Thief Emperor

Chapter 40: Li’s Duty!
"County Lord!"

"County Lord!"

At the gate of Qingyang County Government Office, Zheng Yuanwai led several other wealthy families and stopped Magistrate Xue who was just about to leave. They surrounded Magistrate Xue and Zheng Yuanwai, the leader, bowed his head and said with a bitter face: "Your Excellency, didn't our County Government set up a thief-hunting team to suppress the bandits? How come the number of these bandits has increased instead of decreased? All the goods of our families have been robbed in recent days!"

"Yes, yes!"

A merchant who was engaged in the business of medicinal herbs nearby also complained: "Sir, the few carts of medicinal herbs I just bought were robbed by bandits not long after entering Qingyang County. This is really weird. What do you think these bandits are doing to steal the medicinal herbs?"

"My family's cloth was also stolen by bandits!"

Someone shouted, "In the past, when we were transporting goods in, even if we encountered robbers, we would just give them some money and they would be fine. But now, the thieves are getting more and more excessive, even taking away all the goods!"

"That's it!"

Someone shouted, "There weren't so many bandits before, but the more the government suppresses them, the more bandits there are!"

Magistrate Xue was fed up with what these people said, and finally groaned, "Have you said enough?"

Everyone fell silent at the same time and dared not speak anymore.

Master Xue glanced at everyone and said in a cold voice: "The results of our county's anti-bandit campaign are obvious to all. The bandits from Black Crow Mountain are still being held in the county jail, awaiting punishment. Do you want to go and take a look?"

"You still dare to say that the more we suppress bandits in our county government, the more bandits there are."

Magistrate Xue said angrily: "The increase in the number of bandits has nothing to do with the county government's suppression of bandits. Don't you know why the number of bandits has increased?"

After these words were spoken, no one dared to speak.

Finally, Mr. Zheng laughed dryly: "County Master, the imperial court's tax increase is the imperial court's business, and has nothing to do with us ordinary people..."

“We just want to do a good little business.”

"The officers and soldiers in the county government fought bravely to suppress the bandits, but you didn't show any concern. Now that the number of bandits has increased, you come here to cause trouble again!"

“This is the human heart!”

Master Xue waved his sleeves and said, "You can make as much trouble as you want about this matter. If you can't, go to the state and ask the state whether there are more bandits in other counties in Xuanzhou!"

Zheng bowed his head and smiled bitterly, "Sir, we are not picking on the government, but the trains have been unable to enter the city for several days. If this continues, we will not be able to do business. The grain from my grain shop cannot enter the city, and the people in the city will have trouble eating."

"The county lord must always think of ways to solve the problems of the people."

Magistrate Xue glanced at everyone and said in a muffled voice, "This county has been working on the plan to suppress the bandits. Captain Li has gone out of the city to investigate the bandits. He should be back in the next few days. When he comes back to the county government, this county will ask him to give you an explanation."

"All right."

Magistrate Xue waved his hand impatiently: "Everyone go away."

Zheng Yuanwai and others had no choice but to disperse one after another.

Magistrate Xue, who had originally wanted to go out and relax, was no longer in the mood. He waved his sleeves, turned back to the county government office, and asked someone to call the yamen runner Chen Da.

Chen Da bowed respectfully and said, "County Master, are you looking for me?"

"go."

Without even raising his head, Master Xue shouted angrily, "Go find Li Zhao and have him come to see me immediately!"

Chen Da said "Ah?", a little confused: "County Master, I don't know where the head has gone..."

"Then go find it!"

Mr. Xue got angry and shouted angrily: "Bring him back to me immediately and have him come to see me immediately!"

After County Magistrate Xue took office in Qingyang, he had been a leader with a good temper except for the time when his daughter was kidnapped. His sudden anger at this moment scared Chen Da so much that he kept bowing his head.

"Yes, yes, I'll go right away and find—"

………………

It was not until the third morning after Mr. Xue got angry that Li Dadu, who had been enjoying himself outside for more than ten days, returned to the county town leisurely.

