Nightwatcher

# 23. An Arrest by the Ministry of Law

As Xu Qi'an rushed into the county office, He soon heard a weeping sound "Big Brother!"

Xu Lingyue, wearing a light blue robe, looked slender and elegant. Her elegant and fair face was tear-stained and her eye sockets were red and swollen, just like a cute little flower.

He couldn't see Xu Lingyin, She was probably in the side hall, and not permitted to come.

Xu Qi'an nodded slightly and gave her a calm look.

County Magistrate Zhu, having already received the news, sat in front of the table and saw the group of people brought in by the Office Servants. He looked at the angry young master in brocade clothes.

Old Zhu was startled and hurriedly got up to greet him.

"Isn't this Young Master Zhou, How is Assistant Minister Zhou?"

The young brocade wearing master waved his sleeve violently, batting Magistrate Zhu aside, before pointing at Xu Qi'an and viciously saying, "This man committed crimes on the street and attempted to kill me. Take him away quickly."

"Serious Matter, serious matter," County Magistrate Zhu turned his head with a smile on his face, and shouted angrily, "Hurry up, Xu Qi'an. Get your arse over here!"

Xu Qi'an bit the bullet and went forward.

"Disgraceful, You dared to hit the son of Mr. Zhou, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Revenues. Don't you have a brain?" County Magistrate Zhu got up and kicked Xu Qi'an, turned his head, and smiled with a fawning face.

“Young Master Zhou, these are surging waters hitting the dragon king’s temple. We’re all on the same side, a lord like you doesn’t care for lowly people, don’t bother arguing with such an insignificant thing.”

Outside the crowd, Xu Lingyue looked at her cousin taking hardship for her. Tears rolled down her face, and her tall nose, which was more straight and delicate than ordinary women, turned red from crying.

Son of the Deputy Minister of Household... Xu Qi'an's heart dropped.

In the officialdom of Great Feng, the power of an official depends not on his rank, but on his background.

Even if there were many first and second-rank officials, Only a few people truly stood at the top of the totem pole. The Six Ministers and Deputy Ministers were among them.

It was a serious matter to have beaten the son of the Deputy Minister of the Household.

"This young master will leave you some time. If you don't arrest this person, I'll do it myself." Young Master Zhou waved his hand and ordered his subordinates, "Arrest this bastard."

He didn't believe that this bastard dared to resist arrest and commit murder in the County Office.

County Magistrate Zhu shouted, "Whoever dares to commit violence in the county office will be put to death."

Three squads of office servants rushed out, drew out their knives, and put them on the neck of the subordinates who were about to strike. Deputies were on guard outside holding truncheons.

"The one surnamed Zhu, you dare to touch my people?" Young Master Zhou pointed at county magistrate Zhu's nose and cursed.

"Young Master Zhou, do not misunderstand me. I'm an official of the court, and am just acting according to the rules." County Magistrate still had a fawning smile, wiping away some of the spittle on his face.

"I have a lawsuit here, suing you, Young Master for reckless riding, aiming to cause harm, bullying a respectable woman. The accuser is Xu Lingyue.”

This was the method that County Magistrate Zhu had prepared long ago. If the other party was just an ordinary Official, County Magistrate Zhu would have found a way to convert a large problem into a small one.

He didn't expect the victim to have been the son of the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Households.

Young Master Zhou let out a breath, "Who did I hurt while riding a horse? Bullying a respectable woman, bah, the one surnamed Zhu, Go to the street and ask if I lay a finger on this woman."

"Then maybe this woman identified the wrong person." County Magistrate Zhu put the lawsuit back into his sleeve with a smile.

*Shit, Magistrate Zhu can’t get him, I need to find a way to save myself, if it really comes to it, I’ll run away, but this will bring in Uncle and the whole family.* Xu Qi'an was a bit anxious. In this era, Only children of officials could deal with the children of officials. He couldn't match the other party in the background.

Not just him, but even the second uncle, A Baihu from the Imperial Guard. Is that anything in front of the Deputy Minister of the Household?

Nothing.

As for regretting the matter, no, He didn't. Should he allow himself to be slaughtered when a knife was resting on his neck?

While thinking, he saw one of Young Master Zhou's subordinates leave the county office. But county Magistrate Zhu didn't stop him.

Xu Qi'an, chilled, walked up to Constable Wang, and said in a low voice, "Boss, your younger brother is doomed today. So, I want you to do something for me."

Constable Wang stayed silent for a while, and said in a low voice, "Say it."

In the past month, the relationship between him and Xu Qi'an had improved by leaps and bounds. They went to the Goulan to play together and drank flowery wine together, forging a deep friendship.

"First, Lend me a tael of silver."

Constable Wang felt his chest and took out a handful of broken silver, less than a tael.

