Li Shenshi was so ashamed by the ridicule that he simply threw away his hope and said to the officer behind him, "What are you still standing there for? Didn't you hear what I said? Why don't you arrest this shrew?"
Qiu Yizhi immediately became angry and shouted, "Who dares?"
Qiu Yi had been in the central government for a long time, and had come into contact with many heroes. He had seen and heard a lot of heroic spirit. The roar really scared the runners so much that they dared not step forward.
Li Shenshi shouted angrily, "Hurry up and do it. If anything goes wrong, it's all my fault!"
Among these yamen runners, there were some who had some connection with the case. When they heard that the county magistrate was going to take the blame himself, they finally mustered up the courage to step forward and arrest Yang Qiaoer.
Seeing this, Qiu Yizhi laughed grimly and said to Zhao Chengxiao and others, "These people are ungrateful and need to be taught a lesson!"
Zhao Chengxiao and others were Qiu Yizi's trusted personal soldiers, so they knew what he meant. Without saying a word, they rolled up their sleeves and started fighting with the group of yamen runners.
These county government officials are nothing but thugs and lackeys. They bully the common people and are afraid of the strong and the weak. Even though they are numerous and powerful, they are of little use.
Qiu Yizi's personal soldiers were originally desperate criminals from Yunmeng Mountain. They had followed Qiu Yizi through life and death, battles in many places, and had thus developed strong muscles and bones. After personal instruction from the martial arts leader Yuchi Lianghong, they had already mastered the skills to be able to defeat ten people at once.
In just a cup of tea, the group of yamen runners were all knocked to the ground by Zhao Chengxiao and the other 18 personal soldiers. They had wounds all over their bodies, some light and some serious, and they kept groaning.
The people watching in Shanyin County had never seen such a scene before. After a brief silence, they suddenly broke out into deafening cheers and applause.
Qiu Yizhi looked around, feeling very proud, so he stretched out his hands and pressed down twice, signaling the people around him to be silent, and said to Yang Qiaoer who was kneeling on the ground: "I have accepted your complaint. As for the case, I will investigate it carefully. Regardless of right or wrong, good or evil, I will always give you a clear answer."
He turned to the dumbfounded Li Shenshi and said, "Sir Li, I believe you know what role you play in this case. I will be polite to you and will not expose the truth in public. You can go back and wait for the impeachment!"
After saying that, Qiu Yizi ignored Li Shenshi and walked towards the county government office alone.
Zhao Chengxiao hurried forward and asked, "How should we deal with these officials? Please tell me clearly, sir!"
Qiu Yizi sneered and said, "I don't need these bastards here. Send them all back and let them live as good citizens. That's their good fortune!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Qiu Yizi walked into the gate of the county government without looking back.
The Shanyin County Government Office had just been renovated and it looked very neat and clean inside and out, with a bright structure. It had a lobby, back hall, study and other bedrooms, kitchen, warehouse, stables and even a small garden nursery.
Qiu Yizi was full of things on his mind at the time, so he had no intention of visiting the county government office. As soon as he walked into the back hall, he found a chair and sat down. He was extremely indignant in his heart - he didn't expect that in the Shanyin County, which seemed clean on the surface, there would be such a dirty thing inside.
While Qiu Yizhi was getting angry, Wang Laowu trotted into the room, bowed to Qiu Yizhi, and said softly: "I saw everything that happened just now. I wonder if you want to harm Miss Yang or help her?"
Qiu Yizi seemed to have not heard Wang Laowu's words clearly. She turned her head and looked directly at Wang Laowu and said, "Laowu, if you have something to say, look straight at me. Don't beat around the bush with me!"
"Alas! Sir, you have always been aboveboard, how could you know what's going on here?" Wang Laowu sighed, "Although I don't know the details of the case, judging from Sir Li's expression just now, he is obviously deeply involved in this case. Sir, you have pushed him too hard today, there is no guarantee that he will not do something desperate and kill people to silence them!"
"Hahaha!" Qiu Yizi laughed out loud, "Kill me? I've been in and out of the tiger's den alone several times, and I was able to escape unscathed. Don't you know? I opened the gate of Tongguan by myself. Don't you know? I personally went into the imperial city to persuade the false emperor Zheng Yao to commit suicide. Don't you know? You want to kill me? Go ask Zhao Chengxiao first!"
Wang Laowu hurriedly bowed and said, "That Li is nothing in front of you! Even if he had eight pairs of bear hearts and leopard courage, he would not dare to embarrass you. What I mean is, what if he wants to go and cause trouble for Miss Yang?"
"What! Li Shenshi wants to murder the plaintiff? Does he have the guts to do that?" Qiu Yizi couldn't help but slam the table and cursed, "Isn't Shanyin County the Han Dynasty? He is an official after all, how could he break the law like this?"
Wang Laowu shook his head and said with a bitter smile, "Your Excellency is such a noble man, how could he know the twists and turns here? Even I, who have been a broker for a few months, have only heard some of it. Take this matter for example, since Your Excellency has accepted the complaint, it can no longer be covered up. If you really want to get away with it, you can only kill Miss Yang. Without the victim, Your Excellency cannot try the case, and this matter can be barely covered up."
The more Qiu Yizhi listened, the more frightened he became. He originally thought that the Han Dynasty was in decline because of the laziness and inaction of the previous emperor Zheng Yong, who had been posthumously named "Emperor Muzong Gong". His adoptive father ascended the throne and issued numerous decrees to rectify the administration of officials, and also severely punished and investigated several corrupt officials. The administration of officials should be in good order, but he did not expect that there were so many dirty corners in the Han Dynasty that harbored filth.
