Pang Dashan did not stay long at the ruined temple, leaving after midnight.
Jiang Sheng saw him off happily with laughs and words.
Turning back and closing the door, her smile faded away, “Brothers, anything abnormal?”
Xu Mo shook his head, Fang Heng shook his head, Zheng Ruqian scratched his head.
Could it be that Pang Dashan really just came to give New Year’s greetings and mooch a New Year’s Eve dinner?
Jiang Sheng did not believe so.
But they really did not find any problems with Pang Dashan, and they were at a loss for the moment.
In fact, at this time, they should use reverse thinking to deduce.
For example, knowing that Pang Dashan was the lackey of the new county magistrate, what would the county magistrate need to do to harm them?
Falsely accuse? Frame them?
Common insidious means, nothing more than this.
Chang Yuan pursed his lips without saying a word, slowly patrolling around the ruined temple, and finally in the crevices of the straw where several people slept, he found a gold earring.
The whole family was horrified.
"When did he put it in there?" Zheng Ruqian could not believe it.
"What's the point of leaving a gold earring?" Jiang Sheng did not understand.
Chang Yuan fiddled with the aged aesthetic gold ornament, glanced at Xu Mo, "How old is the new county magistrate this year?"
Xu Mo's lips moved, uttering two words, "Forty."
So the county magistrate's wife should also be around that age.
Then, when the county magistrate's wife's belongings were lost, the county yamen chasing the petty thief to Shili Pu village, and finding material evidence in the ruined temple, would be a natural course of events.
It was very possible that Pang Dashan could also turn into a witness, nailing them to the pillar of "petty thief" shame.
The children in the ruined temple all felt cold all over, they had been too lucky all the way until now, and the biggest hardship was only encountering the likes of Zhou Zhiquiang, but tricks could be used to deal with rascals, while the county yamen were not so simple.
He had actually resorted to framing and entrapment.
The few children in the ruined temple, even Xu Mo, were apprehensive, only Chang Yuan was expressionless, as if this kind of approach did not make waves in his heart.
"Then what should we do?" Zheng Ruqian asked anxiously, "Should we throw out this gold earring?"
Chang Yuan retracted his hand.
"Don't throw it out, keep the gold first, we just have to wait for the prey to take the bait."
Pang Dashan moved quite quickly.
The year had not yet passed, only the sixth day, and he came rushing to the ruined temple with people in tow.
The county magistrate, along with several yamen from Xieyang County, wearing official uniforms, hanging swords, mighty and prestigious, arrived at Shili Pu village.
The villagers who were originally chatting idly and strolling at the door were all shocked, scattering and running back home, closing doors and windows, only observing the situation through the cracks.
When they saw the yamen stop at the ruined temple at the village entrance, they heaved a long sigh of relief.
"Is this the place where the petty thieves appeared?" The county magistrate's face was gloomy as he pretended to be stern.
Another yamen nodded, "This is it, maybe the petty thieves are hiding here."
The county magistrate waved his big hand, like a tiger whip, "Search!"
Last time, only Wen Zhiyun and Chang Yuan were there.
But it was different now, Xu Mo was the first to stand up and speak sonorously, "May I ask, do you gentlemen have a search warrant?"
The Great Yu Dynasty had laws and regulations that searching people's houses required a search warrant, otherwise it would be trespassing on private property.
The county magistrate's face darkened, not expecting to encounter someone who knew the law here.
But Xu Mo was just a half-grown child, he was not afraid, but rather deceived, "The county magistrate's wife's belongings were lost, we were ordered to pursue the petty thief, and have already tracked them here, there is no reason not to search."
After speaking, he took the lead and rushed into the ruined temple.
Fang Heng raised his hand to stop him, but was held back by Chang Yuan.
Since they already knew of their sinister plot, obstructing them further was meaningless, it was better to watch them perform to the end.
And so, the six children all stood at the door of the ruined temple, watching coldly as the county magistrate and others turned the ruined temple upside down.
Mattresses and beddings were all flipped up, straw flying everywhere, even pots and bowls were smashed somewhat.
But nothing was found.
The county magistrate's face turned black, unwilling to admit defeat he searched again, still to no avail.
"This is not right, where are the things?" He could not help but murmur.
Xu Mo sneered, "What does Your Excellency hope to find in our place?"
"Now the entire ruined temple has been turned upside down halfway, Your Excellency still did not find anything, could it be that it proves Your Excellency guessed wrong? Or rather, Your Excellency is illegally trespassing on private property and disturbing the people's peace?"
At these words, the yamen were all furious.
They did indeed not have a search warrant, this move was against the law, and if pursued, their official positions would be lost.
But the county magistrate was exceptionally calm, glancing obliquely at the ruined temple, he sneered coldly, "Private property? This is private property to you? It's just a ruined temple."
After speaking, he swaggered away arrogantly.
The few yamen were no longer afraid either, smilingly glanced at the Buddha statue in the ruined temple, and glanced at Xu Mo.
The ruined temple was unmanaged, and could be inhabited by beggars.
But similarly, they did not enjoy the benefits and protection of private property.
This county magistrate was clearly exploiting loopholes in the law.
Xu Mo was furious and shouted, "The temple is not private property, but the items belong to us, you damaged our belongings and harmed our money, I will file a lawsuit to the county yamen, accusing you of disregarding the law and oppressing the common people!"
"Haha, this kid wants to accuse us." A yamen mocked.
"Let him accuse." The county magistrate's tone was cold, "These unruly commoners always fail to see the times, and think it still the past."
The past...
In the past when County Magistrate Xu was in charge, the entire Xieyang County was peaceful and content, any occasional bandits and robbers were all captured and brought to justice.
There had never been occurrences of forcibly seizing prey, forcibly trespassing on private property, and beating commoners out of the county yamen and other outrageous events.
After the change of magistrates, Xieyang County became a different world.
But Xu Mo refused to believe, he wanted to see what kind of things this group of people could do.
In the afternoon.
Zheng Ruqian and Fang Heng took Xu Mo to the Xieyang County yamen.
Just to file a grievance, shout injustice, and accuse the county magistrate of bullying people and damaging commoners' belongings by relying on power.
But unexpectedly, they did not even enter the front gate of the county yamen before being beaten out.
If not for Fang Heng being there, Xu Mo would not have fared much better than Zhang Qianquan initially.
Even so, he still suffered some external injuries, walking with a limp.
At the ruined temple.
Jiang Sheng tidied up the beddings, pots and bowls meticulously with her two brothers, then sat at the door waiting.
It was hard to wait until they returned, only to see the limping Xu Mo.
Jiang Sheng pursed her lips, crying out "Wah".
"Why did this happen?" Wen Zhiyun did not know what to do, "Why?"
Yes, why.
It was clearly a place to uphold justice for the common people, yet it had now become forbidden ground for the common people.
Clearly yamen were meant to crack down on bandits and thieves, yet now their blades were pointed at the unarmed commoners.
Now, the county magistrate had clearly planned and targeted them, yet they could only defend repeatedly, with no power to retaliate.
"Then let me kill him." Fang Heng's eyes turned red.
Xu Mo shook his head.
The Great Yu Dynasty ruled by law, and the punishment for murder was extremely harsh.
Fang Heng had been living cleanly and purely, there was no need to carry the crime of murder for this matter, and become a fugitive from then on.
"Since the land cannot control him, then we'll change the land."
Xu Mo breathed heavily, his tone ringing.
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