Collusion Between Officials

The public's sentiment was like a boiling cauldron, reaching a peak, like oil on a raging fire, truly ready to ignite at any moment…

In the Prefectural Manor, Prefect Lei Zhongzhou had just verified the information of the top scholar. He was there, eyes closed in thought, when his secretary suddenly ran in from outside and whispered something in his ear. Prefect Lei abruptly stood up, his eyes shining brightly.

Inciting public opinion against the Zhang Family!

What audacity!

"Three Divisions of Yamen Runners, heed my command! Depart immediately for the Confucian Temple, bring your weapons, and quell the violence!"

"Your command is our order!"

The Three Divisions of Yamen Runners converged from various locations, and in a blink of an eye, over three hundred of them had gathered.

Let's go!

Before the Confucian Temple, only the last two individuals remained. Their faces were as pale as dirt. They weren't particularly familiar with the Zhang family, so how could they know about their crimes? Those who had vaguely heard rumors had already been told by the people in front. They truly had nothing more to say.

"Can't say anything? Run! Get moving, start shouting!" Lin Su said coldly.

"Brother Lin, we really..."

"Don't want to pay up on the bet?"

His voice was icy.

The two men's faces contorted, and simultaneously, they stripped off their clothes, dashed into the crowd, and shouted in unison, "I am a good-for-nothing..."

The crowd stared in disbelief, then found it amusing, and parted to let them pass.

Regarding this harmless Third Young Master Lin, the crowd began to form a different perception.

This kid… he was determined to go all the way against the Zhang Family.

In his policy essay, he had used a timeless phrase to nail Zhang Wenyuan to the pillory of history.

The case involving over two hundred lives now fell upon the Zhang Family.

In Haining, the Zhang Family was already universally detested, an enemy of the entire city.

Originally, with the Lin Family having been so severely wronged by the Zhang Family, almost everyone had predicted that the Lin Family would suffer as countless other families who had offended the Zhang Family did, and be utterly ruined. But in just two months, the Lin Family had launched a desperate counterattack.

Fast, precise, and ruthless!

Every blow struck at a vital point!

The show at the Confucian Temple gates was over.

The crowds on the street began to gather, and the center of the storm started to shift towards the Zhang Prefecture!

Over ten thousand people, shouting "The Zhang Family deserves to die," marched towards the Zhang Prefecture.

In the Prefectural Manor, Prefect Lei raised his hand, capturing the movements of the entire city through the official seal in his palm. A cruel smile had appeared on his face at some point; he thought, Good!

Lin Su, you've finally made a mistake!

As soon as the crowd riots, you won't be able to escape the grave charge of inciting unrest. Stripping you of your Jieyuan title, taking your head, and seizing your secret formula are all within my power at a mere thought...

Just as the crowd's momentum was reaching a boiling point, a person suddenly appeared at the very front of the crowd, spreading his arms wide. It was Lin Su.

When the anger of tens of thousands of citizens was ignited, who in the world could stop them?

Even if the official soldiers appeared, they would likely have to resort to armed conflict. But there was one person who was different; it was Lin Su.

Today, the Zhang Family's crimes were exposed because of him!

He, naturally, was the leader of those seeking retribution from the Zhang Family!

The more hatred they held for the Zhang Family, the more respect they would have for him!

"My fellow villagers!" Lin Su shouted loudly. "I know you are filled with rage towards the Zhang Family, I know your hearts are full of grief and indignation, but with all the Sages above and the clear sky above, the nation has its laws, and the family has its rules. You must not act impulsively! Otherwise, our righteous actions will be tarnished!"

His words brought an immediate silence to the procession.

An old man called out, "Jieyuan, tell us what to do, and we will listen to you!"

"Very well, everyone select a hundred representatives. They will accompany me to the Prefectural Manor to lodge a complaint with His Excellency the Prefect. I believe that as a Prefect serving this region, he will surely punish the evil bullies and bring justice to the people!"

As soon as he said this, the crowd erupted.

Jieyuan, you don't understand the situation at all! This Prefect is a dog raised by the Zhang Family!

That's right, over the years, the Zhang Family has committed all sorts of evil and acted with impunity. Weren't all of these happening right under the Prefect's nose?

What's the use of going to the Prefect...

Lin Su raised his hand. "Didn't you all say you would listen to me? If you listen to me, then do as I say!"

In the latter sentence, he used the power of the Literary World, his voice suddenly rising. The tens of thousands below heard a buzzing in their ears simultaneously...

The scene was subdued!

One hundred representatives were chosen. Lin Su and Qiu Mochi led the way, followed by a group of elders, heading towards the Prefectural Manor.

Prefect Lei's official seal was connected to the Confucian Temple, monitoring the entire city. He suddenly captured this scene, and his brow furrowed sharply, feeling as if he had missed a crucial step.

Lin Su questioned 23 people, leading to the Zhang family being engulfed by the public's fury. But was Lin Su inciting a mob? No, he was merely fulfilling a bet, a bet that had the Imperial Will's approval! No one dared to say he had done anything wrong.

If, in the end, he had used the momentum of his great victory to organize the people to attack the Zhang manor, then it would naturally be considered incitement. But the problem was, when the mob was ready to move, Lin Su not only didn't fuel the fire, he even personally tried to stop them.

