Chapter 333

The Northwest lands,

On the desolate plains, a team of Embroidered Uniform Guards was galloping forward.

Facing the wind and sand, Ding Xiu looked at the men behind him, his eyes filled with suspicion: "Are they really Embroidered Uniform Guards?"

"What do you think?"

Looking at Ding Xiu, Zhang Cheng could not help but ask,

"How come the men in your battalion are different from the ones I've seen? Why don't they speak? Are they mutes?"

Gazing at Zhang Cheng, Ding Xiu asked with a face full of curiosity, his expression one of utter astonishment,

Because it wasn't that he hadn't seen Embroidered Uniform Guards before, but he was seeing such strict discipline for the first time! They were practically the same as the Qi Family Army!

Facing Ding Xiu's inquiry, Zhang Cheng turned his head and said: "Perhaps they are just naturally quiet?"

Death Korps of Krieg:

Entering a small county town to rest,

Because of the long journey, water and dry rations were no longer very plentiful.

Arriving at an inn, Zhang Cheng glanced at Ding Xiu and said: "Change your boots later!"

"Hmm?"

Looking at Zhang Cheng in confusion, Ding Xiu spoke with some doubt,

"The official boots!"

Looking at Ding Xiu with annoyance, Zhang Cheng could not help but become serious,

"Oh, oh, oh!"

Suddenly realizing, Ding Xiu patted his head, and only then did he react.

And just as everyone finished buying supplies and prepared to continue the pursuit, they heard the sound of drums from outside.

Heading toward the county government office, they saw quite a few people gathered there.

"My lord, I am wronged! They are falsely accusing a commoner!"

Kneeling on the ground and kowtowing, a man dressed in hemp clothes was pouring out his grievances.

But just then, the Private Secretary walked out from inside and said: "Enough, stop crying injustice. What kind of matter can't be solved in your village that you have to come to the county office to file a complaint?"

"My lord, but this person is the very squire of our village!"

Pointing at the squire in silk standing nearby, the man spoke up again.

"Enough! If you beat the grievance drum again, I'll have you flogged!"

Scolding the man, the Private Secretary could not help but roar in anger.

Hearing this, the man immediately felt a sense of despair and, stumbling to his feet, intended to throw himself against the wall.

Watching this scene, Zhang Cheng spoke up: "According to the Great Ming Code, anyone who beats the grievance drum and is ignored by the officials shall be punished, or exiled for serious cases."

"Who are you? Where did this greenhorn come from, daring to talk about this in front of the Master? Don't you know that here, I..."

Just as the Private Secretary was looking at Zhang Cheng, raising his hand to shout, Ding Xiu silently pulled back his clothes.

Looking at the Embroidered Uniform Guard waist token before him, the Private Secretary was dumbfounded on the spot.

Because although he hadn't seen an Embroidered Uniform Guard before, he knew how to read!

And in the Great Ming, it seemed that unless one wanted to play the 'Nine Generations Elimination Game,' no one would dare impersonate an Embroidered Uniform Guard!

"Unworthy as I am, I know a little of the Great Ming Code. May I ask how this lord should be addressed?"

Looking at the man with a smile, Zhang Cheng narrowed his eyes.

"I dare not accept such a title. This humble scholar is merely the Private Secretary to the County Magistrate!"

Seeing Zhang Cheng being so polite, the Private Secretary became terrified, for he was merely a scholar!

"You damn scholar, talking to me about the Great Ming Code? Have you had too much to drink?"

Starting without a moment's hesitation, Zhang Cheng pointed at his nose and began to curse,

Because in the entire Great Ming, you can call the Embroidered Uniform Guards incompetent, but you absolutely cannot question their professionalism regarding the Great Ming Code!

"Where is the Magistrate? Come out! I want to see how he publicly tries this case today!" Speaking with an icy face, Zhang Cheng took out the waist token given by the White Tiger.

Looking at the 'Cong Si Pin' Battalion Commander rank on it, the Private Secretary's face turned pale on the spot.

Before long, after the Magistrate was forcibly "awakened," he stumbled out in a daze.

But when he saw the icy-faced Zhang Cheng and the Embroidered Uniform Guards behind him, he immediately asked in confusion: "This lord is?"

