Chapter 14 Su Jingge is summoned by the county government
Unfortunately, he is no longer here.
As she walked back, Su Jingge saw an unfamiliar man slip something into her hand as he brushed past her.
The man was wearing a straw hat, so his face was not visible.
Then it disappeared into a street corner alley.
She opened the note when no one was around and saw a line of words on it.
The funding for construction has been allocated.
Who would give her something that only officials would know?
Could it be Xie Mo?
Just as Su Jingge was walking towards the restaurant, she saw Wei Shuang running towards her.
His eyes betrayed his anxiety, and he was breathing heavily.
"It's terrible, Sister Su! The county government just sent word that you need to come over immediately."
"The county government? What do they want with me?" Su Jingge frowned slightly, sensing that something bad was about to happen.
Wei Shuang: [I don't know, it means you're being asked to come over.]
"Okay, I understand. You can go back to the restaurant now."
Wei Shuang shook her head: "Go with you? They definitely don't want anything good happening at this time."
Su Jingge smiled and said, "Don't worry, they won't dare to do anything."
At this time, Qingyue also found Su Jingge.
"Miss, I'll go with you."
"Okay, let's go and meet them."
Su Jingge walked towards the county government office.
She saw the man sitting in the hall wearing a blue round-necked robe with a mandarin duck embroidered on his chest, symbolizing noble character.
He closed his eyes, twirling two walnuts in his hands, while a maid massaged his shoulders behind him. He was leisurely drinking tea, and the person serving him attentively by bringing him tea and water was the registrar.
These two men were none other than County Magistrate Zhao Zhou and Registrar Fan Tong.
He's just a lowly seventh-rank official, yet he acts like the Emperor.
The two men colluded, disregarding the lives of ordinary people, yet now they sit here comfortably drinking tea.
Fan Tong saw that tall, slender figure standing below the hall, her cold eyes burning as if nothing in the world could escape her gaze.
She looks exactly like her father.
"Ahem~ My lord, Su Jingge is here." Fan Tong whispered a reminder from the side.
A sharp, mocking voice rang out: "Who goes there? Why do you not kneel before me?"
Su Jingge's expression was calm, but her eyes were cold and filled with disdainful contempt: "My daughter has a leg ailment and cannot kneel down."
Upon hearing this, the man instantly opened his eyes, looking astonished: "What did you say?"
The gavel rang out sharply: 'Crack!'
"How dare you! Just because you have a leg ailment doesn't mean you don't have to kneel!"
The area around the county government office was packed with people.
The crowd whispered among themselves.
"If I were to kneel before you if you summoned me, I fear I would disappoint you. Please tell me what you wish to do with me."
"Oh ho ho, what a big mouth you have." Zhao Zhou's face was full of gloom, with a half-smile. "Fine, since you have a leg ailment, then let's skip this formality."
Then the gavel rang out again: "Bold Su Jingge, I have received a report that you are in contact with people from other counties. This is treasonous collusion with other counties. Do you admit it?"
Su Jingge remained calm and asked in return, "Does Your Excellency have any evidence that I have illicit relations with another county?"
"Someone, bring out number five!" Zhao Zhou shouted.
A short while later, a man dressed in plain clothes came up.
He pointed at Su Jingge: "It's her! She's having an affair with someone from another county. Please, Your Honor, punish her!"
Su Jingge looked at the person; she had never seen him before, but he must be one of Zhao Liu's men.
She then looked down at the hall and, sure enough, Zhao Liu's men were standing there, looking smug, waiting to see her punished.
But she wouldn't let them have their way!
"Smack!"
The gavel struck again.
"Su Jingge, now that the witnesses are here, what else do you have to say?" Zhao Zhou frowned. "Men, seize her!"
"Wait!" Su Jingge said calmly and composedly, "What is Lin County? What is its name?"
All eyes then turned to Wu San.
Wu San raised his chin slightly and said in a loud and clear voice, "Linshui County."
