Xie Wu, now dressed in the official robes of the Prefect of Yingzhou, walked over with a smile. He wasn't annoyed when Tang Huan questioned him, but his face showed some embarrassment.
Being reprimanded in front of so many people would make anyone feel uncomfortable.
Xie Wu glanced at the bound and detained people, his expression unchanged.
The officials, on the other hand, were all filled with astonishment and confusion.
"Wasn't it said that Xie Wu was demoted and disappeared without a trace, and no one knows where he died?"
Why is he wearing an official robe?
"If Xie Wu were still the governor of Yingzhou, how could he have disappeared for several months? When I went to Yingzhou a while ago, he wasn't there..."
Those who followed Rong Shanhai were all officials blinded by greed, wanting a share of the spoils.
Xie Wu had served as the Prefect of Yingzhou for many years, so he was naturally familiar with the officials in his jurisdiction. They had sat together countless times to drink and eat meat.
Rong Shanhai tentatively asked, "Lord Xie?"
Xie Wu turned his head to look at Rong Shanhai before saying, "Isn't this Lord Rong? Why has he changed like this?"
"I heard that His Majesty previously demoted you and removed you from your post as Prefect of Yingzhou. How come..."
Xie Wu said solemnly, "I was indeed punished by His Majesty for some mistakes, but later I devoted myself to disaster relief and solved the disaster in Kuizhou. Therefore, His Majesty reinstated me to my original position, and I have been back in Yingzhou for some time now."
However, Xie Wu had been away in Kuizhou for too long, and the position of prefect had remained vacant. During this time, too many things had accumulated, and he was so busy that he had no time to attend to anything else.
Therefore, only a small number of people knew that he had returned to Yingzhou.
Upon hearing this, Rong Shanhai's heart sank, and he regretted why he had sought trouble with Tang Huan.
Remembering the instructions of the person behind him, he gritted his teeth and hardened his heart, crying to Xie Wu, "Lord Xie, Tang Huan had us kidnapped in broad daylight and even falsely accused us of being bandits. Such behavior is truly despicable. Please, sir, do justice for us."
"Oh? Is that so?" Xie Wu asked in surprise.
Upon seeing this, Rong Shanhai's mind raced with a flurry of thoughts, various ideas flashing through his mind.
It seems that Xie Wu was unaware of what Tang Huan had done, or at least did not know that Tang Huan had kidnapped people from other counties.
Although the two were related in private, Tang Huan had offended some influential figures in the capital. Even Xie Wu, as the governor of Yingzhou, was powerless to resist him and might even defect to his side.
If they can persuade Xie Wu and show him the gravity of the situation, today will be Tang Huan's death day.
"Lord Xie, the post station is where He Lizhang, the registrar of Baofeng County, was arrested by Tang Huan's men and has been tortured and abused. He is now on the verge of death."
"As you can see from the current situation, Tang Huan has no regard for the law and acts recklessly. Such behavior is despicable and hateful."
Xie Wu did not answer Rong Shanhai's question, but instead looked at the other people who were tied up.
He asked, "Is what Rong Shanhai said true?"
Upon seeing this, someone immediately spoke up: "Lord Xie, it is indeed true. I can testify for Lord Rong."
"Indeed, Tang Huan is just a minor county magistrate, whose official rank is no more than ours, yet he dares to do such a thing. He is disregarding the laws of Daqing!"
Once one person spoke up, the others chimed in.
They had long been bound together with Rong Shanhai, becoming like grasshoppers on the same rope.
Xie Wu's face gradually darkened, which, in everyone's eyes, meant that he was afraid and terrified.
So they talked more and more excitedly, and some even brought up all sorts of illegal things that had happened in Qihuai County over the years, trying to take the opportunity to kick Tang Huan while he was down and completely pin the crime on him.
Amidst the commotion, Tang Huan had already sat back down in her chair, looking on with an expression of watching the show.
Qin Yuyang asked, "Aren't you worried at all?"
"What am I worried about?" Tang Huan spread his hands. "Xie Wu will thank me for being reinstated, and he has done a good job in disaster relief. His Majesty will remember this in the future. It's much better than having no chance of promotion in the past."
"Even if what these people say is true, even if Qihuai County has done many illegal things, so what? Xie Wu has already met with the Empress after returning to the capital. Doesn't he know what her attitude towards me is?"
"It is this group of local tyrants who have been hiding in the mountains, thinking that they are the only ones who are truly fools. They have shot themselves in the foot."
Gongyang listened to Bai laugh and said, "Then I'm very curious about how this matter will go next. Even if he's willing to help you, would he do anything reckless for you?"
How many officials are there here?
At a glance, there were at least a dozen people holding official positions. Even if Xie Wu, as the governor of Yingzhou, wanted to deal with so many people, he would need a reason.
Perhaps influenced by the tone and emotions of the crowd, Rong Shanhai said in a deep voice:
“Lord Xie, Tang Huan is merely a minor county magistrate. Relying on the private army he keeps in Qihuai County, he acts recklessly and has imprisoned us directly. He has no right to do this, and it violates the laws of Daqing…”
"Enough!" Xie Wu shouted angrily before Rong Shanhai could finish speaking.
He abandoned his previous calm demeanor, his face now filled with anger, his gloomy gaze sweeping over everyone around him.
Those who had just been criticizing Tang Huan felt a chill run down their spines, a bad feeling creeping over them.
The same applies to Rong Shanhai.
“I wasn’t sure how many people were abusing their power for personal gain, but what you just said has given me the answer.”
Xie Wu said with a stern face, "Last night I received news that some people have secretly joined forces to block the trade routes of Qihuai County. Anyone who wants to pass through must pay a sum of money. Some people even shamelessly said that if Qihuai County does not agree to hand over its business, they will be trapped like turtles in a jar."
Xie Wu sighed, "I was shocked and disappointed to hear this news. It's unbelievable that such a rebellious person would appear in Yingzhou."
"Toll for passage? Are you officials or thieves?"
"Thank you, Your Excellency..."
Seeing that things were going badly, Rong Shanhai tried to say something, but Xie Wu kicked him in the face, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Tang Huan is merely a county magistrate and has no right to arrest you, but what about me? As the Prefect of Yingzhou, am I not qualified to arrest you?"
Whether it was for Tang Huan's sake or because of his anger, Xie Wu showed no mercy in this kick.
It's unacceptable for subordinates to do such a thing behind your back, even if there's a reason behind it, let alone something so utterly reckless.
"Take them all away and send them all back to Qihuai County Jail first," Xie Wu said in a deep voice.
The matter is settled.
Rong Shanhai, pale-faced and trembling, called out to Xie Wu, "Lord Xie, do you really think a mere county magistrate like myself could have done this? This is the will of the officials in the capital!"
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