Li Yigou remained in the kowtowing posture, but it was easy to see that he was trembling as he spoke.

"Hehe, you reacted really quickly."

Long Cheng smiled slightly, "Since you're so smart, surely you can figure out why I'm here?"

"This humble official...this humble official dares not."

Li Yigou's body trembled more violently, and her eyes darted around.

"Dare not? What are you afraid of?"

The smile on Long Cheng's face vanished instantly, replaced by an icy coldness.

He didn't even bother with the gavel; he slammed his fist on the table and roared, "Li Yigou, you have some nerve!"

These words startled Li Yigou, who trembled again and kowtowed repeatedly until her forehead was covered in bloody marks.

"This humble official dares not, this humble official dares not!"

“Li Yigou, let me tell you, I arrived a long time ago, and I know exactly what happened up ahead.”

Long Cheng pointed at Li Yigou, who was kowtowing on the ground, and continued to angrily rebuke him: "You, the prefect of Hongnong County, as the official in charge of the county, do not think about educating your son, but let him do evil, oppress the people, kill innocent people, and commit one heinous crime after another!"

“Someone came to plead guilty and appealed in court. After learning that the criminal was your own son, you still tried to distort the truth and destroy the evidence!”

"How is such behavior any different from that of your own child who treats human life as worthless? Are you showing contempt for my great law and trampling on the dignity of my great emperor?"

"Li Yigou! Do you know your crime?!"

Li Yigou deflated like a punctured balloon, her body limp. "This humble official...this humble official is guilty..."

At this point, he dared not argue and could only beg for forgiveness and admit his mistake: "Please, Young Master Long... please forgive me for my many years of service as an official and for my diligent work in order to achieve great things..."

Sun Jian finally understood. A few words could make a prefect of a prefecture kowtow and kneel repeatedly. This young master Long might be more powerful than he had originally thought.

His brother Long is a man of meticulous thinking and unfathomable skill in managing people; he's no ordinary man.

Long Cheng's eyes were icy cold, showing no sign of emotion: "Spare you? Then ask my brother Sun if he agrees first?"

Sun Jian knew that Long Cheng was testing him, wanting to see how he would act and what his character was like, but he would not be bound by the so-called test at all.

He watched Li Yigou coldly, waiting for his performance.

Li Yigou trembled all over, knowing that she was completely finished this time, but she still held onto a sliver of hope.

He knelt down before Sun Jian again, kowtowing repeatedly and pleading. "My...my...sir, I...I was truly blind and ignorant of your greatness. I beg you to show mercy and spare me and my son."

As she spoke, Li Yigou began slapping herself, "Slap! Slap! Slap!" Each slap was powerful, making it unbearable for the people around her to watch.

"Just think of it as you stepping in dog poop, and I am that pile of dog poop!"

"From now on... from now on I will definitely discipline my son properly. I will resign from my post and just ask for enough to eat each day. I beg you!"

Sun Jian squatted down on the ground, looked at Li Yigou whose face had already been swollen from being slapped, and sneered, "Do you know the saying, 'If only you had known this would happen, why did you do it in the first place?'"

"I know, I know!"

"father……"

At this moment, Li Jian, who was lying on the ground not far away, kept making whimpering sounds.

Actually, he had been awake for half a day and had witnessed almost the entire process after Long Cheng arrived, but he had broken limbs and his whole body was bruised and swollen. He was in so much pain that he was almost suffocating and couldn't make a sound for a long time.

When Li Yigou saw her child wake up, she quickly crawled forward on her knees, helped Li Jian up, and knelt down with her son to greet Sun Jian.

"Ah, good to be awake."

Sun Jian sneered and continued, "You want me to spare you?"

"Please, just ignore me like a fart, I beg you."

"You are a magnanimous person who doesn't hold grudges against me. I kowtow to you! I kowtow!"

Seeing Li Jian and Li Yigou kowtowing repeatedly, Sun Jian's face darkened.

He squatted on the ground, lifting Li Jian's chin with one hand and Li Yigou's chin with the other, and said fiercely:

"Have you spared the people of Sunjiazhuang in Hongnong County?"

"Have you spared my three wives?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yigou and Li Jian collapsed to the ground again, staring at Sun Jian with terrified eyes.

Seeing that the desired effect had been achieved, Sun Jian cupped his hands in a fist salute to Long Cheng and said, "Brother Long, the law should be applied according to the law, and there should be no leniency."

"good!"

Long Cheng turned his gaze to Liu Jin, who was standing below him.

"Little Jinzi, how's the matter I asked you to handle?"

"In reply to Young Master Long, everything has been arranged."

"The county clerk, the county assistant, and the county commandant have been waiting for a long time. They have begun to register and list the crimes of Li Yigou and his son over the years, and are just waiting for your order."

"The three ladies have been released from prison and should be at the county post station by now."

Long Cheng nodded. "Alright, then let's handle this matter strictly according to the facts."

"Yes, sir!"

Liu Jin cupped his hands in greeting, then turned to the assembled constables who were already dumbfounded and said, "What are you waiting for? If you don't want to be implicated, quickly take these two into custody for trial!"

"Ah...yes, yes, yes!"

The constables immediately stepped forward and dragged the Li father and son away, who were lying there like dead dogs.

"Brother Long, have my three wives been brought out?" Sun Jian was overjoyed to hear from Liu Jin that his three wives had arrived at the post station instead of being in prison.

Long Cheng laughed heartily and walked down to the hall: "Then, Brother Sun, where do you think I went during the time I was late?"

The two looked at each other, remained silent for a moment, and then burst into laughter.

"Hahaha!"

Sun Jian clasped his hands in a gesture of respect: "Brother Long, thank you so much this time."

"Hey, Brother Sun, you're too kind."

“Such a person who commits crimes and has a long history of misdeeds should be severely punished to serve as an example for others, even without Brother Sun’s case.”

"Speaking of which, I, Long, must thank Brother Sun for helping me uncover a major case and removing a thorn in my side. Without you, how many wrongful convictions would have been lost to the sea? How could such tragedies have been redressed?"

Sun Jian was deeply impressed by Long Cheng's high emotional intelligence; he had clearly helped him, yet he spoke as if he had helped Long Cheng in return.

Such a person would be extraordinary, not to mention great achievements, even if placed in any dynasty in later times.

Although Sun Jian was very curious about Long Cheng, he didn't necessarily need a result.

Since they are unwilling to tell you, there's no need for you to keep asking.

"Brother Long, I am deeply grateful and will never forget your kindness."

Sun Jian clasped his hands in thanks and bowed again.

Long Cheng's smile returned: "Brother Sun, this place is filthy, why don't we go somewhere else? I heard the inn has good wine and meat, and I'm still hungry after all this work!"

Sun Jian laughed heartily, "Hahaha. Then I'll gladly accept your offer!"

Seeing that the matter was over, the two walked out of the government office hall side by side, chatting and laughing as they headed towards the post station.

"Qingcheng, Zijian, Wan'er, you've suffered so much, wait for me..."