Mi esposa se sube al muro

Capítulo 7

Chapter Thirteen

Yang Huan, with his hands behind his back, slowly strolled around the room, seemingly examining the furnishings. Xu Shirong watched coldly as he finally stopped in front of her, grinning as he approached and scrutinized her from head to toe, without uttering a word.

Xu Shirong already vaguely knew what he was thinking, but since he didn't say it, she didn't bring it up either. She said, "If you have nothing else to do, you should rest early. Tomorrow will probably be busy." As she spoke, she tried to walk past him. Yang Huan hurriedly reached out to stop her, but his hand touched the hem of her clothes and then withdrew. He asked cautiously, "Jiaoniang, are you really Jiaoniang?"

Xu Shirong paused, then looked up at Yang Huan carefully. He saw that the smile on Yang Huan's face had disappeared, and now his eyes were fixed on him, with a strange and excited expression on his face.

"If I'm not a delicate beauty, then who am I?" Xu Shirong said calmly.

Having displayed the remains before Yang Huan today, she was certain he would become suspicious and question her. However, she didn't intend to reveal the whole story. After all, if she hadn't experienced it herself, even she would find such a thing utterly absurd, let alone the person standing before her.

Yang Huan looked her up and down a few more times, then frowned and said, "When did you come to know these things? You've been in my family for several years, and I've never heard you mention these things before. Now you seem to know them very well, which is quite strange."

Xu Shirong said calmly, "If I remember correctly, you haven't been home much these past few years. Why are you bothering me now? From now on, we can just be like before and settle our differences. Why ask so many questions?"

Yang Huan was startled, his mouth seemingly sealed shut, and he fell silent. Seeing him standing there, his eyes still fixed on her, Xu Shirong felt a surge of annoyance. Suddenly, she had the urge to frighten him, so she smiled and said, half-truthfully, "Since you don't believe me, I'll tell you the truth. After being kicked by that horse, I already went to the underworld. But Yama thought I was too fierce and refused to stay, insisting on sending me back. When I came back to life, I felt I had entered this realm. Having been to the underworld, I suppose I still have some ghostly energy lingering in my bones."

After Xu Shirong finished speaking, she thought that this fool would surely turn around and leave, but Yang Huan stared at her for a while longer, then suddenly raised his eyebrows and burst into laughter, saying, "I, your young master, have abundant yang energy. I'm not afraid of people, so why would I be afraid of ghostly energy? If you really are a female ghost, I really want to get close to you. I've seen plenty of beautiful women, but I've never tasted what a ghost fairy is like."

Xu Shirong was taken aback by his reaction and, hearing his vulgar language, sneered, "Now you're putting on airs. Who turned pale upon seeing those bones today?"

Hearing her mockery, Yang Huan stubbornly retorted, "That was just a moment of unpreparedness. I can handle both humans and ghosts. Next time something like this happens, you'll see if I'm afraid!"

Xu Shirong didn't want to say anything more to him, so she turned to walk past him. But Yang Huan suddenly reached out his hand to her, and before she could react, he had already touched her face. By the time she glared at him angrily, his hand had already been pulled back. He twirled his fingers and said with a grin, "It feels smooth and fragrant. This ghost fairy seems even better than any mortal woman."

Seeing his shameless appearance, Xu Shirong couldn't get angry, but the spot on her cheek where he had touched her got goosebumps. She glared at him and then looked away. Behind her, Yang Huan's voice rang out: "Jiaoniang, I'm going to court to try that crippled woman first thing tomorrow morning. Do you want to come and listen?"

Xu Shirong thought for a moment, then turned his head and said, "Wait a bit. Tomorrow, the county magistrate, county lieutenant, and registrar from your county office will definitely come to pay their respects. Why are you in such a hurry?"

Yang Huan watched her departing figure, her shoulders and back straight, and the tone of her voice just now left him speechless. He glanced around the room again, finding it spotless and devoid of his belongings. He sighed and left dejectedly.

