Shipin Dalizheng

Shopkeeper Xu didn't dare to speak, so Rong An answered for him, "Sir, you'll have to ask the official in charge of land and house sales at the county office."

Cui Xian said, "Captain Li, go and invite Chief Clerk Cai."

Captain Li went to ask for help again.

Shopkeeper Xu looked very ill, sweating profusely. Rong An calmly pressed him, "Shopkeeper Xu, you're also a veteran in the county's business world. There are some advantages you can take, and some you can't. I don't believe you don't know that the Madam Jin you're talking about is actually just the concubine of a son-in-law, and the concubine of a dismissed prisoner. Do you think that if you secretly traded the shop and stamped it with the county government's official seal, our prince will just consider himself unlucky and not be held accountable?"

Shopkeeper Xu wiped his sweat fiercely and argued, "She, she said she was the prince's concubine mother and would soon be made his legitimate wife."

"Even if she is promoted, she is still the mistress of the surname Jin. She has nothing to do with our prince. If she dares to sell it, it's hard for you to buy it."

Shopkeeper Xu was speechless. After everyone waited for over half an hour, Chief Clerk Cai finally arrived and shouted from afar, "It's a misunderstanding! This is all a misunderstanding. Shopkeeper Xu and I were deceived. That woman claimed to be the Crown Prince's concubine mother. We both believe that His Majesty governs the country with filial piety, and that the younger generation must obey the wishes of their elders."

This is a very artistic way of saying it. A stepmother is also a mother, and children should be filial to her. As children, we should listen to what she says.

Rong Tang heard people talking behind him, saying that this was the case.

When he ran up to him, he glared at Shopkeeper Xu and bowed to Rong Tang, "This is all a misunderstanding, Master Rong. Otherwise, this transaction document will be invalid. Master Rong should compensate Shopkeeper Xu for the money he spent. Although it may be a drop in the bucket in your hands, it is a lifetime savings in the hands of ordinary people. We can't let ordinary people have no way to make a living, right?"

As soon as Rong Tang heard it, he knew that before Cai Zhubu came, he had already thought of a perfect escape route. Look at what he said, his attitude in handling things, how sincere he was, and how much he loved the people like his own children.

And Shopkeeper Xu's expression, so lost, and yet so relieved. Perhaps he also understood that it would be difficult to keep the shop, and it would be good to get the principal back.

Before Rong Tang could express his opinion, Rong An laughed first, "What Chief Clerk Cai means is that my son's shop was sold secretly, and now he wants me to buy it back?"

Cui Xian frowned slightly and looked at Rong Shi. He even thought in his heart that Cai Zhubu had admitted his mistake and there was nothing wrong with solving the matter in this way.

Chief Clerk Cai laughed dryly, "After all, the money has gone into the hands of Prince Rong's family. The meat is rotting in the pot, and the fat is not flowing out. It would be unkind to let Manager Xu lose all his money, wouldn't it?"

"First, my son doesn't recognize the family Chief Clerk Cai mentioned. The Rong family is the Rong family, and the Jin family is the Jin family. No one in the Jin family can rule over the Rong family. Secondly, Chief Clerk Cai is trying to divert County Magistrate Cui's attention. Now we are not only investigating Manager Xu for secretly purchasing the property of the Bo Mansion, but also Chief Clerk Cai for not following the rules. Who gave you the authority to stamp the official seal on the sale without a legal contract between the two parties? Did Chief Clerk Cai abuse his power for personal gain?"

Cai Zhubu's eyebrows jumped violently. He hadn't expected that this flaw, which was so easy to reveal, would be exposed in public. If no one mentioned it, others would just think he was being deceived. Now that it was clearly stated, even a fool could guess that he had accepted money from Manager Xu.

Cui Xian knew very well that it was an open secret that these lower officials accepted bribes while doing their jobs. He thought that after Cai Zhubu said some soft words, Rong Shizi would let Cai Zhubu off.

Since he won't let me go, I, as the county magistrate...

"Master Cai, you need to give this county a reasonable explanation for this matter. Prince Rong, Shopkeeper Xu, since there are so many disagreements between the two parties regarding the shop, you should come with me and go to the county government office to resolve it!"

