Able to Bend and Stretch

"Wait, Lord Sun!"

Before the echo had faded, several Dragon Forbidden Guards entered with their hands on their sword hilts. At their head was none other than Zhao Jiayi, the man who had kept talking about "repaying the favor."

After entering the courtyard, he first sized up Su Xingfang, a smug and vicious curve appearing at the corner of his mouth. Then he smiled and cupped his hands toward Sun Shaozong. "Sun..."

But Sun Shaozong beat him to it with praise. "Thousand Household Commander Zhao truly is a man of great righteousness!"

Zhao Jiayi's expression stiffened, but it quickly came alive again. For someone who had spent his life navigating officialdom, he might have lacked elsewhere, but his skin would never be thinner than an ordinary man's.

With an earnest look, he bowed and said, "Lord Sun, please do not misunderstand. Our Northern Garrison Office has been watching this County Magistrate Su for more than two years, hoping to hook a few big fish through him."

"Just now, my men reported that someone had suddenly come to arrest him. Fearing some misunderstanding, I brought men here—but I never expected to find Lord Sun himself."

Telling barefaced lies was an advanced skill of the thick-skinned. It seemed Lu Hui had not favored Zhao Jiayi without reason.

Yet Sun Shaozong was not angered by his nonsense. He merely smiled faintly. "To wait two whole years, Thousand Household Commander Zhao truly is the Northern Garrison Office's most patient man. Men, take Su Xingfang's wife and child back as well for questioning!"

Zhao Jiayi had not particularly cared about the earlier jab, but the moment he heard the latter order, his expression changed. Throwing out an arm, he shouted, "Wait! Lord Sun, this County Magistrate Su is involved in..."

Before he could finish, Sun