What Do You Think?

Lin Qingbai and Chen Jinmeng knelt on the ground, silent.

Left with no other choice, the patriarchs of the Lin and Chen Families, Lin Yuan Kui and Chen Le Zhi, could only accept it dejectedly.

Magistrate Song Zhiyi had merely imposed minor punishments on Lin Qingbai and Chen Jinmeng in accordance with Yu Dynasty law. As for the fines levied against the Lin and Chen Families, Lin Yuan Kui and Chen Le Zhi could accept those as well.

Seeing this, Magistrate Song Zhiyi asked, "Master Hu, have you finished tallying the ill-gotten gains between Lin Qingbai and Chen Jinmeng? And how much in fines should the Lin and Chen Families bear?"

Upon hearing this, Master Hu took a sheet of paper from his robes and read aloud, "Over the course of two days, Lin Qingbai and Chen Jinmeng sold a total of forty-six inferior Spirit Beasts, gaining forty-six thousand and eighty Spirit Stones through improper means. According to Yu Dynasty law, the Lin and Chen Families must bear a fine three times the amount of those ill-gotten gains, totaling one hundred and forty thousand and four hundred Spirit Stones."

At those words, Meng Haoran and Meng Luohai, who had been standing off to the side, secretly exchanged glances.

"A total of one hundred and forty thousand Spirit Stones!"

Meng Haoran exclaimed inwardly, That amount is nearly a year's income from our Meng Family's Spirit Plant Fields! This time, the Lin and Chen Families have truly bled heavily!

Lin Yuan Kui said in a low voice, "Magistrate Song, isn't this fine a little too harsh?"

Chen Le Zhi echoed, "Yes, Magistrate Song. This fine is equivalent to a year's income from our two families' Spirit Plant Fields!"

"Hehe! Now you think it is too much? When you were selling those inferior Spirit Beasts, why did you not think it was too much then?"

Magistrate Song Zhiyi declared loudly, "The fine is merely the minimum punishment for your two families. Now, this official solemnly informs you that for the next year, neither the Lin Family nor the Chen Family may engage in any business related to selling Spirit Beasts within Qingyang County!"

Those words were what truly filled Meng Haoran and Meng Luohai, uncle and nephew, with wild delight.

Previously, Lin Qingbai and Chen Jinmeng had sold such Spirit Beasts for roughly eight hundred to one thousand Spirit Stones each. In only two short days, the pair had earned more than forty thousand Spirit Stones in total, far faster than planting Spirit Plant Fields and selling the First-Tier Spirit Plant, Three-Pattern Wheat!

This showed just how severe Magistrate Song Zhiyi's punishment of the Lin and Chen Families was!

Lin Yuan Kui and Chen Le Zhi hurried forward and knelt before Magistrate Song Zhiyi. "Magistrate Song, please revoke this order. The Lin and Chen Families cannot accept such a punishment!"

The Lin Family had already withdrawn from Qingyang County's talisman market because of the Five Elements Defensive Talisman and Spirit Taming Talisman incident. Now, if the Lin Family obeyed Magistrate Song Zhiyi's ruling and ceased all business related to selling Spirit Beasts for the next year, it would be a fatal blow to them!

Snow piled upon frost!

Oil poured upon fire!

The Lin Family now faced precisely such a predicament.

"Outrageous! Is the county yamen a place for the two of you to plead for mercy?"

Master Hu snapped, "The magistrate has handled this case impartially and punished you according to Yu Dynasty law. This is already mercy beyond the law! If you continue making trouble without reason in the county yamen, do not blame the magistrate for disregarding past ties!"

At that furious shout, Lin Yuan Kui and Chen Le Zhi lowered their heads and exchanged a glance.

At that moment, Master Hu hurried forward and helped the two men up. "Elder Lin, Elder Chen, Magistrate Song is acting according to Yu Dynasty law. Do not make things difficult for him, and do not harm the harmony between you. As the saying goes, as long as the green hills remain, there will be no shortage of firewood. One year will pass in the blink of an eye!"

