Chapter 33: The City God and the County Magistrate

The secretary at his side signaled the yamen runners to drag the woman away quickly while offering a fawning smile in response.

"My Lord, it is just an unreasonable, unruly commoner who doesn't know the rules. I shall have someone drive her away at once!"

The Magistrate of Huangliang County then lowered the sedan curtain and said impatiently.

"Then be quick about it. If you delay my important business, can you afford the consequences?"

"Quick, drag her away!"

"And that person standing there blocking the way, drive him off immediately! If you delay my business, you will all suffer the consequences!"

The secretary directed the yamen runners to drag away the wailing old woman while driving off Su Yuanshan, who remained standing by the roadside without moving an inch.

That's right, Su Yuanshan had intended to step aside, but seeing this scene, he instead stood his ground—motionless!

"Move aside! Did you hear me?"

Seeing that Su Yuanshan had no intention of moving, the two yamen runners holding copper gongs grew angry. They stepped up to shove Su Yuanshan, but upon pushing, they felt as if they were pushing against a great mountain. Not only did Su Yuanshan not budge, but they were instead repelled by a strange force, stumbling back three steps. This left the two yamen runners both shocked and furious. Accustomed to being arrogant and domineering, they had never suffered such humiliation. With a 'clatter,' they drew their waist sabers and shouted.

"You bastard, are you trying to rebel?"

Yet Su Yuanshan remained calm, his expression unchanged. With his hands behind his back, he said indifferently.

"It is not that I, Su, wish to rebel, but that you high officials who hold positions without doing any work are going too far!"

"An elderly person, frail and weak, is blocking the sedan to cry out for justice. If she truly didn't have a grievance with nowhere to turn, would she have been driven to this point?

Since you are a parent-official, what would it hurt to stop and listen?"

"Audacious commoner, are you trying to teach us how to do our jobs?" The two yamen runners were incensed and about to explode.

Just then, the sedan curtain was lifted again. The Huangliang County Magistrate stepped out from the sedan with a dark face and his hands behind his back, shouting in a deep voice.

"Let them come over. I have questions to ask them!"

The two yamen runners had no choice but to sullenly sheath their sabers and follow behind Su Yuanshan.

The white-haired old woman also took the opportunity to shake off the arms of the other two yamen runners and followed along, limping.

As soon as she reached the Magistrate, she knelt on the ground and burst into tears.

"Great Magistrate, this commoner has a grievance! I beg the Great Magistrate to uphold justice for me!"

Yet, regardless of how heart-wrenchingly the old woman cried, the Huangliang County Magistrate ignored her completely, not even sparing her a glance. He was only sizing up Su Yuanshan, his gaze icy cold.

"Who are you? Was this old woman instigated by you? Do you know your crime?"

Without even asking about the case, he slapped a major accusation onto Su Yuanshan, extinguishing all the expectations he had held. He had originally hoped the other party was a good official, but alas...

Can you still expect such a person to seek justice for the people and uphold the law?

So Su Yuanshan smiled, though it was a cold smile.

"The official's method of slapping on accusations is truly first-class. What a pity, what a pity!"

This one sentence made the Huangliang County Magistrate's face turn bright red with shame and anger.

"What is a pity? Are you, this unruly commoner, intentionally mocking me?"

Su Yuanshan looked at him indifferently, his face amused.

"And if I am? What if I'm not?"

"Furthermore, is a muddled, mediocre official like you even worth my time to mock?"

His words left the onlookers stunned, and they stopped to watch.

Some were gloating, some were worried for him, and others were filled with curiosity, privately guessing his background to dare to confront the County Magistrate head-on. The saying goes that the people do not fight with officials, the poor do not contend with the rich, and a strong dragon does not suppress the local snake—did this man not understand? It seemed not!

Then who on earth was this young man to be so tough?

To press this local snake on his own turf in Huangliang County? That was truly more than just fierce!

Although a minority held a gloating attitude, most people admired Su Yuanshan's brave actions. After all, most people wouldn't have the guts for this!

At that moment, Su Yuanshan noticed that many rays of spiritual light seemed to drift out from the onlookers and were absorbed into his body.

And at this moment, the spirit bead in his sleeve seemed to react.

【Wish Power +1】

【Wish Power +1】

【Wish Power +1】

The Huangliang County Magistrate seemed to be furious, pointing at Su Yuanshan's nose, his whole body trembling with rage.

"Audacious... you... you... do you know who you are talking to?"

Su Yuanshan said indifferently.

"Avoidance on the left, silence on the right! All you're missing is a 'Mirror Hanging High' plaque above your head!

Besides talking to you, the Huangliang County Magistrate, who else could I be talking to? Could it be that I am talking to cats and dogs?"

The crowd's expressions changed drastically at these words, and they were shocked. They never imagined this young man would be so bold as to confront the parent-official of Huangliang County head-on. This was the County Magistrate!

In this place where the Emperor is far away, the Huangliang County Magistrate is the heaven above everyone's heads!

This young man dared to defy heaven; he had brought a great disaster upon himself!

Yet, facing the crowd's concern, Su Yuanshan seemed indifferent, maintaining a calm and composed expression.

The Huangliang County Magistrate was so angry his face turned pale, his chest heaving, utterly exasperated.

"You... you... insolent... someone, seize this unruly commoner, seize him!"

"Insulting a court official, the crime is punishable by death, punishable by death!"

"Secretary, what are you doing? Why don't you... why don't you have someone seize him, seize him!"

The secretary was completely terrified by Su Yuanshan's audacity. Hearing the Magistrate's reprimand, he finally snapped out of his daze and hurriedly urged the yamen runners.

"You bastards, what are you all standing there for? Quick... quick, seize him, seize him!"

The yamen runners also recovered from their shock, surrounding Su Yuanshan, pulling out chains to make the arrest.

But Su Yuanshan seemed entirely unafraid, instead appearing very calm, standing with his hands behind his back, making no move, only looking amused.

Seeing the yamen runners about to take Su Yuanshan, the little white fox wouldn't have it. It bared its teeth and raised its tail, striking a fighting pose to protect Su Yuanshan. This scene left the onlookers clicking their tongues in wonder.

"Hey, look, that little white fox seems very spiritual; it actually knows how to protect its master!"

Even the hunter squeezed into the crowd, looking at the scene in surprise. He gave a light 'eh' and muttered in a low, grave voice.

"That white fox is clearly wild. A wild fox that knows how to protect people? That's truly rare! I've been hunting for so many years and have never seen such a strange occurrence, tsk tsk!"

A middle-aged man who looked like a scholar seemed to hear this and couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

"Brother, is what you say true? Could this fox have been tamed by this young man?"

The hunter couldn't help but laugh.

"Tame a wild fox? Is the young master joking? This kind of wild fox cannot be tamed, especially this kind of spiritual white fox. Have you noticed? Look closely at its eyes; that kind of gaze—to call it a fox is less fitting than calling it a person."

The middle-aged man who looked like a scholar gave a light 'oh'.

"How so?"