National Division

Chapter 45 Women are just as capable as men!

徐宅
Shen Xian and Xue Zhihua were talking, while Shen Bin was questioning Xu Lin in the hall, and a minor official was taking his statement.

Before long, the paper was covered with dense writing, filled with accusations against Xu Lin.

As Xu Lin confessed, Shen Bin's expression grew increasingly grave, his gaze becoming increasingly gloomy and uncertain.

This Liu Jian is truly audacious. Over the years, he has colluded with Xu Lin and committed many heinous acts.

He had considered that the two of them were conspiring to harm him because, for so many years, as the county magistrate of Guhe, he had blocked the Golden Scale Gang's path to wealth. He never expected that they would actually try to replace him with Xu Lin.

To collude with evil spirits to harm a high-ranking official of the imperial court—that's truly audacious!
Xu Lin's face was ashen, and he defended himself, saying, "I only wanted to seize the position of county magistrate, I never thought of killing an official and rebelling! Don't make false accusations!"

“You collude with demons and plot against court officials. What else is this but killing officials and rebelling?” Shen Bin said coldly.

Xu Lin was shocked and speechless for a moment.

Shen Bin looked intently at the constable beside him and said, "You stay here and keep an eye on him."

As he spoke, he picked up the paper with the recorded confession and went to the outer room. Shen Bin looked up at Xue Zhihua and said, "Lord Xue, we have obtained Xu Lin's confession. County Magistrate Liu took Xu Lin's sister as a concubine and kept her in a manor in the south of the city. The two of them wanted to murder me so that Xu Lin could become the county magistrate and achieve their ulterior motives."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xian thought to himself that his father's political awareness had improved somewhat.

If it was merely a personal vendetta that led to the murder of a county constable, it wouldn't be appropriate to link it to treason.

Xue Zhihua nodded and said, "County Commandant Shen, quickly send someone to arrest Xu Lin's sister, obtain her confession and evidence of Liu County Magistrate's corruption, and then meet at the county office."

Beneath Shen Xian's sword-like eyebrows, his clear, cold eyes flickered incessantly. He thought to himself, "Is this what they call a mistress fighting corruption?"
Shen Bin responded with a "Yes."

Xue Zhihua turned her head and looked at Shen Xian with her clear eyes. She said softly, "Let me change my clothes, then you will come with me to meet Magistrate Lu."

With that, he raised his hand and put the golden toad into the sealed spirit beast bag, then his figure flashed and he fled into the distance.

Shen Xian watched Xue Zhihua disappear into a room in the Xu residence.

A moment later, when Shen Xian looked up, he was taken aback.

However, Xue Zhihua changed into an outfit similar to that of the Imperial Guards and Inner Guards of the Tang Dynasty in previous life's TV dramas. She wore a black, wingless crown with the character "山" (mountain) on her head and a dress embroidered with the Vermilion Bird and flying bird pattern. The black and red silk threads intertwined, combining majesty and nobility.

The beautiful woman's jet-black hair, as black as a waterfall, was coiled behind a black, wingless crown. Two black ribbons were tied around her ears and below her neck. The three-petal peach blossom mark between her eyebrows was dazzlingly beautiful in the glow of the candlelight.

Every gesture he makes exudes a heroic and spirited air.

"This is the official robe of the Vermilion Bird Division. I don't usually wear it." Catching the fleeting look of amazement in the young man's clear eyes, Xue Zhihua felt a strange sensation in her heart and explained.

Shen Xian praised, "Lord Xue, you are truly a woman who is just as capable as any man!"

The Vermilion Bird Division official robe that Xue Zhihua wore was well-tailored and had beautiful embroidery, no less exquisite than the flying fish robe of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in later generations.

Xue Zhihua didn't say anything else, but said, "Come with me to the county government office."

"Miss Xue, you can wait a moment," Shen Xian said.

Seeing Xue Zhihua's puzzled expression, Shen Xian explained, "After your father obtains the evidence, Miss Xue can secretly observe Magistrate Lu's attitude first."

Upon hearing this, Xue Zhihua's eyes lit up, and she nodded.

At this moment, the county government office was in complete chaos.

County Magistrate Liu arrived at the government office in a hurry. He immediately saw Pei Renjing, the county registrar, and asked bluntly, "What happened? Why wasn't I informed of such a major event as the mobilization of troops in the county?"

Pei Renjing was in charge of checking documents. Large-scale troop movements within the county generally required document filing, and it was impossible to do so without going through Pei Renjing.

But Pei Renjing remained calm and said in a deep voice, "Prefect Zan, I am equally baffled by this matter. I have no idea why County Lieutenant Shen would mobilize the Tuanjie soldiers and constables?"

If it were just about capturing demons and mobilizing troops, it wouldn't seem like a big deal. But the large-scale crackdown on the Golden Scale Gang and the arrest of people is something worth discussing.

