County Magistrate Cao came, and Xiao Fan finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had been waiting for him for so long, just for this moment.

Power is indeed a good thing. A superior can easily determine life and death by just one word. Xiao Fan knew very well that if he was really taken to the prison, the result would be no need to think about. It was definitely a word of death. No one could survive safely after completely offending the magistrate. It was too easy for an official to kill an ordinary citizen, and it was so easy that he was almost too lazy to find excuses and charges. The official wanted the people to die, and the people had to die.

Xiao Fan once again experienced the beauty of power himself. He began to feel that he was living too sad. A real man had no power. In this strange Ming Dynasty, he could only live like an ant. What's the point? This time, County Magistrate Cao saved himself. What's the next time? What's the next time? Is he a time traveler waiting for others to save him every time?

After all, men still have to rely on themselves, and power is the most secure thing.

A trace of ambition to strive for power finally sprouted quietly in Xiao Fan's heart, breaking the ground, and quickly occupying the fertile soil in Xiao Fan's heart with a crazy growth, which was uncontrollable.

Hearing the loud shouts from the corner of the street, Chen Siliu's desperate gray expression finally had a little vitality. He couldn't help but feel refreshed, turned his head and looked at Xiao Fan with an almost grateful expression.

Xiao Fan smiled and nodded at him, then stretched out his hand, which seemed to be chic, but actually coquettishly, and looked at him with a scissors hand shape, which was very cute.

The county magistrate Cao was not wearing official uniforms, and was wearing only a long gown with flowers. He walked towards him with a calm expression. A group of yamen runners rushed in and out of the way, with great momentum and full of authority. The people watching the fun on the street bowed their heads to avoid it, not daring to look directly at it.

Behind him were two middle-aged men in casual clothes. After Xiao Fan looked at it, he knew that it was Xie Zhubu and Li Dianshi of the yamen. Seeing that they were walking, one left and one right, they were two steps behind Cao County Magistrate, with a bit of respect in his expression. Xiao Fan couldn't help but be surprised. Cao County Magistrate is very capable. In such a short time, he brought the most important chief clerk in the yamen, Dianshi and the captain, into his camp. This is probably not just something that money can do, but most of them were attracted by the prominent position of King Yan Zhu Di, the king of Yan behind Cao County Magistrate.

Cao Yi seems to be rough and heroic, not care about the details, but in fact he is smart and capable, so he should not be underestimated. Xiao Fan is a little lucky, but fortunately, he is in the right position and being friends with such a person is much happier than being an enemy.

When his thoughts were chaotic, Cao Yi had already walked in front of Xiao Fan.

Xiao Fan came back to his senses and bowed: "Xiao Fan, a Caomin, has met the county magistrate, the chief clerk, and the dictionary."

Cao Yi quickly glanced at the stunned shopkeeper Zhou not far away, and nodded to Captain Liu with difficulty, then laughed and said, "Brother Xiao, don't be too polite. Today, the Japanese officials and colleagues from the yamen came here in casual clothes. I heard that the Zuixian Building of Dong Chen's family opened today. I took the initiative to want to be shameless and want to make a fortune and drink, haha."

The onlookers were in a panic. What did the newly appointed county magistrate call Xiao Fan? Brother Xiao?

The ancients always put etiquette first, and it was not a trivial matter to call it. The eighth-rank official of the court actually called a son-in-law who was dependent on others. This Chen son-in-law... was he still a cowardly son-in-law of the past? When did he get into a relationship with the county magistrate, and look at the posture, the relationship is still very close.

Chen Siliu was originally trapped in the great tragedy of being about to destroy his family, but he did not expect that the situation would turn around and soon return to heaven from hell. Hearing the county magistrate Cao said, how could Chen Siliu, who had a delicate heart, not understand the meaning?

Although he was still shaking slightly, Chen Siliu tried to calm down and said respectfully: "If you have time, the second master is concerned about it, the Chen family business is so grateful. Lord Cao surrendered to the nobles and visit the Cao people's small restaurant, which really makes the restaurant shine brightly."

Cao Yi laughed heroically when he heard this, as if he hadn't seen the scene where the yamen runners were trying to arrest Xiao Fan just now. He waved to Xiao Fan and said, "Why are so many people standing at the door? Brother Xiao, go, accompany me in to have a few drinks. You guys are smart, but unfortunately you have a bad alcohol tolerance. I have to practice hard and practice you..."

Xiao Fan touched his nose and smiled bitterly: "Old man wants to drink, so Caomin dares not not accompany him. It's a pity that it may not work now. Caomin accidentally offended the Huwei of Magistrate Huang. He is now preparing to follow Captain Liu to go to the prison for dinner..."

Cao Yi pretended to be stunned when he heard this, then lowered his face, his eyes gradually became as sharp as a knife. He stared at Captain Liu and said, "What's going on? The county master wants to take Xiao Fan? Why don't I know? What crime has Xiao Fan committed?"

Captain Liu quickly exchanged glances with Cao Yi, then looked like he was doing business and said lightly: "The villain was just ordered by the magistrate to take someone. What crime Xiao Fan committed, the villain really doesn't know."

Cao Yi's originally light expression was restrained, and his eyebrows gradually frowned into the character "Sichuan". Anyone with a discerning eye could tell at a glance that the county magistrate was unhappy.

Turning his head to look at Li Dianshi behind him, Cao Yi asked, "Mr. Li, you are Dianshi, who is in charge of the criminal prison in this county. The county master wants to arrest Xiao Fan. Do you know what Xiao Fan has done?"

