Chapter 50: What? He Bullied Me Like This, And I Still Have To Thank Him?
Prefectural Office, courtyard.
Sunlight filtered through the sparse branches and leaves, yet it could not dispel the subtle stuffiness in the courtyard.
“Chen Squad Leader, you, how did you end up like this?”
Li Prefect sat on the stone bench, looking at Chen Squad Leader before him, whose face was pale as paper, wearing only a thin undergarment with a robe haphazardly draped over it, still trembling slightly. He feigned surprise and raised his voice.
Although he was to be transferred, his news was still quite well-informed.
All those major events that occurred would reach him here.
“Sir Li, you must stand up for me.” Chen Squad Leader’s voice was hoarse, carrying a sobbing tone, as if he had suffered a great injustice.
Li Prefect said: “Don’t panic. Tell me slowly about any matter, don’t rush. First, explain exactly what happened.”
He led Chen Squad Leader to the stone table, had him sit down, picked up the teapot, and poured him a cup of tea. Chen Squad Leader took the teacup and gulped it down fiercely, as if touching a sore spot, with fine beads of cold sweat seeping from his forehead and his face contorted.
Li Prefect took all these expressions in.
Good grief.
To be bullied so badly, it seemed he had never seen Chen Squad Leader in such a miserable state before.
“Sir, it’s not that I, Chen Xingzhi, like to file reports, but Song Qing has a subordinate who is extremely arrogant. He commits insubordination, disregards rank, acts tyrannically, and is lawless. Please, Sir, stand up for me, remove him from his position, and punish him.”
Chen Squad Leader hated Lin Fan to the bone. Even while recounting Lin Fan’s crimes, he could not hide the fury in his heart.
Li Prefect frowned, deep in thought, seemingly pondering the matter. This only fueled Chen Squad Leader further; he suddenly stood up, took off the outer robe he was wearing, turned around abruptly, and exposed his entire back to Li Prefect.
“Sir! Look! See with your own eyes! This is all caused by that surnamed Lin! He, a mere commoner constable, dares to lay such a vicious hand on me, a squad leader. He’s so arrogant and overbearing. If not severely punished, how will we lead the Public Security Bureau’s team from now on? Do we still need rules? Do we still need respect for rank?”
Hiss~
Upon seeing the terrifying whip marks crisscrossing Chen Squad Leader’s entire back—skin split open, flesh torn, purple-black and swollen—even Li Prefect, who had some mental preparation, could not help but draw in a sharp breath.
So ruthless?
Slaughtering a pig?
Even when he played with his concubine, he hadn’t been so vicious.
When Chen Squad Leader woke up, seeing the doctor applying medicine to him, he immediately stopped it, struggled to get up, held his breath, and came straight to the Prefect. He wanted to show his injuries to the Prefect.
To let the Prefect know that a madman had appeared in the Public Security Bureau.
Li Prefect stood up and caringly draped clothes over Chen Squad Leader. “Chen Squad Leader, calm down, don’t get angry. You should rest and recuperate properly. You could have come after recovering.”
As he spoke, the image of Lin Fan at that time appeared in his mind—the domineering strike of the staff, and the other’s confident declaration of securing a great merit for him before departure.
At first, Li Prefect had sneered and dismissed it—who couldn’t brag? But after that strike, he believed it.
Could a person really do this?
Chen Squad Leader sat down again. Though furious, he subconsciously glanced at the living room nearby with its door open. By rights, upon his arrival, the Prefect should have led him inside, so why were they chatting in the courtyard?
Just as he was lost in wild thoughts.
Li Prefect slowly said: “First, tell me why he hit you.”
Thinking of those humiliating events, Chen Squad Leader was unwilling to say more, but he recounted how he was punched unconscious on the street, and the next day entered the Public Security Bureau to find the other, drew sword…
“You say you drew sword, intending to hack him to death?”
Li Prefect seized the key point, interrupting Chen Squad Leader’s subsequent nonsense and striking at the heart.
“Yes, at the time, this subordinate was blinded by fury and impulse, but…”
Li Prefect raised his hand to interrupt, shaking his head: “You’re muddleheaded. You drew sword to hack him to death—how could he not fight back? Setting aside the facts, didn’t you consider how wrong your actions were?”
“Drawing sword in the Public Security Bureau and threatening to kill a colleague—if this were anywhere else, you’d lose your position. Moreover, you should know how capable he is. For him not to counter with a blade was out of regard for fellow colleagues; otherwise, how could you be here? You should be grateful to him.”