Xu Shirong got up early the next morning and squatted in the courtyard, carefully scrubbing the ring he had brought back from the mortuary the day before with a bristle brush dipped in vinegar water. After cleaning it with a dry cloth, it was indeed a round jade pendant that men wore at their waists in the modern era. Although there were still some marks on the pendant, it was still very exquisite, with a tiger's head carved in relief on the central ring, lifelike in appearance.

Xu Shirong examined the clothes for a while, thought for a moment, then changed into a set of slightly worn clothes. She called Xiang'er, the local maid she had hired to do rough work in the courtyard, and asked, "Do you know how many gold and jade shops there are in this county?"

Seeing that the county magistrate's wife was dressed in a way that was neither new nor old, and that she had asked about the gold and jade shops, Xiang'er assumed that she wanted to have gold jewelry made. He quickly replied, "Madam, this county used to have ten thousand households, and there were many gold and jade shops. But in recent years, due to continuous disasters, some families have moved away. Now there are not many good gold and jade shops left. They are all on South Street in the city, which is the most bustling place."

Xu Shirong smiled and asked, "Do you know the way?"

Seeing that the new magistrate's wife was kind, Xiang'er knew that she wanted him to lead the way, so he quickly said, "Madam, just tell me how to lead the way. I grew up here and there is no place in the county that I don't know."

Xu Shirong nodded, and Xiang'er happily put down the broom in her hand. The two of them went out through the back door together.

The county government office was located in a bustling area. Just outside the back gate was an alley leading to a main street. Although the people's clothes were not as splendid as those in Tokyo, there were still many people coming and going, and the shops on both sides were quite complete. There was also a constant stream of people carrying loads and hawking their wares.

In the capital city of Tokyo, only women from wealthy and noble families wore veils and hats when they went out, to distinguish themselves from ordinary people. Here, however, there were no women with veils on the streets; they all talked loudly and oblivious to their surroundings, clearly indicating a more robust and unrestrained local culture. Xu Shirong walked along, listening to Xiang'er's incessant narration of the local customs and traditions, finding it all quite fascinating. When the sun was high enough for them to see, they arrived at South Street. It was indeed much neater than the streets they had just passed, and the shops on both sides looked more impressive.

Xu Shirong followed Xiang'er into the shop and took out the jade pendant she had brought to inquire. The first few shops all seemed clueless, but the last one remained. Xu Shirong went in, and as soon as she took out the pendant, the shopkeeper exclaimed "Eh!" and took it, examining it closely.

Xu Shirong had just asked two other shops, both of which said they didn't recognize it. This was the last shop, and he was already losing hope. But when he saw the shopkeeper's strange expression, a thought struck him. He suppressed his anxiety and asked calmly, "Shopkeeper, have you seen this before?"

The shopkeeper glanced at Xu Shirong, but did not answer. He asked curiously, "Young lady, where did you get this?"

Xu Shirong smiled and said, "A while ago, a peddler tried to sell me this thing, saying it was an ancient treasure dug up from the ground. I saw that the pattern was unique and it looked quite old, so I bought it. But I don't know much about it, so I brought it to your shop to inquire about the price. If it really is an ancient treasure, then I'll have made a great deal."

The shopkeeper chuckled and shook his head, saying, "This is hardly an ancient treasure. It's just something that came out of my shop. A few years ago, Xu Dahu, a high-ranking official from the east of the city, ordered it from me. Because his name contains the character for 'tiger,' he wanted a tiger's head carved in the middle. I just don't know how it ended up in your hands."

Xu Shirong's eyes lit up, and she asked, "Are you sure you won't mistake me?"

The shopkeeper turned the jade pendant over, pointed to a recess on the back, and said proudly, "When my former apprentice was carving this tiger head, he accidentally chipped it here. I repaired it myself. Others might not be able to spot the mark, but I can recognize it at a glance. There's no mistake! Young lady, how much did you pay for this?"

