Futile Devices Scans

Cold sweat immediately poured down Cui Jiong’s back.

Ever since the previous county magistrate, Zhang Jingyuan, had become bedridden from lingering illness and handed over all county yamen affairs for him to manage, Cui Jiong had grown accustomed to entering and leaving the county yamen as though it were his own backyard. How could he possibly think about announcing himself? He had come in a hurry this morning and temporarily forgotten the matter entirely; even the gatekeepers had not thought of it. And now, of all times, the new magistrate had caught him red-handed!

Lowering his head, countless thoughts flashed through his mind. In the end, he dropped to one knee and said, “Your Excellency’s lesson is correct. This subordinate overstepped his bounds.”

Tao Mo stared blankly for a moment and was just about to ask why he was kneeling when he saw Old Tao entering from outside with several people. He immediately called out, “Old Tao, what were you doing so early in the morning?”

Seeing himself left kneeling there and completely ignored while Tao Mo instead fussed over his own servant, Cui Jiong immediately felt displeased. In Tanyang County, his seniority surpassed that of every previous magistrate. He was the true local tyrant of the area. Every new magistrate who took office would either flatter or win him over, terrified that he would cause trouble beneath the surface and make their positions unstable. Yet this time, a thorny character had arrived, giving him a show of authority the moment he took office. Fine. Since you play the first move, don’t blame me for making the fifteenth!

He had already begun planning how to retaliate later.

Entering the hall and seeing someone kneeling on the ground, Old Tao could not help being startled. “Who is this?”

Tao Mo said, “The county chief constable, Cui Jiong.”

Cui Jiong’s face reddened slightly. After serving as chief constable for so many years, this was the first time he had ever knelt on the ground for others to stare at.

Old Tao asked in surprise, “Why are you kneeling on the floor?”

Tao Mo honestly shook his head. “I don’t know either.”

Cui Jiong gave a cold snort inwardly.

Old Tao knew there must be a reason behind it, but it was awkward to ask directly in front of everyone, so he merely said, “Why aren’t you helping Chief Constable Cui up?”

Tao Mo bent down to help him, but the moment his hand touched Cui Jiong’s sleeve, Cui Jiong stood up by himself.

Pointing at the people Old Tao had brought along, Tao Mo asked, “Who are they?”

“New household servants,” Old Tao replied. “The yamen also needs people to clean and maintain appearances.”

Cui Jiong had come early this morning intending to take charge of this very task himself, but now he was happy to let them handle the trouble on their own.

Tao Mo worriedly said, “So many?”

Old Tao replied, “There can’t be any fewer.”

Tao Mo sighed. “Who knows when I’ll even receive my salary.”

At the mention of salary, a fire ignited in Cui Jiong’s heart. By convention, the imperial court distributed charcoal silver every year, essentially as a New Year bonus. But this year, because Zhang Jingyuan had died and Tao Mo had not yet officially reached his appointment date, there had been no sign whatsoever of that silver. He had asked chief constables from neighboring counties, and theirs had already been distributed several days ago. Clearly, the charcoal silver had not disappeared—it had merely ended up in someone else’s pocket.

Old Tao led the servants away, leaving Tao Mo and Cui Jiong alone in the hall staring awkwardly at one another.

After a while—

Tao Mo spoke first. “Have you eaten?”

Cui Jiong replied, “I have.”

Tao Mo sighed. “I haven’t. Why don’t we eat together?”

The corner of Cui Jiong’s mouth twitched. “I already ate.”

Tao Mo asked, “What about lunch?”

“…Not yet,” Cui Jiong admitted.

“Then let’s eat together.”

The meal was plain porridge with pickled vegetables.

Cui Jiong drank slowly while the soy milk and fried dough sticks he had eaten earlier churned about in his stomach trying to make room.

Tao Mo, however, ate with great enjoyment.

“Young Master, is it tasty?” Hao Guozi poked his head in from outside.

Tao Mo said, “Ask Chief Constable Cui.”

Cui Jiong’s stomach was already bloated from eating. Finally managing to catch a breath, he repeatedly said, “Not bad, not bad.”

Satisfied, Hao Guozi closed the window again.

Cui Jiong asked, “The one just now was…?”

“My servant boy,” Tao Mo replied.

Cui Jiong said, “Your Excellency must surely come from a scholarly family, one that passes down poetry and etiquette.”

Tao Mo asked, “You mean calligraphy and paintings?”

Cui Jiong said, “Oh? Your Excellency is skilled in calligraphy and painting?”

Tao Mo replied, “Not at all.”

“Your Excellency is too modest.” Cui Jiong naturally knew that Tao Mo’s official position had been bought, but since the other party had already given him a show of authority, he could hardly be blamed for poking at a sore spot.

Tao Mo said, “Out of all the famous sayings of the ancients, I only remember one.”

“Which one?”

“‘A scholar is useless in every way.’”

