What's wrong with me, a powerful minister, supporting a few female officials?

Chapter 19 The Magistrate's Attitude Is Strange

Seeing that Su Mo could still laugh at this moment.

Chen Ping snorted irritably, "Of course we'll interrogate them!"

"They raped women, seized farmland, and broke the legs of the aggrieved victims who came to reason with them!"

He was sentenced to one hundred strokes of the cane and three thousand li of penal servitude!

Su Mo blinked: "Only such a small sentence? Didn't Ma Da Liuzi speak up for him?"

Chen Ping glanced at Su Mo: "That guy Chen Qian has solid evidence, what do you say?"

"That's why he must hate you, uncle and nephew."

"It should be noted that each case is handled separately. Zhou Meng will be dealt with after you are apprehended, brought to trial, and so on!"

He sighed: "You'll get what's coming to you soon enough!"

Su Mo smiled and said, "The county magistrate is fair and just, and I believe he will handle this matter impartially!"

Chen Ping was too lazy to say anything.

The group returned to the yamen.

The guards on duty were all taken aback when they saw Su Mo.

Someone rushed to inform Chen Qian of the news.

Chen Qian was smug as he strolled around outside the office of the scribe, right under Ma Yingshi's nose.

Upon hearing this news, his old face instantly changed!

Chen Ping deliberately dragged his feet, first putting Su Mo in shackles and taking her to the fast-track jail, without rushing to report to the county magistrate.

Seeing Chen Qian rushing over, he gave the other guards a look and left the cell, giving Su Mo and Chen Qian a chance to be alone.

Chen Qian, disregarding his reprimand of Su Mo, asked in a deep voice, "What exactly happened?"

"Didn't Chen Bao send you away from the city?"

He personally witnessed Chen Bao and his group leaving the county town.

Seeing Chen Qian's anxious expression, Su Mo couldn't help but smile: "Uncle, please don't worry."

"My nephew dares to come back; he has his own plans!"

"Does this mean we really have to stay in Eagle Valley for several years and never be able to return to the city?"

Chen Qian looked at Su Mo suspiciously, then lowered his voice: "What are you planning?"

Everyone called Su Mo a simpleton, but Chen Qian knew that his nephew was not simpleton at all; he just rarely spoke or did anything.

"Composed" would be a more accurate description.

Su Mo hesitated for a moment, then leaned close to Chen Qian's ear and whispered a few words.

Chen Qian's expression changed drastically in an instant: "Jin..."

But after saying only one word, he immediately shut his mouth tightly.

He just stared at Su Mo with a shocked expression!

Zhong Sanyuan, the head constable of the fast-track police station with his arms wrapped in cloth, finally appeared.

He glanced at Su Mo and Chen Qian with a gloomy expression, then said coldly, "The magistrate has ordered that court be convened immediately!"

"Interrogate the case of Su Mo seriously injuring Zhou Meng in the street!"

"Somebody come!"

"Take him to the main hall!"

Zhong Sanyuan then had someone take Su Mo to the main hall for trial.

Chen Ping finally couldn't hold back any longer. He quietly walked up to Chen Qian and whispered, "Old Qian, has your nephew gone mad or something?"

"He actually came to me to turn himself in?"

Chen Qian gave a wry smile: "I have no idea what he's up to!"

"They must believe that the county magistrate will handle this case fairly!"

A strange light flashed in Chen Ping's eyes.

He cursed under his breath, "That old fox!"
He was just worried to death, but after talking to Su Mo for a few minutes, his expression changed completely. There's no doubt that something was up!
He couldn't help but become suspicious!
What trump card does this old fox have that makes even the clerk unafraid?

Su Mo was taken to the main hall of the county government office.

There was a huge crowd of onlookers outside!

In the main hall, beneath the central case and the plaque proclaiming justice and integrity, sat the magistrate of Changping County, Lord Xue Shan!

To Su Mo's surprise...

Xu Feng, the county magistrate of Changping County, and Zhuang Shouzhi, the chief clerk, who were just background figures, both came.

Of course, with the county magistrate and the registrar present, Ma Da Liuzi was sure to be there too! Subsequently, Zhou Meng, looking ashen-faced and like a dead dog, was dragged into the courtroom.

He already knew that Ma Da Liuzi had abandoned him, so he was no longer as arrogant as before!
All four principal officials of Changping County have arrived!

