In the thirteenth year of the Tianbao era: I became Yang Guozhong's eldest son.

Tian Chengyi was the first to react, and quickly cupped his hands in greeting:

"I was merely performing the proper etiquette on behalf of my master and dared not disturb the magistrate. If you still wish to leave a note, I'm afraid..."

"What are you afraid of?"

Yanhe looked up from under the eaves.

"Didn't you just say it was a token of the locals' goodwill?"

"Since it's a token of my affection, what's wrong with leaving my name?"

Tian Chengyi couldn't respond to a single word.

Hu Rong felt even more bitter inside.

Today's scene was originally intended for them to test people.

Now, however, it's as if they've personally handed over their names, attitudes, and positions to the case.

Xu Jingyao wanted to give everyone a chance to calm down, so he smiled apologetically and said:

"The county magistrate has just arrived; settling him in is the priority. As for these notes, we can deal with them tomorrow or the day after..."

"I've heard the word 'slowly' enough today."

Yang Xuan looked at him.

"County Magistrate Xu, if you really want to share my burdens, then first take care of what you can do today."

"As for tomorrow and the day after, we'll discuss that later."

As soon as he said that, Xu Jingyao knew that he wouldn't be able to gain any advantage in this match.

Next, the people in the hall began to announce their names and their duties one by one.

The doorman reported it.

The treasury clerk reported it.

He Liu also reported it.

When it was the turn of those outside who were giving gifts and watching the spectacle, the scene became somewhat tense.

Because everyone knows that once someone has made a name for themselves, their visit today will no longer be just a "casual stop."

But surprisingly, the county magistrate didn't send them away.

The princess was also sitting next to her.

The hall doors were wide open.

If anyone turns and runs away at this moment, the word "guilt" will immediately be stuck to their forehead.

So a report was issued.

Report both.

Later on, even a few brokers who originally just wanted to peek out the door were asked by Cui Shen for their names and employers.

Ah Fu, watching from the side, couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement.

This is not a printing press.

This was clearly a way to familiarize themselves with the faces of everyone who first peeked out from around the mahjong table in Yanjing County through the act of receiving the seal.

By the time the event finally ended, it was already getting dark.

The people outside the hall gradually left.

Some people walk fast.

Some people forced a smile before leaving, saying they would come to visit again tomorrow.

Some people left the hospital with noticeably hurried steps, as if they couldn't wait to deliver all the things they had heard that day.

When Xu Jingyao and Cao Wenbing took their leave, they still wore official smiles on their faces.

But there was little disdain left in that smile.

Especially Xu Jingyao.

He originally thought that after serving the old government in Yanjing County for so many years, a young man who came from Chang'an would have to learn to navigate the local area in the dark a few times first.

Only now do I realize that the other party may not be familiar with the people here.

But the other party is a familiar official.

I know how these rotten government offices love to drag things out, how to beat around the bush, how to lure you into their inner chambers and then slowly wear you down.

This is troublesome.

After most of the people had left, the main hall finally quieted down a bit.

Afu ran to close the courtyard gate halfway, Wenbo went to watch over the luggage being arranged, and Caifan led people to reseal the gifts, even re-applying the seals.

Han Jitong remained silent throughout.

But when he looked at the few gifts in the courtyard and the half-filled list of missing items in the hall, the pent-up frustration in his eyes dissipated slightly.

What he feared most was never that the new county magistrate wasn't tough enough.

What he feared was that the new county magistrate would only be rigid.

All they do is slam their fists on the table and start cursing, but after they finish cursing, they still get slowly swallowed up by the filth of this place.

But after watching the printing ceremony today, he suddenly understood.

This Magistrate Yang in front of us probably has no intention of making a big fuss on the first day.

Cui Shen tidied up the few pages of paper and delivered them to Yang Xuan's desk.

"My lord."

"Today's session has revealed quite a lot."

Yang Xuan hummed in agreement and turned to the top page.

The names were written all over it.

Tian Chengyi.

Hu Rong.

Xu Jingyao.

Cao Wenbing.

He Liu.

Further down, there were a few brokers, shopkeepers, and minor officials who couldn't hide their expressions while watching the commotion.

He glanced at it once before saying calmly:

"What did you figure out?"

