Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

Mao Chunfang settled in the original place; what does he mean by this?
What does it mean to "see the situation clearly"? Does it mean there are forces involved that he is unaware of? Or has Meng Changqing already received more definite information from higher levels?
Mao Chunfang frowned, thinking that an official like him was practically blind to the truth, but Meng Changqing was different. Although he wasn't from a powerful family, he had connections built up by his father, so perhaps...

Zhou Xing noticed that Mao Chunfang was standing there motionless.

Once he was finally able to move, he mounted his horse nimbly and told his men to go back.

Seeing the city gate open and close again, Fang He asked, "Are we just going to go back like this? Does our lord's word have that much power?"

Zhou Xing said, "We don't know what he's up to, so we still need to be on guard."

Beishan County Prison.

This place is unusually lively and bustling.

When Lao Lin and his group were led to the prison, they were barely alive and had no strength left to be angry. They only wanted to take a little longer to calm down after finally stopping.

The jailer opened another cell and told Zou Yan and his men to stuff the people in.

Old Lin was getting on in years, and when he saw the prison cell, he didn't feel panic or resentment. Instead, he thought that once he got to his destination, he would finally be freed.

He never imagined that the rope binding his hands would loosen and tighten again, leaving him tied to the railing, with no one removing the dirty rag stuffed in his mouth.

Old Lin, his hair disheveled, stared at the prison roof, feeling that life was worse than death.

After the people from Beishan County left, a hint of despair appeared in Old Lin's eyes.

Just then, he heard a whimpering sound coming from the cell next door. Looking over carefully, he realized that the row of people tied up in the cell next door were the same people who had been sent to Beishan County earlier.

Old Lin also let out a few whimpers.

Someone used all their strength and finally managed to pull the thing out of the mouth by using their knees.

Seeing this, Lao Lin followed suit and finally managed to get the smelly cloth out of his mouth.

Once their mouths were free, they couldn't wait to ask the group next door, "What are you doing here?"

Realizing that the other party couldn't speak, Old Lin said, "Stupid, really stupid! You all shrink back and put your knees to your mouths too."

No matter how Lao Lin taught them, the neighbors just wouldn't get it. Later, Lao Lin finally discerned the word "cannot" from their muffled sounds.

"Steward Lin, what should we do now?" asked the constable who had come with Old Lin. "Will the Prefect come to our rescue?" "He certainly will!" he said with certainty, but in reality, he didn't know what Liu Dexiang would do next.

Speaking of Liu Dexiang, he was pacing around in his bedroom.

Usually when he was spinning around, Old Lin would stand next to him, advising him not to be anxious or angry.

But this time it wasn't there.

He was alone in the bedroom, and the more he paced around, the more agitated he became.

Old Lin still hadn't returned by late at night.

Liu Dexiang called out again, "Has Butler Lin returned yet?"

The servant who was guarding outside the room went to the door and asked around before returning to report, "Master, Steward Lin has not returned yet."

Liu Dexiang realized something was wrong.

He finally realized that no matter how many people he sent to Beishan County, they would never return.

He really wanted to go there in person to see what was going on in Beishan County, but with those three people around, he simply couldn't get away.

After thinking it over, he thought of Mao Chunfang.

Send word to them to bring Mao Chunfang here.

The servant asked uncertainly, "Master, shall we go and fetch him now?"

"Now!" Liu Dexiang cursed, "You idiot, I have to tell you how many times I need to do something!"

The servant retreated tremblingly and rode quickly towards Yangmen County.

Mao Chunfang already slept late, and after being interrupted by a remark from a yamen runner in Beishan County, he had many things on his mind. He finally managed to fall asleep, but was soon woken up by someone.

"My lord, the prefect requests your presence," a maidservant said from outside the door. "News has come from the front courtyard; the officials from the prefectural government are waiting at the gate and want you to go with them immediately." (End of Chapter)