After Xu Ke left, the main hall fell into silence.

County Magistrate Zhou’s face was ashen as he sat rigidly in his chair, his gaze sweeping slowly across the officials present. Wherever his eyes passed, heads lowered; no one dared meet his stare.

After a long moment, he rose and said coldly, “Since court is dismissed, you may all disperse.”

Before he had even finished speaking, he flicked his sleeve and strode off.

Registrar Sun Moxuan gave a light chuckle to smooth things over. “Since both superiors have retired, we might as well call it a day.” The others felt as if granted amnesty and hurriedly took their leave.

Once outside the yamen, Assistant Magistrate Zhou’s expression was dark enough to drip water. His carriage was already waiting at the steps. The steward stepped forward to greet him; seeing his mood, he dared not speak, only bowed and helped him aboard.

The curtain fell, and the horses set off. After traveling a short distance, Zhou suddenly said, “Go find a jailer and pass a message to Zhou Shun.”

The steward leaned toward the carriage window. “Your orders, sir?”

“Anything that shouldn’t be said—he’d better swallow it and take it to the grave,” Zhou said in a low voice. “I will ensure the safety of his entire family. Otherwise…”

The steward’s eyes shifted. In a hushed tone, he asked, “Sir, should we silence him completely?” As he spoke, he drew a finger across his throat.

Zhou shot him a fierce glare. “Fool! Killing him now to silence him would be walking straight into a trap. That fellow Xu is just waiting for a handle on us!” He took a deep breath, suppressing his anger. “Just make sure Zhou Shun keeps his mouth shut. Go handle it.”

The steward nodded repeatedly, stepping back as the carriage rattled away, then turned and disappeared into an alley.

Meanwhile, when Xu Ke returned to the rear hall, it was already time for the midday meal.

Yingchun and Xiuju had laid out the dishes. Seeing Xu Ke enter, Yingchun gave a slight curtsy but said nothing. Xu Ke nodded, washed his hands, and sat down at the table.

Siqi had been waiting nearby. The moment she saw him, her face lit up. Without waiting for him to speak, she launched into an excited recounting of what had just happened in court:

“My lord, you wouldn’t believe it—I was hiding by the back door of the main hall and heard everything clearly! That Zhou Shun is a damned brute. The husband of Madam Zou had already died, and he wanted to take the widow for himself. When he couldn’t, he abducted her and killed her! Now there’s only a poor old man and a child left—how pitiful!”

Slapping her thigh, she continued, “And that Advocate Qin stepped forward today! He laid out Zhou Shun’s crimes one by one, crystal clear, and cleared the injustice for that poor woman. It was so satisfying! The people outside are all calling you a ‘just magistrate’!”

Siqi spoke with animated gestures, clenching her teeth and clapping her hands. Xiuju smiled quietly at the side, and even Yingchun couldn’t help but let a small smile show.

Xu Ke picked up a bite of food, listened to her finish, and smiled faintly.

He had no intention of telling her that Advocate Qin had been arranged by him in advance.

After the meal, Xu Ke set down his chopsticks and looked at Yingchun. “The day after tomorrow is your return visit—are the preparations ready?”

Yingchun nodded. “I’ve followed the list given by the senior madam and prepared everything accordingly. Would you like to review it?”

“No need. You can handle it.” After a pause, he added, “Do your sisters in the household have anything they might want?”

Yingchun thought for a moment. “Third Sister likes novel things from outside. Fourth Sister has never cared for such things, so there’s no need to prepare anything special. As for Cousin Lin—she’s been here a few years, but her health is still weak. I don’t quite know what she likes…”

“Lin Daiyu is in poor health?” Xu Ke asked.

“She’s had an illness since childhood,” Yingchun replied. “No medicine seems to help much. She’s still the same these past couple of years—thin and frail, as if a gust of wind could knock her over.”

Xu Ke nodded and said nothing more.

Yingchun added, “There’s also Named Bao in the household. When I married, she even gave me a fan. The surface was painted with a beauty in gold dust—very delicate.”

“Bao Meimei? Xu Ke asked.

“She’s Aunt Xue’s daughter, given name Baochai,” Yingchun said. “Two years younger than me, but far more mature. Sister Bao is especially considerate.”

Xu Ke gave a quiet “mm,” thinking how fitting it was—Lin Daiyu’s frailty and Baochai’s composure were exactly as described in the book.

He looked at Yingchun. “Since you all grew up together, prepare a bit more in the way of gifts. I still have some rare items I bought before—add those in as you see fit.”

Yingchun nodded.