Su Jingge asked again, "What should I do there?"
"Go and buy it."
"Buying goods is considered adultery?" Su Jingge retorted.
The five-year plan was said almost without thinking.
"Ah, I misspoke. You were having an affair. You clearly have a husband, yet you had an affair with someone from another county late at night. According to the laws of the time, you should be punished by being imprisoned for adultery."
Su Jingge smiled inwardly, knowing they would follow them, but unfortunately they miscalculated.
“Wrong!” Su Jingge looked at him firmly. “I didn’t go to Linshui County, I went to Fengyang Town to make purchases.”
"Fengyang Town does not belong to any other county; it is still under the jurisdiction of Yuxiang County."
"Besides, I have already dissolved my engagement with the Xiao family, and I am now a free person."
"Huh? The Su family and the Xiao family have broken off their engagement?"
"I haven't heard of it."
"No wonder I haven't seen Miss Su busy embroidering Xiuhe lately; it turns out the engagement has been dissolved."
The crowd was buzzing with discussion.
Upon hearing this, Wu San was stunned. He blinked, but he clearly saw Qingyue driving the carriage towards Linshui County. How could it have turned into Fengyang Town?
"Impossible! Don't try to deny it! You went to Linshui County!" Wu San insisted.
Su Jingge slightly raised her chin: "You're so sure, are you following me?"
Wu San's expression changed slightly, and his eyes darted away: "I didn't, I just happened to see it."
"Then what evidence do you have that I had an affair with someone from another county? And what kind of affair?"
After much hesitation, Wu San said, "I saw it, that's the evidence."
"Your eyes are as wide as copper bells; it would be a shame if Zhong Kui didn't take you as his follower."
"Hahaha."
This drew laughter from the onlookers below the hall.
Wu San looked somewhat embarrassed: "Sir, her driving a carriage to Fengyang Town late at night is definitely not for anything good. If it's not an affair, she might have stolen something to resell. Sir, we'll know if we arrest her and interrogate her properly!"
Zhao Zhou nodded smugly: "That makes sense. Whether she went to Fengyang Town or Linshui County, she's a suspect. Men, take her away!"
"Wait!" At this moment, Xie Mo, the county magistrate, spoke up.
Zhao Zhou, looking embarrassed after his suggestion was rejected, asked, "Does the county magistrate have any objections?"
"Since Wu San can't say, then let's listen to Su Jingge. Whether we go to Fengyang Town or Linshui County, we need to provide evidence."
Then Xie Mo looked at Su Jingge.
Su Jingge said, "I'm going to Fengyang Town to buy ingredients."
"Buying ingredients? But why don't you buy them in this county?" Zhao Zhou's eyes narrowed slightly.
“Because someone maliciously blocked the market, I couldn’t buy fresh vegetables. They even threatened that I would never be able to buy them again, so I had no choice but to go to Fengyang Town.”
“I have a purchase list and the amount of money spent. If you still don’t believe me, you can go to Fengyang Town and ask the vegetable merchants.”
Then the list and the silver were presented, because Su Jingge had bought most of the vegetables that day, so the list matched.
Su Jingge looked at Wu San: "On the contrary, you falsely accused me, and now I'm going to sue you!"
Wu San, who had been outmaneuvered, looked completely innocent: "I... I didn't falsely accuse you!"
Su Jingge looked at this person; he was merely a pawn, how could he possibly explain himself clearly?
She looked down at the hall; the man in black had already left.
She had been careful that day, letting Qingyue drive ahead of her. She thought this diversionary tactic wouldn't work, but they actually fell for it.
Su Jingge then looked at Zhao Zhou and said calmly, "Magistrate, it is you who insisted on detaining me without asking any questions. Are you trying to force a confession or are you bending the law for personal gain?"
Zhao Zhou leaned back from the chair and asked so bluntly.
The audience began to look down on him.
This undoubtedly means that he, as an official, has completely abandoned his responsibilities!
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