“Xiao Wan, I can’t help you with this…” Xu Zhengyang said very seriously, “Putting aside personal feelings, you know very well that if Chao Jiang can escape legal punishment this time, is that fair? If he is punished, he will gain a good reputation among the people, and people will pity him and have a good impression of him; otherwise, the people will only despise him, your whole family, and even the government…”
“I know you have a way, you can do it, you are a god…” Ye Wan said calmly, without crying. Her eyes were red, but she had already cried all her tears.
Xu Zhengyang sighed and said gently, "I can only say that even if Chao Jiang is sentenced to death, he will still be by your side after he dies; he will not disappear."
"Huh?" Ye Wan was stunned.
"You know, he is also a god..."
Xu Zhengyang's conversation with Ye Wan ended there, and he didn't say anything more.
Next, Li Bingjie and Ye Wan had a long talk.
After that, regardless of the direction of public opinion, the progress of the investigation, the discussions among relevant departments, or even the elaborate schemes and plans devised by the Ye family and their superiors to guide public opinion and the public's mindset... Xu Zhengyang remained indifferent.
Those high-ranking officials finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Xu Zhengyang did not make things difficult for them.
Similarly, they couldn't help but admire Xu Zhengyang in their hearts; the deity was not as we imagined or worried about him.
...
On the day of the trial, the area outside the gate of the Xihu City Court was crowded with people.
Members of some of the rescued children's families unfurled banners on the main road, and people of all ages knelt down on the side of the road outside the courthouse, hoping for leniency.
Many journalists from media outlets that were not granted access to the trial venue were interviewing members of the public outside.
Inside the courtroom, the victims' families remained silent. The pressure they had endured these past few days was immense. They couldn't even lift their heads when they went out; their family members had been murdered, and instead of sympathy, they received only contempt and scorn. The overwhelming media coverage they had received filled them with guilt that drove them to suicide. The banners displayed outside the courthouse today, the countless people, and the clamor outside made them feel utterly ashamed.
The courts are impartial, and the laws are strict, but they are also humane.
After listening to the opinions of the general public, conducting thorough investigations and collecting evidence, and engaging in discussions with various legal experts.
Ultimately, Chen Chaojiang was sentenced to twenty years in prison and deprived of his political rights for five years.
In the past, without more than three months of media publicity and public opinion guidance, the public's sympathy and widespread support... this would clearly be too biased towards Chen Chaojiang.
But now, no one thinks there's anything wrong with this ruling; some even think it's too harsh.
Upon receiving the phone call informing him of the verdict, Xu Zhengyang, sitting in the mountains, revealed a bitter smile, lit a cigarette, and took two deep drags.
No wonder, back then, the Heavenly Court did not allow mortals to become gods.
Even gods are heartless, but humans have feelings; there are just too many things we care about and are concerned about.
In this way, Chen Chaojiang should have more time and more convenience to do the work of an imperial censor, right?
Xu Zhengyang could certainly imagine that Chen Chaojiang would receive special care soon after his imprisonment... As an inmate, he might still be able to reunite with his family frequently.
Because the place of imprisonment is Xihu City in Jiangnan, which is the territory of the Ye family.
Admittedly, Xu Zhengyang fundamentally opposes the emergence of such privileges.
However, everyone has selfish desires. He was so impartial that he did not save Chen Chaojiang, but let him receive the punishment he deserved, and personally ordered Chen Chaojiang to turn himself in.
What more do you want from him?
On a hot summer day, Xu Zhengyang visited Chen Chaojiang, who was serving his sentence at the Xihu City No. 1 Prison.
Xu Zhengyang did not use any connections to obtain any special privileges to meet Chen Chaojiang alone in a room. He followed the normal prison visitation procedure and had a brief conversation with Chen Chaojiang through the glass.
Now, Chen Chaojiang is dressed in prison clothes, his head shaved. His already pale and thin face appears even thinner and paler. His long, thin eyebrows exude a particularly cold and fierce aura; his narrow eyes have regained their former icy and utterly devoid of any warmth.
"Perform well and try to get a reduced sentence," Xu Zhengyang said with a smile.
"Hmm." Chen Chaojiang forced a smile. "Thank you."
