The poor wooden desk tumbled down the hall and shattered into pieces immediately.
The thunderous crash frightened Ah Long so badly he fell flat onto the floor, staring in terror at Zhao Baozhu, who stood there breathing heavily.
Zhao Baozhu’s face was black as a wrathful spirit’s.
At this moment, he no longer cared whether he frightened Ah Long or not. Unable to endure it any longer, he paced furiously back and forth across the hall.
“How can there be such monstrous evil in this world?! Violating another man’s wife, slaughtering an entire family, forcibly seizing their property…”
Zhao Baozhu was so enraged he stomped his foot hard. Unable to bear it any longer, he snatched up a broken wooden stick from the shattered desk and hurled it toward the doors with all his strength.
“That You scum deserves death!”
Ah Long heard those words and every hair on his body stood on end. Forgetting the pain in his backside, he scrambled to his feet and wrapped his arms around Zhao Baozhu’s waist.
“Old Master, Old Master! You absolutely can’t say something like that!”
No wonder Zhao Baozhu had asked whether the door was shut! If those words got out, hiss head would truly be forfeit. Clinging desperately to Zhao Baozhu, he found it hard to believe that this young master of his, who looked so refined and delicate, could have such a fierce temper. He kept trying to persuade him.
“Old Master, don’t be angry. This… this matter needs careful consideration—”
Zhao Baozhu looked as though he was about to grab a blade on the spot and slaughter the entire You family. With both arms encircling his slender waist, Ah Long could still feel Zhao Baozhu’s stomach rising and falling with each breath. He was obviously furious.
“Let go of me!” Zhao Baozhu barked.
“I won’t!” Ah Long dared not loosen his grip. Pleading, he said, “My good Master, stop being angry. We haven’t even had lunch yet. Let’s eat first, all right?”
Zhao Baozhu shot him a glare. “Eat what? I’m already full from anger!”
Ah Long immediately fell silent, continuing to hold on without daring to let go. Zhao Baozhu panted heavily as he looked at the mess scattered around the room. Gradually, the anger in his heart subsided.
No matter how angry he was, dealing with the You family would require a long-term plan.
Closing his eyes briefly, he took a deep breath and patted the hands wrapped around his waist. “Fine, let go. Let’s go eat first.”
He really was full of anger, but he also knew Ah Long was still young and couldn’t go hungry.
Hearing this, Ah Long cautiously glanced at Zhao Baozhu’s expression. Seeing that he truly seemed calmer now, he slowly released him.
Zhao Baozhu grabbed him by the collar and hauled him up, then headed to the back courtyard for lunch.
On the table were two or three simple dishes, white steamed buns, and brown rice. Aside from a plate of wild greens stir-fried with eggs, there was hardly any meat. Yet Ah Long ate with obvious enjoyment.
Still, he kept his head down and didn’t dare look at Zhao Baozhu. Usually, he loved joking around with him at the dinner table, but today Zhao Baozhu’s display of official authority had frightened him.
Though Zhao Baozhu claimed he was too angry to eat, he wasn’t actually skipping the meal. Holding a steamed bun, he tore off pieces as he ate while watching Ah Long. Amusement tugged at the corner of his lips. “You look as scared as a quail. What? It’s not like I lost my temper at you.”
With half a mouthful of rice still in his cheeks, Ah Long glanced at him. Seeing the smile on Zhao Baozhu’s face, he relaxed and swallowed before replying: “You’re one to talk, Old Master. If you’d actually yelled at me, that would’ve been one thing. Why take it out on the table? A perfectly good table got smashed.”
Now that he’d calmed down, Zhao Baozhu felt a little regretful as well. The table was old, but he’d intended to use it for storing odds and ends. “Smashed is smashed,” he muttered. “I was going to replace it anyway.”
Ah Long rolled his eyes. “If Old Master keeps throwing things around like this, how much silver will be enough?”
Mentioning silver made Zhao Baozhu wince. He still had money for the moment, but it wasn’t a sustainable situation. “I know. I won’t smash things anymore.”
Ah Long looked at him, then suddenly thought of something.
“Big Tao and Tao Second call you Lord Zhao, but I still want to call you Old Master.”
Originally, calling Zhao Baozhu “Old Master” had merely been a habit left over from before. To be honest, judging by appearances alone, outsiders might think Zhao Baozhu was his older brother rather than his master.
But today he was genuinely convinced.
Regardless of age or appearance, an official was an official. A proper jinshi scholar-official was simply different. Sitting in the hall of judgment, Zhao Baozhu radiated authority. Moreover, he was so upright and considerate of ordinary people that he had even dismantled his own fine carriage and lent the horses to transport coffins.
Ah Long admired him wholeheartedly. This “Old Master” now came from sincere respect.
Zhao Baozhu didn’t care much. “Call me whatever you like.”
After finishing his meal, he wiped his mouth and pulled over a sheet of xuan paper.
“When you’re done eating, write something for me. List everyone in the You family you know and what each of them does.”
