Chapter 230: First Volume, Chapter 230: Petty Official, Vast Corruption

First Volume, Chapter 230: Petty Official, Vast Corruption

Speaking of this, Qin Feng glanced at the five beautiful women kneeling beside him, a wave of envy surging in his heart.

Damn it!

A mere county magistrate has four wives, while this Young Master is still single!

Qin Feng, filled with envy and rage, snapped: "Third! This petty county magistrate has no merit, no noble title. According to the Great Liang Code, only those who pass the imperial examination as a xiucai may take one concubine. Judging by your character, you likely don't even hold the xiucai degree. How dare you secretly keep four concubines? This is outright rebellion! Punishable under the Great Liang Code as overstepping one's rank!"

"The county city is desolate—punishable for misgovernance. Qingshizicun was slaughtered by the Northern Di, yet you knew nothing…"

As he spoke, Qin Feng himself was stunned.

These crimes committed by a mere official—any single one would warrant execution. Even the ministers in Jingdu who broke the law were not as corrupt as this county magistrate!

When Qin Feng finished reading Chen Li's list of crimes, Chen Li lay sprawled on the ground, motionless—he clearly knew he had no chance of survival.

The County Assistant Magistrate trembled as he put down his brush, raised the list of crimes above his head with both hands, and stammered: "Please, Young Master, review this."

Qin Feng took the list but did not look at it immediately; instead, he smiled warmly at the County Assistant Magistrate: "How much silver have you embezzled in Beixi County?"

The County Assistant Magistrate shuddered, nearly toppling off his stool, and frantically protested: "Your Excellency, I have always been upright—I would never plunder the people's flesh and blood!"

Poor land, harsh waters breed wicked people!

Even a lowly County Assistant Magistrate is so dishonest—no wonder the border regions of Liang remain perilously unstable.

Since Chen Li bought his GovernmentPosition, the County Assistant Magistrate—and indeed the entire County Yamen staff—must be a gang of thugs and ruffians. Such cases are common in remote areas: wealthy local bullies or corrupt merchants invest in certain individuals, buy them GovernmentPositions, then exploit their power to extort the people.

With the Northern Di as an external threat and corrupt officials ruling internally, civilian morale on the border is crumbling. Had the Liang Emperor not been enlightened, this border region would have collapsed long ago!

Before Qin Feng could pressure the County Assistant Magistrate into confession, the commoners gathered outside the Door began shouting loudly.

"Young Master Qin! Everyone in this County Yamen is rotten to the core! Especially the County Assistant Magistrate—after Chen Li, he is the most wicked man in Beixi County. Whenever he holds court, he eats the plaintiff, then the defendant; he eats the east side, then the west. Even wealthy families have been ruined by him—what hope do we commoners have?"

"Please, Young Master, deliver justice!"

"Qin Feng, son of the Ministry of War's Minister, has returned to Beixi County—our suffering as Commoners is finally over!"

Qin Feng was not surprised by the people's resentment.

He immediately ordered all onlookers to list, one by one, the crimes of every official in the County Yamen.

They didn't realize how bad it was—until they started listing.

Not just the County Magistrate or County Assistant Magistrate—even the lowest-ranking Yamen Runner had committed atrocities like "oppressing men and raping women."

If you dragged every single person in this County Yamen out and beheaded them, not one would be innocent.

Qin Feng rolled up the densely written list of crimes and handed it to his guards to deliver to the Yi Guan Messenger, to be rushed to the Ministry of Personnel in Jingdu.

Then he stood, stretched, and gestured warmly: "Please escort Elder Chen, the County Assistant Magistrate, the County Commandant, and the rest… wait, take everyone in the County Yamen to the Prison, treat them well, and await orders from the Ministry of Personnel."

Chen Li and the others were kicked and shoved by the guards into the Prison.

Qin Feng thought the matter was settled.

But as he turned to leave, a cry of injustice rang out from outside the Door.

"Young Master! This Commoner woman is wronged! Please, Young Master, right this wrong!"

"My husband reclaimed wasteland and farmed it, yet the County Yamen demanded a reclamation tax—three taels of silver per mu. When we couldn't pay, he was thrown into the Prison—two full years now."

What? A reclamation tax?

Qin Feng, famed as a Little Master of Liang Law, racked his brain—but could not recall any such clause in the Great Liang Code.

So Chen Li and the others had forged their own Item: Tax Revenue rules?

The audacity nearly shattered Qin Feng's understanding of corruption.

Qin Feng immediately summoned the woman inside, asked her a few quick questions, confirmed it was a miscarriage of justice, and ordered his guards to fetch the man from the Prison and release him on the spot.

Special case, special handling—no time to care whether he was a commoner or an Official.

Watching the woman lead out her husband, freed from the Prison, beaming with joy,

the crowd erupted in frenzy—countless Commoners with grievances shouted toward Qin Feng.

"Young Master! My land was seized by a bully—I sued at the Official Residence, but they charged me a filing fee. When I couldn't pay, they threw me in jail!"

