When the constables were summoned, they only heard that there was trouble from people in another county, but they didn't know that the He and Sun families were also involved. They glared at the thugs beside them, annoyed that they hadn't explained things clearly, and were about to try to smooth things over...
Then Ah Yuan stepped forward and said that there were officials' wives recuperating in the courtyard, and he hoped that the officers would consider their situation...
The constables exchanged glances. The officials' wives who could get the He and Sun families to come out were not incompetent.
He immediately glanced at the thugs, annoyed that they were causing trouble, exchanged a look, and the two left to report back to the magistrate.
Du Yuan, the magistrate of Beixian County, bought his position with donated silver. He did not do his job properly, but spent all his time thinking about lucrative opportunities.
When the messenger returned, he found that the magistrate was not there, only the county lieutenant Mei Gao was in the government office.
Mei Gao was the county lieutenant of Beixian County who had been trying to bribe the magistrate of Beixian County a few days ago, but suddenly interfered and came out to obstruct the process.
Mei Gao couldn't stand the name of the Sun family. He had lived in Beixian for more than ten years, but had he ever been humiliated on the spot?
Even when he was asked to return, the magistrate only offered a brief explanation and gave him a small reward, but he never forgot the humiliation of being called away and then released.
After hearing the officers explain the situation, he immediately grabbed his sword and rushed to the scene without saying a word.
The rest of the government officials followed, totaling more than ten people.
The scoundrels and the people of Beixian were overjoyed to see the county magistrate arrive in person with so many people.
The stewards from the He and Sun families stepped forward and bowed.
Mei Gao, with her haughty airs, glanced at him indifferently and ignored him.
The managers stood up on their own, looked at each other, and shook their heads slightly.
"So, you're the ones causing trouble?"
Mei Gao's voice was utterly unoriginal, and Ruan Meng almost laughed out loud.
Song Shiwen stepped forward, identified himself, and took the initiative to explain the situation.
Mei Gao's gaze was sharp, clearly directed at the people in the courtyard.
The thugs were probably familiar with him. When they saw Mei Gao, they couldn't help but smile. After Song Shiwen finished speaking, they added fuel to the fire and distorted the truth.
"Sir, they're deliberately using other people to intimidate you!"
"We've already told them to go to the government or our county magistrate for a settlement, but they insist that the officials' families are recuperating and won't even let us speak!"
"That's right! Sir, it's great to see you here. They were so arrogant just now! They claimed to be from the He family and the Sun family, they were completely lawless!"
"When did our Beixian County become inhabited by the He or Sun families?"
......
The stewards of the He and Sun families tried to explain themselves, but Mei Gao wouldn't listen and continued to command his men.
"Guards, arrest them all!"
But the bailiffs only targeted the people in the courtyard and the stewards of the Sun and He families.
The Sun family guards resisted fiercely, and Mei Gao angrily rebuked them:
"Have you rebelled? The government is arresting people, and you dare to resist?!"
Song Shiwen countered, "May I ask, Your Honor, what is the basis for arresting this person?"
"Has our crime already been judged?"
"How can you believe only one side's testimony? If there's no conviction, even if we're to be taken to the government office for questioning, why are only we being arrested?"
"Could it be that the xenophobic tendencies of the people of Beixian are fostered by you, sir?"
With Xu Zhen, the He family, and the Sun family behind him, Song Shiwen had nothing to fear.
Petty people fear power but not virtue. The more cautious and timid you are, the more they will take advantage of you!
Mei Gao was indeed enraged. He drew his sword and was about to hold it to Song Shiwen's neck when suddenly, Song Shiwen kicked him aside, and the sword fell to the ground!
The constable helped Mei Gao up, but Mei Gao shook off the person next to him and glared fiercely at Ruan Meng!
Only then did he recognize several familiar faces: the second and third brothers, Sun Chengen, A Yuan, and some guards...
It really was them!
Mei Gao drew his sword and charged toward Ruan Meng. Fan Zizhong and Fan Zili stepped in front of him, and the guards, reminded by A Yuan, surrounded Ruan Meng while protecting the courtyard.
"Sir, what are you doing? Are you abusing your power, or are you deliberately committing violence?"
Ruan Meng asked in a cold voice.
Mei Gao snorted coldly, "My lord, I'm taking people away. Do you dare to resist?"
The stewards of the He and Sun families argued that "even if the prefect arrests someone, there must be procedures and reasons to be explained."
"Now that you, sir, are so unable to distinguish right from wrong and are so biased, even if the man is arrested, we will report the truth to our employer. Our employer will then go to the magistrate to argue our case!"
"There's always a place to reason out right and wrong!"
......
Mei Gao sneered, "Reasoning? Our magistrate is the law of Beixian County! Even if the Heavenly King himself came, he'd have to see if the magistrate would be happy!"
Du Yuan, the magistrate of Beixian County, found the sedan chair moving too slowly. To show his eagerness and importance, he grabbed the hem of his robe and ran to the alley entrance. Before the gasps of the people blocking the alley could even reach them...
Du Yuan pushed through the crowd and squeezed in, just in time to hear Mei Gao's words. Blood rushed to his head...
He rushed over and slapped the county constable across the face, yelling, "Shut up!"
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