Ma Hongjun, the discarded pawn
"Then what do you suggest we do?"
Having run out of ideas, Yu Xiaogang had no choice but to let Salas speak.
As for Salas, he had already conspired with Xue Qinghe and presented his prepared statement.
"I know that Tang San is Elder Yu's disciple. How about this: I will step in to protect Tang San, and let Ma Hongjun take all the blame. This way, Tang San and Shrek Academy can be exonerated. What do you think?"
Liu Erlong looked at Yu Xiaogang, her eyes full of reluctance.
After all, Ma Hongjun was Flender's disciple, and the three had a life-or-death bond; how could he possibly embarrass the other party?
Yu Xiaogang pondered for a moment and said, "Can't we save both of them?"
Salas gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "There's nothing I can do. I only said this because I'm certain Tang San isn't the murderer."
"What do you mean?" Yu Xiaogang questioned, "Since the Little San isn't the murderer, why did you order her arrest? What's the hidden reason behind this?"
Salas recounted what happened.
Tang San merely rendered Wang Teng unable to fight back; he did not violate any rules. On the contrary, Ma Hongjun was the real murderer who killed Wang Teng.
Salas's decision to take down Tang San can be seen as following the will of the people.
After all, from the outside perspective, if Tang San hadn't been ruthless, Wang Teng wouldn't have been killed.
Salas's idea was simple: after the case was heard and the testimonies were used, Tang San would be exonerated.
As for whether Shrek Academy can retain its spot in the competition, Salas made no guarantee; he would have to communicate with the Imperial Family to find out.
"This..." Yu Xiaogang hesitated.
In his view, this matter had nothing to do with Tang San; he was merely implicated by Ma Hongjun.
He knew Ma Hongjun was a good-for-nothing, but he never expected him to dare harm his disciple. He truly deserved to die.
But he couldn't say that; at least he had to save face for Flender.
The Heaven Dou Empire's Prison.
Ma Hongjun was completely terrified, standing there dumbfounded until he was thrown into Prison, at which point he finally snapped out of his daze.
Tang San, on the other hand, remained relatively calm, plotting how to escape.
At worst, we can let Ma Hongjun take the blame and clear ourselves of the blame.
Moreover, this is also true; if Ma Hongjun hadn't made a mistake, would he be in this predicament today?
Just as he was pondering, Ma Hongjun's pleading voice came. "Third Brother, please think of something! I don't want to die yet, I..."
"Enough!" Tang San shouted angrily.
He should have trusted his teacher back then, let Tailong replace Ma Hongjun, and kept the latter on the bench.
It's his fault for being too soft-hearted; the arrow he shot back then has now struck him right between the eyebrows.
Undeterred, Ma Hongjun clung to Tang San as his only hope, wailing incessantly.
Tang San did not answer, but Ma Hongjun's actions attracted the attention of the jailer.
Xue Qinghe had given prior instructions not to touch Tang San, but he didn't say that Ma Hongjun couldn't be touched.
The latter's shouting annoyed the jailer, who dragged him out and gave him a dressing down.
Yu Xiaogang was stopped by Tang Hao on his way back to the academy after leaving the Martial Soul Hall.
He turned to Liu Erlong and said, "Er Long, I'm going to the restroom. You wait here for me."
After leaving, he went into a nearby alley to meet Tang Hao.
The arena was guarded by Gu Rong, preventing Tang Hao from sneaking in, and therefore he was unaware of the specific details of what happened.
All he knew was that Tang San had been captured, and the various versions of what happened that were circulating in the rumors.
Yu Xiaogang hurriedly reminded him, "Your Eminence Clear Sky, remember, you must not attempt to break into the prison."
Salas just said that by shifting all the blame to Ma Hongjun, it's certain that Tang San will be saved, and there's even a chance that he'll secure a spot at the Shrek Academy.
If Tang Hao were to attempt a prison break at this moment, wouldn't his crime be compounded?
By then, the father and son will be living a carefree life, but Shrek Academy will inevitably face retribution from the Imperial Family.
Of course, Tang Hao was not a reckless person.
A prison break is a last resort; any other method would be preferable.
After all, he didn't want Tang San to easily lose the opportunity to gain experience and win the competition rewards.
After a pause, Yu Xiaogang continued, "Your Eminence Clear Sky, I have used the Papal Order to force Bishop Salas to stand on our side. Saving Little San shouldn't be a problem, but Ma Hongjun..."
He was worried that Flender would turn on them, especially since the latter was the strongest among them, along with several other old buddies like Zhao Wuji.
If things escalate to an uncontrollable point, he and Liu Erlong will definitely be the ones who suffer.
Tang Hao guessed his thoughts and sneered, "Let's see who dares to complain. That Dead Fatty, he's dead, so be it. To die for the Tang Clan is an honor he earned in a hundred lifetimes!"
With such a Titled Douluo backing him up, Yu Xiaogang instantly gained confidence.
"Since Your Eminence Clear Sky is willing to trust me, I will certainly not disappoint you."
"That's settled then. I'll go take care of things now. We'll stay in touch."
After saying this, with Tang Hao's tacit approval, Yu Xiaogang quickly left.
Flender negotiated with the organizers for a long time, but was unable to get them to budge.
Furthermore, Shrek Academy is prohibited from participating in the competition until the matter is resolved.
It should be noted that prior to this, there had been Shi Nian of Competitor.
Two major incidents have occurred in succession Preliminary Round of the Heaven Dou Empire region. Where does this leave the Imperial Family's face?
People from other regions are probably waiting to see them make a fool of themselves.
The Imperial Family will not easily give in unless someone can come up with a reasonable solution.
Flender was extremely anxious.
If the match drags on for three days, resulting in them forfeiting more than three matches in a row, Shrek Academy will inevitably lose its chance to advance.
Moreover, the results of their match against the Flame Radiance Academy have been put on hold, and if they are judged to have lost, their time will be even more limited.
In that case, what was the point of everything they had done before?
If Ma Hongjun and Tang San are confirmed guilty of murder, can Shrek Academy continue to exist?
Some are happy, some are sad. If Shrek Academy's spot is eliminated, then Elephant Armor Sect will take their place and successfully advance to the next round.
The Huyan Li and the others was rekindled. They prayed that the investigation would drag on long enough to ensure their advancement!
For spectators looking for excitement, this Preliminary Round was certainly full of twists and turns.
No one even dared to predict who would win the fifth qualifying spot.
On the field, teams with a chance to advance are all getting excited, making the upcoming matches even more exciting.
On Xue Ye in the Imperial Palace, the news brought mixed feelings of joy and sorrow.
The good thing is that this is a good opportunity to teach Shrek Academy a lesson and get revenge for what happened back then.
In fact, the Spirit Hall would even sacrifice certain interests for Yu Xiaogang in order to gain the approval of the Imperial Family.
The worrying thing is that with the series of serious incidents occurring in the Heaven Dou Division, some people will surely take the opportunity to spread rumors about the Imperial Family's incompetence.
Of course, the Spirit Hall suffered the most humiliation.
Yu Xiaogang's attempt to use his privileges to protect Shrek Academy is bound to be criticized.
To some extent, this relieved some of the pressure on the Imperial Family.
Xue Qinghe's proposed balancing act is certainly good, but will the Spirit Hall follow the script?