn’t seen it.

After a brief internal discussion at Six Fan Gate, they decided it was best to act quickly, control Shen Mi first and avoid him escaping secretly, which could lead to failing to capture him in a timely manner and jeopardize the investigation.

As the head of the Miaodan Workshop and the “in-law” of the Nation Duke Mansion, Shen Mi had a certain status in Capital City.

Furthermore, throughout the entire “turning oneself in” process, Shen Mi was quite cooperative, so Six Fan Gate didn’t throw him into a detention cell like an ordinary criminal.

Instead, they found him a resting room within the government office of the Six Fan Gate and let him stay there.

After squatting in the resting room for half a day, Shen Mi suddenly made a request.

“I want to see Prime Minister Qin!”

The arrest officer from Six Fan Gate seemed quite accustomed to Shen Mi’s rhetoric.

He cleaned his ears while saying, “Master Shen, it’s not that I don’t want to help you, but it’s simply impossible to see him. Every three high-ranking individuals we arrest in this government office, one wants to see the Grand Secretary. Even if he knew how to duplicate himself, he couldn’t meet so many important figures, right? If you’d like, I can try to contact the Chief Arrestor for you.”

Half an hour later, the Chief Arrestor of Six Fan Gate in Capital City arrived at Shen Mi’s resting room.

“Lord Shen, you are not charged with any crime at this moment, so there’s no need to be nervous,” the Chief Arrestor said politely.

Shen Mi stared and said, “I want to see Prime Minister Qin!”

“I’m afraid that’s beyond my power,” the Chief Arrestor replied.

“I have records of dozens of court officials accepting bribes! I also have evidence of a Prince committing treason! I want to see Prime Minister Qin!”

The Chief Arrestor was shocked and distressed: Stop shouting, damn it! I don’t want to hear it!