Chapter 271: Chapter 271: Acting as the People’s Master

The county magistrate picked up the gavel, ready to strike, but met Jun Mo’s icy gaze.

That gaze was too cold, and the county magistrate slowly put down the gavel.

Coming to his senses, he couldn’t help but feel angry that he had been threatened by an unknown person.

"Who are you? Guards! Take down these two who are disturbing the court!"

The yamen runners surrounded Jun Mo and Su Li. Mo Yang blocked them.

"Impudent!" Mo Yang said coldly.

His imposing aura was even more dignified than the county magistrate’s.

The county magistrate pointed at them and angrily said, "You are the impudent ones! Arrest them for this official! Throw them into jail!"

Mo Yang took out a token and held it in front of the county magistrate. "Open your dog-eyes and see clearly! Who do you intend to arrest?"

The county magistrate initially dismissed it, but upon closer inspection, he immediately tumbled off his chair, prostrating himself on the ground.

"Your humble subordinate deserves death! Your humble subordinate deserves death! Unaware of Prince Jing’s arrival, I deserve death ten thousand times over!"

The crowd gasped in shock.

"It’s Prince Jing?"

"It’s Prince Jing! Who is that woman with the veiled hat?"

"Is it a princess or a county princess?"

"I think it’s Princess Changning. The young couple is out sightseeing."

"I think so too. Looking at her demeanor, she truly lives up to being Princess Changning. Encountering this matter, and then upholding justice, she truly is a princess who wholeheartedly cares for us common folk!"

Jun Mo stepped forward, pressed Su Li into the chair the county magistrate had been sitting in, and stood behind her, looking coldly at the county magistrate on the ground.

He also glanced at Zhang Mazi and Li Wang in the hall.

Zhang Mazi and Li Wang’s faces had turned deathly pale when the county magistrate cried out "Prince Jing," and with that one glance, they immediately collapsed onto their knees.

Mo Yang stepped forward and, like lifting a small chick, hauled the kneeling county magistrate to Zhang Mazi’s side, making all three kneel in a row.

The Li family girl looked at Su Li and Jun Mo curiously, her eyes filled with doubt and scrutiny.

Su Li said, "Bring a stool for this young girl."

This county magistrate was clearly colluding with Zhang Mazi and Li Wang.

These two hadn’t knelt at all from beginning to end, not even bending their knees, but the girl had been kneeling the entire time.

A yamen runner quickly brought a stool and placed it beside the girl.

Su Li said softly, "You can sit and answer."

To everyone’s surprise, the young girl suddenly burst into tears with a "wah."

Her pent-up grievances, accumulated for too long, couldn’t bear even a shred of kindness from others.

"Sister, can you help me? Can you really help me?"

"They all say I’m a wild child, a white-eyed wolf. Father raised me, and I still want to monopolize the Li family’s house."

"But my father entrusted the entire Li family to me before he died! I just want to protect the memories of me and my father, wuwu... Sister, can you help me protect my father’s house?"

Su Li said softly, "You get up first. What’s yours is yours; no one can take it away."

The young girl sniffled and got up, sitting on the stool.

Su Li then looked at the three people in the hall and said coldly, "Speak. Who forged this promissory note? Why did the county magistrate show favoritism towards the two of you?"

Zhang Mazi was about to speak but was interrupted again by Su Li.

"Think carefully before speaking. Your forceful occupation of another’s property is not a major crime, but deceiving Prince Jing is an even greater offense! Moreover, those who confess first may receive a reduced sentence. Don’t wait until others expose you to regret speaking too late."

Zhang Mazi and Li Wang exchanged glances, then suddenly rushed to speak.

"It was Zhang Mazi who found me and asked me to forge false testimony for him! He promised me twenty thousand taels of silver as long as he got my third brother’s courtyard!"

"I didn’t! Prince Jing, please investigate! It was clearly him who wanted to seize someone’s house, forged a promissory note, and came to me for help!"

"You’re lying! It was clearly you!"