Master Hu had played both the red-faced and black-faced roles, leaving Lin Yuan Kui and Chen Le Zhi no choice but to go with the current.

Seeing this, Magistrate Song Zhiyi waved his hand. "Lin Yuan Kui, Chen Le Zhi, quickly take those two back home and discipline them properly. Then promptly pay the fine into the county yamen treasury."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yuan Kui and Chen Le Zhi could only take Lin Qingbai and Chen Jinmeng away from the county yamen.

After the Lin and Chen Families' clansmen had departed, only Magistrate Song Zhiyi, Master Hu, Meng Luohai, and Meng Haoran remained.

"Brother Luohai, how should this junior be addressed?" Magistrate Song Zhiyi asked, looking down from the dais.

Meng Luohai cupped his hands and replied, "Meng Haoran, the foremost among the younger generation of my Meng Family!"

"Hehe, foremost among the younger generation!"

Magistrate Song Zhiyi smiled. "That is no small title!"

Meng Haoran cupped his hands. "It is only thanks to the support of the elders within the family."

Magistrate Song Zhiyi's smile faded as he asked, "Earlier, Lin Qingbai pursued and tried to kill you openly in West Market. What did you think?"

Meng Haoran answered, "Run! Then inform the family elders about the Lin Family's sale of the Spirit Beasts."

Magistrate Song Zhiyi asked again, "And if you had not managed to escape?"

Meng Haoran answered seriously, "That would have been no matter! Another junior of my Meng Family, Meng Xiaoran, also knew about this matter."

"Hahaha! Good boy! You actually kept a card up your sleeve!"

Magistrate Song Zhiyi laughed. "Both brave and resourceful—no wonder you are the foremost among the Meng Family's younger generation, as Brother Luohai said!"

Meng Haoran gave a few dry laughs without answering.

Magistrate Song Zhiyi looked at Meng Haoran and asked, "Earlier, this official only pursued the Lin and Chen Families for selling inferior Spirit Beasts and punished them with fines. I did not pursue Lin Qingbai for attempting to murder you openly in West Market. Do you blame this official?"

Meng Haoran cupped his hands and replied, "This junior would not dare. Magistrate Song is Qingyang County's parent official; every word and deed of yours has reason behind it."

Magistrate Song Zhiyi smiled. "Hehe, young in years but shrewd as a ghost. You truly know how to flatter!"

After saying that, Magistrate Song Zhiyi looked to Meng Luohai again. "Brother Luohai, do you know how long this official has held the post of magistrate of Qingyang County?"

Meng Luohai replied, "If I remember correctly, it has been seven years."

"Time flies; in what felt like the blink of an eye, seven years have passed."

Magistrate Song Zhiyi spoke with some emotion. "In another two years, this official will be transferred out of Qingyang County to take up a post elsewhere."

Meng Luohai cupped his hands. "This commoner offers Magistrate Song his congratulations in advance!"

Magistrate Song Zhiyi shook his head. "After leaving Qingyang County, this official's future remains uncertain. Will it be a lateral transfer, or a promotion?"

Hearing this, Meng Luohai understood that Magistrate Song Zhiyi had hidden meaning in his words.

Seeing Meng Luohai remain silent, Magistrate Song Zhiyi continued, "This official has served as the parent official of Qingyang County for seven years. During those seven years, I have searched my heart and found no great wrongdoing upon myself, but neither have I accomplished any great good. Thus, if this official wishes for a promotion two years from now, it would be nothing but a daydream. At best, I can only be transferred laterally elsewhere and serve another nine years as a county magistrate!"

Meng Luohai seemed to sense something and asked quietly, "There are some matters on which I ask the magistrate to speak plainly!"

Magistrate Song Zhiyi said in a grave voice, "Over these seven years, the seven Ninth-Rank Cultivation Families within the county seat have constantly obeyed me in public while defying me in private. Therefore, this official wishes to add another Ninth-Rank Cultivation Family to Qingyang County. What do you think?"