When the magistrate of Baihe County received the report, he was initially unwilling to deal with it in the middle of the night. However, his guards handed him Zhao Qianci's letter of resignation and emphasized that his grandfather was the father-in-law of the current princess.

The magistrate of Baihe County went through the question in his mind: who was this princess's father-in-law?

With a final jolt, he finally came to his senses.

The Zhao family was considered a legend among these civil officials.

What a family of prodigies, they're all so good at studying.

They were all destined to be officials. It is said that the person who sent him the invitation was the most learned in his family, but he had stopped taking the imperial examinations due to his age.

Given their family connections, how could the magistrate of Baihe County dare to delay any longer?

He personally led the constables, and set off in shackles.

To speed things up, the magistrate of Baihe County had gathered quite a few horse-drawn carriages today, and then caught up with the prison carts, traveling at breakneck speed. When they arrived at their destination, the magistrate of Baihe County squatted down at the gate of the village chief's house and vomited violently.

He hadn't eaten much for dinner, and now he felt like he was about to vomit bile.

The people in the courtyard almost had a physical reaction when they heard the croaking outside the gate.

Fortunately, everyone was mentally strong; otherwise, by daybreak, the village chief's yard would have been filled with filth.

After vomiting, the magistrate of Baihe County took the handkerchief handed to him by the servant, wiped away the physiological tears from the corners of his eyes and mouth, and then stood up with the servant's help.

Even so, when he stood up, the magistrate of Baihe County swayed several times before he was no longer so confused.

Upon entering the courtyard, the first thing he asked was who Zhao Qianci was.

I had imagined that a man in his sixties would be old and frail, but when I saw Zhao Qianci, I not only didn't see any signs of old age, but he also exuded an air of otherworldly wisdom.

If Zhao Qianci, wrapped in a sheepskin coat, knew that the magistrate of Baihe County would feel this way, he would surely say, "Immortals don't wear fur."

I don't know how this person figured it out.

As an official of rank, the magistrate of Baihe County naturally could not bow to Zhao Qianci. However, anyone with a brain could see from his words that he was trying to curry favor.

Putting aside business, this person first invited Zhao Qianci and his group to visit Baihe County.

"Lord Su, thank you so much for coming here personally to catch the thief in such dire circumstances."

I deeply admire Lord Su's spirit of serving the people. When I return to the capital, I will definitely have a good talk with my son about it.

Among these thieves was a man named Shuigen, the one being held by the woman; he was the traitor within the village.

The rest were from other villages.

The fact that they were able to gather so many people in such a short time suggests this is not their first offense. I urge Lord Su to handle this matter impartially.

As for Baishui County, I'll have to wait until I pass through it again.

"I brought my family with me this time, and since we were traveling with a caravan on a whim, we couldn't easily change our itinerary. I'm very grateful for Lord Su's warm invitation."

Magistrate Su was waiting for Zhao Qianci to go home and say a few good words to the prince consort.

The prince consort had no real power, nor did the princess, but both of them had connections.

Having received confirmation, Lord Su ordered the constables to chain all the men and throw them one by one into the prison cart.

After waking up, the village chief had been trembling with fear. Now, seeing the county magistrate again, his legs were shaking so badly they were practically turning into a leaf.

However, there are some benefits to this vigorous shaking: it made me sweat profusely and prevented me from catching typhoid fever.

The Zhao family had given them money, and they took care of their own meals. When Magistrate Su arrived, the village chief got the whole family together, slaughtering chickens and ducks, preparing to invite the magistrate to a meal.

When will I get this chance to show my face? It's quite embarrassing, so the village chief is trying to make amends and avoid getting removed from his post.

As a result, after the chickens and ducks were slaughtered, the magistrate said...

"I am in a hurry to get back to handle the case, how could I possibly stay here to eat and drink?"

Having served as village chief for so many years, he still doesn't know how to prioritize.

After saying that, he led his entourage away in a flurry, leaving the village chief bewildered in the wind. Had he managed to slap a horse's leg?