As soon as he arrived at the gate of the government office, Chen Da ran over in a hurry, grabbed Li Yun and whispered, "Boss, you are finally back."

Li Yun looked at him, took a bite of the plum in his hand, and then asked with a smile: "What's the matter? Why are you so flustered?"

"The county magistrate is looking for you everywhere. He is very angry. You should go to the county magistrate and take a look!" Li Dazhaizhu threw the plum in his hand to the open space beside him. Then he turned around to look at Zhang Hu and Li Zheng, and said with a smile: "You go home and wait for me. I will be back soon."

After saying that, he walked towards the county government office and asked with a smile, "What happened that made the county magistrate so angry?"

"It seems...it seems to be a robbery. A few days ago, many robbers suddenly appeared and robbed the goods of some merchants in the city. Those merchants came to the county magistrate to make trouble."

Li Yun said "Oh", patted Chen Da's shoulder, and said lightly: "I know, you go and get busy."

Chen Da sighed and said, "If you ask me, this matter has nothing to do with you, Boss. We have so many captains in Qingyang, but you are the only one who went to fight the bandits seriously. It doesn't make sense that you should be blamed for the trouble after you risked your life."

Li Dazhaizhu also sighed: "Work hard for the people, don't worry about these personal gains and losses, it's okay to suffer a little grievance."

After saying that, he strode towards the county lord's study.

Chen Da looked at the back of Li Dadu and felt quite moved.

What a hero!

……

In Magistrate Xue's study, Li Dadutou clasped his fists and smiled, "Your Excellency, you're looking for me?"

After a few days, Master Xue was no longer as angry as before. He put down his brush, looked at Li Yun fiercely, and asked, "Where have you been?"

"I went to investigate the bandits' whereabouts."

Li Dazhaizhu smiled and said, "Before I left, I reported this to you, the county lord. Have you forgotten?"

"fart!"

Master Xue was furious and slammed the table fiercely: "Are you treating me like a child?"

Most people would be scared to death if the county magistrate slammed the table like this. Fortunately, Mr. Li was brave. He walked forward calmly and said with a smile: "Don't be so rude, county magistrate. If you have anything to say, please talk nicely."

Magistrate Xue suppressed his anger and gritted his teeth, "You are the head of the city! You are an official of Qingyang. How can you do such a thing!"

"If it gets out that I, the county magistrate, have been associating with someone like you, and someone with ulterior motives finds out, they will accuse me of treason, and I won't be able to refute it!"

Li Yun looked innocent: "County Master, what did I do?"

"I didn't do anything."

Master Xue's face turned pale: "It's not okay to ask your brother to do it! What kind of behavior is this!"

"You are a government soldier, you are colluding, colluding!"

He forced himself to lower his voice, gritting his teeth and saying, "Colluding with the bandits!"

Li Yun still shook his head and said, "You must have misunderstood, County Master. How could I collude with the bandits? I have nothing to do with the bandits at all."

"It's no use spreading the news to them!"

Magistrate Xue gnashed his teeth and said, "I don't ask you to put your brother in jail for the sake of justice, but you can't have any contact with them anymore!"

"If someone finds out, not only will this implicate me, but Yun'er's reputation will be ruined once again!"

What Magistrate Xue said was right. Once people knew that "Li Zhao" had connections with the bandits, the original legend that Li Zhaoyi saved Miss Xue would be shattered.

The Xue family will once again be unable to defend themselves.

And Mr. Xue was angry probably because of this.

Li Dadu poured a cup of tea for Master Xue and said with a smile: "Don't be angry, County Master. The matter of the bandits really has nothing to do with me."

"As for the merchants in the city."

Li Yun sat down, poured himself a cup of hot tea, took a sip, and said calmly: "The county lord doesn't have to be embarrassed, just let them come to see me."

"As the head of Qingyang, Li has the responsibility to protect them..."

"Trade routes are open."

(End of this chapter)