The playboy county magistrate

Gu Pan'er was bent over her desk checking documents when Li Xuanzhi slowly walked in from outside.

Before the two could exchange a single word, the sound of rapid hoofbeats suddenly came from outside the courtyard.

The courier arrived at breakneck speed, raising clouds of dust. The crimson official letter, delivered with the utmost urgency, traveled 800 li (approximately 400 kilometers) and went straight to the main hall of the county government.

Magistrate Cao's expression changed drastically, and he dared not delay. He hurried to his study in the backyard, his steps hurried and no longer as composed as before.

"My lord! Urgent report from the prefectural government!"

County Magistrate Cao pushed open the door and entered, holding a tightly sealed urgent document in his hands, his face extremely solemn.

"Someone anonymously wrote a complaint and submitted it to the prefectural government, along with tattered account books, smuggled iron slabs, and witness testimonies. The complaint accused the officials of using the new policies as a pretext to embezzle workshop materials, secretly sell government iron, and enrich themselves!"

"Lord Feng sent a letter saying that he received news from the capital before he even received the petition. Judging by the dates, the Censorate in the capital will impeach him in court tomorrow morning!"

Li Xuanzhi took the official letter and slowly unfolded it. His gaze swept over the few lines of charges and false evidence, his expression calm and composed, without a trace of panic or astonishment, only a cold understanding flashing deep in his eyes.

It's finally here.

"The anonymous charges are a mixture of truth and falsehood. The physical evidence is complete, and the witnesses are present," Li Xuanzhi continued calmly.

"Diao Mao finished up the work in Fuyu County, while the old guard in the capital started the fire in the central government. The coordinated efforts from top to bottom and the meticulous planning at each level showed that a lot of thought was put into it."

"Sir, were all those incidents they caused the other day just a distraction?"

Gu Pan'er looked up abruptly upon hearing the sound, her heart tightening instantly. The tips of her fingers holding the pen turned white in an instant, and the ink spread into a small black spot on the paper.

If even Gu Pan'er could figure it out, how could Li Xuanzhi not have thought of this?

If those court officials only know how to engage in such petty tricks, they are not worthy of standing in the court for so many years.

Li Xuanzhi nodded slightly, "They never intended for their little tricks to succeed. They were just trying to create confusion. If they actually fall for it, it would be a pleasant surprise."

After the emperor decided to observe Fuyu County, Li Xuanzhi knew that among the people who gradually appeared in Fuyu County, there must be several factions of informants.

All those actions and petty tricks were simply meant to create chaos and prevent everyone from understanding the situation.

If he happens to manage to lure the emperor's spies in, then the old-fashioned officials won't need to rush into action; a little push will be enough to sow discord between him, a lowly county magistrate, and the emperor.

Although their relationship is not close now, it is a consensus among all court officials to take precautions.

Otherwise, those talented but poor students would have already achieved great success.

They abandoned the despicable methods of disrupting the city and spreading rumors.

Instead of dwelling on public opinion and criticism, they used anonymous accusations and fabricated evidence to directly point to the most fatal crime of corruption committed by officials.

Rumors in the streets can be dispelled, and public criticism can be resolved. But once one is accused of privately selling official iron or embezzling, one has crossed the red line of the imperial court and violated the rules of official governance.

Even with the support of the people and numerous achievements, one cannot escape the consequences of being held accountable by the imperial court and having their career ruined.

Magistrate Cao was so anxious that his brows furrowed and he paced anxiously in circles.

"Although the other side has a lot of false evidence, it is deliberately fabricated! We will immediately compile a complete set of public ledgers, material registers, and distribution receipts, and send them to the state government overnight to refute them, thus proving our innocence!"

"No rush."

Li Xuanzhi raised his hand and pressed down on Cao, the county magistrate, who immediately rolled up his sleeves to organize the case files, his tone calm and resolute.

"The more hastily I try to prove myself, the easier it is for me to fall into their trap. What they want is for me to panic, make a hasty rebuttal, and expose my weaknesses. Then they will use this opportunity to fabricate more charges to convince me that I am guilty and have confessed."

The old guard's strategy is never about short-term wins or losses, but about gradually driving their opponents to their doom.

First, they fabricated charges against local officials anonymously, then they used the censors to impeach them and exert pressure, ultimately forcing local officials into chaos.

Any slight oversight in the rebuttal could lead to escalating consequences, ranging from holding those responsible for corruption accountable to dismissing officials and completely abolishing the new policies.

Gu Pan'er, who was standing to the side, steadied herself, quickly stepped forward, bowed, and spoke in a serious tone, her voice soft yet each word firm and resounding:

"My lord, I am willing to investigate this matter thoroughly immediately, day and night."

"The forged accounts must be based on real material losses and normal process depreciation, grafted with false private sales records. I handle the accounts day and night and am familiar with all the details of entry and exit, the rules for signing, and the handwriting. In just one day and one night, I can dismantle the false evidence one by one, find the flaws, and produce a complete and clear list."

She looked up at Li Xuanzhi, all the shyness and tenderness of her feelings gone, leaving only pure determination and sincerity in her eyes.

When danger struck, she was powerless to protect him, nor did she have the authority to aid him. All she had were her accounting skills and a sincere heart.

Even if it takes all night long, even if it takes all my energy, I will tear down the veil and clear his name.

This was the most sincere and unwavering protection she could offer.

Li Xuanzhi turned to look at her and saw the resolute yet gentle light in her eyes, her pale yet determined brows and eyes, and his heart stirred slightly.

The people of the city trusted him because his political achievements were obvious, and the officials of the prefecture and county were willing to do their best to help him because they saw that his measures were beneficial. The powerful and influential people in the court were worried about the general trend of the new policies and took precautions to suppress him.

Only this woman before him disregarded the pros and cons of the situation, and ignored the uncertainties of the future. She only believed in his pure heart and was willing to give her all.

"it is good."

Li Xuanzhi nodded slowly, his tone gentle yet resolute.

"But you should go back and rest now. You will be in charge of checking the accounts at night, and Magistrate Cao will also come to help investigate the false evidence."

"First, we will immediately seal up the original files of the workshop from the past three months and keep them sealed and recorded throughout the entire process to prevent the possibility of the other party framing or tampering with them."

"Second, summon the three vagrant witnesses who signed their statements overnight and place them in separate quarters. Do not interrogate, torture, induce, or coerce them. Only take factual notes to prevent them from being silenced, colluding, or recanting their testimonies."

"Third, compile the previously published drafts, the testimonies of the people, and the list of workshop guarantors. Integrate the complete chain of evidence and deliver it directly to the state government first thing tomorrow morning, with a copy sent to the central government."

As night deepened, Fuyu County fell into complete silence.

No one patrolled the streets and alleys, except for the brightly lit county government office.

Gu Pan'er spread out several thick stacks of original ledgers, material lists, and sales receipts, covering the entire table.

The candlelight flickered, illuminating her lowered eyes. Her cheeks were thin and delicate, and the dark circles under her eyes hadn't faded much, making it clear that she hadn't been resting properly.

Gu Pan'er was trembling with anger.

The forged ledger was indeed cunning and ruthless.

The entire document is not entirely fabricated; most of the material loss and iron ore output data are actual figures reported by the workshop that month.

Only a few records of clandestine sales were quietly added to the last page, along with forged private sale stamps and pieced together fragmented iron billet evidence and confessions from displaced people.

To the untrained eye, it appears flawless; even seasoned officials could easily be fooled.

Gu Pan'er handled all the accounting, and she knew every single income and expenditure and every regulation by heart.