Volume One: Carefree Journey Beyond Recognition of Paper and Leaves Chapter Seventy-Four: Impartial as Iron

Dou Lianzhong said awkwardly, “If Magistrate Mo wants me to write an affidavit, I naturally have nothing to say.”

“Wait!” Magistrate Mo raised his hand. “This affidavit is not something I require you to write. As the saying goes, ‘He who owes must repay.’ Since you destroyed the ancestral treasure of the Marquis of Brocade, you should provide an explanation. Whether you write the affidavit or not is up to you. If you do, this case ends here, and you only need to negotiate compensation with the Marquis’s household. If you refuse, it’s not a big deal—I can hand today’s file over to the Ministry of Justice for them to deliberate.”

“Please, don’t!” Dou Lianzhong exclaimed anxiously. “I’ll write the affidavit right away.”

He knew well that the six ministries of Great Chu each operated independently; the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Revenue each handled their own affairs. Though they coordinated on specifics, neither could interfere in the other’s domain. If today’s case file were handed to the Ministry of Justice and the matter spread, the two fatal points recorded might incite others to stir up trouble. For now, he had no choice but to comply with Magistrate Mo and write the affidavit, keeping the file from circulating. Later, he could consult his family about how to proceed.

With ink and paper ready, Dou Lianzhong, under Magistrate Mo’s watchful eye, went over to draft the affidavit and handed it over. Magistrate Mo glanced at it, frowned slightly, and beckoned Yang Ning over. “What do you think of this affidavit? If it’s acceptable, sign and stamp it now.”

“No, it’s not.” Yang Ning gave it a quick look and immediately said, “This says you destroyed a glazed horse, Dou Lianzhong. Are you trying to play tricks with words? What you destroyed was our Marquis’s ancestral treasure, not just any glazed horse.”

“The item I destroyed was a glazed horse. Whether it’s an ancestral treasure is none of my concern,” Dou Lianzhong retorted angrily. “I am stating the facts.”

Magistrate Mo frowned. “It seems you two wish to argue further. I have no power here and can only hand the case over to the Ministry of Justice...!”

Dou Lianzhong wilted, resigned. “Alright, Magistrate Mo, I… I’ll write it as he wants.” He cast a resentful glance at Yang Ning, rewrote the affidavit, and Yang Ning accepted it with satisfaction. Magistrate Mo had Dou Lianzhong sign, stamp, and press his fingerprint, then handed it to Yang Ning, who carefully tucked it into his robe. Yang Ning smiled, “Young Master Dou, as for compensation, our Marquis’s household will discuss it first. Rest assured, I won’t ask for an unreasonable amount.”

Dou Lianzhong was furious but bowed to Magistrate Mo. “Magistrate Mo, I’ll take my leave.” He turned to go, and Yang Ning called after him, “Young Master Dou, notify Zhao Xin that he can come to our house at any time to collect compensation. The Marquis of Brocade always honors its debts and never shirks responsibility.”

Dou Lianzhong snorted coldly and stormed out.

Only then did Yang Ning bow to Magistrate Mo. “Thank you, Magistrate Mo, for upholding justice. Qi Ning is deeply grateful!”

He was shrewd enough to see that although Magistrate Mo appeared impartial today, he had actually favored him. Before entering the prefect’s office, Yang Ning had prepared himself for a battle of wits and wills, determined to make Dou Lianzhong write the affidavit. Yet, things went even more smoothly than he’d anticipated. Magistrate Mo seized upon Dou Lianzhong’s two mistakes, recorded them, and used the official file to force him to comply.

Yang Ning found it rather odd. Could it be that Magistrate Mo had some connection with the Marquis of Brocade? Otherwise, why would he offer such protection? Yet, since Dou Lianzhong dared to bring the case to the prefecture, it proved there could be no collusion between Magistrate Mo and the Marquis’s household; otherwise, Dou Lianzhong would never have brought the matter here.

Magistrate Mo was known as “Mo Iron Verdict,” for his unwavering impartiality and masterful judgments. Today’s hearing, though not strictly unfair, contained a measure of favoritism, which was unusual for someone so strict.

Magistrate Mo’s expression remained calm, without a hint of a smile. He rose and walked out, the clerk cradling the file following behind, both silent.

Yang Ning and Zhao Wushang exchanged a curious glance.

At the door, Magistrate Mo suddenly stopped and gestured. The clerk bowed and went out first, followed by four bailiffs who quickly departed.

“Yesterday, you saved a child at the flower market?” Magistrate Mo, still not turning, asked abruptly. “Why did you rescue him?”

Yang Ning hadn’t expected this question and was momentarily stunned, recalling the child he’d saved from the hoofs of the Crown Prince of Shu. His body tensed as he suddenly thought of Lei Yonghu.

He remembered Yuan Rong had said that Lei Yonghu wasn’t under the prefecture but was connected to the Ministry of Justice. He hadn’t thought much of it then, but now he realized what it meant.

“A horse was about to harm someone, and I was nearby. No matter who was in danger, I wouldn’t stand by and watch,” Yang Ning replied after a moment. “Magistrate Mo, does one need a reason to save a life?”

Magistrate Mo said coolly, “There are plenty who stand by and do nothing.” He paused. “I heard you were injured while saving the child, and that you claimed your own life was at risk?”

“That’s exaggerated,” Yang Ning smiled. “Even if I’d been trampled, at most I’d be paralyzed, but it wouldn’t kill me.”

