Chapter 79: I Was Framed—he’s The Real Culprit
The night fell, and the full moon hung in the sky.
Home.
Courtyard.
Lin Fan, having finished his cultivation, sat before a stone table. A pile of Tiannanxing was in front of him, with a teacup and teapot beside it. Like an ordinary person, he calmed his mind, enjoying the moonlight while shelling sunflower seeds and peanuts.
It was just that he was eating poisonous medicinal herbs.
Check the status panel.
【 Thousand Jin Staff Technique （ Beginner 708/1000
【 Guiyi Body Refining Method （ Beginner 56/2000
【 Beginner Whip Technique （ Beginner 125/300
【 Poison Resistance: LV1 (75/300)
Progress is good, steady forward movement.
“I thought there were masters in this world, but the two followers protecting Ning Yu are very ordinary, not masters. What was I still expecting?”
Lin Fan picked up a piece of Tiannanxing, examined it for a moment, put it in his mouth, and swallowed it expressionlessly.
If things continue to develop at the current pace.
He alone would be equivalent to a country.
It would be no difficult task.
The only thing to be aware of is that there will indeed be times of exhaustion.
But the bloodline-type Guiyi Body Refining Method is still in the beginner stage. Now, as proficiency increases, he can clearly feel his own strength improving.
When it reaches Minor Accomplishment, Great Accomplishment, and Perfection.
What an astonishing improvement that will be.
Just thinking about it is terrifying.
“A beautiful world.”
“The world belongs to everyone.”
“No… the world is mine.”
Lin Fan smiled, his smile becoming more brilliant. No matter what the truth of this world was, his idea remained the same: to have a good time and not come here for nothing.
…
The next day.
The common people were all talking about the Public Security Bureau.
This was currently the hottest topic in Yong’an. If you were to ask who was the busiest now, it would undoubtedly be the coroners, with over sixty heads to stuff with lime for preservation.
The workload was very heavy.
And they had to endure the smell of decay.
Tie Ye Office.
Bare-chested, dark-skinned laborers continuously pushed iron ore into the smelting area, while at the same time, smelted iron ingots were transported out, weighed, marked, and sent to the warehouse.
At the registration desk, the Tie Ye Office’s envoy, dressed in official robes, sat alone at a small table. A charcoal stove was set up, and a pot was being heated. Inside the pot was spicy tofu and some napa cabbage.
The envoy ate garlic, spicy tofu, and porridge.
Life was quite leisurely.
If you were to ask who had the most comfortable life at the Tie Ye Office, it would undoubtedly be this envoy.
Although his official rank was insignificant, here, he could decide the fate of a hundred people. Who would not respectfully address him as Ambassador Hao?
He knew about the recent matters concerning the Public Security Bureau.
It was all the rage.
But he didn’t envy it at all.
He even felt, what was the point of doing so much and being loved by the common people?
Busy as a dog.
It was nowhere near the ease and freedom he enjoyed.
He wouldn’t trade it even for the position of Prefect.
Suddenly.
Ambassador Hao, who was lowering his head to eat porridge, saw the official shoes appear in his peripheral vision. He suddenly looked up and saw a constable and Clerk Zhu from the county office standing in front of him. Behind them followed several constables with sabers.
“Oh my, Master Zhu, what wind blows you here?” Ambassador Hao greeted enthusiastically, completely unaware of the seriousness of the situation.
However, he felt a sense of nervousness.
After all, Clerk Zhu’s presence was one thing, but why were the constables from the Public Security Bureau with him?
Clerk Zhu, with an impartial expression, said, “Hao Fei, the county office and the Public Security Bureau will be interrogating you. Put down all your current tasks and come with us.”
“Ah!?” Hao Fei’s face changed drastically, and he said nervously, “Clerk Zhu, what in the world has happened that requires such a grand mobilization? You know, I have been diligently working at the Tie Ye Office and dare not be careless in any way.”
Clerk Zhu waved his hand, “What you say to me is useless. Save your words for when we get there.”
Xu Ming beckoned, and the constables behind him immediately apprehended Hao Fei.
Xu Ming looked at the remaining constables, “Go and take all the account books of the Tie Ye Office from the past two years. Do not leave a single one behind. At the same time, leave two people to go to the warehouse and re-weigh all the iron ingots in the warehouse.”
“Yes.”
The constables sprang into action.
Meanwhile, Hao Fei’s expression turned grim. He was flustered internally. Had he been discovered? But it shouldn’t be possible; he had been very discreet, and the accounts were perfect.
There should be nothing that could be found.
