Chapter 163 162 County Magistrate Fan, I have a backer
The next day, the sun gradually rose from the east and shone on the earth.
Tang Sicheng was indeed quick in action and brought his men to Moshan County early as agreed.
At that time, he told An Xin that no matter whether he was handling the case or not, he would try to accompany her here.
An Xin and her friends had just become self-reliant and supervised a cook to prepare breakfast before eating.
Tang Sicheng sent the guards he brought with him to the Qian family.
Qian Ergui, the landlord of Qian State, who had already awakened, felt frightened when he saw those people dressed in official guard uniforms being very respectful to An Xin and the others who were sitting there.
Originally, he wanted to find an opportunity to arrest An Xin and the others, accuse them of trespassing, and accuse them of stealing valuables.
Afterwards, relying on his relationship with County Magistrate Fan, he could naturally hand them over to him for handling.
By then, he would make sure that these good-looking teenagers would be helpless and then sell them to those dirty places to be bullied and humiliated.
Now seeing several people being treated so respectfully, Lord Qian's nostrils trembled. He vaguely felt that An Xin and the others were of some importance, which was not a good thing for him.
At this time, in the Moshan County Government Office, Tang Sicheng looked at the place where he had stayed for three years, and suddenly felt as if he was in another world.
"I was not notified and did not know that the co-magistrate was coming. I apologize for not welcoming you and for being disrespectful."
When Fan Mengsheng, the current magistrate of Moshan County, saw the young official sitting in the upper seat in the yamen lobby, a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes.
Although the Tongzhi is one level higher in rank than him, he has come to his territory. Wouldn't it be too much of a stretch to take over the reins?
Tang Sicheng could tell that Fan Mengsheng was unhappy that he came here without saying hello in advance.
Tang Sicheng, who was decisive and efficient in his work, was deeply disgusted with County Magistrate Fan, who was corrupt and took bribes and did not care about the lives of the people.
He didn't even want to go through the most basic official greetings.
He said directly: "I came here this time because I heard that someone in Moshan County was oppressing the people, forcibly selling the fields of several nearby villages for their own use, and using the surrounding villagers as tenants."
"Ah! Is there such a thing?" County Magistrate Fan made a surprised expression: "How come I didn't know about this?"
Tang Sicheng is not a newly appointed rookie official. How could he come to Moshan County to solve a case without any preparation?
After he took over the case, he sent out the people he had trained for many years to gather information and collect information about Moshan County and the great landlord Qian.
Now I see Fan Mengsheng with a look on his face that says, "I don't know how you knew that."
Tang Sicheng didn't want to have any meaningless conversation with him. He looked outside and saw the sunlight coming down. He guessed that the people he sent out would be back soon.
When County Magistrate Fan saw Tang Sicheng's cold expression, a hint of contempt flashed across his small eyes.
He is just a Tongzhi. Why should he pretend in front of him? He has the support of the Marquis' Mansion in the capital. Why should he be afraid of him, an official of a higher level than himself?
"Master Tang, are you mistaken? Since I took office as the governor of Moshan County, I have not yet achieved the goal of not picking up lost items on the road and not locking doors at night.
But the people live and work in peace and contentment, and there are few fights or brawls.”
Tang Sicheng glanced at Magistrate Fan lightly, wanting to know how he had the nerve to say such words.
As far as he knew, County Magistrate Fan had been willing to embezzle any money since he took office in Moshan County.
The entire county was in a mess under his rule, with rampant bandits, looting and robbing, thugs rampant, and street dogs daring to molest decent women.
How can he have the nerve to say that people live and work in peace and contentment and major fights are rare?
Where is the face!
Tang Sicheng looked at Magistrate Fan, who was holding his head high with an arrogant and noble look. He narrowed his long and narrow phoenix eyes, with the corners of his eyes slightly raised.
She pursed her light-colored, moist lips and raised the corners of her lips in a sneer.
Face is a good thing, but this guy doesn't have it.
"Boom boom boom"
County Magistrate Fan paused and asked, "Who beat the drum to appeal for justice?"
"It's a group of villagers." The bailiff came in to report.
Tang Sicheng looked at Magistrate Fan with a half-smile, and said slowly: "Since someone is beating the drum, shouldn't Magistrate Fan go out and see what's going on?"
"Hmph! A bunch of unruly people." Feeling that he had been slapped in the face, County Magistrate Fan stood up unhappily, flicked his sleeves and walked out.
Tang Sicheng narrowed his deep and sharp eyes slightly. It seemed that County Magistrate Fan, relying on his backers, did not take him, a Tongzhi who was one level higher than him, seriously.
"..." I can tell you the truth, Lord Tang.
Tang Sicheng, who arranged this matter, walked slowly from the back court to the front hall and looked at the people who had been summoned and were kneeling trembling in the middle of the hall.
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"Bang!" The gavel slammed down, and County Magistrate Fan looked unkindly at the villagers below, whose faces were gloomy and who were wearing patched clothes.
"How dare you, a rude and unruly person, to beat the drum of grievance."
"Come on, take them away and give each of them thirty lashes first, and then I will interrogate them."
"Ah! Why do we have to be beaten with a stick before we can file a complaint?" A group of villagers who didn't understand the law said in fear.
When Tang Sicheng saw how Magistrate Fan treated the villagers who came to file a complaint, his face darkened.
"Mr. Fan is so powerful. If I remember correctly, only when a citizen sues an official will he be punished with thirty strokes of the cane first.
You didn't even ask them what they were suing for, but you ordered them to beat them up. Isn't that unreasonable and illegal?"
"I am now the parent official of this area. Lord Tang has been transferred a long time ago. It is better for him to stay out of the affairs of Moshan County."
Magistrate Fan didn't even bother pretending.
Although he was treacherous, greedy, and not very smart, Fan Mengsheng knew very well that these village women were here to file a complaint, so how could he give them the opportunity to speak in front of Tang Sicheng?
Tang Sicheng: "What if I insist on intervening?"
"Humph! You better think it through." Magistrate Fan said with disdain: "My brother-in-law is the Marquis of Wuchang in the capital. Do you, a sixth-rank official, really want to go against me?"
Tang Sicheng was stunned. He didn't expect Fan Mengsheng to be so direct and use the Wuchang Marquis Mansion to pressure him.
Just as Tang Sicheng was hesitating whether to bring out his own cousin to fight against this county magistrate who was corrupt, accepted bribes, condoned bandits and bullies, unscrupulous businessmen and gentry, and harmed the people and made them suffer terribly.
Then I heard a few disdainful snorts coming from the lobby door.
"I don't know how powerful the Wuchang Marquisate is in the capital. Even a small local official from outside the capital can use him to bully others."
When Tang Sicheng saw the person standing at the entrance of the lobby, his originally solemn expression relaxed.
Marquis of Wuchang was a second-rank marquis with a title in the capital.
The last time, the unruly young man was playing with the token of the First-Rank General's Mansion, which was a token of a general who truly held real power.
(End of this chapter)