I asked you to go hunting, and you ended up wearing a yellow robe?

Zhao Bingkun stood at the entrance of the hall, looking at the bloodstains on the floor and sighed.

"Officer Qi, take your men and go to these gentry families to ask them to raise money to ransom their lives."

"Yes, sir!"

Zhao Bingkun turned and walked back into the hall, looking at the gentry who were sprawled on the ground.

"Gentlemen, I won't waste any more words. There are three thousand refugees outside the city waiting for food. Each of you will contribute two thousand shi of grain, plus five hundred taels of silver."

He held up two fingers.

"Two paths: either pay grain and silver, or Wang Zhengwen is your role model. Choose for yourselves."

Zhao Yongnian was the first to kowtow and agree.

"Your Excellency is wise! The Zhao family accepts this!"

The others followed suit, kowtowing as if afraid of being too slow.

In less than half an hour, the silver notes delivered by various families piled up on the table, and a long string of granary keys was strung together.

Zhao Bingkun had his clerk register each person before releasing them.

The gentry scrambled out, and Zhang Xiu, leaning on his cane, walked the slowest. When he reached the door, he looked back.

Qi Shan was squatting on the steps, wiping his knife.

Zhang Xiu withdrew his gaze and walked away shakily.

After everyone had left, Qi Shan stood up and waved to Meng Da.

Meng Da jogged over.

"Officer, what's the matter?"

Qi Shan sheathed the cleaned knife and said:

"Take a few trustworthy brothers, disguise them as bandits tonight, and wipe out Wang Zhengwen's entire family and Zhang Xiu and his son."

Meng Da paused for a moment, then grinned.

"Don't worry, Chief Constable, I guarantee not a single one will be left alive."

Qi Shan glanced at him and raised an eyebrow:

"Remember, it was done by bandits."

Meng Da nodded vigorously.

"Understood! The remnants of Black Dragon Stronghold are seeking revenge; they slaughtered the entire Wang and Zhang families under cover of night!"

Meng Da turned to leave, but Qi Shan called him back.

"Before we take any action, we should move the silver from their cellar back, so that it doesn't end up benefiting someone else."

Meng Da's eyes lit up.

"Alright!"

After nightfall, Meng Da led a dozen constables, changed into night clothes, and sneaked out of the city gate in the dark.

Qi Shan returned to his courtyard, where his three wives had already prepared hot water and were waiting for him.

Su Yue carried the food out of the kitchen.

"My husband, I still want to..."

Qi Shan pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

"My little Yue'er is getting more and more capable, let's continue tonight!"

Lin Wan came out of the house carrying a basin of hot water. When she saw this scene, she blushed and shrank back inside.

Jia Qinghan sat under the eaves reading a book, and pouted:

"How shameless!"

"Um... has the magistrate promised you the position of county magistrate's assistant?"

Qi Shan loosened his grip on Su Yue and sat down at the table.

"Hmm, not bad."

Jia Qinghan turned a page of the book.

"Sun Maocai is still alive. He is a county magistrate appointed by the imperial court through the proper imperial examination. You took his position, and he will not let it go."

Qi Shan picked up his rice bowl and shoveled a large mouthful of rice into his mouth.

"Then we'll see if he has the ability."

Jia Qinghan closed the book, got up and walked into her room.

"Be careful, things won't be peaceful in the provincial capital."

Qi Shan watched her retreating figure, smiled, and said nothing.

The next morning, a notice was posted at the city gate.

The county government opened the granaries to distribute grain, and refugees from outside the city lined up to receive porridge.

When the news spread, the refugee camp was filled with weeping.

An elderly woman with gray hair held a bowl of hot porridge, tears streaming down her face.

"The officials in Qingyang County are good people!"

A man next to me, so thin he was practically skin and bones, gulped down his porridge and wiped his mouth.

"I heard it was a constable surnamed Qi who killed Li Long and forced the gentry to donate grain!"