"Young Master, mine too! That bastard County Commandant saw my daughter's beauty and dragged her home to be his servant!"

Qin Feng always hated trouble, but seeing the civilian morale boil over, he couldn't just walk away—he gritted his teeth and began handling each case, one by one…

But once this door opened, the title "Qin the Upright Judge" spread like wildfire. Countless Commoners arrived, surrounding the County Yamen in three layers, blocking every exit.

The line of Commoners waiting to plead their cases stretched over one hundred zhang from the Yamen Gate.

Though they had suffered, their faces glowed with unprecedented joy—no longer silent as frozen frogs, they shouted loudly.

"Beixi County finally has a bright future! Young Master Qin has returned—our accumulated grievances now have a voice!"

"Hahaha! I heard stories of Young Master Qin in Jingdu—he was adored by the people there. Clearly, it's true!"

"Do you think… Young Master Qin has been assigned to take over as Beixi County Magistrate?"

"What? If Young Master Qin becomes Beixi County Magistrate, our good days have truly arrived!"

"Young Master Qin… no, Elder Qin! Please be our justice!"

Qin Feng had planned to spend time with his long-separated mother, Third Sister.

But he was trapped in the DaTang by the mountain of unresolved grievances in Beixi County, unable to escape—frustrated to the point of despair.

Beixi County was rotten and decaying everywhere—except the Yi Guan, which showed not a single sign of corner-cutting.

Six Messengers, young and strong.

Eighteen military horses, full of vigor.

After all, Liang was at war with the Northern Di—if a Military Order was delayed, the Border Army or Fuya would investigate within days. Even if Chen Li was greedy, he wouldn't be so foolish as to risk this.

Upon learning Qin Feng needed to send a message, the Yi Guan dared not delay—they dispatched a Messenger straight to Jingdu.

Because the Messenger was specially trained, familiar with the terrain, knew shortcuts, and understood the locations of all major Yizhan, the journey that would take Qin Feng four days and nights of galloping was completed in just three days—though the horses were changed far more frequently: eighteen times total, meaning an average of six horse changes per day and night.

When the Messenger delivered Chen Li's thick stack of crimes to the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry officials were utterly stunned.

The Ministry of Personnel Vice Minister held the indictment, hardly believing his own eyes.

How could a mere Nine Rank petty official commit so many grave crimes? Any single charge alone would warrant flaying him alive.

Dealing with such a trivial official was extremely straightforward—no need to report to the Emperor.

First, strip him of his OfficialRank; then consult with Ministry of Justice officials, match each crime to its corresponding clause of the Great Liang Code, approve it all, and Chen Li's death sentence was effectively sealed—no need to transport him to Jingdu for execution; simply hand him over to the nearest Fuya for immediate beheading.

Finally, draw a cross over the Beixi County Magistrate position.

Thus, the Beixi County Magistrate post was officially "vacant," to be reported to the Emperor at month's end.

As for appointing a new County Magistrate, such a trivial matter required no Emperor's attention—the Zhou Fu could decide on its own; if still vacant after three months, the Ministry of Personnel would appoint one.

Within a single day, the outcome was decided.

Just as the Ministry of Personnel prepared to return the letter to Beixi County, a servant from Gao Fu delivered a Secret Letter.

The Ministry of Personnel Vice Minister, upon reading the letter's contents, frowned slightly: "Appoint Qin Feng as Beixi County Magistrate on the spot?!"

The Director of the Ministry of Personnel's Office of Merit and Rank, hearing this, jumped up as if electrocuted, face filled with shock: "Is this truly the Grand Commandant's will? Though we differ politically with Qin Tianhu, he is still the Ministry of War's Minister!"

"Beixi County is a barren, lawless backwater. Assigning the Ministry of War Minister's son as Beixi County Magistrate violates both protocol and the Great Liang Code."

The Ministry of Personnel Vice Minister sighed deeply, his gaze complex: "Even Jingzhong officials rarely get banished to places like Beixi County. When Qin's wife was exiled back to Beixi County, it was because she offended the Imperial Consort. If we act on our own, we'll surely make enemies of the Qin Family."

The Director of the Office of Merit and Rank pondered a moment, racked his brain for a solution, then helplessly sighed: "On one side is the Qin Family, on the other the Grand Commandant—we can't offend either. We must… choose the lighter of two harms."

Hearing this, the Ministry of Personnel Vice Minister clenched his teeth and immediately issued an appointment decree.

The imperial messenger took Chen Li's verdict and Qin Feng's appointment decree, left the Ministry of Personnel, and headed straight to the Qin Residence, delivering Qin Feng's family letter to Qin Tianhu.

Since Qin Feng left Jingdu, Qin Tianhu had been gloomy; no one knew what outcome awaited him. But when he read the letter's contents, his expression cleared like clouds parting—he slammed the table hard and roared with joy: "Excellent! No wonder I'm Qin Tianhu's son!"

Soon after, Liu Hongyan and the other two women arrived upon hearing the news.