He proposed sending representatives to the Prefectural Manor!

Was there anything wrong with that?

No matter where you looked, there was nothing wrong with it.

But Prefect Lei suddenly felt an ominous sense of unease. He had originally been a mere spectator, holding the imperial sword, looking out at the world, acting as a mediator, ready to judge others at any moment. But now, this hot potato had suddenly landed in his hands…

He, the outsider, had instantly become an insider.

Was this kid playing some grand strategy?

Actually, he had overestimated Lin Su.

What grand strategy was Lin Su playing?

He himself was completely overwhelmed.

He had indeed set a trap by asking Zhang Haoyue to expose his father's crimes. He had certainly calculated that Zhang Haoyue would vehemently deny everything. A denial meant he was lying (What kind of person was Zhang Wenyuan? How could he not have committed any wicked deeds?). Once he lied, the bet's effect would come into play, and crippling him would be a certainty.

As for the other 22 people, Lin Su truly used them to disgust the Zhang family. His initial idea was just to make the Zhang family infamous locally. He never intended to destroy the entire Zhang family with this alone, because he knew it was fundamentally impossible. The Zhang family was deeply rooted; how could they be destroyed by mere rumors?

But he hadn't expected that the Zhang family's sins were so profound!

More than 200 lives.

The moment Zhao Ji spoke, he knew things would spiral out of control!

As expected, with over 200 crimes exposed, the city's anger erupted. The populace surged like a boiling tide, directly forming a flood to annihilate the entire Zhang family.

If they had really stormed the Zhang manor like that, whether the Zhang family would be destroyed was still uncertain.

He himself, and the Lin family, would definitely be destroyed – without a doubt!

It was a joke. Organizing tens of thousands of people to ignore the law and raze the ancestral home of the Minister of War! Who in this world could tolerate that?

Let alone the Minister of War, even the Old Emperor would directly order all participants to be imprisoned. If he, the "organizer," wasn't subjected to the extermination of his entire clan, heaven would not forgive it!

Therefore, he had to stop it!

The situation was already out of control. The only thing that could be done now was to hand the matter over. Hand it over to whom? The local Parental Official.

Of course, Lin Su had his own little plan. The local Prefect was rumored to be a dog of the Zhang family. So, fine, I will hand this hot potato to you. Let's see how you handle it.

The three hundred Yamen runners at the Prefectural Manor had already sharpened their knives, ready to suppress the rioters. But suddenly, the situation took a 180-degree turn. The people were no longer rioting; they became rational and elected a group of representatives to go to the Prefectural Manor to file a complaint…

What now?

The head of the Yamen runners didn't know what to do.

Lin Su had already arrived before him, cupped his hands, and said, "My Lord, please convey to His Excellency the Prefect that a hundred village elders request an audience with His Excellency the Prefect. They wish to collectively appeal an earth-shattering case and hope that His Excellency the Prefect, upholding the Imperial Will and showing compassion for the people's plight, will grant them an audience!"

He was impeccably refined.

This was the renowned Jieyuan.

The head of the Yamen runners hesitated for a moment, then returned the bow: "Please wait a moment, everyone. I will report to His Excellency before a decision is made."

The Prefect paced back and forth on the steps twice, finally sighing, "Let them in!"

A hundred village elders requesting an audience was something the Prefect should grant; it was also an established custom.

Lin Su met with the Prefect. The Prefect seemed unaware that he was the Jieyuan of this Provincial Examination. He looked at Lin Su with a half-smile, listening as he explained the case…

After he finished, the village elders behind him began to supplement his account.

After their additions, the public sentiment that the Zhang family deserved to be executed as a whole was clearly evident…

The Prefect said, "Everything you have said is merely hearsay and lacks concrete evidence. This Prefect will select specialized personnel to investigate the matters you have brought forth, and I will inform you of the results on a later date."

Lin Su's eyes narrowed slightly: "May I ask when 'a later date' is, Your Excellency the Prefect? Can you give us an exact time?"

The Prefect replied, "When handling cases in the government office, rigor is essential. The investigation has not yet begun, and the details of the case are unknown, so naturally, we cannot give you an exact time."

Everyone was choked with anger. They had expected this situation.

The Prefect was just a dog raised by the Zhang family. Could you expect a dog to bite its master?

The so-called investigation was just an excuse. He would definitely drag it out until it was forgotten.

Lin Su said, "Your Excellency the Prefect, may I understand this to mean that it is possible that there will still be no result in ten or twenty years?"

"This Prefect also hopes it can be resolved quickly, but there are national laws and family rules. We can only do our best. Before the situation is clear, we cannot predetermine the outcome," the Prefect replied smoothly, his eyes carrying a hint of mockery.

An old man below suddenly stood up: "Since the officials protect each other and do not uphold justice for the people, then we..."

The old men behind him straightened up simultaneously.

The Prefect's face suddenly darkened: "What are you doing? Do you want to rebel? This Prefect warns you, anyone who dares to take illegal action will be charged with rioting, their families will be confiscated, and their clans will be exterminated. There will be no leniency! ... Escort them out!"

He flicked his sleeve and rose.