The little dumpling patted its chest, like a proud little peacock, extremely confident.
Huang Er paused in his tea-drinking motion, thinking to himself, "She really is the county magistrate's daughter. The young lady is different. She's been spoiled since childhood. Even in this situation, she's still so confident."
"Ha." Huang Erqi laughed. "Just like your father, so self-righteous."
Lili blinked. They thought she was the county magistrate's daughter, so they must be talking about the county magistrate.
"Don't talk about my dad!" Lili instantly got into character, becoming a die-hard fan of the county magistrate. "Dad's the best!"
"Impressive? Tsk, indeed quite impressive. Ignoring the prefect's orders, while other county magistrates eagerly fawned over him, this Qin fellow was too stubborn. Not only did he disobey orders, he also used his private granary to purchase grain."
Huang Er sneered, "What, is your father the only honest official?"
Lili just stood there with her hands on her hips, pretending that her father was being scolded. Children don't understand these words.
I don't know whether I should praise Huang Er or not. She used Flash when he used a basic attack.
That's true, it would be strange if a two-year-old could understand these things.
But... judging from this, these people really were sent by the prefect of the prefectural city?
What kind of charter is this? Is it partisan infighting or self-interest?
"Your Excellency, this is the place."
Outside the gate, the government guards surrounded the courtyard. A serious-looking young man, led by a middle-aged man, came over.
Magistrate Qin appeared calm on the surface, but his heart was in turmoil.
Qin Renjie was only thirty-two years old. After passing the imperial examination last spring, he requested to return to his hometown to serve as the county magistrate, devoting himself to serving the people of his hometown.
The prefect of Nanlin County had different views from him and they could not work together. They had been at odds for two years since he took office.
But he never expected that this matter was of such great importance that the prefect wanted to do such a treasonous thing as deceiving his superiors and trying to drag them, the county magistrates, into it!
Qin Renjie naturally refused, but he never expected that this time, Prefect Zhou would actually send people to kidnap his daughter and use her as a threat!
"How is Miss? They didn't make a move, did they?" Qin Renjie was extremely anxious. The grain collection stall he had set up had been open for several days without any problems, which was why he had agreed to let his wife bring their daughter to check on things today.
Unexpectedly, trouble struck as soon as we arrived!
The clerk beside him answered truthfully: "The people below said that the other party was extremely arrogant. They snatched the child in the street and left. They even sent someone to say that you must come in person, or else they would make the young lady suffer."
"So they haven't made a move yet." Qin Renjie breathed a sigh of relief, then said indignantly, "That Zhou Wukui is really going too far. He's blatantly using my daughter's life to force me to go along with him!"
"Sir, what do we do now?"
Qin Renjie pondered for a moment: "Raising taxes without authorization is a serious crime of deceiving the emperor. Moreover, in this year of famine, raising taxes will only bring harm to the people, not benefit them! I cannot agree to it!"
The clerk wore a pained expression: "But Miss... Besides, even if nothing happens now, who knows what tricks the prefect might use in the future? You know, the prefect is..."
Before the clerk could finish speaking, a servant who rushed over interrupted him: "Sir! Miss and Madam are fine. They were originally planning to go directly to the grain stall, but Miss stopped to eat a bowl of wontons on the way and only just found out about this!"
Qin Renjie was startled: "What's in there...?"
The advisor was also surprised: "Isn't that the young lady inside?"
The servant replied firmly, "Absolutely not. I have already had the guards escort the lady and young lady back to the mansion."
Upon hearing this, Qin Renjie did not relax at all; on the contrary, he became even more nervous.
If the child inside isn't his daughter, then it means these people arrested the wrong person.
He didn’t know how they arrested the wrong person; all he knew was that the child inside wasn’t his daughter, but the daughter of an ordinary citizen!
Qin Renjie's purpose in being an official and a person was to ensure the people's peaceful and prosperous life. He would rather die than do something like colluding with the corrupt and oppressive people.
If it were a member of his Qin family inside, he wouldn't be so afraid, but inside are the daughters of ordinary people, his people!
Furthermore, this whole affair started because of him. If it weren't for him, Zhou Wukui wouldn't have sent anyone over, and the child wouldn't have been mistakenly arrested!
Qin Renjie was filled with remorse. The clerk, knowing his master's temperament, quickly said, "Sir, we should rescue that child as soon as possible!"
Qin Renjie suddenly realized that he had to make sure the child was safe!
Qin Renjie waved his hand, and several guards immediately rushed forward to stand guard at the courtyard gate.
Upon hearing the commotion at the door, Huang Er immediately gestured to the others, who understood and drew their knives, pointing them at the doorway.
Huang Er slowly pointed a small knife at Lili, his tone regretful: "What a pity, so delicate and beautiful at such a young age. Do you think your stubborn father will choose your little darling or his common people?"
Lili pursed her lips and looked at him, seemingly understanding but not quite.
Suddenly, the courtyard gate was kicked open from the outside, and then the guards of the government office filed in. Qin Renjie walked in with a sullen face.
Qin Renjie immediately spotted the little girl being held to a knife, and his face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot: "Did Zhou Wukui send you?"
Huang Er chuckled, showing no fear whatsoever, and remained completely unperturbed: "Lord Qin, I've long heard that you love your people like your own children and cherish them as your own lives. I wonder, compared to your beloved people, which is more important, your daughter?"
Qin Renjie looked at the little girl with a deep gaze. She looked even younger than his own daughter, yet she was so calm, neither crying nor making a fuss. Could it be that she was scared out of her wits?
Qin Renjie's expression was solemn as he said, "Isn't Zhou Wukui afraid of making things worse, and that I'll fight him to the death and bring it all to His Majesty's door?"
"Please go ahead, my lord. My master will accompany you to the end," Huang Er said. "If Lord Qin truly has the ability to get this to His Majesty's door, my master will certainly repent and start anew."
These words were extremely arrogant, clearly telling him in a blatant way, "Go ahead and sue me. You're lucky if you make it to His Majesty alive."
Qin Renjie could easily understand the meaning behind his words. Although he was angry, he was helpless.
Because he knew that Huang Er was absolutely right; he truly lacked the ability.
He had tried, but he was penniless and had no powerful backing. In contrast, Prefect Zhou Wukui…
Qin Renjie lowered his head helplessly, gritted his teeth, and felt ashamed in his heart.
As the magistrate of a city, he was truly ashamed that he failed to protect his people.
Lili looked at this and that, then suddenly said, "Why don't you let the nest out first?"
Huang Er looked at her; the little dumpling's face was full of seriousness, her expression so earnest that Huang Er thought he had misheard: "What did you say?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com