“I’m innocent, I’m innocent!” Hao Fei shouted.
Clerk Zhu angrily said, “We haven’t even said what you did, why are you shouting about being wronged?”
Hao Fei said with a bitter face, “Master Zhu, isn’t this lineup clearly indicating that something is wrong with me?”
He was too lazy to say more. Instead, he focused his gaze on Xu Ming, knowing that this man was Master Lin’s confidant. He licked his lips, approached, and said with a smile, “Brother Xu, if you have a chance, please put in a good word for this old brother with Master Lin. I’ll owe you one.”
He had sided with Yuan Jiang and offended Master Lin.
He had been reprimanded by the County Magistrate multiple times. If not for the County Magistrate protecting him, he would have been finished long ago. In gratitude, he had given the County Magistrate a gift.
However, no matter what, he was still very uneasy.
Therefore, he thought that if someone close to Master Lin could put in a good word for him, the effect would surely be even better.
Xu Ming smiled without saying anything.
He had seen too many people who were scared out of their wits by his Master Lin.
The other party’s request was within his expectations, and he did not find it surprising at all.
Clerk Zhu leaned close to Xu Ming and placed his sleeve into Xu Ming’s palm, saying, “Brother Xu, please help me, really help me.”
A silver note.
It was offered very proactively.
Xu Ming recalled what Brother Lin had told them.
“People have to live comfortably, live with flavor.”
“It’s right that we don’t take money from the common people, but we’ve never stopped you from taking money from those lords and officials, as long as you remember not to leave any handle.”
Of course, even if a handle was left, it didn’t matter.
“Taking money without doing anything doesn’t count as corruption.”
With that, Xu Ming accepted the silver note.
Clerk Zhu breathed a sigh of relief. It was accepted, and he had no other thoughts.
After a long while.
The constables came out with the account books. Xu Ming and Clerk Zhu exchanged glances and nodded, leading their team away. The taken-away Hao Fei did not shout or make a fuss, clearly saving his energy for when it would be needed.
…
County Office.
Hao Fei stopped and looked up at the plaque. He had been here before, but now his heart was heavy. Several constables stood at the entrance, looking at him with calm gazes.
For some reason, an invisible, immense pressure, like a surging tide, crushed down on him, making him almost want to turn and flee.
“Hurry up, don’t dawdle.”
Xu Ming pushed his back.
Hao Fei stumbled forward several steps, took a deep breath, stabilized his mind, and, with a hardened heart, crossed the high threshold and walked inside.
Inside the county office courtyard, the solemn and majestic atmosphere was almost tangible.
He saw three people sitting on grand tutors’ chairs under the wide eaves of the main hall ahead. Shrouded in shadow, a pressure was about to crush him to death.
The one in the center, wearing a dark blue robe with embroidered waves, was Lin Fan. An iron rod was stuck beside him, shining brilliantly and dazzlingly. It was said that this iron rod was used to sweep through mountain bandits, stained with countless blood.
To the left was County Magistrate Zhou, holding a lidded cup, casually skimming off tea foam and blowing on the hot vapor. He appeared nonchalant, but his peripheral vision never left Hao Fei.
As for the one on the right, it was an unfamiliar young woman. But the way she stared at him, as if she wanted to devour him, sent shivers down his spine.
Hao Fei walked forward step by step, each step heavy. He noticed a long table on one side of the courtyard, where old men who looked like impoverished scholars were seated.
He recognized a few of them; they seemed to be old gentlemen proficient in accounting.
He shuffled to the center of the courtyard, trembling with each step.
“Your subordinate, Hao Fei, pays respects to the three lords.”
County Magistrate Zhou slightly raised his head and looked at Hao Fei, “Hao Fei, let me introduce you properly. This is Lin Ban Tou from the Public Security Bureau, the renowned Master Lin in the hearts of Yong’an’s common people.”
“This is the newly appointed Prefect Ning from the Public Security Bureau.”
“We have summoned you here today not for any other reason, but to show you a clear path.”
“Do you have anything to confess?”
County Magistrate Zhou spoke with his usual official tone, not saying too much, hoping Hao Fei would confess on his own. Otherwise, if he were caught, the situation would be very awkward, and survival would be almost impossible.
Hao Fei shivered, lowered his head, and suppressed his panic, “County Magistrate, your subordinate is wronged. Your subordinate has diligently and conscientiously worked at the Tie Ye Office, never made any mistakes. I implore your lordship to investigate clearly.”
He wouldn’t say anything about anything.
“Confess and be treated leniently, but be imprisoned for life.”
