In the Ming Dynasty, I became invincible simply by extracting memories!

Uncle Dong, whose real name was Dong, was a man whose real name had long been forgotten. Because of his honesty and integrity throughout his life, the villagers called him Honest Dong. The younger generation respected him and called him Uncle Dong; his peers, who were also familiar with him, also called him Honest Dong. As time went by, his real name was completely forgotten.

"Shen Lian, you don't understand," Dong Laoshi sighed as they walked side by side, "Where would bandits come from in this remote mountain area? It's clearly that corrupt official openly robbing people. Magistrate Zhou has only been in office for three years, and as far as I know, he's already bought a three-courtyard mansion in the city. I've seen that mansion once; there are two stone lions in front of the gate, and the carvings on the lintel are all gilded. You tell me, how much does a county magistrate earn in a year? Where does he get so much money?"

Seeing his expression, Dong Laoshi assumed he was just as indignant as he was, so he rambled on for a few more minutes. The group walked along the country path for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and then they saw a large crowd gathered outside the city gate—at least two or three hundred people. They were all farmers dressed in coarse cloth and short jackets, some carrying hoes, others carrying shoulder poles, noisily pushing and shoving towards the city gate. A row of yamen runners stood at the gate, holding fire and water sticks to block their way. The head runner shouted at the top of his lungs, "Disperse! Disperse! The county magistrate said that this anti-bandit tax is an imperial decree. Anyone who dares to resist paying it will be treated as a rioter!"

Someone in the crowd shouted, "What bandit suppression pay? Where are the bandits in our county? It's clearly Zhou Bapi trying to squeeze money out of us again!"

These words ignited public outrage, and the crowd surged forward. The constables raised their fire-and-water batons, and the situation was on the verge of spiraling out of control.

Shen Lian watched this scene from afar, his brows furrowing slightly. He lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then suddenly stopped and said to Dong Laoshi, "Uncle Dong, let's not go into the yamen."

Old Dong was taken aback: "Huh? We're not going to the yamen? Then what are we doing...?"

"Please come with me."

Shen Lian pulled Dong Laoshi into a quiet alley, glanced around to make sure no one was around, then stopped and looked calmly at Dong Laoshi.

"Uncle Dong, I have something I need you to do."

Seeing Shen Lian's solemn expression, Dong Laoshi's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly said, "Tell me, as long as it's within my power, I will definitely do it for you."

Shen Lian nodded slightly and said, word by word, "I want you to go to the county government office and report me."

"Report...report you?" Old Dong's eyes widened, momentarily stunned. "Report you for what?"

"You accused me of being a wanted criminal by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who escaped and returned to my hometown without permission. I also stole over a thousand taels of government silver and hid it somewhere."

Upon hearing this, Uncle Dong's face turned deathly pale. He waved his hands frantically, his voice trembling, "Shen Lian! Are you crazy? This is unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable! You finally came back safe and sound, how could I report you to the authorities? Wouldn't that be pushing you into a fire pit!" As he spoke, his eyes reddened, and he grabbed Shen Lian's arm, his withered fingers gripping it tightly. "Your parents died early, and Old Man Liu is gone too. You at least came back alive, how could Uncle Dong do such a thing? You child, why do you keep saying such frightening things!"

Shen Lian reached out and gently patted Dong Laoshi's hand, his expression showing no sign of panic. His tone was gentle yet firm: "Uncle Dong, don't worry, I have my own plans. There is absolutely no danger to my life. Just do as I say. Not only will it not harm me, but it will also help us villagers get justice."

"But..." Dong Laoshi's lips trembled, his cloudy eyes filled with worry.

"Uncle Dong, please trust me this once." Shen Lian looked into his eyes, his gaze open and honest.

Old Dong opened his mouth, then finally let out a long sigh. He knew Shen Lian was an extraordinary child from a young age, excelling in reading and writing, and after experiencing a series of changes, he seemed even more worldly and composed. Since Shen Lian was so confident now, he must have something to rely on. He gritted his teeth and nodded heavily: "Alright, I believe you. But you have to promise Uncle Dong that nothing will happen."

"I promise you."

Shen Lian then whispered a few words of advice to Dong Laoshi, telling him how to phrase his complaint at the county government office and who to contact to file it. After giving his instructions, he took out a few pieces of silver from his pocket and stuffed them into Dong Laoshi's hand. "This is your complaint fee. Don't refuse it, just take it. After you file the complaint, Magistrate Zhou will definitely reward you with some money."

Old Dong took the silver, glanced at Shen Lian again, and finally stamped his foot, hunching over as he strode quickly toward the county government office.

Shen Lian watched Dong Laoshi leave before turning and walking out of the alley. Yi Dong and Yi Xia had already caught up. Yi Dong hadn't heard Shen Lian and Dong Laoshi's conversation clearly from a distance, but seeing Shen Lian's expression now, she knew he was plotting something again.

"Young Master Shen, what are you planning to do now?" Yi Dong asked, hands on her hips, looking at him suspiciously.