Li Dianshi frowned and said, "The Xiaguan has never heard from the county master mention this matter. Perhaps it is because the Xiaguan is weak and the county master is used to being arbitrary. It is normal for the arresting criminals to notify the Xiaguan."

The onlookers took a breath when they heard this. Li Dianshi said this too seriously. Although the literal meaning was still respectful to Huang Magistrate Huang, the hidden meaning was too vicious. "Kungang's arbitrary" was always used to the emperor, but Li Dianshi used it to describe Huang Magistrate Huang without thinking. This statement was said in front of many onlookers. If it was passed to the capital or even to the emperor, what impression would it have on Huang Magistrate Huang?

During the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang's control over folk remarks was extremely strict. Any inappropriate or threatening imperial power would be dealt with the most severely. At the least, he was imprisoned and was exterminated, and at the worst, he was killed in the nine clans. Zhu Yuanzhang was not ruthless and acted decisively, which led to the infamous spy organization "Jinyiwei". Its main function was to monitor the literary remarks of scholars and the people. Fortunately, since the rebellion of Hu Weiyong and Lan Yu, the Jinyiwei recruited Hu Lan's party and implicated the innocent party. Zhu Yuanzhang had to burn all the various torture instruments of the Jinyiwei's imperial prison in front of the officials of the court and abolished the Jinyiwei, the notorious spy organization of the Jinyiwei, which was a world-famous spy organization. Only a few years of rest were there.

If the Jinyiwei was still there, Li Dianshi said this, within half an hour, Huang Magistrate would be politely invited by a hundred households or general bannermen of the Jinyiwei to have tea in the imperial prison of the Jinyiwei's Zhenfu Department, and enjoy the treatment of an imperial criminal suspected of treason. If you are lucky, Huang Magistrate might also receive the sage that the current emperor, Comrade Zhu Yuanzhang, personally wrote the sage that "the crime should be punished."

Xiao Fan was stunned for a while before he could hear what Li Dianshi said. He couldn't help but wiped the sweat from his forehead in fear. He said that scholars were cruel. He didn't think it was before, but he had only truly understood it now. Scholars... They really can't afford to offend! A light word can kill people.

What does this mean? Knowledge is power!

Xiao Fan decided that in his spare time, he must read more books and read good books to enrich and arm himself, and to be a scholar full of bad water...

Even after hearing Li Dianshi's words, Cao Yi couldn't help but jump slightly and looked at Li Dianshi with a bit of horror.

The scene was silent, and the people present looked at Cao Yi, and the excitement in their eyes became more and more intense. Anyone with discerning eyes could see that the frontal contest between the eldest master and the second master of Jiangpu County began with this incident.

The silent shopkeeper Zhou, who stood beside him, saw that Li Dianshi actually said such heart-defeating slander, and pointed the finger at Huang County Magistrate. He was surprised and couldn't help but be anxious. He quickly rushed out and shouted: "Xiao Fan is suspected of hurting the magistrate's son. The county master ordered Captain Liu to arrest him. Please give me a clear look!"

Cao Yi frowned and said coldly: "Who are you?"

The shopkeeper Zhou was so scared that he took a step back and said calmly: "Caomin's surname is Zhou, who is the shopkeeper of Jinyulou..."

"You have fame and fortune?"

"……No."

"Since you have no fame, why don't you kneel down when you see me? How dare you be so arrogant?" Cao Yi said angrily.

Manager Zhou was so scared that his legs became weak and he knelt down with a plop. Then he looked at Xiao Fan and Chen Siliu pitifully. The meaning in his eyes was very clear. They had no fame, so why didn't they kneel?

Xiao Fan almost laughed out loud. Why did County Magistrate Cao always like to play this trick? I remember when he first met him, he also had this to himself. Could it be that it was the paranoid tendency derived from his inferiority complex in his bones that he had to kneel down and talk to him to feel comfortable?

Cao Yi snorted, ignored the resentful gaze of Manager Zhou, turned around and shouted to Captain Liu: "Since he appointed an official in the court, he should love the people as his son. Xiao Fan has no bad record and is not guilty. It is quite inappropriate to arrest and imprisonment for no reason. Perhaps it is not necessary for the county master to have misunderstandings about Xiao Fan. Captain Liu, please ask the yamen runners to go back. I will take responsibility for Xiao Fan's affairs."

The onlookers were surprised again when they heard this.

Cao Yi's words sounded polite, but in fact the meaning in the words was clearly already snatching Huang's face in public. The second master rejected the master's order on the spot in front of so many people. This matter would spread to the streets and alleys of Jiangpu County within an hour, and Huang's face and prestige could not be lost any more.

A smile flashed quickly in Captain Liu's eyes, and then he still looked like he was doing business, and said calmly: "Since Lord Cao is destined, the villain dares not refuse to obey, so he took the brothers back."

Manager Zhou was still kneeling on the ground, and Cao Yi seemed to have forgotten him and did not ask him to get up.

However, Manager Zhou didn't care about this. He was cold all over now. The scene that happened just now kept replaying in his mind. Looking at the smile behind Cao Yi, Zhubu Xie and Li Dianshi, who were meaningfully smiling, and Captain Liu, who was clearly impartial but actually obedient, a strange chill suddenly penetrated into Manager Zhou's whole body.

Why is this happening? Is Jiangpu really changing?

Thinking of this, Manager Zhou couldn't help but tremble all over and was in a panic.

A deafening gong sounded in the distance, awakening the thoughtful shopkeeper Zhou.
Chapter completed!