Chapter 877 Temporary Escape
County Magistrate Tang invited them into the house and sat down. He then said to Mingli, "Go tell my wife I won't be back for lunch. Please bring the lunch box."
He asked Manbao and the others, "Have you eaten?"
They both shook their heads.
County Magistrate Tang said, "Take more."
Mingli bowed in agreement and went out to help them open the door.
Magistrate Tang looked around and found no tea, so he poured them two cups of cold water and said, "Have some."
Bai Shan and Man Bao didn't drink, and went straight to the point: "Master Guan should have recognized me."
County Magistrate Tang sighed, "I can't remember anything about you and your father. Why don't you remember it?"
Bai Shan didn't say anything.
He has no memory of his father, so how can he remember him?
There was no point in saying more. The three of them sat facing each other sadly and began to think of a solution.
County Magistrate Tang asked, "How much do you think Master Guan can guess?"
Manbao and Baishan looked at each other and began to speculate the worst outcome. Baishan pondered, "If he knew that I was my father's child, he would definitely suspect that I was investigating what happened back then."
Manbao: "He will also know that I took Bai Shan there, and then he will know that we already know that he knows."
County Magistrate Tang asked, "How did he know that you knew he knew?"
Manbao coughed lightly and said, "I was feeling his pulse while he was talking to Shanbao. He will definitely guess that I felt it."
County Magistrate Tang was curious, "Is taking the pulse really effective? Come on, try taking mine and see if I'm lying or anything."
Bai Shan called out, "Master Tang, let's stop making trouble now."
"How can this be called a commotion? This information would be very useful, but forget it, now is not the time to discuss this," County Magistrate Tang asked. "Do you think he knows that I already know?"
Bai Shan and Man Bao thought about it seriously and shook their heads, saying, "He probably doesn't know. We've never revealed it to him."
"I haven't revealed it, but if he looks closely, not only will he find out that you and I have close ties, but I've also lived in Luojiang County for a while. Do you think he'll guess that I already know about it, or even be investigating it?"
Manbao and Baishan both opened their mouths wide.
This would be a major issue. If it were them, Lord Guan would at most deal with the two of them, treating them as children who were unwilling to accept their actions and therefore wanted to investigate. But if County Magistrate Tang was also caught in the crossfire...
Manbao shuddered and asked, "What should we do then?"
County Magistrate Tang stood up and walked around twice, then sighed, "I just don't know if he's a friend or foe."
County Magistrate Tang placed one hand on the table and said softly, "I don't know who County Magistrate Bai went to meet in the other courtyard that year, but he chose to meet him in his other courtyard. If it was him, it would be fine. But if it wasn't him, then it must have been someone very close to him, otherwise they wouldn't have chosen to meet him in his other courtyard."
County Magistrate Tang's mind raced as he pondered, "I wonder if County Magistrate Bai was defeated in a fair fight with the King of Yizhou, or if he was defeated after his actions were exposed."
The former is fine, but if it is the latter, it is probably because someone informed on the matter. Otherwise, how could the King of Yizhou know such a confidential matter so quickly?
Bai Shan and Man Bao also became worried. "What should we do? The Yizhou Palace is so powerful, and the Yizhou King is so cruel. Will he send people to kill our family members?"
"That's not the case. Do you think this is within his fiefdom from more than ten years ago?" County Magistrate Tang paused, stroking his chin. "I won't kill your entire family, but I will kill you two..."
He glanced up and down at the two of them, frowned and said, "You..."
He paused and said, "How about going home and hiding for a while?"
Man Bao glared. "This is in Yizhou City. There are so many people here. How dare he kill someone in public?"
County Magistrate Tang said expressionlessly, "Do you know how many people died in the Shu County government office twelve years ago?"
Manbao paused and shook his head.
"Twenty-eight people in total, including Magistrate Bai and his guards," Magistrate Tang said. "All twenty-eight people were reported dead by the bandit leader. The then Governor Yan later led his troops to suppress the bandits in the mountains and brought back the heads of thirty-two people. However, I have carefully examined the files from fifteen to twelve years ago, and I have not found anyone reporting any bandits near Yizhou."
The two innocent boys and girls were stunned.
County Magistrate Tang said, "Of course, back then, the King of Yizhou controlled Yizhou City and its surroundings, from the Jiedushi down to the counties and townships under his jurisdiction. But now, Jiedushi Zhang has only been here for less than four years, and the Governor and I are both new. Even if they have a good relationship with the Yizhou Palace, they won't completely obey him. So it's impossible for him to kill people in Yizhou City like he did twelve years ago. However, it's still easy to kill one or two people."
County Magistrate Tang gave them an example. "Suppose, for example, there was a conflict at your school, and everyone started fighting, accidentally killing someone, and you died. Or, say, a patient you diagnosed went crazy, or the patient's family went crazy, thinking the medicine you prescribed was wrong, or deliberately prescribed an overly expensive medicine, and attacked you. Or, say, the carriage you were riding in suddenly went crazy and overturned, and all three of you died..."
Manbao and Baishan swallowed and looked at County Magistrate Tang nervously.
County Magistrate Tang sighed and was silent for a long time before saying, "You should go home and hide for a while. Is it easy to ask for leave? If not, I will write to Changbo and ask him to issue an official document to call you back."
Bai Shan came back to his senses, "Can you do that?"
"Of course you can. Although your registered residence is still in Longzhou, you live in Yizhou City. And it was Changbo who recommended you to take the entrance exam to the prefectural academy. If the county needs talents, they can ask the prefectural academy to recall students from the county. Of course, it's up to you whether you accept or not."
Bai Shan thought for a moment and looked at Man Bao. Finally, he gritted his teeth and nodded, "Okay, let's go back."
County Magistrate Tang nodded and said, "That's right. As long as the green mountains remain, there will be no shortage of firewood. You are still young, so there is no need to rush."
Bai Shan was worried, "But if this happens, wouldn't it be easier for them to guess that Lord Tang and Lord Yang are also investigating this case?"
County Magistrate Tang smiled and said, "That's not easy to guess, and it wouldn't matter if I guessed it. At this point, I already know almost everything I need to know, and what I shouldn't know. All I lack is evidence."
Manbao: "Then Lord Tang, aren't you afraid that he might fall off his horse, fall off his carriage, or get choked while eating?"
County Magistrate Tang said angrily, "Can't you think of a better way for me to die? Don't worry, I'm not you. He won't dare let me die so easily."
Bai Shan asked, "Is it because of family background?"
"Yes and no," County Magistrate Tang said, "My father is not a pushover. If I die here for no reason, he won't let me down. Furthermore, things are different now than they were twelve years ago. Although Jiedushi Zhang and the Ming governor have close ties with the King of Yizhou, they are not retainers of the palace. It would be difficult to hide my murder from them."
There was one thing County Magistrate Tang didn't say: his wife was not a vegetarian, and his in-laws were even less so.
County Magistrate Tang laughed and said, "He didn't dare to kill me when I was in Yizhou City, let alone Changbo. It's safest for you to return to Luojiang County. With Changbo protecting you, even if he went there himself, he wouldn't be able to take your lives."
The next update will be around 8pm
(End of this chapter)
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