"Oh, what then?"

Oh, then what?

The attitude of the Chang'an County magistrate was very low.

Nowhere near the dignity he displayed when he pounded the judgment block in the hall just now. Lin Shen looked at him, with a smile that was not quite a smile, and said softly, "You are just following the rules, and you still have the Marquis of Lu pressing on you. I won't blame you for that."

The Chang'an County magistrate gratefully said, "Thank you, Your Highness Chu!"

Lin Shen didn't say anything more.

The eunuch beside him glanced deeply at the Chang'an County magistrate. It was impossible for Lin Shen to handle all the bad things alone. In order to please this newly appointed Prince Chu... Countless people were eager to step forward, to be the bad guy. Lin Shen said he wouldn't argue with him. But... those eunuchs didn't agree. In his heart, the Chang'an County magistrate sighed secretly, His Highness Chu is truly magnanimous, unaware that his fate has long been determined.

Lin Shen walked ahead, just reaching the entrance of the county office.

A carriage came rushing, stopping precisely at the entrance of the county office.

The owner of the carriage seemed very anxious, lifted the curtain, and hurriedly got out from inside, taking three steps in two, jumping directly off the carriage.

The newcomer was none other than Hou Junji. He was still wearing court attire, looking flustered. Seeing Lin Shen coming out unscathed from the county office, he breathed a sigh of relief. His Highness Chu is fine! He didn't get punished. At least things haven't reached the point of no return yet.

Hou Junji walked lightly to Lin Shen, bowing respectfully, "Your Highness Chu, I just saw you today and truly admire your talent!"

Lin Shen frowned and asked, "Who are you?"

Hou Junji didn't raise his head, maintaining his posture of salutation, "I am Hou Junji, Marquis of Lu."

Lin Shen sneered, "So you're that monkey."

Monkey?

The three eunuchs standing behind Lin Shen showed strange expressions. This Prince Chu's mouth is really venomous? But he was only enfeoffed as Prince Chu today... Why does it seem like he has conflicts with the Marquis of Lu from long ago?

Hou Junji's tone became even more respectful, "I was incompetent earlier, allowing my subordinates to provoke Your Highness for no reason. Today, I hurried here upon hearing that someone from my family actually came to the Chang'an County Office to complain, so I came to apologize hastily."

"I wonder if Your Highness has time tonight, to dine at my mansion..."

Lin Shen didn't give him face, tearing off the mask of pretense from Hou Junji's face directly, and said coldly, "The ability of the Marquis of Lu to lie with his eyes open is quite impressive."

"If it weren't for your instructions, would this group of lowly servants dare to come and provoke me in your name?"

Cold sweat broke out on Hou Junji's forehead.

He hadn't expected Lin Shen to be so unorthodox. Even when he was being so humble, he didn't give him any face? Hou Junji said seriously, "Junji sincerely wants to apologize, and I hope Your Highness Chu can give me some face."

Lin Shen sighed lightly, stepped forward, and patted Hou Junji's shoulder, "I've already given you that face once."

"I told you yesterday, out of consideration for Li Shi... and for His Majesty's sake, as long as you were willing to come and apologize to me last night, admit your mistake, and make amends, I wouldn't hold it against you."

"But what did you do yesterday?"

Lin Shen looked at Hou Junji with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

Yesterday... He sent his steward to threaten me. Cold sweat broke out on Hou Junji's back.

Lin Shen continued, "Do you know what the current situation is?"

Hou Junji didn't dare to speak. He was somewhat taboo about those four words.

But Lin Shen wasn't so taboo, with a bright smile on his face, "Do or die."

Hou Junji felt that this guy was a bit abnormal. Could it be that descendants of peasant or Mohist families are all like this? Can't be true...

Hou Junji's face looked very ugly, he raised his head and said to Lin Shen, "You are the Prince Chu, and I am a Marquis, we are both top-ranking nobles of the Tang Dynasty..."

"To escalate to a do-or-die situation, it might not be a good idea."

Lin Shen tilted his head and looked at him, "Oh, then what?"

"If you really want to fight to the death with me, can you bear the consequences?"

That's not wrong.

Although the title of Prince appears to be high-ranking, as stated in the "New Book of Tang," "Although he is called a king, he is no different from an ordinary noble." The same goes for the Marquis of Lu. But Hou Junji is not only the Marquis of Lu, but also a third-ranking Minister of War. He holds real power.

While Lin Shen, only has the title of Prince, without real power. This title allows Lin Shen to have the entire Chu region, the current two provinces as his fiefdom, and recruit tens of thousands of private soldiers... But after all, Lin Shen has not yet formed his own army. Building an army is not something that can be done overnight, especially now with the locust plague. Shortage of grain!

Hou Junji secretly made up his mind. If Lin Shen really doesn't give him face, and still wants to fight to the death with him, then he must press Lin Shen down during this time.

Otherwise...

When Lin Shen recruits and forms his private army, he will have no hope of resistance.

Lin Shen looked at him with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, his eyes filled with a deep chill. Like a knife, it made Hou Junji feel a coldness in his heart.

"The Marquis of Lu has quite the audacity."

"Leaving everything else aside, if I stand here and let you kill me, even if you kill me, you won't bear any responsibility."

"Do you dare?"