The playboy county magistrate

Gu Pan'er's fingertips traced the lines of the paper, and her gaze suddenly sharpened.

The county government's standard ledgers had fixed line spacing, ink depth, and signature regulations, and every outgoing transaction and loss was recorded with a receipt.

This forged account, while seemingly conforming to the standard format, has stiff handwriting and misplaced signatures. Most importantly, none of the so-called "private sales records" contain receipts from ordinary people purchasing iron or signatures from craftsmen leaving the warehouse.

There are expenditures but no actual implementation; it's purely a deliberate fabrication.

She wrote furiously, listing the flaws one by one, comparing them with the original records to refute them, and dismantling the loopholes in the fake accounts layer by layer.

The scratching sound of the pen tip gliding across the paper was especially clear in the quiet of the night.

While working at my desk, waves of weariness washed over me, my mind felt heavy, and all my fatigue surged up at that moment.

She shook her head slightly, raised her hand to pinch her brow, and forcibly dispelled her drowsiness.

Now that she is facing stigma, she dares not relax for a moment.

Looking up, she saw through the window that the light was still on in the study next door.

Li Xuanzhi did not rest.

As the night deepened, he sat alone at his desk, quietly reviewing the copy of the charges and the list of false evidence sent by the state government, his posture upright and serene.

No one knew what he was thinking at that moment, and no one could share the heavy burden of the court with him.

Gu Pan'er's heart softened suddenly, a mix of bitterness and admiration swirling within her.

Meanwhile, inside the Diao family's secret room.

Diao Mao received a report from his informant that the county government had sealed the ledgers and detained the witnesses overnight. He instantly understood Li Xuanzhi's plan to break the deadlock, and his eyes became even more sinister.

"Trying to prove one's innocence with a few old accounts and handwritten records is simply too naive."

He sneered and immediately gave the order.

"Pass on my order: bribe idle vagrants outside the city tonight and spread rumors at dawn tomorrow."

"The new policies in Fuyu appear to benefit the people, but in reality, they involve collusion between officials and businessmen. The county magistrate is secretly selling government-owned iron ore to amass private wealth, and the publicly disclosed accounts are all deliberately fabricated!"

Ten days later.

In the capital city, the sky was just beginning to lighten.

Civil and military officials entered the court one after another.

Fan Wuwei stood at the head of the civil officials' line, his expression cold and solemn. He clutched a secret letter tightly in his sleeve, his eyes revealing an unwavering confidence in his victory.

False evidence, witness testimonies, and a blacklist—everything was in place. Everything was ready; all that remained was for the morning court session to begin the proceedings.

The group of conservative nobles exchanged glances, their understanding unspoken.

Previously, they had lost all their debates in the court and their campaigns among the people. But this time, they bypassed all legal arguments and considerations of public opinion, focusing solely on official corruption.

Once this crime is committed, regardless of the advantages or disadvantages of the new policy, or its actual performance, it will be irrelevant.

Once the charges are proven, Li Xuanzhi will be immediately disgraced and dismissed from his post. Without anyone to oversee the new policies in Fuyu County, they will naturally crumble on their own.

At the end of the procession, Pei Yuting and other enlightened civil officials wore solemn expressions and harbored a sense of unease.

Although they were determined to uphold the new policies and strongly supported Li Xuanzhi, they were currently faced with overwhelming evidence, both physical and witness testimony, and a well-documented anonymous complaint. Despite their public support and achievements, they were powerless against the serious crimes committed by officials in the imperial court, leaving them at a loss for what to do.

The emperor sat upright on his dragon throne, overlooking the assembled civil and military officials. His gaze was deep and unfathomable. He had already sensed the eerie atmosphere in the hall and spoke calmly:

"Do any of you ministers have anything to report today?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Fan Wuwei stepped forward. Holding his official tablet, he loudly reported the news, his voice resounding throughout the entire Wenhua Hall.

"Your subject, Fan Wuwei, has submitted a petition to impeach Li Xuanzhi, the magistrate of Fuyu County, and Feng Chongshan, the prefectural governor of Beidi Prefecture!"

"Li Xuanzhi used the guise of the new policies to engage in corrupt practices! He secretly embezzled materials from workshops and privately sold official ironware. He amassed private wealth, undermined official conduct, and deceived the court and the public!"

"Feng Chongshan, the Prefect of Beidi Prefecture, was bribed by him to suppress all the news that was unfavorable to Li Xuanzhi. Fortunately, there were loyal and virtuous people who were not afraid of power and accepted anonymous complaints and secretly sent them to the capital."

