"Did you know? The Xu family has been robbed! My great-aunt lives right across from the Xu family. She said there was a commotion at the Xu family mansion this morning. They said that Magistrate Xu, Madam Xu, and her youngest daughter's rooms were all robbed. Jewelry boxes were gone, and such a big official leather trunk was also missing. There are officials patrolling the Xu family mansion every night. I don't know how these thieves got in, and how they managed to carry such a big trunk without being noticed. They're really something."
"Really? Who's so bold as to steal from Magistrate Xu's house?"
"It's true! My neighbor's seventh aunt's uncle's daughter's husband's third aunt's brother works as a cook in the Xu family. I heard that Old Madam Xu was so angry that she fainted. There were jewelry worth thousands of taels in that jewelry box, and it's all gone. They dared to steal from the magistrate's house. They must have a death wish."
“Over a thousand taels? I’m afraid it’s more than that. Haven’t you heard? At Madam Xu’s birthday banquet, she casually received over a thousand taels of gifts. How could a jewelry box only be worth a thousand taels? It must be worth several thousand.”
"I'm so envious. My family sells spices and we only earn a hundred taels a year. A banquet like that can earn my family ten years' worth of money."
"If you're so envious, then send your son to school and make him the top scholar in the imperial examination. Once he becomes an official, he'll naturally have money. He won't be able to avoid becoming a corrupt official; people will be practically begging to give him money."
"Shhhhhhh, keep your voice down, the walls have ears-"
"Are you all out of your minds? How dare you make up such stories? Get out of here, don't huddle together, or the officials will hear you and throw you in jail."
As Yan Xia passed through an alley, she overheard seven or eight women gossiping about the Xu family.
It seems there are quite a few good things in those jewelry boxes. They must be very valuable to have made Old Madam Xu so excited that she fainted. She can't wait to open the jewelry boxes and take a look.
Yan Xia was anxious but not in a hurry; she strolled leisurely through the streets.
She's going back to Shuangqiao Town early the day after tomorrow. Xiaohe is about to give birth, and she needs to choose a gift for Xiaohe and her future granddaughter.
The county government was in complete chaos at that time.
Shi Qi had just taken over as the head when such a big incident happened at the Xu residence. Early in the morning, the county magistrate pointed his finger at them and berated them, calling them useless for letting the Xu residence be robbed, even though the theft of the Xu residence had nothing to do with them, since they were the ones guarding the county government office.
One can be a subordinate.
Shi Qi could only endure it.
Anyway, the magistrate vented his anger by scolding them.
They won't kill them.
After that experience, Shi Qi became much bolder.
"Xiao Qi, no, Brother Shi, should we go and help search the streets?"
One of the officials misspoke, mistaking Shi Qi for a former lackey.
After saying this, he looked timid.
They were probably afraid that Shi Qi would hold a grudge and cause them trouble later.
"No, we'll just guard the county government office. Patrolling isn't our job."
Shi Qi didn't care. Having learned from Xie Yan'an's experience, he understood that he must maintain good relationships with those around him, otherwise they would harm him sooner or later, at best losing his job, and at worst risking his life.
If Xie Yan'an hadn't been so arrogant before, he wouldn't have been able to bribe the entire team of officials with just a little silver.
"Okay, you're our leader, we'll all listen to you, I'll go in first."
"Okay, go ahead."
Shi Qi stood at the entrance of the county government office and shook his arms. Sitting all the time was tiring, but the midday sun was very hot and glaring. He was covered in sweat after standing for a while.
I had no choice but to return to the duty room.
"Where is Officer Xie? He told me to go to his house last night, but when I got there, no one was home."
As soon as he entered, he heard someone talking behind him. Shi Qi turned around and saw Wang Guangyao from the Wang family leaning his head against the doorway.
"Him? Heh, you want to see him? Go to the mass grave, but remember to go early, or he'll stink." Before Shi Qi could speak, the person next to him interrupted.
"What? A mass grave? What's going on?" Wang Guangyao was shocked and stopped leaning against the wall.
He walked in and asked the person who had just spoken.
"He was executed by the county magistrate, huh? If I were you, I'd run for my life. You know perfectly well why. How dare you slander Yan's Pastry Shop's flower cakes as poisonous? The real manager of Yan's Pastry Shop has come, and he's even managed to get on Old Madam Xu's good side. Of course, they'll settle scores later. If we don't run now, there will be a few more corpses in the mass grave!"
These words startled Wang Guangyao so much that he broke out in a cold sweat. Despite the sweltering heat, he felt icy cold all over.
"I, I, I........."
He couldn't say anything except the word "I".
"Why are you wasting your breath talking to him? You should stay away from the county government office. If I see you again, I'll make sure you taste the pain of being whipped."
Shi Qi drew his sword from his waist and slowly approached.
Startled, Wang Guangyao retreated repeatedly. He wasn't paying attention and tripped on his own foot, falling flat on his face. He also lost one of his shoes. He didn't have time to pick it up and just ran away.
"Next time you see him, just chase him away. Don't waste your breath talking to him. Watch your mouths, or you'll get into trouble!" Shi Qi said to the people in the room.
"Yes, Brother Shi."
"Yes, boss."
"......."
Even though Shi Qi was the youngest in the room, his position still commanded respect from these officials who had served for over ten years, who addressed him as Brother Shi. Shi Qi was incredibly moved.
He just didn't show it on his face.
Aunt Yan said that only those who are low-key can accomplish great things.
The more arrogant a person is, the faster they die.
He must always keep this in mind.
"mother--"
"Something's wrong, Xie..." Wang Guangyao ran all the way home, ignoring the stares of passersby, but as soon as he entered the house, his words caught in his throat.
"Son, what's going on? They say you mortgaged the house to a gambling den and that you owe hundreds of taels of gambling debt. Go report this to the authorities! They're going to kick us out and take our house away!"
It turned out to be thugs from the gambling den who broke into his house and were ransacking it.
Wang Chenshi, Wang Shufang, and Wang Guangyao's wife Yu Nian'er were held in a corner by thugs and unable to move.
"Report to the authorities? Ha, even if you do, you won't stand a chance. Look, it's all written in black and white. If the money isn't returned within three days, this house will be ours, and you'll have to compensate our gambling den two hundred taels of silver. Give us the money."
A burly thug pulled out a piece of paper and waved it in his hand. He was as strong as a small mountain, wearing a cotton-linen jacket with the shirt open, and the muscles in his chest rose and fell with his voice.
Wang Guangyao swallowed hard and ran away.
"Grab him! No one has ever escaped from me."
Sure enough, Wang Guangyao didn't even make it to the alley entrance before he was carried back by the gambling den's thugs like a fat pig waiting to be slaughtered.
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