The playboy county magistrate

Liu Yunrou can accept bearing the stigma and becoming a pawn.

They can endure betrayal and alienation, and they can bear the injustices.

But they cannot stand idly by and watch thousands of innocent people fall into the abyss because of their own selfish greed.

Li Xuanzhi's leniency and warnings during the day echoed in my ears again and again.

He knew she was not in control of her own destiny, so he did not blame her for being a pawn.

Even with his meticulous planning, he could not prevent the vicious schemes lurking in the shadows.

Without accurate intelligence, the deployment of government troops is ultimately too broad, making it difficult to precisely block all the nodes where various families are causing trouble.

Once unrest breaks out, damage is inevitable.

With this thought in mind, the last hesitation in Liu Yunrou's eyes completely vanished.

She rose, removed her elegant dress, and changed into a coarse black outfit. Her long hair was simply tied up to conceal her movements at night.

Liu Yunrou secretly increased the dosage of benzoin she had learned to make when she was studying incense, causing the guards outside to fall into a deep sleep. Then she raised her hand to extinguish the candle, and under the cover of darkness, during a break in the guards' shifts, she pushed open the back window and silently jumped out.

The backyard of the Liu family was next to a secluded alley. The night was as dark as ink, and there was no one around.

All the guards in the mansion were stationed at the main gate and the main road in the front yard. No one would have thought that this seemingly weak and already tamed eldest daughter would escape in the middle of the night.

She moved with light steps, disappearing into the shadows of the alleyways.

Avoiding the night patrol, I held my breath and hurried along, running quickly towards the Pingzhou government office.

From then on, she was no longer Liu Yunrou, the obedient and docile eldest daughter of the Liu family. Instead, she was an ordinary citizen who did not want to see the people suffer or the righteous path fall apart.

……

Inside the government office, the lights were on all night long.

The desk was piled high with field records and inspection files from various counties in Pingzhou.

Li Xuanzhi sat upright in the main seat, his fingertips lightly tapping the newly unfolded map of Pingzhou.

His gaze was deep and thoughtful as he surveyed the layout of every inch of Pingzhou.

Tang Zheng stood beside him, holding the latest patrol report, and said softly:

"All officers and soldiers on duty in each county are in place, grain and seed warehouses are fortified at multiple levels, and the field measurement process is fully publicized and documented. Shadow guards are stationed at key points in each township, closely monitoring the movements of the servants of each ethnic group. Any unusual activity can be reported immediately."

"It's just that the Liu family suddenly mobilized a large number of people and contacted various clans. Their movements were secretive and orderly, and it was definitely not a simple act of provocation."

Tang Zheng's eyes were sharp, and his tone was grave. "We can't pinpoint the exact timing or the point at which we might rebel."

Magistrate Cao, with a solemn expression, cupped his hands and said:

"I have also increased manpower to investigate day and night, but the various tribes are becoming more and more cautious, and all their secret plots are hidden in the shadows, making it extremely difficult to obtain evidence. We have been unable to uncover the core of their schemes."

They can anticipate crises and deploy meticulous defenses. Yet, they can only react passively.

Li Xuanzhi's gaze was calm as his fingertips slowly traced the key rural grain storage routes on the map, and he spoke softly.

"He has nowhere to retreat, so he will inevitably take a desperate measure. This man has spent his life scheming against people's hearts and minds, and he is well-versed in the rules of the countryside. He is most adept at using the people's hearts to create chaos, and his target will inevitably be the most fundamental and vital part of the new policy, which is closest to the people's lives."

Just as the three were planning their defenses, a bodyguard entered the hall in a low voice to report.

"My lord, a woman dressed in black has come to see me late at night. She claims to know about the important plots of the various tribes, which are crucial to the situation in Pingzhou in three days."

Upon hearing this, all three showed slight changes in their expressions.

He sought an audience late at night, learning of the treasonous plot. The timing was too coincidental, as it concerned the overall situation three days later.

A hint of wariness flashed in Tang Zheng's eyes.

"Breaking into the government office late at night is likely a trap set in the name of feigned surrender, with the intention of murder."

