The playboy county magistrate

As night deepened, the inn and its surroundings fell silent.

There were very few guards on display, and the courtyard was dimly lit. It seemed that the defenses were lax and there was no one on guard.

It was past midnight, and the night was cool and the dew was heavy.

A dark figure glided gracefully across the courtyard wall, landing silently and with practiced ease, clearly a seasoned nocturnal spies.

The newcomer was none other than Gao Huai'an's trusted henchman. After scanning the empty courtyard, he bent down and crouched low, stealthily making his way towards the side room in the courtyard.

The room was dimly lit, and through the paper window, two elderly figures could be vaguely seen sitting calmly and without any guard.

The assassin pulled out a short blade from his waist, its blade coated with dark oil. Neither gleaming nor cold, it was specifically designed for silencing witnesses at night.

He held his breath and gently pushed open the window. If he could sneak in silently and quickly, he could end their lives in one move.

Just as the window was about to open, a slight breeze stirred in the courtyard.

Two figures lurking in the shadows suddenly sprang out, their blades slicing through the air silently, precisely blocking the assassins' retreat.

The assassin's expression changed drastically; realizing he had fallen into a trap, he turned to climb over the wall and escape.

late.

On the rooftop, a figure silently watched everything that was happening.

The assassin looked up and saw the person on the roof. His whole body stiffened instantly, and a chill ran through him.

It turns out that the so-called laxity in defense and the opportunity to take advantage were all traps deliberately set by the other side.

"Take it down."

After Tang Zheng spoke, more guards rushed out from all corners and took control of all the sneaky infiltrators.

There were some people that even Gao Huai'an's most trusted henchmen had never seen.

Li Xuanzhi pushed open the door and came out of the main room. Tang Zheng quickly stepped forward and whispered his report:

"Young master, all the men have been captured alive."

Li Xuanzhi ignored the others and walked steadily to Gao Huai'an's trusted bodyguard who was being held down on the ground, looking down at him.

"Did Gao Huai'an send you to silence me?"

His tone was calm, yet it carried an undeniable air of authority.

The assassin lowered his head, gritted his teeth, and kept his lips tightly closed, remaining silent. He was clearly determined to fight to the bitter end.

Li Xuanzhi was not in a hurry to extract a confession.

He leaned down, his fingertips lightly brushing against the secret order hidden at the other's waist. It was marked with a secret mark used by the Canal Transport Bureau and was Gao Huai'an's exclusive token for dispatching his trusted confidants.

With this item present, there is no need for a confession; the evidence is irrefutable.

"Surround the Grand Canal Transport Office overnight." Li Xuanzhi straightened up. "Detain Gao Huai'an."

The government office, which was usually quiet and peaceful after nightfall, was brightly lit tonight.

The guards stood at attention, their cold weapons gleaming with a chilling white light in the candlelight.

Tang Zheng led his team to surround and block all entrances and exits overnight. The guards and soldiers on duty in the yamen were caught off guard and no one dared to make any rash moves. They could only obediently wait for orders.

The candlelight in the study in the back room still flickered. Gao Huai'an sat upright at his desk, his fingertips gripping the teacup tightly. He appeared calm on the surface, but his eyes were already churning with panic.

He calculated the time; he should have succeeded by now, and the inn should be in chaos.

However, the trusted confidants he sent out have not returned for a long time, and not even a single secret message has been sent back.

The unease in his heart gradually amplified, rising like a tide, making it hard for him to breathe.

He suppressed his emotions and tried to comfort himself.

The assassin had followed him for many years; he was skilled, secretive, and rarely made a mistake.

Perhaps there was a delay on the way, or perhaps they were waiting for the best opportunity.

As long as the witness dies, tonight's crisis can be safely over.

Just as his mind was in turmoil, a series of heavy, orderly footsteps suddenly came from outside the courtyard, getting closer and closer.

Gao Huai'an's expression suddenly darkened, and he abruptly raised his eyes. The teacup in his palm trembled slightly, and the tea rippled outwards.

The next moment, the study door was pushed open from the outside. A cool, damp night breeze rushed in, causing the candlelight to flicker violently.

Li Xuanzhi walked in slowly, with armored guards standing on both sides behind him, and a chilling aura instantly filled the entire study.

The moment their eyes met, Gao Huai'an felt a tremendous shock, and his blood almost froze.

He didn't see his trusted confidants, but only a dignified imperial envoy who had broken into the government office at night.

All hope collapsed at that moment.

In a flash, Gao Huai'an swiftly concealed the panic in his eyes. He abruptly stood up, forcibly projecting an expression of astonishment and respect onto his face, and quickly stepped forward to bow in greeting. His manners were impeccable, without the slightest flaw.

"I wonder what brings Your Excellency, the Imperial Censor, to visit so suddenly?"

His tone was calm, and there was no sign of anything unusual about it.

"It is late, and the officials and soldiers in the government office have all gone to bed. If it is official business, we can discuss it again tomorrow morning. I will certainly do my best to cooperate."

Li Xuanzhi stood still, without moving an inch. His gaze remained fixed on his face, clear and sharp, as if it could see through all pretense and scheming.

"The official business is urgent; we can't wait until dawn."

Gao Huai'an felt even more panicked, but he maintained a gentle smile on his face, pretending to be calm.

"You jest, sir. The case files for the old Nanjing canal transport case are damaged and cannot be verified. I already reported the facts during the day. It is late at night, and you should rest after a long day's work. Why bother traveling so late?"

He still tried to use the same words he had given during the day to evade responsibility, attempting to use the incompleteness of the old files as an excuse to shirk all guilt.

Li Xuanzhi pursed his lips slightly, a faint hint of mockery flashing across his face.

This man has been in officialdom for many years; he's smooth-talking, worldly-wise, and extremely thick-skinned. He's the kind of person who won't admit guilt until he's faced with a death sentence, and he would never confess voluntarily.

Li Xuanzhi didn't speak, but simply raised his arm and waved it gently.

Tang Zheng immediately stepped forward and laid out the secret token bearing the mark of the Canal Transport Office's private use, which was found on the body of the assassin, along with the list of witnesses and the confession of the foreman who had been intimidated on the other side of the river embankment that day, on the desk.

Gao Huai'an's gaze suddenly fixed on that familiar token, his pupils contracting sharply. The composed smile on his face froze instantly, the color draining away inch by inch, his face turning deathly pale.

This is indeed the canal transport commander's badge, but it is a secret mark exclusively for his use.

All expenses, as long as one possesses a token bearing this mark, are not recorded in the public accounts or kept in the archives, and ordinary people have no way of obtaining them.

"This...this is a forgery!" He suddenly looked up, his voice rising abruptly.

"This humble official has never used such a thing, much less sent anyone to break into the post station at night to murder witnesses! Your Excellency, relying solely on a token of unknown origin, to surround the government office in the dead of night and frame an official of the court is far too hasty!"

He desperately denied it, attempting to turn the tables and shift all blame onto a frame-up.

Li Xuanzhi looked down at his blustering yet cowardly appearance, his eyes growing colder.

"Forgery?"

He repeated the two words softly, then stepped forward and lightly tapped the offering book on the table with his fingertip.

"On the riverbank, the foreman confessed in court that you secretly instructed people to disperse the crowd and suppress speech, forbidding any discussion of the old river works case. Is this true?"

Gao Huai'an clenched his teeth. "My subordinates are making baseless accusations and deliberately trying to frame me. They are not to be trusted!"

"Two senior river engineers testified that the materials used in the Linghe River repair were of inferior quality, and wages were cut at every level. The purchasing companies were controlled by your relatives, who pocketed the price difference. Is this true?"