Chapter 119

Hu Xiaotian smiled, eyes narrowing as he glanced around the crowd, nodded and said: "Today is my first day taking office in Qingyun Xian. I should have first paid respects to Xu Sir, who would introduce me to everyone, but Xu Sir is tied up with official duties and not here, so I have to introduce myself."

Everyone remained silent. In the government office today, Hu Xiaotian undoubtedly held the highest rank; no one knew his cards or understood his temperament, so staying silent was the wisest course. Hu Xiaotian gave a glance; Liang Da Zhuang and Murong Feiyan, one holding the official seal, the other holding the appointment document from the Ministry of Personnel, walked down and presented them one by one to everyone.

Hu Xiaotian said: "From now on we'll work together in this government office. I am naturally frank; to earn trust I must treat others sincerely. You have all examined the seal and documents carefully—don't ever say I'm an impostor, hahaha!" He laughed himself, his voice echoing in the hall for a long time, yet no one responded.

These clerks already sensed that this young assistant magistrate Sir seemed hostile, his whole body exuding arrogance and conceit.

After proving his identity, Hu Xiaotian beckoned to Guo Shouguang, who hurried over. Hu Xiaotian said: "Xu Sir is so busy; as assistant magistrate I ought to share his worries. What needs my help?"

Guo Shouguang said with an apologetic smile: "Hu Sir, you've traveled all the way from the capital, crossing mountains and rivers, exhausted from the long journey. I think you should rest first before we talk. Today at noon we've reserved a table at the Wild Goose Pavilion to welcome you and cleanse the dust of travel."

Hu Xiaotian shook his head and said: "I'm not tired. Serving in office one term, I dare not say I'll benefit a region, but at least I must fulfill my duties. My term starts today, so naturally I should begin work today. Are there any pending cases recently?"

Guo Shouguang laughed and shook his head: "Hu Sir, before you arrived, our county's public order has been very good. Although there are many ethnic groups, we have long lived in peace; the people dwell and work in contentment, nothing is lost on the road, doors are not barred at night. For quite a while no one has filed a lawsuit." His remark carried a double meaning: on one hand he boasted about Qingyun Xian's good security; on the other he hinted to Hu Xiaotian that if security were bad, it would be because of his arrival.

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "Xu Sir truly knows how to govern." He silently cursed Guo Shouguang for flattering himself; over the past two days he had already gotten a rough picture of Qingyun Xian's situation—no one files lawsuits because you clerks are too corrupt, eating the plaintiff then the defendant, leaving the common folk too afraid to come to court.

Guo Shouguang said: "The locals all call Xu Sir 'Xu Qingtian'."

A group of clerks echoed: "Yes!"

Hu Xiaotian hehe-laughed: "Xu Qingtian! In Dakang there really aren't many who deserve the title 'Qingtian'." He told Guo Shouguang: "Have someone open the gates. I will hold court here today to share some of Xu Qingtian Sir's burdens and resolve some difficulties."

Guo Shouguang secretly laughed: This Hu Xiaotian truly doesn't know the height of heaven and depth of earth—let alone you holding court here for one day, even if you held court for a month no one would file a lawsuit. He has stayed in Qingyun Xian this long; naturally he has full confidence in this.

As expected, Hu Xiaotian sat in the hall for an hour and saw no one file a lawsuit. As noon approached, Hu Xiaotian felt a bit disheartened; it seems the common folk of Qingyun Xian have been frightened by this government office, so waiting like this won't work. We need another idea.

Guo Shouguang came over again to mention the noon welcome feast to Hu Xiaotian. Although Hu Xiaotian had little interest in eating, he thought that as a newcomer sharing a meal was indeed a good opportunity for mutual exchange, and was about to nod when suddenly drumming sounded outside.

Guo Shouguang's heart gave a start. Truly uncanny—someone actually came to file a lawsuit. Hearing the drum, Hu Xiaotian's spirits rose; he raised the gavel in his hand and struck it hard against the case table.

With a crisp "Pa!" sound, it even startled himself. I said, what kind of wood is this? The motion when thrown is quite large—no wonder it's called a gavel; is it ebony or zitan? It's been years, handled until oily and smooth, the grain invisible; taken to a secondhand market it could fetch some silver.

Not long after, a fat and a thin man were brought up to the hall; both had bruised noses and swollen faces. Hu Xiaotian saw clearly they were Jia Defang and Jia Liu, who had sued each other over a sheep two days earlier.

After being brought in, both simultaneously shouted their innocence, rushing to kneel on the plaintiff's stone; Jia Liu, being more agile, managed to get there first again.

Seeing their appearance, Hu Xiaotian secretly laughed: These two really are like dead pigs unafraid of boiling water—just a couple days ago they made a ruckus over the lawsuit, got beaten and fined, their wounds probably not healed yet, and now they come again to beat the drum and cry injustice; fortunately Xu Qinglian isn't here today, otherwise he'd surely give each of them a few more strokes and fine them some silver as well.

Jia Defang shouted loudly: "Sir, I am wronged!"

Hu Xiaotian smiled, eyes narrowing, and said: "What is your grievance?"

