Chapter 39: The crime he committed today is a capital offense!

In the back hall of the county office.

"Bang!"

Master Zhang kicked open the doors, charging in with a face ashen with fury. Magistrate Qin, who was busy reviewing official documents, was startled by his aggressive entrance.

"M-Master Zhang, what is the meaning of this?"

"Magistrate Qin!" Master Zhang grabbed the magistrate by his collar. "Something terrible has happened! News has arrived from the Blood Wolf Tribe—they consumed the grain we sent, and hundreds of them are dead!"

"What?" Magistrate Qin was stunned.

"This is no time for feigned ignorance!" Master Zhang gritted his teeth. "The grain we shipped was poisoned by someone!"

"W-what?" The magistrate’s face turned deathly pale. "Who did it?"

"How the hell should I know who did it?"

Master Zhang released him and sat down, seething. "It’s over. It’s all over!"

"Could it be that Old Third Yuan and his men are trying to frame you, Master Zhang?"

Magistrate Qin stood frozen for a moment before collapsing into his seat. "Master Zhang, they are your men. Think carefully—what exactly happened?"

"Old Third Yuan’s entire family is in my hands! Would he dare?!" Master Zhang’s brows were tightly knitted as he hissed, "I suspect there is more to this than meets the eye."

"The most urgent matter right now is to find Yuan and his men!" the magistrate urged. "Otherwise, neither of us will have a moment’s peace!"

"What good will finding them do?" Master Zhang stood up abruptly, pacing back and forth. "The grain carts have already reached them! My dear Magistrate! If this leaks out, both of our heads will roll!"

Magistrate Qin slumped in his chair, his official robes soaked with cold sweat.

The personal advisor’s eyes darted around before he leaned in. "My Lord, I have a plan..."

"What plan? Speak!" Both men stared at him.

"Since things have reached this point," the advisor said slowly, "why not turn the situation to our advantage?"

"For heaven's sake, just say it! Stop beating around the bush!" Master Zhang cursed.

The advisor flushed, lowering his voice. "Since the barbarians are already dead, why not claim that you, Master Zhang, only pretended to trade with them, while actually conspiring with the Magistrate to set a trap and poison them?"

"What?"

Master Zhang and Magistrate Qin were both stunned by the suggestion. A heavy silence filled the hall.

"Brilliant!" Magistrate Qin suddenly slammed his hand on the table. "This maneuver—seizing the initiative—is truly ingenious!"

Master Zhang narrowed his eyes, his fingers tracing the rim of his teacup. The tea had long since gone cold, and fine beads of condensation clung to the porcelain.

"This plan of yours..." he began, his voice low, "is indeed clever."

The advisor bowed quickly, unable to hide his smugness. "You are too kind, Master. However, this matter requires careful deliberation..."

"Deliberation, my foot!" Master Zhang suddenly exploded. "We do it now!"

"Now?" The magistrate was taken aback.

"Magistrate Qin!" Master Zhang gripped his wrist with such force that the magistrate winced. "You and I are grasshoppers on the same string. If this succeeds, we shall both be promoted and rewarded. But if it is exposed... I will not be the only one losing my head."

Magistrate Qin swallowed hard and looked at the advisor. "How... how exactly do we proceed?"

The advisor pulled a pre-written memorial from his sleeve. "My Lord, please look. I have already drafted a secret report to the Ministry of War, stating that Master Zhang feigned a trade with the barbarians while colluding with you to poison the grain..."

Master Zhang snatched the document and squinted as he scanned it. Suddenly, his brow furrowed.

"Change this," he pointed to a line. "Not 'colluding,' but 'acting under the Magistrate’s secret orders.'"

Magistrate Qin’s expression shifted. "Master Zhang, how can it be under my orders..."

"What?" Master Zhang sneered. "Does Magistrate Qin not trust me?"

Outside the window, a leaf swirled and landed on the lattice.

"How about this..." the advisor quickly interjected. "Acting under the Magistrate’s secret orders, Master Zhang made the arrangements!"

"Good!" Master Zhang slapped his thigh. "Write it just like that!"

"I shall see to it at once," the advisor said, bowing as he retreated.

***

Shortly after the advisor left, a frantic drumming erupted outside.

"Dong! Dong! Dong!"

"My Lord!"

A bailiff tumbled into the back hall, breathless. "Commander Lin of Iron Forest Fortress is beating the grievance drum and has brought Master Zhang’s eldest son into custody!"

"Which eldest son?" Master Zhang rose sharply.

"It is... it is your eldest son, Master..."

"What?!" Master Zhang’s eyes widened. "He—he dares!"

Magistrate Qin’s hands trembled. "Quick! Open the court!"

In the courtroom, Lin Chuan stood with his hand on his sword, his armor glinting coldly. Eleven soldiers from Iron Forest Fortress stood on either side, exuding a murderous aura. Zhang Shiren was bound tightly and knelt on the floor, half his face a bloody mess, foam tinged with blood staining his lips.

"Order—!"

Amidst the dull thuds of the wooden staves against the floor, Magistrate Qin forced himself to stay calm and slammed the gavel. "Who is it that seeks justice?"

Lin Chuan kept one hand on his hilt and said in a deep voice, "Commander of Iron Forest Fortress, Lin Chuan."

The magistrate’s eyelids twitched. A Border Fortress Commander was a seventh-rank official, equivalent in status to the Magistrate. By law, he had no authority to preside over this case. Yet, the man kneeling before him was none other than Master Zhang’s eldest son...

"Ahem..." Magistrate Qin coughed, bracing himself. "Commander Lin, what brings you here?"

Lin Chuan sneered, taking a step forward in his combat boots. "Does the Magistrate expect this officer to answer while standing?"

