The playboy county magistrate

As she spoke, she quickly pulled out the sealed official documents and seized evidence, laying them out layer by layer. She placed them side by side in the center of the table for everyone in the courtroom to examine.

"Furthermore, the checkpoint toll slips and land and water transport records from Yuanshan County over the years, along with the shape, weight, and pattern of the iron billets privately sold by the Jiang family that the government has intercepted from the black market in recent years, can all corroborate each other."

"For the past five years, the Jiang family has been transporting dozens of loads of refined iron every month, bypassing official sales channels and refusing to enter the government's records. They have been smuggling it out secretly at night and selling it on the black market at high prices, deliberately evading the heavy taxes levied by the imperial court and pocketing huge profits!"

"The government sets official iron prices that are affordable and convenient for the people, exclusively for government projects and everyday appliances, with fair pricing. Meanwhile, the Jiang family hoards high-quality iron and resells it on the black market at exorbitant prices. The difference between official and private sources, one low and one high, is staggering. With this single transaction, all the enormous profits end up in the Jiang family's pockets. Tax deficits that should have been turned over to the national treasury are instead borne by the public treasury, a wasteful drain on the court's resources!"

The entire audience was terrified and their breath caught in their throats.

Everyone then realized that the rumors circulating about the new policies, heavy taxes, and government seizure of property were all lies.

The real culprits who exploited the people of Yuanshan County and drained the local tax revenue were the Jiang family, who had been entrenched in the area for decades!

Gu Pan'er did not stop there. Her gaze slowly turned to the group of artisans with complicated expressions below the stage. Her sharp tone suddenly softened, and her voice became earnest and gentle. Every word accurately hit the people's most pressing concerns about their livelihoods.

"My fellow craftsmen, you spend your days by the furnace, your nights hammering away without rest. You toil tirelessly through the heat and cold. You should be earning more for your hard work, receiving generous wages, and living a stable life for your families. But do you know that the Jiang family is using your blood and sweat to embezzle 90% of the black market profits and amass enormous wealth, while only paying you extremely low wages?"

Seeing the growing emotion on everyone's faces, she continued in a deep voice:

"Not only that, they deliberately deduct monthly wages and delay salaries year after year. They exploit the artisans' blood and sweat in every way, leaving them with little pay for their hard work and no means of support."

"As for the recent rumors circulating throughout the city, falsely claiming that the new policies are seizing businesses and that heavy taxes are harassing the people, these are all deliberately spread and incited by the Jiang family!"

The moment those words were spoken, the entire room fell silent. Everyone listened intently, their doubts now fully exposed.

Why are they afraid of and opposed to the new policies?

Gu Pan'er's eyes were clear and her voice was strong and clear as she exposed Jiang's sinister intentions in front of everyone.

"Simply because the new policy requires transparent accounting, public disclosure of industry operations, and clear tax burdens! They fear that state-owned workshops will shut down private furnaces, that they will no longer have the opportunity to conceal production and evade taxes, or engage in smuggling. They fear that this will cut off their avenues for embezzling huge profits and exploiting artisans! Therefore, they deliberately create panic and incite work stoppages and unrest, attempting to obstruct the new policy and deceive the people!"

These words were straightforward and clear, every sentence true, instantly piercing through the fog in everyone's hearts.

The expressions of the people below the hall changed repeatedly, from initial fear and doubt to shock and astonishment, and then to complete realization.

All previous dissatisfaction with the new policies and resentment towards the government vanished, transforming into boundless rage.

Countless gazes were cast upon the pale-faced elder of the Jiang clan and the steward. The crowd was indignant, and a cacophony of voices rose up.

"We've all been fooled by the Jiang family!"

"They work themselves to the bone every day, only to have their wages docked, and in the end, they get all the benefits!"

"Spreading rumors, creating trouble, and exploiting the people—the Jiang family is truly wicked!"

The elders of the Jiang clan instantly turned grim, their hands trembled slightly, and they were already panicked and at a loss.

But they were still unwilling to give up, relying on their family background to try to put up a last-ditch resistance and stubbornly argue their way out.

