Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

Chapter 571: They all came here voluntarily.
Meizi stepped forward and picked up the two account books that Xu Xiaoyun had slammed on the table.

Upon seeing the accounts, Meizi understood what he meant. "Reporting to the sir, summon the residents of Xinjie Street. We can ask them directly."

For a moment, Xu Xiaoyun's expression twisted.

"You make it sound so simple," Xu Xiaoyun said. "How dare those people offend the local county government?"

Meizi could also see that this person had a very obvious hostility towards Beishan County.

Cheng Guang stepped forward and said to Xu Xiaoyun, "May I ask, sir, if the people's words are insufficient as evidence, then what kind of evidence would be useful?"

Feng Zhong'an, who had been drinking tea and tending the small stove in front of him with his eyes half-closed and hands warmed, finally stood up.

Before Xu Xiaoyun could speak, he took the account book from Meizi's hand, glanced at it briefly, and then said to Xu Xiaoyun with a smile, "This account is interesting. If it doesn't make sense, we should ask the people. We're really easy to fool."

Cheng Guang realized that these two officials were determined to label things that could be investigated and understood as their mistakes.

He wanted to explain, but Feng Zhong'an was even more domineering than Xu Xiaoyun. He wasn't speaking to them at all, and he didn't give them a chance to explain.

Just then, Meng Changqing came in.

Meng Changqing entered with a smile, his hands behind his back. "Gentlemen, have you encountered any problems so far?"

Feng Zhong'an closed the ledger and hid it behind his back. "Whatever the problem is, Lord Meng probably knows better than we do."

"That's not quite right," Meng Changqing said. "If it's really my problem, I'm sure I know it. But the problems you guys forced upon me, I know less about than you do."

"You!" Xu Xiaoyun slammed his hand on the table and stood up, about to reprimand Meng Changqing, but was stopped by Feng Zhong'an. "Lord Xu, please allow me to say a few words."

Xu Xiaoyun had no choice but to suppress her emotions. “Lord Meng,” Feng Zhong’an said as he returned to his chair and sat down, “you were appointed by the Emperor through special circumstances. You did not come from the imperial examinations, nor were you selected by a noble family. I do not have high expectations of you. If you say something wrong, I can tolerate it.”

However, don't mistake rudeness for sharpness. There will always be people in this world who can't tolerate you, and even the emperor's favor will eventually fade.

Feng Zhong'an smiled at Meng Changqing and said, "Lord Meng, you'd better leave yourself a way out."

Meng Changqing replied, "Lord Feng is indeed an official of the Ministry of Justice, and his words are logical and reasonable. However, I must advise you that it will not do you any good to frame me with something that is not a big problem, at least not now."

Feng Zhong'an sneered twice and placed the two account books on the table. "Since Meng Changqing is protesting his innocence, then please provide a reasonable explanation."

Meng Changqing had been warming herself by the fire in the small room next door, and she could hear clearly what everyone was saying in court.

Without even looking, I know what they're referring to.

"The people of Beishan County came here voluntarily. Are you aware of this premise, sirs?" Meng Changqing asked.

Feng Zhong'an and Xu Xiaoyun did not respond, waiting for Meng Changqing to continue.

“If you didn’t trust me, Meng Changqing, you wouldn’t have left your family and business to settle here. It’s precisely because of this trust that you’re willing to buy my house, which I haven’t even built yet,” Meng Changqing said to Cheng Guang. “Bring the box over.”

"Yes!"

Cheng Guang went to the archives room and carried over a wooden box. The box was not only locked but also sealed with a seal that read: "Registration of Construction and Sales in Xing'an Street," dated August of the 18th year of Yongxing, which was April before.

Meng Changqing took the key from his waist, but instead of unlocking the door, he said to Feng Zhong'an, "Please, gentlemen, check the seal first."