The County Magistrate's Attitude Is Off

Seeing Su Mo still able to laugh at a time like this, Chen Ping snorted impatiently, "Of course, he's been tried!"

"Raped women, seized private land, and broke the legs of the victim who came to plead his case!"

"He was sentenced to a hundred strokes and three thousand li of exile!"

Su Mo blinked, "That's all? Didn't Big Wart Ma speak up for him?"

Chen Ping glanced at Su Mo, "That guy Chen Gan made the evidence ironclad. What could be said?"

"Precisely because of that, he must hate you both, uncle and nephew."

"Specifically, one case at a time. After you are captured and tried, Zhou Meng will be dealt with!"

He sighed, "You'll have quite a bit to deal with yourself later!"

Su Mo smiled, "The County Magistrate is just and upright. I believe he will handle this case impartially!"

Chen Ping couldn't be bothered to speak anymore.

The group returned to the yamen.

The yamen runners on duty were all stunned to see Su Mo.

Someone quickly went to inform Chen Gan of the news.

Chen Gan had been feeling smug, loitering outside the Magistrate's Clerk's office, right under Ma Yingshi's nose.

Upon hearing this news, his old face instantly changed!

Chen Ping's side deliberately took their time. They first put Su Mo in shackles and took him to the Fast Squad's office, not rushing to report to the County Magistrate.

Seeing Chen Gan rushing over, he gave the other laborers a look, and they left the office, giving Su Mo and Chen Gan some privacy.

Chen Gan couldn't bother scolding Su Mo and asked in a deep voice, "What exactly is going on?"

"Didn't Chen Bao escort you out of the city?"

He had personally watched Chen Bao and his group leave the county town.

Seeing Chen Gan's anxious expression, Su Mo couldn't help but smile, "Uncle, please rest assured."

"Your nephew dares to come back because he has a plan!"

"Do you really expect me to stay at Eagle Ravine Dock for years and never return to the city?"

Chen Gan looked at Su Mo suspiciously, then lowered his voice, "What plan?"

Everyone else called Su Mo "Silly Su," but Chen Gan knew that his nephew wasn't silly at all. He just spoke and acted less than others.

"Steady" was a more fitting description.

Su Mo hesitated for a moment, then leaned close to Chen Gan's ear and whispered a few words.

Chen Gan's face instantly changed drastically, "Jin..."

But after saying just one word, he immediately shut his mouth tight.

He just stared at Su Mo with a face full of shock!

The Fast Squad's captain, Zhong Sanyuan, with his arm wrapped in bandages, finally appeared.

He cast a grim look at Su Mo and Chen Gan, then coldly said, "The County Magistrate has ordered an immediate session of court!"

"To try the case of Su Mo severely injuring Zhou Meng in the street!"

"Guards!"

"Take him to the main hall!"

After Zhong Sanyuan had his men escort Su Mo to the main hall for trial, Chen Ping finally couldn't help himself. He quietly walked up to Chen Gan and whispered, "Old Gan, has your nephew lost his mind or something?"

"He actually came to turn himself in voluntarily?"

Chen Gan gave a wry smile, "I don't know what he's planning either!"

"He must believe the County Magistrate will handle the case fairly!"

A flicker of surprise flashed in Chen Ping's eyes.

He cursed this old fox inwardly!

He was clearly worried to death just now, but after a few words with Su Mo, his expression changed. It would be strange if there wasn't something fishy going on!

He couldn't help but become suspicious!

What trump card did this old fox have? He wasn't even afraid of the Magistrate's Clerk anymore?

Su Mo was escorted to the county yamen's main hall.

Outside, a dense crowd of common folk had gathered to watch!

On the main hall's central desk, beneath the plaque of "Justice and Integrity," sat the parent official of Changping County, Master Xue Shan!

To Su Mo's surprise...

The County Lieutenant Xu Feng and Chief Clerk Zhuang Shouchi, who had been serving as mere background props in Changping County, had both arrived.

Of course, if the County Lieutenant and Chief Clerk were present, Big Wart Ma definitely wouldn't be absent!

Following them, Zhou Meng, with a deathly pale face and looking like a beaten dog, was dragged into the courtroom.

He already knew that Big Wart Ma considered him a pawn, so his previous arrogance was gone!

All four principal officials of Changping County were present!

Let alone the common folk watching the spectacle outside.