An elderly clansman gritted his teeth, straightened his chest, and tried to remain calm before letting out a fierce roar.

"Words are meaningless! The ledgers and vouchers you possess may not be genuine! They were all deliberately collected, forged, and fabricated by you to slander my Jiang family! My Jiang family has been rooted in the remote mountains for generations, benefiting our community. We are innocent and will never confess! We will never submit to the law!"

All eyes were focused on the person in the main seat, awaiting Li Xuanzhi's decision.

At this moment, Li Xuanzhi, who had been sitting quietly and observing without saying a word, finally spoke slowly.

His voice was clear and deep, carrying an inherent dignified authority. It was neither too loud nor too soft, yet it exuded an undeniable pressure that instantly drowned out the noise in the room.

"Not guilty?"

He leaned slightly forward, his cold gaze sweeping over the group of Jiang clan members.

"Handwritten receipts for materials entering the mountains, checkpoint records, physical evidence of iron billets seized on the black market, discrepancies in government tax bills over the years, salary records for over three hundred craftsmen, detailed accounts of production and sales discrepancies in the workshop... Every single item is interconnected, with irrefutable evidence. Isn't that enough?"

"For decades, your Jiang family has blatantly evaded taxes, exploited artisans, and oppressed the local people. You have maliciously spread rumors, incited chaos throughout the city, and deliberately obstructed the implementation of new policies! Each and every one of these acts constitutes a serious crime, with irrefutable evidence and clear legal grounds. There is no room for you to deny or defend yourself!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Xuanzhi slammed his hand on the table, and the gavel fell heavily, the loud noise reverberating throughout the hall and awe-inspiring everyone!

"Guards! Immediately seize all of the Jiang family's ironworks and shops, and freeze all of their private assets! Arrest the Jiang family's leaders and thoroughly investigate their decades-long history of corruption and malfeasance, holding them accountable without exception!"

Upon hearing the call, the county yamen runners waiting on both sides of the hall stepped forward with firm steps and imposing manner.

Without the slightest hesitation or cowardice, holding the law token, he went straight forward to arrest the Jiang clan members.

The Jiang clan, which had dominated Yuanshan County for decades and whose power was unmatched, saw its glory vanish in an instant.

The once high-ranking clan elders and stewards were instantly reduced to prisoners awaiting punishment.

His face was deathly pale, and his whole body was trembling; he had lost all his former arrogance.

The others in the hall witnessed the whole thing and felt both ashamed and respectful. They all bowed and clasped their hands in a gesture of respect, their voices earnest and sincere.

"We were foolish and ignorant, easily believing the rumors spread by the Jiang family. In a moment of confusion, we almost wrongly accused the upright official and misunderstood the good policies of the new government! Now that the truth has come to light, we are willing to resume all our work, strictly abide by the regulations of the new government, and never again blindly follow rumors or cause trouble!"

……

Li Xuanzhi oversaw the aftermath at the Yuanshan County government office, quickly organizing and settling matters. All of the Jiang family's private property, including their furnaces and mines, were incorporated into the Pingzhou Prefecture's public assets and brought under the unified regulations of the new Pingzhou policies.

Gu Pan'er stood by the desk, personally sorting out the brand-new public accounting system.

Abandoning the Jiang family's previous corrupt practices of keeping secret records, a transparent ledger has been established. Records are kept daily and monthly, and made public to the people.

This will fundamentally eliminate loopholes in embezzlement and concealment, laying a solid accounting foundation for the new policies in Yuanshan County.

Just as Yuanshan County was getting on track, good news from Changping and Qinghe Counties arrived one after another.

The news first came from Changping County.

After arriving in Changping County, Magistrate Cao carefully followed Li Xuanzhi's strategy of winning hearts and minds and securing the people's livelihood. He did not rush to arrest the troublesome local gentry or forcibly implement government orders.

He carried the new policy documents, the land equalization proclamation, and the tax exemption details, and traveled to all the towns and villages in Changping.

They visited rural areas day and night, directly engaging with ordinary people.