Chapter 823 Counterattack

Chapter 823: Counterattack Chapter 823: Counterattack Editor: Atlas Studios This was a feudal dynasty, so it was naturally impossible for everyone to be equal.

‘All are equal before the eyes of the law’ was a concept that only existed in novels and plays.

A prince killing a commoner faced a different punishment from a commoner who killed a commoner, let alone a lowly prostitute who had been bought with money.

A nobleman would not have to pay with his life for killing a slave, but it wasn’t that he could escape completely unscathed.

Even if the slave had signed an irrevocable contract, a nobleman would have to be punished with 80 strokes of the cane for killing a slave.

Although it was only 80 strokes, what about if he had killed eight or ten?

When it reached a certain number of people, the government office could sentence him in the name of inhumanity.

In that case, a county official could have the culprit exiled.

Mu Yangling did not expect that she would have to use the shortcomings of human governance to deal with a person one day.

Gentry Wei’s fondness of catamites1 was not a secret in his circle.

Although he did not publicize it with great fanfare, he did not hide his hobby either.

As such, it was not difficult to find out how many gigolos and catamites he had bought.

When they saw the dossiers piled up on the table, both Mu Yangling and Liu Qing’s expressions changed.

Shocked that such a thing had happened under his rule, Liu Qing was livid to the point that his hands were trembling.

Mu Yangling’s gaze was obscure as she asked, “He’s killed so many lives, but your government hasn’t done anything?” Liu Qing knelt on the ground and lowered his head.

“Your Highness, because it was a slave he killed, the officials usually don’t investigate such cases unless it was reported…” Since it wasn’t even considered a crime for a master to kill his slave, how could he interfere?

Mu Yangling sneered.

“I’m afraid he’s also bribed the officials in charge of the prison, right?” She did not believe that among so many children, none of their families had ever come looking for them.

Liu Qing knelt on the ground, not knowing how to explain.

Mu Yangling closed the dossier and said, “Investigate!

Since we can’t find any evidence of them stealing grain seeds from outside, we’ll investigate it from within.” Liu Qing responded and left with the dossier.

Right away, he got someone to arrest Gentry Wei and seal the Wei Residence.

Shocked, Gentry Qian hurriedly sent someone to ask around.

When he found out that Gentry Wei had been imprisoned for the torture and murder of a catamite, he couldn’t help but frown.

“Why is the government office still involved in this matter when those catamites signed an irrevocable contract?” “Master, killing a slave is also a crime.

Although it’s a light punishment, it’s not certain if a person can survive the caning.” Gentry Qian seemed to be deep in thought as he said in a low voice, “If he doesn’t make it through, we’ll have to take care of Brother Wei’s orphans and widow in the future.” The butler was stunned and instantly understood.

Gentry Qian was planning to annex the Wei family’s farmland?

At the thought that Gentry Wei and his master had always been on good terms, the butler felt a chill running down his spine.

Nonetheless, he lowered his head and agreed, then asked in a low voice, “Then do you want me to go to the prison to make some arrangements?” “No need.

This matter is a little strange.

Get someone to find out if he was arrested because someone ratted on him.” The butler agreed.

When he returned at night, he told Gentry Qian that it was Gentry Wei’s former tenant farmer, Xi Le, who had ratted on him.

The butler sighed and said, “Xi Le was lucky to win Her Highness’s favor.

Not only did he redeem his brother, but he also rented the Prince’s estate’s fields to farm.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have the guts to rat on Gentry Wei.” Qian Shishen’s expression changed and his leisurely mood evaporated instantly.

His hand trembled as he placed the teacup on the table.

Straightening his back, he looked at the butler with an intent gaze.

“Who was it again?” “I’m talking about Gentry Wei’s former tenant farmers…” “Who did you say redeemed his brother?” Gentry Qian interrupted the butler with an ugly expression.

The butler looked at Gentry Qian in a daze and said, “It’s Prince Rong’s estate.” Gentry Qian collapsed on the chair dejectedly and said with a pale face, “We’ve been discovered.

Gentry Wei must have accidentally exposed his tracks.

Idiots, a bunch of fools.” The butler did not know what had happened, but this was the first time in his life that the master’s expression was so ugly.

