Regular Servant

Xue Shan asked Ma Yingshi for his opinion.

Ma Yingshi immediately adopted a serious expression and slowly said, "This official believes..."

"Whether Zhou Meng bullied the widow or not will be determined after the County Magistrate presides over the trial."

"What the eyes see is not necessarily the truth!"

"Throughout history, there have been many wrongful and mistaken convictions."

As he spoke, his sharp gaze fell upon Su Mo. "If everyone were like Su Mo, believing others to be wicked and then acting to injure or even kill them, disregarding the Great Wu Law, wouldn't that lead to chaos?"

He paused, then calmly added, "This apprentice is an employee of the yamen. Strictly speaking, he is just an ordinary citizen and does not possess the authority to enforce the law!"

At these words, everyone's hearts grew cold!

Chen Gan's face instantly darkened!

As expected of the Magistrate's Clerk, the official in charge of the prison, he was very familiar with the Great Wu Law!

With a single statement, he had hit the core of the issue!

Assistants and laborers held an awkward position, much like the Magistrate's Clerk among officials.

Ordinary citizens serving as assistants or laborers for the subordinate clerks was tacitly accepted by the court, barring them from imperial examinations for three generations.

But a hidden rule was still a hidden rule.

Once brought out into the open, hidden rules could no longer be invoked; matters had to be handled according to the law!

The Great Wu Law did not stipulate that laborers hired by the yamen were subordinate clerks!

Without being part of the three yamen squads, they did not possess the power of enforcement!

If a commoner could claim someone was committing a crime and then directly kill them, and if they were later found innocent, what would happen if everyone started doing that?

The Magistrate's Clerk's words had completely changed the nature of the case!

It was no longer a question of whether Zhou Meng bullied a respectable woman, but whether Su Mo had the right to intervene and stop Zhou Meng!

The facts were clear.

Su Mo did not have that right!

Everyone believed that Su Mo was doomed this time.

Even if the County Magistrate showed favoritism towards Su Mo, he wouldn't challenge the Great Wu Law for the sake of a mere laborer!

Suddenly, a duty officer entered the hall. "Reporting to the County Magistrate, the Clerk of the Personnel Office, Geng Mingde, has something to request!"

Everyone looked at the officer in surprise.

What was Geng Mingde up to? Couldn't he wait until after the adjournment to speak?

This was a joint trial by four officials!

Unexpectedly, Xue Shan slowly uttered a single word: "Summon him!"

Geng Mingde, the Clerk of the Personnel Office, holding a book, trotted into the courtroom.

"Clerk of the Personnel Office Geng Mingde greets the County Magistrate!"

Xue Shan nodded. "What matter requires you to seek an audience with this official during the session?"

Geng Mingde quickly replied, "Replying to the County Magistrate, the matter I wish to report is directly related to this case!"

He paused, then continued, "Yesterday, Su Mo accompanied the Fast Squad to the Locust God Temple and performed a great service."

"As the yamen has a policy for acknowledging merit, those who perform meritorious service in such cases, laborers can be promoted to regular servants."

"The Personnel Office promoted Su Mo to a regular servant of the yamen yesterday and entered it into the records. It was just too late to officially announce it, so I am here to report to the County Magistrate now."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Sanyuan's expression changed instantly!

Even if Su Mo truly performed meritorious service at the Locust God Temple case yesterday, it should have been a promotion from laborer to assistant, not directly to regular servant!

Su Mo had assaulted someone right after returning from the Locust God Temple.

Even though he stayed behind to handle the aftermath at the Locust God Temple.

It couldn't have taken much time, right?

Could it be that as soon as the yamen officers returned, the Personnel Office immediately rewarded Su Mo with a promotion?

How was that possible!

Did they take them for fools?

What kind of background did this Su Mo have to make the yamen show such blatant favoritism?

Zhong Sanyuan's heart was churning with shock!

Xue Shan looked at Geng Mingde and said expressionlessly, "Present the yamen's personnel records!"

A standing officer immediately stepped forward, took the records, and handed them to the County Magistrate.

Xue Shan perused them briefly before signaling the standing officer to deliver them to Ma Yingshi!

Ma Yingshi looked at the records with a dark and uncertain expression.

He left with a dark expression, saying no more.

Xue Shan then said in a calm voice, "Since Su Mo was promoted to a Regular Servant of the yamen yesterday afternoon and has the authority to enforce the law, he had the right to intervene when he saw Zhou Meng bullying an honest citizen!"

He glanced at the County Lieutenant and the Chief Clerk. "This county magistrate believes we can imprison both of them first and then hold a trial once we find the victim, Madam Qin."

Xu Feng, nearly sixty years old, was old but not at all muddled.

The words "the victim" were enough to show Xue Shan's attitude!

He finally spoke, "Magistrate Xue, I don't think another trial is necessary!"

