At County Magistrate Song Zhiyi's furious shout, Lin Qingbai shuddered all over.
Who was Song Zhiyi?
He was the county magistrate of Qingyang County, appointed by the emperor of the Yu Dynasty and dispatched there by the Commandery Governor of Qinghe Commandery himself.
He was also the father and mother official of Qingyang County.
Every matter, great or small, in Qingyang County was tied to him by countless threads.
Of course, that included the market order in the two marketplaces!
Whether Lin Qingbai had been openly selling low-quality Spirit Beasts in West Market was something he knew better than anyone.
Naturally, he also knew how serious the matter was.
But now, Lin Qingbai had to keep his mouth shut and refuse to admit anything!
Because once he admitted that he and Chen Jinmeng had openly sold low-quality Spirit Beasts in West Market, it would be one thing if Magistrate Song Zhiyi punished only him. But if the magistrate dug deeper and punished Xinghua Village Lin Family as well, then Lin Qingbai would deserve a thousand deaths and still be unable to answer for it. He would have no face to meet the Lin Family's ancestors.
Lin Qingbai raised his head and said in a low voice, "In reply to Your Honor, Lin Qingbai has been selling Spirit Beasts normally in West Market. There is nothing amiss!"
"Is that so?"
Magistrate Song Zhiyi swept his hand through the air and called out, "Master Hu!"
The black-robed man with a goatee stepped up beside Magistrate Song Zhiyi and said quietly, "Your Honor, I'm here."
"Investigate it!"
Magistrate Song Zhiyi said sternly, "I want to see whether the Spirit Beasts sold by the Lin Family meet the standards set by the laws of our dynasty!"
Master Hu cupped his fists. "Yes, sir!"
With that, Master Hu turned and walked over to the Spirit Beast, the Mysterious Earth Barbarian Bull, beside Zhang Mingyuan. He placed one hand on its back, and wisps of spiritual energy surged from his palm, wrapping around the beast.
Before long, Master Hu withdrew the spiritual energy and turned to Magistrate Song Zhiyi, cupping his fists. "Your Honor, I have completed my investigation."
Instead of replying, Magistrate Song Zhiyi turned to Lin Qingbai and asked, "Lin Qingbai, I can still give you a chance to confess and receive a lighter punishment. Are you willing to seize it?"
Lin Qingbai clenched both hands into fists inside his sleeves, biting down hard on his lip.
Seeing this, Magistrate Song Zhiyi chuckled. "Master Hu, please explain."
Master Hu cleared his throat and called out, "This Mysterious Earth Barbarian Bull appears to be in its juvenile stage based on its bone age, and its body is likewise at a juvenile stage. Yet for some reason, its bones are abnormally loose, and its body is extraordinarily bloated. In my opinion, it must have eaten some kind of growth-inducing drug, which caused its current condition!"
At this, Zhang Mingyuan shouted furiously, "Lin Family! Give me back my eight hundred Spirit Stones!"
How could Lin Qingbai admit Master Hu's claims? He raised his head and retorted, "Magistrate Song, that's only Master Hu's opinion. It can't be taken as proof. I think we should have several more people examine it before making a decision..."
"Lin Qingbai!"
Magistrate Song Zhiyi said coldly, "You won't shed a tear until you see your own coffin, will you?"
Just as Lin Qingbai was about to offer a few more arguments in his defense, Chen Jinmeng, who had remained silent behind him for a long while, stepped forward.
"Qingbai, stop talking!"
Looking past Lin Qingbai's shoulder at Magistrate Song Zhiyi, Chen Jinmeng said softly, "Your Honor, these Spirit Beasts are indeed low quality. The two of us fed them Revitalization Powder."
Hearing Chen Jinmeng openly confess to what the two of them had done, Lin Qingbai's shoulders, which he had been holding rigid, suddenly slumped. He stood before Magistrate Song Zhiyi, utterly drained.
Magistrate Song Zhiyi gave a cold snort. "Hmph! Chen Jinmeng, I never expected the Chen Family to be involved in this too!"
Chen Jinmeng shook his head again and again. "Your Honor, this was done by Lin Qingbai and me alone. Our respective families had absolutely nothing to do with it."
Magistrate Song Zhiyi flicked his sleeve and laughed. "Ha ha! Whether your families were involved or not, we'll find out once you've come to the county office for tea!"
With that, Magistrate Song Zhiyi turned to the surrounding crowd and called out, "People of Qingyang County, the East and West Markets are of utmost importance to our county. I will not tolerate anyone disrupting the rules of the market. Once I've investigated this matter, I will give you all an answer!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a chorus of shouts rose from the crowd.
Amid their cheers, Magistrate Song Zhiyi said to Lin Qingbai and Chen Jinmeng, "Come with me to the county office. We'll discuss the matter further once your clan heads arrive!"
With that, Magistrate Song Zhiyi left the area, surrounded by the crowd.
Meng Haoran looked up at Meng Luohai and asked, "Clan Uncle Luohai, what should we do?"
Meng Luohai smiled. "Naturally, we follow them. Lin Qingbai dared to try to kill you in public, so the Lin Family must answer for it!"
In the main hall of the Qingyang County Office.
Magistrate Song Zhiyi, dressed in his official robes, sat behind the magistrate's desk, imposing even without showing his anger.
Lin Qingbai and Chen Jinmeng both lowered their heads as they knelt in the middle of the hall.
The clan heads of the Lin and Chen Families, Lin Yuan Kui and Chen Le Zhi, stood there with their eyes lowered, motionless.
Across from them stood Meng Haoran and Meng Luohai.
Looking down at them from above, Magistrate Song Zhiyi asked, "Lin Yuan Kui, Chen Le Zhi, do either of you object to the charges against Lin Qingbai and Chen Jinmeng for violating the laws of the Yu Dynasty?"
Lin Yuan Kui cupped his fists. "This commoner has no objection. We ask Your Honor to punish the two of them according to the laws of the Yu Dynasty, as a warning to others!"
Chen Le Zhi replied, "This commoner has no objection either. Your Honor may punish them as the laws of the Yu Dynasty prescribe. However, the two of them arranged this privately, and it had absolutely nothing to do with our Lin and Chen Families. We ask Your Honor to see this clearly!"
"Chen Le Zhi, you're no longer young. Have you lost your wits in your old age?"
Magistrate Song Zhiyi said gravely, "They are both members of your Lin and Chen Families. Now that this has happened in my jurisdiction, in West Market, you claim it has nothing to do with your families? You're trying to escape punishment under the laws of the Yu Dynasty!"
"Master Hu!"
Magistrate Song Zhiyi turned his head slightly and asked, "Under the laws of the Yu Dynasty, how should Lin Qingbai and Chen Jinmeng be punished? And how should the Lin and Chen Families be punished?"
"Under the laws of the Yu Dynasty, Lin Qingbai and Chen Jinmeng must first return all their illicit gains. In addition, they are forbidden from engaging in commerce for the rest of their lives. If they are caught doing so, they will be exiled three thousand li to the demon-haunted wilds!"
Master Hu nodded and replied, "As for punishment of the Lin and Chen Families, they must pay a fine equal to three times the illicit gains of Lin Qingbai and Chen Jinmeng. The money must be paid into the county office treasury within three days. If payment is delayed, the fine imposed on the offenders will be increased by another half."
After hearing this, Magistrate Song Zhiyi called out to the four people below, "Did you all hear that clearly?"
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