“Resist and be treated strictly, and go home for the New Year.”
“As long as I don’t admit it, they won’t be able to find anything.”
“Good, good, don’t blame this County Magistrate for not warning you.” County Magistrate Zhou put down his teacup with a crisp clink. “If it is truly found out, it will be too late for you to speak.”
After saying that, he fell silent.
The constables distributed the account books from the Tie Ye Office from the past two years to the old gentlemen who were skilled in accounting.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
In a moment, the sound of abacuses being used echoed through the quiet courtyard.
The clanging of the abacuses was torture to Hao Fei, making him tremble with fear. If he weren’t so confident in his account books, he might have fainted on the spot.
After a long while.
The sound of the abacuses stopped.
Several old gentlemen whispered to each other, cross-checking and organizing the accounts.
One old man stood up, bowed to the three under the eaves, and said, “Reporting to the three lords, after our joint verification, all accounts of the Tie Ye Office for the past two years, including income, expenditure, warehousing, and losses, all correspond. On the books, the output of pig iron ingots and the actual inventory in the warehouse are exactly the same.”
As soon as this was said.
Hao Fei cried out aggrievedly, “Three lords, please see clearly! Your subordinate is truly devoted and has never engaged in any embezzlement.”
County Magistrate Zhou leaned his head towards Lin Fan, asking what to do next.
Lin Fan asked, “What was last month’s output?”
The old man replied, “Reporting to you, sir, last month’s monthly output was fifty thousand jin.”
“What about the charcoal consumption records?”
“Reporting to you, sir, the accounts record a consumption of three hundred thousand jin of charcoal.”
“And the output from the month before last?”
“Reporting to you, sir, the output from the month before last was sixty thousand jin.”
“And the charcoal consumption?”
“Three hundred and ten thousand jin of charcoal.”
Lin Fan’s gaze fell on Hao Fei. Before Lin Fan could speak, Hao Fei quickly said, “Master Lin, you may not know this, but the charcoal consumption cannot be fixed. It often takes five to eight jin of charcoal to refine one jin of pig iron. This fluctuation is within the regulations, so please, Master Lin, investigate clearly.”
Lin Fan smiled and remained silent.
The atmosphere in the courtyard became oppressive again.
Hao Fei felt as if countless ants were crawling and biting him, causing him great pain and discomfort.
Footsteps could be heard.
Turning his head, Hao Fei’s face turned ashen.
He hadn’t expected the manager of the charcoal warehouse to be brought here.
Yang Ming cupped his fist and said, “Three lords, the manager of the charcoal warehouse has been brought.”
The manager knelt respectfully:
“Your subordinate, Gu San, pays respects to the three lords.”
Lin Fan looked down at him, his voice not loud.
“Gu San, last month, how much charcoal did the Tie Ye Office take from the charcoal warehouse you managed, in several batches?”
Gu San took out his account book, examined it carefully, and replied, “Reporting to you, sir, last month the Tie Ye Office took thirty-six thousand jin of charcoal. Each time it was taken from the warehouse, it was personally weighed and recorded by me, and the person in charge signed it.”
“Oh…?” Lin Fan looked at Hao Fei.
Hao Fei shouted, “Gu San, are you mistaken? When I didn’t use it all, I returned sixty thousand jin of charcoal to you. You can’t falsely accuse me!”
Gu San ignored Hao Fei and respectfully said, “Sir, I have a habit of personally checking everything related to the charcoal warehouse. Any departures or returns are personally inspected by me, and there will never be a situation where an entry is recorded incorrectly. I am willing to guarantee with my life that the accounts are flawless.”
“Hmm.” Lin Fan nodded and waved his hand, “You may go. Your part is done.”
“Yes, sir.”
Gu San stood up, bowed respectfully, and retreated, leaving the courtyard.
At this moment, Hao Fei was drenched in sweat, his breathing rapid, his mind in a frenzy, and he didn’t know what to do.
Lin Fan tapped lightly on the tea table and said, “Will you confess now, or will you think about returning to the Public Security Bureau with this Ban Tou for me to interrogate you personally before you tell the truth?”
Immense pressure enveloped him.
Hao Fei wailed and begged for mercy, “My lord, spare my life! Your subordinate was wrong, your subordinate knows he was wrong. Your subordinate was blinded by greed and had wicked thoughts. Please, three lords, spare my life!”
Crack!
County Magistrate Zhou slammed the table angrily, the teacups on the table rattling. “You scoundrel, Hao Fei, I told you to confess honestly, and you had to be caught before you realized your mistake. I see you truly don’t know your limits. Speak! Where did you sell those iron ingots, and to whom?”
