Chapter 36: Gritting Teeth in Hatred

After Feng Bangning finished beating people that day, the County Assistant Zhao resigned himself to his bad luck and returned to his office in the County Government Office with his head bowed.

He had been sitting for less than a quarter of an hour when the County Magistrate Lin Cheng walked in.

As soon as they met, Lin Cheng wore a troubled expression and sighed, "Brother Zhao, you have brought a great disaster upon yourself this time."

The County Assistant Zhao flared up instantly, arguing back at the County Magistrate Lin, "I am law-abiding; that Feng Bangning beat a government runner, so how is it that I have brought a great disaster upon myself?"

"That is not what I am talking about." Lin Cheng shook his head, leaned forward, and whispered, "The matter of you using the small bow to measure the land for the commoners, I fear it cannot be kept hidden."

The County Assistant Zhao froze for a moment, stamped his foot, and pointed at Lin Cheng, saying, "What do you mean 'what I did'? Wasn't that ordered by you? I was only acting on orders, and for those commoners who truly had difficulties, I even used the large bow you gave me."

"At this point, do you still think you and I can escape?" Lin Cheng gave a cold laugh and added, "Once the matter is exposed, at best we will be dismissed from office and stripped of our posts, and at worst, our entire families will be exiled."

"This official has a clear conscience."

"What a 'clear conscience'." Lin Cheng clapped his hands, paced back and forth in the office twice, and then said, "You have a clear conscience, but you are also flesh and blood. If the Eastern Depot subjects you to a round of torture, can you withstand it?"

"They... they dare to abuse private torture?" The County Assistant Zhao's face trembled slightly.

"Heh, let alone two small Eighth-Rank officials like us, even those Prefects and Ministry assistants, who doesn't shudder upon seeing the Eastern Depot? This older brother advises you to bring gifts early and go apologize to Feng Bangning, lest he seize upon this matter and refuse to let go."

"I go to apologize to him?" The County Assistant Zhao's face was full of disbelief.

The County Magistrate Lin glanced at the County Assistant Zhao and continued to advise, "Just listen to your older brother's advice: bow your head and swallow your pride."

"What kind of person is Feng Bao? He is the Inner Prime Minister of our Great Ming; even the Senior Grand Secretary would not dare to easily offend him. You, an Eighth-Rank official, dare to challenge him?"

"So what if I am an Eighth-Rank official?!" The County Assistant Zhao's expression changed violently; he knitted his brows, slapped the table, and cursed, "No matter how small our rank is, it was earned step by step through our own efforts in the examinations."

"Feng Bangning is nothing but a ruffian and a scoundrel. Beating a government runner and resisting the imperial court is a heinous crime in itself, yet now it is I who must apologize."

"What justice is left in this world?"

"Hahaha, justice?" The County Magistrate Lin looked at his pedantic assistant, laughed loudly, and couldn't help but mock, "You, a tiny Eighth-Rank official, are you worthy of speaking the word 'justice'? Feng Bao could crush your entire family to death with a single breath."

Upon hearing these words, the County Assistant Zhao felt as if his heart had been kicked several times; it was so painful that he spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Brother Zhao!" The County Magistrate Lin exclaimed.

"I... I am fine." The County Assistant Zhao waved his hand.

Compared to the physical injuries, his heart ached even more intensely.

He had not expected that after studying for over twenty years and finally managing to become a County Assistant, in the end, he was worth less than a eunuch's nephew.

After a long silence, he returned home in a daze, stumbling along the way.

Lady Zhao had already learned the news of her husband being beaten. While helping her husband sit down, she complained, "That land isn't even ours. Couldn't you have been more lenient? Look at how you serve as a County Assistant; you're not even as good as a beggar."

"I would rather be a beggar than wallow in the mire with that bunch of people!"

"This world has always been like this. If you don't join them, they will band together to deal with you," Lady Zhao mocked.

"Cough, cough..."

"Look at your body. If you don't get it treated properly, do you really intend to leave behind your mother, Yue'er, and Yong'er?"

