AWB Chapter 375 Why bring a bowl with you when you go out?!
Chapter 375 Why bring a bowl with you when you go out?!
"I said, could you please use the main gate next time and have someone announce your arrival?"
I'm carrying a bowl, I haven't even served the rice yet, and you've already carried me here? What is it? Tell me!
Once again, Magistrate Li, carried on Hei Yi's shoulder, held an empty bowl and accused Hei Yi of banditry.
His wife always thought he had done something wrong, and she was terrified every time.
"Your Excellency, just wait a little longer, and you'll find out!" Hei Yi replied calmly, carrying the prefect on the rooftop.
Prefect Li was so angry that his beard bristled, and he made a move to get down, shouting, "You brute! Let me down at once!"
Prefect Li gripped Hei Yi's arm tightly, his feet wobbling in mid-air. Looking at the towering eaves, his vision blurred with fear, and he clung tightly to Hei Yi's arm. "So high?"
Why did this guy have to stand on the roof of the house?!
Hei Yi remained as steady as Mount Tai, while Prefect Li trembled like a leaf.
"It's really troublesome!"
He was afraid of scaring Prefect Li, so he quickly put Prefect Li down from his shoulder and carried him in a "princess carry" in his arms.
Hei Yi moved as soon as he did, which immediately startled Prefect Li, who reached out and wrapped his arms tightly around his neck. "You, you slow down! My back! If you hurt it, you won't be able to pay for it even if you pay ten times over!"
Hei Yi looked down at his cowardly appearance and couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth. "Do you think I want to hug you? Wait a minute, the results will be out soon."
Prefect Li felt a sense of security and then boldly looked around. "This... isn't this the prefectural government office? What are we doing here?"
Inside the government office, the clerk and Magistrate Chen stared intently at Gao Mengli.
Gao Mengli quickly glanced at the contract, then at the two people in front of her, a slight smile playing on her lips. "My lord, there's nothing wrong with the contract!"
Upon hearing this, Magistrate Chen rubbed his hands together excitedly, "Since there's no problem, then hurry up and pay!"
Master Chen also extended his palm to Lin Xi, "Yes, hurry up and hand over the money!"
Lin Xi glanced at his palm, smiled wickedly, and slapped the advisor's hand away. "I'd like to hand it over, but I'm afraid you won't live to take it!"
"What do you mean? Are you trying to renege on your payment?"
The clerk's hands were red from being slapped, and his face darkened. "You dare to play us? If you don't leave the money here today, don't even think about leaving this yamen!"
Lin Xi leaned forward, "Really?!"
He then stood up straight and clapped his hands in the air, shouting, "Black One!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Hei Yi carried Prefect Li down from the sky and landed steadily.
The prefect Li, still wrapped around his neck, was stiff in his arms.
Gao Mengli: "..."
Lin Xi: "..."
Magistrate Chen: "!!"
Gao Mengli sighed and quickly placed the contract in her hand into Prefect Li's arms. "Your Excellency, Magistrate Chen, as the people's official, has been exploiting them, raising prices and embezzling public funds. This is the evidence. Please handle this matter impartially!"
Upon hearing this, Magistrate Chen's mind went blank.
From initially asking for 50,000 taels of silver to the other party readily agreeing.
Then there was the prefect's delay in handing over the silver notes, and even his sudden appearance on the rooftop...
When all the details came together, he finally realized that he had fallen into the trap set by these two people from the very beginning!
"You...you did this on purpose!"
Magistrate Chen pointed at Gao Mengli, his voice trembling with anger, "She deliberately made me raise the price, deliberately wrote the contract..."
Prefect Li quickly struggled to get out of Hei Yi's arms and glared at Gao Mengli and Lin Xi.
His illustrious reputation has been ruined in an instant!
Gao Mengli lowered her head and touched her nose, while Lin Xi casually gave Hei Yi a thumbs up!
Hei Yi looked around and, seeing a glimmer of hope for the prize money, proudly raised his head and clenched his fist, giving his chest muscles a couple of "bang bang" punches!
