Chapter 103: The Void County Magistrate

o be punished more severely...Therefore, they were all very proactive in their admissions.After all, many bad things and evils were instructed by the Zhou family, and they only acted on orders, acting..."My lord, what if the magistrate refuses to cooperate"

Song Qian asked with some worry.

We've come this far, if the county magistrate can't handle it, everything will be for nothing!

All those who understood the situation also looked at Yang Lin with worry.

"Huh"

Yang Lin was taken aback and retorted, "Why should he cooperate"

Everyone was surprised.

Yang Lin said calmly, "Investigating crimes and pursuing thieves is the responsibility of the County Magistrate; while reviewing cases is the duty of the County Clerk."

"

Now that everyone has been caught, just have the County Magistrate handle the trial. There's no need to bother the County Prefect.

"

Upon hearing this, everyone agreed that it made sense. However, they also felt something was off.

Song Qian was stunned for a moment, then became increasingly alarmed and shocked. She stared at Yang Lin in disbelief.

He has already thought of a possibility!

Originally, he only thought that Yang Lin had done all this, leaving Wu Zhixian no choice.

Now he finally understood, Yang Lin was actually trying to dismantle the county magistrate's power!

Song Qian couldn't help but gasp, this earl was going to do something so bold!

Once this is successful, then from now on, the county magistrate of Jianghe County will only be a puppet. Yang Lin will be the true emperor of Jianghe!

"Well, well, do you understand If you understand, just do your job properly. I won't mistreat you."

Yang Lin patted Song Qian on the shoulder.

"I am willing to go through fire and water for my lord, and serve him with all my heart!"

Song Qian hurriedly bowed respectfully.

It was still early morning when the county magistrate, Zhao Kang, was awakened by a frantic knocking on his door.

"Master, something big has happened!"

The sound of Steward Zhao Zhongming's voice came from outside the room.

"What's up"

Zhao Kang reluctantly sat up, frowning slightly.

"Zhao Fuguang from Koushan Village came to say that Yang Lin wants you to go and talk in detail!"

Thinking about what Zhao Fugui had said, Zhao Zhongming felt a mix of emotions.

Back then, the first time he went to Kaoshan Village, he was in a superior position, meeting Yang Lin. Afterwards, when he went again, he adopted an equal stance and cooperated with the other party.

And now, one's own identity in the other's eyes is completely disregarded!

Zhao Kang's face darkened, he glanced at the sky outside. It shouldn't be even past the early hours of dawn yet, someone dared to disturb his tranquil dream, he was furious.

That young man, whom I had a bit of a good impression of, turned out to be so conceited!

To think that just because you're slightly favored, you've become an outsider!

Still want to go see him

Why doesn't he go to heaven!

Let them wait outside!

After finishing his story, Zhao Fugui was about to lie down and continue sleeping.

However, outside Zhao Zhongming hurriedly shouted: "Master, something really big has happened! Zhao Fugui said that they went to Zhou Kun and Zhao Deyi's houses last night and arrested everyone from both families!"

"What"

Zhao Kang suddenly jolted, abruptly sitting up. He didn't even bother calling for a maid, hastily dressing himself.

Moments later, the door swung open and Zhao Kang rushed out, shouting, "What on earth is going on"

Zhao Zhongming hurriedly shook his head: "I don't know, sir. Zhao Fugui only sent a few confessions, saying that they captured people from the Zhao family and Zhou family last night. At this moment, Yang Lin is in the county magistrate's hall, saying he wants to ask you to discuss it in detail."

Saying that, Zhao Zhongming passed several testimonies to Zhao Kang. Zhao Kang took them and couldn't help but gasp!

These confessions include those given by the Zhou family and the Zhao family. The crimes confessed to vary in severity.

If we were to sentence based on this testimony, then Zhao Deyi and Zhou Kun's families would be punished severely. At the very least, they would be imprisoned or exiled; at the most, they could be executed!

Zhao Kang gasped and hurriedly asked, "Where is my cousin now"

He wanted to find Zhao Fugui first and ask clearly about the ins and outs of this matter.

However, Zhao Zhongming said with a troubled expression: “He, he passed on the message and then left.”

"Hiss——!"

Zhao Kang gasped and suddenly felt a toothache.

Although he usually acted quite close to his cousin, everyone knew it was just a facade. Zhao Fugui wouldn't become arrogant just because someone called him "cousin" a few times.

And now, after only passing on a message, he just left!

This person is beyond self-awareness now!

...whenever I think about the things they did…

"Prepare the horses! This official wants to see what tricks they're up to!"

Apart from the main hall of the county government, the county office usually also has the hall of the deputy magistrate and the hall of the county lieutenant.

But in fact, most county magistrates were transferred from elsewhere. Therefore, to prevent their own authority from being undermined, they always held both civil and military power. They personally oversaw the duties of both the county clerk and the county lieutenant. That's why the place for handling cases and court sessions has always been just the main hall of the county government office.

As for the grand hall of the County Magistrate and the Assistant Magistrate, gradually, it only became their office.

And at this moment, when Zhao Kang just arrived at his county magistrate's hall, he was completely dumbfounded!

The courtyard of the County Magistrate's office, usually deserted, was now bustling with people, a scene of great excitement.

There were Zhou Kun's and Zhao Deyi's families, along with their servants, bound together. Nearly the entire county town's three shifts of government officials were also there, as well as many ordinary people like him who were clueless about what was happening.

"Master Zhao, our lord is right across the way and has already prepared tea, awaiting your arrival."

Zhao Fuguang smiled broadly and walked over, bowing and saying:

"My lord"

Zhao Kang was a little confused.

"Master Zhao, let's go."

Zhao Fugui pointed to the teahouse across the street.

When Zhao Kang followed Zhao Fu貴, to the teahouse's elegant seat, seeing the young man sitting in the position, he couldn't help but frown, turning his head and looking at Zhao Fu貴 with doubt: "The marquis you said, is Yang Lin"

"That's right." Zhao Fugui smiled and nodded.

"What are you talking about!"

Zhao Kang was instantly furious.

"He A lord"

Zhao Kang sneered: "This is simply nonsense! Don't you know that impersonating a nobleman is a grave crime that brings calamity to three generations!"

He served as an official in Jiang He County for many years, yet he had no idea that there were still aristocrats existing in this small county town!

Let alone a boy from the village, saying he was a nobleman

Are you kidding me

Zhao Kang strode forward, ready to discipline the other party.

The result was a woman standing beside Yang Lin who threw over a brightly yellow scroll.

Zhao Kang was taken aback, he opened it with a hint of confusion, and instantly gasped in astonishment!

"This… This is an imperial edict"

His eyes widened, staring intently at the words above, examining the texture of the imperial edict.

After staring for a long while, he was still unable to distinguish between true and false. Just as he was about to open his mouth to inquire, Yang Lin spoke first: "Zhao Lord, you needn't doubt the authenticity of this imperial edict. This marquis was indeed enfeoffed by the late emperor as a trusted male marquis. It's just that I have never spoken of this matter to outsiders."

Yang Lin leaned back in his chair, a calm expression on his face.

The more he lied, the more he believed his own lies....Only after becoming an official did I realize the darkness of this world! To remain untainted by it is already a blessing, let alone to try and cleanse its filth—it's like a fool dreaming.And now, he...