Magistrate Qin froze, his face flushing deep red. "Commander Lin, you jest. Someone, bring a chair!"

The bailiffs hurriedly brought a grand armchair, and Lin Chuan sat down with an air of absolute authority.

"Magistrate Qin!" He pointed at Zhang Shiren. "This scoundrel forcibly abducted a family member of a border soldier. I am here to request that the Magistrate uphold justice!"

The courtroom erupted in murmurs.

Master Zhang rushed out from the back hall. "Slander! My son was merely fetching his brother’s betrothed!"

"And who might this be?" Lin Chuan feigned surprise. In truth, he had already guessed this was Master Zhang, though he hadn't expected him to be at the county office. This made things easier—he had one more person to humiliate.

"Commander Lin, t-this is Master Zhang..."

"Which Master Zhang?" Lin Chuan asked, despite knowing the answer.

"The one from the back mountain mines..." the Magistrate whispered.

"Ah! So you are the infamous Master Zhang?" Lin Chuan exclaimed in mock realization, pointing at Zhang Shiren. "This fellow is your son?"

"He is indeed my son!" Master Zhang fumed, his beard twitching.

"Then I must ask you, Master Zhang!" Lin Chuan narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean by this 'brother’s betrothed' you mentioned?"

The tension in the courtroom solidified.

Master Zhang suddenly clapped his hands and laughed. "Hahaha! Commander Lin, you must be mistaken!" He paced into the center of the hall, flicking his silk sleeves. "Liu Yunniang was betrothed to the Zhang family long ago!"

"Oh?" Lin Chuan tapped his fingers on his sword hilt. "Since you say so, Master Zhang, I assume you have the marriage contract as proof?"

"This..." Master Zhang’s smile faltered. He scoffed, "The contract is naturally at the estate. Why would I carry it with me?"

"Without a contract, how can you prove it?" Lin Chuan asked. "I saw with my own eyes that your son was attempting a forced abduction!"

"Commander Lin, as an outsider, you do not understand the debts involved." Master Zhang sneered. "Liu Yunniang’s father borrowed forty taels of silver from me while he was alive. With interest, it has grown to one hundred and forty taels, which they cannot repay. That is why she was used as collateral!"

"Who says they cannot repay it?" Lin Chuan took off his coin purse and pulled out two banknotes. "Here are two hundred taels."

Magistrate Qin stared at the familiar markings on the banknotes, his eye twitching violently. Weren't these the bounty rewards he had given Lin Chuan just two days ago?

"Commander Lin, are you determined to make an enemy of the Zhang family?" Master Zhang’s gaze turned icy. "As a Border Fortress Commander, you hurt an innocent man in broad daylight. Aren't you afraid I will report you?"

"Master Zhang, I advise you to think carefully," Lin Chuan said leisurely. "I am the victim here. I am accusing your son of forcibly abducting the family member of a border soldier!"

"What family member?" Master Zhang’s voice turned shrill.

Lin Chuan enunciated every word: "Liu Yunniang is my betrothed wife!"

"What?"

Master Zhang trembled. On the dais, Magistrate Qin was also struck with horror. He suddenly remembered that when he entertained Lin Chuan, the commander had mentioned he was from Liu Village. But who could have guessed he had this connection to Liu Yunniang?

Behind the wall, Qin Yanqiu’s legs gave way, and she collapsed to the floor. Her hairpins fell, her dark hair cascading in disarray as she clutched her heart, unable to understand why it ached so sharply she could barely breathe.

"Lin Chuan, you—you—you are audacious!" Master Zhang roared. "To frame my son, you would weave such lies and babble nonsense before the Magistrate!"

"C-Commander Lin!" Magistrate Qin forced himself to remain calm. "Since you claim Yunniang is your fiancée, do you have proof?"

"Of course I do!" Lin Chuan sneered, turning to shout outside the hall: "Bring in the Village Head!"

The crowd parted, and the Village Head, his shoulder bandaged, was helped into the court by fellow villagers. He held a yellowed marriage contract high above his head.

"Twelve years ago, the Lin family asked me to be the matchmaker. This is the contract for the engagement between the Lin and Liu families! It even bears the official seal of the county office from that time!"

Master Zhang felt as if he had been struck by lightning, staggering back three steps. He stared at Lin Chuan for a moment, then shifted his gaze to the Village Head. Two months ago, this man had been bowing and scraping before him. What kind of madness had taken hold of him today? Why was he now siding with Lin Chuan?

He suddenly lunged forward like a starving tiger. "You old fool! How dare you give false testimony!"

"Stop him!" Lin Chuan barked.

Wang Tie-zhu lunged forward, his iron-grip hands pinning Master Zhang’s shoulders and slamming him firmly to the ground.

"Rebellion! This is rebellion!" Master Zhang struggled and roared. "Magistrate Qin! Will you just sit there and watch them beat a gentleman?!"

Magistrate Qin’s expression flickered, and he caught sight of the advisor frantically signaling from behind the curtain. Gritting his teeth, he slammed the gavel down hard.

"Guards! Throw Zhang Shiren into the dungeon! I shall investigate this matter thoroughly!"

Hearing this, Master Zhang’s ferocious expression paused, replaced by a cold, cunning smile. As long as his son was in the county jail, he could find a way to get him out by tomorrow. He looked at Lin Chuan with a defiant gaze that screamed, *What can you possibly do to me?*

"Magistrate Qin, I’m afraid imprisonment will not suffice!" Lin Chuan chuckled.

The Magistrate’s gavel hovered in mid-air. "This... and why is that?"

Master Zhang’s heart skipped a beat.

"Because the crime he committed today—"

Lin Chuan slowly drew his sword.

"—is a capital offense!"

The entire courtroom fell into deathly silence.