Chapter 561 – Come, Come, Come, Let Me Show You a Big Treasure (Part 3)
The county magistrate is just a minor official. If the superintendent returns and whispers some bad words to the governor, it’s enough to send someone packing.
But that’s only true for ordinary county magistrates.
Is Jiang Pengji an ordinary county magistrate?
Under the blazing sun, the air felt oppressively hot. The superintendent and his group waited outside the city for a whole hour, sweating profusely. That round-bodied superintendent was in dire straits; he dressed in full official garb to give Jiang Pengji a show of force.
Even with young servants fanning him, he felt unbearably hot, his sweat seeping out of every pore and soaking his undergarments.
While the outside common people looked emaciated, his face was as round as a full moon, with plump, soft flesh overflowing.
His eyes gleamed with malice, his expression betraying impatience and irritability, making him quite unapproachable.
The common people lined up to enter the city occasionally cast their glances at them, whispering softly among themselves.
“Where do these officials come from? Dressed as if they’re wealthy…”
A middle-aged man beside them said, “I hear it’s the superintendent from above; he’s not a good fellow.”
Superintendents are light in authority but heavy in power, often using their positions to solicit bribes from subordinates. Many have to play nice to maintain their small official posts, secretly bribing their superiors. The greedier superintendents would even instruct others to exploit the local populace.
With the northern drought, the Green Garment Army and Red Lotus Sect clashing, the last two years of spring planting and autumn harvest were severely affected. Even families with a bit of wealth were struggling to eat, yet this superintendent still looked slick and healthy, with a body weighing as much as two adult men.
To say he’s honest would be laughable.
How much salary can a superintendent receive without extra income?
The common people chuckled, “Why haven’t they been allowed in? Are they being kept aside?”
The middle-aged man clicked his tongue, sneering, “It’s not that they don’t want to enter; they’re probably being stopped from going in. I hope today’s sun burns hotter, roasting these corrupt officials alive. When has a superintendent inspected the countryside without fleecing everyone?”
One person proudly declared, “Our county magistrate isn’t like the previous vermin; if this superintendent dares to misbehave, I’ll make sure to break his legs.”
A few commoners quietly discussed, occasionally glancing at the superintendent, who was incessantly wiping sweat from his brow.
Meanwhile, the superintendent, growing impatient, urged those below him to hurry along, scheming on how to deal with Jiang Pengji.
At that moment, a commotion suddenly broke out at the city gate, causing the previously orderly lines of commoners to spontaneously part ways.
The superintendent strained his neck, eager to see what was happening.
His neck was piled with fat, his broad shoulders led to a massive head, making it impossible to see a “neck” at all.
After a significant wait, Dian Yin led several hundred tall soldiers armed with swords and guns forward; their white, sharp blades sent chills to the spine.
Dian Yin was tall and robust, with a slightly dark complexion. Even dressed neatly, he exuded an air reminiscent of a bandit.
“Are you the superintendent?”
The superintendent felt a surge of anger. Who is this black-faced giant to speak to him so rudely? He initially wanted to assert his official authority, but upon seeing the big sword at Dian Yin’s waist and the neatly arranged soldiers beside him, his eyelids jumped involuntarily.
“Indeed.”
He had arrived an hour ago and thought the county magistrate would hurriedly come to welcome him, but instead, he was left waiting for an entire hour, only to be greeted with such a troubling scene. How incredibly rude!
“I’m not sure what orders you bring, superintendent?”
Dian Yin’s eyelids didn’t even flutter, questioning the superintendent as if interrogating a criminal.
The superintendent chuckled in anger. “I heard that the county magistrate of Xiangyang disregards the laws of Dongqing, using private soldiers to oppress the common people of the other three counties. As the superintendent, it’s my duty to investigate this, following the governor’s order, to see if the county magistrate has any treacherous intentions.”
That raised the stakes.
Dian Yin furrowed his brow slightly. He knew the superintendent was up to no good, but he hadn’t expected them to be so shameless as to threaten directly.
“My lord is dedicated to the state; when has he shown any treacherous intentions? The Green Garment Army wreaking havoc in Fengyi County—if it weren’t for my lord’s compassion for the people, sending troops to drive the Green Garment Army away, would the other three counties’ people be living peacefully? This is evident to the heavens.” Dian Yin stated, “Since the superintendent is here to investigate this matter thoroughly, I hope you will act fairly and restore my lord’s good name.”
The superintendent felt a bit more at ease.
At least he knew that fear had found its way into the other party.
He knew that Liu Xi was Liu Zhi’s son, but so what?
Just a young fool, even if Liu Zhi was strong, he couldn’t do anything; it was Liu Xi’s fault.
As a mere county magistrate of Xiangyang, how could she have the authority to mobilize troops to reclaim the other three counties?
However, the superintendent soon realized something was wrong.
More than a hundred people were welcomed into the city, and the prosperous scenes along the streets astounded him. Soon after came greed and ill intentions.
After being a superintendent for so many years, he had never seen a county town managed so well. Outside, countless refugees struggled, yet here, it was lively and prosperous, like a scene of great peace. He didn’t admire Jiang Pengji’s governing abilities; instead, he thought about how much he could extort.
Could Liu Zhi’s son be short on money?
Such thoughts didn’t last long as he broke out in a cold sweat, finally realizing why the air felt eerily cold after entering the city—this was a killing intent!
If he hadn’t been seated in an open carriage, the superintendent would have collapsed from fear.
He steeled himself, determined not to be intimidated by this grand setup.
No matter how capable Liu Xi was, could she surpass the law?
Fearing being labeled a traitor, he must reclaim Jiao County, Cheng County, and Maolin County today!
Having thought this through, the superintendent felt somewhat more confident.
Upon arriving at the county office, two unwavering guards stood by the sides of the massive door.
The superintendent stretched his neck but failed to spot anyone who resembled “Liu Xi.”
What… Why hasn’t anyone come out to welcome him?
Dian Yin said, “Superintendent, my lord is already waiting for you in the main hall.”
Such an attitude left the superintendent, who was accustomed to being fawned over, utterly displeased, but he couldn’t vent his frustrations.
As he stepped down from the carriage, his guards were just about to follow when suddenly, the soldiers on either side surged forward, capturing them all.
The superintendent’s face changed drastically, his eyes wide in terror. “Are you trying to rebel?”
Dian Yin smiled, seizing the superintendent’s guards and disarming their weapons.
“Of course not; it’s for my lord’s safety. Outsiders cannot bring weapons into the county office; I hope for your understanding, superintendent.”
