The chief constables of the six branches of Jiangnan Six Gates could almost guess the purpose of Yin Ji,the inspector,coming here:to snatch power and assert authority.
Although Yin Ji had some backing from above,even creating a title like inspector,the others still didn't believe he could succeed.
Su Xin's reputation in Jiangnan Six Gates was simply too high.
People like Zheng Tianhe,who used to be chief constables of the Six Gates,had long been frightened by Su Xin's previous massacre and dared not harbor any thoughts of rebellion.As for those former bandits turned constables,they had been won over by a combination of rewards and threats from Su Xin.Apart from those driven purely by greed,hardly anyone dared to oppose him.
So when Yin Ji arrived on the first day,not a single person dared to show any inclination to support him.Even his sudden visit to Zheng Tianhe was enough to startle the latter,fearing that others might see and report to Su Xin.
Zheng Tianhe bowed respectfully to Yin Ji and said,"Mr.Yin,I urge you to leave.Su Chief Constable's influence in Jiangnan Six Gates is beyond what you can imagine.Your visit has not brought joy to me;it has only brought anxiety."
Yin Ji shook his head and replied,"Chief Constable Zheng,you are being overly cautious.Su Xin is only the chief constable of Jiangnan Six Gates,not the chief constable of all Six Gates.There are plenty of people above him who can rein him in.What are you afraid of?"
Zheng Tianhe smiled bitterly."I appreciate your consideration,Mr.Yin,but I know my place.I understand that I have no qualifications to participate in the power struggles of the Six Gates,nor do I dare to.So,Mr.Yin,I must ask you to leave."
Yin Ji said lightly,"What if I can ensure your safety?You all know that Su Xin has the support of the Iron Family behind him,but I am not without support either.Liu Fengwu,one of the Four Great Divine Constables,is my master.If I make up my mind to protect you,Su Xin wouldn't dare touch you."
Although Yin Ji said this,Zheng Tianhe remained unmoved.He had no power or foundation in Jiangnan Six Gates now.Facing Su Xin,he had no chance of winning.It was better not to get involved with him.
Though Zheng Tianhe harbored some resentment towards Su Xin for what happened last time,the scene of Su Xin's bloody purge had truly frightened him.After decades in the Six Gates,even individuals as powerful as Chen Bai and Wang Jingping were at Su Xin's mercy.Zheng Tianhe couldn't believe he would escape unscathed in front of Su Xin.
Seeing Zheng Tianhe's demeanor,Yin Ji couldn't help but sigh."Chief Constable Zheng,you still don't understand.I didn't come here just for myself;I'm also here for your own good.As I said,I'm here to give you a surprise."
Before Zheng Tianhe could refuse,Yin Ji continued,"Chief Constable Zheng,considering your current situation,staying under Su Xin's command will not end well for you.This is not an exaggeration,but information I have gathered.You may be an old member of the Six Gates,but that doesn't necessarily mean you have Su Xin's favor.When Su Xin first arrived in Jiangnan Six Gates,if you had sided with him,you might have had a chance.But look at his entourage now.Do you think you stand a chance?"
Zheng Tianhe fell silent.He was not yet fifty years old and still in his prime with his cultivation in the Divine Palace realm.He had indeed harbored hopes of becoming a deputy chief constable,but given the current situation,it seemed unlikely.
Yin Ji continued,"Moreover,Chief Constable Zheng,I've heard that you didn't fully support Su Xin in the past.Even though Su Xin forgave you for your past actions,I heard that you were punished for withholding rewards from your subordinates who were former bandits.Is that true?Someone who wasn't originally part of Su Xin's faction and had once stood against him,now disobeying his orders and causing trouble...do you think your image in Su Xin's mind is favorable?Jiangnan Six Gates doesn't lack manpower now.Former wandering martial artists used to avoid joining,but with the current prestige of Jiangnan Six Gates,many are attracted.There are probably over a dozen Divine Palace realm martial artists among them.Jiangnan Six Gates has only around seventy or so chief constables.With new recruits eager to join Su Xin or hoping for positions in the provincial capitals,the situation is clear.Do you still think you can hold onto your position?When the time comes,if Su Xin no longer favors you,do you think he won't replace you with someone from his own faction?"
Yin Ji's words made Zheng Tianhe break out in a cold sweat.He knew Yin Ji was trying to manipulate him,but every word Yin Ji spoke struck a chord deep within him.Even the things Yin Ji said would sometimes cause him to worry and overthink.