When Qiu Yizi thought of this, he secretly made up his mind to use this case as an opportunity to eliminate these corrupt and evil officials for his adoptive father and the people.
So he gathered his thoughts and said, "Wang Laowu, go out now and find out where Miss Yang lives. Report back immediately without any delay."
Wang Laowu listened to the order, agreed, and went to do his work at a trot.
Qiu Yizhi watched him leave, then called Zhao Chengxiao over and said, "Brother Zhao, in the cell behind the county government office, Yang Qiaoer's sister, Yang Yinger, is imprisoned. Send someone reliable over immediately to take good care of her, and don't let those evil people harm her!"
Yang Qiaoer's family was originally a poor family in Shanyin County. After being involved in this lawsuit, they sold all their valuables to fight for justice, and their family was left with nothing. After this turmoil, both parents passed away within just half a year.
Yang Qiao'er had originally planned to give up her grievances, but she heard from somewhere that the old magistrate Li Shenshi was about to be transferred to another place and a new Jinshi was appointed. After she knew this, she thought it was a last-ditch effort and prepared to make one last attempt to seek justice. If she failed again, she would be disheartened and leave her sister Yang Ying'er after she died unjustly.
However, the new magistrate, Qiu Yizi, took over her case without hesitation as soon as they met, which rekindled her hope and made her toss and turn in the middle of the night, unable to fall asleep.
At this moment, Yang Qiaoer seemed to hear the sound of someone walking outside the door. She felt strange and shouted, "Who is outside?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the footsteps outside the door stopped, and then there were several knocks on the door, and then someone said, "We are the county yamen runners. The new county magistrate sent us here to summon you for questioning. You should open the door quickly and follow us to the county yamen."
Although Yang Qiao'er was still young and a woman, she was bold and careful in her work. She felt that something was wrong and said, "What time is it? I have never heard of a government office trying a case in the middle of the night. You guys go back first. I will go to the county government office myself tomorrow morning."
The person outside the door was stunned for a moment, then he knocked on the door and shouted, "Just go when I tell you to, why are you talking so much!"
When Yang Qiaoer heard him speak rudely and impatiently, she realized that the situation was not right, so she quickly got up and dressed, but was thinking about how to deal with the situation.
Seeing that Yang Qiaoer didn't move, the people outside the door became a little anxious, and they knocked and pushed the door even harder. The door of Yang Qiaoer's house had been in disrepair for a long time, so how could it withstand such damage? It was completely removed by the people outside the door in a few seconds.
Without the door blocking them, the people outside became even more unscrupulous. Seven or eight people holding lanterns filed into Yang Qiaoer's room.
Yang Qiaoer was a young woman after all. She was horrified when she saw this and curled up in the corner of the hut, not daring to move.
The person who entered the room laughed grimly and said, "Miss Yang, I asked you to open the door, why didn't you agree? Look, it's a pity to damage the wooden door for no reason."
Yang Qiaoer calmed down a little, and with the dim flickering candlelight from the lanterns, she could barely recognize that these people were the same group of county government officials who had been beaten in the street today - their faces still had blue and purple bruises.
Yang Qiaoer knew in her heart: these people had just been expelled by the new county magistrate during the day, so how could they be re-employed at night? They must have some ulterior motives and were up to something bad.
Thinking of this, Yang Qiaoer plucked up her courage, stood up and leaned against the brick wall, and said loudly: "You are all Li Shenshi's lackeys. Wasn't it enough that you were beaten during the day? You still want to come here to make trouble. Aren't you afraid that the new county magistrate will sentence you for trespassing late at night, and give you a beating, and then send you to the Western Regions to serve as soldiers?"
Although the group of yamen runners were all tall and strong men, they were far from being as calm and courageous as Yang Qiaoer. Moreover, they were guilty of being thieves. After she pointed out their identities so ruthlessly, they were really scared. They stood there stupidly, looking at each other, not daring to act rashly for a while.
At this moment, a man pushed through the crowd and walked out of the door. He smiled and said to Yang Qiaoer, "Miss Yang, don't you want to seek justice? Don't you think I don't dare to accept your case? Very well, I will take your case today. Come with me!"
Yang Qiaoer rubbed her eyes, unable to believe it - it turned out that this man was the old magistrate Li Shenshi - he actually came out in person for a little girl like her.
Although she was brave, she felt guilty facing the imperial official. She also thought of herself as a weak woman, isolated and helpless in the middle of the night. Her legs went weak in despair and she was unable to stand, so she collapsed against the wall.
Li Shenshi was very pleased to see that such a famously fierce woman had finally yielded. He ordered his servants, "Miss Yang is sick and can't walk. Go and help her!"
These officers were all lustful evil spirits. They knew that in the process of supporting Yang Qiaoer, a young girl, they would inevitably have physical contact with her, so they stepped forward with lewd smiles and stretched out their hands, trying to pull Yang Qiaoer up.
Seeing that she was about to be humiliated, Yang Qiaoer simply risked her life and ignored the officer. She didn't know where she got the strength from, but she kicked her legs and pounced in front of Li Shenshi.
Li Shenshi was a weak scholar who was old and powerless. He had no reaction to the sudden attack and let Yang Qiaoer throw him to the ground.
After Yang Qiaoer succeeded in her attack, she didn't hold back and swung her hands to slap Li Shenshi's face countless times, cursing non-stop: "You corrupt official! You dog official! You ruined my family! Even if I die, I will take you with me to see the King of Hell!"
She scolded him until it hurt, and she was not satisfied with beating him with both hands. She lowered her head, opened her mouth and bit Li Shenshi's left ear, biting off half of his ear. (To be continued)