Su Muqing's companions, hearing she had been captured, immediately wanted to rush into the city to rescue her. They were eventually stopped by Xu Fu's stern reprimand. He had witnessed Su Muqing's capabilities firsthand and trusted her assertion that she could escape.
Her insistence that the majority leave first was likely out of concern that a large group would be too conspicuous and unable to assist effectively. If they couldn't help, these elders and children might even become a hindrance.
However, Xu Fu wasn't completely unprepared. He assigned Lao San, Lao Wu, Lao Qi, and Lao Shi to remain outside the city, constantly monitoring and ready to escort Su Muqing out.
He instructed them that if Su Muqing hadn't emerged from the city by afternoon, they were to find a way to infiltrate it and storm the corrupt official's mansion to retrieve her!
As for the rest, they quickly gathered their belongings and, under Su Minghui's leadership, continued their journey under the scorching sun, striving to cover as much ground as possible.
Meanwhile, Su Muqing was brought into the county town by her captors. She feigned terror throughout the journey, keeping her head bowed. Consequently, apart from the constables who had seen her face initially, most others had no idea what she looked like.
Su Muqing walked slowly through the streets, subtly observing the county of Shiqiao. The current street was likely the main thoroughfare, not drastically different from her impression of ancient county towns, though it appeared somewhat desolate.
The ground was paved with bluestone slabs, and stone arch bridges dotted the landscape, exuding an antique charm with their intricate designs. It appeared to have been a prosperous county town before the drought.
The path leading to the county yamen was lined with two-story buildings primarily constructed of wood. The fabric curtains hanging displayed names of eateries, taverns, and various shops, covering a wide range of businesses, though all were currently shuttered. The streets were largely deserted, with the occasional passerby appearing disheveled and in a hurry.
Beyond the main street, she noticed more courtyards with small blue brick houses. It was likely that these were the residences of the affluent. The magistrate of Shiqiao County lived here.
Normally, county magistrates were rotated every three years, or at most five. However, Chen Dahe, the magistrate of Shiqiao County, was an exception.
At 37 years old, he had managed to remain in Shiqiao County, a once relatively prosperous area, for seven to eight years due to his connections.
He was known for his greed, lust, and oppression of the populace. Despite numerous complaints filed with higher authorities, they all amounted to nothing. Instead, those who lodged complaints were accused of slander, subsequently beaten, imprisoned, exiled, or even executed.
Witnessing the unwavering backing of his superiors, the oppressed citizens could only suffer in silence. This led to Chen Dahe establishing a de facto dictatorship in Shiqiao County, effectively becoming the local emperor!
It was said that a prefect earned a hundred thousand taels of silver in three years. However, the wealth Chen Dahe had extorted in Shiqiao County during his tenure was no less than that of a prefect.
One only needed to look at his magistrate's residence. It was entirely built of blue bricks, with the main gate alone spanning over ten to twenty meters wide. The pair of stone lions at the entrance were also imposing and massive, suggesting a scale beyond that of a typical county town.
Su Muqing was directly led to the back courtyard. Chen Dahe was taking his midday nap. Upon hearing his servant's report that his subordinates had found him another beautiful young woman in her teens, he hastily rose from the bed of his tenth concubine, whom he had recently married.
Chen Dahe rushed over, still clad in his sleeping attire. It was then that Su Muqing met the legendary local emperor of Shiqiao County. He stood at most 165 centimeters tall and weighed at least two hundred pounds!
His two small eyes resembled green beans. Dark circles beneath them and a slightly sallow complexion gave him the appearance of being drained. His oily and lecherous demeanor perfectly matched the persona of a corrupt official!
Upon seeing Su Muqing's face, Chen Dahe clapped his hands with satisfaction. "Excellent! Absolutely perfect. Old Wai, I never knew you old scoundrels had such discerning taste. The master is very pleased with this young lady. From now on, your family can have a bucket of water each day."
"Thank you, Master, thank you. I won't disturb you any longer," the man called Old Wai said obsequiously as he retreated.
"My dear girl, the Master will dote on you immediately," Chen Dahe said, lecherously attempting to pounce on Su Muqing.
"My Lord, my Lord, please don't be so hasty! We country folk value our reputation above all else. You can't just… without giving me a proper title. How can I possibly live on after this?" Su Muqing said, dodging his corpulent body while speaking in a tearful, albeit sweet, voice.
Chen Dahe's ears perked up. "Heh! This young lady is rather interesting. Not only is she not crying or making a fuss, but she's also proactively asking for a title. It seems she genuinely wishes to be with me. Truly an obedient and sensible girl."
Coincidentally, he had already taken an aphrodisiac earlier that noon to perform well for his charming tenth concubine. At present, he felt somewhat lacking in vigor.
If he were to take another dose so soon, his body might suffer… If he rushed things, wouldn't that be a disservice to such beauty? He decided to save another pill for the auspicious evening, during the wedding ceremony, believing it would help restore some of his vitality.
"Very well, we shall do as the young lady says! Wait here, the Master will issue the orders immediately. We will hold the wedding tonight. Inform them that the Master has acquired another beautiful concubine!" Chen Dahe exclaimed, happily heading off to arrange the ceremony for his eleventh concubine.
Despite the tight timeframe, when a corrupt official hosts a banquet, a lack of preparation is never an issue. While the impoverished commoners struggled to maintain basic living standards, these officials could still indulge in lavish feasts.
The stench of wine and meat from opulent homes, while the poor starved on the streets – this was a true reflection of the times!
After Chen Dahe left, Su Muqing inquired of 217 if the space had a more precise scanning and detection function. Since the corrupt official had amassed so much wealth, she decided to take on the burden of helping him spend it. Her favorite pastime nowadays was robbing such unjust individuals and confiscating their ill-gotten gains!
"Answering host, it is recommended to purchase the Number Three Intelligent Detector. In addition to remote detection, it can also be used for medical purposes, allowing for close-range scanning of the human body, thus offering high utility. A single rental costs only twenty contribution points for fifteen minutes of use. Permanent purchase requires five hundred contribution points."
"Five hundred?" Su Muqing pondered whether it was more cost-effective to rent or purchase outright.
A single rental only provided fifteen minutes, and in her unfamiliar surroundings, if she hadn't found what she was looking for before the time limit expired, it would be quite problematic.
She opted for the permanent purchase. After deducting five hundred contribution points, she was left with only 796.
Although the immediate expenditure of five hundred contribution points was somewhat painful, she reasoned that by robbing more corrupt officials and unscrupulous wealthy individuals in the future, and by aiding the impoverished, she would recoup the cost in no time.