"You arrived and started exchanging glances with this fellow surnamed Han. I suspect you two are accomplices!"
Zhou Zhenhao was a hoodlum from the streets. A few days ago, he got into trouble and was caught by Cui Hao. First, he was beaten, and then Cui Hao pulled him aside for some coercion and enticement.
Finally, in a moment of impulse, he accepted this task.
The deal was that he only had to say everything they had pre-arranged. Once it was done, Cui Hao would not only let him go but also give him a large sum of money.
However, he never expected that as soon as he stepped into the courtroom, the situation would change completely.
Before he could even finish a few words, Han Mo dragged him aside and beat him with thirty heavy planks, leaving him half-dead and nearly perishing.
Then, just as things were starting to look a little clearer, another troublemaker appeared.
He hadn't seen any benefits, and now things were clearly going south. Zhou Zhenhao's simmering anger was completely ignited.
His mind went blank, and he shouted out the fatal words.
"Silence! Drag him away!"
Seeing the smile on Zhong Yan Chong's face gradually fade, Pang Yue quickly shouted.
"Lord Pang, I've already said, I'm just here to catch up with brother Han. You do your business, don't mind me! I see your trial is quite lively. If you stop it now, wouldn't that be my fault?"
Zhong Yan Chong sneered, then gave Pang Yue a meaningful glance.
Pang Yue inwardly cursed Liao Wen Xing at this moment.
It was one thing that this fellow was useless himself, but he couldn't even pick a capable person when selecting subordinates.
Finding such a rash young man, wasn't that harming himself and others?
"My lord, please don't misunderstand. This, this case, is actually, already, very clear..."
Seeing the murderous intent in Zhong Yan Chong's eyes, Pang Yue quickly said.
"Clear? Why am I still confused? Where did this kid pop out from? My lord, you must be thorough in your investigation. Otherwise, if this case remains muddled, I don't think Han has any need to do anything else. I'll just sit here in the county yamen every day, waiting for your lordship to pass judgment!"
What is it called when someone gets the benefits and then acts like they're suffering? That's Han Mo right now.
Seeing that Pang Yue and the others were already defeated like an army in disarray, he still wouldn't let them go.
Pang Yue felt a million wild horses stampeding through his mind. How could a person be so unreasonable? This kid was clearly taking advantage of the situation and refusing to let go!
"Yes, Lord Pang, since you want to conduct the trial, then clarify the case once and for all. Otherwise, if the news gets out, people will think I'm harboring brother Han here!"
Zhong Yan Chong said with a fake smile.
Pang Yue inwardly lamented again. If his current demeanor wasn't harboring, then what was?
Although he was complaining in his heart, he didn't dare to show any disrespect to Zhong Yan Chong.
This was someone who would kill people if he disagreed!
He wasn't clean himself. If he fell into Zhong Yan Chong's hands, wouldn't that be courting death?
"Guards!"
Just as Pang Yue was hesitating for an excuse to end this tedious trial, Zhong Yan Chong suddenly called out.
"What are your orders, my lord?"
The several fully armed soldiers behind him immediately stepped forward.
"Seal off this county yamen. Until this case is clarified, no one is allowed to enter or leave!"
"Yes!"
After hearing Zhong Yan Chong's words, both Pang Yue and Liao Wen Xing began to feel uneasy.
Neither of them was clean. Seeing Zhong Yan Chong's sudden reaction at this moment, they naturally started to think in the worst possible way.
"Lord Pang, am I perhaps overstepping my bounds by doing this?"
Looking at the fully armed soldiers with their swords drawn and arrows nocked, Pang Yue's face was incredibly awkward.
"This... what does your lordship mean?"
"Please don't overthink it. As this young brother just said, if this case isn't clarified, then Brother Han and I will be considered accomplices! I am here today only to catch up. I can't just tarnish myself with such a reputation for no reason! Therefore, I must trouble your lordship to clarify this case, to give brother Han a clean name, and to also give the next person a clean name!"
These words were quite blunt, yet no one present dared to disregard him.
Pang Yue was truly at a loss for tears. Had he not checked the almanac when he went out today? Why did he have to provoke such a formidable figure for no reason?
They had set up this trap today to frame Han Mo.
But now that Zhong Yan Chong had explicitly stated he wanted to clear Han Mo's name, if he were to deliver a different verdict, wouldn't that be slapping Zhong Yan Chong in the face?
"Oh, right, I forgot to ask, who is this lord?"
Seeing Liao Wen Xing, who was sweating profusely, Zhong Yan Chong suddenly asked with a smile.
"This is Magistrate Liao of Tangyin County!"
Han Mo immediately said with a smile.
"Magistrate Liao of Tangyin County? Since you are here, it is most convenient. It saves me the trip to Tangyin to notify you. Besides catching up with brother Han, Nan Guan also wants to take this opportunity to inspect the treasuries of Tangyin and Neihuang counties. Magistrate Liao, are you available?"
Inspect the treasuries…
Upon hearing these four words, Liao Wen Xing trembled all over, nearly falling to the ground.
Ever since the failure of Wang Anshi's reforms, the treasury of Tangyin County had been running at a deficit.
Year after year, after so many years, it had become a tangled mess. Moreover, with the corrupt practices of this old fellow over the years, apart from some hidden funds, there was nothing much to inspect in the treasury.
Under normal circumstances, although the imperial court conducted an inspection once a year, most of the time, such audits were merely a formality.
As long as the accounts balanced, the auditing personnel, after collecting enough money, wouldn't even enter the treasury and would directly turn and leave.
But this time, with Zhong Yan Chong personally undertaking such a task, it was clear that he was targeting them!
Thinking of Han Mo's previous threat and seeing the smile on Zhong Yan Chong's face, Liao Wen Xing's legs began to tremble.
If all the deficits of these past years were to fall upon him now, let alone demotion or dismissal, even execution of his entire family would be a possibility…
"What? My lord, are you inconvenienced?"