The playboy county magistrate

"My lord, will you really grant the request of the young lady from the Liu family?"

Listening to Magistrate Cao's words, Li Xuanzhi tapped lightly on the table with his hand.

"What she just asked for was leniency for her people. But the law is as firm as a mountain; the ringleader must be punished, but those who are coerced may be forgiven."

Li Xuanzhi continued speaking slowly, his attitude clear.

"The core members of this clan who were the masterminds, instigators, and instigators of this rebellion, and who deliberately destroyed grain and caused chaos among the people, are unforgivable and must be severely punished according to the law."

"But the elderly, women, children, and those who did not participate in the conspiracy or join the rebellion will not be implicated."

Make fair decisions that take into account both reason and emotion.

There is neither boundless leniency nor absolute harshness. It upholds the dignity of national law while also respecting human considerations.

Magistrate Cao sighed, "With your words, if everything Miss Liu said today is true, then all her adventures and struggles have been worthwhile."

"The roads are dark at night, and the Liu residence must be heavily guarded. I only hope that Tang Zheng can protect her and ensure she returns home safely, without anyone noticing that she left the residence late at night to surrender to the government."

Once the head of the Liu family learns the truth, he will surely be enraged and will not hesitate to personally harm his own granddaughter to vent his anger.

……

As night deepened, the streets and alleys fell silent.

Dressed in a dark, close-fitting outfit, Tang Zheng remained hidden in the shadows, silently protecting Liu Yunrou as they made their way closer to the high walls of the Liu family estate through the dimly lit alleyways.

The Liu family mansion was still brightly lit, and the faint sounds of low discussions and the footsteps of patrolling servants could be heard from inside.

Reaching the window in the backyard, Liu Yunrou stopped, turned around, and nodded gently to Tang Zheng in the shadows, silently indicating that she was safe and sound.

Tang Zheng nodded slightly, paused, and disappeared into the deeper night, silently returning to the government office to report back.

Liu Yunrou looked up at the deep night sky, her heart no longer filled with hesitation or struggle.

Grandfather, clansmen, a century-old business...

She has protected everything she could.

She raised her hand and gently pushed open the window, turning back into the house, falling back into the magnificent cage that had imprisoned her for more than a decade.

Night was ending and dawn was breaking.

Inside the Pingzhou government office, Li Xuanzhi's arrangements had been fully communicated, and the entire region's defenses were now in place.

Magistrate Cao, looking at the rapidly transmitted garrison report in his hand, finally relaxed after days of tension, cupped his hands, and said with a sigh:

"Sir, the checkpoints and personnel arrangements are now all in place."

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Pingzhou appeared calm on the surface for the past three days, but undercurrents were surging beneath.

Today marks the distribution of standardized grain seeds and the verification and measurement of the new fields.

Before dawn, the people got up and, carrying their farm tools, rushed to various villages, markets, and demonstration areas of fertile fields.

The roadside was bustling with people, laughter and chatter, and everyone's face was filled with anticipation for a better future.

Just a few months ago, these were barren, abandoned fields and private lands of gentry and local bullies. Now, they have all been equally distributed among the people, ready to be cultivated.

The government distributed high-quality grain seeds free of charge and exempted the people of Pingzhou from heavy taxes and corvée labor. These were the most peaceful and secure days the people of Pingzhou had experienced in decades.

At the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), Li Xuanzhi, dressed in official robes, stood on a high platform in the demonstration area of ​​ten thousand acres of fertile farmland on the outskirts of the city.

Tang Zheng stood by his side, his hand on his sword, his expression cold and stern, his gaze sweeping across the entire scene.

The shadow guards scattered and concealed themselves in the shadows, silently watching those in the crowd who had strange expressions or were acting suspiciously.

The magistrate of Cao County, along with a group of county and prefectural officials, stood on both sides, each performing their duties.

The crowd below was orderly and quiet, with no one making a sound. They all waited silently for the government to distribute the seeds and verify the fields.