Of course, I'll take care of it. I'll bring you back even if you're in the bathroom!
Prefect Li glared at the men, which made him feel a little better.
Only then did they turn their gaze to Magistrate Chen and his clerk, who were kneeling on the ground in front of them.
Magistrate Chen wept bitterly, crying, "Your Excellency, I have been wronged!"
These two insisted on buying the hilly land that someone else had reserved, offering 50,000 taels of silver—it has nothing to do with me! This evidence is worthless!
As soon as she finished speaking, Gao Mengli snorted coldly, "Oh, really? Then take a look at who this is?"
She and Lin Xi stepped aside, revealing the village chief behind them.
"You...you're the village chief of Jiangzhong Village who processed the contract before?"
The village chief stepped forward, bowed, and said, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, sir, that you still remember me!"
Magistrate Chen glanced at him, then turned to look at Gao Mengli with a look of astonishment, "So, it was you who wanted to buy the hilly land in the first place!"
Gao Mengli raised an eyebrow. "That's right, we want to buy land! The hilly land is only 20,000 taels. This isn't my first time buying land, so I know the land price very well."
But Magistrate Chen, you're selling me land worth 20,000 taels of silver for 48,000 taels? How can you be so greedy? Can you really swallow that?"
Magistrate Chen's forehead was covered in cold sweat. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Prefect Li's dark face beside him. He felt that he could still argue, "You're talking nonsense. That's the price our government sold that land for! Don't compare it with the lower prices in other places!"
Moreover, Jiangzhong Village is located close to the prefectural city, so it's understandable that it's more expensive!
The clerk was also standing nearby, eagerly echoing, "That's right, Your Excellency, don't listen to this woman's nonsense, this place is priced like this!"
Gao Mengli snorted coldly and pointed at the County Magistrate Shi, who had forgotten to wail, beside her, "What do you have to say?"
Public officials reporting on other public officials – that's the most effective way to do it!
County Magistrate Shi snapped out of his daze and quickly took a step forward.
He bowed respectfully to Prefect Li, his voice firm and resolute: "Your Excellency, Magistrate Chen's words are pure sophistry!"
There are clear regulations for pricing public land around the prefectural city, with the highest price for hilly land not exceeding five taels per mu.
The five hills in Jiangzhong Village combined wouldn't be worth more than 20,000 taels of silver; 48,000 taels is more than double that!
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the ashen-faced Magistrate Chen, and continued, "I have reminded Magistrate Chen many times before that he must set prices according to regulations and not mistreat the people."
But he not only ignored me, he also used the pretext of defying his superior to torture me!
When these two arrived, I was still being flogged by the county magistrate!
Several constables and yamen runners in the yamen can testify to this; it's not just my word alone!
Upon hearing this, Prefect Li's face turned completely black.
Holding the bowl in his hand, he slammed it to the ground with a thud, filled with resentment, anger, and frustration.
With a loud clang, shards of the bowl flew everywhere.
"Magistrate Chen, you are truly audacious!"
The shards of porcelain splashed at Magistrate Chen's feet. Startled, he pulled his leg back, losing all his previous confidence in arguing, and collapsed to the ground, trembling all over.
Gao Mengli pulled Lin Xi back and whispered, "Why does Prefect Li carry a bowl when he's doing official business?"
Hei Yi, standing nearby, sullenly touched his nose.
No matter how soft the voice was, Prefect Li still heard it, and he was so angry that he almost fainted from shock.
Why else?! It's all because of the mess you've made!
With the intervention of Prefect Li, the matter proceeded smoothly.
The advisor was exiled, and the county magistrate was dismissed and investigated.
In an instant, the government office was empty.
Gao Mengli pointed directly at Magistrate Shi and suggested to Prefect Li, "Let's choose him, he's quite reliable!"
Prefect Li glanced at it, then nodded. "Alright."
After the group left the government office, Magistrate Shi was completely baffled, not knowing what riddle they were talking about.
He received his official appointment the very next day!
He actually got promoted and became the magistrate of the prefectural city!