"Master Mo, you jest!"
Zhang Maolin wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He had intended to call him "Brother Mo," but the words turned into "Master Han" as they reached his lips.
Though it was merely a change in address, it was clear this fellow was already preparing to yield.
"What is it? Inspector Zhang, if there's anything inconvenient, you must say so."
Han Mo spoke while looking at Xu Sanbao beside him.
"Brother Mo, spare me this once, spare me this once!"
Seeing Han Mo's expression, which was neither a smile nor not a smile, Xu Sanbao immediately began kowtowing to him.
"I..."
Zhang Maolin wanted to speak, but looking at the subordinates filling the courtyard, he couldn't bring himself to do it.
"What? If you have nothing to say, then this matter doesn't require the Inspector's trouble. Please, Your Excellency, be on your way!"
As Han Mo spoke, he made a gesture of invitation.
Seeing Han Mo, in just a few words, put Zhang Maolin in a predicament where he couldn't advance or retreat.
Xu Sanbao's kowtowing became even more fervent.
His life and death now rested solely on Han Mo's whim.
But even now, he couldn't understand why this Han Mo, who had merely been gravely ill, had become a completely different person.
"You all go out first! I have some matters to discuss properly with Master Han!"
Zhang Maolin took a few deep breaths. He couldn't withstand this strange pressure any longer.
Compared to his own life, what was face?
"Yes!"
Although the constables didn't know what was happening, they still responded, turned, and walked out.
"What is Inspector doing? Could it be something unsavory?"
Seeing all the constables leave, Han Mo simply picked up an overturned stool from the side and sat down.
Xu Sanbao continued to kowtow like a groundhog, begging for mercy.
But Zhang Maolin, even if he wanted to beg, found it difficult to lower his pride.
To win over subordinates, one must employ both benevolence and authority.
At this moment, the authority had not yet been established, and Han Mo naturally wouldn't let him off easily.
"This..."
Zhang Maolin stammered, finding it difficult to put aside his pride.
"If you have nothing to say, I have some private matters to attend to. You may leave, sir!"
Han Mo smiled directly. The fellow was still being stubborn even at this point. If he wasn't properly taught a lesson, he would really think of himself as someone important.
"Master, spare my life. I was blinded by greed today!"
Seeing Han Mo about to lose his temper, Zhang Maolin could no longer hold back. With a plop, he knelt on the ground.
"Master Zhang, what are you doing? You are an official! How can you kneel before me, a commoner?"
A cold smile appeared on Han Mo's face.
He was truly curious as to who had gone to such lengths to ruin his reputation.
"Master, please spare me this time. I had no choice. I will never dare again!"
Many things are difficult at the beginning, but once started, they become easy.
Just like at this moment, after kneeling, the subsequent pleas for mercy came out naturally.
"Master Zhang, what are you talking about? I don't understand."
Han Mo spoke as he walked up to Zhang Maolin and squatted down.
He propped his chin with one hand, looking at Zhang Maolin with a half-smile.
"I..."
Zhang Maolin naturally understood that Han Mo was waiting for him to confess everything.
But he dared not speak the name of the person behind it all.
"Steward Xu, with Inspector Zhang here, it might be inconvenient for you to speak. I think you should wait in the next room."
Seeing that Zhang Maolin still seemed hesitant, Xu Tian stood up and kicked Xu Sanbao in the back.
"Yes! Yes!"
Hearing Han Mo's words, Xu Sanbao no longer dared to hesitate. He immediately got up from the ground and fled like a startled rabbit into the adjacent wood shed.
"Inspector Zhang, if you have nothing to say, I believe Steward Xu has many things to tell me!"
After Han Mo said this, Zhang Maolin's back was immediately drenched in cold sweat.
In his impression, this Han Mo was a foolish person with courage but no strategy.
But he never expected that when he truly provoked him, he would discover that this fellow was not a fool at all, but a cunning little fox.
From beginning to end, Han Mo hadn't even proactively asked him a single question, yet he had already cornered him.
At this moment, if he dared to show the slightest hesitation, Han Mo would probably have no qualms about dusting off his hands and leaving.
Xu Sanbao, in order to save his own life, would likely not hesitate and would spill everything.
If that happened, his subsequent confession would be meaningless.
At that point, he would be truly trapped between a rock and a hard place.
"I... I was muddle-headed and accepted twenty taels of gold from someone to catch you red-handed and arrest you at Kaifeng Prefecture!"
Having been pushed to this point, Zhang Maolin dared not hide anything any longer.
Except for the name of that person, he revealed everything he knew.
"I'm really curious, how am I, such a minor character, worth 20 taels of gold? Who is so wealthy?"
Han Mo looked at Zhang Maolin with a cold smile.
"This, this, this..."
Large beads of sweat began to drip from Zhang Maolin's forehead.
"It's alright, if it's inconvenient for you, I can go find Steward Xu. I believe he won't hide anything!"
Han Mo displayed a brilliant smile once again.
However, now, his smile was no different from a messenger of death in Zhang Maolin's eyes.
"It's the third young master from Prime Minister Cai's household!"
Seeing Han Mo about to turn away, Zhang Maolin finally couldn't bear it. With a resolute heart, he closed his eyes and shouted the name.
"So, it's him!"
The smile on Han Mo's face instantly turned cold.
If it was Cai Shu, then this matter made sense.
"Master Zhang, as an Inspector, you are actually abetting evil. What do you think would happen to you if I told my grand-uncle about this?"
Having learned what he wanted to know, Han Mo's expression turned cold again.
Now, the authority should be at its peak.