Cui Xian was very unhappy. Rong Tang was so young, but he sat so openly, making him, a county magistrate, stand like a servant.

"can."

Rong Tang stood up and left, then turned back and told Rong Wanli, "Watch over the shop here, and don't let anyone take even a single thread away."

Rong Wanli folded his arms and stood at the door like a plague god, "Master, don't worry."

Cui Xian turned his head and glanced at Rong Wanli. The one who called him master was not an ordinary guard, but a loyal confidant who would follow him and risk his life even in a rebellion. In their Cui family, only the head of the family had such a confidant.

When the group arrived at the front hall of the county government office, Rong Zhan immediately brought a chair for his master to sit down. Cui Xian sat upright under the plaque of "Upright and Honest", and Cai Zhubu stood beside him. In the entire hall, only Manager Xu was kneeling.

He suddenly came to his senses and burst into tears, begging for mercy, "Prince Rong, I was wrong. I shouldn't have been greedy for small gains. I don't want the shop anymore. Just give me back my hard-earned money."

"Let's deal with each case one by one. County Magistrate Cui, how should we handle the case where Chief Clerk Cai violated the rules by affixing the official seal? This person has encountered this prince, so he is not so easy to bully. If an ordinary citizen suffered such an injustice, it would cost him his life. We all know that the Cui family of Qinghe is an honest and upright official. This case may seem minor, but if we investigate it further, it can be very serious. It depends on whether County Magistrate Cui can live up to the legend and eliminate this evil for the people."

This was simply like roasting Cui Xian over an open flame. He brushed honey on him, sprinkled cumin and chili powder on him, and turned him over from time to time.

Cui Xian was extremely depressed. He glared at Chief Clerk Cai and said, "Come here, ask Chief Clerk Cai to stay in the side hall. Send someone to watch him. After I finish handling the matters in court, I will personally review the old files."

Chief Clerk Cai was furious. Before leaving the front hall, he kicked Shopkeeper Xu and said, "You damned bastard! You told me that Prince Rong was just a poor wretch who just came from outside. His father doesn't like him, his grandmother doesn't love him, and he has no one to back him up. You killed my mother."

Cui Xian became even more depressed. This showed that Chief Cai had initially thought that Prince Rong was a paper tiger and was planning to bully him, but he just refused to give the Jin family any face and was determined to fight to the end.

Shopkeeper Xu was kicked to the ground at Rong Tang's feet, trembling and afraid to speak. Rong Tang waved his fan and said gloomily, "County Magistrate Cui, don't think this prince's reminder is unnecessary. If you really want to investigate, send someone to keep an eye on the archives room immediately. Especially be careful with candles at night, otherwise there is a risk of fire. Of course, if County Magistrate Cui doesn't want to investigate, just ignore what I said."

Dog Prince, roasting him is bad enough, it’s smoky and hot, leaving no room for anyone to breathe.

Cui Xian couldn't help but look at him again, and out of the corner of his eye he saw that Cai Zhubu's whole body trembled, as if he was suppressing his anger.

County Magistrate Cui ordered the police officers, "Keep watch over the file room. Whether it's a fire or a theft, bring your heads to me."

The police officers were startled and said, "Yes, sir."

After giving the order, he looked at Rong Tang with complicated eyes, "Prince Rong, how do you want to resolve this matter? This county first states that although Manager Xu was greedy, it was essentially the internal strife within your mansion that implicated him. He made a mistake, but he did not commit a crime."

Rong Tang smiled, "I understand County Magistrate Cui's thoughts. You want me to let him go, right?"

Cui Xian's eyes held a warning. If Rong Tang wanted to severely punish Manager Xu, but went too far, he would not agree.

Rong Tang looked at Shopkeeper Xu and asked, "You said you took advantage of others. How much did you take?"

Shopkeeper Xu lowered his head. "Two...two hundred taels."

"Isn't it more than that?"

Rong Tang said to Cui Xian, "Your Excellency, please take a look at his sales contract. He only spent eight hundred taels on a shop worth a thousand taels. Putting that aside, what about the shop's existing inventory? Those cloths worth several hundred taels, isn't that a bargain?"