“Ah? I should thank him?”
Chen Squad Leader was stunned, not expecting the Prefect to say this.
Suddenly, he had a bad premonition.
Could the Prefect have taken money?
This was speaking up for the surnamed Lin.
“Sir, wrong is wrong, but let’s not talk about that. Let’s talk about recent events: he captured He Sen, caused a commotion at Loyalty Hall, arrested people recklessly, stirring panic and unrest. This affects stability.” Chen Squad Leader said.
Li Prefect waved his hand: “No, I don’t think so. He Sen or Loyalty Hall—ultimately, they are Yong’an’s tumors. But entrenched for years with deep roots, hard to shake, the common people have long grumbled. Now with a capable person in the Public Security Bureau stepping in, it salvages our face.”
As he spoke, he stood with hands behind his back, worrying for the country and people.
“Remember, our Public Security Bureau is the Imperial Court’s Public Security Bureau, the common people’s Public Security Bureau. We must stand with the common people. What they applaud means we’re right; their complaints mean we haven’t done enough.”
“These years, under this official’s diligent governance, Yong’an has stabilized somewhat, but far from enough.”
This set of righteous, morally superior words completely stunned Chen Squad Leader, leaving him mouth agape, unable to speak for a long time.
Chen Squad Leader was both anxious and angry, no longer caring, and with a sobbing tone said: “Sir, are you really going to ignore him insulting me? Sir, Xingzhi has been under you for years—no merit, but hard labor. You can’t abandon me.”
“Sigh.” Li Prefect sighed lightly. “Xingzhi, the palm and back of the hand are both flesh. You, Song Qing, or that Lin Fan—all the same. Favoring anyone looks bad and harms unity.”
He walked to Chen Squad Leader’s side and patted his shoulder. “I think we should drop this matter. You’re colleagues; conflicts and opinions are normal. Have a drink privately, chat it out, and resolve it.”
“As squad leader, prioritize the big picture.”
At these words.
Chen Squad Leader exploded instantly.
Completely igniting his long-suppressed fury and grievance.
Blood rushed to his head, and a thoughtless remark slipped out.
“Sir, how much silver did he give you exactly?”
After saying it, he regretted it immediately, his face turning deathly pale.
Smack—
Li Prefect flew into a rage, slamming the table and berating: “Chen Xingzhi, what audacity to spout such nonsense! Everyone knows I, Li, am upright and incorruptible. You’re slandering this official—what are your intentions?”
Chen Squad Leader was frightened into standing hastily. “Sir, this subordinate didn’t mean that. This subordinate was impulsive and deserves death.”
Li Prefect’s face gradually chilled, his gaze piercing like a blade into Chen Squad Leader’s heart. “You’ve disappointed this official greatly. I originally thought of your diligent service over the years and planned, after my transfer, to speak well of you and recommend you as Prefect. But now, as squad leader, you’re quibbling so much with a commoner constable. If I really promoted you to Prefect, would you even respect me?”
Thud!
Chen Squad Leader dropped to his knees, kowtowing frantically.
“Sir, calm your anger! This subordinate knows his mistake! This subordinate dares not again! Please give this subordinate another chance!”
He raised his hand and slapped his own face in fury.
He wanted progress too badly.
After so many years, still just a squad leader, with the Prefect like a mountain weighing him down. As long as the mountain didn’t move, he had no chance to rise. He had thought of pulling strings to become a clerk.
But he was unwilling.
Clerk was a clerical position—how could it compare to Prefect?
The County Office and Public Security Bureau were separate.
The County Office handled the city’s construction, taxes, household registration, education, and more.
The Public Security Bureau handled the city’s public security and stability.
His connections in the Public Security Bureau were maxed out, but if he became clerical or transferred to the County Office as clerical, those who once gave him face might not recognize him anymore.
“Enough, get out and stay put, nurse your wounds. This official doesn’t want to hear any more news about this matter.” Li Prefect waved his hand in disgust, as if shooing a fly.
“Yes, yes.”
Chen Squad Leader, like receiving a pardon, scrambled to his feet, ignoring the severe pain in his back, and slunk away.
After Chen Squad Leader’s figure completely disappeared, Li Prefect tapped the table with his fingers and looked back at the living room, where craftsmen came and went. The lingering might of that staff strike weighed on his heart, refusing to fade.
But more so, the money for these repairs would still come out of his own pocket.
Moments later.
As Li Prefect stood to check on the repairs.
An urgent voice came.
“Li Prefect…”
Damn!
Who the hell is it again?
