Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

Chapter 494 He Has the Evidence

Everyone present knew very well that if the county magistrate had not stuffed enough land into his hands, why would he help them conceal the actual number of acres of land?
Many people glanced at Zhou Xiwen.

Zhou Xiwen was feeling very uneasy among the crowd, but he was even more reluctant to leave at this moment.

He relied on Zeng Jing to get to where he is today, so how could he do nothing when he knew that they were plotting against Zeng Jing behind his back?

"Mr. Li, since you understand what the prefect means, you shouldn't have called some people here." said someone who had never gotten along well with Zeng Jing in the past.

"Yes." Several people agreed.

"We are all from Quping, and our ancestors have lived here for generations." Old Li looked up, as if he was thinking about the younger generation, "Even if there are some conflicts now, if you count a few generations back, we may still be relatives.

In the face of major events, we should not bring up the minor conflicts of the past. "Old Li turned his gaze to Zhou Xiwen, "Although the Zhou family has some relationship with Mr. Zeng, how many years has this relationship lasted?

Xiwen, you need to think carefully, is your property more important or a woman more important? Why do you have to follow Master Zeng all the way to the end? "

There was a man who thought he was righteous and advised: "What Mr. Li said makes sense, Brother Zhou, you have to think about it carefully..." He walked to Zhou Xiwen and said in a low voice, "Zeng Jing must have offended his superiors, otherwise how could he have found out about us? He is the prefect, it is easy for him to deal with the county magistrate, you have to see the situation clearly."

This person spoke with great sincerity and Zhou Xiwen's originally anxious heart seemed to see a way out.

They have a point.

One is the prefect and the other is the county magistrate. It is easy to guess who he should follow.

Seeing the situation, Mr. Li asked people to prepare pens and ink, "Time waits for no one. The prefect is willing to let us go, so we must not delay. Write the letter of apology now. Since everyone is here, we can refer to each other."

“I can’t write!”

"I am old and my eyesight is not good. I can't write."

Mr. Li had expected this. "Don't worry, I've called my accountant here. He's been educated for a few years, so he can write for you. Just confirm that the content is correct and put your fingerprints on it."

There was a more vigilant person who felt something was wrong the more he listened. When it was his turn to write, he took the pen but did not write in a hurry. Instead, he asked, "Mr. Li, are you sure that man is the governor of Liangzhou?"

"Yes!"

Everyone seemed to be awakened by these words, and some who had already written a letter of repentance were about to tear it up immediately.

"Why would I lie to you?" Li said calmly, "I don't want the things you wrote. Just keep them in your hands. After the New Year, hand them in to the Liangzhou government office. Then you can see if the person who came today is the prefect."

Seeing that he was so confident, everyone believed him again. The main reason was that what he said was not wrong. Although the letter of repentance had been written, it was still in their hands and they could destroy it at any time. There was no need to be afraid.

Zhou Xiwen also wrote something like this and took it home with him.

It was late at night when he got home.

His wife Shen hadn't gone to bed yet and was waiting for him.

When she heard the servant come to report that the master's carriage had returned, she immediately went out to greet him.

Seeing the man dismounting from his horse looking pale, she quickly walked over to support him and asked, "What's wrong? Are you feeling uncomfortable?"

Zhou Xiwen waved his hands tiredly, "Don't ask too much, help me in." Shen had no choice but to do as she was told. After helping him into the room, she wiped his hands and feet with hot water and covered him with a thick blanket. Only then did Shen step forward and ask softly, "What happened? Can't you tell me?"

Zhou Xiwen reached out and took out the letter of repentance he had written at the Li family manor, motioning for Shen to take it and read it. He stared at the ceiling of the bed with lifeless eyes, sniffing his nose, as if he was about to cry at the next moment.

Sure enough, before Shen opened the paper, Zhou Xiwen's tears slipped out, "Now, I can only apologize to my little sister!"

Shen was so frightened by him that her heart started beating fast. She just waited for the paper to be unfolded and quickly read the contents on it.

Seeing the red fingerprints at the end of the paper, she cursed him in her heart! How could he write something like that?

"What's going on? Why did you write such a thing? Is this the only one you wrote, Master?" Looking at the person curled up on the bed crying, Shen really wanted to kick him.

Zhou Xiwen told his wife about the Li family manor in tears.

"Mr. Li is so sure about what he said, that person must be the prefect of Liangzhou. The prefect knows the relationship between me and Mr. Zeng. If we don't do what Mr. Li said, I'm afraid that our whole family will not be able to escape."

Shen tightened her grip on the paper and said, "We need to tell Master Zeng about this."

"No!" Zhou Xiwen climbed out of the bed and grabbed Shen, "Don't tell me."

Shen didn't understand, "Why don't you tell him? Tell him, maybe things can turn around."

"They told me that, judging from the current situation, only by following the prefect's wishes can we have a chance to preserve our family business. If they tell Lord Zeng, wouldn't it be obvious that we are going against the prefect?"

Shen asked back, "Many people went to the manor today. Even if Lord Zeng knew about it, how can the prefect be sure that it was us who told Lord Zeng?"

"We are the only ones who are related to Master Zeng. Once Master Zeng knows about it, we will be inseparable." Zhou Xiwen warned repeatedly, "Don't tell anyone."

Shen said, "Then I have to tell my little sister."

Zhou Xiwen looked around in horror, as if the prefect was eavesdropping at the door. He wanted to cover Shen's mouth, "No! You can't say it! If I tell my younger sister, she will definitely tell Lord Zeng, and then our whole family will be imprisoned with the Zeng family."

Shen didn't say anything, but she was thinking: If I don't say anything, everything will be fine? The prefect's style doesn't sound like a serious official. If the letter of repentance is in his hands, wouldn't it be a handle in his hands? Even if I can escape now, what about the future?
"Okay, I won't tell you." Shen agreed on the surface, but after Zhou Xiwen fell asleep, she knocked on the small door in the backyard of the county government office late at night.

The next day it was New Year.

After Hua Rujin finished his work in the camp, he went to the county government office and waited, hoping that someone from Beishan County would come and bring him good news. However, instead of the person from Beishan County, he waited for Zeng Jing, who was in a panic.

"Master Zeng?" Hua Rujin stood up to greet him. "Look at you, is there something wrong in the county?"

Zeng Jing grabbed Hua Rujin's hand and said, "Where is the memorial? Tell them to withdraw it. I won't participate. I won't participate!"

Hua Rujin helped him sit down on a chair. "What happened?"

"Where is the memorial?" Zeng Jing asked excitedly.

"I don't know either." Hua Rujin saw the sore on the corner of his mouth and the bloodshot eyes, and guessed: "Is it Liu Dexiang who threatened you? Don't be afraid..."

Before Hua Rujin could finish her words, Zeng Jing said in despair, "He has something on me."