"The promissory note is here. If you don’t believe it, go ask the person who copied it who asked him to forge it!"

"It was your idea! You are the mastermind!"

Watching the two, who had just been united against them, now turning against each other, listening to them expose each other’s secrets, everyone sighed with regret.

Although it was still unclear who was the main culprit and who was the accomplice, the ownership of Elder Li San’s house was already very clear.

That veiled lady was truly formidable. With just a loophole in the promissory note, she cracked a case.

"Stop! I will send people to investigate your matters. Tell me, why did the county magistrate show favoritism towards you two?" Su Li asked.

Everyone knew deep down that it was simply because the county magistrate had been bribed.

On one side was money, on the other was a lonely young girl. Anyone would know how to choose.

The county magistrate looked up at Zhang Mazi and Li Wang, his eyes containing a threat.

Zhang Mazi and Li Wang didn’t dare to speak rashly. If Prince Jing’s actions were just a lot of talk with little follow-through, and the officials protected each other, letting the county magistrate remain in his position, then the county magistrate would settle scores later, and they would be finished.

Su Li sneered, "Whoever confesses faster will have their crime reduced. Even if you don’t confess, and he continues to be the county magistrate, do you think he won’t retaliate for the embarrassment you caused him today? On the contrary, if you confess, this county magistrate will likely be at the end of his rope, and he won’t have the power to retaliate against you. Two birds with one stone, choose wisely."

As soon as Su Li finished speaking, Zhang Mazi’s and Li Wang’s voices rang out from below.

"He took the money! He took fifty thousand taels of silver from Zhang Mazi!"

"That’s right! We gave him fifty thousand taels. If he hadn’t boasted so much, we wouldn’t have dared to be so blatant."

The county magistrate’s forehead was beaded with cold sweat, and he repeatedly cried out that he was wronged.

The matter was almost clear, and Su Li didn’t press further.

Just then, Mo Yu led a team of government soldiers in. The prefect was at the forefront.

"Your humble subordinate Yan Song greets His Royal Highness Prince Jing and Princess Changning."

Only then did everyone confirm that this was indeed Princess Changning.

Jun Mo said coldly, "You are the prefect here?"

"Your humble subordinate is."

"Then I’ll leave this to you. This person has committed corruption and bribery. Handle him properly, and then write a memorial to the Emperor."

The prefect quickly bowed. "Yes, Your Royal Highness Prince Jing, rest assured, your humble subordinate will punish him severely without leniency!"

Su Li stood up and said, "Our business here is done. Let’s go."

As she spoke, she walked out, and the crowd spontaneously parted to create a path for her.

"Sis... Princess!"

Su Li turned around, only to see the Li family girl walking towards her, her eyes slightly red.

"I, your humble servant, prostrate myself in gratitude to the Princess for upholding justice for the common folk!" The girl knelt on the ground with a "thud."

Su Li helped her up and said, "No need for thanks. What is yours is yours. However, for a young girl like you to guard such a large family fortune is quite conspicuous. Do you have any other trustworthy relatives?"

The girl glanced back at Li Wang, then turned back, shaking her head forlornly.

Su Li wanted to tell her to sell the house, but then she remembered the girl saying she wanted to protect her memories with her father.

Su Li looked at the prefect and said, "Please look after this girl. Don’t let anyone else covet this house."

The prefect stepped forward and bowed. "Princess, rest assured. If anyone has ill intentions in the future, your humble subordinate will personally ensure justice for this girl."

Su Li nodded and patted the young girl’s shoulder.

"I’ve helped you all I can. From now on, you’ll have to rely on yourself. If you want to stop being bullied, then become strong yourself."

The young girl nodded resolutely. "This humble servant understands!"

Jun Mo took Su Li’s hand and said, "Let’s go."

The two walked away hand in hand, leaving behind a cheering crowd.

After walking a long distance, Su Li turned her head and asked, "Are we still going to pick fruits?"

Jun Mo nodded. "Since we’re leaving the city anyway, let’s go to a farm in the suburbs to pick some."

"Then let’s set off."

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