Xu Shirong took the jade pendant back from him and said with a smile, "Thank you for your kindness, shopkeeper. I'll be leaving now."

Xu Shirong returned to the yamen and wanted to find Yang Huan, but he couldn't find him anywhere in the front or back courtyard. He asked Zhang Da, a yamen runner on duty, who was the same one who had been by the mass grave yesterday. He learned that the local gentry and wealthy families, knowing that the new magistrate had taken office, had invited him to the best Spider Tower in the city to welcome him.

Xu Shirong hummed in agreement and asked, "What are the details about the woman we detained last night?"

Zhang Da had witnessed the magistrate's wife's prowess yesterday, and he had also vaguely heard that her family was prominent in the capital. He dared not underestimate her and hurriedly said, "I have already found out. Wang, the wife of that cripple, remarried a blacksmith in less than half a year after she spread the word that her husband had disappeared. Now she has a son and is being looked after by the matchmaker in the yamen."

Xu Shirong nodded and turned to walk towards the place of imprisonment.

The matchmaker in charge of guarding the female prisoners at the yamen had taken in Wang yesterday. Seeing her pretty face, she was already furious. Hearing that she was a suspect arrested by the newly appointed magistrate, she showed no mercy. She took a rope and tightly bound her to the bedpost, deliberately placing a chamber pot in front of her so she could smell the stench all night. Naturally, she wasn't allowed to eat. Just then, she was sitting at the door when she suddenly saw Zhang Da walking in with a young woman. At first, she thought it was the newly arrested female prisoner, but then she realized it wasn't. The woman walked ahead, while Zhang Da followed behind, somewhat hesitantly. Just as she was about to ask, Zhang Da caught up and said, "This is the wife of the newly appointed magistrate. She's here to check on the female prisoner who was detained here last night."

The old woman was startled and hurriedly opened the door and went inside. She quickly carried away the chamber pot, waving it around to wipe away the stench of urine. She forced a smile and said, "This place is filthy. I'm sorry to have troubled you, Madam."

Xu Shirong dismissed the old woman and Zhang Da, then looked at Wang Shi, who was tied to the foot of the bed. She appeared to be around thirty years old, and seemed to have suffered greatly the previous night; her face was pale and haggard, her hair somewhat disheveled, yet she still possessed a certain charm. Her hands were tightly bound behind her back, the ropes digging into the flesh of her arms.

Chapter Fourteen

Last night, several constables broke into Wang's home and locked her in the county government office without explanation. After making a few noises, she was slapped by the matchmaker guarding her. She was then subjected to a night of the stench of urine, forcing her to remain silent and endure the ordeal until now. Suddenly, the door opened, and a woman in her early twenties entered. Though simply dressed, she was quite beautiful, but her face was stern, and her eyes stared directly at her, as if she could see right through her. Not knowing who she was, Wang tensed up again and tried to stand up, only to realize that she was almost numb from being bound.

When Xu Shirong arrived at Wang Shi's side, she untied all the ropes binding her. Wang Shi rubbed her numb hands, both surprised and suspicious. She even forgot to thank her and just stared blankly at the woman in front of her.

Xu Shirong squatted down in front of her and asked, "Do you know why we brought you here?"

Wang lowered her eyes and shook her head slightly.

Xu Shirong hummed in agreement, stood up, and said, "Come with me, I have something to show you."

Seeing that she wasn't as fierce as the matchmaker, and that she had untied her as soon as she entered, and that her tone was much gentler as she asked her to go see something, Wang felt a little more relaxed. She rubbed her legs, propped herself up on the bedposts, and slowly followed Xu Shirong out.

When the matchmaker Zhang Dahe saw Xu Shirong bring Wang Shi out, she was full of doubts, but she didn't dare to ask any questions. She just followed at a distance.

Xu Shirong led Wang Shi around a corner to a corner of the front office, pointed to a door and said, "The things are inside, go in and take a look for yourself."