To be honest, County Magistrate Zhou was a bit panicked.
He knew Lin Fan was investigating the armor matter. On the surface, the blame for the armor had been shifted to Sun Xiao, but that was a trivial amount of armor.
Three hundred thousand jin of charcoal produced fifty thousand jin of pig iron ingots. From the charcoal warehouse, thirty-six thousand jin of charcoal were used. That extra sixty thousand jin of charcoal was enough to produce ten thousand jin of pig iron ingots.
So where did these iron ingots go?
This was no longer just Hao Fei’s problem; he himself could be in serious trouble.
“I, I…” Hao Fei stammered, his words incoherent, his face pale with anxiety. “I secretly sold them to the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce.”
“How much silver did you sell them for?”
Hao Fei said fearfully, “Your subordinate sold them for two fen of silver per jin. Last month I sold… I sold two hundred taels.”
“You damn it!” County Magistrate Zhou’s beard bristled, and he became furious. “Are you an idiot? As the envoy of the Tie Ye Office, privately selling pig iron is a capital offense! You risked your life for two hundred taels, didn’t you?”
“My lord, spare my life! Your subordinate didn’t just sell for one month. Your subordinate has been selling for almost four years, earning a total of eight thousand three hundred and sixty-five taels.” Hao Fei confessed truthfully.
Huh!?
Ah…
County Magistrate Zhou’s eyes widened, his legs stiffened, and he convulsed, leaning back against the grand tutor’s chair.
Lin Fan sighed softly, reached out, pinched County Magistrate Zhou’s philtrum, took a sip of tea, and sprayed it on County Magistrate Zhou’s face. County Magistrate Zhou jolted, trembling all over, and barely managed to regain his senses.
“County Magistrate Zhou, don’t panic. You’d best pray that these pig iron ingots were not used to make armor,” Lin Fan said.
“Yes, yes, it’s not too late. We must quickly apprehend the people from the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce for interrogation.”
County Magistrate Zhou was truly panicking.
The Anzhou Chamber of Commerce was a group of merchants centered around Anzhou Prefecture, covering the surrounding county towns, and used the name Anzhou Prefecture.
There were members of the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce in Yong’an.
There was only one.
So, besides him, no one else would have bought it.
Now that this scoundrel Hao Fei had been selling for nearly four years, with hundreds of thousands of jin of pig iron, how many sets of armor and weapons could be forged?
If this were to be reported to the higher authorities, he, as the County Magistrate, would be held responsible and be arrested as well.
Dereliction of duty was certain.
As far as he knew, forging a fully armed set of armor and weapons, with the highest loss rate considered, ten thousand jin of pig iron could forge at least over two hundred sets.
That would be two to three thousand a year, and nearly ten thousand sets in four years.
If it were all used to forge armor.
Then what else could this be but rebellion?
Lin Fan waved his hand, “Yang Ming, take him back to the Public Security Bureau, guard him well, and continue the interrogation. Make sure he confesses everything he should, without any omissions.”
“Your subordinate accepts the order.”
“Xu Ming, you and your brothers will accompany me to the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce to arrest people. At the same time, arrange for two brothers to immediately go to the city gate and stand guard. Do not allow any members of the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce to leave the city.”
“Yes.”
Subsequently.
The old gentlemen who were good at accounting also respectfully departed.
On the scene, only the three of them remained.
Ning Yu was diligently learning her master’s methods, watching very carefully. She found the process of interrogating Hao Fei just now to be brilliant. They didn’t start from the pig iron but from the charcoal warehouse.
It made sense, as the charcoal warehouse and the Tie Ye Office were not the same institution.
There were bound to be loopholes.
Not everyone would be willing to risk their lives for a meal.
“Master, I will return to the Public Security Bureau now and call more people, in case the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce gets wind of the situation beforehand and tries to break through the checkpoints.” Ning Yu volunteered.
“Hmm, very good. You’re learning quickly and are very smart. It’s clear you’ve seriously considered what I told you last night,” Lin Fan praised.
Ning Yu pursed her lips, puffed out her chest, but due to her flat chest, there was no proud scenery. However, she exuded a youthful and energetic spirit, which was very good.
“Go.”
“Yes.”
Ning Yu left in a flurry.
In Lin Fan’s eyes, she was a wild girl.
He finally understood why a girl with a background would want to go to the Public Security Bureau. She clearly had the goal of punishing evil and eliminating harm. When she heard of bad people, she was more excited than anyone.
