Dafeng Night Watchman

Chapter 23: The Ministry of Justice Arrests the Criminal



As soon as Xu Qi'an entered the county government office, he heard a crying voice: "Big brother..."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

It was Xu Lingyue, who was wearing a light blue silk dress and standing tall and graceful. Her beautiful and fair face was left with traces of tears, and her eyes were red and swollen, like a lovely little flower.

Xu Lingyin was not around, probably because she was not allowed to come in the side hall.

Xu Qi'an nodded slightly and gave her a calming look.

County Magistrate Zhu, who had already received the news, sat high in front of the table and saw the yamen runners escorting a group of people in, and saw the angry young man in brocade clothes clearly.

Old Zhu was startled and hurriedly got up to greet him.

"Hey, isn't this Mr. Zhou? How is Mr. Zhou?"

The young man in brocade clothes waved his sleeves fiercely, forced County Magistrate Zhu away, pointed at Xu Qi'an, and said viciously: "This man is committing a crime in the street and wants to kill me. Take him down quickly."

"You are too kind, too kind..." County Magistrate Zhu smiled, turned his head, and shouted angrily: "Quick Xu Qi'an, why don't you get over here."

Xu Qi'an went forward with his head stiff.

"You bastard, you even dare to hit the son of Mr. Zhou, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. How many brains do you have?" County Magistrate Zhu kicked Xu Qi'an with a flying kick, turned his head, and smiled like a dog:

"Mr. Zhou, this is a flood that has washed away the Dragon King Temple. We are all family. You should not care about the mistakes of a villain. Don't bother with a small person like him."

Outside the crowd, Xu Lingyue looked at her cousin who was blamed for her, tears rolling down her cheeks, and her nose, which was more upright and delicate than that of an ordinary woman, turned red from crying.

The son of the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue...Xu Qian'an's heart sank.

In the officialdom of the Dafeng Dynasty, the power of an official is not determined by his rank, but by his background and power.

There are many first- and second-rank officials, but only a small group of people are truly at the pinnacle of power.

The Shangshu and assistant ministers of the six ministries are among them.

Beating the son of the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue has made a big fuss. "Don't give me that, you don't want to arrest people, right? I'll do it myself." Master Zhou waved his hand and ordered his followers: "Catch this kid for me."

He didn't believe that this kid dared to resist and commit crimes in the county government.

County Magistrate Zhu shouted: "Whoever dares to commit violence in the county government will be killed without mercy."

The three shifts of yamen runners rushed out, drew out their broadswords, and put them on the neck of the yamen who was about to take action.

The white runners were on guard with sticks.

"Mr. Zhu, how dare you touch my people?" Master Zhou pointed at County Magistrate Zhu's nose and cursed.

"Mr. Zhou, please don't misunderstand. I am an official appointed by the court and I am just following the rules." County Magistrate Zhu still had a dog-licking smile and wiped the saliva off his face:

"I have a lawsuit here, accusing you of riding a horse and committing a crime, bullying a decent woman. The plaintiff is Xu Lingyue."

This is a method that County Magistrate Zhu had prepared long ago. If the other party was just an ordinary yamen, County Magistrate Zhu would find a way to make a big deal out of a small matter.

But I never thought that the victim was the son of the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Mr. Zhou said, "Who did you hurt by riding a horse and committing a crime? Bullying a decent woman, Mr. Zhu, go to the street and ask, did I touch this woman at all?"

"Maybe this woman recognized the wrong person." County Magistrate Zhu smiled and put the lawsuit back into his sleeve.

Oops, County Magistrate Zhu can't handle it, I have to find a way to save myself, if it doesn't work, I will run away... but it will definitely implicate my second uncle's family. Xu Qi'an was a little anxious. In this era, only the second generation of officials could fight against the second generation of officials. His level was too far behind others.

Let alone him, even if it was his second uncle, a centurion of the Imperial Sword Guard, what was he in front of the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue?

Nothing.

As for regret, no, with a knife on his neck, would he let others slaughter him?

As his thoughts turned quickly, he saw one of Mr. Zhou's followers leave the county government, and County Magistrate Zhu did not stop him.

Xu Qi'an's heart cooled down a little more, and he walked to Captain Wang and whispered,

"Boss, brother, I can't escape today, I want to ask you for something."

Captain Wang was silent for a while, and whispered, "You say."

In the past month, his relationship with Xu Qi'an has made great progress. They went to the brothel every day, drank wine together, and formed a deep friendship.

"Lend me one or two taels of silver first."

Captain Wang felt in his arms and took out a handful of silver, less than one or two taels.

Xu Qi'an took the silver and put it in his pocket, then said: "Boss, ride your horse to my house quickly and take a book from the cabinet beside my bed, a blue book, remember not to take

the wrong one."

