Ordinary people have always avoided government officials, so when Nie Yilin appeared with a group of officials, the noise in the courtyard immediately subsided.
Those who knew understood that Nie Yilin and his group had come to arrest Chen Yanping and his associates; those who didn't were quite uneasy.
With government officials frequently visiting Mengjia Village, not only have some villagers become more obedient, but even lawbreakers in the surrounding villages and towns have quieted down considerably in recent days.
Nie Yilin stepped forward and bowed to Cheng Qingyan, saying, "The magistrate asked me to thank Young Master Cheng on his behalf for providing the clues to suppress the bandits. That entire bandit family was wiped out. The magistrate also said that if you and your wife encounter any trouble in the future, Young Master Cheng, you can send someone directly to the county office to find him."
"The gentleman also said that he has been busy with official duties recently, and that he would come to express his gratitude again when he has free time in the future."
These words caused a slight commotion among the previously quiet villagers.
Many people were surprised that Cheng Qingyan actually knew the county magistrate, and that they seemed to know him quite well.
Indeed, the county constables came to Cheng Qingyan's house every few days, and they always treated Cheng Qingyan and his family with great courtesy. Anyone with a brain should know that they had an unusual relationship with Cheng Qingyan.
Some people have already imagined many things they would never dare to think about in their daily lives, and some have even connected Cheng Qingyan's rise to power with the county magistrate and the others.
Indeed, every era needs these imaginative thinkers.
However, Cheng Qingyan breathed a sigh of relief after hearing that the bandits had been completely wiped out.
After all, the surrounding environment is too peaceful, so their transport teams can travel on the road with more peace of mind.
The way people around Cheng Qingyan looked at him changed, not to mention the two brothers, Cheng Yuanfu and Cheng Yuanji.
After their home was suddenly broken into, the two of them dared not provoke Cheng Qingyan anymore.
Whether it was jealousy or resentment, looking at Chen Yanping lying on the ground, and then at Meng Xinyi and Meng Changbei being held captive, all the thoughts that shouldn't have arisen were quietly suppressed in their hearts at this moment.
Just pretend those inappropriate thoughts never existed.
They were just ordinary people. Let alone a county magistrate, even a lowly yamen runner could easily manipulate them.
Looking at Cheng Qingyan again, after hearing Nie Yilin convey the magistrate's words, his face showed no sign of being flattered or disgraced.
They acted very calmly, as if none of this was important and they were already used to it.
Meng Qiuliang looked up and sized up Cheng Qingyan, who maintained a polite smile and seemed to be deep in thought.
After Nie Yilin finished speaking, Cheng Qingyan remained silent for a while before looking at him.
"Then please convey my thanks to the magistrate for his kindness. However, I am currently unable to find the time, but I will certainly visit the magistrate in person when I have the opportunity."
"My humble abode is simple and unassuming; how could I possibly allow the magistrate to deign to condescend to me?"
Then, she pointed to Chen Yanping on the ground: "This man brought a huge bag of arsenic to poison people, and my nephew caught him red-handed. Because the arsenic was too heavy, we had to trouble Constable Nie and the brothers from the yamen to come and make the trip."
"As for the two people being held in custody, they are said to be accomplices. As for the truth, we would appreciate it if the magistrate could make a proper judgment."
Nie Yilin called out to the constables behind him, and they came forward in twos and threes to take the person from Meng Jia and the others.
They were really not polite at all. Meng Xinyi was even kicked. As for Chen Yanping, they tried to pick him up, only to find that his arm had also been dislocated.
Chen Yanping was treated roughly, and he screamed in pain.
Of course, shouting is one thing, cursing is another.
"Cheng San, you'll die a horrible death! I'll haunt you even as a ghost!"
Cheng Qingyan's smile deepened. Even as a ghost, he wouldn't let her go? She had never seen a real ghost before. If possible, it wouldn't be a bad idea to meet one.
Chen Yanping was pushed to the ground again by the constables, and his screams became even louder.
But his hatred for Meng Xinyi deepened. He himself was responsible for the root of all this, but Meng Xinyi was also to blame.
They were so fearless in their insults towards Cheng Qingyan, how could they possibly let that heartless bastard Meng Xinyi go?
So when he was in so much pain, he also gave Meng Xinyi and Meng Changbei a good scolding.
"Meng Xinyi, you scoundrel! You always make me do dangerous things! I'm in this state because of you!"
"You f***ing hate Cheng San for making you lose face and money, and you're hiding behind the scenes like a coward. If I'm not having a good time, you won't have any peace either!"
"If I die, you f***ing bastards won't live either!"
"You son of a bitch, Meng Changbei! Just you wait, one day you'll end up like me, played to death by Meng Xinyi!"
"Aaaaah! Kill me! Go ahead and kill me if you dare!"
He kept making a racket, and Meng Xinyi's heart pounded.
These idiots were united against a common enemy at the beginning, but now they're attacking each other.
Moreover, since the matter has already been exposed and Chen Yanping has been crippled, as long as Chen Yanping grits his teeth and endures everything, he and Meng Changbei can completely extricate themselves from the situation.
Even if they searched their house, they wouldn't find any evidence to prove that he had any connection with Chen Yanping.
But Chen Yanping is now sticking to his guns and won't let go, which is really giving him a headache.
Now, as long as he and Meng Changbei agree that Chen Yanping is talking nonsense, Chen Yanping will not have any evidence to prove his involvement in this matter.
He looked at Meng Changbei, but Meng Changbei seemed to have lost his composure and was clearly flustered.
Meng Changbei, being escorted by the officials, was trembling all over. Coupled with Chen Yanping's words earlier, he was now completely disoriented and terrified.
Besides, he had seen the officials' attitude towards Cheng Qingyan, and the guilty feeling he had indeed been involved in the matter made it impossible for him to calm down.
He naturally couldn't see Meng Xinyi winking at him from the side, and was so engrossed in his own panic that he couldn't extricate himself.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Meng Xinyi dared not be too presumptuous and could only glare fiercely at Chen Yanping, who had a smile on his lips.
After Chen Yanping was pushed down by the constables, they ignored him and he remained lying on the ground in that position.
He saw Meng Xinyi try to make eye contact with Meng Changbei, but Meng Changbei did not respond.
This gave him a sense of satisfaction; he was in such a sorry state that he had to let Meng Xinyi take the fall for him.
When he goes to the yamen (government office), he will try his best to provide evidence to prove that he is not the mastermind, and he might be able to save his life.
Meng Xinyi was unaware that Chen Yanping had already made up his mind, and he was also thinking about how to get out of the situation.
Now that the person has been caught, Cheng Qingyan has no intention of getting involved in the aftermath.
She was just an ordinary person and didn't want to get involved in too much government affairs.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com