Not to mention the ordinary people watching the show outside.

Zhong Sanyuan and the other three yamen runners were also extremely surprised.

Is Su Mo's case really that important?
So what if someone gets injured?
Is a joint trial by four officials required?
The magistrate slammed his gavel!

The bailiffs on both sides shouted "Wow, you're awesome!"

The bailiffs escorting Su Mo to the main hall, though they didn't use any methods on Su Mo, still shouted in a deep voice: "Kneel down!"

If it were an ordinary suspect, they would have kicked him hard behind the knee!

Su Mo didn't have any particular idea that a man's knees were worth gold.

In modern times, this phrase can be used to show off.

In ancient times, that would have been pure suicide!
Su Mo knelt down obediently, looked up at the imposing county magistrate on the desk, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "The bailiffs greet Your Excellency, Your Excellency, and Your Excellency!"

Xue Shan had a thin face and a neatly trimmed short beard.

His authoritative gaze swept over Su Mo and Zhou Meng below the hall.

Finally, it fell on Su Mo.

"Are you Su Mo, the suspect who assaulted Zhou Meng in the street?"

Su Mo nodded and said loudly, "Your Excellency, it is indeed I!"

“Zhou Meng, a lowly servant in the yamen, bullied a respectable woman, Qin, the widow of a scholar, in the street.”

"For the sake of the yamen's reputation and the county magistrate's honor, Su Mo felt it was his duty to step in and stop it."

He paused, then continued, "I just didn't expect that Zhou Meng would be so weak; a light touch broke his shoulder!"

The onlookers outside couldn't help but start discussing it.

Many people recognize Su Mo.

They also knew that Su Mo was far better than the other constables!
Xue Shan was slightly surprised: "That Qin woman is actually the widow of a scholar?"

Where is the Qin family?

Su Mo answered without hesitation, "I don't know."

"They must have been afraid of Zhou Meng's retaliation, so they moved out of the county town overnight."

Xue Shan didn't dwell on the matter. He turned his gaze to Zhou Meng, his voice instantly turning cold: "Zhou Meng!"

Do you acknowledge Su Mo's words?

Upon hearing this, Zhong Sanyuan and the other constables were immediately alarmed!
Something is wrong!
They were all shrewd and experienced yamen runners.

The problem was spotted instantly!
Judging from the magistrate's attitude, it's clear that it's not Zhou Meng suing Su Mo, but Su Mo suing Zhou Meng!
The magistrate has no relation to Su Mo, so why would he be so biased towards this kid?
Zhou Meng didn't think that much.

He hated Ma Da Liuzi, and he hated Su Mo even more!
Even if it means death, I'll drag Su Mo down with me!

He glared venomously at Su Mo, gritting his teeth as he said sharply, "I did not bully that widow!"

"It's all because Su Mo resented that you stole his official position. Seeing you drunk, he harbored malicious intentions and sought revenge!"

"I hope Your Excellency will understand!"

Xue Shan looked at the county magistrate and the registrar sitting on either side: "County Magistrate Xu, Registrar Zhuang, what do you think?"

Xu Feng, the county magistrate who was nearly sixty years old, thought for a moment and then said, "I have no objection. I leave it entirely to Magistrate Xue to decide!"

This answer is very much in line with his persona—an old county magistrate who just wants to land safely.

The power was originally in Xue Shan's hands, and he was nearing the end of his term, so naturally he had no ambition to compete with Xue Shan for power.

To everyone's surprise, Zhuang Shouzhi gave the answer.

The Third Master of Changping County originally thought it was none of his business and he should stay out of it.

However, the advisor said something to him not long ago.

"If the Fourth Master wants to establish his authority, how will the Third Master position himself?"

Unlike Xu Feng, he is still young and strong!
It's impossible for a clerk to seize power from a county magistrate overnight.

Whose rights are they fighting for?
He pondered for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "The cases of Zhou Meng's rape, illegal occupation of farmland, etc., have been settled!"

"I believe that the words of criminals should not be readily believed!"

"Why don't we imprison the two of them first, and then interrogate them after we find the Qin family member?"

Xue Shan remained silent, his gaze falling on Ma Dianshi: "Ma Dianshi, what is your opinion?"

(End of this chapter)