After a long silence,Zheng Tianhe finally asked,"Mr.Yin,if I help you,can you really guarantee my safety?"
Yin Ji thought to himself,"Got him!"
Zheng Tianhe's question only meant one thing:he was tempted.
Yin Ji chuckled softly,"Each branch of the Six Gates has its own rules.It's not so simple to just eliminate a chief constable of a provincial capital.When I'm not around,he might try to label you as a traitor of the Wu Kingdom,but with me here,no one can harm you.The Six Gates have their rules;to eliminate a chief constable of a provincial capital,there must be concrete evidence.Moreover,by helping me,you won't just avoid the current crisis;as I promised,I'll give you a surprise.You'll be promoted to the position of deputy chief constable.However,given the current situation in Jiangnan,I find it difficult to snatch all the power from Su Xin's hands.But don't worry,if you're not appointed as deputy chief constable in Jiangnan,I can arrange for you to be transferred to another province as a deputy chief constable.I could even arrange for you to be directly transferred to the headquarters of the Six Gates as a Pursuit and Investigation Constable.You know the value of that position;it's where the true elites of the Six Gates reside.Su Xin and I both started as Pursuit and Investigation Constables.Even though your rank won't change when you're transferred,your salary will increase significantly.Moreover,once you break through to the Divine Palace realm,you can use this experience to become a chief constable in any province."
Yin Ji's words sparked a hint of excitement in Zheng Tianhe's eyes.The position of Pursuit and Investigation Constable was indeed tempting.Although the rank of Pursuit and Investigation Constable was similar to that of a chief constable of a provincial capital,the status was different.Those appointed as Pursuit and Investigation Constables had their strength recognized by the higher-ups of the Six Gates.With this experience,they could almost certainly rise to greater heights in the future.It could be said that almost eighty percent of all chief constables of the Six Gates had previously served as Pursuit and Investigation Constables.
"Alright!Mr.Yin,I agree to help you.I dare not think of too many positions;I only ask that you fulfill the conditions you mentioned,"Zheng Tianhe said through gritted teeth.
"Suzi,it's not that I'm against you,but I have no choice!"Zheng Tianhe thought to himself.
A hint of a smile appeared on Yin Ji's lips.It had taken less than half a year to transform the Jiangnan Six Gates from ruins to splendor.Although it appeared prosperous on the surface,in reality?Were there not still many loopholes?Moreover,Su Xin had risen through bloodshed,which further undermined the stability of his foundation.Out of the more than seventy provincial capital chief constables in Jiangnan,how many harbored doubts about Su Xin?Yin Ji realized he had found his breakthrough.
The next morning,Yin Ji took the initiative to approach Su Xin and once again convened all the provincial capital chief constables for a meeting.The topic remained the same as the one Yin Ji had raised yesterday.
Su Xin sat calmly at the main seat,expressionless.Huang Bingcheng,on the other hand,yawned while casting a disdainful glance at Yin Ji.If picking peaches were so easy,wouldn't Su Xin be a fool?
Seeing that everyone was present,Yin Ji stepped forward and said loudly,"Gentlemen,as I mentioned yesterday,the Six Gates'efforts to punish those sect disciples who dare to break the law are still insufficient.Therefore,I have gathered some information and am prepared to personally lead a team to arrest those unruly martial artists."
Upon hearing this,most of the people present showed disdainful looks.Arrest them?With your authority alone?If you had the guts,try facing those sects alone.If you don't reveal the authority of the Jiangnan Six Gates,you might even be beaten to death on the spot.
Su Xin took a sip of tea and said calmly,"Apologies,Mr.Yin,but the Jiangnan Six Gates have only just regained some strength and can't afford such disturbances.While the provincial capital chief constables are all here,there is still a lot of work to be done in their respective provinces.We simply cannot spare the manpower to accompany you to apprehend those unruly martial artists."
"Isn't there still a lot of people around you,Suzi?Do they also need to attend to official duties?"Yin Ji replied with the same calm demeanor.
"Oh,you mean them?These constables were carefully selected by me and prepared to be trained diligently.However,they have a peculiar technique;once they enter a state of cultivation,they can multitask,especially when it comes to fighting others.So,let's just leave them out of this,"Su Xin said with a shameless smile.
Yin Ji cursed Su Xin inwardly.After so many years in the Six Gates,why hadn't he heard of such a technique?