Thump!
As soon as Ning Yu left, County Magistrate Zhou knelt down.
He grabbed Lin Fan’s trouser leg and shouted desperately, “Master Lin, save me! I beg you to show compassion and save me!”
Suddenly.
“Master, should I split into two groups, one to the city gate and one to the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce?” Ning Yu returned, poking her head in from the entrance, and asked.
However, when she saw County Magistrate Zhou kneeling before her master.
She blinked her eyes.
Why didn’t he kneel when I was here?
He kneels as soon as I leave?
Is he looking down on me, Prefect Ning Yu?
Lin Fan said, “Your idea is very good. You split into two groups, one to the city gate, and one to monitor the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce’s every move.”
“Yes, Master.”
Ning Yu left.
Looking at County Magistrate Zhou at the door, he began to plead bitterly again, “Master Lin, I know you are capable. Help me. As long as you help me through this difficult time, I will follow your lead and obey your every command from now on.”
Lin Fan helped County Magistrate Zhou up and said, “County Magistrate Zhou, I will say it again: you’d best pray that the pig iron sold by the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce was not used for private armor manufacturing, and you’d best pray that this pig iron can be recovered.”
“Yes, yes, it’s still not too late. We must hurry to the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce and control those guys. Let’s go, Master Lin, let’s go quickly, we absolutely cannot let them get the news and escape.”
County Magistrate Zhou began praying to all his ancestors in his heart, asking them to exert some effort below, and that nothing should go wrong.
…
Anzhou Chamber of Commerce, Yong’an Branch.
Cao Liang was in the living room entertaining business guests. Recently, many things had happened in Yong’an, causing immense waves, but it had no effect on him; he was just a businessman.
His family was not in Yong’an, so he wasn’t afraid of his children running rampant in Yong’an and being arrested by the Public Security Bureau.
As for the Fierce Tiger Gang and the Loyalty Hall?
In his eyes, they were just local ruffians, organizations of the lowest caliber formed by uneducated individuals.
At this moment, his butler hurried in and whispered in his ear.
Cao Liang frowned, his expression changing slightly. He calmly nodded, then said to the surrounding business guests, “Gentlemen, I have some urgent matters to attend to. Perhaps we can continue our conversation another time.”
The business guests stood up, cupped their fists, and left.
After all the business guests had left.
Cao Liang then looked at his butler, “You’re saying Hao Fei was taken to the county office?”
“Yes, and he was escorted by constables, accompanied by Clerk Zhu,” the butler replied.
Cao Liang remained silent for only a few seconds before making a decision, “Prepare the carriage. We must leave Yong’an now. Something has happened, and we cannot stay.”
“Yes, master.”
“Wait.”
“Master, what is it?”
“Have someone pretend to be me and leave through the front door. You come with me through the back door,” Cao Liang said.
“Understood.”
…
Cao Residence.
Ning Yu and the constables hid in an alley, amidst the crowd, watching every move of the Cao Residence. When they saw a few business guests come out.
She beckoned her subordinate and gave instructions. Once these people were far away, the brothers were to apprehend them without making a sound.
The subordinate who received the order nodded and led several brothers to carry it out.
Just then, a carriage stopped at the mansion gate.
Immediately after, a figure emerged. Due to being blocked by the carriage, their appearance could not be seen.
“Prefect, should we arrest him? If they get into the carriage, it will be harder to catch them,” Qian Tao asked.
“Arrest him.”
Ning Yu was decisive. She led the charge forward, but suddenly remembered her master’s words and stopped abruptly, looking around vigilantly for any suspicious individuals.
At this moment, Qian Tao picked up a club and jammed it into the carriage wheel, then pulled the person inside the carriage out.
The person pulled out trembled, “I am not Master Cao, I am not Master Cao.”
“Prefect, he is not Cao Liang,”
Qian Tao shouted.
Ning Yu’s eyes darted, and she instantly understood that this was a diversion tactic. She immediately shouted, “Everyone, come with me to the back door!”
With a clang, she drew her saber and quickly rushed towards the back door.
Upon reaching the back door.
She saw two figures emerging from inside.
“Cao Liang, I am the Prefect of the Public Security Bureau. I order you to squat down now!” Ning Yu roared.
Cao Liang was stunned and quickly climbed into the carriage.
The butler roared, “Master, you go first! I’ll block them for you.”
With that, the butler charged towards Ning Yu.
