Yin Jin'an never changes his name or surname, so when did he become surnamed Xiao?
Also, when did he ever become an idiot?
Where do you see that he's not thinking straight?
However, Yin Jin'an, though short-tempered, was not a fool.
Jiutian kept speaking before him, which showed that the child was afraid he would reveal his name as Yin Jin'an.
Was he afraid the Western Xia people would accuse him of being a spy?
But he really didn't understand why so many people said he was a fool. Jiutian spoke with great conviction, and everyone seemed to agree that he was a fool.
Could it be that to disguise his identity, he changed his name and surname, and even pretended to be a fool? —But how come I didn't know that?
Has the world gone mad?
Landlord Wang had heard about the "Jinyi" gang's plight to some extent; they were from the same town, so it was impossible that he hadn't heard of it.
So he also stood up to prove that "Jinyi" was a fool and that Cui Fude exploited and abused Jinyi.
“Master Li, the Cui family is truly despicable. They took someone’s money, broke their legs, and left them in their ancestral home, chained them up, and left them to die. What a vicious heart they have!”
Landlord Wang said with great sorrow, "Please, Master Li, severely punish the Cui family's evil deeds."
Magistrate Li understood what Landlord Wang and Magistrate Wang meant; he was determined to give face to this classmate who had taken the imperial examination with him.
"Cui Fude, immediately return the silver that Jin Yi embezzled!" Magistrate Li said to the bailiffs. "Follow him to his house and take the silver back, not a single coin less."
Cui Fude was terrified and knelt down to beg for mercy: "Your Excellency, I have spent all the money, it's all gone!"
"Spend it? Then sell your grain, sell your house, sell your children, sell yourself!"
“Go to your grandson’s academy and take back all his tuition fees to pay off his debts.”
Would Magistrate Li be polite to lowly ants? You're kidding!
Cui Fude plopped down on the ground.
The bailiffs stormed into Cui Fude's house to search for silver. Bai Shi, Ou Shi, and Xiao Bai Shi refused to let them take the money. During the struggle, the bailiffs shouted, "If you obstruct us again, we will send Cui Fude and Cui Dalang to jail."
Only then did the women dare not stop them.
Even if the silver was unexpected, the villagers dared not spend it extravagantly. Of the two hundred taels of silver that Minister Cui gave to Cui Fude, one hundred and fifty taels were still hidden in Bai's tattered socks.
"What about the remaining fifty taels?"
“Cui Fugui took it all as tuition fees,” Xiao Bai revealed. “Our second branch didn’t take a single penny.”
The bailiffs forced Cui Dalang to hand over money at knifepoint. When Madam Ou refused, the bailiffs beat Cui Dalang. Madam Ou cried and wailed, revealing that all the silver she had saved up over her lifetime—only fifteen taels—had been taken away.
"Sir, we are still short thirty-five taels," the bailiff told Magistrate Li. "We simply can't find any more silver at home."
Magistrate Li said, "Then sell his land and his house."
Cui Fude now wants to fight Yin Jin'an and Jiu Tian to the death.
But with Magistrate Li watching him, he dared not move.
The Bai and Ou families told the people in town, "None of you should buy my family's land. If it can't be sold, he won't get the thirty-five taels of silver."
Someone told Magistrate Li, "The Cui family has formed a defensive alliance, inciting the townspeople not to buy their land."
Magistrate Li sneered and said to the bailiffs, "Go and announce that the land is being sold to pay off debts. Originally, a mu of good land would sell for ten taels of silver, but now that the magistrate is in charge, it will be sold for seven or eight taels."
Those who were originally determined to stand with the Cui family are now becoming more and more eager to buy Cui Fude's land.
Seven taels per mu, five mu of fertile land, thirty-five taels.
They sold out incredibly quickly, and some people even said, "Two hundred taels of silver has been with them for more than half a year, so surely they should pay some interest? Why not sell another five acres?"
Jiutian and Yin Jin'an said they didn't want it anymore, and wanted two hundred taels instead.
Next, they will compensate Yin Jin'an for her clothes and accessories.
Cui Fude and Bai Shi cried and begged, "The clothes are really gone. They were all given to our eldest grandson. Even if you get them back, they'll just be old clothes..."
Magistrate Li said, "Then we'll convert it into silver and pay you back."
A single piece of the Cloud Rainbow Brocade Robe costs over five hundred taels of silver.
The brocade boots also cost several hundred taels.
Furthermore, when the "brocade-clad" arrived, they had jade thumb rings on their hands, gold necklaces around their necks, and fine mutton-fat jade hair ornaments on their heads.
All things considered, it would cost at least three thousand taels of silver.
Crying was useless for Cui Fude, and Magistrate Li made up his mind: pay up! Pay up!
The county magistrate himself came to support his classmate, so the young Taoist priest had to be satisfied.
Feeling sorry for Cui Fude? Do you think the county magistrate is exploiting the common people?
You're all just talking without understanding the situation! Should we strip you naked, chain you up, break your legs, and leave you to fend for yourself?
Sell land, sell houses, basically get everything in the house that can be converted into cash.
It's still a long way from three thousand taels of silver.
Magistrate Li smiled and said to the bailiffs, "Put the money aside for now and get a clear understanding of Cui Fude's murder case."
This time, Cui Fude was truly paralyzed on the ground, wanting to die.
He and Cui Dalang exchanged a glance. They were determined not to admit it, but could Magistrate Li really force them to talk?
The entire town watched as the Cui family sold land and houses all day long, with magistrates from both the local and neighboring counties overseeing the event. It was truly a spectacle rarely seen in a thousand years.
Magistrate Li and Magistrate Wang sat in the old house of the Cui family all day. The tea and snacks were all sent by the landlord, Wang.
Before they knew it, it was evening. Magistrate Wang said to Jiutian and Yin Jin'an, "Let's stop here for today. Magistrate Li should also rest."
On that day, Magistrate Li stayed at Landlord Wang's house and reminisced with Magistrate Wang.
Landlord Wang had his men bring Jiutian and Yin Jin'an to stay at his house as well. Jiutian asked Yin Jin'an, "Second Uncle, shall we go?"
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com