Chapter 92

Early in the morning, there was a sudden sound of gongs on the streets of Qingquan County. Someone quietly opened the window and looked outside, only to see officers in official uniforms walking and banging the gongs. He immediately closed the window.

"What's wrong? What happened outside?" a woman asked.

"I don't know. The government officials are out again. I wonder what happened this time?" the man replied.

"Then quickly close the window and stop looking." The woman came over and closed the window. "Wait, something is wrong today."

"The new magistrate Lin arrested the bandits from Huya Mountain yesterday. They will be publicly tried tomorrow. Anyone who has been wronged can come to the county government to appeal. Magistrate Lin will definitely make the decision for you." The officer said loudly after beating the gong.

The two people in the room looked at each other after hearing what he said, "Is what he said true? Were the robbers really caught? God has eyes."

"Wait a minute, let's go to the county government office in the next two days to see whether it is true or not. If it is true, it will be great, and I can avenge A Yuan."

"What if it's fake?"

"That means the new county magistrate is just as useless as the one with the surname Ma. We can only hope for the best."

On the street, countless people stuck their heads out to listen to the noise, and some were brave enough to ask, "Officer, is what you said true?"

The officer thought about Lin Shuge's instructions to be friendly to the people, so he tried to force a smile and said, "How could it be false? If you don't believe me, just come to the county government to find me. My name is Cao Yong."

After hearing some discussion, the people around decided to go to the county government office in the next two days. Those who could read had already prepared a draft in their minds and were waiting to go to the county government office to file a complaint.

Seeing a hint of conviction on everyone's faces, Cao Yong continued to move on to the next street.

The new county magistrate was really capable. He captured all the bandits in the mountain stronghold in such a short time, and also arrested those people in the county government office who were in cahoots with the bandits.

He had been marginalized to the point where he could no longer work. Those who had laughed at him in the past were now waiting in the county government office for punishment by the county magistrate, and he was unexpectedly given an important position.

Hehe, this is really a sudden turn of events, with light at the end of the tunnel.

Qingquan County Government Office.

Lin Shuge took the file and read it page by page. Lu Yuechuan was beside him, calculating the population and tax reports from each township, using the table summary method taught by Lin Shuge.

"This group of law-breaking thieves are so hateful." Lin Shuge said angrily.

"Don't be angry, sir. Captain Wei has made them suffer enough these days. After the trial is over tomorrow, I will let them meet Yao Dajiang as soon as possible." Lu Yuechuan closed the official document and said.

"But sir, after these people were cleared out of the county government, the county government is short of manpower. You can't let me take on several people by myself."

"Don't worry, after I finish trying this case, I will explain the situation to Envoy Wei and then recruit people." Lin Shuge chuckled.

"Then it's settled."

As he was talking, Xie Chen walked in.

"Zhongxuan, you came at the right time. It was too late yesterday and I didn't have time to explain to you. The five hundred soldiers you brought with you played a great role in suppressing the bandits this time. I will prepare some good wine and food to reward you, and I will also reward some silver money for those who have made contributions." Lin Shuge explained.

"I already gave you a reward yesterday."

"That's different. Whether it's public or private, you have to do your best." Lin Shuge said with a smile.

When we counted the stolen goods last night, we found that Yao Dajiang had hidden quite a bit of money. We could just use some of it to reward the troops. We couldn't let them come here for nothing.

Xie Chen had a wicked look on his face. Seeing Lu Yuechuan's eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, he asked quietly, "What about me? Do I get a reward?"

Lin Shuge had a blank expression on his face. “No, you just do hard labor.”

"I heard that only if I'm sold to another family will I have to do hard labor and get no wages. Brother, are you buying me to the Lin family?" Xie Chen said with pride instead of shame.

"Wei Zhongxuan, go out and work." Lin Shuge spoke word by word, gritting his teeth.

"Okay, I'm leaving now, brother. Remember to save some food for me at noon." Xie Chen was in a good mood and left immediately.

Lin Shuge glanced at Lu Yuechuan who was trying hard to hold back his laughter and said, "Laugh if you want to."

