All Kinds of Reasons (Second Update)

Tian Yang Ni's words were meant to deny that the authorities had authorized any of this.

Powerful clans had that kind of confidence. Whether or not the county magistrate had instructed them to do it, as long as he had not said so openly, they would refuse to acknowledge it.

Could the authorities possibly act in secret? Yes, but that usually happened at court, in prefectures and commanderies, or in provincial capitals. When the imperial court wanted to deal with certain thorny matters without alerting anyone, it might very well resort to underhanded means.

But at the county or township level, that was truly unlikely. This was basically the lowest level of official appointment in the empire. If there was a problem, what could not be handled face-to-face?

In any case, since the county magistrate had not acted openly, the Tian Family had reason to deny it. They could even slap a label on the other side while they were at it—keep tarnishing the authorities' name, and they would start killing people!

As for what the truth really was... was that important? As long as you dared say it, they dared kill you!

Hearing this, the captured man immediately shut his mouth. He understood that logic.

Yet his timidity exposed his origins instead. Lang Zhen sneered. "He doesn't even dare shout it a second time. Seventh Tian... this man must be falsely accusing the county magistrate. This must be investigated."

The man snorted angrily. "If I say it again, you'll kill me. My life may be cheap, but I don't want to die unjustly. Is that wrong?"

"Heh." Tian Yang Ni chuckled and waved a hand. "Take him away for interrogation. Remember, don't let him say it a second time."

In truth, he had guessed it as well. This man