"The account books are irrefutable evidence, and the witness testimonies are conclusive! We implore Your Majesty to immediately issue an edict dismissing Li Xuanzhi and Feng Chongshan from their posts and suspending their investigation. We also urge you to abolish the new policies that have created chaos in Fuyu County, to rectify the court's administration and cleanse the bureaucracy!"

Throughout history, the right or wrong of reforms can be debated, and the successes and failures of governance can be discussed, but the corruption of officials is an unforgivable crime punishable by death.

After several defeats in court debates and public opinion, the conservatives finally abandoned the old path of empty talk about etiquette and law, and instead used severe punishments for corrupt officials to lock down the game.

They don't discuss whether the new policies benefit the people, but only punish the private morality of officials. They don't argue about the right or wrong of the overall situation, but only destroy the people in charge.

Once Li Xuanzhi falls from power, the new government of Buyeo will be leaderless.

With countless displaced people and artisans left without a unified command, chaos was inevitable.

At that time, there will be no need for the imperial court to issue an edict to abolish it; the reform will collapse on its own.

The assembled nobles and officials immediately stepped forward to second the motion, and the clamor rose again, filling the palace hall.

"What Lord Fan says is true! The magistrate has violated the law and this cannot be tolerated!"

"How dare a mere seventh-rank county magistrate be so audacious! He's using the guise of reform to line his own pockets—his crime is unforgivable!"

"Your Majesty, please issue an immediate decree to halt the investigation and prevent the spread of chaos in the region!"

At the end of the line, Pei Yuting, his brow furrowed, stepped forward. Facing the assembled dignitaries, he defied the tide and argued his case.

"Your Majesty, I have an objection!"

"Since the implementation of the new policies in Fuyu, the results are obvious and can be seen by all the people. Displaced people have been settled, wasteland has been reclaimed, and iron tools have been made more readily available. The people's livelihood in the county is visibly improving. Where is the talk of chaos?"

"Today's impeachment, based solely on an anonymous petition, a few suspected forged accounts, and testimonies from several displaced people, is far too hasty to sentence a capable county magistrate to death and abolish a beneficial new policy!"

"Anonymous statements can be forged, and common people can be bribed. Without thorough verification and on-site investigation, hastily dismissing officials and abolishing governance would likely discourage the enthusiasm of hardworking officials throughout the country!"

Pei Yuting's rebuttals were all reasonable, but ultimately lacked empirical support.

In the imperial court, physical evidence and legal provisions are paramount. Public support and tangible achievements appear pale and powerless in the face of serious crimes committed by officials.

Fan Wuwei returned the gaze coldly, his tone sharp:

"Editor Pei speaks of the people's sentiments without regard for the ironclad laws of officialdom. The account books, materials, and iron billets are all there as evidence; this is no fabrication! Local officials are abusing their power for personal gain, corrupting regulations. If this is not strictly investigated, future prefectures and counties across the land will follow suit. With rampant private ironworks and embezzlement of public funds, where is the court's discipline?!"

The old and new factions clashed again, and the court was once again deadlocked.

On the dragon throne, the emperor's gaze was deep and somber.

This group of aristocratic nobles, knowing full well that the new policies would benefit the people and that the momentum was already established, and seeing no chance of winning in open competition, resorted to desperate measures. They fabricated false evidence and concocted charges, intending to use imperial power and bureaucratic instability to violently sever the foundation of the reforms.

The killing of Li Xuanzhi alone blocked the path to reform across the country and protected the century-old monopoly of private power held by the aristocratic families.

Since the emperor ascended the throne, he has been hampered at every turn by powerful nobles. The government is bound by old rules, and the people's livelihood is shackled by the aristocratic class.

The new policies in Fuyu were the only glimmer of hope he could see to break the deadlock, and he would never allow the old guard to extinguish it.

However, as an emperor, he needed to weigh the political situation and abide by the law. He could not openly show favoritism or show partiality to officials.

Without concrete evidence to clear their name, forcibly protecting them will only give others ammunition to criticize them. Confirming the charges of "condoning corruption and interfering with official conduct" would be counterproductive.

After a few breaths of silence, the emperor, seated on the dragon throne, slowly spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it instantly silenced the clamor in the hall.

"What you have said is in accordance with the law."

"Without a clean bureaucracy, there can be no order to govern the court. Without stable new policies, there can be no peace and security for the people."

He strikes a perfect balance, neither favoring the reformers nor conforming to the old guard, his words subtly conveying a profound sense of checks and balances.

"Issue my decree."