Cui Jiong strongly agreed. He came from a military background and, after failing the martial examinations, had gone through many connections before finally obtaining a chief constable’s position through purchased appointment. Since they were both officials by donation, he felt he at least possessed some real ability. Therefore, he had always disliked those scholars who spent all day spouting pretentious classical nonsense and acting lofty and refined. Especially because in a place like Tanyang County, there was nothing more plentiful than scholars. And every one of them had tongues sharper than knives.

Seeing Cui Jiong suddenly fall silent, Tao Mo could not help asking, “Is something wrong?”

Cui Jiong said, “Nothing. I merely recalled a certain case.”

“A case?” Tao Mo’s spirits immediately rose. “What case?”

Cui Jiong had originally been speaking nonsense and had not truly thought of any case. But after being pressed like this, it became awkward not to answer, so after some thought he said, “It was a case from several years ago. A married woman committed adultery and killed her husband.”

Tao Mo asked in confusion, “Why suddenly think of that case?”

Cui Jiong replied, “The woman’s husband was a butcher, while her lover was a local xiucai. After the crime was exposed, several of the xiucai’s friends helped him manipulate the case, and in the end only the woman was sentenced while the xiucai escaped justice freely.”

Tao Mo frowned. “Could it be that the xiucai did not know about it?”

“How could a mere woman possibly kill a butcher barehanded? It was obviously sophistry used to escape guilt.” Cui Jiong snorted coldly. “Those litigation masters think that because they have studied a few years and possess eloquence without obstruction, they can run rampant without restraint. They treat the courtroom as a place for games, using their glib tongues to reverse black and white, deceive ignorant commoners, and twist right and wrong. Truly hateful!”

Seeing him speak with such righteous indignation, Tao Mo himself became completely confused. “Who are you talking about?”

Cui Jiong awkwardly cut himself off. “If Your Excellency remains in Tanyang County for a few more days, you’ll naturally know.” Tilting back his head, he finished the plain porridge in one gulp, casually made up an excuse, and hurriedly took his leave before Tao Mo could ask him to stay.

After he left, Old Tao knocked and entered the room.

“Young Master, I’ve made inquiries. The county assistant magistrate and registrar positions in this county are both vacant, and for now the chief constable is serving concurrently in those roles.” Old Tao glanced at the empty bowls on the table. “But why did he kneel before Young Master?”

“I don’t know either.” Tao Mo recounted everything that had happened since meeting Cui Jiong.

Old Tao frowned as he listened. “I’m afraid he misunderstood.”

“Misunderstood what?”

“Nothing.” He waved his hand dismissively. “He isn’t the important matter. The truly important thing here is the litigation masters he mentioned.”

“Litigation masters?”

“Exactly.” Old Tao said, “Back then, the two most famous litigation masters in the world, Lin Zhengyong and Master One-Hammer, both retired to Chuidiaoxiang under Tanyang County.”

Tao Mo’s eyes immediately lit up.

Old Tao shook his head. “Young Master must not forget Master’s dying instructions. If you can become a good official praised by all, that would be the best repayment to Master’s spirit in heaven.”

The light in Tao Mo’s eyes dimmed slightly.

“After those two famous litigation masters retired, countless litigation masters came here seeking apprenticeship. Over time, this place became the largest gathering place for litigation masters in the world.” Hearing this news himself had also made Old Tao deeply frown. No wonder Tao Mo, without using any connections, had still been assigned such a wealthy county. It turned out to be a burning hot potato that no one dared touch.

Tao Mo said, “So these litigation masters oppose the government?”

“That cannot be generalized entirely.” Old Tao paused before continuing, “Naturally, good litigation masters and good officials stand on the same side.”

Tao Mo relaxed his brows. “Exactly. If that is so, then their presence in Tanyang County is truly a blessing for the county.”

Old Tao opened his mouth, but in the end he could not bear to crush the young man’s passionate enthusiasm.

Although good litigation masters and good officials stood on the same side, before Tao Mo became a genuinely respected and acknowledged good official, not only would the good litigation masters refuse to stand beside him, but those harboring evil intentions would likely suppress him at every turn.

It was said that Zhang Jingyuan’s short lifespan had much to do with long-term depression.

Old Tao sighed. Things had already come to this, so they could only take one step at a time.

After introducing Tao Mo to the newly arrived servants and having Hao Guozi arrange their daily duties, Old Tao took Tao Mo out for a walk.

As a county magistrate, one had to become familiar with every blade of grass and every tree under his jurisdiction.

The two first familiarized themselves with the streets, walking back and forth along the main east-west roads.

By the time they finished, the sky had already completely darkened.

Seeing Tao Mo’s face turn pale, Old Tao remembered that he had only just recovered from illness and inwardly blamed himself for being too hasty. “How about we first find a tea house to eat before returning?”

Tao Mo’s stomach was already rumbling loudly from hunger, so naturally he had no objection.

The two of them therefore found a bustling tea house nearby.

The moment they entered, they heard a loud-voiced waiter standing in the middle of the hall shouting, “Want to know what the new magistrate looks like? Three copper coins for a good look!”

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