Li Xuanzhi hesitated for a moment, vaguely guessing the identity of the newcomer, and slowly said, "Let her in."

A moment later, a figure in black was led into the inner hall.

Liu Yunrou stood under the lamplight, her hair slightly disheveled and her clothes lightly dusty.

She had shed the elegance and nobility of a noble lady from a prominent family, and a hint of resolute and open-mindedness had appeared between her brows.

She looked up at the upright and honest young minister in the hall, her eyes filled with no scheming or cowardice, only composure and guilt.

The faint red marks from the slap during the day were still noticeable, especially clear under the bright candlelight, making her features appear even more thin and forlorn.

Before anyone could ask, Liu Yunrou stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"I, Liu Yunrou, have ventured into the yamen late at night and disturbed you, sirs and officials. I have no choice but to accept my punishment."

Her voice was clear and bright, devoid of its usual gentle and soft tone, but instead imbued with a resolute determination born of having faced dire circumstances.

"But today's matter concerns the safety of all the people of Pingzhou. I dare not conceal anything and have come here to report the truth. If possible, I beg you to consider my sincere surrender and treat the Liu family leniently."

Li Xuanzhi looked at her quietly, his expression calm. He didn't give Liu Yunrou any guarantees, but simply said:

"Speak frankly."

Liu Yunrou knew that her sudden arrival put her at a disadvantage. Now was not the best time for her to set conditions and manipulate people at will.

not to mention……

Liu Yunrou raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping over the neatly arranged map of Pingzhou and the heavy ledgers of people's livelihood on the table. She understood that Li Xuanzhi, this official, was not entirely in a passive state.

If I tell her everything I know now, I might save her some face and be a little better to the Liu family.

If he were to remain aloof and refuse to say anything until he saw a benefit, Li Xuanzhi would not tolerate it and would definitely order someone to send him back to the Liu family in good condition.

I dare not even think about what awaits me then.

Liu Yunrou calmed herself down and tried to speak in a gentle tone so that no one could hear her worry and tension.

"Three days later, all county governments in the prefecture will uniformly distribute grain seeds and conduct land reclamation and surveying. My grandfather will join forces with the other major families to go to different places to incite refugees and foolish people with poor minds to deliberately create chaos and fighting in the fields of various villages."

"They would secretly send people to burn government-issued grain seeds and trample newly cultivated farmland. They deliberately created the illusion that the new policies were disturbing the people and that the harshness of officials was forcing the people to rebel."

"Their ultimate goal is to incite public resentment and erode trust between officials and the people."

The night was deep, and a storm was brewing.

The previously gloomy and unpredictable road ahead suddenly became clear and bright.

Li Xuanzhi raised his eyes to look out at the deep night, a sharp glint appearing in his eyes, resolute and piercing.

Since the other party is determined to take the risk, he will go along with it this time.

"Tang Zheng, escort Miss Liu back, please be sure to be safe."

Although Li Xuanzhi didn't completely believe Liu Yunrou's words, he still felt it was good to prepare more, just to fill in any gaps.

Li Xuanzhi raised his hand, his fingertips emphatically tracing across several rural fields and grain distribution points on the map of Pingzhou spread out on the table, before issuing a command in a deep voice.

"Commander Feng, listen to my command."

Lieutenant Feng has risen in rank along with Li Xuanzhi and is no longer a minor county lieutenant.

At that moment, he straightened his body, cupped his hands, and stood respectfully: "Your humble servant is here!"

"Immediately mobilize all officers and soldiers on duty throughout the prefecture, and change from a general deployment to fixed-point posts and zoned garrisons."

Li Xuanzhi had sharp eyes and made precise arrangements for defenses.

"Each family's corresponding village fields, grain storage areas, and market streets were guarded by three layers of personnel. Ostensibly, they were protecting the grain and reassuring the villagers. Secretly, they were keeping a close watch on the movements of the family retainers and displaced people."

"Anyone who deliberately provokes trouble, stirs up trouble, or intentionally damages crops or fields shall be arrested and detained on the spot without any argument or request for permission. All witnesses and evidence shall be collected throughout the process, leaving no stone unturned."