The playboy county magistrate

After finishing his meal, Li Xuanzhi stood up and straightened his clothes.

Seeing this, Zhang shook her head slightly.

"You just got married yesterday, and today you're off to the Censorate. Aren't officials supposed to get married? Why aren't you?"

Li Xuanzhi smiled helplessly.

If he were just an ordinary official coasting along, he would naturally have a marriage to marry. But he is the initiator and implementer of the new policies; what if someone tries to cause trouble while he's relaxing?

He can still get home around night, and he's a normal man who needs rest and recuperation.

"Alright, that's enough. I know you're a big shot and very busy. I'm tired. You two go back to your work."

Pei Qingyuan and Li Xuanzhi took their leave together. Only when they reached the main gate did Li Xuanzhi chuckle softly:

"Although I'm on duty today, I'll be home earlier than usual. You don't need to be so formal at home; feel free to relax. If you feel stressed, you can come out for a walk to clear your head."

Pei Qingyuan's eyes were gentle, and she obediently replied, "Husband, rest assured, everything is fine at home with me here. There's no need to worry."

Li Xuanzhi nodded slightly, said no more, turned around and stepped out of the main gate.

The carriage was already prepared and quietly parked at the alley entrance. The coachman bowed and waited, and when he saw him come out, he quickly lifted the curtain.

The wheels rolled, slowly leaving Qinghefang and heading towards the imperial city.

As I walked along the main street of Beijing, I was surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the city, with a constant flow of traffic.

People along the street recognized the imperial censor's carriages and horses, and stopped to look at them, whispering among themselves.

"This must be Imperial Censor Li's carriage. His wedding yesterday caused a sensation throughout the capital; it was truly a grand affair."

"It's more than just glorious! The Empress herself acted as matchmaker, and the young couple's talent and character are both top-notch. Now, with the noble Pei family as their in-laws, their foundation is even more solid."

The carriage traveled straight into the imperial city, passed through the Imperial Street, and came to a steady stop outside the Censorate.

As the morning bells began to toll, officials began arriving at their offices to take their duties. The government offices were bustling with people, their demeanor solemn and imposing.

Li Xuanzhi alighted from the carriage, straightened his hat, and stepped into the government office with upright posture.

As soon as he appeared, the officials passing by paused slightly, and their gazes quietly fell on him, some with envy, some with awe, and some with hidden fear and hostility.

Li Xuanzhi, newly married, had only missed one morning court session. Instead of spending time with his new wife, why was he on duty at the government office so early? Could it be that the couple was having marital discord?

Several of his relatively friendly colleagues from the Qingliu faction immediately stepped forward: "Congratulations on your marriage, Imperial Censor Li! Indeed, a happy occasion makes one's spirits soar, and you are even more radiant than before while on duty today."

"Thank you all." Li Xuanzhi bowed slightly, his manners impeccable, and his expression serene.

In the shadows of the crowd, several men in dark official robes stood under the eaves. They stared intently at his figure, their expressions complex, and whispered among themselves.

"It was just a wedding, yet it became known throughout the court and the public. The Empress herself intervened; this is too much of an honor."

A middle-aged official spoke with a hint of bitterness, his eyes filled with resentment.

"At such a young age, he holds the important position of censor and has also curried favor with the upright officials of the Hanlin Academy. In the future, he will likely become increasingly uncontrollable in the court."

The other person beside him echoed softly, his tone sinister.

"Too much fanfare will inevitably backfire." The leading official spoke calmly, his eyes cold and deep. "He's been busy with his wedding preparations these past few days, and the recent events have also involved Xun Gui's former subordinates. Today, he will surely reopen old cases, and the turmoil is likely to be significant."

Li Xuanzhi had excellent hearing. Although he didn't hear everything clearly, he vaguely caught a hint of malice and probing.

His expression remained unchanged, and his eyes remained calm and undisturbed.

From the moment he stepped into the imperial court and took charge of the supervisory power, he was destined to be at the center of controversy.