Ning Yu remained unfazed, swung her sword, and the butler cried out in pain, collapsing to the ground. She then looked at the departing carriage and roared, “Leave one person to control him, the rest of you, follow me!”
With that, Ning Yu, with her long, slender legs, chased desperately in the direction the carriage had gone.
The constables following behind were stunned to see the Prefect’s determination.
They had truly underestimated Prefect Ning.
They hadn’t expected her combat power to be so fierce.
Without a second thought, they followed the Prefect in pursuit.
At this time.
The carriage was galloping down the street, and the common people were all scattering, causing chaos.
Cao Liang, sitting in the carriage, had a very grim expression. He hadn’t expected the Public Security Bureau’s actions to be so swift.
His only thought now.
Was to leave Yong’an as quickly as possible.
Absolutely not to be caught.
Teahouse.
Qin Si was still drinking tea. He frowned upon hearing the commotion in the street. Who the hell was so brazen to dare to act wildly in Yong’an’s streets? This sounded like horses’ hooves and carriage wheels. Were they not afraid of Master Lin anymore?
He walked to the railing and looked down.
At a glance, he saw Ning Yu.
This was Master Lin’s disciple!
“Grandma, what are you doing?” Qin Si called out.
Ning Yu didn’t even look up and said, “Catching a fugitive.”
Damn it!
Qin Si immediately threw his teacup away and looked at his subordinates, who were relatively well-behaved and relied on him for a living. “What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and help my grandma stop that carriage ahead! Whoever stops it for me, I’ll reward them with a hundred taels.”
Swish!
The men who had gone mad appeared.
The subordinates rushed madly into the street and then, with all their might, chased after the carriage.
Qin Si pulled Peng Chang along, “Chase!”
At this time.
City Gate.
The city guards at the gate were still unaware of the situation, hiding in the shadows and watching the common people entering and exiting. Their job was usually very dull and boring.
If they saw someone on foot, they didn’t need to check.
If they encountered someone delivering goods, they would step forward to inspect the documents and goods.
From morning till night.
It was very monotonous.
At this moment, constables from the Public Security Bureau appeared. The city guards immediately straightened their backs because they saw that person walking at the front was none other than Master Lin.
Lin Fan said to Wu Yong, “Go and have them set up roadblocks.”
“Yes.”
Wu Yong immediately went to make arrangements.
And just then.
The muffled sound of horses’ hooves echoed.
Lin Fan turned his head and saw a carriage rapidly charging towards them. He stood in the middle of the road, gazing at it with a calm expression, waiting, with no intention of yielding.
“Master, someone is blocking the road ahead,” the coachman said.
“Run him over, smash through!” Cao Liang roared.
“Ram him to death, charge through,” Cao Liang roared.
It doesn’t matter who blocks the path now, the result is always the same: charge straight through.
The horse carriage arrived quickly, its speed undiminished. Just as the carriage was about to appear before him, Lin Fan let out an angry roar. The galloping horse was startled, reared up on its hind legs, and then stomped down heavily.
The moment its front hooves landed, Lin Fan grabbed them and yanked hard, flipping the steed onto the ground. The carriage tilted forward, and a scream rang out as Cao Liang tumbled out of the carriage and onto the ground.
The steed that Lin Fan had overturned tried to get up.
To prevent the horse from going berserk, Lin Fan immediately knocked it unconscious with a single blow. He then walked to Cao Liang, who was trying to get up, and stepped on his back, pressing him firmly to the ground, looking down at him from above.
“Master Cao, why the hell are you running?”
Meanwhile.
Ning Yu arrived, panting, with the constables. She held her waist and gasped, “Mas- Master, when did you get here?”
“Not too long ago,” Lin Fan observed Ning Yu’s appearance. She seemed to have run quite a bit. He also noticed blood on her sword. “Was there a fight just now?”
Ning Yu shook her head and waved her hands. “No, it was just this guy’s butler who wanted to buy him time to escape. He charged at me, and I cut him down with my sword.”
“Hmm, good. You dared to fight, you weren’t timid. You have potential in this line of work.”
“Master, what’s so special about that? I had a sword, and he was empty-handed. Could I possibly avoid his attack?”
“Heh heh.”
Lin Fan chuckled and waved his hand. Immediately, constables stepped forward to apprehend Cao Liang.
Qin Si arrived with his subordinates.
Upon seeing Lin Fan.
“Master Lin,” Qin Si said with a fawning smile.
“Yes. What are you standing around for? The matter I asked you to handle, have you forgotten?” Lin Fan asked.
“Right, right.”
Qin Si snapped back to attention, bowed, and said, “Master Lin, I’ll be going then. Miss, I’m leaving now.”
