Chapter 67 Magistrate Zhao personally interrogates the guilty
His outburst had a significant impact; upon hearing about the forged documents, the crowd began to discuss them.
Su Jingge remained calm and told her subordinates, "Continue working."
Upon hearing this, Fan Tong opened his mouth, froze for a moment, and tilted his head: "Say it again?"
Su Jingge said calmly, "I said, keep working, is there a problem?"
Fan Tong chuckled: "You, Su Jingge, how dare you defy the laws of the court! Forging documents is punishable by confiscation of property and extermination of the entire clan." Fan Tong's eyes were filled with barely concealed ferocity. "If you stop construction now, I can treat you leniently."
The woman raised her eyes, her expression one of unwavering disdain: "Oh? Lord Fan's official arrogance is truly impressive. A mere ninth-rank official can directly decide life and death?"
Upon hearing this, the people covered their mouths and laughed.
Even the children laughed loudly: "Haha, a lowly ninth-rank official, deciding life and death, what a powerful official! What a powerful official!"
Fan Tong's face turned ashen, his complexion so dark it seemed to drip ink, yet he still adopted an official air: "Su Jingge! I will no longer engage in verbal sparring with you. You are about to die and still do not know how to repent, is that it?"
Su Jingge took a few steps slowly. She was a woman, and her height was the same as Fan Tong's. She exuded a strong sense of oppression.
She said in a threatening tone:
"Forging documents is indeed punishable by confiscation of property and extermination of the entire clan, but when exactly were these forged documents? And how did they show contempt for the imperial laws?"
Fan Tong waved his hand and said, "Someone, tear down the notice board and let her see it clearly, especially the official seal!"
"Let's see who dares!" Su Jingge's face was cold and stern, and the words she uttered were filled with a chilling aura.
No one dared to move.
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Fan Tong smiled wickedly: "What, scared?"
She curled her lips slightly: "Not at all, it's just that I must remind Registrar Fan that if the document that was posted has any legal effect, then what you're doing..." Her eyes sharpened, "is contempt for the imperial law!"
Fan Tong saw a dangerous glint flash in those eyes, and he was so startled that he lost his footing and took a step back: "You, you."
The woman scrutinized her as if she were a group of insignificant ants.
Fan Tong's eyes darted around, and he whispered to the people watching the yamen behind him, "Summon Zhao Zhou to the East Gate immediately. Tell them something has happened."
After saying that, the man ran away.
Su Jingge watched as Fan Tong went to fetch someone.
The man gave a mocking laugh: "You just wait, someone will take care of you."
Su Jingge nodded slightly, a smile in her eyes: "Alright, I won't leave, I'll wait."
Dark clouds had obscured the sky, making it a hazy, indistinct expanse.
Inside the yamen (government office).
"It's terrible, sir! It's terrible, sir!"
Zhao Zhou was feeding the birds when they heard the shout. Startled, the birds flapped their wings wildly, and several feathers fell out.
Suddenly, with a 'whoosh'.
Zhao Zhou closed his eyes, his anger flaring up: "You fucking scared the hell out of me! If nothing's wrong, I'll pluck your dick off!"
Upon hearing this, the constable turned pale and knelt down with a thud, his heart filled with fear: "Your Honor, please forgive me, I really have something to attend to. Chief Clerk Fan sent word that someone should go to the East Gate immediately!"
Zhao Zhou was already seething with anger, and when he heard a lowly ninth-rank official ordering him around, he kicked the constable over in a fit of rage.
"So you all think you can ride on my back and wield your official power?"
The constable flipped over and knelt down again: "I dare not, sir, something really has happened. Su Jingge is at the East Gate with weapons and men, cleaning up the garbage, and your official seal has appeared on the notice board!"
This news had a significant impact. Zhao Zhou tilted his head and exclaimed, "My official seal has appeared on the notice board?!"
He looked at the bailiff in disbelief and nodded.
Alright, so you're all trying to turn the world upside down, aren't you!
"Walk!"
Before long, Su Jingge saw Zhao Zhou appear at Xiaodongmen with a group of yamen runners.
The man smiled politely at her: "Oh, isn't this Assistant Manager Su?"
Su Jingge greeted him, "Lord Zhao, are you well?"
Zhao Zhou smiled and said, "Thanks to Assistant Manager Su, I'm much better now. But I heard from a servant that you were taking care of the garbage for the people at Xiaodongmen."
"When I heard this, I thought it was a good thing, a good thing that would benefit the people. My illness was much better."
He paused, then said, "I just heard that... the official seal on the document that Assistant Su posted on the notice board was forged, and it was even my seal that was forged."
"Upon hearing this, I thought, how could that be? Assistant Su has always been impartial and law-abiding, and would never fabricate anything."
“My servants disagreed and insisted that it was true. I immediately slammed my fist on the table and declared that if Assistant Manager Su had indeed fabricated the story, I would absolutely act in accordance with the rules!”
Su Jingge couldn't help but laugh inwardly; Zhao Zhou had really done a great job of putting on a show.
And then there's this rumor, one person tells ten, ten tell a hundred, and sure enough, they say there are a lot of shows to watch.
Su Jingge pursed her lips: "Lord Zhao's men may have made a mistake. If you don't believe me, let's go and see the official seal together."
Zhao Zhou smiled and stepped aside: "Please, Assistant Manager Su."
Fei Jian followed behind, while Lu Ershou was doing his homework. A look of worry appeared between his brows, but he comforted himself, thinking that Sister Su would definitely be alright.
The group moved to the notice board.
Zhao Zhou squinted and looked at the documents on it. They were indeed the same ones that Su Jingge had shown him last time, and they were indeed pasted on it.
Then look at the official seal, a large square seal with a surname stamped on it, it is...
His pupils dilated in shock. It was Xiao, not Zhao!
Su Jingge looked at the man's pale face and smiled, "Magistrate Zhao, how is it? Is this official seal yours?"
Zhao Zhou swallowed hard, glanced at the large crowd behind him, and smiled without changing his expression: "This is indeed not my official seal..."
Su Jingge opened her mouth and nodded in surprise: "Oh~ no, it's because the servants didn't check it themselves before reporting to you, sir?"
Zhao Zhou felt a lump in his throat. Wasn't this implying that they were not rigorous and had neglected their duties?
Having learned from the previous experience, Zhao Zhou turned around and his eyes sharpened as he looked at the idiot: "Fan Tong, are you blind? Look at the stamp on it, whose is it?"
Zhao Zhou was furious, but she had no choice but to grit her teeth and bear it.
Fan Tong swallowed hard: "This, sir, I've only heard about it, I haven't come to see it for myself."
Zhao Zhou was so angry he almost rolled his eyes on the ground.
Su Jingge crossed her arms and looked at the two of them, then hesitated before asking, "Do you two have anything else to say?"
Zhao Zhou's face was completely pale, but he still had to force a smile and say, "Haha, it's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. I knew that Assistant Minister Su would never forge my official seal."
He kicked Fan Tong: "Why aren't you confessing yet?"
Fan Tong, unwillingly, raised his chin and muttered, "Even if it wasn't Assistant Minister Su who forged Lord Xiao's official seal, the seal on it still bears the character 'Xiao'!"
"Then perhaps... it was created by Xiao Yinhe..."
Upon hearing this, Su Jingge frowned slightly. Everyone knew that Xiao Yinhe was a nobody among the county magistrates, and they must think that she had forged Xiao Yinhe's official seal...
Zhao Zhou's eyes lit up, and a hint of joy, unseen by others, appeared on his lips: "Assistant Su, you wouldn't... really have forged the official seal of Prefect Xiao?"
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