Magistrate Mo nodded slightly, turned slowly, hands clasped behind his back, and scrutinized Yang Ning from head to toe, still serious. “Your courage and daring are much like your father’s.” Then his face darkened. “But your father’s bravery was for defending home and country. Yours is used for trickery and deception.”

“Ah?” Yang Ning protested. “Magistrate Mo, you…!”

Magistrate Mo sneered. “Your little tricks can’t fool me. Ancestral treasure? Imperial gift? It’s just a common glazed horse—worth no more than a few taels of silver in the market. North Star, South Star? Did you really think you could deceive me?”

Yang Ning knew that Mo Iron Verdict saw through his scheme, yet, even so, he had still favored him. This confirmed his suspicion that the child he’d rescued must be connected to Magistrate Mo.

“Only this once—never again,” Magistrate Mo said coldly, not giving Yang Ning a chance to respond. “I will have the fire at your pawnshop thoroughly investigated.” With that, he turned and left.

Once Magistrate Mo had gone, Yang Ning finally breathed a sigh of relief and quietly asked Zhao Wushang, “What is Magistrate Mo’s full name?”

“Zheng as in ‘unwavering resolve’—Mo Zheng,” Zhao Wushang replied simply.

The two left the prefecture and returned to the Marquis’s estate. Upon entering the main hall, they found Gu Qinghan waiting. Seeing Yang Ning, she immediately rose, her face full of worry. “Ning’er, you went to the prefecture? What happened?”

Yang Ning smiled and recounted the events in detail. Gu Qinghan’s beautiful eyes widened in surprise. “You mean Dou Lianzhong wrote an affidavit?”

Yang Ning took it from his robe and handed it to her. She glanced at it, saw the signature and stamp, and was even more astonished. “Ancestral treasure?”

“It’s just an ordinary glazed horse,” Yang Ning said. With no outsiders present, he didn’t hide anything from Gu Qinghan. “Against someone like Dou Lianzhong, only such tactics will do. With this affidavit, Zhao Xin won’t dare come demanding compensation again. When I feel like it, I’ll take it to collect the debt.”

Gu Qinghan had been troubled by the prospect of such a huge compensation, but Yang Ning had defused the issue so effortlessly that she couldn’t help but laugh. “You child, don’t use such tricks again. If the truth comes out, it’d be a disaster.”

“If I use them, I’ll make sure no one finds out,” Yang Ning replied. “Rest assured, Third Aunt, these methods are tailored to the person. Do you expect me to deal with Dou Lianzhong openly and honestly?” He lowered his voice. “But we must still be wary of the Dou family. This move must have disrupted their plans. Who knows what tricks they’ll try next?”

Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside, and Steward Qiu’s voice rang out, “Third Madam, are you there?”

“Come in,” Gu Qinghan called, going to greet him. Steward Qiu entered, and Gu Qinghan asked, “How are things going on the other side?”

“I’ve spoken with those shop owners,” Steward Qiu said. “They’ll tally their losses over the next few days and give us half a month. They’re old neighbors and didn’t object. By my estimate, their combined losses come to about ten thousand taels of silver. Besides Zhao Xin’s sum, we’ve loaned out over twenty thousand more from the pawnshop. All told, we need fifty or sixty thousand taels to get through this. The estate’s current cash reserves are less than two thousand taels… Third Madam, we’ve truly hit a crisis.”

Gu Qinghan’s delicate brows furrowed. Though Yang Ning had resolved the Dou Lianzhong matter and Zhao Xin’s ten thousand taels could be temporarily ignored, the other debts couldn’t be neglected. Even excluding Zhao Xin’s sum, they still needed at least forty thousand taels to fill the Marquis’s current deficit.

Since the old Marquis, the Marquis of Brocade had always been scrupulously honest, with only legitimate income and no illicit gains. Their three thousand households, several hundred acres of land, and two shop profits amounted to fifty or sixty thousand taels a year—a considerable sum in Great Chu. Yet, actual annual expenses fell well below that number.

“There’s still no news from Jiangling. Something must have happened,” Steward Qiu suddenly said. “Third Madam, right now we’re counting on the Jiangling funds to get us through. If even those can’t be delivered, there’s no way past this hurdle. Should we send someone there again?”

“We’ve already sent people several times, but there’s been no word,” Gu Qinghan frowned. “Steward Qiu, prepare for me—I’ll depart for Jiangling today!”

“What?” Steward Qiu exclaimed. “You mean to go yourself, Third Madam?”

Gu Qinghan replied, “It’s been delayed over a month—an unprecedented situation. Something major must have happened.” She glanced at Yang Ning, recalling his earlier speculation that the Jiangling tax funds, the recent fire, and even the assassination at the villa might all be connected, manipulated by a hidden hand. Gu Qinghan found it plausible. “I must go to Jiangling myself.”

“But here… Third Madam, why not let me go? You stay in the estate,” Steward Qiu suggested. “I’ll be sure to bring the tax funds back.”

“Steward Qiu, you usually handle outside affairs,” Gu Qinghan said. “As a woman, it’s not proper for me to show myself. You stay here and keep the creditors calm, persuade them to delay. I’ll depart and return quickly.”

“But I really can’t rest easy with you going, Third Madam,” Steward Qiu said with a wry smile.

Gu Qinghan replied, “Don’t worry. My family is from Jiangling—I know the place well.”

“I’ll accompany Third Aunt,” Yang Ning suddenly said. “With me by her side, everything will be safe.”