Chapter 21: Angry at the County Magistrate
The officer was afraid of being punished by the county magistrate, so he grabbed Chen Maowu's collar and dragged him inside. "Chen Maowu, I know everyone is so poor now that they can't even afford to eat, but you're courting death! I saw Shorty Qiang wandering around the streets during the day. Don't think the county magistrate is easy to fool! I'm kindly asking you to leave, but don't be ungrateful!"
Lin Xiaoyue grabbed the officer's arm and said in a deep voice, "If we had better luck, we wouldn't have come here. We've delayed the county magistrate's chance to get promoted and make a fortune. Even if you had ten heads, they wouldn't be enough to chop off!"
The officer was frightened by Lin Xiaoyue's sudden momentum and unconsciously let go of her hand. "Alright, since you won't listen to my advice, then you just wait here. I'm going to go find the county magistrate now. If he gets angry, you can be careful of being beaten with a stick!"
The county magistrate of Dongyuan Town is called Wu Zhongkui, an old man with a white beard. The reason why he still sits in this position at such an old age is because Dongyuan Town is too poor. If he retires and returns to his hometown, no one will be willing to take his position.
Because he was old, Wu Zhongkui went to bed early every day. If anyone came to disturb him, he would definitely be beaten with a stick, so as long as the sky did not fall, no one in the yamen would come to wake him up.
But today, after washing his feet and preparing to lie down, he heard his subordinates standing at the door reporting that the bandit den on Bandit Mountain was on fire. This excited him, and he put on his clothes again and rushed out, completely unmoved by the anger of being interrupted again. "Did you see it with your own eyes?"
Seeing that Wu Zhongkui didn't lose his temper, the officer felt relieved. "No, someone outside the government gate came to report. County Magistrate, would you like to meet them now or ask them to come back tomorrow?"
Wu Zhongkui dreams of killing those bandits. It is these people who come to rob things every day, making Dongyuan Town the most despised place in the surrounding area. And since no one is willing to be an official here, he has to be an official in this quiet government office at his age. He is really fed up with it!
"Quick, call them in, I have something to ask them!"
The officer was a little surprised and nodded in response: "Yes, I'll go right away!"
After a while, Lin Xiaoyue and Chen Maowu, father and daughter, were brought to Wu Zhongkui by the police.
"I greet the County Magistrate!"
Lin Xiaoyue followed the example of Chen Maowu and his daughter and bowed hastily.
Wu Zhongkui was anxious to know what happened on Bandit Mountain, so he didn't go back to change into his official uniform. When he saw the people coming, he asked directly, "I heard that you saw the bandit's nest on Bandit Mountain was on fire? Did everyone in there burn to death?"
Chen Maowu stepped forward and said, "I don't know if anyone is dead or not, but the mountain is definitely on fire. My daughter was kidnapped during the day and then dumped at the foot of the mountain by someone unknown. When she woke up, the fire in the bandit's den on the mountain was already on."
Wu Zhongkui's originally happy heart was left hanging in the air, and he felt very uncomfortable. What he wanted to know most was unknown to anyone. How could he sleep tonight?
"Why don't you guys take a closer look before you tell me? What am I supposed to do now?"
Lin Xiaoyue could hear the complaints in the county magistrate's words. It seemed that he usually only complained about others and did nothing! No wonder he was still sitting in this position at such an old age. Dongyuan Town was too poor, but his lack of ability was a serious flaw. At this rate, he would probably die here.
She said bluntly, "County Magistrate, the bandits on Bandit Mountain are so terrifying that even men are afraid of them, let alone Yunyun. She barely escaped death, so how could she possibly go back up the mountain? She's already shown great courage by following my godfather to report the crime!"
There are only a few people left in Dongyuan Town now, and Wu Zhongkui has seen most of them. He was very puzzled when he saw Lin Xiaoyue, a stranger, but kept calling him godfather.
"Where are you from? How many people in the Chen family are there? This is our Dongyuan Town's business. Don't meddle with your own business as an outsider!"
Chen Maowu felt very uncomfortable when he heard Lin Xiaoyue being scolded by the county magistrate. He stretched out his hands to protect Lin Xiaoyue behind him and said, "This is our family's benefactor. If Yueyue hadn't passed by the foot of the mountain and saw Yunyun lying on the ground and woke her up in time, I'm afraid Yunyun's life or death would be in danger now!"
Lin Xiaoyue heard her stomach growling with hunger and was too lazy to talk to the county magistrate anymore. She grabbed Chen Maowu's arm and was about to leave. "Godfather, the county magistrate has handled countless cases in this county government office. He has walked more roads than I have eaten rice. He can easily solve this matter. We are here to collect the reward today. County magistrate, you won't forget what you said, right?"
Wu Zhongkui was filled with shame and indignation at what Lin Xiaoyue said. In this impoverished Dongyuan Town, even beggars don't want to come here. All the cases are related to the bandits on the mountain!
This girl's sharp tongue seemed to flatter him, the county magistrate, but in fact, every word she said was a stab to the heart! Under normal circumstances, he would have had her beaten with a dozen or twenty boards first, but so much time had passed, and the fire on the mountain might have been out by now. So even if he wanted to go up the mountain to search, he would need these people's help to lead the way, and he couldn't tear his face off for the time being!
He coughed lightly to hide his embarrassment, and said with a smile, "Of course we have to reward such a good thing, but we haven't been there before, and it's really hard to find it at night. Why don't you take my people to the mountain to take a look?"
Chen Maowu disapproved and said, "No, I'd rather not collect the reward than let Yueyue take this risk! The mountain road is difficult to walk on at night. If you need a guide, then do it tomorrow during the day. I'll go then."
Lin Xiaoyue was moved by this new godfather. In fact, the godfather also wanted to know immediately, but in order to prevent himself from taking risks, he not only refused the reward, but also rejected the county magistrate's request. It's great to have someone protecting her!
"My godfather is right. But a bounty is a bounty, and you, County Magistrate, must keep your promise! I can tell you that during the day, Yunyun and I looked from the foot of the mountain and saw that the fire was probably in the belly of the mountain. You can find it by feeling your way over there."
Wu Zhongkui didn't expect these people to be so disrespectful. His expression immediately turned ugly. "If you don't cooperate with me in handling this case, I'll have no choice but to lock you up first. Who knows if you were the ones who set the fire on the mountain?"
Lin Xiaoyue was furious. Could it be that she had met someone unreasonable again?
"County Magistrate, please be kind to all parents. I understand you have children too. If we ask your children to search Bandit Mountain in the middle of the night, would you be willing? Do not do to others what you do not want done to you!"
Wu Zhongkui was shocked by Lin Xiaoyue's last words. How could Chen Maowu, an honest farmer, have such a powerful goddaughter? It would be better to let them go quickly. Staying here would only make him feel upset!
Reluctantly, he took out a piece of silver and said, "Okay, then you guys go back first. I'll send someone to take care of the rest."
Lin Xiaoyue couldn't help laughing in her heart. She didn't expect that the county magistrate was actually a paper tiger who bullied the weak and feared the strong!
I wonder if the county magistrate holds a grudge against her for what she just said? What if the county magistrate is petty and my godfather's family is honest and kind? Then life in Dongyuan Town will be difficult!
She has to try it out!
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