The Impartial and Unyielding County Magistrate Zhang
Heyang County,
The main hall of the County Yamen.
County Magistrate Zhang was handling official business. Although the immortal had left, the pillar supporting his spirit had not crumbled; instead, it had grown even stronger.
He had not taken the immortal pill. Instead, he had made it a family heirloom and enshrined it above his ancestors' memorial tablets, burning incense and worshipping it every day without daring to neglect it in the slightest.
Suddenly, Constable Chen came jogging in from outside.
"What is it?"
County Magistrate Zhang glanced up, then lowered his head and returned to his work.
With the assistant county magistrate unconscious and the archivist recovering from his injuries, every matter, large or small, throughout Heyang County had fallen on his shoulders. He wished he could split himself in two.
After the bandit-suppression campaign, Constable Chen's prestige in the county town had soared. On top of that, he had been growing more and more diligent in his work, so County Magistrate Zhang was already preparing to promote him to County Commandant.
Ever since the previous County Commandant had died a gruesome death on Crouching Ox Mountain, Heyang County had gone two years without one.
"Your Honor..."
County Commandant Chen entered the hall with a hesitant look, wanting to speak but holding back.
"If you have something to say, spit it out. Can't you see how busy I am?"
County Magistrate Zhang spoke without even raising his head.
"Your Honor, it's Young Master Ning. He... he's abducting another woman off the street, and her family is kneeling outside the County Yamen, crying out for justice." Constable Chen steeled himself and told the truth.
"So he took her. Give the woman's family a few taels of silver and send them away..."
The words had slipped out of County Magistrate Zhang's mouth before he suddenly froze.
He suddenly remembered that he was an honest official now, a good official.
"Bastard!"
County Magistrate Zhang slammed his desk and sprang to his feet.
The immortal had been gone for less than two days, yet such a vile incident had already occurred in the county town. It was not only smearing his face with black, but the immortal's as well.
"Go, arrest that bastard for me and throw him in jail for a few days. Once I'm done with this busy spell, I'll convict him and punish him severely according to the Great Liang Code."
County Magistrate Zhang gave the order in a harsh voice, burning with rage.
"But, but he's your brother-in-law, Your Honor," Constable Chen reminded him kindly.
To his surprise, County Magistrate Zhang's expression did not change. "So what? Let alone the brother of a mere concubine—even if he were my own brother, if he dared break the law and flout discipline, I would punish him just as severely."
"Your Honor enforces the law impartially and is unyielding and incorruptible. You are truly an example for every official in our yamen to follow, and a blessing to all the people of Heyang County."
As though inspired by County Magistrate Zhang's upright spirit, Constable Chen answered with crisp enunciation and ringing conviction.
His voice was just a little loud—loud enough for nearly everyone in the County Yamen to hear.
Look at that. Would heaven's justice allow a man like that to go unpromoted?
County Magistrate Zhang first gave Constable Chen a satisfied glance, then put on a stern face and scolded him. "No bootlicking or flattery. I don't fall for that. Hurry and arrest him, and remember to bring the woman back safely."
"As you command."
Constable Chen cupped his hands and accepted the order, then hurried out of the hall.
County Magistrate Zhang first took his time savoring Constable Chen's flattery, then slowly sat back down and resumed reading his official documents.
Before long, however,
A young woman dressed in gaudy finery came running into the hall, twisting her graceful waist and weeping.
"Master... Master... you must stand up for me... That Constable Chen is throwing his weight around! He actually brought men to arrest my poor little brother. I don't think he respects you at all, Master."
The wolf-hair brush in County Magistrate Zhang's hand paused. His tone betrayed neither pleasure nor anger as he spoke.
"I ordered it."
At that, the woman's sobbing faltered, and she stared at County Magistrate Zhang in disbelief.
"Why? What crime did my brother commit that you ordered him arrested?"
"Hmph! What crime? Abducting a woman in broad daylight—a crime beyond forgiveness," County Magistrate Zhang said coldly.
The woman brushed it off. "Impossible. My brother is so well-behaved and sensible. How could he possibly abduct a woman? That little slut must have seduced him. She's the one who should be arrested and punished."
County Magistrate Zhang said nothing, merely watching his concubine's performance with a cold stare.
"Master... please let my brother go. He's your brother-in-law, after all. We're family. I promise I'll discipline him properly once I take him home."
Seeing that her master was unmoved, the concubine immediately brought out her best tricks: acting tender and bashful, nestling against him and wheedling, putting on a pitiful look.
"Master..."
County Magistrate Zhang looked at the concubine before him. In the past, if she had acted like this, half his body would have gone limp on the spot, and then he would have agreed to whatever she said in a daze.
But now,
Seeing his concubine striking coquettish poses and putting on an act, he felt nothing but utter disgust.
"Get out."
County Magistrate Zhang pushed the concubine away from him, his face frighteningly dark.
"Not only will I punish your brother for his crime, I will divorce you as well. Guards, drag this vile woman away for barging into the court and showing no regard for the law!"
The woman collapsed to the floor, staring wide-eyed at the master who had always indulged her every whim. Her expression was blank, and she was at a loss.
Only when two Yamen Runners outside the court roughly dragged her away did she come to her senses and begin crying and pleading.
"Master, I won't dare do it again! Don't divorce me! I was wrong, please don't divorce me..."
But County Magistrate Zhang's heart had turned to stone. He did not even spare her a glance.
He had been reborn and remade. He would no longer lose himself in beauty; his life now had a higher pursuit.
But no sooner had County Magistrate Zhang sat down than another Yamen Runner came running into the court, his head covered in sweat.
"What is it now?"
County Magistrate Zhang's face darkened as he spoke.
"Your Honor, someone has come from Dingzhou City," the Yamen Runner said, panting.
County Magistrate Zhang was delighted. He thought the prefect must have received the Memorial to the Court he had submitted and sent someone to investigate.
"Do you know which lord it is?" County Magistrate Zhang pressed.
The Yamen Runner hurriedly reported, "It's Lord Xiao, the newly appointed assistant prefect of Dingzhou City."
"What? Lord Xiao?"
County Magistrate Zhang was instantly shocked. An assistant prefect was of the Principal Fifth Rank, second in status only to the prefect.
He could not understand how a Memorial to the Court about wiping out a few dozen bandits had drawn such an important figure here, or why he had come so suddenly, without the slightest word beforehand.
"Where is he now?"
"Less than five li outside the city."
"Quick, notify every official in the County Yamen to come with me outside the city to welcome him. Tell Archivist Han to roll out of his bed at home and get over here. Tell Assistant County Magistrate Liu that if he doesn't wake up now, he need never wake up again!"
County Magistrate Zhang hitched up the hem of his official robes and ran out of the court, his feet moving like the wind.
"Wait, where's Wenqian? Where's my Adviser?"
"I don't know, Your Honor. I haven't seen Master Xue all day."
"Oh... of all times, it had to be at this critical moment. He went out on business without asking me for leave. He has no regard for the rules. When he gets back, I must give him a severe scolding."