Lv Wenguang gritted his teeth. Ever since he ca to Jing County, he has been sowhat suppressed by the Magistrate, a local tyrant, and the County Magistrate has a reputation that’s sowhat unsavory.
It took him two years to slightly align the County Magistrate to his side, barely maintaining a balance.
Now that he finally has this opportunity to topple the Magistrate, he naturally won’t let it slip away.
"Alright then! You arrange everything; I’ll have the County Magistrate send people to the Tian Family, and you send our confidants to the Loo Family, summon them here." Lv Wenguang finally made his decision.
On the County Magistrate’s end, his mind was also racing with countless thoughts.
Although he is a local, his relationship with the Magistrate is just diocre. Under the forr county magistrate’s rule, he was often at a disadvantage and suffered many hidden losses.
It was only after Lv Wenguang took office that he saw the new County Magistrate’s discord with the Magistrate. He remained unobtrusive, rely watching the battle from the sidelines, siding with whichever side appeared weaker, thus becoming a crucial figure both the County Magistrate and Magistrate wanted to win over and could not afford to offend.
Looking at the current situation, he naturally understood that the County Magistrate might be targeting the Magistrate.
As an old fox who has survived for thousands of years, he naturally knew that when the situation was ambiguous, he could sway like grass on a wall, but at the critical mont, choosing a stance is extrely important.
Not to ntion his diocre relationship with the Magistrate, just looking at the case files in his hand, it might be difficult for an ordinary person to overturn the verdict.
But with Song Chongjin around, especially with Imperial Physician Du behind him, it might just be a piece of cake.
Now the question is, whom should he side with? The County Magistrate discreetly glanced at Song Chongjin.
Song Chongjin noticed the County Magistrate’s gaze and politely nodded to him.
The County Magistrate was a man of great ambition, and the current position was not his ultimate goal; becoming Magistrate was his lifelong pursuit.
Under these circumstances, his stance was indeed clear, so he returned Song Chongjin’s smile and made up his mind.
After Lv Wenguang ca out and instructed the County Magistrate, he imdiately clasped his hands and said, "Yes! Rest assured, my lord, I will definitely bring the suspect here! I heard that Magistrate Du is accompanying Madam back to her mother’s ho today and will probably stay in the countryside for a couple of days. Such trivial matters are within my duties, so there’s no need to disturb him. Let him accompany Madam in the countryside for so leisure. What do you think, my lord?"
Lv Wenguang was stunned for a mont and imdiately understood the implication in the County Magistrate’s words; it was a show of allegiance.
Unexpectedly, the County Magistrate was so supportive at this critical mont, prompting him to laugh heartily and pat the County Magistrate’s shoulder, "Prefect Yan speaks well; then I leave it in Prefect Yan’s hands, hoping not to disappoint !"
Prefect Yan patted his chest, "Just watch, my lord!" Then he marched off with confidence and pride to carry out his orders.
Song Chongjin, with sharp ears and keen eyes, heard the conversation between Lv Wenguang and his confidant Master and understood the situation of Jing County’s officials. Naturally, he knew Prefect Yan and Magistrate Du didn’t get along.
Today, Prefect Yan was thoroughly siding with Lv Wenguang.
If no surprises occur, the case of the Huang Family getting overturned will be inevitable.
Song Chongjin relaxed, knowing Lv Wenguang and his party would be busy, so he sensibly took his leave.
Sure enough, Lv Wenguang didn’t bother to keep him and only patted Song Chongjin’s shoulder, "This long-standing injustice must be busying us now, so I won’t keep you; once the case is concluded, I will host a banquet to wish you success in the imperial exam!"
Song Chongjin departed and, upon exiting the County Yan, saw Lady Huang and Dong Laosan already beating the drums, crying for injustice.
After standing for a mont, he saw that soone inside seed to have ordered that, in principle, the common people demanding justice had to endure fifty lashes first, but the governnt official only ca out to ask two questions before taking them inside.
The rest was beyond Song Chongjin’s control; he noticed two idle n had already stationed themselves at the entrance of the county hall. Relieved, he returned ho.
In the evening, news indeed ca.
The people from the Tian Family initially resisted confession. Unexpectedly, a witness was presented, unrecognizable, with burns all over his body, allegedly a forr servant of the Huang Family, bribed heavily by Shopkeeper Tian. On the night the corpses of Miss Huang and Young Master Sun were returned, he put Bewitching Drug in the Huang Family’s water tank.
The Huang Family mbers ate the Bewitching Drug-laced als and drank the Bewitching Drug-laced tea. By nightfall, they were all in a deep sleep.
The servant then used candle fire to ignite the curtains in the mourning hall. Afraid the fire wouldn’t spread, he brought oil from the kitchen and splashed it on the doors and windows.
The wind fueled the fire, aided by oil, causing it to blaze rapidly, quickly trapping everyone in their deep slumber with no escape.
The servant tried to flee after setting the fire but was struck unconscious with a stick.
Upon awakening, he found his entire body burnt and barely clinging to life.
Any movent inflicted heart-piercing pain, causing him to faint again, eventually waking up in a clean place, with his wounds tended to.
Later, he learned that the one who saved him was Second Miss Huang. Realizing sothing amiss after learning of her sister and nephew’s tragic demise, she secretly started her own investigation.
Fearing her family’s worries, she feigned illness and had the nurse’s daughter act on her behalf while she sneaked out, intending to find clues where her sister t her end.
Unexpectedly missing a boat, she had to stay a night at an inn, feeling uneasy, sensing sothing bad happening.
Rushing ho in secrecy, she found the Huang Family already ablaze, illuminating the sky.
Struggling to enter as the flas subsided slightly, she discovered everyone dead, stumbling out only to find a survivor whom she managed to save.
Through the servant’s account, Lady Huang learned the truth and fainted on the spot.
The servant hid thereafter, finally appearing in court today to present the silver note Shopkeeper Tian gave him and recount who was involved and what was said.
Importantly, the one who knocked him unconscious with a stick was Shopkeeper Tian, from whom he managed to tear off a pouch.
Within the pouch was Shopkeeper Tian’s private seal.
Shopkeeper Tian attempted to plead innocence.
Lv Wenguang grew impatient and directly ordered torture.
Before the instrunts were brought forth, Zhang Qiuju and Tian Sihai were already terrified. They despised Shopkeeper Tian and were unwilling to hide anything for him.
Mother and son word by word exposed Shopkeeper Tian’s hidden secrets entirely.
The pair, one being Shopkeeper Tian’s wife and the other his son—the closest relations—had little he could hide from them, and now everything was laid bare.
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