"Sir, I didn't hear anything." Lu Yuechuan said, holding the document in one hand and a pen in the other.

Lin Shuge looked at him strangely, which caused Lu Yuechuan to look at him, "Sir, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Don't you think it's against human ethics and heresy?"

"What's the big deal? I am a heretic myself. Besides, the Longyang homosexuality has existed since ancient times. Why make a fuss about it? Wei Suichang is a young talent, and he doesn't do anything against the law. As an outsider, why should I interfere?" Lu Yuechuan said as a matter of course.

Lin Shuge didn't know whether he was sighing at the ancients' good acceptance or at Lu Yuechuan's truly free and open-minded personality. He sighed deeply and continued to read the files.

"But sir, what's going on with you guys now?" Lu Yuechuan really couldn't resist his curiosity. He just saw the two of them getting along like a couple, but they didn't seem like a couple at the same time. He was really anxious.

Lin Shuge narrowed his eyes and looked at him, "Work more and worry less about these things."

"Sir, you are wrong. There are some things that need advice from people around you. I don't think you have ever experienced love, so you don't know how to deal with it. Tell me about it and maybe I can help you think about it."

Want to know more? Lin Shuge's heart moved slightly.

"I treat him as my younger brother, but seeing that he looks like he has lost his soul, I can't bear it." He said with some difficulty.

"So you mean you didn't make it clear to him?"

Lin Shuge shook his head. Xie Chen ran away after he finished speaking last night. He wanted to talk to him today, but he was interrupted by the things happening in the county and didn't have time to explain himself clearly.

"My Lord, let me ask you, do you really have no feelings for him at all? Only brotherly love?"

Lin Shuge leaned back, his mind flashing with scenes of his time with Xie Chen, the way he held his hand and acted coquettishly towards him, the way he smiled at him with a pear in his pocket, and finally the way Xie Chen said last night with a firm gaze that he would love him for the rest of his life. He was shocked and shook his head with a wry smile.

He really did treat Xie Chen as his younger brother in the past. He stayed awake all night last night, thinking about how he felt about him, but he had never experienced love, and his thoughts were a mess.

"Sir, if you really don't want to go down that path with him, it's better to cut the Gordian knot for some things. Otherwise, you'll get deeper and deeper into trouble, and it won't be just you who will suffer." Lu Yuechuan said earnestly.

Lin Shuge nodded, trying his best not to think about it and buried his head in reading the files.

The next day.

The Qingquan County Government Office was solemn. Outside the lobby of the government office, many people were gathered in three layers. Some of them had angry looks on their faces, some had frowns on their brows, and some were whispering with the people next to them.

Lin Shuge was wearing an official uniform and sitting in the center. "Everyone, today I am presiding over a case of bandits from Huya Mountain that have been causing trouble for the people of the village, killing people and robbing them. Bring the criminals up here."

The officers brought the prisoners up and shouted at them, "Kneel down."

After being interrogated and tortured, Meng Hu no longer had any intention of resisting and immediately knelt on the ground when he heard the words.

"Meng Hu, the man under your hall, is the third in command of Huya Mountain. He once led people to rob passing merchants and loot the people in the county, committing several major crimes. Do you know your crime?"

Meng Hu looked ashen, and whispered, "I know my crime."

An angry shout broke out from the crowd, "Do you know your crime? Return my father's life to me."

"Silence." After saying this, Lin Shuge winked at the officer. The officer bowed and brought the person who had just shouted to the court.

"Is what you said true?"

"Sir, everything I said is true. My name is Xue Ping. I was originally a merchant in the county. My family does some business of selling goods. Once, when my father and I were on our way to the prefectural governor's mansion, he, it was him, led people to stop us. We thought they only wanted money, so we gave them all the money we had. Who knew they would kill people and rob them, not sparing any lives. My father and I fought to the death."

His eyes were full of blood, and he calmed down before saying, "My father died at his hands. I was slashed and thrown off the hillside, seriously injured and unconscious. Fortunately, someone rescued me and I survived. But when I went back, I only saw my father's body exposed in the wilderness. I went to the county government to sue them, but the county government said that the county magistrate was busy and asked me to wait. When I came again, they said I was disturbing the court and kicked me out. Later, I found out that the dog official had colluded with the group of thieves. It's a pity that my father died at the hands of bandits, but I couldn't avenge him."

