One Step Too Late

When Dai Sheng returned to the County Office carrying the thick ledger, he found Yang Qing seated in the main hall.

After several days of illness, Yang Qing looked thinner than ever.

Only when Dai Sheng entered did Yang Qing turn to look at him. "As soon as I arrived, I heard that you had taken men to seal off Fortune Comes, Magistrate Dai. May I ask why?"

Dai Sheng gathered the ledgers in his arms, then stepped forward and bowed to Yang Qing. "My lord, might we speak in private?"

Yang Qing nodded slowly. "Certainly."

After leading Yang Qing into the inner hall, Dai Sheng lifted his robes and dropped to his knees before him. "Please save my life, my lord!"

Startled, Yang Qing immediately stepped forward and bent to help him up. "What is the meaning of this, Magistrate Dai? We serve the same court and are both arms of His Majesty. What could have happened to frighten you so?"

With Yang Qing's help, Dai Sheng slowly rose from the floor. "My lord, do you know why I went to investigate Fortune Comes?"

Yang Qing shook his head. "I have spent these past few days recovering at home. I know nothing of what has happened in Yan Prefecture City."

"It was because I received a report that Fortune Comes had dealings with those bandits."

Dai Sheng began with Zhang Asan coming to beat the complaint drum at the County Office and ended with the discovery of numerous goods of unknown origin in Fortune Comes's storeroom, recounting every detail to Yang Qing.

After hearing Dai Sheng's report, an inscrutable gleam flashed through Yang Qing's eyes. "From what you have said, Magistrate Dai, Fortune Comes does indeed have countless threads tying it to Scarface's gang. Since its proprietor is already in custody, why not question him thoroughly?"

"You might even follow the vine to the melon and uncover whoever is pulling the strings. Allow me to congratulate you in advance, Magistrate Dai. If you handle this properly, it will be a great achievement indeed."

"Your promotion will be just around the corner, Lord Dai."

Yang Qing regarded Dai Sheng with a smile. "With such a fine opportunity before you, why are you so worried, Lord Dai?"

Dai Sheng let out a long sigh. "That was my intention as well. But now that I have thought it through, I feel as though thorns are digging into my back."

"These bandits have run rampant in Yan Prefecture for years. Their roots run deep. How could they be so easy to deal with? I acted in a moment of folly, and now I can neither advance nor retreat."

"Lord Jiang's fate still stands before us as a warning. I am merely a lowly county magistrate. How could I stand against those bandits?"

The more Dai Sheng thought about it, the more frightened he became. He already deeply regretted raiding Fortune Comes in a moment of hotheadedness.

Now this scalding potato lay before him, impossible either to drop or to hold.

"You are mistaken, Magistrate Dai."

After hearing Dai Sheng out, Yang Qing shook his head.

"The bandits are so overbearing because the people of Yan Prefecture have grown accustomed to not opposing them."

"Things are very different now."

Yang Qing explained to Dai Sheng, "Think carefully, Magistrate Dai. Since Scarface's death, hasn't the bandits' momentum weakened with each passing day?"

"Otherwise, Wood would not have been strung up at the city gate a few days ago, nor would you have found the valuables stolen on that rainy night by such a convenient coincidence."

"You are panicking here, Magistrate Dai, but what makes you think the bandits aren't frightened too? Once people panic, they leave more telltale tracks."

"Set your mind at ease and question Fortune Comes's proprietor, Lord Dai. I believe you will make more new discoveries."

After hearing Yang Qing's analysis, Dai Sheng's anxious heart gradually settled.

Wasn't Lord Yang right?

Since the Fortune Comes affair had already landed in his hands, there was no reason to push it away.

Otherwise, everything he had done so far would have been tossed into the water.

At that thought, Dai Sheng bowed deeply to Yang Qing again. "Your words have been like purest cream poured over my head, my lord, clearing away the weeds that clouded my understanding."

Yang Qing nodded slightly, only to think of something else.

"However, although Fortune Comes's proprietor is already in prison, you must guard against the person behind him lashing out like a cornered dog and harming him, Lord Dai."

At Yang Qing's reminder, Dai Sheng immediately felt a sheen of cold sweat break out across his back.

He had indeed overlooked that!

If Hong Fu died in the County Office's prison, what use would all his evidence linking Fortune Comes to the bandits be without that crucial witness?

Dai Sheng hastily said to Yang Qing, "You are absolutely right, my lord. It was an oversight on my part!"

He turned and summoned a trusted Prefectural Soldier, ordering him to check on Hong Fu in the prison and keep him under constant protection.

Yang Qing's gaze, however, fell upon the stack of ledgers, and he sighed inwardly.

Unless he was mistaken, Hong Fu, who had just been thrown into prison, was already a dead man.

He had thought that secretly helping Dai Sheng would give them the first move, but they had still arrived one step too late.

Still...

A light flickered in Yang Qing's eyes. Without this commotion, how would the person lurking behind the scenes in Yan Prefecture City ever be willing to surface?

Inside the inner hall, Yang Qing said nothing more. Before Dai Sheng's anxious heart could settle, a jumble of footsteps approached from outside.

Yang Qing's hand paused as he leafed through the ledger. Just as expected. My words hit the mark!

"My lord!"

The Prefectural Soldier whom Dai Sheng had hurriedly sent to check on the prison returned to stand before him.

This time, however, his face bore an unusual gravity and anxiety.

"Why are you so agitated?"

At the sight of the man, an ominous premonition crossed Dai Sheng's mind, but he still made a show of composure.

"Hong Fu, the proprietor of Fortune Comes who was just taken into custody, is dead."

At those words, Dai Sheng involuntarily looked toward Yang Qing.

Sure enough, everything had happened exactly as he had said!

“Hong Fu is dead? How did he die?” Dai Sheng cried.

“The coroner examined Hong Fu and determined that he died of poisoning. Moreover, the poison was forcibly poured down his throat.”

Hearing this, Dai Sheng raised his hand and slammed it hard against the table beside him. “Outrageous! Investigate this thoroughly! Find out who dared commit murder inside the County Office!”

The Prefectural Soldiers departed with their orders. After roaring those words with all his strength, Dai Sheng slumped dejectedly into a nearby chair.

He had investigated the bandits again and again, only for the trail to lead straight back to himself!

How could Dai Sheng not be alarmed? How could he not be furious?

If he failed to get to the bottom of this, he feared he would lose his official's black gauze hat even if he knelt outside the Golden Throne Hall until he died!

Not only would he lose his own head, but the entire Dai Clan would lose theirs as well!

To think that a county's chief magistrate had someone colluding with bandits among his own subordinates! How could the thought not set his legs trembling and tear his soul apart?

For an instant, Dai Sheng's mind went blank. But when he met Yang Qing's suddenly stern gaze, his knees buckled, and he knelt before him once more. “My lord, I know nothing about this matter. I beg you to investigate it thoroughly!”

"My lord, I knew nothing of this! Please investigate and establish the truth!"