The moment Ah Long heard that, he grew nervous again. “Old Master, you’re not really planning to take them on, are you?”
He genuinely feared that if Zhao Baozhu confronted the You family head-on, not only would he gain nothing, he would end up suffering at the hands of those bandits.
Still young and accustomed to the ways of the previous magistrate, Ah Long believed it was normal for county officials to turn a blind eye to powerful local clans.
“Old Master, you’d better leave it alone. We can just live quietly. If there’s someone we can help, we help them. There’s no need to make enemies of the You family.”
Zhao Baozhu did not answer directly. “Just write. I know what I’m doing.”
Unable to understand his intentions, Ah Long obediently wrote down everyone he knew and explained them one by one.
As Zhao Baozhu listened, his eyes darkened with unreadable thoughts. He sneered inwardly and gazed out the window.
Even if he stayed quiet, trouble would still come looking for him. Before long, someone would surely come to test what kind of man he really was.
***
Three days later, the eldest brother of the Tao family was buried.
Molin pulled three fine cypress-wood coffins through the city while musicians played funeral music. In a place like Wuya County, such a funeral was considered grand and honorable.
Soon, the entire county knew that the newly appointed magistrate had lent his horses to the Tao brothers and had even provided money for the funeral expenses.
The next day, Tao Zhang and Tao Rui came to return the horses. Dressed in mourning clothes, they knelt in the hall and kowtowed to Zhao Baozhu.
“We will never forget Young Lord Zhao’s kindness. If there is ever anything Your Honor requires of us brothers, simply give the order. Please do not spare our worthless lives. We would gladly die ten thousand deaths for you!”
Watching them bow repeatedly, Zhao Baozhu quickly said, “Ah Long, help them up.”
Ah Long hurried over and lifted them to their feet.
Zhao Baozhu lowered his gaze and examined them.
Though their mourning clothes made them seem less imposing than before, they still looked like a pair of guardian deities standing at a gate, broad and intimidating. Even in grief, their appearance was enough to make children stop crying at night.
As he looked at them, a plan formed in his mind.
Rolling his eyes thoughtfully, he asked, “Do either of you have somewhere to go now?”
The brothers froze.
“Well…”
Their family shop had been taken by thieves, and all their attention had been focused on burying their elder brother’s family. They hadn’t yet considered what came next.
A flicker passed through Zhao Baozhu’s eyes. “If not, would you be willing to stay here and serve as court runners under me?”
Over the past few days, he had renovated the yamen from top to bottom. The premises were finally in order, but he lacked manpower.
What he valued most about the Tao brothers were their powerful physiques and fearsome faces.
If he stationed these two demon-like guardians at the entrance, anyone who came to speak with him would think twice first and consider whether their bones were hard enough.
The Tao brothers were overflowing with gratitude toward Zhao Baozhu and had been worrying about how to repay him. Hearing this offer, how could they possibly refuse?
They immediately knelt and pledged their loyalty, even insisting they didn’t want any salary.
Zhao Baozhu refused.
On the spot, he drafted employment contracts and had them sign. Looking at the two stone-statue-like strongmen he had recruited, he felt immensely satisfied.
***
News of the Tao brothers’ funeral spread rapidly throughout Wuya County.
Within days, everyone knew that the newly arrived county magistrate was a fair-minded and kind-hearted young jinshi scholar. He was said to be as handsome as a noble gentleman painted in a beauty scroll.
People began calling him “Young Lord Zhao.”
As his reputation spread through the county, Ah Long walked around with his chin held high whenever he went out to buy vegetables and groceries.
If he met townsfolk who had seen Zhao Baozhu before, they would often knock a coin or two off the price for him.
Life had become quite glorious.
But when Zhao Baozhu heard of his growing fame, his thoughts went much further. Now that his name had spread, someone was probably becoming restless.
Sure enough, only a few days later, an unwelcome guest arrived.
Someone knocked on the yamen gate. Naturally, Ah Long went to answer it. But after only one look, he hurried back in panic, grabbing Zhao Baozhu’s sleeve and whispering: “Old Master, this is bad. That old dog Fan has come!”
Zhao Baozhu was sitting at his desk reviewing old government documents. At those words, his page-turning paused. Slowly, he raised his eyes.
This “Old Dog Fan” was actually named Fan Yaosan, one of the You family’s stewards.
According to what Ah Long had previously explained, the You clan numbered several hundred members. Three brothers managed the family:
- The eldest held power.
- The second traveled mountain routes conducting business.
- The third was the family’s only scholar. Years ago he had passed the county-level examination and become a xiucai, and now acted as the family’s strategist.
Beneath them served numerous stewards, servants, and guards.
Among them, none was more trusted than the steward nicknamed Old Dog Fan.
It was said that Fan Yaosan had originally been a lazy good-for-nothing with no honest occupation. He spent his days stealing, cheating, and extorting others.
After entering the service of the You family, he thrived.