Wang was somewhat puzzled, but she did as Xu Shirong said, reached out and pushed open the door. She saw that it was dark and musty inside. She stepped over the threshold, looked up for a moment, and then screamed.

On the ground before him lay a stark white skeleton, its two enormous eye sockets sunken deep, seemingly watching him with a sinister gaze.

Wang screamed again, her hair standing on end, and turned to run away, but Xu Shirong blocked her way.

Wang closed her eyes tightly, trembling with fear.

Xu Shirong glanced at her and slowly said, "The skeleton on the ground was dug up yesterday at the foot of a low slope outside the city and buried in a pit."

Wang's legs had been bound so tightly that her blood and qi were restricted, and she had barely managed to walk this far. Upon hearing these words, she collapsed to the ground, desperately turning her head away.

Xu Shirong carefully observed her expression before asking, "Do you know how these remains were discovered?" Before Wang could answer, he continued, "The farmer in that field had a dream the night before last. He dreamt of a man who claimed to be a cripple from the city, saying he had been lying under his field for three years, feeling very suffocated, and asked him to be dug up and reburied in his ancestral grave. When the farmer woke up, he took a hoe and dug, and sure enough, he found them..."

Wang screamed again and covered her head with both hands.

Xu Shirong raised her voice and said, "Wang, Ma Quezi disappeared three years ago. You told everyone that he ran away in a huff after arguing with you. Now he himself appeared in a dream and asked someone to dig up his remains. What is your explanation?"

Wang trembled, slowly lowering her hand, and looked at Xu Shirong, saying in a trembling voice, "I...I really didn't know...the cripple...the cripple did indeed leave home after arguing with me back then. Perhaps he was strangled to death and buried by thieves outside the city, who knows..."

Xu Shirong shook her head, stood up and said, "Wang, I didn't say how that cripple died. Why are you so sure he was strangled by thieves?"

Madam Wang trembled and hurriedly said, "I was just saying that casually, please don't take it seriously, Madam..."

Xu Shirong smiled slightly, took out the tiger-striped jade pendant from his sleeve, and handed it to her, saying, "You must have seen this before, right?"

Wang glanced at it, her face turning even paler, but she still shook her head vigorously.

Xu Shirong sighed and said, "Wang, the reason the magistrate didn't try you in court was simply out of pity for you, a weak woman. He probably didn't have the strength to kill that cripple, and wanted to save you some face. It's just a pity that you were so eager to cover for him, but that person had no pity for you. He had already shifted all the blame onto you to the magistrate, saying that you strangled the cripple while he was asleep, and that he only moved the body outside the city to bury it to help you. Your death is nothing to regret, but it's pitiful that your current husband and your son, who is only a little over a year old, are now weeping bitterly at the gate of the yamen, refusing to leave no matter how the yamen runners try to drive them away. How can you be so heartless after they treat you like this?"

Madam Wang suddenly raised her head, tears streaming down her face, and cried out, "Madam... please, Madam, save me..."

Xu Shirong said calmly, "Tell me the truth. If you didn't kill the person, I will help you."

Wang wiped away her tears, glanced at the skeleton beside her, and then sobbed as she recounted the events.

It turned out that this woman, surnamed Wang, was nicknamed Huan'er. Her birth mother had died early, and her stepmother, greedy for money, accepted a generous dowry from the crippled man, disregarding the significant age difference between them, and sent her to him in a bridal sedan chair to be his second wife. Although Wang lamented her misfortune, she resigned herself to living with the crippled man. At first, things were alright, but a few years ago, the crippled man was led astray and developed a gambling addiction. Within a few months, he had lost most of their possessions. When Wang protested, she was beaten and had no choice but to endure it silently. One day, the crippled man's creditor, Xu, a wealthy man from the east of the city, came to her house with his men to collect gambling debts. The crippled man had already fled upon hearing the news, leaving her alone at home. Seeing this menacing group, she was terrified and at a loss. However, the wealthy Xu took a liking to her appearance. Instead of attacking her, he dismissed his men and comforted her with gentle words. Wang had lived with the cripple Ma for most of her days, and her heart had long since become stagnant. But when she suddenly saw this man being so tender and considerate towards her, she was immediately flustered and confused. Before long, they secretly began to get together.