During the midday rest, Xu Fu quietly came to the study.

“My lord, as expected, someone secretly passed a note to Zhou Shun,” Xu Fu said in a low voice. “As you instructed, I pretended not to notice.”

Xu Ke nodded, lifting his teacup without speaking.

After waiting a moment, Xu Fu couldn’t help asking, “My lord, we probably won’t get anything out of Zhou Shun through interrogation. Should we…”

“Who told you I needed to get anything out of him?” Xu Ke set down the teacup and glanced at him.

Xu Fu was taken aback.

Xu Ke beckoned him closer. Xu Fu leaned in, and Xu Ke gave a few quiet instructions. Xu Fu’s eyes lit up; he nodded repeatedly, finally saying, “My lord is brilliant,” before withdrawing.

Xu Ke lifted his teacup again, sipping leisurely.

Sunlight streamed through the window. Inwardly, he mused: Zhou Fengchun, Zhou Fengchun—this move alone should keep you on edge for several days.

Using Zhou Shun as the first target was merely to cut off his claws within the county. If the next steps succeeded, Zhou Fengchun would find neither peace by day nor rest by night.

As for the remaining lackeys within the yamen, they would have to be dealt with one by one.

Of the six administrative offices in the county yamen, the clerk in charge of criminal cases was Zhou Fengchun’s nephew; the clerk handling finances was his son-in-law; and the personnel clerk had been promoted by him personally. These three controlled criminal records, revenue, and appointments—they were the very foundation of Zhou Fengchun’s power within the yamen.

Within the county yamen’s six administrative offices, the clerk in charge of criminal affairs, Qian, was Zhou Fengchun’s nephew; the clerk of finance, Zhao, was his son-in-law; and the personnel clerk, Wu, had been personally promoted by him. These three controlled criminal cases, revenue, and appointments—the very foundation of Zhou Fengchun’s power in the yamen.

The ones in finance and personnel could be dealt with gradually—find an excuse to send them away for a few days, or bury them in extra work and wear them down until their authority was hollowed out. But the criminal office could not wait.

Xu Ke’s gaze darkened slightly. The criminal office oversaw the constables—it was effectively the yamen’s armed force. The head constable, Sun Hu, was aligned with Departmen Qian. That man would need to be dealt with at the right moment—removed from office—and replaced with one of Xu Ke’s own people, planting a firm foothold.

Step by step. No need to rush.

Xu Ke lifted his teacup again, a faint smile curling at his lips.

Meanwhile, Xu Fu left the study and headed straight for the jail.

As the magistrate’s personal attendant, carrying out his orders, no one dared stop him along the way. At the jail entrance, the guards hurriedly opened the door and bowed him in.

Xu Fu wasted no time. Stepping inside, he ordered Zhou Shun to be dragged out from the corner and hung up on the torture frame.

Zhou Shun had not yet been tortured, but he already looked wretched.

Xu Fu paced up to him, looked him over from head to toe, and spoke slowly, “Zhou Shun, your case of murdering Zou Shi is already clear. With both witnesses and material evidence in place, you won’t escape execution after the autumn assizes.”

Zhou Shun trembled but said nothing.

Xu Fu continued, “The magistrate sent me here today for another matter. Your old case of seizing another man’s wife must also be fully sorted out. I advise you to confess honestly—there’s no need to suffer more before you die.”

Zhou Shun clenched his teeth, remaining silent at first.

Xu Fu was in no hurry. He stepped back and gave a subtle signal to the guards.

They understood immediately and stepped forward with instruments of torture.

After a round of punishment, Zhou Shun could no longer endure it and screamed like a slaughtered pig, “I’ll confess! I’ll confess! I’ll tell everything!”

Xu Fu acted as though he hadn’t heard, merely lifting his chin slightly.

The beating continued.

After another dozen blows, Zhou Shun could no longer even scream, only groan weakly. Only then did Xu Fu gesture for them to stop.

“Speak,” he said calmly.

This time, Zhou Shun complied, honestly recounting every detail of the wife-seizing case. Someone nearby had already prepared brush and paper, recording everything line by line.

When it was done, Xu Fu picked up the confession and read through it. Suddenly, his expression changed. He slammed the document onto the table and barked, “Zhou Shun! You must still be hiding something! Beat him again!”

The guards froze for a moment, but seeing Xu Fu’s grim face, they dared not question him and resumed the beating.

This time, Zhou Shun truly was innocent of further concealment. He had already confessed everything—why beat him again?

After another dozen blows, he couldn’t endure it and fainted, muttering incoherently.