Jia Defang hadn't spoken yet when Jia Liu interjected: "Sir, I am the one wronged; on the road we met in a narrow pass, he rushed up, grabbed me and struck me, leaving my nose bruised and face swollen, suffering greatly."

Hu Xiaotian said: "You two, raise your heads!"

Both raised their heads in unison; both had bruised noses and swollen faces. It seemed neither had gained much advantage. Both realized that the person presiding over court today was not Magistrate Xu Qinglian but a young official substituted in. Jia Liu was fine with that, but Jia Defang felt this young official looked familiar; taking a closer look, a chill rose from his heart—"Good grief, isn't he my cellmate from that night?"

From Jia Defang's sudden change in expression, Hu Xiaotian guessed he had recognized him.

Jia Defang, frightened, hastily lowered his head; meanwhile Jia Liu said: "Sir, please examine our injuries!" Jia Defang suddenly coughed; Jia Liu gave him a bewildered look, and Jia Defang coughed several more times.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Fatty, what's your surname and name, where do you live, what is your grievance?"

Guo Shouguang beside him shook his head in disbelief: "Who interrogates like that? Calling someone 'Fatty' in the hall is utterly improper."

Jia Defang's head was almost drooping to the ground; he whispered: "Sir, I won't sue!" Jia Liu beside him also sensed something was off today and echoed: "Sir, I won't sue either."

Chief Clerk Guo Shouguang angrily said: "You think I don't know you two? Earlier, over the dispute about a sheep, you caused a huge uproar; just a few days have passed and you come again to cause trouble in the hall, disturbing the peace—what punishment..."

Hu Xiaotian slammed the gavel hard, cutting off Guo Shouguang's words; his gaze, tinged with coldness, swept over that guy: "Damn it, I'm the boss here—why are you rushing out to steal my thunder?"

Guo Shouguang, embarrassed by Hu Xiaotian's gavel strike, had his face turn red; he thought: "This assistant magistrate Sir really doesn't give face—I'm just trying to speak up for you."

Hu Xiaotian, unimpressed, smiled with narrowed eyes at the two kneeling below and said: "Lawsuit! It's not that you can sue if you want and drop it if you don't; this is the hall, your words don't count..." That fellow, full of meaning, glanced again at Guo Shouguang, pointed his right thumb at his own chest, and declared imposingly: "Only what I say counts!"

A group of clerks and bailiffs all heard it: this Hu Sir was pointing at mulberry while cursing locust—on the surface he rebuked those two, but actually he was giving Guo Shouguang a heads-up to stop talking excessively and distinguish priorities.

Guo Shouguang, annoyed, let his head droop to his shoulders, muttering: "I talk too much, I'm being despicable—like a dog biting Lü Dongbin, not recognizing kindness."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Who exactly struck first?"

Jia Liu and Jia Defang exchanged a glance; Jia Defang blinked, their subtle interaction couldn't escape Hu Xiaotian's eyes. From what he had heard and seen before, Hu Xiaotian had already figured this out to about seventy or eighty percent: last time the two sued over a sheep was just an act, the real aim likely being to send Jia Defang to prison; from Jia Defang's deferential attitude toward Zhou Batian, it's clear he willingly went to jail to get to Zhou Batian.

Jia Liu said: "I..."

"Why did you strike?"

Jia Liu said: "May it please you, Sir, I am Jia Liu; I bear a grudge because last time he stole my sheep, then the wicked one sued first, dragging me to the government office to file a lawsuit; as a result I got beaten and fined, and even the sheep was confiscated. So when I see him I feel especially resentful, rushed up and punched him first."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Fatty, is what he said correct or not?"

Jia Defang, afraid the old thief would recognize him, had his head almost buried in his belly, and whispered low: "Sir, what he said is true."

Hu Xiaotian said: "You stole his sheep? And caused him to be fined?"

Jia Defang said: "Um..."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Take him, this fatty, lock him up in jail; Jia Liu is innocent, release him here and now, and return the sheep to him."

Jia Defang's head drooped even lower; Jia Liu hastily kowtowed: "Great Qingtian Sir, you truly are a great Qingtian Sir!"

Hu Xiaotian glanced at Guo Shouguang beside him; this fellow's face was flushed red from holding back, as if he had something to say but dared not because of Hu Xiaotian's earlier reprimand in court. Hu Xiaotian asked: "What's wrong with you? Are you in a hurry to urinate?"

Guo Shouguang, embarrassed and flushed, had the clerks and bailiffs hearing this unable to hold back; they all burst into laughter, filling the hall with mirth.

Guo Shouguang's red face crept up to his neck, then he stepped close to Hu Xiaotian's ear and whispered low: "Sir, the sheep is gone..."

Hu Xiaotian blinked: "What?"

Guo Shouguang again whispered low: "That sheep was lost due to poor supervision." In fact, on the day that sheep was confiscated, Xu Qinglian had people prepare a whole sheep feast, and as Chief Clerk Guo Shouguang also got a share of broth.

Hu Xiaotian secretly sneered, suspecting that the sheep had ended up in the bellies of these fellows; he didn't expose it, raised the gavel in his hand and struck again: "Jia Liu, you just said you were the one who first punched him, right?"

"Er..."