The cripple owed Xu Dahu a mountain of debt. Knowing how powerful Xu was, he lived in constant fear, but Xu never came to collect. He even thought he had struck it lucky, unaware that the cuckoldry he was being cheated on was piling up like a towering pagoda. One day, he was pulled into a drinking party and got so drunk that he fell asleep on the floor of a tavern. He was awakened by the cold in the middle of the night and stumbled home. The bedroom door was bolted from the inside. After knocking a few times, he vaguely heard a man's voice. Enraged, he kicked the door open and found Wang Shi and Xu Dahu inside, both dressed but somewhat disheveled.

Normally, the crippled man, fearing Xu Dahu's power, might not have dared to cause trouble. But now, fueled by alcohol and enraged, he swung a carrying pole from the outer room at Xu Dahu. Xu Dahu, a bully nicknamed "Little Tyrant," was caught off guard and struck twice. His rage, fueled by his strength, emboldened him. He pinned the crippled man to the ground and grabbed his neck, but accidentally strangled him to death. The two men panicked at the sight of the murder, but Xu Dahu quickly composed himself. He instructed Wang Shi on his story to outsiders, and under cover of darkness, he returned to fetch a cart and secretly loaded the body onto it. He was somewhat well-known in the city, and the gatekeeper, hearing that he had urgent business to attend to, let him pass.

Although Xu Dahu was a fierce and domineering man, he was somewhat flustered at this moment. Seeing that the situation was about right, he found a slope and hurriedly dug a pit to bury the body. After filling the pit with mud and preparing to return to the city, he suddenly realized that the jade pendant connected to his waistband was missing, leaving only a broken silk sash. He vaguely remembered that during the struggle, the cripple had grabbed him. Even though he suspected the cripple was in the body, he didn't want to dig it up to see for himself. It was already getting light, and fearing being seen, he hurriedly returned to the city.

"At first, he was a little worried and thought about digging it up again to check, but then he realized he had done it without anyone knowing, so he gradually gave up on the idea. He had only intended to have a fleeting affair with me, and after this happened, he barely contacted me anymore. He just threatened me to keep my mouth shut, saying that if anyone found out, I would also be sued. I had no choice, and after the storm had passed, I secretly found someone else to marry. I never expected that the cripple's vengeful spirit would not rest..."

As Wang spoke, she collapsed to the ground, weeping uncontrollably, unable to rise.

Xu Shirong left the house and called Zhang Da, who had been listening in stunned silence at the door, to fetch the clerk to record another statement from Wang Shi. Xu Shirong then went to the back office and waited until the sun was almost setting before Yang Huan returned. Although his steps were still relatively steady, his face was flushed, indicating that he had drunk quite a bit.

Yang Huan was delighted to see that Xu Shirong seemed to be waiting for him. He was about to use the alcohol to pester her when he suddenly saw her coldly raise her eyes and sweep them over him with a stern expression. The alcohol in his head immediately dissipated by half. He was about to explain when Xiang'er came running over in a panic and said, "Master and Madam, two sedan chairs have been brought to the back gate of our house. I don't know what they are for."

Yang Huan paused for a moment, then hurried over. Upon reaching the entrance, he saw two dark green sedan chairs with drooping floral patterns parked in the alley, their curtains drawn low, each flanked by a young girl of about ten years old. Just then, a middle-aged man who appeared to be a steward emerged from behind, bowed to him, and greeted him, "Greetings, Your Excellency," then smiled and pointed to the sedan chairs, saying, "I am the steward of the Chen family. My master is the one who hosted the dinner at the Spider Tower today. The two young ladies who were drinking with you earlier admire you greatly, Your Excellency, so my master bought them and ordered me to bring them here. I hope Your Excellency will cherish them and not disappoint their affections."

