Forced her into demonic possession: There will be no more gods in the world!

Chapter 120 is not simply black and white.

"Since you don't know who I am, it seems you anticipated my arrival?" Murong Qian asked, her brows furrowed and her mind filled with doubt.

He couldn't understand why the person in front of him wasn't surprised at all by his appearance.

Many people have different definitions of corrupt officials.

Some people believe that corrupt officials will inevitably abandon much of their conscience in order to save their lives, and will even go to any lengths to gain a chance to survive.

Initially, Murong Qian also viewed Jing Sheng in this way, after all, in the stories he had heard, corrupt officials were mostly selfish, greedy and insatiable.

However, when Murong Qian saw Jing Sheng's disheveled state today, she began to doubt whether her previous judgment was correct.

He stared at Jing Sheng, trying to find answers in the other's expression and words.

Jing Sheng slightly raised his head, a bitter smile on his face, a smile filled with endless helplessness and desolation: "Everyone wants what I have. But this thing hasn't harmed anyone! It's just because I did what those people dared not do. As for everything I've gained, it's all been used for the people, so what wrong have I done?"

After saying that, Jing Sheng couldn't help but let out a cold laugh, a laugh that seemed to pierce through time and space, making people feel a deep loneliness and vicissitude.

Murong Qian stood there blankly, her lips slightly parted, but she couldn't utter a sound to respond to his words. She recalled the scene when Ming Yi returned and reported to her, mentioning that the Jing family didn't have much property to speak of, and even their house was dilapidated and hadn't been repaired for many years.

At first, Murong Qian secretly thought to herself that this so-called image of an honest official might just be a disguise.

After all, having been in officialdom for so long, how many officials are truly free from any corruption?

Therefore, she secretly instructed her subordinates to conduct a more detailed and in-depth investigation into the Jing family.

However, to everyone's surprise, after some investigation, no extra wealth was found in the Jing family.

It turns out that over the years, although Jing had acquired a large amount of silver through buying and selling official positions, he secretly gave half of it to a powerful figure above him in order to seek protection and promotion; while the other half was used entirely for the benefit of the people.

Building roads and bridges, establishing free schools, providing disaster relief... every single one of these acts is a good deed.

Faced with this situation, Murong Qian couldn't help but fall into deep thought: If you say this person is a thoroughly evil person, then he has indeed used all the money he worked so hard to earn to benefit the people of the region; but if you say he is a good person, then his act of buying and selling official positions clearly violates the laws of the court, making him no different from other corrupt and lawless people.

It was this complex and multifaceted character, shrouded in layers of mystery, that plunged Murong Qian into deep confusion.

He stared into the deep, unpredictable eyes of the person before him, trying to find a clue within them, but he could never truly understand what the person's deepest desires and pursuits were.

“Yes, even someone as intelligent as you probably can’t see through it! In reality, in this complex world, people’s lives aren’t simply divided into black and white. As long as we can hold onto our conscience and firmly believe that what we’re doing is right, that’s enough.” Jing Sheng said slowly. His gaze seemed to be on Murong Qian, but Murong Qian knew very well that these words were actually him talking to himself, responding to the voice of his own heart.

Then, Jing Sheng frowned slightly and continued, "I know that there are many honest and upright officials in this world who are wholeheartedly dedicated to the happiness and well-being of the people. However, the methods they use are often too rigid and outdated, appearing too pedantic, and ultimately achieving very little. In comparison, don't you think my method can better protect the vital interests of the people?"

Murong Qian stood there quietly like a statue, listening intently to Jing Sheng's eloquent words, while her mind was in turmoil as she pondered.

Undeniably, after careful consideration, Murong Qian had to admit with heartfelt conviction that the methods proposed by Jing Sheng did indeed have a high probability of bringing more significant and tangible benefits and well-being to the general public in a relatively short period of time.

However, at the same time, he was also very clear that if Jing Sheng really decided to take such action, then without a doubt, he would inevitably suffer from a barrage of accusations and insults from all corners of the world.

Moreover, to achieve this goal, he might need to pay a huge price, even sacrificing the reputation he had painstakingly built up over the years. But was all of this truly worth it? For a moment, Murong Qian was caught in a deep dilemma.

Just then, Jing Sheng slowly spoke up: "If I weren't doing this, someone else would have stepped forward to take on this responsibility. However, if it were someone else, how could they truly dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to serving the common people and doing practical things for them? So, for me, it's enough to have a clear conscience!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Jing Sheng stared intently at Murong Qian's face, as if trying to see through the mask to the most authentic face hidden beneath.

Murong Qian was slightly taken aback, but quickly realized what was happening.

He took a small step forward, respectfully raised his hands in a fist salute, and said sincerely, "Sir, your righteousness is truly admirable!"

At this moment, Murong Qian's heart was filled with admiration for Jing Sheng, because he knew that this seemingly ordinary person actually possessed an incomparably noble and great heart.

Despite racking her brains, Murong Qian still felt that no flowery words were sufficient to perfectly describe the noble spirit and selfless dedication emanating from Jing Sheng.

Fortunately, in the end, he found a simple and unadorned word – “righteousness”. Although it was only two words, it was enough to express his highest respect for Jing Sheng.

When Jing Sheng heard Murong Qian say these words, he was slightly taken aback at first, and then a bright smile gradually bloomed on his face. That smile contained both relief and liberation, as well as a sense of ease and freedom after finally letting go of the heavy burden in his heart.