Chapter 23 Chapter 23 The audience did not follow the reduction...
The number of people watching the show did not decrease, but increased instead.
Most of those gathered in the front were vendors carrying loads on their shoulders, and behind them were the people who came to buy things or to watch the show.
"Sir, we all came later, so please tell us about dividing the stall first." Someone popped up from the crowd, wiping his apron with anxious hands.
"Yeah, yeah! Actually, they're the only ones arguing. We're all fine!"
"If we divide it up, where will we find the space? I have so many things..."
The crowd looked at him with eyes, and offered their opinions.
Hezhou waved his hand and said, "You guys will come to register later. I'll come to measure your land area tomorrow and make a public announcement tomorrow afternoon."
"I'll draw a street map this afternoon, and you can choose from it. I'll arrange the extra ones. At night, there's a box behind the government office. It's pitch black there. If you have any opinions, you can write or draw them and submit them there."
He looked around and saw everyone still looking worried, but he didn't know what to say for a moment.
In fact, Hezhou himself was unsure of what to do. It would be difficult to choose between the two people fighting, so it would be better to just tear them down.
Besides, street vendors still need to be regulated.
"Since no one has any objections, let's just leave it as it is. We can set up the table at the yamen this afternoon."
He turned around and looked at the two people who lowered their heads, with a bottomless smile in his eyes: "Can we talk now?"
The thin man knelt down with a thud, his tone panicking: "Master, please spare me! Master, please spare me! I just heard it from someone and I didn't keep my mouth shut..."
"Get up, don't be afraid, I'll ask you."
Hezhou couldn't squat down, so he had to kick his legs, but the pain in his ankle still came back.
He couldn't help but twitch his lips and lowered his voice.
"This is my first time as an official and I want to do something solid. There are not many people in Qilan County. How could you not know what's going on? Forget arresting or killing people. I even paid a child to pass on a message."
His tone was filled with a hint of grievance as he slowly walked around to the front: "You are closer to me than I am. If I accepted dirty money, would you not know the way?"
"grown ups……"
The thin man wiped the sweat off his face with shaking hands, showing no intention of standing up, his long face wrinkled.
Hezhou patted him and said, "It's okay. I just want to know where this rumor came from. If someone is taking advantage of my reputation to collect dirty money..."
"Yes, yes, yes...that person is the one who deserves to be put to death, and..." The thin man shuddered with fear.
"Get up and think about who said that?"
He tried to stand up several times, but he couldn't muster the strength. Finally, he knelt where he was, his voice as small as a mosquito: "I heard Butcher Wang say that this morning..."
There was so much noise around that the light words only fell on the front row, and a man wearing sleeves suddenly opened his eyes wide.
"Why are you here? I heard it from Mrs. Guo!"
He pointed to the woman in the back row carrying a basket.
The woman's smiling face fell, she gasped in fright and quickly pointed at a person who was buying groceries.
At first, Hezhou was afraid that the blame would be placed on someone who was not at the scene if the accusations were made against each other.
Unexpectedly, the finger never stopped pointing, and the final confession was all attributed to a scholar.
"Li Ningshu?"
It sounded familiar to him, as if he had seen it many times, but he really couldn't remember where it was.
Several communicators with the same confession were reluctantly pushed to the front row.
"Yes... Master Li... Master Li said this yesterday when he came to collect the interest. I had a few drinks and didn't know right from wrong..."
"Me too! Me too! Just saying..."
“…”
Hezhou kept on talking about refusal, but he didn't respond. He kept his eyes down and his expression couldn't be seen clearly.
Most of the people who can collect interest here are from the Chen family, and they seem to be much more senior than Wang Er from last time.
It was only a matter of time before he came into conflict with the Chen family, as Old Master Chen was used to being a local tyrant.
When he first rejected the post, declined the housekeeper's invitation, and said he wanted to check the restaurant tax, they were destined to be on opposite sides.
If it is found out that he has no name or background, then if we defeat an unknown county magistrate, there will be no county magistrate for a long time.
"Lead the way."
The noise around him quieted down, and everyone tilted their heads to look at him.
The people in front also fell silent and shrank their necks.
Hezhou glanced at him and asked, "Are you telling a lie?"
"No! No! I dare not..."
Several people looked at each other, and only when Hezhou's face darkened with impatience did they lead him outside.
A few scattered audiences followed behind, and some vendors packed up their stalls before following.
The entire team was cut off from the front, and there seemed to be a vacuum around him, with no one except Chunjuan.
The people behind dragged their feet, and their noises became quieter, mixing together so that no word could be heard clearly. However, they all followed closely, neither too far nor too close, afraid of being called out again, but also not wanting to leave.
He walked around in circles for a long time, half limping, and the road looked like a gourd.
After finally reaching the point where there was no more room to go back, they arrived at the gate of the high-walled courtyard.
There was a paused sound of reading coming from inside, and the sound sounded familiar.
Hezhou remembered that this scholar was the scholar who discovered the corpse in the ruined temple.
At that time, he was kneeling on the ground crying for his parents. He stood in front of the door and turned his head.
The people behind him had already hidden far away. The few who had led the way at the beginning even ran to the back row, hiding behind others, not daring to look at him at all.