As the steward spoke, the maid beside the sedan chair reached out and lifted the curtain. Yang Huan looked inside and saw that the two women sitting inside were indeed the two women who had accompanied him to drink in the Spider Tower. Both had white teeth and red lips, and were exquisitely made up. The most wonderful thing was that they were twins who looked exactly alike, except that one had her hair styled in a high bun like jade and the other in a bun like a jade terrace. At this moment, they each held a peony gauze fan in their hands, which half-covered their faces, only revealing a pair of beautiful eyes looking at him.

As Yang Huan was watching, he suddenly heard a cough behind him. Startled, the romantic thoughts that had just arisen vanished instantly. He hurriedly turned around and explained to Xu Shirong, "I only heard these two sing a song in the restaurant, nothing else..." But his voice grew softer and softer as he spoke, while secretly glancing at her face.

The steward had initially heard from his master, Master Chen, that the newly appointed Magistrate Yang was a womanizer, which was why he had sent this pitiful young woman over. He was secretly pleased to see the man's eyes fixed on the person in the sedan chair, but suddenly a young woman appeared in the doorway. She coughed once, and Magistrate Yang's expression immediately changed. He hurriedly explained to the woman, presumably her wife. After a moment's thought, he winked at the pitiful young woman in the sedan chair.

Lianlian and Xixi were originally courtesans kept in the Chen household. Today, Master Chen brought them out to accompany the newly appointed county magistrate for drinks. They had assumed he would be an old man like Master Chen, but upon seeing him, they were delighted to find he was a handsome young man. During the meal, they did their utmost to flatter and ingratiate themselves with him. Coincidentally, Yang Huan was a womanizer, and they hit it off immediately, feeling like they had known each other for a long time. Just when it seemed that things were about to go smoothly, the county magistrate suddenly changed his expression. He kept explaining to a woman behind him, and seeing the steward of the manor giving him a wink, he hurriedly got out of the sedan chair. A fragrant breeze blew by, and he and his sister knelt on either side of Xu Shirong, pleading in a pitiful voice, "My sister and I admire your handsome appearance, and we are willing to serve you, Madam. We would never dare to have any other intentions. Please grant us our wish, Madam. We would be extremely grateful." They spoke to Xu Shirong, but their eyes were fixed on Yang Huan.

Hearing the two beauties kneeling on the ground, whispering sweet nothings, and seeing their alluring glances, Yang Huan's body went weak. Just as he was about to help them up, he saw Xu Shirong looking at him and smiling, "Lord Yang, these two beauties, even I feel sorry for them, let alone you. Since they want to be with you, I naturally won't stop them. There's only one condition: if you take them, find a place outside to keep them, and take all your belongings with you. Don't ever come back. My place is too small to accommodate so many people."

Yang Huan saw that although Jiao Niang was smiling, her eyes were icy cold, and her words carried a chilling aura. Suddenly remembering her words from last night that she had returned from the underworld, he shivered, and the remaining effects of the alcohol wore off. He quickly put on a fawning smile and said, "When did I say I was taking anyone in? Who wants to move out? We'll kick them out right now!" As he spoke, his face hardened, and he didn't even look at her pitiful appearance. He only said to the steward, "Hurry up and take them back. What haven't I seen? Do you think I'm some country bumpkin?"

After hearing the magistrate finish speaking, the steward secretly despised him, realizing he had encountered a henpecked husband. Seeing that the magistrate had already turned and followed the lady inside, the steward had no choice but to call out to Lianlian Xixi and head back to report to Master Chen.

Seeing the unfriendly expression on Jiao Niang's face, Yang Huan thought to himself that her promise to take him a concubine was all a lie. Perhaps Qing Yu was instigated by her to cause that scene, which was why she hadn't taken her away to sell as before. He had only been there a day when his jealous and possessive nature resurfaced. The more he thought about it, the more reasonable she seemed, but he only muttered it to himself and dared not say a word. Once inside the house and seeing that no one else was around, he was thinking of what kind of oath to use to appease her when he heard her say, "You must be resentful that I thwarted your plans earlier, right?"

