TSWPF -Chapter 355 The Price

“He Dianshi and Madam Cui’s relationship is truly enviable,” Liu Zhimou said. But as soon as the words left his mouth, his expression suddenly darkened. “I don’t care whether you were truly ill this time or just pretending. There will be no next time. If it happens again, I won’t even need to say anything—you’d better know your place and leave on your own. Understood? I am not the county magistrate of the past, one who had to mind the He family’s feelings.”

Although he relied on the backing behind him and was not afraid of clashing with the He, Zhao, Wang, and Lin families, he felt no shame about it. This, too, was a kind of strength. Why shouldn’t he use it?

No matter whom those four families feared, as long as they didn’t come dragging him down, that was enough.

He Dianshi’s fingernails dug into his palm. The pain helped him calm down. He took a breath, lowered his head, and replied that he understood.

The humiliation he suffered today—one day he would repay Liu Zhimou a thousandfold, ten thousandfold. He would definitely repay it.

He Dianshi swore this silently in his heart.

Liu Zhimou glanced at the bowed head before him, then changed the subject. He asked how the former yamen runners whose crimes had not yet been finalized should be sentenced.

Aside from Sun Qiang, who had already been sentenced to execution after the autumn assizes, the others had yet to be decided.

As for Sun Qiang’s memorial requesting execution after autumn, Liu Zhimou had already had it sent to the emperor. It was still unknown what the emperor’s opinion would be.

Without the emperor’s approval, he could not just behead someone at will.

When He Dianshi heard this, his heart skipped a beat. After weighing his words for a long while, he finally said that everything should be decided by the magistrate.

Wasn’t Sun Qiang’s case decided by Liu Zhimou himself? Why, then, did he ask for his opinion on the others?

Could it be that Liu Zhimou had dug some kind of pit, waiting for him to jump into it?

He Dianshi darkly speculated in his heart.

“I want to hear your opinion,” Liu Zhimou said.

He Dianshi was instantly so angry he wished he could eat Liu Zhimou’s flesh and drink his blood.

What was the point of targeting him again and again?

Yet he never thought that if he himself hadn’t gone too far, why would Liu Zhimou target him at all?

“He Dianshi?” Liu Zhimou’s slightly rising tone showed his displeasure at not receiving an answer.

He Dianshi, adopting a “to hell with it” attitude, said, “If I say they should be dealt with leniently, would you listen to me, sir?” Knowing full well he wouldn’t, why ask him to speak at all? A waste of breath.

He wondered when Fourth Uncle and the others planned to take action. He really couldn’t stand Liu Zhimou anymore.

He wished Liu Zhimou would die on the spot.

If Liu Zhimou really died, he would definitely set off firecrackers in celebration.

He truly couldn’t understand what Fourth Uncle and the others were afraid of. In the past, when they joined forces, wasn’t the county magistrate obedient? Why, when it came to Liu Zhimou, did they suddenly become so timid?

So what if Liu Zhimou had backing? The mountains were high and the emperor far away—who could really help him?

As long as they cleaned up their tracks, the investigation would never reach them.

And if they hired assassins, there’d be even less to worry about.

The more He Dianshi thought about it, the more he felt it was a brilliant idea. When he got home, he would discuss it properly with Fourth Uncle and see whether he agreed.

A mocking smile bloomed at the corner of Liu Zhimou’s mouth. He told He Dianshi to explain his reasons. As long as his reasoning could convince him, he would follow his suggestion and deal leniently with the former yamen runners.

“Really?” He Dianshi lifted his head in disbelief. Since when had Liu Zhimou become so easy to talk to?

Liu Zhimou snorted coldly. “When have I ever lied?”

One was one, two was two. He never deceived people.

Suppressing the wild joy in his heart, He Dianshi racked his brains to speak well of those men, trying to get Liu Zhimou to lessen their punishment.

After He Dianshi finished speaking, Liu Zhimou rebutted every single point he had made, one by one.

By the end, He Dianshi’s face had turned green. Liu Zhimou tugged at the corner of his mouth and asked how he could tell that those men were good people. Could it be that they were of the same kind?

“Sir, are you playing with me?” He Dianshi demanded. Was it fun to toy with him like this? Watching him talk until his mouth went dry—did that make Liu Zhimou feel satisfied?

Liu Zhimou placed both hands on the table, narrowed his eyes slightly, and said coolly, “I would like to know—what is He Dianshi’s purpose in going to such lengths to exonerate people who have committed countless evils?” Didn’t he know very well what those men had done? How could he still, with a guilty conscience, try to clear their names? “He Dianshi, your actions tell me that you are aiding evil.”

He Dianshi’s expression stiffened. He bit down hard on his lower lip before forcing out a sound. “It… it was you, sir… you told me to speak.” He had been on guard the whole time, afraid of falling into a trap dug by Liu Zhimou—yet he still failed to escape.

All because Liu Zhimou was too cunning. He hadn’t noticed in time, and then—

Damn Liu Zhimou.

Liu Zhimou was so angered that he laughed. “If I tell you to speak, you speak? If I told you to eat shit, would you go eat it too? Huh?” He slammed his palm heavily onto the table with a bang. “In my view, your mind is crooked—that’s why you consort with people like them.”

He Dianshi had cleaned up his criminal tracks far too well. Even if Liu Zhimou wanted to investigate him, there was nothing to be found.

If he had found anything, would He Dianshi still be standing here? He would have been sent to keep those men company long ago.