Cui Shen immediately continued:

"The county magistrate is trying to stall."

"The registrar wants to get away with this."

"The clerks and head constables are the most familiar with the ways of the outside world."

"The Tian family was the first to send gifts, and Hu Rong was the second to follow, which shows that both families wanted to see if you were soft or hard first."

"besides."

He paused, and his eyes slowly brightened.

"The people in the least hurry to leave the courtroom today are not the officials."

"Those are the faces we saw from outside."

"They're not concerned with whether the grafting will succeed or not."

"After you receive the seal, where will your first step be?"

Yang Xuan nodded.

"good."

As he spoke, he gently tapped the old seal he had just received onto the edge of the table.

"The seal has been received."

"The print is just a shell."

"You can only be considered to have entered the door once you have the shell in your hands."

"Next, we'll see just how many hands are hidden inside this shell."

Pei Zhao stood by the door and asked:

"Who should we keep an eye on tonight?"

Yang Xuan looked up at the sky outside the courtyard.

It wasn't completely dark yet.

But the wind in Yanjing County has already started to seep into every crack and crevice.

"Don't rush to arrest them."

"Tonight, let's see who goes to deliver the message, who goes to visit neighbors, and who will worry about those few gifts in the county government office."

He pressed the missing booklet under the seal box, his voice still not loud.

"Today they all see this seal-receiving ceremony as a way to laugh at me."

"Then tell them to understand one thing when they go back."

"I've finished reading the joke."

"Now we're going to get serious."

......

After the wind picked up outside, the main hall became even quieter.

It's not that kind of true stillness.

Everyone has left, but the tension hasn't completely dissipated.

The few sealed gifts by the courtyard wall, like stones bearing words, made it clear to anyone who glanced at them that today's seal-giving ceremony wouldn't end there.

Afu closed half of the courtyard gate and peeked outside as he turned around.

The sky outside was already darkening.

In Yanjing County, even at dusk, the wind carries a salty, damp smell, as if someone has boiled salt and then covered people's noses and mouths with a damp cloth.

"Young master."

Ah Fu whispered:

"Those people who just went out were all pretty fast."

"Speed ​​is the right thing to do."

Yang Xuan was still sitting in the old, uneven chair in the hall, his fingertips lightly tapping the seal box.

"The faster someone takes these words back to their home today, the more uneasy those who follow will feel."

Cui Shen rearranged the few pages of paper in his hand and placed them on the table.

"Mere chaos is not enough."

"We need to take advantage of their chaos to find out exactly how many rotten accounts, rotten people, and rotten rules are hidden inside the shell of Yanjing County."

Han Jitong, who was standing below, raised his eyes upon hearing this.

He watched the whole thing today.

The more he looked, the more he realized that this new county magistrate was indeed not the same kind of official as the ones he had met before.

Some people, upon arriving at a new place, immediately try to show off their power.

Some people, upon arriving at a new place, want to leave themselves a way out.

The one in front of me is not.

He's like a chess player.

"My lord."

Han Jitong finally spoke.

"If you really want to see for yourself, don't look at the warehouse tonight."

"Oh?"

Yang Xuan looked at him.

Why?

"Because it's the easiest place to fake something."

Han Jitong's voice was still hoarse, and his complexion hadn't fully recovered, but his words were already steady.

"Empty warehouses can be stuffed with some rotten grain, and if there's a shortage of silver, a few strings of old coins can be moved. Even the seals can be temporarily replaced."

"But the booklet is different."

"Once the booklet is completely rotten, it's easy to create holes if you try to glue it back on at the last minute."

Cui Shen's eyes lit up.

"Flip through the book first."

Han Jitong nodded.

"Household registration book, corvée labor register, list of servants, warehouse storage register, salt tax register."

"If we lay these things out together, it won't be long before we can tell whether this government office is simply lazy or has already been emptied out."

Yang Xuan hummed in agreement.

"Then we won't wait."

"Ah Fu".

"exist."

Go and urge them.

"Every single item on the missing list that needs to be added tonight is unacceptable."

"Anyone who dares to say they can't find it, can't produce it, or will send it tomorrow, you'd better remember their name more clearly."

Afu responded and turned to run away.