You've already caught the embroidered ball, and you still say it's not my husband?

It turns out that this group of thugs caused trouble at the noodle shop at the behest of Manager Pei!

Throughout history, business competition, or rather, the means of making profits, has always been this simple (and despicable)!

Manager Pei was furious.

The scarred man and his gang of thugs were all his "vicious dogs," doing his dirty work for him in countless shady dealings, such as causing trouble at other shops and extorting money...

Didn't they all swear to be loyal to him and never admit their guilt even if they were captured or beaten to death?

Now, Zhao Guang just brandished a knife to scare them, and before he even chopped off the bird, they'd already confessed!

"What a piece of trash!"

Manager Pei was so angry that he gritted his teeth and cursed.

Now, being escorted by two constables, he panicked and shouted angrily, "Zhao Guang, how dare you! If you dare arrest me, be careful your official hat won't be on your head tomorrow!"

Upon hearing this, all the constables were taken aback.

The people around were whispering among themselves, and some of them already looked worried.

Manager Pei is a local tycoon who is not only wealthy but also has a beautiful daughter who was taken as a concubine by Magistrate Lou last year!

The network of relationships in the county town is like the roots of a tree, intertwined and complex. By connecting one person, you can uncover a whole host of relatives and old friends!

Manager Pei is related to the county magistrate by marriage; he's the father-in-law of Magistrate Lou! (Although he's not even as old as Magistrate Lou.)

In Qingyang County, this identity is like a "protective talisman," or even a "get-out-of-jail-free card"!

Who would dare to provoke or offend them?

Even if Zhao Guang is the head constable of the county government, if he really arrests Manager Pei and throws him in jail, wouldn't Manager Pei's daughter find out and whisper in Magistrate Lou's ear at night, and he would still suffer the consequences?

Even being dismissed is a possibility!

The constables were already somewhat terrified...

"Hmph, good that you know. Now let me go!"

Manager Pei sneered smugly.

The two constables who were holding him became increasingly nervous, their hands trembling slightly, and they subconsciously looked at Zhao Guang.

But Zhao Guang's face was cold and resolute!

Zhao Guang knew Manager Pei's identity from the beginning, but he still arrested him without hesitation...

"Boss, I think maybe we should... forget about it?"

Li Du was in a panic. Manager Pei was Magistrate Lou's father-in-law, and he was really not someone to mess with. If Magistrate Lou was angered, no one would have a good outcome.

Li Du didn't want Zhao Guang and the others to be implicated because of the noodle shop incident.

Why don't we just downplay this and release Manager Pei, only arresting these thugs and teaching them a lesson?

This way, both sides can save face...

Just then, a loud shout came from the front of the street: "Officer Zhao, what crime has my father committed that you want to arrest him?"

A heavily made-up woman in a blue dress appeared. The woman was quite young, even younger than Lu Qingqing. She was accompanied by a maid carrying a bamboo basket filled with rouge and face powder...

The county town is really small!

The woman in green was none other than Manager Pei's daughter and the county magistrate's sixth concubine!

This morning, she and her maid went out shopping. They had just finished buying things at a cosmetics shop when they heard a commotion on the street below, near their own luxurious restaurant.

When she came downstairs and saw what was happening, she almost fainted – Zhao Guang had arrested her father.

"My daughter, my daughter!"

Upon seeing his daughter appear, Manager Pei was overjoyed and his face became even more smug and fearless.

Li Du and the other junior constables were even more on edge, sweating profusely!

Zhao Guang's expression remained unchanged.

He clasped his hands in a respectful greeting to the woman in blue, his tone neither servile nor arrogant, "Madam, Manager Pei instigated this group of thugs to cause trouble in the shop, suspected of extortion..."

"This is clearly a bunch of thugs spouting nonsense!"

The woman in green interrupted Zhao Guang.

Turning her gaze to the scarred man and his thugs, she shouted angrily, "How dare you! You committed the crime yourselves and then framed my father! What is your punishment?!"

The local thugs certainly knew what the woman in blue meant.

They need to be made scapegoats, confess their crimes, admit to framing others, and take the blame for all the offenses!

The woman in green could then rightfully and legitimately ask Zhao Guang to release her father!

The thugs are suffering!

But they were just a pack of vicious dogs kept by Manager Pei. They could bully ordinary people, but they had only revealed their master because they were forced to do so to protect the birds. How could they dare to truly offend Manager Pei and the "concubine of the county magistrate" in front of them?