The diary has a light yellow cover.

"After you take the book, go to the Imperial Observatory immediately and find a girl named Caiwei to help me pass a message: Xu Qi'an is in trouble, please save him quickly."

Imperial Observatory?! Captain Wang hesitated, "Th

place is not someone

me to

go."

Letting him enter the Imperial Observatory is equivalent to letting ordinary people enter the palace, and they don't even have the courage to approach.

Xu Qi'an knew it was like this, and whispered: "If something happens to me, no one will

return you this money."

Captain Wang widened his eyes.

"Help me get this done, and all the salary for next month will belong to you, boss."

"Xu Qi'an, your uncle." Captain Wang rushed out of the county government office cursing.

...

After receiving the notice, Xu Pingzhi borrowed a horse from his colleagues and rushed to the Changle County government office.

When he stepped over the threshold and entered the court, he first saw his daughter crying and trembling, followed by the yamen runners and entourage who were on edge.

Xu Pingzhi retracted his gaze, came to his daughter, and asked seriously, "What happened?"

Xu Lingyue cried even harder as if she had seen a savior, sobbing and telling her father what

had happened.

When he heard that the son of Minister Zhou raised his horse's hoof and trampled on the little girl, his eyes twitched and his face became even gloomier.

"If it weren't for my brother, Lingyin would be gone, wuwu..."

Ning Yan... Xu Pingzhi looked at his nephew's figure, closed his eyes and calmed down for a few seconds, and whispered: "Go to the side hall to take care of Lingyin, don't come out."

Watching his daughter's trotting back disappear, Xu Pingzhi stepped forward silently and stared at the young man in brocade clothes: "Young Master Zhou, is this done?"

The young man in brocade clothes met his eyes, as if he felt the murderous intent that was as real as it was, and remembered what Xu Qian'an said on the street.

The wild words in his throat couldn't be squeezed out.

"Xu Baihu has such a great official power. What, if my young master doesn't give up, do you

want to bleed five steps?"

An old man wearing a blue long gown with golden piping on the cuffs and collar and a jade pendant hanging from his waist came in from the gate of the county government.

He had more white hair than black, a thin face, and sharp eyes that seemed to hide a needle.

He was still at the door when he first spoke, and when he finished speaking, he had already arrived at the court.

"Uncle Chen." The young master in brocade clothes was overjoyed.

"How did the young master get hurt like this? Which damn beast did it? I watched the young

master grow up, and I feel so distressed when he gets hurt."

The old man saw the young master's earlobe with blood scabs, and he felt distressed and

angry.

"I have told the old man several times to assign you a master in the Qi training realm, but he always refused on the grounds that you like to stir up trouble."

"So what if you stir up trouble? It's better for others to suffer than for you, the young

master."

Feeling that he was locked by a stream of energy, Xu Pingzhi felt like he was falling into an ice

cellar, and his back felt like a snake was crawling over him. He felt like he was hovering on the

edge of life and death.

Similar feelings often occur when fighting on the battlefield, which makes him dare not move.

This old man is a master in the spirit refining realm.

County Magistrate Zhu coughed: "You are..."

"I dare not!" The old man interrupted indifferently, "I am just an old servant of the Zhou Mansion, I am not worthy of the "you" of Lord Zhu."

"Old senior, you are too polite." As a seventh-rank official in front of the prime minister, the old official knows this truth best. County Magistrate Zhu smiled and apologized: "Look at what happened, it's all misunderstandings, all misunderstandings. The imperial inspection is imminent, everyone should be harmonious, old senior, what do you think?"

The old man sneered: "A few insignificant little people can't affect the master's imperial inspection. The Zhou Mansion has always won people over with virtue, and everything is done according to the rules and regulations of the court."

Everyone didn't understand what he said at first, until a moment later, chaotic and loud

footsteps came from outside the yamen.

Then a group of armored soldiers rushed in, led by an official in a green robe embroidered

with white pheasants. He looked around and said loudly:

"The Ministry of Justice is arresting criminals, and outsiders should stay away. If they

interfere, they will be punished with the same crime."

After a pause, the green-robed fifth-rank official smiled at Mr. Zhou: "My lord, I want to ask

you, where is the prisoner?"

Mr. Zhou pointed at Xu Qi'an and said: "Lock this dog for me."

The green-robed fifth-rank official waved his hand and said: "Take him down."

The soldiers rushed up, took out the shackles, and locked Xu Qi'an.

"Sir, what crime has my nephew committed!" Xu Pingzhi was anxious. "Whether he is guilty or not, I will decide." The green-robed fifth-rank official said indifferently: "As a doctor of the Ministry of Justice, I think I will enforce the law impartially

and meticulously."

Xu Pingzhi wanted to speak, but was held tightly by County Magistrate Zhu.

"Take him away!"