With that, he led his subordinates away.
“Why did he call you ‘Miss’?” Lin Fan asked with a smile.
Ning Yu replied helplessly, “I have no idea. It’s so annoying. I’m so young, and he called me old. But Master, I’ve thought about it, he’s probably afraid of me.”
…
Public Security Bureau.
Cao Liang was not locked in a prison cell but was brought to an interrogation room and made to sit on the interrogation chair.
Zhou County Magistrate paced around Cao Liang, “Speak! Where did you take the pig iron ingots you bought from Hao Fei?”
Lin Fan sat there, drinking tea and casually flipping through files. It wasn’t time for him to act yet, so resting was quite pleasant.
Cao Liang said, “Magistrate Zhou, what are you talking about? When did I, Cao, ever buy pig iron ingots? You can’t falsely accuse me. Regardless, I am from the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce. I demand to be sent to Anzhou Prefecture. Our President and the Prefect have an agreement that members of the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce, no matter what crime they commit, must be tried in Anzhou Prefecture.”
Whoosh!
Magistrate Zhou grabbed Cao Liang’s collar with both hands, his face contorted, and roared, “I’m asking you, where did you take the pig iron? Speak! Tell me!”
Zhou County Magistrate, who once only cared about graft, was truly unsettled by the current situation.
His mind was completely in chaos.
All he wanted now was to find out the whereabouts of the pig iron.
Cao Liang remained calm and composed, “Magistrate Zhou, aren’t you happy that I said I didn’t buy them? If I truly admitted to buying pig iron ingots from Hao Fei, it would be a capital offense for you due to poor supervision. Are you really going to force me to confess to this crime?”
Magistrate Zhou took a deep breath.
What the other party said made sense. If Lin Fan hadn’t been present, he would have just turned a blind eye and not pursued it further. But now, there was no choice.
If he agreed, Lin Fan would not.
“Still stubborn? Hao Fei has already confessed that you bought them. Hurry up and say it, and you might still have a chance to live,” Magistrate Zhou said angrily.
Cao Liang sighed and shook his head, “Magistrate Zhou, who am I? I am a member of the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce with vast wealth. How much are pig iron ingots worth? Is it necessary for me to risk my life and offend people to earn such a small amount of silver?”
“Then why did you run? Why did you run?” Magistrate Zhou asked angrily.
Cao Liang smiled and glanced at Lin Fan, “If a dog chases you, you’re bound to run, right? If I didn’t run and got bitten, who would I blame?”
“You…” Magistrate Zhou lacked experience in interrogation and was at a loss for words for a moment.
At this moment.
Lin Fan put down his file, stood up, and stretched his waist. “Magistrate Zhou, allow me to handle it. At this rate, your interrogation will take ages.”
“Xu Ming, Yang Ming.”
The door was pushed open.
“Squad Leader,” the two stood outside the door.
“Take Master Cao to the prison first. Prepare everything. This Squad Leader will wash his hands and be there shortly,” Lin Fan said.
“Yes, Squad Leader.”
The two untied Cao Liang from the interrogation chair and escorted him towards the prison.
Cao Liang roared, “What do you think you’re doing? You intend to use torture to extract a confession! I want to be sent back to Anzhou Prefecture, and I will report you to the Prefect!”
His voice gradually faded away.
Magistrate Zhou pleaded, “Master Lin, I’m truly relying on you. I honestly didn’t expect Hao Fei to do such a thing right under my nose. I… I’m innocent!”
Lin Fan patted Magistrate Zhou’s shoulder.
“Don’t be afraid. Since ancient times, who has not died? Let your loyal heart shine in history. Future generations will speak of Magistrate Zhou’s determination for graft with admiration,” Lin Fan said.
“Master Lin, please stop teasing me,” Magistrate Zhou was about to cry.
“Master, you are so learned!”
“It wasn’t me who said it, it was someone named Wen Tianxiang,” Lin Fan said casually. “Do you want to go to the prison and see how interrogations are conducted? It will be helpful for you in this line of work later on.”
“Master, I’ll go,” Ning Yu said firmly.
“Good. Just don’t be scared then.”
…
At this time.
Li Dian Shi was at home and knew about what had just happened. He hadn’t expected this matter to be uncovered; it was a matter of life and death.
When he learned that Hao Fei dared to sell pig iron for only two hundred taels a month, he was impressed.
Two hundred taels?
Was it really worth it?
He could have embezzled from other sources, even selling charcoal would have been fine. Why did he have to sell pig iron?