"Yes, yes, we caused trouble at the noodle shop and even framed Manager Pei out of madness! We are guilty!"

"We did it all; it has nothing to do with Manager Pei!"

The thugs admitted that they had framed Manager Pei.

"That's right, I'm innocent. Zhao Guang, why don't you release me now?" Manager Pei urged with a cold smile.

Zhao Guang frowned slightly.

The other constables looked at Zhao Guang nervously and anxiously, waiting for orders.

Many of the onlookers were already shaking their heads and sighing.

They could all see what was going on, but no one dared to interfere, expose it, or protest...

Zhao Guang started working as a constable at the age of fifteen and served as a head constable for nearly ten years. He was not "stubborn and inflexible." In the past, when he encountered certain helpless situations, he usually had no choice but to deal with them in this way.

but!

Today is different!

He merely frowned slightly, and without any hesitation, shook his head directly, "Madam, I am afraid I cannot comply."

What?!

Zhao Guang actually refused to release him!

Even with the county magistrate's concubine intervening, and even with the local thugs taking the blame, Zhao Guang still refused to release Manager Pei!

"Zhao Guang, you...you have such audacity!" The woman in green glared angrily, trembling with rage.

"So stubborn! Zhao Guang, have you lost your mind? Let me go! Or you'll regret it!" Manager Pei cursed in frustration, spitting everywhere.

Zhao Guang remained unmoved!

Glug~

Li Du and the other junior constables couldn't help but swallow hard, exchanging bewildered glances.

I rely on!

Is the boss being this tough today?

They took down Manager Pei without hesitation, and even when Magistrate Lou's beloved concubine came, they weren't afraid and showed her no mercy!

"Did the boss really take the wrong medicine today?"

Li Du and the others couldn't help but have the same doubts.

The surrounding people were also taken aback.

They all assumed that Zhao Guang would release Manager Pei, as it seemed normal and expected that he would do so.

Most of them could understand that Constable Zhao Guang was not in control of his own destiny...

But Zhao Guang's attitude was very tough today.

They just won't release them!

Why?

It's very simple. Manager Pei is the culprit. He instigated the thugs to cause trouble at the noodle shop, which angered Lu Xuan's sister!

They must be severely punished!

There is absolutely no room for negotiation!

It doesn't matter who comes!

In particular, Lu Xuan helped Zhao Guang heal his sister yesterday, giving her a new lease on life so she can live like an ordinary person from now on...

He also gave his sister a talisman to ensure her safety!

Zhao Guang swore to repay Lu Xuan, and he and Li Du were like brothers, even though they were not related by blood. So, Lu Qingqing was Zhao Guang's... sister-in-law?

There was trouble at his younger brother's and sister-in-law's noodle shop. How could he, as the older brother, tolerate it?

I can't stand even a little bit!

Moreover.

His younger sister had recovered from her illness and had a talisman to protect her, while Zhao Guang was still unmarried and all alone...

All buffs are fully stacked!

Zhao Guang has no weaknesses left!

A man without weaknesses is terrifyingly strong!

He wanted to arrest Manager Pei, who caused the accident, and punish him severely!

Even if the county magistrate blamed him afterward and wanted to dismiss him from his post, he had no regrets and no fear!

With his Qi Refining Realm skills, finding a job wouldn't be difficult, and walnuts aren't that expensive...

What do I, Zhao Guang, have to fear?

"Take them back!"

"If the county magistrate blames me, I will take full responsibility!"

With a wave of his hand, Zhao Guang ordered the shopkeeper, the scarred man, and a group of thugs to be escorted back to the county government office in front of the young woman...

Lu Qingqing slumped down in front of the shop, utterly dejected, muttering repeatedly, "It's all over, it's all over. The noodle shop is definitely not going to stay open this time, and I've dragged my husband and Lord Zhao down with me..."

Lu Qingqing felt as if the sky had fallen.

I never imagined that my simple desire to open a noodle shop would lead to such a huge disaster.

Having "provoked" Manager Pei and Magistrate Lou's beloved concubine, it's easy to imagine that he'd be in deep trouble.

Not only will the noodle shop likely have to close down, but even the jobs of Li Du and Zhao Guang may be at risk!

She was heartbroken and filled with self-blame. If only she hadn't opened the noodle shop, and had just stayed unemployed, she could have managed to get by, and things wouldn't be this bad...