"This disciple, Zhou Meng, has committed countless crimes. If he is not severely punished, it will be difficult to quell public anger."

The Chief Clerk, Zhuang Shouchi, also nodded and said, "There are already many disturbances in Changping County. I also feel it's unnecessary to waste our energy on this matter."

"Regardless of whether Zhou Meng bullied an honest woman, Su Mo, as a Regular Servant, naturally had the duty to stop him. Taking him down and awaiting the County Magistrate's decision, his actions were bound to be somewhat heavy-handed."

Xue Shan then nodded and said, "Very well!"

"Since County Lieutenant Xu and Chief Clerk Zhuang both hold this view, I now declare."

"The case of Zhou Meng accusing Su Mo has no evidence, and it is hereby closed!"

He paused, then said coldly, "Zhou Meng raped women, seized private land, and severely injured the victim."

"According to the Great Wu Law, the one with the heavier crime shall be judged!"

"I sentence Zhou Meng to one hundred strokes of the cane and exile of three thousand li. Zhou Meng, do you accept this?"

Zhou Meng had already collapsed completely on the ground, looking at Ma Yingshi in terror.

Unfortunately, Ma Yingshi's face was dark, and he didn't even glance at him.

Xue Shan grabbed his token and threw it down.

"Beat him!"

Two officers wielding batons immediately stepped forward.

With a clash of their staffs, they flipped the collapsed Zhou Meng onto his face.

Then, the two looked at the head of the guard, and seeing the head give a thumbs-down gesture with his right hand, they hesitated no longer.

They swung their staffs, and it looked like a light blow landed on Zhou Meng's lower back!

As a result, Zhou Meng's legs stiffened, and he let out a sharp, piercing scream, his whole body convulsing!

The onlookers, who were unaware of the truth, began to discuss.

"He really can't take a beating!"

"One light blow, and he screams like that. Is he acting?"

"No wonder Su Mo broke his shoulder with one punch!"

As the officers continued to swing their staffs, Zhou Meng's screams grew more and more piercing, and as he screamed, his voice weakened.

Before the hundred strokes were finished, he completely stopped moving.

One of the officers stepped forward, felt for his breath, and then reported to the County Magistrate, "Reporting to the County Magistrate."

"The guilty prisoner could not withstand the blows and has passed away."

Xue Shan said slowly, "Drag him away!"

Then his gaze fell on Su Mo, and a hint of a smile appeared. "Someone, put shackles on Su Mo!"

"Su Mo, you are now a Regular Servant of the yamen. From now on, do your job well and do not disappoint this magistrate!"

Su Mo also did not expect the yamen to be so efficient!

How long had it been since Yao Shitou reported the information!

The County Magistrate truly lived up to his title!

He had anticipated that Ma Yingshi would use his identity as an excuse and had already arranged for Su Mo to be assigned the identity of a Regular Servant by the personnel office!

The system's reward was actually delivered in this way, which was truly beyond Su Mo's expectations!

It seemed that this task system operated according to real-world rules and would not deliver rewards out of thin air!

Su Mo quickly said, "Thank you, Your Lordship, for upholding justice!"

"This humble one will certainly do his job well in the future and will not disappoint the County Magistrate!"

Xue Shan nodded and struck the gavel. "Court dismissed!"

After the four main officials of Changping withdrew.

The yamen's subordinate clerks then cast their shocked gazes towards Su Mo!

It was simply mind-blowing!

Being a yamen runner was a lifelong position, and they could even pass on their position to their children. Experienced yamen runners had served for decades.

But they had never seen a defendant who not only got away with it but was also promoted on the spot!

Could this Su Mo be the County Magistrate's illegitimate son?

Reading the wind and steering the rudder is the number one survival skill for Subordinate Clerks!

Zhong Sanyuan, who had always disliked Su Mo, now walked up with a chuckle, patted Su Mo's shoulder in a friendly manner, and then turned to leave!

Everything was understood without words!

After Zhong Sanyuan left.

The entire yamen's courtroom immediately became lively.

The other helpers and laborers looked at Su Mo with envy!

Chen Ping said with a smile, "You brat! No wonder you dared to turn yourself in!"

"With such connections, why didn't you tell Uncle Chen sooner! You made Uncle Chen worry for nothing. You have to treat me to drinks tonight!"

Su Mo nodded with a smile: "Naturally!"

"This kid was ignorant. I hope Uncle Chen will look out for me more in the future!"

Chen Ping rolled his eyes: "Tch!"

"You and I are both Regular Servants, who's looking out for whom!"

"It's possible that in a few days, you'll be the one looking out for Uncle Chen!"

He turned to Chen Gan and said with a smile, "Brother Chen, you have a good nephew!"

The County Magistrate's favoritism towards Su Mo was practically out in the open.

Everyone knew that Su Mo, as a Regular Servant, was definitely only temporary.

In a little while, he would be heading for the position of Deputy Constable!