Because he had set out a little late, it was already dark by the time Pan Long reached the Divine Capital.
By his reckoning, every government office had finished work for the day. So he went first to the Cang Residence in South Xia City, only to find Madam Cang, Bai Yingxuan, at home.
"My husband has been coming home very late these past few days," she said. "And he's been worried sick every day. It seems he's run into some difficult problem."
Pan Long sighed and told her that Wind Patrol Envoys across the country were being hauled into court one after another.
The officials opposed to the Reform had to be behind this. Since they had gone to such lengths, they would surely seize the chance to make a spectacle of it and damage the reputation of the entire Wind Patrol Envoy system. They would never settle matters quietly or make some under-the-table deal.
Bai Yingxuan frowned again and again as she listened. At last, she asked, "Are all those cases really true? Not a single one a false charge or a miscarriage of justice?"
"Probably not." Pan Long sighed. "Besides, out of more than a thousand cases, even if one or two were false, it wouldn't change the larger picture!"
"One would count for ten thousand!" A cold glint flashed in Bai Yingxuan's eyes. "Those people never came forward to sue before, but now they've all sprung up. Some may have been nursing a grudge and longing for revenge, but most must be after some benefit. Find one false accuser and go after them until they're finished. Add threats and inducements, and you could at least make many of those suing for gain back down."
Pan Long froze. He had not expected Bai Yingxuan to be so