He judged cases impartially, without forming cliques or showing favoritism. This blocked many people's paths and hindered the private interests of many. It was to be expected that he would be resented and hostile to others.

Withdrawing his gaze, Li Xuanzhi walked straight into the main hall of the Censorate.

As soon as he entered the main hall, his direct subordinates immediately stepped forward to report, their expressions solemn.

"Sir, there are three old embezzlement cases awaiting trial. The superior specifically instructed that these must be decided by you personally."

Li Xuanzhi raised his hand and took the thick stack of files, his fingertips brushing across the paper, his eyes darkening slightly.

The files were thick and tightly sealed.

The subordinate looked around, and seeing that no one was paying attention, lowered his head and whispered:

"These cases have been piling up for a long time, and no one dared to touch them. Now they've all been pushed to the front lines, which is clearly someone deliberately making things difficult for you."

Others who are newly married or returning to work all experience smooth sailing and peace, and are tolerant in all matters.

But for him alone, his return brought troublesome matters, and more than one at that.

Li Xuanzhi lowered his eyes to look at the dossier and only spoke softly.

"Handling cases should be based solely on the law, regardless of timing. Clearing up backlogged cases and redressing wrongful convictions are the duties of an imperial censor."

He was never afraid of being bullied or facing turbulent times.

Li Xuanzhi sat alone at his desk, his fingertips pressing against the yellowed pages of the dossier.

Three old cases, spanning two years.

Each case involved lucrative positions related to canal transport, salt and iron, and river works, and in the end, they were all hastily concluded with the explanation that "the officials were negligent and the principal officials were not at fault."

Punishing minor officials to protect superiors, avoiding the serious and focusing on the trivial.

The further he looked down, the colder his gaze became.

The neatly written case records were riddled with deliberate oversights.

The witness testimonies were contradictory, the money did not match the accounts, and the losses from the river works were unclear.

The amount of embezzled money that should have been seized was vaguely stated, and ultimately all of it was glossed over with the excuse that "the accounts were lost and could not be verified".

As he looked at it, his knuckles tightened slightly, pressing shallow creases into the paper.

His subordinates stood by, holding their breath and waiting. Seeing his expression gradually darken, they spoke up again to remind him.

"Your Excellency, the censors dare not investigate these three cases thoroughly. They involve collateral branches of the imperial family, as well as several long-serving nobles. The connections are intricate, and pulling one hair could affect the whole situation."

"They deliberately timed it after your wedding; they calculated the exact date." The subordinate's tone was tinged with resentment. "You're in your honeymoon period, which is also the time when you're most favored by the Emperor and attract the most attention. If the investigation is too lenient, you'll be accused of having an undeserved reputation. If it's too severe, you'll immediately offend all the nobles and be accused of being too sharp and arrogant."

This is a blatant trap, and everyone is waiting to see Li Xuanzhi find himself in a dilemma.

"The laws of the court are not something to be judged by personal whims." Li Xuanzhi's voice was not loud, but it was firm and resolute. "Why dare we not investigate backlogged cases? Why dare we not pursue oversights? Just because the other party is a member of a collateral branch of the royal family, or a nobleman of the court, does that mean we can blur the truth and lightly cover up their crimes?"

The subordinate bowed his head, saying, "This has always been the usual practice."

"The past is the past."

Li Xuanzhi slammed the dossier shut with a loud, clear sound that silenced the surrounding air.

"Now that I have become an imperial censor, I have no custom of blurring the lines between right and wrong."

"Pass on my orders." Li Xuanzhi's eyes were stern as he ordered in a deep voice, "Re-examine all three cases, reviewing them one by one. Obtain all the complete records, personnel involved, transport logs, and river works rosters. In addition, summon the low-ranking officials and eyewitness laborers involved in the cases to the Censorate for questioning immediately."

Upon hearing this, the subordinate was startled and immediately bowed, accepting the order: "Yes! I will do it immediately!"