The old woman clasped her hands together and bowed to the sky.

May God bless Officer Qi with a long and healthy life!

Standing on the city wall, Zhao Bingkun watched the smoke rising from the refugee camp and breathed a sigh of relief.

He turned to look at Chen Chong.

"Where are the people from Qishan?"

Chen Chong scratched his head.

"He went to the blacksmith shop early this morning, saying he wanted to have some new firearms made."

Zhao Bingkun shook his head with a wry smile.

"This kid..."

Just then, the city gate official ran up.

"Your Excellency! Something terrible has happened! The Wang family was attacked by bandits last night, and all twenty-three members were killed! The Zhang family also suffered the same fate; the heads of Zhang Xiu and his son are hanging on the doorframe!"

Zhao Bingkun's expression changed.

"Bandits? What bandits?"

The city gatekeeper swallowed hard.

"A Black Dragon Token was left at the scene; it was done by people from Black Dragon Stronghold!"

Zhao Bingkun remained silent for a long while before speaking.

"Okay, you can go now."

Chen Chong and the other city gate officials walked away, lowering their voices.

"Your Excellency, this..."

Zhao Bingkun raised his hand to interrupt him.

"Stop asking, let's leave it at that."

Chen Chong shut his mouth, but he understood perfectly well.

What Black Dragon Village? It's clearly a setup to frame someone.

But he dared not utter a single word.

Around noon, a person stumbled back along the official road outside the city.

Sun Maocai was covered in mud, his official clothes were tattered, one of his boots was missing, and the sole of the other was worn through.

He leaned on a tree branch, stumbling along the path towards the city gate.

The county soldiers guarding the city recognized him.

"Magistrate Sun? You're still alive!"

Sun Maocai grabbed the county soldier's arm, his lips chapped and his voice hoarse.

"Quickly! Take me to see the county magistrate! I know I was wrong!!! Quickly!!!"

The county soldiers helped him walk toward the county government office.

Sun Maocai looked like he was about to die the whole way.

He got lost and hid in the mountains for several days, almost losing his life in the process. He was finally found after a great deal of difficulty...

Upon entering the back hall of the county government office, Sun Maocai knelt down with a thud.

"Your Excellency! I am utterly incompetent! I should never have leaked the information to Li Long. That night, in my panic, I ran in the wrong direction and wandered around the mountains for five whole days before finally finding my way back!"

"This humble official knows his mistake!!!"

Zhao Bingkun sighed as he looked at his disheveled appearance.

"Magistrate Sun, it's good that you're back. Get up and speak."

Sun Maocai got up and suddenly realized that Qi Shan was sitting next to Zhao Bingkun.

Isn't this his spot?!

He froze for a moment.

"Your Excellency, this is..."

Zhao Bingkun picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"This is Qi Shan, the head constable. In the days you were away, he led his men to defend Qingyang County, killed Li Long, forced the border troops to retreat, and solved the refugee problem."

Sun Maocai's expression changed.

Qi Shan remained seated and nodded at him.

"Magistrate Sun, this chair is quite comfortable."

Sun Maocai forced a smile, but the look in his eyes was already off.

He looked at Zhao Bingkun.

"Your Excellency, now that I have returned, there is no need for Constable Qi to trouble yourself with county affairs. I will immediately return to the county magistrate's office to handle matters."

Zhao Bingkun put down his teacup, his tone indifferent.

"Magistrate Sun, you have been missing for many days, and there is a mountain of county affairs to attend to. I have already appointed Constable Qi to temporarily assume the duties of Magistrate Sun."

Sun Maocai's face turned pale instantly.

"Your Excellency! I am a seventh-rank county magistrate appointed by the imperial court! It is against the law for you to appoint a mere constable to take my place!"

Zhao Bingkun looked at him without saying a word.

Sun Maocai's voice trembled.

"I merely got lost and resigned! On what grounds has the magistrate dismissed me!"