"Stop talking nonsense with me..." Xu Zhengyang spoke as casually and easily as usual, like a buddy. "I didn't bring you anything, so I guess you don't need anything here... But I have to remind you, don't think that you can relax in prison, you know what I mean."
Chen Chaojiang paused for a moment, then nodded.
After chatting for a while, Xu Zhengyang left the visiting room within the allotted time.
What is unknown to others is that Xu Zhengyang left something for Chen Chaojiang: the divine artifact, the Nine Provinces Record.
This is Xu Zhengyang using his divine power to combine the two state scrolls again, creating a replica of the Nine Provinces Record, exactly the same as the one owned by Judge Li Haidong.
Since Chen Chaojiang is an Imperial Censor and his physical body is currently unable to leave the prison, he is naturally given this magical artifact that allows him to collect and know about major and minor events in the three capitals and six prefectures.
Although he was a human deity, he was imprisoned and could only use his divine consciousness to leave his body to perform the duties of the Imperial Censor.
After leaving prison, Xu Zhengyang accepted an invitation to visit Ye Rongchen's home in Jiangjing City.
As expected, Ye Rongchen brought up the matter of special care given to Chen Chaojiang during his imprisonment... This was something that put Ye Rongchen in a difficult position. He didn't like to get too involved in these kinds of matters, so as to show that he was never biased and would not interfere with local administration through the military.
However, in this matter, it is clearly impossible for the daughter to divorce Chen Chaojiang.
Even setting aside Ye Wan's own disagreement, the Ye family couldn't do this because of Xu Zhengyang's status and Chen Chaojiang's current extraordinary position.
To put it bluntly, how could Ye Wan not have these thoughts in his heart?
But a twenty-year prison sentence, and Ye Wan is left to live as a single mother and live a life of widowhood? That's just too heartbreaking and painful.
Therefore, they had to ask the most influential person, Ye Rongchen, to speak with Xu Zhengyang about the matter, hoping that Xu Zhengyang would turn a blind eye.
Nowadays, which high-ranking official in China doesn't know or acknowledge Xu Zhengyang's incorruptible character?
Xu Zhengyang neither agreed nor refused.
This is tantamount to agreeing.
Xu Zhengyang smiled bitterly to himself, thinking helplessly: Although on the surface he had been fair and just, and the public seemed to have accepted the government's fair law enforcement and judgment... unfortunately, the Chen Chaojiang case was ultimately a case of putting on a virtuous facade while being a prostitute.
Because Chen Chaojiang's actual prison sentence will probably not exceed six months, he will be able to live a very comfortable life and even reunite with his family frequently.
Moreover, his mind is uncontrollable, and he can travel in spirit at any time when it is safe to do so.
So after leaving Jiangjing City, Xu Zhengyang called Ye Rongchen and casually reminded him, "The punishment that should be served still needs to be shown on the surface, at least to let the inmates know... Also, don't give them too much reason to complain."
...
The next six months were a nightmare and hellish experience for all human traffickers across the country.
Because it wasn't just the police's strict arrest and crackdown operations, but also some extremely bizarre punishments that were constantly being imposed on them.
Xu Zhengyang ordered his subordinates in the Heavenly Court to crack down hard this time and no longer cooperate with human law enforcement agencies!
The gods and ghost messengers within the three capitals and six prefectures, according to the rules of the Heavenly Court, severely punished these criminals... not to the point of killing them, but to subject them to the most cruel blows and punishments.
Furthermore, after punishment, they should be made to publicly repent and publicize their crimes before turning themselves in! They should also actively seek out and return the women and children they trafficked to their families!
As for the criminals who have already been arrested and sentenced by the police, they should not be let off the hook either, and they should all be severely punished!
Then, each criminal's case must be recorded in detail and handed over to Judge Wan Yun of the Underworld, who will keep a record, reduce their lifespan, and sentence them to hell in advance.
The emergence of these somewhat unusual situations across the country has sparked heated discussions and speculation among the general public; and high-ranking officials, of course, understand that this is the work of Xu Zhengyang.
What can I do now that I've done it? It's not like I did anything wrong.
As a result, ideas and discussions about divine retribution, the saying "Heaven is watching what people do," and "There are gods three feet above your head" gradually spread in society.
What seems like a misfortune may actually be a blessing in disguise.