He cried bitterly, and some of the onlookers gnashed their teeth, while others felt the same way and wished they could eat his flesh alive.

"Bring Xu Zhengcai up." Lin Shuge said loudly after listening to his speech.

The police escorted Xu Zhengcai up. The people around were filled with righteous indignation and cursed the corrupt officials. Xue Ping still had hatred in his eyes. If there had not been a number of burly soldiers standing nearby, he would have rushed up long ago.

"The man in the hall is Xu Zhengcai, the county magistrate of this county. After investigation by this county, it was found that Xu Zhengcai was harboring bandits and colluding with the serious bandits of Huya Mountain, causing harm to the local area. His crime is unforgivable."

"Sir, I am innocent. It was Yao Dajiang and Ma Youliang who colluded to do this. I was just following orders. Everything I did was under duress." Xu Zhengcai shouted loudly.

People outside the venue began to scold him for being shameless and having no shame.

"Su Jing, you said you were coerced? But I have here a dozen testimonies from the bandits of Huya Mountain, all of which say that you covered up their crimes. This one says that on the second day of March, Yao Dajiang led people to rob Pingtai Village in Wugong Township, looted thirty-five people, and gave 20% of the money and food to Ma Youliang. Here is the testimony of your confidant, saying that you got 2,000 silver coins. Do you dare to deny it?" Lin Shuge threw the testimony at him and shouted sternly.

"Sir, that was just the hush money Ma Youliang gave me to keep me quiet. At best, I was just an accomplice under his tyranny..."

"You still dare to quibble. Come, bring Hook." He is still speaking sweet words and refusing to repent when death is imminent. His death really does not deserve a pity.

Hu Ke was Xu Zhengcai's confidant. As soon as he arrived in court, he knelt down and begged for mercy, "Sir, I have confessed everything I wanted to confess."

"I called you here because County Magistrate Xu is crying out for injustice, saying that everything he did was coerced. What is the truth? Please tell me in detail in front of me and the people of Qingquan County."

Hu Ke glanced at Xu Zhengcai and gritted his teeth and said, "It was County Magistrate Xu who came up with the idea of ​​colluding with the gangsters in Huya Mountain. It was also County Magistrate Xu who acted as a middleman for Magistrate Ma to be in cahoots with the bandits."

"You... I have treated you well, how dare you talk nonsense and blame me?" Xu Zhengcai cursed with his eyes wide open.

"Sir, everything I said is true. On that day, County Magistrate Xu was abducted by Meng Hu to the mountain stronghold. In order to save his life, he agreed to persuade County Magistrate Ma to conspire with him. After that, how Yao Dajiang and others covered up the crime and how they deceived their superiors and subordinates were all his ideas." Hook told every detail of how Xu Zhengcai coerced and bribed the victims.

Xu Zhengcai's face was dead silent, he just looked at Hu Ke with hatred, saying that many things including kidnapping Lin Shuge were the ideas of his confidant, and the two of them immediately started arguing in the hall.

Lin Shuge looked at the two men fighting each other with a cold face. He had already known their crimes, but today's public trial was just to give justice to the people of Qingquan.

"As Qingquan County bureaucrats, you two colluded with bandits to harm the people and bring disaster to the village. You have failed the great expectations of the Heaven, Your Majesty, and Envoy Wei, and you have failed the innocent people. You have wasted your years of studying the books of sages and wise men, knowing the law but breaking it. I sentence you two to death by beheading as a warning to others."

"The crimes of the bandits in Huya Mountain are extremely serious. The chief culprit is Yao Da□□. The rest of the criminals were sentenced to be beheaded and displayed to the public. The rest of the accomplices were sentenced to serve time in the city to appease the people's resentment."

The three men in the hall looked ashen, silently listening to the cheers and curses of the people around them, and were escorted away by the officers with their bodies stiff.