Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 164 Digging a Hole to Bury Yourself

Xia Lin happily went to check the files of Xiao County over the years. This was a task that had been assigned long ago. It would be a miracle if he could find any problems. Meng Changshan, the magistrate of Xiao County, sat next to him and personally served tea to Xia Lin, and the waiters cheered loudly.

"Well, that's great. Among the twelve counties in Luoyang, your Xiao County is the best governed." Xia Lin put down the file and smiled: "I will make sure the garrison commander takes note of this."

"You are too polite, Inspector Xia. This is all my duty and responsibility. How dare I ask for credit? I only hope that Lord Xia can point out some shortcomings so that I can correct them."

As he was speaking, he gently pushed a stack of banknotes up to him, but said calmly, "Inspector Xia, you have worked so hard. This small gift from your humble servant is not a token of respect. Please have some tea, Inspector Xia."

Xia Lin put the banknotes into his sleeves, without showing any special expression on his face. "Among the twelve counties, your rule is the most clear and honest. This achievement is indeed worthy of praise. In addition, due to the good governance in the past few days, locusts have not entered the territory of Xiao County. This is indeed a great omen. I will explain it to you after I return."

"Oh my, oh my, this is really embarrassing for this humble official. How dare this humble official trouble Inspector Xia like this!"

Xia Lin laughed: "It's okay, it's just my duty. However, we still have to do what we should do. Other counties have set up the reporting platform, so it would be unreasonable if Xiao County didn't set up one. What do you think, sir?"

"Set it up! It must be set up! We can't embarrass Patrolman Xia over such a small matter. When do you plan to set it up, sir?"

Xia Lin looked at the sky and said, "It's getting dark, so why not set it now? It's the same six hours anyway, and there's no saying whether to set it early or late."

When County Magistrate Meng heard this, he knew that Xia Lin was helping him, and he immediately laughed, "Great! Inspector Xia, great! I will go and prepare now."

"Wait a minute." Xia Lin raised his hand and said, "County Magistrate Meng, you have to think carefully. Four of the twelve county magistrates have been executed. You don't have anything... huh?"

"No, no, of course not. How dare I lie to Inspector Xia? Inspector Xia, rest assured. I will go and do my work. You can just take a rest."

Xia Lin took a sip of the tea and looked at Magistrate Meng who was leaving quickly. There was no expression on his face. He just blew away the tea foam floating on the mouth of the tea, then glanced at the cup: "Oh, a Fuliang cup, it's rich."

The platform for redress outside was quickly set up. In the middle was a large drum covered with snow and dust, as if it had not been used for a long time.

There were four vicious bailiffs standing on both sides, holding water and fire sticks in their hands, welcoming and seeing off people with murderous eyes. It felt like there was a camera hanging above the report mailbox. Who dared to speak carelessly?
Xia Lin and County Magistrate Meng were standing nearby. Xia Lin had his hands tucked into his animal-skin sleeves, a smile on his face as he quietly watched the people passing by.

County Magistrate Meng was even more proud that his four capable thugs were able to intimidate these unruly poor people. He even had the mind to approach Xia Lin and whisper, "Inspector Xia, my four men are the four great kings of Xiao County. When these poor people see them, they are like mice seeing cats and cannot move."

"Okay, okay." Xia Lin nodded with a smile and said "okay" three times in a row.

Seeing his approving expression, County Magistrate Meng was really happy. He realized that he was on the right track and he even introduced his advanced experience to Xia Lin.

"Inspector Xia, to be honest, these poor devils are just like cattle and horses. If I can give them a bite to eat, they will be grateful to me. I wonder if Lord Xia has ever let cattle go? Oh... How could Lord Xia have let cattle go? Hahaha, I am confused. The cowherds know that when the cow calls out, they tie a rope to a tree and whip it a few times. It can't break free even if it has great strength. It's the same with these poor devils. Their roots are here, they are tied, and no matter how you whip them, they can't cause any trouble."

Xia Lin didn't respond, but just smiled with curved eyebrows.

As the sky grew darker and the snow fell heavier, the platform in the wind and snow gradually became covered in white, looking like a joke.

At this moment, a group of people in long gowns suddenly rushed out from somewhere. Their hands and faces were red from the cold. There were about 20 of them. The leader looked only about 17 or 18 years old. He was excited and angry: "I have a grievance!"

He shouted as he pulled out a blood letter written with his fingertips from his sleeve, and knelt down facing the drum with a plop: "God, I, your student Fan Shuyao, have a complaint!"

When the yamen runners saw the blind man here, they immediately stepped forward to drive him away. But at this moment, County Magistrate Meng was stunned. He had never expected that a group of young scholars would suddenly run out, so he could only look at Xia Lin awkwardly.

"Patrolman Xia..."

"No problem." Xia Lin raised his hand and said with a smile, "If there is a grievance, redress it; if there is a complaint, file it."