The temporary emperor's hat as the Eastern Azure Heaven Court Emperor is about to be removed.
Volume Seven, Emperor, Chapter 378: It's Not Easy to Become a God
Winter is here again...
However, in Xu Zhengyang's heart, time always seemed to pass far too slowly.
Because he suddenly realized that there was little point in him immersing himself in the happiness of real life and enjoying it... His family was healthy and happy, he had whatever he wanted, and he could manage the Heavenly Court whenever he wanted, or simply be a hands-off manager if he didn't want to.
Hmm, it sounds like he's tired of living.
In fact, the reason why the gods and ghost messengers in the Heavenly Court were so busy in the past was simply because modern society needed the existence of gods in the dark.
Upon reflection, the work of gods and ghost messengers is actually not that complicated, and not something to worry about.
Of course, Xu Zhengyang and Li Haidong are exceptions.
Because Xu Zhengyang has a human identity, and Li Haidong is overly concerned with various aspects of the mortal world, they always consider many factors when doing certain things, trying their best to avoid making things too outrageous. However, their subordinates don't need to worry so much, especially the ghost messengers. Now, after a while, having gotten used to it, even Ouyang Ying finds it quite easy. What exactly is their job? It's simply to do good deeds and punish evil according to the rules and regulations of the Heavenly Court.
Even now, there are still countless injustices and unfair things in the world. There are enough to keep the Heavenly Court busy from top to bottom.
The problem is that Xu Zhengyang had already anticipated the outcome. With the Heavenly Court's terrifying methods of attack, it wouldn't be long before they could bring true peace to the world.
Admittedly, it is impossible to completely eliminate evil people and evil deeds.
However, before that time even arrived, high-ranking officials in Beijing had already entrusted Li Ruiqing to make the call...
Some things are better left to the government. If your Heavenly Court discovers anything amiss, or any evil deeds or misdeeds, you can report it to us, and we'll handle it. Otherwise, it's too terrifying to directly hand it over to the Heavenly Court's ghost messengers.
Regardless of the extent of the reaction it has caused domestically, who knows how public opinion will react if it gets known abroad.
Now, foreign media and some departments have started to accuse our country of using inhumane methods to combat crime... Who the hell can we reason with about this?
Xu Zhengyang has been thinking these days about what he should and shouldn't do in this world.
How should it be managed?
According to the findings of Ouyang Ying and Li Bingjie's investigation, after a series of crackdowns on child and women trafficking cases, there has been an increase in talk of divine intervention and a growing sense of unease among the public. However, this has also led to a growing rejection of deities among some people.
Do we need some kind of mysterious force to govern our lives?
There are all sorts of discussions.
This inevitably made Xu Zhengyang feel resentful, thinking, "It's like a dog biting Lü Dongbin and not recognizing a kind heart."
But upon closer reflection, don't I also hate being followed, investigated, and monitored? Everyone has the right to keep their privacy, but when a transcendent being like a deity appears in reality, people inevitably feel uneasy. It's like a woman taking a shower naked; she always feels like someone is watching her, which makes her uncomfortable.
...
Outside, the snow was white and the weather was freezing cold, but inside it was warm and cozy.
Xu Zhengyang leaned back lazily on the soft brocade-covered recliner, holding a book and reading it casually.
Li Bingjie and Ouyang Ying were sitting around the computer, browsing information online. Poor Ouyang Ying, lacking a physical body, couldn't operate the internet herself. Fortunately, Li Bingjie was always gentle and understanding, so the news and other content she browsed were to Ouyang Ying's liking.
Xu Neng and Yuan Suqin have returned to Shuanghe Village to tidy up their home, preparing for the whole family to go back and stay there during the Spring Festival.
The little guy, Xu Xiaotian, went back with his grandparents for two days. He missed Li Chengzong's daughter back home, so he called Zhu Jun to pick him up. As soon as he got back to the villa, he greeted his parents and ran to the courtyard where Li Chengzong's family of three lived.
This was a rather frustrating situation for both sets of parents. They had initially thought that since he was just a little kid, he could play however he wanted... Who would have thought that Xu Xiaotian would act like a little adult in front of Li Chengzong's daughter, making the little girl very happy and actually willing to play with him and listen to him?
This is going to be really funny.