"It's nothing serious," Shen Lian smiled. "I just plan to go to the county government office for a visit."

Yi Dong was stunned for a moment, then his eyes widened: "You're going to walk right into a trap?"

"Pretty much." Shen Lian didn't hide anything and briefly explained his plans. After listening, Yi Dong's expression changed from surprise to a wry smile, and finally to a helpless "I knew it" attitude.

"You're really crazy." Yi Dong shook his head. "Fine, since you want to put on this show, Yi Xia and I will keep an eye on things for you from the shadows. If that Magistrate Zhou dares to lay a finger on you, I'll be the first to rush in."

Xia listened quietly from the side and nodded slightly.

Shen Lian cupped his hands in greeting to the two women, saying, "Then I'll have to trouble you two ladies."

After the three of them had made their decision, Shen Lian walked alone toward the county government office, while Yi Dong and Yi Xia followed far behind, disappearing into the crowd.

About half an hour later, Shen Lian was waiting under an old locust tree diagonally opposite the county government office when he heard a series of hurried footsteps and shouts approaching from afar. He saw the side gate of the county government office wide open, and Magistrate Zhou himself rode a chestnut horse, followed by more than twenty constables and yamen runners, each holding an iron ruler and chains, surging toward Shen Lian in a grand procession.

Magistrate Zhou was about forty years old, with a fat head and large ears. His round face had two beady eyes, and his jaw was piled high with three layers of fat. Riding his horse, he swayed like a mountain of flesh. Ironically, he wore a blue official robe with a mandarin duck patch on his chest and a black gauze hat. This proper official attire only made him look more comical. As soon as he saw Shen Lian standing under the locust tree in the distance, his beady eyes lit up as if he had spotted some treasure. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "That's him! Seize him!"

As soon as he finished speaking, several constables pounced on him like wolves, and without a word, they twisted Shen Lian's arms behind his back and clattered an iron chain around his neck. Shen Lian did not resist, letting them bind him tightly.

Magistrate Zhou rode forward, looking down at Shen Lian with an undisguised smile. When Old Man Dong came to file his complaint, Magistrate Zhou had initially thought it was just a common whistleblower's report and hadn't taken it seriously. Besides, he had some doubts about Old Man Dong's testimony; after all, this man was known for his honesty and integrity, so why would he suddenly file a lawsuit? But Old Man Dong spoke with absolute certainty, "Shen Lian is a wanted criminal of the court, and I fear my whole family will be implicated. Moreover, he has threatened me with words!" Upon hearing that the person being reported was a wanted criminal of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, carrying over a thousand taels of government silver, old grudges and new resentments combined, and he immediately jumped up from his chair. A criminal of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was no ordinary person. If he could squeeze that sum of government silver out of him… Thinking of this, Magistrate Zhou felt his heart race.

He was immediately blinded by the promise of "rewards from the imperial court" and "huge sums of embezzled funds".

"Take him away!" With a wave of his hand, the constables escorted Shen Lian, shoving and jostling him towards the county government office. The surrounding villagers, seeing this commotion, stopped to watch, whispering amongst themselves, wondering what had happened this time.

The atmosphere in the courtroom was solemn and dignified.

When Shen Lian was brought in, his eyes immediately fell upon the black plaque with gold characters above his head—the four large characters "明镜高悬" (meaning "A Clear Mirror Hangs High") hung upright in the center. However, the gold paint on the plaque had peeled off in several places, revealing the dusty wooden core underneath, suggesting that it hadn't been repaired for many years. Below the plaque was a long square table, on which a rectangular gavel was neatly placed. Beside it stood four divination stick containers, each engraved with a single character, which together read "执法严明" (meaning "Strict Enforcement of the Law"). Magistrate Zhou sat upright behind his desk. The impatient, greedy look he had displayed while riding his horse had vanished, replaced by a dignified and solemn expression. However, the occasional glint of shrewdness in his beady eyes betrayed his inner calculations.

Two rows of bailiffs, each holding a fire-and-water stick, stood on either side of the courtroom. They wore red belts around their waists and black cloth boots, their chests out and stomachs in, their faces expressionless. On either side of the courtroom stood two signs, one reading "Silence" and the other "Avoid," their white backgrounds and black characters standing out prominently.

"Majesty!" the constables shouted in unison, their water and fire sticks striking the ground three times in unison. The dull thud echoed through the courtroom, sending chills down everyone's spines.

Magistrate Zhou picked up the gavel and slammed it down on the table with a loud "crack," startling everyone in the hall.

"Who goes there? State your name!"

Shen Lian stood in the center of the courtroom, his expression calm and composed, and replied, "This humble subject is Shen Lian."

"Shen Lian!" Magistrate Zhou slammed his gavel again, shouting sternly, "Someone has reported that you are a wanted fugitive from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who escaped and returned to your hometown without authorization, and even stole over a thousand taels of government silver to hide! Do you plead guilty?"

Shen Lian calmly replied, "This humble subject does not know what you are talking about, sir."

