"Your Excellency, this man claims to be your nephew, is that correct?"

He Jiuniang looked at the magistrate with a smile, which made the magistrate feel a little uneasy.

"Ah, yes, yes, it really is my good-for-nothing nephew."

For some reason, the magistrate, who was initially furious, suddenly lost his temper when he saw He Jiu Niang.

But we can't just let my nephew's severed fingers go. What will he do for the rest of his life without them?

"Since you know he's good-for-nothing, Your Excellency the Magistrate must discipline him properly. Look at the state of my shop! He came to my shop in broad daylight to bully my niece. Does he really think that just because he's the magistrate's nephew, he can bully people at will? Is there no law in this world?"

He Jiuniang took the initiative, still smiling as she spoke, but the magistrate still felt that her smile was insincere.

The magistrate thought for a moment and said to the servant beside him, "You tell me what exactly happened!"

He Jiuniang raised her hand to stop him, saying, "It's pointless to let him say it. Let the onlookers talk. Come on, ma'am, I've seen you've been here from the beginning. Tell me the whole story, and I'll give you a serving of Lu Hei Ya (a type of braised duck)."

"good!"

The eldest sister was very happy to relay this story, especially since she could also benefit from it. She went on and on, spitting as she spoke.

The magistrate's face was visibly grim because the older woman kept saying that Lotus was being bullied, that the young master was a bully, and that he had people smash up shops and such.

The magistrate was particularly suspicious that she might have been bribed by that bag of Lu Hei Ya duck.

"Could there be some misunderstanding here?"

He knew that He Jiuniang's family was able to settle here because they had connections, and that He Jiuniang was capable, so he didn't want to make things too ugly.

Looking at his expression, Lu Baichuan knew he was trying to get away with it, and said expressionlessly, "Article 723 of the laws of this dynasty states that if an official's relatives abuse their power to bully others, the punishment will vary depending on the severity of the offense, ranging from caning and exile to execution."

The magistrate was startled and then looked directly at the masked man.

A person who can recite the law from memory is no ordinary person.

And just by looking at the aura he exudes, he doesn't seem like an ordinary person.

It can create a sense of oppression in people without them even realizing it.

The magistrate didn't recognize him and had never heard of any important figure wearing a mask.

"Oh dear, hehehe... Let's talk this out..."

Unsure of Lu Baichuan's identity, the magistrate could only force a smile and wave to his men behind him, preparing to drive away the onlookers.

The lady who had just helped recount the events said, "They haven't given us the Lu Hei Ya (a type of braised duck) they promised!"

Youya hurriedly packed a clean serving of Lu Hei Ya (a type of braised duck) and handed it to her. He Jiuniang said with a smile, "Don't rush off. After all, we haven't seen the whole show yet! Youya, go pour everyone a cup of tea and watch it slowly."

"Okay!"

Youya agreed and did as instructed. The magistrate's face darkened completely. He looked at He Jiuniang and said, "Doctor He, are you unwilling to give me face?"

"How much do you think your reputation is worth? As the county magistrate, you should set an example instead of condoning your relatives to bully the people. And you, as their uncle, not only do you not punish them severely, but you also want to cover it up. Is this what a local official should do?"

Lu Baichuan spoke coldly, his tone revealing deep dissatisfaction.

Although the county magistrate was wary of Lu Baichuan's status, he was still angered that Lu had been made to lose face in front of so many people.

"Who are you to dare point fingers at me?"

He was so angry that his chest was trembling. He thought that this person was wearing a mask and dared not show himself. Even if he really had a status, he couldn't be a big shot. Maybe this family was deliberately trying to trick him.

He had always known that this family had powerful connections, but he had never seen anyone from above give any instructions. Especially now, he was beginning to suspect that he had been fooled by this family.

Lu Baichuan had been waiting for these words. He immediately took out a token and held it up in front of the magistrate. The moment the magistrate saw the token, his legs went weak.

Lu Baichuan didn't take his own Fire Cloud Division token, as that identity shouldn't be publicized everywhere; instead, he took the Prince's Mansion token.

This token is unique to the upper echelons of the Prince's mansion. It grants the Prince's trust, allowing them free access to the mansion and, in critical moments, even the ability to mobilize the city's troops.

Anyone who can work in the Prince's mansion is far more powerful than him, a mere county magistrate.

The man in front of me is actually one of the prince's men!

He wanted to kneel down instantly, but Lu Baichuan kindly helped him up. He didn't say much else, but simply asked, "So, can I point fingers at you now?"

The magistrate nodded repeatedly: "Yes! Yes!"

"You've been protecting your relatives and bullying the common people. If the prince finds out about this, do you think you can still keep your official hat?"

As he spoke, Lu Baichuan reached out and flicked his official hat. The magistrate was trembling all over. He felt like he couldn't stand up anymore. Who could save him?

He had considered countless possibilities, but he never expected this man to have such a ruthless background. He was just a minor county magistrate, who could be a king in the county, but he was no match for these truly important figures.

In fact, killing him would be easier for these people than crushing an ant.

"My lord, I... I was blind and offended you..."

He couldn't even speak properly, but Lu Baichuan was too lazy to argue with him, so he said, "Now we're talking about your nephew bullying the people in the street. How do you plan to handle this?"

"Yes, yes..."

He panicked and spoke recklessly, his mind blank. He never expected to kick a hornet's nest and offend such an important figure, not only losing his official position but also his life.

The young nobleman never expected this outcome. He had only taken a fancy to a young woman and thought he could easily get her, but he ended up losing four fingers and even ruining his uncle's life.

He slumped down at the magistrate's feet, not daring to utter a word.

He had originally wanted to show off, but when he saw his uncle trembling like that, he knew he was doomed.

Those watching the drama unfold were also surprised by this unexpected turn of events. The family's backer was so powerful that even the county magistrate was so afraid of him; he must be a very important person.

At this moment, everyone was thoroughly enjoying the view.

In a county town, the county magistrate is a high-ranking official. Ordinary people like them would not dare to speak out even if they had a thousand grievances. But to see the county magistrate being reprimanded today is a rare occurrence, so they naturally have to watch it carefully so they can have something to brag about when they get back.

The kids were also very excited watching it; Uncle San is really amazing!

He Jiuniang felt a strange sense of triumph, and asked, shaking her leg, "Magistrate, have you decided how to handle this?"