Hence, he stood there trembling, not knowing what to do.

Gentry Qian pointed at him and said, “Go and invite Gentry Tan and the others over.

No, we can’t let them come to the house.

Prepare the carriage.

I want to go out.” At this moment, Gentry Wei was standing at the bottom of the stairs in the hall with his neck straightened, looking up at Liu Qing fearlessly.

As a student of the Imperial College, he needn’t kneel in the presence of an official.

Instead of forcing him, Liu Qing just quietly flipped through the dossier and handed the most recent volume to the assistant.

“Since Gentry Wei can read, let him take a look and see if there’s anything wrong with it.” When Gentry Wei opened it, his expression changed right away.

This was a dossier on how he;d tortured and killed the catamites!

It wasn’t that Gentry Wei hadn’t been sued before, so there were also two or three existing dossiers.

However, he’d always managed to settle them with money.

It wasn’t a big deal.

Even if he was sentenced, he would only be given 80 strokes of the cane.

All he had to do was bribe the bailiff in charge of carrying out the punishment, and he could get off easy.

Therefore, the county official would rather accept the bribe himself in exchange for a mitigation of the punishment.

However, this dossier was not with those two or three existing dossiers.

In other words, someone had privately set up another dossier for him.

When Gentry Wei saw the date on it, his eyes darted around.

He cupped his hands and said, “Sir, this is a dossier from the previous dynasty.

It’s not valid…” “You also bought your title of ‘student of the Imperial College’ in the previous dynasty.

Is that not valid as well?” Gentry Wei choked.

Liu Qing continued with a smile, “And the current Wei Family’s land were also acquired in the previous dynasty.

Is that no longer valid, too?” “How… how can that be?

What I’m saying is that this dossier might be fake.

After all, the servant in the dossier died a few years ago, and people die of old age and illness all the time.

Moreover, this is a mere nine-year-old child and it’s common for such young children to fall sick and die young…” Pa!

Liu Qing slammed the wood in anger and shouted, “You also know that he’s only a nine-year-old child.

Then how could you bear to do it?!

Do you really think I’m so easy to fool?

Who in the Ju Prefecture doesn’t know about your hobby?

Or do you want the coroner to open the coffin and conduct an autopsy from head to toe?” Liu Qing threw the dossier in her hand at his face and sneered.

“You didn’t expect someone to write a dossier for you in the government office, did you?

Every time a young slave died in your residence and had his household registration annulled, there was always someone in the government office watching you fill in the dossier!” Gentry Wei couldn’t help but shiver when he thought of how he had been watched all these years.

Liu Qing snorted and got someone to bring Gentry Wei to the prison to be locked up.

He specially instructed him to be locked up with the death row inmates.

“Sir, how should we deal with Governor Sun, who manipulates the dossiers in private?” “He clearly knows that there’s such a cruel person, but he didn’t stop him.

Instead, he secretly extorted Gentry Wei with the dossier.

Even if he has contributed this time, I can’t afford to keep such a person in my office.

I’ll remove his meritorious deeds and expel him from Ju Prefecture City with 50 strokes of the cane.” The advisor agreed and bowed before leaving.

He, too, despised Governor Sun.

Liu Qing turned around and said to the constable, “Get ready.

We’ll go and meet Gentry Wei in the latter half of the night.

We must pry out information regarding the grain seeds theft case from him.” This was their main goal.

If they did not get rid of those gentry and landlords, they would be a big nail in Lingnan, which was next to West Xia, that could stab them at any time.

A constable quickly walked in and reported in a low voice, “Sir, Gentry Qian went out of the city.

I heard that he’s going to Kaifu Temple to offer incense.” Liu Qing sneered and said, “Get someone to keep an eye on him.

He was the one who sent people to inform everyone all three times they met.

Even if he’s not the leader, he’s still a very key figure.” “As for the others…” The constable was troubled.

“I don’t have enough manpower.

I can only keep an eye on three people.” “Just focus on Gentry Qian and choose another two from the remaining.

If there’s any danger of being discovered, retreat and don’t force it.” a catamite was a pubescent boy who was the intimate companion of an older male, usually in a pederastic relationship

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