On the outskirts of the crowd, several inconspicuous figures stood silently, their expressions sinister, completely out of place with the jubilation of the people around them.

The head of the Liu family stood under the oldest locust tree at the farthest point, dressed in a plain long robe.

He appeared to be casually observing the ceremony, but his fingertips were clenched tightly, and his knuckles turned white.

Beside him, the heads of the other major families also stared intently at the commotion, waiting for the right moment to launch a collective attack.

"The time is almost here, are all the personnel in place?"

The head of the Liu family asked in a low voice, though he tried to remain calm, his tone still betrayed his excitement.

"Don't worry, Lord Liu, all the staff at the eight grain storage yards are in place."

The person beside him whispered back, "If there's a single movement here, uprisings will break out everywhere at once. They'll burn grain, trample fields, and incite rumors. Even if the government had divine power, it would be difficult to prevent it all!"

Someone else chimed in with a sneer: "Today, with the people gathered, is the perfect time. Just create a disturbance, and the people will be terrified upon witnessing it firsthand. Then rumors will spread, and everyone will believe the new policies' claims of oppression and the officials' harshness!"

Greed and ruthlessness filled everyone's eyes, completely ignoring the peace and stability of countless families and the promising future of the people.

In their eyes, the joy of the people and the clarity of the world are stumbling blocks that powerful families must crush.

The head of the Liu family nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on Li Xuanzhi on the high platform, a sinister sneer curling at the corner of his lips.

A young man who achieved great success and gained fame for his integrity has ruined the foundation of our gentry family...

Today, the new policies you personally forged and promoted will crumble inch by inch before your very eyes!

Meanwhile, in a secluded spot to the side and rear of the crowd.

Liu Yunrou, dressed in a simple cloth dress, stood quietly among the ordinary village girls.

She insisted on coming to the ceremony with her clansmen today, partly to avoid suspicion and dispel the suspicions of the Liu family head.

Secondly, witnessing the downfall of the Liu family firsthand will help them learn from their mistakes and avoid dwelling on things they shouldn't.

For the past three days, she had been compliant and patient, allowing her grandfather and clansmen to indulge in the illusion of victory, in exchange for today's good opportunity to no longer be confined and to leave the mansion.

On the high platform, Li Xuanzhi slowly stepped forward, his clear voice penetrating the entire venue, reaching every inch of the land and every person's ear.

"Today, there is no official regalia, no empty formalities or empty talk."

"Only by publicly announcing the acreage, distributing grain seeds, and clarifying tax regulations, can we return the land to the people, benefit them, and provide them with a place to live in peace. From now on, Pingzhou will be free from the land annexation by gentry and local bullies, free from exorbitant taxes and exploitation, and free from displaced people. All diligent farmers will be able to live and work in peace and contentment without worrying about food and clothing."

Every sentence is simple, yet every word is heartwarming.

The crowd below the stage erupted in cheers, everyone's faces lit up, and shouts of encouragement rose and fell.

It was this jubilation of the masses that truly ignited the rage within the powerful and influential families.

The head of the Liu family's face darkened, and he shouted in a low, stern voice.

"Let's do it!"

Someone, holding a torch, pretended to panic and rushed towards the pile of grain seeds.

Some people gathered and shouted, deliberately inciting emotions, and yelling that the new policies were disturbing the people and that officials were oppressing them.

Some people rushed into the newly cultivated fields, trampling the seedlings and damaging the ridges.

Suddenly, chaos erupted at all eight grain storage sites. Dust filled the air, and a clamor arose.

But the expected panic and the government's passive defensive posture did not materialize the next second.

Conversely, at the eight locations where disturbances occurred, officers and soldiers who had been waiting suddenly surrounded them.

The armored vehicles clanged and moved in perfect unison, locking down the area of ​​disturbance layer by layer, as planned.

The troublemakers were all confined to a small space, with no one allowed to escape and the chaos prevented from spreading even slightly.

"By order of the lord! Seize them on the spot! Preserve the evidence! Innocent civilians must not be harmed!"