"This is utterly absurd! As local officials, you're fighting over such trivial matters. What will happen if word gets out?"
Upon hearing the prefect's words, the county magistrate snorted and said:
“Your Excellency, don’t think I don’t know. This magistrate is an official of your prefectural government. You’re protecting him. I have nothing to say about that.”
The judge, without any politeness, said:
“Your Excellency, it is clearly you who are protecting and shielding him. You are superiors and subordinates, both governing the local area, unlike me who is just an assistant official.”
The prefect was very angry and said:
"You're talking nonsense. We're all officials from the same place. How could I be biased in our negotiations? This matter ends here. No one is allowed to cause trouble for the other again."
Hearing the prefect's words, the magistrate and the judge had no choice but to give up. However, at that moment, Zhu Yunwen slowly stepped forward and calmly said:
"The prefect is truly adept at handling matters; such a conflict has been resolved so easily and effortlessly."
The prefect immediately turned around, frowned, and glanced at Zhu Yunwen.
The county magistrate and the judge both looked angrily at Zhu Yunwen.
Meanwhile, the judge said:
"You dare to show your face? Fine, tell me, were you sent by the magistrate to cause trouble in my courtroom?"
The magistrate also said, "Nonsense, boy, tell me honestly, were you sent by the magistrate to beat my daughter and oppose me?"
Zhu Yunwen smiled slightly:
"Neither!"
The prefect stared at Zhu Yunwen and said:
"Who exactly are you?"
Zhu Yunwen put his hands behind his back and said:
"Me? Who I am is not important. What is important is that this judge accepted bribes in court and made arbitrary judgments."
This county magistrate also acted recklessly in this area, indulging his children in their misdeeds.
The fact that the two sides fought each other today is a serious violation of the imperial regulations. You, as the prefect of a prefecture, have turned a blind eye to these wrongdoings committed by the local officials under your command.
They even resort to muddying things up and resolving issues arbitrarily, completely disregarding the court's regulations. Shouldn't they provide an explanation?
The prefect chuckled and looked at Zhu Yunwen, saying:
"Since you yourself said that who you are is not important, do you think we still need to explain to you? Similarly, does it matter whether we need to explain this matter to you or not?"
Zhu Yunwen squinted and said:
"So, Your Excellency, you're just going to condone their misconduct and corruption in this area?"
The prefect waved his sleeve and said:
"Kid, what exactly do you want to say? Just say it."
Zhu Yunwen said, "I just want to remind you, sir, that the court has regulations and imposes very strict moral constraints on local officials."
Yet you so readily protect and condone them; don't you realize that this is also a very serious crime?
The prefect still did not directly answer Zhu Yunwen's question, but instead said to him:
"Then tell me, who exactly are you?"
Zhu Yunwen shook his head slightly, then sighed and said:
"You really are high and mighty. It seems that if I don't reveal my identity today, you won't take me seriously at all, and you won't remember what I say."
The prefect curled his lip and said:
"Then reveal your identity and let me see who you really are."
Zhu Yunwen sighed. The goal had been achieved, in fact, by causing the magistrate and the county magistrate to fight each other to the current state. At the same time, it had indeed drawn out the big fish behind the scenes, namely the prefect.
If the prefect were to realize that his officials were making such a big fuss, disregarding the rules of the court, and causing such conflict among themselves, he would take appropriate disciplinary action.
And if he reprimands and scolds them, Zhu Yunwen will surely look at him with new respect.
But no, the prefect clearly intended to smooth things over and protect his two subordinates.
Both of his subordinates had made serious mistakes, and the situation had even escalated to the point of drawing their swords against each other.
This was a very serious matter, but unfortunately the prefect did not punish them at all, merely letting it go. This shows his inability to manage his subordinates and his lack of effective discipline.
So this big fish has really been caught. Now that the big fish has been caught, it's time to cause them trouble.
There would be nothing wrong with revealing one's identity now.
Thinking of this, Zhu Yunwen slowly took out a token from his body, which was the Crown Prince's Token.
He then held up the token and said calmly:
"I am the grandson of the Ming Dynasty's Crown Prince."
Upon hearing this, the entire hall fell silent, and everyone stared in shock at Zhu Yunwen and the token in his hand.
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