"Southern Administrative Division, Zhang Cheng, Zhang Xinzhi!"

Looking at the Magistrate before him, Zhang Cheng could not help but frown,

Because in this day and age, there really are all kinds of birds in the forest. When he first met Wu Xin, the man dared to commit suicide to apologize after the Japanese pirates breached the city. But this Magistrate before him was truly like a straw bag! He didn't even know who had graded his exam papers!

"Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

Widening his eyes, the Magistrate immediately turned to look at the Private Secretary.

"Teacher, the situation is like this!"

After muttering for a long time, the Magistrate finally figured out what was going on, but he still immediately said: "Someone, bring the people to the hall!"

"Commoner Wang Saniu, greets the upright Magistrate!"

Looking at the Magistrate before him, Wang Saniu spoke up hurriedly.

"Wang Saniu, what do you have to report?"

Gazing at Wang Saniu, the Magistrate first struck the gavel, then asked.

"Reporting to my lord, I wish to accuse the shameless woman Liu Ling and the squire Zhu Bai of illicit relations, and of forging my signature to mortgage two acres of my family's land!"

Looking at the two in the distance with grief and indignation, Wang Saniu could not help but roar.

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Hearing this, Zhu Bai immediately said: "My lord, you cannot listen to his nonsense. I only obtained these two acres of land because I lent him money for medical treatment!"

"May I ask this brother, do you hold any official rank?"

Gazing at Zhu Bai not far away, Zhang Cheng spoke with a smile.

"Unworthy as I am, I am but a child scholar."

Looking at Zhang Cheng, the moment Zhu Bai finished speaking, Ding Xiu stepped forward with his Miao saber.

"Thump!"

Smashing hard into the back of the opponent's knees, Zhu Bai immediately knelt on the ground, crying out in pain.

Looking at Zhu Bai, Zhang Cheng said coldly: "You're not even a damn scholar, yet you dare to stand? Do you really think this is your home?"

Watching Zhang Cheng with a twitching mouth, the Magistrate hurriedly wiped away cold sweat,

Because he was acquainted with the Zhu family, so this was considered standard procedure,

But he hadn't expected Zhang Cheng to be so pedantic!

"You say he borrowed silver from you? How much did he borrow, when did he borrow it, what illness was treated, where is the doctor, what medicine was used, how many days was it decocted? Speak..."

Roaring, Zhang Cheng became serious.

Looking at Zhang Cheng, Zhu Bai was instantly rendered speechless,

Because this matter was fake to begin with; how could they possibly find such things?

Gazing at Zhu Bai, who could not speak, Zhang Cheng narrowed his eyes and said: "You know about false accusations, right? According to the Great Ming Code, false accusations are punishable by exile!"

"My lord, this was all instigated by her! She despised Wang Saniu for his family's poverty and wanted to climb the social ladder of my Zhu family... That's why she used the two acres of land as bait and wrote the IOU!"

Seeing Zhang Cheng's unfriendly expression, Zhu Bai immediately sold out the affectionate Liu Ling.

Watching this scene, Zhang Cheng folded his arms.

Before long, the Magistrate's verdict was handed down: Liu Ling was to be exiled, and Zhu Bai had to return the two acres of land and compensate Wang Saniu for his losses.

Leaving the office, Zhang Cheng looked at Wang Saniu and said: "Sell the land and go live somewhere else!"

Looking at Zhang Cheng, Wang Saniu kowtowed three times, then silently stood up.

Gazing at Zhang Cheng, Ding Xiu could not help but ask: "You help people too?"

"No, I just like causing trouble!"

Looking at Ding Xiu indifferently, Zhang Cheng turned his head and said: "Before we leave, clean up the Private Secretary and the Zhu family here!"

"Why not the Magistrate?"

Looking at Zhang Cheng with curiosity, Ding Xiu was surprised.

"Are you okay? We are Embroidered Uniform Guards, how can we kill an official? A scholar and a squire—do you think anyone would dare investigate us?"

Speaking indifferently, Zhang Cheng said with disdain: "That Magistrate is just a waste who read books until he became a fool! He has some brains, but not many. For such a person, governing by doing nothing is best. But that Private Secretary—his brain is too flexible!"

(End of chapter)