Learning Qin Feng had successfully rescued his mother, the three women exhaled in relief.

Liu Hongyan, who had worried for days, felt her heart suddenly lighten; her face flushed with excitement as she asked urgently: "Are Mother and Third Sister unharmed? Wonderful! Father, how did Feng'er manage it?"

Until now, Liu Hongyan had held a pessimistic view of rescuing her mother.

Though she understood nothing of warfare, she knew the principle that "war favors speed." Even if the Liang Emperor reacted swiftly, discovered the Beidi plot, and sent an Imperial Urgent Report immediately, the distance was thousands of li—by the time troops arrived in Beixi County, it would be too late.

Yet Qin Feng arrived in Beixi County days later and successfully saved his mother and third sister—this, to Liu Hongyan, was nothing short of a miracle.

Qin Tianhu himself was deeply delighted and proud, and since this was an Qin Family "private matter" with no military Jiwei involved, he spoke openly before everyone: "Qin Feng's contribution is undeniable, but ultimately, our Qin Family benefited from Heaven's timing, Earth's advantage, and human harmony."

"The Beidi Raiding Cavalry's surprise attack on Qingshizicun was delayed long enough by Xiaolan, and the Beijing Garrison Commander reacted swiftly—before even receiving the Emperor's Imperial Urgent Report, he sensed the Beidi plot and deployed the Border Army to seal off the pass, forcing the Beidi Raiding Cavalry to gamble everything."

"Combined with the People's Will, Qin Feng arrived in Beixi County and immediately obtained valuable intelligence, allowing him to annihilate the Beidi Raiding Cavalry and capture their commander, the Vice Commander."

Qin Tianhu was always humble; though inwardly bursting with pride for Qin Feng, he refused to lavish praise.

Shen Qingci, beside him, let a glint of cleverness flash in her eyes, her lips curling slightly: "Four days and four nights, racing from Jingdu to Beixi County, annihilating the Beidi Raiding Cavalry on arrival, saving Mother and Third Sister. That brat Qin Feng, when he takes it seriously, is actually reliable."

Jing Qianying said nothing, but her tightly furrowed brows had eased; recalling Qin Feng's words before leaving Jingdu, even her iron heart quickened its beat.

Meanwhile, Qin Xiaofu delivered the news to the Tianji Camp.

Upon learning Qin's mother was unharmed, the Tianji Camp erupted in loud cheers.

Artisans and New Recruits embraced each other, their joy beyond words.

"Excellent! No wonder he's Young Master!"

"Crossing a thousand li, annihilating the Beidi Elite Raiding Cavalry—such a feat is unprecedented in Great Liang's history."

One New Recruit clenched his fist, eyes blazing: "Exactly! Though it was only a skirmish involving dozens, it proves Young Master's military genius! I can't wait to head to Biancheng, join him, and fight side by side!"

In the "Traveling Residence" Lu Ming had specially built for Qin Feng, Xiao Xiangxiang, who was organizing his clothes, heard the heated chatter outside and smiled knowingly, murmuring softly: "Young Master…"

Qin Xiaofu rushed excitedly to Qingya Pavilion and told Lin Quqi the good news.

Upon hearing this, Lin Quqi sighed: "Unexpected, yet perfectly reasonable—Qin's Young Master is a true all-rounder."

Unbeknownst to them, their conversation was overheard by a scholar who had come to sell books.

The news spread like a plague through the streets and alleys of Jingdu.

Groups of commoners gathered, eagerly discussing it.

"Did you hear? Qin's mother was kidnapped by the Beidi!"

"What? Is that true?! When will the Emperor send troops to sweep the Beidi and rescue Qin's mother?"

"Don't panic! Qin's Young Master has already rescued her."

"Huh?"

"Heard it from reliable sources: the North Di Barbarians kidnapped Qin's mother to pressure Qin's father, but Qin's Young Master learned of it, led a hundred mounted guards, raced through the night like a blade, plunged straight into the Beidi rear area, slaughtered thousands of barbarians, and brought Qin's mother back unharmed."

A young scholar nearby sneered: "Where did you get that rumor? Qin's Young Master was blocked by a Beidi general during the rescue—he fought seven times in and out, annihilated the enemy ambush, and captured the enemy commander alive."

The crowd's eyes gleamed with excitement.

Liang had been humiliated for years—finally, they had a moment of vindication, and it felt glorious.

The embellished, distorted rumors grew wilder and wilder in Jingdu.

A servant from the Xie Residence relayed the entire story to Xie Yun'er.

Xie Yun'er covered her mouth, eyes wide with disbelief: "No wonder I haven't heard any news of Qin Feng these past days—he pulled off something this huge?!"

Xie Bi, sipping tea beside her, snorted: "Don't believe those idle rumors. Qin Feng did rescue his mother, but nothing like the wild tales. Still, this operation proves one thing: Qin Feng's New Army, built at great expense, has exceptional Tactical Advantage."

"If the Emperor learns of this, he'll surely rely even more on the New Army!"