The County Assistant Zhao shook his head, his face haggard like a defeated rooster, and returned to his room. With a "bang," he locked himself inside.

He stayed inside, depressed, for three days before finally coming out.

After coming out, his health deteriorated day by day.

Coupled with the memory of the County Magistrate Lin's threats, he grew more and more fearful. Although he had a clear conscience, he had indeed done those things. If the County Magistrate Lin shifted all the blame onto him, he would be completely ruined.

Rather than that, it would be better to just die.

Exactly fifteen days after he was beaten, the County Assistant Zhao took poison and committed suicide.

Zhang Yunxiu listened to Han San's account, sighed deeply, and confirmed, "Are there any witnesses?"

"Yes," Han San nodded and said, "The Wanping County Registrar Li Neng and the Coroner Ma Laosan can both testify that the County Assistant Zhao died from taking poison himself, which should have nothing to do with Feng Bangning."

"I am asking about the County Magistrate Lin coercing and threatening the County Assistant Zhao."

"This subordinate heard it from Li Neng, who had a good relationship with the County Assistant Zhao. Moreover, the Lictors under the County Assistant Zhao can also testify that after being beaten, the County Assistant Zhao only complained a little, but after his conversation with the County Magistrate Lin, he was a completely different person."

"What a fine Lin Cheng!" Zhang Yunxiu gritted his teeth and cursed, "This muddled official, fawning and flattering his superiors while coercing and threatening his subordinates—he truly is a 'good' official."

Han San and Zhang Fu did not respond.

The matter of the three bows was of great significance and could absolutely not be exposed.

The land survey was a great achievement that the Senior Grand Secretary had expended immense effort to accomplish; this minor flaw was not worth mentioning.

As for the County Assistant Zhao, he could be considered to have died for a cause.

Feng Bao's one thousand taels of silver, plus the posthumous honors, were enough for him to smile in the underworld.

After a long silence, Han San and Zhang Fu exchanged glances, stepped forward, and bowed, saying, "Young Master, the County Magistrate Lin is willing to come forward and testify that the County Assistant Zhao died from taking poison. Can this matter come to an end now?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yunxiu's fists clenched, making a cracking sound.

A muddled official like this does not die, yet a great upright official dies instead.

Now, in order to protect Feng Bangning, he even had to cooperate with that muddled official. Zhang Yunxiu felt an itch in his throat and almost vomited.

He took a few deep breaths, suppressed his nausea, and ordered, "Collect all the evidence, submit it to the Ministry of Justice, and close the case as soon as possible."

"Yes." The two of them let out long sighs of relief.

"By the way, how is the County Assistant Zhao's widow?" Zhang Yunxiu asked suddenly.

"Lady Zhao has already taken her son and daughter back to their hometown in Nanyang."

"Send someone to escort them; it is not safe for a woman on the road."

"As you command." Han San cupped his hands, accepted the order, and left.

"Wait." Zhang Fu called out and pointed to the three long bows on the table.

Han San understood, wrapped the three bows up again, and carried them on his back as he walked out of the University Scholar Mansion.

Seeing that Zhang Yunxiu was still feeling disgusted, Zhang Fu consoled him, "Young Master, one thousand taels of silver for a human life—where else in the entire Great Ming can you find such a price? Sometimes, this subordinate even wishes it were me who died; one thousand taels..."

"Uncle Fu, money is truly not omnipotent sometimes."

"That is because the County Assistant Zhao lacked good fortune. Why must you shed tears for an unrelated person, Young Master? In the Great Ming, there are as many people more miserable and wronged than him as there are hairs on an ox. Even if we wanted to manage it, we couldn't handle it all."

"Indeed, I cannot manage it all." Zhang Yunxiu gave a self-deprecating smile, a cold glint suddenly flashing in his eyes, "But as long as I see it, I cannot ignore it. Feng Bangning is a damnable playboy, but that Magistrate Lin is even more damnable."

"He is merely a small magistrate; at most, after a year or two when the heat dies down, it will be effortless for you, Young Master, to crush him."

(End of chapter)