Chapter 97

The grand and imposing Jiaohuafang stood in stark contrast to the relatively low county government gate to the north. The Qingyun County government gate had a width of three rooms, with a central passage and the typical eight-character walls on either side. As the saying goes: "The government gate is open, but if you have no money, don't come in," which originated from this very place. On either side of the gate were a pair of imposing stone lions, and to the east of the gate was a large drum, used for those who wished to file a complaint.

At the gate, there were two guards. They wore blue cross-collar robes with narrow sleeves and long skirts, and their waists were tied with red cloth belts. The clothes were neither new nor old. It was early summer, and the sun was high, so both men were sunburned and sweating profusely. Each held a water-fire stick, and as the face of the county government, they had to maintain a good image. No matter how deserted the front of the gate was, they had to stand there properly. This was a tough job, and they were known as "gatekeepers," the lowest-ranking of the three classes of guards.

These two guards initially thought that Hu Xiaotian and his two companions had come to hit the drum and file a complaint, so they immediately perked up. After all, no one had come to the door on their own since morning. However, they soon realized something was amiss. The three did not hit the drum but walked directly toward the gate.

The guard on the right, Li Er, called out, "Hey, hey! I'm talking to you! What are you doing? If you want to file a complaint, you have to hit the drum first. The magistrate is resting!"

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, "I'm not here to file a complaint."

"If you're not here to file a complaint, what are you doing here? Open your eyes and look around. This is the Qingyun County government. Do you think just anyone can come here?" The two guards crossed their water-fire sticks to block the central passage, standing on the steps and looking down at Hu Xiaotian and his companions. They considered themselves officials and thus felt superior, but only in front of commoners. Guards were divided into different ranks: the good ones were called "minzhuang," "kuding," "douji," and "puying," while the lowly ones were "zao," "kuai," "bu," "wu," and "jinzou." These lowly guards, including their descendants for three generations, were not allowed to take the imperial exams or buy official positions, and were despised by the gentry. They could only exercise their power when people came in or out, and often, the smaller the power, the more they used it to the extreme.

Although Murong Feiyang was known as the top female detective in the capital, she had no social status. However, compared to the local guards, she felt entirely different. It wasn't because of her class consciousness but because of the era. She had been raised with this kind of education, and in this hierarchical society, people naturally measured each other by their status.

Hu Xiaotian sighed inwardly. These guards were blind to the mountain. He was the new county magistrate, and they couldn't tell? It wasn't their fault, as his face didn't have "county magistrate" written on it, and they looked like travelers from afar, dusty and covered in dirt.

Liang Dazhuang had learned from previous experiences and decided to speak less. Everything would be handled by the young master. To be a good servant, one must stand behind the master and let the master handle all the important matters. Hard work and endurance were his duties. Murong Feiyang didn't bother to argue with these guards. She had worked in the capital for many years and was used to the various bad habits in the government. These guards were typical of the small-minded officials.

Hu Xiaotian wasn't angry and said with a smile, "I want to see the county magistrate!" Before coming, he had found out that the county magistrate was named Xu Qinglian, who was 47 years old and had been in office for two years. According to the Da Kang system, local officials were rotated every three years, so Xu Qinglian would leave next year. When Xu Qinglian left, Hu Xiaotian, as the deputy, would naturally become the new county magistrate. Thinking about this, Hu Xiaotian felt a bit elated. Although he had never been an official before, if he was going to be one, he wanted to be the top one. In the hospital, the director was in charge, and the deputy directors were just figureheads. Any expense over 500 yuan had to be signed by the director.

Although Hu Xiaotian's attitude was good, the guards were not impressed. Li Er sneered, "Who do you think you are? Do you think our master can be seen by just anyone?"

Hu Xiaotian was about to reveal his identity, but at that moment, he heard a commotion outside. Two people, one fat and one thin, came to the county government gate, both dressed in rags, holding the same rope, with a goat following behind. A few more people followed to watch the spectacle.

The two people came to the drum on the east side of the gate and almost simultaneously picked up the drumsticks to hit the drum, but they didn't let go of the rope, each trying to grab it. It seemed they were arguing over the goat.

The sound of the drum attracted the attention of the nearby people. The Qingyun County government hadn't had a case in a long time, not because the county was peaceful, but because it was poor. Most people couldn't afford to eat, let alone go to court. Without cases, the government had nothing to do, and without work, the guards had no income, leading to a vicious cycle. Seeing that someone had finally come to hit the drum, the two guards' eyes gleamed with greed, not just at the people but at the goat as well. They hadn't tasted meat in a long time.

