The playboy county magistrate

"When you ask me questions, I will answer truthfully and without any evasion or concealment."

"But may I ask you, Your Excellency, is the court's strict prohibition against private mining aimed at personal gain, or at promoting government-run projects that benefit the people and provide relief to displaced people?"

Feng Chongshan frowned suddenly and said coldly:

"The law is written in black and white, prohibiting private mining and smelting in local areas. Why resort to sophistry and deception? Rules are rules!"

"Rules also have reason and emotion, and laws also consider advantages and disadvantages." Li Xuanzhi spoke with certainty and clarity.

"Fuyu County is covered in wasteland, and in previous years, ironware was monopolized by the local gentry. They inflated prices, exploited and oppressed the people. The scarcity of farming tools led to stagnation in agriculture, and the resulting poverty fueled the influx of migrants. Year after year, farmers were encouraged to farm, yet the land remained barren. This was all due to the shackles of old rules!"

"My purpose in sealing off the barren mountains is not for personal gain, but to reclaim public land for the government. My purpose in establishing iron smelting facilities is not for profit, but to produce ironware to benefit the people. My purpose in gathering artisans is not to build power, but to rectify craftsmanship and ensure the well-being of the people!"

"The entire process was government-managed and transparently accounted for, with no secrets hidden. I ask you, Your Excellency, what crime has been committed in such a policy of governing well and bringing peace to the people?"

Li Xuanzhi's words left Feng Chongshan speechless.

Feng Chongshan thought that he could force the young county magistrate to confess his crimes simply by holding him accountable from a superior position.

To everyone's surprise, Li Xuanzhi not only showed no fear, but also dared to argue his point and ask questions back.

The onlookers heard it clearly, and their initial fear gradually subsided, their eyes filled with admiration and trust for Li Xuanzhi.

Diao Mao stood in the crowd, his face slightly grim, and he inwardly knew something was wrong.

In all his years as an official, when had Feng Chongshan ever been so defied by a subordinate?

What's more, the person who contradicted him was a spoiled brat who came from a wealthy family through purchasing an official position!

Feng Chongshan's expression gradually turned cold, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes, and he said coldly:

"Eloquent and persuasive! The law is strict; how can you arbitrarily twist it? I have heard that you forcibly sealed off the mountain, which previously led to a people's siege of the government office and nearly sparked a popular uprising. Is this true?"

Li Xuanzhi nodded frankly, without any attempt to conceal anything.

"There was indeed a mass petition, but it was by no means a sign of widespread public discontent."

He turned to the side and raised his hand, gesturing for Feng Chongshan to look at the thick volumes of documents that Tang Zheng and the two constables had just carried over.

"My lord, please take a look. This is the 'Records of the Governance of Fuyu,' the 'Petitions of the People of Fuyu,' the confessions of the gentry, and the documents of their resource donations."

"The previous petition was because the Diao family and other local gentry were afraid that the new policy would cut off their huge profits, so they spread rumors and misled the public, intending to use public opinion to force the government to withdraw its policies."

After the incident, the local gentry, realizing their wrongdoing, confessed and repented, donating resources, grain, and goods to atone for their sins, and voluntarily sharing the responsibility of overseeing the new policies.

"Now the people live in peace and prosperity, and refugees from nearby counties have also found a way to make a living in Fuyu County. All the people in the city are grateful for the benefits of the new policies."

The case files were neatly stacked, containing witness testimonies, physical evidence, confessions, and records.

Feng Chongshan's gaze swept over the case file, his expression growing increasingly grim.

He finally realized that things were completely different from what Diao Mao had described in his whistleblower letter.

There was no absurdity of recklessly disturbing mountains and tombs, no chaos of disturbing the people and disrupting the government, and no collapse caused by widespread public resentment.

Diao Mao, who was in the distance, felt his heart suddenly clench and his face turned deathly pale.

He wrote a letter to Feng Chongshan, falsely accusing Li Xuanzhi, the magistrate of Fuyu County. However, he concealed the fact that he had instigated a disturbance, spread rumors, and publicly confessed his crimes.

Diao Mao was not entirely unaware of Feng Chongshan's personality.

If he hadn't mentioned the Chengen Earl's Mansion in his letter, and mentioned that he had a decent relationship with the eldest son of the Chengen Earl's Mansion, why would Feng Chongshan have been willing to make this trip?