Zhong Sanyuan and the other three squads of yamen runners were also extremely surprised.

Was Su Mo's case really that important?

He just injured someone, didn't he?

Did it require a joint trial by four officials?

The County Magistrate slammed his gavel!

The yamen runners on both sides shouted in unison, "Majestic!"

The yamen runner escorting Su Mo to the hall didn't use any restraints on him, but he still shouted, "Kneel!"

For any ordinary suspect, they would have kicked the back of their knees fiercely!

Su Mo didn't have any idea about men not kneeling.

In modern times, that saying could be used to show off.

In ancient times, it was purely courting death!

Su Mo obediently knelt down and looked up at the dignified County Magistrate at the official desk. He spoke neither subserviently nor arrogantly, "This Fast Squad Laborer greets the County Magistrate, the County Lieutenant, and the Chief Clerk!"

Xue Shan, with a gaunt face and a neatly trimmed short beard.

His stern gaze swept over Su Mo and Zhou Meng in the hall below.

Finally, it landed on Su Mo.

"Are you the suspect Su Mo who injured Zhou Meng in the street?"

Su Mo nodded and said loudly, "Replying to the County Magistrate, it is indeed this humble one!"

"Zhou Meng, as a yamen runner, bullied a respectable woman, the widow Madam Qin, in the street."

"For the reputation of the yamen, and for the County Magistrate's honor, Su Mo felt it was his duty to intervene."

He paused, then continued, "It's just that this humble one did not expect Zhou Meng to be so fragile. With just a light touch, his shoulder broke!"

The surrounding crowd of onlookers began to discuss amongst themselves.

Many of them recognized Su Mo.

They also knew that Su Mo's character was far better than that of other yamen runners!

Xue Shan was slightly surprised, "Madam Qin is actually the widow of a scholar?"

"Where is Madam Qin?"

Su Mo answered without hesitation, "This humble one is not sure."

"She probably feared Zhou Meng's revenge and moved out of the county overnight."

Xue Shan didn't dwell on this question. His gaze shifted to Zhou Meng, and his voice instantly turned cold, "Zhou Meng!"

"Do you admit to Su Mo's words?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhong Sanyuan and the other yamen runners felt a jolt in their hearts!

Something was wrong!

They were all shrewd, experienced yamen runners.

They instantly sensed the problem!

Judging by the County Magistrate's attitude, it seemed that while Zhou Meng had accused Su Mo, it was actually Su Mo accusing Zhou Meng!

The County Magistrate had no personal connection to Su Mo, so why was he showing such favoritism to this young man?

Zhou Meng didn't think that far ahead.

He hated Big Wart Ma, and he hated Su Mo even more!

He would drag Su Mo down with him, even if it meant death!

He glared venomously at Su Mo, gritting his teeth and saying sternly, "This humble one did not bully that widow!"

"It's just that Su Mo resented me for taking his regular yamen runner position. Seeing that I was drunk, he harbored malicious intent and took revenge on me!"

"I implore Your Lordship to see the truth!"

Xue Shan looked at the County Lieutenant and Chief Clerk seated on either side. "County Lieutenant Xu, Chief Clerk Zhuang, what do you think?"

County Lieutenant Xu Feng, who was nearing sixty, thought for a moment and then said, "This official has no objections. It is all up to Magistrate Xue to decide!"

This answer was perfectly in line with his character – an old County Lieutenant who just wanted to safely complete his term.

The power was originally in Xue Shan's hands, and he was close to retirement, so he naturally had no ambition to contend for power with Xue Shan.

To everyone's surprise, Zhuang Shouchi gave his answer.

This Third Master of Changping County had originally intended to stay out of it and keep his distance.

However, the strategist had said something to him not long ago.

"The Fourth Master wants to establish his authority, so how should the Third Master position himself?"

He was different from Xu Feng; he was still young and strong!

If the Magistrate's Clerk were to contend for power, it would certainly be impossible to seize the County Magistrate's authority all at once.

Whose power was being contested?

He pondered for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "The cases of Zhou Meng's rape and forceful seizure of civilian land have already been decided!"

"I believe the words of the criminal cannot be lightly trusted!"

"Why don't we first imprison both of them and wait until we find Madam Qin before interrogating them further?"

Xue Shan did not commit himself, his gaze fell on Magistrate Ma. "Magistrate Ma, what is your opinion?"