Hu Xiaotian hadn't had a chance to reveal his identity and decided to put his own matters aside for the moment. He followed the crowd into the county government to see what his superior, County Magistrate Xu Qinglian, was like. He wanted to see if the man lived up to his name and was as clean as his reputation suggested.

The sound of the court session began, accompanied by the guards' shouts of "awe-inspiring."

Hu Xiaotian and his companions followed the crowd through the corridor and into the main gate, which was the ceremonial entrance of the county government. It was usually closed and only opened on the first day of a new official's term or when a high-ranking official visited. Additionally, it was opened during major celebrations or important trials, allowing the public to watch or listen.

Today's case wasn't a major one, but because the county government hadn't had a trial in a long time, the session was particularly grand, and the main gate was opened to allow the public to enter and listen. The main hall had a warm pavilion in the center, where each new county magistrate would take over and count the household registers and accounts. It was also where major celebrations and important ceremonies took place. Above the hall hung a sign with the words "Qingyun County Main Hall" in gold calligraphy. The thick black pillars in front of the hall had golden couplets: "To deceive others is to deceive heaven; do not deceive yourself. To betray the people is to betray the country; how can you bear to do so?" In the center of the hall was a warm pavilion, the magistrate's seat, with a screen depicting the "Sea and Sun" and a black desk with writing tools, a seal box, a wooden gavel, and order sticks for trials. On the west side of the pavilion were the drum, ceremonial items, and instruments of punishment. On the ground in front of the pavilion were two stone slabs, one for the plaintiff and one for the defendant.

The two people who had come to file a complaint entered the hall, still arguing over the goat. A guard came to take the goat away and tie it outside. Both seemed to have been to court before, and the thin man, being more agile, quickly knelt on the plaintiff's stone.

The fat man, though he didn't get the plaintiff's stone, refused to kneel on the defendant's stone and instead knelt next to the thin man.

At this moment, the guards' water-fire sticks hit the ground, and they shouted, "Awe-inspiring..." The court had a significant psychological impact on the people, who immediately became quiet and held their breath.

The fat and thin men both cried out, "Injustice! Injustice!" They seemed to be experienced, showing no fear in the court.

Hu Xiaotian, however, was more interested in the main character of the county government, County Magistrate Xu Qinglian. After a long wait, Xu Qinglian finally appeared. He was small and thin, with dark skin, a mustache, and wore a green silk robe, a white inner robe, and thick-soled official shoes. He had a leather belt around his waist and a black hat on his head. The badge on his chest was a blue bird, and his official uniform was neither new nor old. Xu Qinglian was a ninth-rank official, while Hu Xiaotian was a ninth-rank junior. The difference was only half a rank, but in the government, seniority mattered, and a higher rank could crush a lower one. In Qingyun County, Hu Xiaotian would have to follow orders.

Xu Qinglian yawned, his face somewhat gloomy, and sat down. He grabbed the wooden gavel and slammed it on the desk, his voice hoarse, "Who hit the drum? Disturbing me... ah... yawn..." He hadn't even looked at the people below, as he had been sleeping soundly and was suddenly woken up.

Hu Xiaotian thought Xu Qinglian looked like a drug addict, with his shifty eyes and thin frame. He didn't look like an official at all, and Hu Xiaotian shook his head. Where was the official dignity? He looked completely sleazy from head to toe.

The thin and fat men both cried out, "Your Excellency, I am the victim!"

Xu Qinglian finally opened his small eyes, looking drowsily at the two men, "Who is the victim and who is the defendant?"

"Your Excellency, I am the victim!" the fat man shouted.

The thin man, though small, had a strong voice, "Your Excellency, I am the victim!" They began to argue again.

Xu Qinglian slammed the gavel again, and the guards shouted, "Awe-inspiring..."

Xu Qinglian, angry, said, "Both of you, be quiet. If you disrupt the court again, I will have you beaten with fifty strokes each." The county magistrate's authority was evident, and the two men were silenced. Xu Qinglian looked at them and pointed to the fat man, "You speak first!" Normally, he would ask their names and addresses, but today he was not in the mood. It wasn't a major case, and he wouldn't gain much from it, but the goat looked quite fat. His eyes began to circle around the goat.

***************************** Starting from this chapter, each chapter will be 3,000 words, with at least three updates per day. Let's see who still calls me lazy. By the way, the book will be officially released the day after tomorrow. Are your monthly votes ready?