The imperial censor from the capital arrived very quickly; he must have been on his way here at breakneck speed after receiving the imperial decree.

Xu Di naturally knew Ji Xueyi. When he was in the Hanlin Academy, Xu Di didn't just stay there. In his spare time, he would slack off and visit not only the units next to the Hanlin Academy, but also the Six Ministries. Xu Di tried to become familiar with everyone from top to bottom. Xu Di firmly believed that no matter where you go, it will always be easier to get things done if you have an acquaintance.

When Ji Xueyi saw Xu Di, she gave a wry smile and said, "Lord Xu, we meet again."

Xu Di laughed a few times, bowed, and then led Ji Xueyi toward the county government office, saying, "Lord Ji, you've come at just the right time. Yesterday I went to the dock and bought a lot of seafood. Tonight, I'll invite you to try this authentic seafood. I guarantee it will be the real deal."

Ji Xueyi waved his hand and said, "Lord Xu, I have been unable to eat or sleep properly ever since I received the Emperor's decree. You have made a huge mistake."

Xu Di smiled and said, "Lord Ji, you are mistaken. Right and wrong, merit and demerit, are known to the people. Since it is His Majesty's decree, then we should just do as His Majesty commands. As subjects, we are paid by the court, and isn't it all for the purpose of relieving His Majesty's worries? Lord Ji, please put your mind at ease, eat when you should eat, and drink when you should drink."

Ji Xueyi sighed and said, "Lord Xu, to be honest, I came here under a lot of pressure. Because of this matter, the Second Prince and the Third Prince had a falling out in front of the Emperor. The Second Prince advocated severe punishment, while the Third Prince advocated leniency. They each held their own opinions, and I was caught in the middle. I couldn't afford to offend either of them, could I?"

Xu Di smiled and said, "Lord Ji, you came here with His Majesty's imperial sword. With this, what are you afraid of? When we handle cases, we value evidence. With evidence and the victim, how can we bend the law for personal gain? Lord Ji, to put it bluntly, we are here on His Majesty's orders to serve him."

Ji Xueyi gave a bitter smile and said nothing. He was suffering inside, but who could he tell?

The two princes not only argued in court in front of the emperor over this matter, but also made numerous underhanded moves in private. Ji Xueyi was so busy rushing from the capital to Penglai that he was unaware of all the overt and covert warnings he received. These warnings came from various colleagues, superiors, and even subordinates, some soft and some hard.

Xu Di, of course, understood Ji Xueyi's predicament. He smiled and said, "Lord Ji, this matter started because of me, so naturally it should be resolved by me. Don't worry, you're just here to supervise. As long as I haven't done anything to show favoritism, the evidence is irrefutable. Since Lord Ji is carrying the Emperor's imperial sword, I should make the most of it."

Seeing that Xu Di was beyond redemption, and considering his background, Ji Xueyi stopped talking. Since they had already arrived at their destination, Ji Xueyi, as an imperial censor, was only playing a supervisory role. Just as Xu Di himself said, he had not shown favoritism and had been enforcing the law impartially, so Ji Xueyi had nothing to say. Let him do whatever he wanted.

Xu Di, holding the imperial sword brought by Ji Xueyi, conducted a public trial at the county government office. According to the law, after the trial, those sentenced to death should be escorted to the capital and executed by the Ministry of Justice. However, this was no longer necessary. A public trial was held, those who deserved to die were executed, those who deserved to be exiled were exiled, and those who had been cheated out of their land could have their lost land returned to its rightful owner.

Ji Xueyi hadn't expected Xu Di to make such a grand spectacle. Not only were there drums and firecrackers, but there was also a huge crowd. Not only locals came, but also people from other counties who had received the news, and even people from the prefecture came in large numbers.

Xu Di also invited Wen Jinghuai, the prefect of Dengzhou, to sit with him. A prefect and an imperial censor were sitting in the hall. The emperor's imperial sword was placed on the floor of the hall. Several members of the Zhou family knelt in front of the hall. Tong, the registrar, began to read out the crimes of the Zhou family.

Those who were initially afraid of retaliation from the Zhou family and did not rush to report the case saw the grand scene Xu Di had set up and immediately came to plead their innocence. Xu Di had made preparations in advance and had set up a temporary reception area for reporting cases. County Magistrate Yuan and his men were in charge of receiving them. It was agreed that as long as the situation was true, the family property would be returned as appropriate and compensation would be paid as appropriate.

Xu Di's move gave the people of Penglai hope, and immediately half the street lined up on their knees, shouting loudly for a just and upright official.

Xu Di stood in front of the hall, listening to the shouts from the street, and said to Wen Jinghuai and Ji Xueyi sitting in the hall: "Your Excellencies, the people's hearts are with us, and the people's will is ours. What reason do I have to disregard the wishes of the common people for the sake of the face of the powerful and wealthy? If an official does not serve the people, he might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes. Today, I ask you two to be my witnesses. For the sake of the people and for the Emperor, I, Xu Di, disregard my personal life, honor, and disgrace, just to give the people justice and to restore peace to the Great Liang. Even if it means facing millions of people, I will go. I will not hesitate to sacrifice my life."

Everyone has an original aspiration, but not everyone can stick to it. People have a tendency to seek profit, and as the environment changes, few people can stick to their original aspiration. When Wen Jinghuai and Ji Xueyi passed the imperial examination and rode through the streets, they were full of heroic spirit for the country and the people. When these two had forgotten their original aspiration, Xu Di's words were a wake-up call, making them re-examine the original aspiration they had forgotten for a long time.

Wen Jinghuai stood up, looking at Xu Di with excitement. Xu Di nodded to Wen Jinghuai, then turned to the people outside the hall and said, "Fellow villagers, please rise. What I am doing today is my duty. I am a servant of the emperor, and I must be loyal to him. Before the emperor, I am your representative. What I need to do is speak for you and reach the ears of the emperor."

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