Magistrate Liu angrily asked, "Where is Shen Bin? Where is he?"

Pei Renjing said expressionlessly, "They should still be on official business right now."

Magistrate Liu angrily said, "Going to invite the Prefect is simply rebellion! They're arbitrarily mobilizing troops! Do they have any respect for the Prefect or for the laws of the court?"

As he spoke, he looked at the Registrar who was waiting to listen and ordered, "Go and invite the Magistrate." Magistrate Lu really didn't know about this matter.

Even though such a big thing happened in the county, Magistrate Lu was still completely unaware of it. At this moment, he was in his outer study admiring a copy of "Baopuzi" that he had obtained from the capital. It had a gold-embossed cover and was written by a famous calligrapher.

"I wonder if this book, signed by an immortal, can help me break through to the third realm," Magistrate Lu sighed and murmured to himself.

This book took him a lot of effort to write.

Just then, an old servant tiptoed in and said, "Master, people from the county government have arrived."

Magistrate Lu frowned, a barely perceptible hint of displeasure flashing across his refined face. Without raising his head, he said, "Can't you see I'm reading a book?"

"Master, Magistrate Liu has sent someone here, saying there is an extremely urgent matter in the county that requires an audience with you," the old servant said.

"Is it an extremely urgent matter?" Magistrate Lu thought for a moment, then reluctantly put down the book in his hand and said, "Let him in."

A short while later, a minor official came from outside, cupped his hands and said, "This humble servant greets Your Excellency."

"Tell me something."

The clerk said, "The officials in the county government reported that County Commandant Shen has mobilized the county's militia and three shifts of yamen runners to besiege the Golden Scale Gang in the city."

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Lu looked surprised and asked, "Dispatch the militia and the three shifts of yamen runners? Shen Bin, as the county's lieutenant, mobilizing troops to arrest thieves, isn't that...? Hmm, the Golden Scale Gang, what exactly is going on?"

Recalling how Magistrate Liu had previously introduced Xu Lin, the leader of the Golden Scale Gang, Magistrate Lu vaguely sensed an unusual aura.

"This humble official does not know the specifics either," the clerk said. "Shen Shaofu's men said they were going to besiege the Golden Scale Gang."

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Lu's face darkened considerably.

Although the Golden Scale Gang is just a small Jianghu gang, it has mobilized troops to besiege and suppress them. Shouldn't they have informed the manor beforehand?
At this moment, Magistrate Lu seemed to have forgotten that he usually ignored worldly affairs. His unusual displeasure was more due to his dissatisfaction with the offense to his authority as magistrate.

"Prepare the oxcart and head to the county government office," Magistrate Lu said, rising from a long rectangular table and walking towards the Guhe County government office.

Even at this moment, Magistrate Lu still maintained the composed demeanor befitting a scion of a prominent family.

County government office, government office

County Magistrate Liu was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, pacing back and forth. Then he looked at Pei Renjing beside him and asked, "Registrar Pei, Shen Bin's actions have greatly violated the established rules. According to the laws of our Great Jing Dynasty, how should he be punished?"

Pei Renjing pondered for a moment and said, "Shen Bin has always been steady and wouldn't be so reckless. There must be a reason for this."

"Even if there's a legitimate reason, it's outrageous that such a major matter as mobilizing the militia and constables to suppress the Golden Scale Gang was handled without going through the county government or being discussed with us!" Magistrate Liu said indignantly.

Pei Renjing said, "This matter should be asked of County Lieutenant Shen. According to my 'Great Jing Code,' in case of emergency, the county lieutenant has the right to mobilize the militia and the three shifts of yamen runners in the county. According to the system, there is no major problem."

However, the troops sent to besiege the Golden Scale Gang were actually from the Golden Scale Gang.

This could cost Magistrate Liu his life.

County Magistrate Liu looked at another junior official who was waiting beside him and urged, "Go and see if the Prefect has arrived yet."

The minor official had no choice but to leave the county office and go to find Magistrate Lu again.

Time passed slowly amidst Magistrate Liu's anxiety.

However, the entire Guhe County was in an uproar.

The soldiers and constables of Guhe County set out from the town and began searching for gambling dens and brothels under the jurisdiction of the Golden Scale Gang, taking away members of the Golden Scale Gang one by one.

Meanwhile, the Jinsha Gang and the Sihai Gang were so frightened that they were like quails, unable to move an inch.

As time went by, a large number of Golden Scale Gang members were arrested and sent to the county jail.

Meanwhile, County Magistrate Liu, who was sitting idly in the government office waiting, looked increasingly grim.

Pei Renjing picked up her teacup, took a sip, and looked at Magistrate Liu's increasingly dark and chubby face, feeling puzzled.

Who gave Shen Bin the audacity? Didn't he know that the Ming government was behind Liu Jian?
(End of this chapter)