He Dianshi suddenly raised his head, glaring at Liu Zhimou in fury, telling him not to slander people casually.

Liu Zhimou gave him a meaningful look. “Whether it’s slander or not—you know it in your own heart.”

That single glance made He Dianshi panic inside. He feared that some trace of his past misdeeds hadn’t been fully erased and had been uncovered by Liu Zhimou.

No. No. He couldn’t scare himself. Calm down.

After reassuring himself inwardly, He Dianshi spoke again. “Lord Liu, you are a dignified county magistrate. How can you slander people so casually?” Since he had already offended Liu Zhimou, he wasn’t afraid of offending him further. “If you continue to wrong me, I will pay any price to reclaim my justice.”

It was only a two-day journey to the prefectural city. He didn’t mind lodging a complaint against Liu Zhimou before the prefect.

Liu Zhimou looked deeply at He Dianshi, lips pressed together. “I hope He Dianshi can always speak to me with such righteousness.”

He had already quietly ordered people to continue investigating the He family. He refused to believe they had wiped away every trace completely.

“If I truly wronged He Dianshi,” Liu Zhimou continued, “I will apologize to you in front of all the people of Ninghua County.”

He Dianshi’s heart pounded nervously. Did Liu Zhimou really know his secrets? Otherwise, why would he say such things?

“Fine. I’ll wait,” he said, lifting his chin. “Does Lord Liu have anything else? If not, I’ll go attend to my duties.”

Liu Zhimou nodded lightly, telling him to handle the backlog of work from recent days.

After He Dianshi left, Magistrate Ma asked in a low voice whether this might have alerted the snake.

“No,” Liu Zhimou replied. “I’m luring it out.”

The more guilt He Dianshi harbored, the easier it would be to catch hold of his weaknesses.

He wanted to see just how long He Dianshi could keep his composure.

Magistrate Ma raised his thumb in admiration. This move was brilliant—truly brilliant.

He would have to learn more from the magistrate. Even learning half would be a gain.

“We won’t go to Wutong Village today. Finish the work early and go home early.”

“Alright!” Magistrate Ma nodded happily. If he could get home earlier, he could have a proper meal with his wife and children.

Meanwhile, He Dianshi did not go to work at all. Instead, he went to the prison.

Before new yamen runners had been recruited, the prison gate was guarded by the guard Ling Jiu. Seeing He Dianshi approaching, Ling Jiu stepped forward and blocked him.

He Dianshi cast him a sidelong glance and said arrogantly, “What are you supposed to be, daring to block this Dianshi?” He thought Ling Jiu was a newly recruited yamen runner and thus showed him no courtesy.

Ling Jiu didn’t take him seriously. Without moving his brows or eyes, he said, “By order of the county magistrate, no one is allowed to visit.”

Even the prisoners’ family members were not allowed in—let alone He Dianshi.

“You—” He Dianshi ground his teeth. “The county magistrate ordered me to come. Move aside.”

He couldn’t do anything to Liu Zhimou, but did he have to tolerate a mere yamen runner too?

Ling Jiu gave him a cold look and asked him to produce Liu Zhimou’s written authorization.

A written order too?

He Dianshi was so angry he was panting. Supervising prisoners was originally his duty as Dianshi. On what grounds was he barred from entering?

He didn’t want to waste words with Ling Jiu. He waved Ling Jiu’s hand aside and tried to barge in.

Unexpectedly, Ling Jiu grabbed his wrist, twisted it behind his back, and kicked at his knee. With a loud thud, He Dianshi was forced heavily to his knees.

“Anyone who breaks into the prison without authorization—add another charge. Come, we’re going to see the county magistrate.”

Pain—so much pain…

He Dianshi felt as if his limbs were about to break.

Cold sweat beaded on his forehead as he begged Ling Jiu to release him.

Ling Jiu remained unmoved, escorting him to Liu Zhimou before finally letting go.

He Dianshi lay on the ground, gasping in pain. “My… my lord…”

Before he could finish, Ling Jiu interrupted, “My lord, He Dianshi attempted to break into the prison without your written order.”

Liu Zhimou lowered his gaze to He Dianshi. “He Dianshi, this is your fault. I have already instructed that without my written order, no one is allowed to enter.” What had he gone to the prison for? “If you wanted to go in, you should have come to ask me for the authorization, not barged in at will.”

He Dianshi took several deep breaths before struggling to his feet. He was in pain, yes, but being barred from the prison made him deeply unwilling to accept it.

“My lord, isn’t the handling of prisoners supposed to be under my authority? On what grounds am I not allowed to enter?”

“On the grounds that in an entire month, you don’t even come to the yamen for two days,” Liu Zhimou retorted coldly. “He Dianshi, do you still want to go in?”

He Dianshi’s face flushed red. He answered heavily, “Yes.”

If they didn’t want him to enter, he insisted on entering.

Liu Zhimou gave a short acknowledgment, issued him the written order, and told him that the visitation time would be three ke—once time was up, he was to come out immediately.

Suppressing the resentment in his heart, He Dianshi nodded and followed Ling Jiu into the prison.

“Lord He Dianshi, please save us!” When those men saw He Dianshi come to visit them, they rushed to the cell door, grabbed the bars, and stretched out their hands toward him, begging him to rescue them.

He Dianshi stepped back and lowered his voice. “If you want to get out, stop making noise.”

Instantly, the prison fell silent. The men looked at He Dianshi with hopeful eyes.

He Dianshi stepped closer and said, “Getting out is possible—but you’ll have to pay a certain price.”