Bullying widows and orphans, organizing gangs of hooligans, there wasn’t a dirty deed that hadn’t passed through his hands.
The thug who had previously assaulted Sister-in-law Tao was likely acting under Fan Yaosan’s orders.
Ah Long was extremely nervous. “That old dog never comes with good intentions! I didn’t answer him. Should we say you’re not here and send him away?”
Zhao Baozhu’s expression turned cold. “What are you afraid of? Open the door and receive our guest.”
Unable to argue, Ah Long went to open the gate and led Fan Yaosan inside.
The vermilion doors of the yamen swung open. A short, hunched figure in a black robe walked in from outside. He looked well past fifty. When he lifted his head, he revealed a thin, gaunt face with shifty eyes and rodent-like features. Though it was obvious he had made every effort to groom himself, he could not conceal the petty villainy radiating from him.
Following behind Ah Long, he entered while constantly looking around.
His eyes never stayed still.
He touched things here and there, peering left and right. His triangular eyes roamed over every furnishing and decoration in sight, as though he were estimating the value of everything he saw.
Watching him, Ah Long felt deeply disgusted but dared not say anything.
At last, he escorted Fan Yaosan into the main hall.
Zhao Baozhu was already seated at the head of the hall.
When Fan Yaosan entered, Zhao Baozhu’s expression remained calm, neither warm nor cold.
Seeing this, Ah Long breathed a huge sigh of relief. Given Zhao Baozhu’s earlier rage, he had feared that the moment Fan Yaosan appeared, Zhao Baozhu would chop him to pieces with a knife or order Tao Zhang and Tao Rui to beat him to death with clubs.
Now that Zhao Baozhu appeared composed, half his worries vanished. He lowered his head and retreated to one side.
Zhao Baozhu glanced at Fan Yaosan before lowering his eyes again. In an even tone, he asked: “And who might you be?”
Fan Yaosan was momentarily taken aback, much like Tao Zhang and Tao Rui had been.
They had heard that the new magistrate was not yet twenty years old and looked as delicate as a young maiden. They had assumed he would be a frail scholar.
Unexpectedly, seeing him in person, they found that he carried genuine official authority.
But Fan Yaosan only hesitated for an instant before recovering his swagger. With an extremely perfunctory bow, he said: “Your humble servant, Fan Yaosan, greets Young Lord Zhao.”
When Ah Long saw that the man did not even kneel, his eyes immediately widened. He had expected the You family to be arrogant, but he had not imagined they would be this overbearing! It was one thing to casually send over a steward instead of coming personally to meet the county magistrate for the first time, but they could not even be bothered to show the bare minimum of respect!
Zhao Baozhu, however, was not surprised in the slightest. He had long expected this opening show of intimidation. His expression did not change as he said, “If you have business here, speak.”
Fan Yaosan grinned at his words, pulled a ledger from his robes, and stepped forward to place it before Zhao Baozhu. “Nothing major. Just this document here, I’ll have to trouble Young Lord Zhao to stamp it.”
He gave no explanation whatsoever, simply producing the thing and demanding Zhao Baozhu affix the magistrate’s seal. It was an enormous insult. Though county magistrates were often mocked among the common folk as “ninth-rank sesame officials,” they were still the chief authority of an entire county. Once the magistrate’s seal was stamped onto something, Zhao Baozhu would bear full responsibility for it.
Without changing expression, Zhao Baozhu picked up the document. After casually flipping through just a few pages, his brows shifted almost imperceptibly.
Those thin sheets of paper clearly contained the detailed tax records for Wuya County for the current month.
Taxes were the lifeblood of a county government, and collecting taxes household by household was the magistrate’s foremost duty. Yet now these tax records were openly sitting in the hands of the You family!
The figures on them had never been checked by him. One could guess with their toes that the You family had siphoned off no small amount of profit from them, and likely the “good prefect” of Qingzhou was involved as well. If Zhao Baozhu stamped these papers today, then should any falsified accounts or corruption later be uncovered, his head would be the first to roll!
A chill settled in Zhao Baozhu’s heart. His grip tightened unconsciously on the papers, leaving faint creases behind.
Fan Yaosan paid no attention to his expression. He even stretched out a hand to point at the end of the tax ledger and said, “Young Lord Zhao only needs to stamp it right here!”
The moment his hand touched the desk, Zhao Baozhu suddenly lifted his eyes. His dark gaze landed on Fan Yaosan’s face as he said softly:
“How about I just hand you the official seal directly? Then you can stamp wherever you please.”
At first, Fan Yaosan did not react to the first half of the sentence and nearly opened his mouth to agree. But when the second half sank in, he realized something was wrong. Just as he looked up to speak, he saw the strikingly handsome magistrate before him with a face frosted cold as ice. Zhao Baozhu barked sharply: “How dare you!”
Fan Yaosan had not expected him to suddenly turn hostile. Frightened out of his wits, his feet slipped, and he tumbled backward off the hall platform.