Yang Huan was startled and was about to deny it when Xu Shirong coldly said, "What I said before still stands. I stopped you just now because I was indebted to them. You've only been here for two days and you've already accepted their hospitality. You can't spit it out now, so I'll let it go. But if the person who sent it wants it back, I'm afraid you'll really be led by the nose from now on."

Yang Huan was speechless after hearing her words, and could only chuckle awkwardly. Just as he was about to say something to please her, she said, "The cripple's wife has already confessed to a murder suspect, but that man is a local tyrant in Qingmen County, known as the Little Tyrant. I'm afraid you won't dare to touch him. If you don't dare, just arbitrarily sentence his wife to murder tomorrow, and that will close the case."

Seeing her disdainful expression, Yang Huan felt slighted and his anger flared up. He shouted, "Bah! Where did this bastard come from, daring to steal my name! Just you wait, if I don't beat this local tyrant down, I'll be unworthy of the title of Little Tyrant!"

Chapter Fifteen

Yang Huan stormed to the front of the yamen, intending to immediately order someone to bring Xu Dahu's lock to him. However, all the constables and yamen runners had already dispersed and gone home, leaving only two gatekeepers. Helpless, he had no choice but to return to the back courtyard to rest. The next day, however, he unusually got up very early, put on his bright green official robes and hat, and sat upright in the county yamen's hall to wait for everyone.

Yang Huan waited and waited, but no one came, and he was filled with resentment. He didn't think he had arrived early; he just cursed the clerks and runners for being lazy. Finally, when the county magistrate, the county constable, and all the head constables and runners arrived one after another, he slammed his gavel and shouted, "Go and bring Xu Dahu from the east of the city here immediately!"

Upon hearing this, everyone except Zhang Da, who had some prior knowledge of the matter, was stunned. The county magistrate recalled that he had shirked his duties the day before because his superior's position was vacant and because he disliked the filth, so he hadn't gone to the site of the exhumation. Unexpectedly, he had been caught red-handed by the newly appointed magistrate. He was feeling somewhat uneasy, but during yesterday's banquet, he had flattered the magistrate profusely, and it seemed that the magistrate had let the matter drop. He was secretly relieved, and although he was surprised now, he shrank to the side and remained silent.

The county magistrate, surnamed Mu, was a shrewd and experienced man. Seeing that the new magistrate's first day in court involved immediately ordering the arrest of Xu Dahu, he assumed the magistrate was resentful of Xu Dahu's absence from the banquet the previous day and wanted to give him a hard time. He quickly stepped forward and advised, "Magistrate Yang, please listen to me. Xu Dahu is a notorious troublemaker in this county, and he has a distant uncle whose influence is even more..."

Before Magistrate Mu could finish speaking, Yang Huan impatiently interrupted him, saying, "I spit on his spice! Once he's in my hands, I'll make sure he leaves straight, not lying. Enough talk, go and grab him right now!"

Yesterday at the banquet, County Magistrate Mu had already witnessed the magistrate's lecherous and womanizing ways. Although he was only a minor official of the eighth rank, he was still a graduate of the imperial examinations and already held a contemptuous attitude towards officials who had been parachuted in through nepotism. He knew that the magistrate was nothing more than a spoiled brat from a high-ranking official's family in the capital. Now, seeing the magistrate's roguish manner and constant use of the term "young master," he looked down on him even more. He thought it would be good for the magistrate to offend the Xu family and suffer some hardship. So he kept quiet and only gave the head constable a wink.

The head constable was Zhang Da. Seeing that this kind of job had fallen on his shoulders again, he cursed his bad luck inwardly. Helpless, he had no choice but to gather his men and head to Xu Dahu's house.