Chunjuan was a little worried and hesitantly pulled his arm as he knocked on the door.
"Sir...should we..."
Hezhou glanced back and whispered, "The arrow is on the string and must be fired."
Chunjuan withdrew her hand and moved behind him, her eyes full of confusion. She stood there, not knowing what to do.
He knocked on the door, and the reading inside stopped and shouted loudly.
“Who is it?”
"The government is investigating a case!"
"Yamen?" The person inside opened the door and was startled by the crowd. He glanced around coldly.
Li Ningshu looked him up and down before calming down. "How long will you... keep me in this case at the government office? Wasn't the female corpse case closed? Even the woman's parents are here?"
"It's not about this matter. I heard that someone pretended to be a county magistrate and asked you for money? He also said that if you don't give the money to the government, you will lose your head sooner or later?" Hezhou put on a hat and stepped out, revealing a group of people behind him.
"What's going on?"
"No one pretended to be the county magistrate and asked you for money?"
"Dang..." He suddenly stopped talking, his expression disgusted, his brows furrowed tightly together: "Sir, you haven't been to the court for questioning yet! Why are there so many people gathering in front of the door of a scholar like me?"
Hezhou smiled slightly and said innocently, "Mr. Li, shall we go in and talk? Don't be afraid, we just want to understand the situation."
"Yeah." Li Ningshu reluctantly moved aside. Inside was a quiet little courtyard. Although it was not big, it was quite informative.
Hezhou brought spring rolls in, and soon after the door was closed, there was a noise outside.
Li Ningshu stood at the door and looked at him with a cold expression: "What brings you here, County Magistrate?"
"What's the matter?" Hezhou walked slowly to the table in the yard. A piece of half-written rice paper lay beside a brand new book. "Didn't I just tell you? Someone accused you of spreading rumors against the court."
"What nonsense! When did I ever say that?" Li Ningshu waved his sleeves heavily with a serious expression.
"The people outside said it. They said you said it yesterday when you were collecting rent." He dragged his hand to touch his temples, his eyes narrowed. "They said it by accident after drinking. I don't think Master Li drinks strong liquor, right?"
The yard was quiet, with only the rustling of leaves in the yard. He stood in the shade and watched.
"Sir, they must have confused what they have passed down from mouth to mouth. What I said is that you are an honest official and you don't accept money..." Li Ningshu's voice was drawn out. He walked forward and took out a few pieces of silver from under his sleeve and palm.
Hezhou grabbed his wrist fiercely, his eyes glaring. "No matter what you said back then, it's already caused an impact, so it counts as a crime! And now you're trying to bribe officials, which is an even greater crime!"
Did he really not understand this scholar?
If Wang Er was just the Chen family testing his small building, then the guard was a trap set by the Chen family. But no matter which one, they have no connection with the Chen family. This?
"You know, even if you pass the imperial examination, with these charges against you, you'll never be able to make a name for yourself!"
Li Ningshu clenched his palms tightly, his face flushing red. "What do you want? Kill me if you have the guts! I won't pass the exam anyway!"
Hezhou loosened his grip and pulled out the rice paper on the table. The words "top scorer" were clearly written on it, and it was even written more than once. "Don't be nervous. This is one possibility. Did you say that the government accepted the money because someone was coercing you?"
"What do you mean?" Li Ningshu quickly put the money away and rubbed his wrist, obviously not understanding what he was saying.
Hezhou smiled: "I mean, does this matter have anything to do with the Chen family?"
"he?"
Li Ningshu laughed out loud after a long while, disregarding his appearance. "What are you thinking? I won't go along with them!"
He wiped the sweat from his face with his blue sleeve and said, "Everyone is responsible for their own actions. Although I don't like them, this matter really has nothing to do with them."
"Really? Then why spread rumors?" Although Hezhou had always been aware of it, he still couldn't help but be curious.
The Chen family made a fortune in such a small place. In this situation, there are still people making money from it?
Li Ningshu was obviously hesitant, but he still maintained his composure. "I've been intelligent and gifted with a talent for studying since I was young, and I'm also very eager to take the imperial examinations. But my family wanted me to go into business, and I didn't want to say I found a job as a teacher. I never thought..."
"Never thought of anything?"
"The price Mr. Sun offered was too low, so I wanted to raise it. I posted it in the sun for a few days, and when I went to ask about it again, that Mr. Xie had already gone to teach." He flashed his eyes and spoke in a firm voice.
"He must have used your official position... Otherwise, why would he want a gentleman with unknown background? I only mentioned it vaguely when collecting rent."
Hezhou saw that it was not the Chen family's business, so he sat on a stool beside him and stared at Li Ningshu with sharp eyes. "Unknown origin? Who said that?"
"Ading, Ajia and the others have spread the news."
If he didn't mention these two people, he would have forgotten about them. He doesn't know where they have been hiding these past two days.
"That's pure nonsense. These two guys are not doing their jobs and are just getting anxious because the government office is hiring."
Li Ningshu walked up quickly and asked in disbelief, "The government is hiring?"
"Um."
He raised his eyes and smiled: "What kind of rent did you collect yesterday?"
"Rent for spring sowing seeds."
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