Xu Qi'an took the broken silver and put it in his pocket, then said, "Boss, you ride to my house quickly and get a book, a blue book, from the cabinet next to my bed. Remember, don't take anything else."

The diary has a light yellow cover.

"After you take the book, Immediately go to the Sitianjian, find a girl called Caiwei, and send a message to her: Xu Qi'an is in trouble. Send help quickly."

Sitianjian!? Constable Wang became hesitant, "How can someone like me go to that place?"

Letting him into the Sitianjian was equivalent to letting an ordinary person into the palace. In that, he didn't have the guts to get close.

Xu Qi'an knew that it would be like this, and whispered, "If something happens to me, No one will return the money to you."

Constable Wang's eyes widened.

"Help me finish this matter. My salary for the next month will belong to you, boss."

"Xu Qi'an, you wonderful person." Constable Wang rushed out of the county office while cursing.

…

Upon receiving the notice, Xu Pingzhi borrowed a horse from his colleagues and hurried to Changle County Office.

Stepping over the threshold and entering the court, the first thing he saw was his crying and trembling daughter, followed by the office servants and subordinates who were facing each other.

Xu Pingzhi withdrew his gaze and came to his daughter to ask seriously, "What's going on?"

Xu Lingyue, upon seeing her father, cried even more fiercely and told the entire story to her father while sobbing.

Upon hearing of the part where Young Master Zhou raised his horse's hoof to trample on the child, The corners of his eyes twitched and his face became gloomy.

"Lingyin would have already been gone if it weren't for big brother, wahhhh…"

Xu Pingzhi looked at the figure of his nephew Ningyan, closed his eyes, and calmed down for a few seconds before saying in a low voice, "Go to the side hall and watch Lingyin. And don't come out."

After watching his small daughter disappear into the distance. Xu Pingzhi stepped forward silently, and stared at the young master in embroidered clothes, "Young Master Zhou, can this be sorted?"

The young master met his eyes and felt real killing intent, and remembered what Xu Qi'an had said on the street.

He couldn't say anything no matter how hard he tried to squeeze out the words in his throat.

“Baihu Xu, such a powerful official. What, if the young master doesn’t give up, you want to spatter blood five paces?”

An old man wearing a blue gown with golden marks on the cuffs and neckline along with a jade pendant on his waist came in front of the county office.

His hair is white and thick, his face thin, and his eyes were as sharp as needles.

He was still at the door when he first spoke, but he had already arrived at the court when he had finished his words.

"Uncle Chen." Young Master Zhou was overjoyed.

"How did the young master get this hurt? Which animal moved its hands on you? This old servant has watched the young master grow up, and my heart aches even for a little injury."

When the old man saw Young Master Zhou's earlobes covered in scabs, he felt distressed and angry.

"I've always told the master several times that you should be assigned a Refining Qi martial artist, but he has always refused on grounds of you liking to cause trouble."

"So what if you cause trouble? It's always better for others to suffer than you, young master."

Xu Pingzhi felt that he was locked on to by a wave of energy, and felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar; as if a snake crawled in his back, He had a feeling of hovering between life and death.

He had felt similarly when fighting on the battlefield, which made him unable to move.

The old man was a master of the Refining Spirit.

County Magistrate Zhu coughed, "May I ask Sir your…?"

"I don't dare!" The old man interrupted indifferently, "I'm just an old slave in the Zhou family, and I can't bear Master Zhu's ‘sir’."

“You are too polite,” a seventh rank official facing the prime minister’s door guard, this wisdom was known best by every experienced member of officialdom. Magistrate Zhu smiled,

"Looking at the matter, it's all misunderstandings after misunderstandings. The Official assessment is coming soon, and everyone values peace. What do you think, senior?"

The old man sneered and said, "A few insignificant people can't affect the master's official assessment. The Zhou family has always convinced people with virtue, and everything will be done according to the rules and regulations of the court."

Everyone didn't understand what he said at first, until a moment later when the loud sound of footsteps came from outside the office.

A group of armoured soldiers poured in, led by an official wearing a green robe embroidered with white pheasants. He looked around and said loudly.

"The Ministry of Law is arresting criminals, idlers must move away. If they interfere, they will be charged with the same crime as the arrested.

After a pause, the green-robed fifth-rank official smiled at Young Master Zhou, "Young Master, I ask you, Where is the criminal?"

Young Master Zhou pointed at Xu Qi'an, "Lock this bastard up for me."

The green-robed fifth-rank official waved his hand, "Apprehend him."

The soldiers rushed up, took out shackles, and locked Xu Qi'an.

"My lord, why is my nephew guilty?" Xu Pingzhi became nervous.

"I can decide whether he committed the crime by myself." The green-robed fifth-rank official said indifferently, "As a minister of the Ministry of Law, I always aspire to enforce the law impartially and meticulously."

Xu Pingzhi still wanted to speak but was held back by County Magistrate Zhu.

"Take him away!"