"Of course not!" Zhang Lie and Xiao Zhengyang replied simultaneously. Zhang Lie added, "I'm not going back to the Tianji Council headquarters with you, one way or another."

Xiao Zhengyang frowned as he challenged Wang Yanyi. "You claim that Zhang Lie and the others were drinking while on duty, but how do you know that they were on duty?"

Wang Yanyi was at a loss for words at how shameless Governor Xiao's words were. Indeed, if Xiao Zhengyang, who was responsible for the special forces, were to attest that the troops weren't on duty, then there wouldn't be any problem at all.

Just then, at that critical moment, the troop leader of the special forces, Zhou Liao, arrived with his team.

Wang Yanyi immediately turned to him, trying to get him to say something incriminating, but his old rival, Xiao Zhengyang, naturally knew what he was thinking.

Before Wang Yanyi could speak up, Xiao Zhengyang continued, "What's the matter? Don't you think I'd know if my own men were on duty? As for you, Wang Yanyi, why are your men trying to track my troops' location?"

Wang Yanyi was silent. If Xiao Zhengyang were so adamantly denying Zhang Lie's crime, then there was nothing he could do—no matter what, Xiao Zhengyang would protect Zhang Lie to the utmost.

After all, the law in question about drinking while on duty was rather vague, and Zhang Lie's case would be in a gray area. A deeper investigation into what had happened would be fruitless, but what shocked Wang Yanyi was the accusation that the governor had then made.

"Governor Xiao, dropping Zhang Lie's charges for the moment, on what grounds do you claim that my men have been investigating your troops' location?"

This was far more serious a crime than drinking while on duty. After all, the special forces were, in some sense, the governor's guards. Trying to investigate their whereabouts was akin to snooping into the governor's business.

Wang Yanyi had entertained such notions before, but the time wasn't yet right to put them into practice, and he certainly didn't intend to take responsibility for his nephew's actions.

"Why don't you ask your nephew about how he managed to determine who Xia Na was, as well as how he knew when the special forces had left the city? There have been quite a number of curious coincidences lately, haven't there? Your men investigating my troops' location, then convening the Tianji Council elders here..."

Xiao Zhengyang's tone was deathly serious, causing Wang Yanyi's face to turn ashen.

"Wang Po!" he shouted. Would all his planning be waylaid by his lecherous nephew? "Speak! Are the governor's words accurate?"

Wang Yanyi was almost certain that Wang Po had done so, but surely not on behalf of the Tianji Council.

"Unc—, I mean, Head, I did do so, but only because I wanted to introduce myself to Team Leader Xia Na. I had no other intention!" Wang Po stammered, knowing that the situation had snowballed beyond his control. If he were to hide anything else now...

The elders behind Wang Yanyi, along with the special forces, all exhaled in relief. Wang Po had a terrible poker face, and it was obvious when he was lying.

When Xiao Zhengyang questioned Wang Yanyi just now, the ones who were most surprised were the elders arrayed behind Wang Yanyi himself. If he had really plotted everything, then that meant he was about to stage a direct confrontation against the governor. In that case, who would they support—governor or council head?

Politics was a natural development in any city, and the elders' stance would determine their fate, as well as those of their families. To be frank, except for those elders deathly loyal to Wang Yanyi, none of the others wanted to make such a decision. From their perspective, choosing either option would be a risk, whereas maintaining the status quo was much safer.

"Well, Governor Xiao, I hope it's clear that Wang Po had no nefarious intentions in mind!" Wang Yanyi informed him.

Xiao Zhengyang laughed. "I had forgotten about your nephew's penchant for women. That said, as the head of the Tianji Council, you bear responsibility for his actions. Don't you think he needs to be punished?"

Zhang Lie barely stifled his laughter. How the tables had turned!

"Very well. For trying to keep tabs on the special forces, Wang Po, fourth captain of the Tianji Council, will be locked up for a span of ten days and be demoted from his post. Governor Xiao, does this satisfy you?"