Feng Chongshan was somewhat autocratic and disliked his officials being too reckless or too outstanding, as this would affect his authority and control in the northern region.

Now that Feng Chongshan knows he was tricked into coming, he naturally won't go after the eldest son of the Marquis of Chengen in the capital.

But dealing with a country gentleman like him, who could be crushed with a flick of his finger at any moment, was incredibly easy.

After all, even a new official like Li Xuanzhi, who knew nothing about the counties and towns near Fuyu, was able to strike at the lifeline of the Diao family. How could Feng Chongshan, who had been rooted in the north for many years, not know the Diao family's background?

The Diao family is probably doomed.

"Even if it truly benefits the people, it is still an unauthorized opening of a government-run mountain, violating regulations from the outset!"

"Without imperial permission or official documents from the prefecture, local authorities have illegally established mines and smelted iron, which is a violation of the law! Merit is merit, and crime is crime, but Magistrate Li, you are still culpable!"

Although Feng Chongshan was being used by others, he knew that now was not the time to pursue the matter.

What we need to do now is to address the issue at hand.

They came all this way, all that arrogance to condemn someone, only to leave in disgrace?

How is that possible!

The onlookers were once again on tenterhooks, their hands clenched tightly, secretly sweating for Li Xuanzhi.

On the steps, Li Xuanzhi's eyes gleamed with a sharp glint.

That's exactly what he was waiting for.

Li Xuanzhi slowly raised his hand, took out the sealed second copy of the "Memorial on Promoting Mining and Ensuring the People's Well-being," and presented it to Feng Chongshan with both hands.

"Your Excellency says that merits cannot outweigh faults, and I accept that. But today, I present this memorial in court not to seek acquittal, but only to have it heard by the Emperor!"

Li Xuanzhi had already sent someone to deliver a memorial to the capital ahead of time, but he was 99 percent certain that the memorial would never be submitted.

But if it were a memorial submitted by this important official from the north, few would dare to obstruct it.

"The new policies for Fuyu are not arbitrary actions; they are a benevolent policy to alleviate poverty in the county, provide for displaced people, curb the influence of local gentry, and benefit the common people!"

"If the imperial laws only adhere to old rules and ignore the people's plight, and only follow old precedents without promoting their livelihoods, then these old laws that shackle the world and impoverish the people and counties should be reformed according to local conditions and the prevailing trend!"

"Your Excellency is the benefactor of all the people in the counties and towns of the North. Serving under Your Excellency, I am naturally willing to share your burdens. The good days of all the counties and towns depend entirely on Your Excellency. I humbly request Your Excellency to convey this to the Emperor and grant Fuyu permission to be a pilot area for implementing the new policies!"

Feng Chongshan's pupils shrank suddenly, his face filled with disbelief.

This Li Xuanzhi is actually willing to give me such a great achievement for nothing?

If he were to relay this memorial, the person who came up with the best idea would be him, Feng Chongshan, not Li Xuanzhi.

As for Li Xuanzhi, he will only be required to cooperate in promoting the new policies. Can Li Xuanzhi really be willing to do that?

In the blink of an eye, Feng Chongshan's thoughts were racing.

He originally believed that Li Xuanzhi was a young and arrogant official who had arbitrarily changed ancestral rules.

Whether it was done at someone else's request or from their own heart, they were determined to investigate and punish the matter severely.

This would both give the Marquis of Jingzhong an explanation and curb the unruly behavior in the local area.

But Li Xuanzhi's words at this moment completely shattered his preconceived notions.

He relinquished all credit for the new policies and the reputation for reform, taking all the credit for himself.

This is no ordinary, inexperienced county magistrate who only knows how to use words; he is clearly a brilliant man who is well-versed in the ways of officialdom and knows how to leverage power!

Fame, achievements, and prestige at court—all would belong to him. Risks, criticism, and censure from the old guard would all be borne by Li Xuanzhi. Such an incredible opportunity would be enough to tempt any high-ranking official in the prefecture.

Feng Chongshan's originally cold and rigid face softened slightly, and the murderous intent and sense of responsibility in his eyes quickly faded, replaced by a deep sense of weighing options and calculations.