The scholar knelt there holding up the blood letter and shouted loudly: "First, I accuse Meng Zhiyi of Xiao County of riding his horse and killing an innocent person in the street. Second, I accuse Meng Changshan, the magistrate of Xiao County, of condoning and shielding him. Third, I accuse Xia Lin, the inspector, of protecting the officials."

Xia Lin's face turned pale, and Magistrate Meng became panicked when he saw his expression. He pointed at the scholar and shouted, "Where did this unruly man come from? Do you know what happens when someone falsely accuses an official of the imperial court?"

"If there is even the slightest false accusation, we are willing to die to prove our integrity!"

After he finished speaking, the students who came with him knelt down in unison: "We are willing to die to prove our integrity!" Xia Lin nodded slightly beside him, then turned sideways to glance at Magistrate Meng.

"Inspector Xia, don't believe what they say. Someone must be trying to frame me... They are framing me!"

Xia Lin waved his hand and said, "Since ancient times, those who are willing to die to prove their will must be tried in court regardless of the reason. Don't you know this rule, County Magistrate Meng? If they really made a false accusation, they will naturally pay with their lives. Why are you so panicking, County Magistrate Meng?"

After he finished speaking, Xia Lin still stood there with his sleeves rolled up: "Since you guys are suing officials, one of you should go in and get 20 lashes of the cane first. Tomorrow we will have a public trial at the Xiao County Court."

Those scholars stood up and walked into the hall without saying a word. Each of them received twenty sticks. However, Xia Lin did not let the executioners kill them. He just let them feel some pain.

"I'm sorry to ask you to stay in the yamen jail today. We will go to court for trial tomorrow morning."

The leading scholar bowed to Xia Lin, and then the group was taken to the prison. Magistrate Meng was panicking at this moment. He looked at Xia Lin helplessly: "Inspector Xia, what should we do?"

"What? County Magistrate Meng is...scared?"

"That's not the case. I'm just worried that their false accusations will damage Inspector Xia's reputation."

Xia Lin laughed: "It's okay, this is what the censors should do. Those who are innocent will be innocent. Lord Meng, don't worry. Tomorrow I will ask the garrison commander to come and personally interrogate you, and I will make sure he proves your innocence."

After saying this, County Magistrate Meng was already sweating profusely in the cold winter, while Xia Lin, with his sleeves rolled up, slowly disappeared in the wind and snow.

After seeing him leave, County Magistrate Meng sat down on the steps of the government office and muttered to himself: "It's over... It's over, it's all over..."

Somehow, the news of the scholar suing the official spread throughout the entire Luoyang literary world overnight. The next morning, before the government office opened, there were hundreds of scholars and literati standing outside, including the famous literary master.

This would naturally attract many people to come and everyone was discussing this matter. Even Xia Lin and his neighbors came. After all, no one could have imagined that Chunhuaer, who had died in unclear circumstances, would have her case overturned. Everyone was holding their breath.

Just by hearing about the imperial envoy Xia Lin, they felt that the name sounded somewhat familiar, but for a moment they couldn't remember where they had heard it.

"Look, isn't that Xiao Linzi?"

Just as everyone was looking forward to it, two sedan chairs slowly stopped at the gate of the yamen. The surrounding yamen runners immediately stepped forward to help the people in the sedan chairs open the curtains. The person who got out of the first sedan chair was naturally the Luoyang garrison commander Hong Changwu, but the person who got out of the second sedan chair was Xia Lin.

The neighbors recognized Xiao Linzi at a glance. They had seen him a few days ago, but at that time they just thought that he and Dachun were out having fun. They didn't expect that when they saw Xiao Linzi again today, he would be standing with a high-ranking official like the garrison commander, and both of them were riding in a sedan chair.

"Chief Hong, please."

"Inspector Xia, please."

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, the two of them walked into the yamen. However, the moment they stepped over the threshold, Xia Lin looked back at the neighbors, patted his chest lightly, then turned around and disappeared behind the screen wall.

The neighbors then realized that Xiao Linzi really wanted to seek justice for Chunhua. The sensitive ones started to shed tears, especially the pork seller's wife, who lay on the pork seller and sobbed, mumbling, "Chunhua... my poor Chunhua, Xiao Linzi is back to avenge you."

This time, because Xia Lin was also the person being sued, he could not preside over the trial but could only attend as an observer. In the whole Luoyang, the only person who could try him was Hong Shoubei, so the case became a big one, directly involving an imperial envoy and a local garrison commander.

At this moment, ordinary county magistrates involved in the case were not qualified to sit in, except Xia Lin, who was able to sit in and listen to the trial because he was wearing the royal jade pendant.

He didn't say a word the whole time, and the people around him also flocked to the windows of the yamen gate within the permitted area and stood there.

"Then shall I begin the summer patrol?"

Garrison Commander Hong asked Xia Lin very politely, and Xia Lin nodded: "Master Hong is the most important, I will listen to you in everything."

"Okay." Guard Hong slammed the gavel in his hand and said, "The court is open!"

(End of this chapter)