Only then did Xu Fu call a halt. He walked over, bent down, and put his ear close to Zhou Shun’s mouth as if listening.

The guards in the cell exchanged puzzled looks, unsure what he was doing.

After a moment, Xu Fu’s expression changed drastically. He straightened abruptly and blurted out, “What? There’s more?!”

His face filled with shock. He glanced around and lowered his voice. “You… you mustn’t falsely accuse a superior!”

The jail fell silent.

Xu Fu stood there, his expression shifting. After a long pause, as if making up his mind, he picked up the confession and added several lines to the end.

When he finished, he let out a long breath and turned to the guards. “This matter is of great importance. I fear this may be a desperate slander before death. I must personally present this confession to the magistrate.”

He paused, then added, “Write another confession separately—just for the wife-seizing case—and have him sign it again. Remember clearly: that case is that case. Nothing else is to be included.”

The guards nodded repeatedly.

Xu Fu walked to the cell door, then turned back with a final instruction: “Don’t let him die. The magistrate has ordered that once he confesses, judgment will be passed in court the next day. I’ll be going now—keep watch.”

With that, he tucked the confession away and strode out.

The heavy jail door shut behind him.

The guards looked at one another but dared not say a word.

Xu Fu quickly returned to the study and reported in a low voice, “My lord, it’s all been taken care of.”

Xu Ke nodded and simply said, “Go find Head Constable Luo and have him prepare. No need to say anything else.”

Then he lowered his head and continued reading.

Xu Fu carried out the order.

At the Zhou residence—

While the interrogation was taking place in the jail, things were no calmer at Zhou Fengchun’s home.

Zhou Shun’s lawful wife burst into the study, weeping as she dropped to her knees. “Master, you must stand up for me! Now that Zhou Shun has been thrown into prison, I fear he won’t come out alive. His death may not matter, but what of us—a widow and child? How are we to live?”

Already troubled by matters in the yamen, Zhou Fengchun grew even more impatient at the sight of her. He waved a hand dismissively. “If he dies, so much the better—it makes things easier for both of us. Stay quietly at home. Do you think I would let you lack for silver?”

At this, the woman’s tears stopped halfway. She lifted her head, her sorrow turning to a smile. “It’s not that I have any deep feelings for Zhou Shun. I only feared losing my support if he died. Since you’ve spoken, my heart is at ease.”

Zhou Fengchun shot him a glare, then, in irritation, slammed the teacup in his hand down with a loud clang at the steward’s feet.

“Address him as Magistrate! He’s a seventh-rank official of the court—how dare a servant like you call him by name?”

The steward flinched, trembling as he repeatedly voiced his agreement.

Suppressing his anger, Zhou Fengchun said, “What do you know? That man has the Jia family backing him. He’s only been in office for less than a month—if he’s driven out so soon, do you think the Jia family will just let it go?”

The steward replied hesitantly, “Then… do we just do nothing?”

“There will still be some ‘excitement,’” Zhou Fengchun sneered. “Right now we can’t drive him out openly. But if the county gradually falls into disorder, he won’t be able to keep his position as magistrate for long. When that happens, even the Jia family won’t have anything to say.”

The steward’s eyes lit up. “Master, you mean—”

Before he could finish, a voice came from outside: “Master, a runner has just delivered a letter for you.”

Zhou Fengchun frowned. “Bring it in.”

The doorkeeper entered and presented the letter with both hands. Zhou Fengchun took it, opened it, and his expression changed drastically. He slammed it onto the table. “Ignorant brat—how dare he try to deceive me!”

Startled, the steward carefully picked up the letter and examined it. It contained the added lines written by Xu Fu—claiming that Zhou Shun had abducted Madam Zou to present her to Zhou Fengchun, but before she could be “broken,” she had fiercely taken her own life.

After reading for a while, the steward said cautiously, “Zou Shi is dead—there’s no testimony. Could he really force such a false accusation onto you?”

Zhou Fengchun took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. “Do you think he’s planning to use Zhou Shun alone to frame me? That man has been here just a month and already managed to bring this Zou case to light. Who knows what other evidence he might have in his hands? When the time comes, even if this charge isn’t true—it will become true.”

The steward’s face paled. “Then… what should we do?”

Zhou Fengchun stood up and paced a few steps before speaking slowly, “What else can we do? Find a way to uncover his next move. Tomorrow he’ll hold court to pass judgment—let’s see what exactly he brings out. Then we’ll make our plans.”

He looked out the window as dusk gradually deepened.

This Xu Ke—he didn’t play by the usual rules. He was far more troublesome than Zhou Fengchun had imagined.