As expected, it’s truly terrifying when officials lack brains.
He had exchanged experiences with Magistrate Zhou before.
Overall, there were three things he never touched.
He didn’t touch the funds for official road and bridge construction.
He didn’t touch relief funds.
He didn’t touch things that were punishable by death by the Imperial Court.
These were the three things he never touched.
Of course, the current matter had nothing to do with him. This was the responsibility of the County Magistrate to supervise; it was completely unrelated to him as the Prefect of the Public Security Bureau.
Drinking tea, relaxed, at leisure.
Waiting for the transfer period to arrive, then he would take up his new post.
…
In the prison.
Silence.
The people imprisoned there all looked at Cao Liang, surprised that Cao Liang of the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce had also been locked up.
Even though Chen Qingshan and Sun Xiao were gang leaders and very formidable.
They truly dared not touch Cao Liang.
He was from the Chamber of Commerce, which had deep connections with imperial officials. If they dared to lay a hand on him, one report, and a single word from above, and the Yong’an Public Security Bureau and the County Office would be dismantled.
Yet, someone of this caliber had been arrested.
What crime could he have possibly committed?
Master Hu grabbed the prison bars and shouted loudly, “Brother Cao, were you also framed and imprisoned by that bastard surnamed Lin?”
Cao Liang replied, “That’s right, I was framed.”
Master Hu became more and more enraged as he thought about it, “Damn it, that bastard will surely face retribution.”
At this moment, Cao Liang was disgusted by the smell of the place. He looked at the people tied to the racks nearby. They were all well-known figures in Yong’an, but now they were covered in injuries and looked utterly pathetic.
This made Cao Liang incredibly flustered.
He felt an indescribable fear.
He vaguely heard a familiar voice, it seemed to be Hao Fei’s. Hao Fei, who was imprisoned in a cell, was moaning in agony.
“Spare me, spare me… I regret it.”
Cao Liang roared, “Hao Fei, why did you frame me? Why did you falsely accuse me of buying your pig iron when you were caught yourself?”
Hearing his voice, Hao Fei suddenly snapped back to reality, grabbed the prison bars, and yelled, “You dog Cao, f*** your mother! You tempted me, you tricked me, you took me gambling, forcing me to sell pig iron to you. You dragged me down!”
“You’re talking nonsense! How much is pig iron worth? What use do I have for your pig iron?” Cao Liang retorted angrily.
“No, you must have been secretly forging armor with the pig iron,” Hao Fei regretted it deeply.
At this moment, Sun Xiao, who was bound to the rack, had been looking down. When he heard about armor, he suddenly looked up and stared intently at Cao Liang.
“You were secretly forging armor, it must have been you! Confess quickly! I was falsely accused by that bastard of illegally possessing armor. The assassins who tried to kill him back then must have been instigated by you! Just confess your crime!” Sun Xiao roared.
He was truly fed up with the days in prison.
It was too painful.
It was truly unbearable.
He couldn’t sleep well, couldn’t eat well, and even had to defecate in his pants. His backside felt dry and chapped.
Sun Yaozu wailed, “Master Cao, please just confess! Just say you bought pig iron to forge armor, and you sent the assassins. My father and I can barely take it anymore.”
“That guy surnamed Lin is framing us, we’re suffering too much.”
Sun Yaozu was on the verge of a breakdown.
At this moment, Lin Fan arrived at the prison. Before even entering, he noticed the chaotic scene inside, the noise making his head buzz.
“Master, the prison smells so bad,” Ning Yu said, covering her nose.
Lin Fan replied, “You’ll get used to it. It’s the same everywhere.”
Ning Yu released her hand from her nose, not daring to breathe deeply.
Seeing her master’s composure,
she also pretended to be able to endure it.
Soon, Lin Fan reached the innermost part.
“All of you, shut up.”
It was useless.
As he arrived, the first thing that reached his ears was…
“Lin, f*** your mother!!!”
Without even looking, just by the voice and the sheer audacity, he knew it was He Sen.
Besides him, no one dared to be so defiant in front of him.
Sun Xiao said, “Squad Leader Lin, this is a false accusation! He is the one who forged armor, I am innocent.”
Lin Fan extended his hand.
Xu Ming handed the whip into his hand.
Crack!
The whip swung, making a whistling sound through the air.
Sun Xiao screamed.
“I told you to shut up! Are you all deaf?”
Lin Fan’s gaze grew cold, an oppressive aura enveloping the area.
The prison fell silent instantly.
“Lin, f*** your mother!!!”
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