"Don't know? Very well!" Magistrate Zhou sneered, giving a wink to his clerk beside him. The clerk quickly unfolded a petition, the very one Dong Laoshi had just handed over. Magistrate Zhou pointed at the petition and said, "Witness Dong Laoshi himself testified that you confessed to being a wanted criminal of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, absconding with government silver! The witness is right here; do you still dare to deny it?"

Shen Lian smiled slightly: "Since you have witnesses, then please invite them to the court for confrontation."

Magistrate Zhou's face stiffened. He had been in such a hurry to arrest the man that he hadn't even let Dong Laoshi stay, simply giving him a few copper coins and sending him away. Now, where could he possibly summon a witness?

"You audacious scoundrel!" Magistrate Zhou slammed his gavel again, his fat face trembling. "I don't need you to teach me how to judge cases! Men, search him! Find that thousand taels of government silver, and let's see what he has to say!"

Two constables stepped forward and searched Shen Lian thoroughly. After a moment, they looked at each other and reported back, "Sir, this man only has a few taels of loose silver on him; he has no banknotes or other valuables."

Magistrate Zhou frowned, his fat face contorting into a grimace. He stared at Shen Lian for a long while, then suddenly chuckled coldly, "What a cunning thief! He must have hidden the silver elsewhere. Guards! Give him the severe torture! Let's see if he confesses!"

Two constables immediately emerged from either side, one carrying a brand-new pair of torture instruments, the other bringing a long bench and a stack of blue bricks. The instruments were made of three pieces of hardwood, strung together with a cowhide rope, still stained with dark brown bloodstains, appearing particularly gruesome in the candlelight. The two men slammed the instruments down in front of Shen Lian, kicking up a cloud of fine dust.

Shen Lian glanced at the torture rack out of the corner of his eye, and a hint of fear finally appeared on his face. He hurriedly shouted, "My lord, please calm down! My lord, please wait! I'll confess! I'll confess everything! I'll tell you exactly where the government silver is hidden!"

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Zhou's eyes flashed with delight, and he quickly waved to stop the constables who were about to attack. He stood up from behind his desk, his round belly protruding, and strode over to Shen Lian, lowering his voice to say, "You're smart enough to know what's good for you. Tell me, where did you hide the silver?"

Shen Lian lowered his head and said, "This matter... is of great importance, and I dare not speak it out loud, for fear that others will overhear."

Magistrate Zhou's eyes darted around, and he thought to himself, "That makes sense. If others knew where this thousand taels of silver was hidden, who knows what might happen?" Shen Lian leaned closer to him and whispered, "Sir, please come closer."

Shen Lian turned slightly to the side, gesturing for Magistrate Zhou to place his hand on his shoulder. As Magistrate Zhou suddenly raised his hand, Shen Lian turned his head and heard a crisp slap—Magistrate Zhou's slap landed squarely on his face.

The moment their bodies touched, Shen Lian quietly activated his memory extraction ability.

In an instant, the hidden memories in Magistrate Zhou's mind flooded into Shen Lian's consciousness like a burst dam. He saw the deepest secret in the heart of this seemingly virtuous magistrate—

He was extremely henpecked. His wife, surnamed Ma, was the daughter of a wealthy merchant in Huizhou Prefecture. She was a large, robust woman with a fierce and shrewish temperament. Every time Magistrate Zhou returned home, she would interrogate him about his entire day's activities, and if anything went wrong, she would unleash a torrent of abuse. Once, when Magistrate Zhou was caught drinking and carousing outside, Ma grabbed a rolling pin and chased him all over the courtyard, beating him until his face was bruised and swollen. The next day, when he appeared in court, the bruises on his face hadn't faded, and he could only claim that he had accidentally fallen.

He secretly embezzled and amassed wealth, hiding large sums of silver in an abandoned, dry well on the outskirts of the city. The well was located in a wasteland three miles north of the county town's north gate, surrounded by waist-high weeds, and rarely visited by anyone. Whenever Magistrate Zhou acquired ill-gotten gains, he would sneak to the well alone under the cover of night, put the silver into a ceramic jar, and lower it to the bottom with a rope. Over three years, the bottom of the well had accumulated no less than seven or eight thousand taels of silver.

He also secretly kept a concubine outside the city, without his wife's knowledge. The concubine, surnamed Yang, was originally a girl from a brothel in the county town. She was petite and charming, and skilled in singing and dancing. Magistrate Zhou was instantly captivated by her at first sight and spent three hundred taels of silver to redeem her. He rented a small courtyard in Yang Family Lane in the south of the city and would secretly visit her every few days. To keep it from his shrewish wife, he always made up various official excuses for his visits—such as going to the countryside for inspections or visiting local gentry—his lies almost became believable to himself.

These memories flashed through Shen Lian's mind like a revolving lantern, so clear that they seemed as if he had personally experienced them.

And all of this happened in a very short instant.

Oblivious to the situation, Magistrate Zhou continued in a low voice, urging, "Tell me, where exactly is the silver hidden?"