Volume One: River City Song Chapter 51: Corrupt Official vs. Accountant (Part One)

As he was being "escorted" to the county office, Zhuang Hong’s expression suddenly changed, his heart sinking deeply. Before the solemn and imposing gates, over a hundred people had gathered, with murmurs circulating about whether he would be convicted or not.

Only when someone recognized the arrival of Zhuang, the county clerk, did the chatter abruptly cease. Everyone bowed their heads to make way, avoiding any eye contact with Zhuang Hong. Suppressing the unease within, Zhuang Hong held his head high and stepped into the office. After turning past the front screen wall, he saw hundreds more gathered before the main hall, nearly blocking the entrance entirely. From above the crowd, one could just make out the courtroom inside: Wei Liang presiding high above, flanked by clerks and attendants, with Feng Ping and Wang He, the assistant magistrates, seated beside the table up front.

This alone revealed the magnitude of Wei Liang’s commotion and confirmed his determination to settle the case clearly today.

Outside, upon Lin Lie’s summons, the crowd parted, allowing them easy passage to the hall. Lin Lie hurried forward and reported, “Your Excellency, the accused, county clerk Zhuang Hong, has been brought here by this humble servant.”

The word “accused” sparked a renewed buzz among the previously quiet crowd. Many showed excitement, while others wore doubtful expressions, wondering if the case would truly be resolved today.

By now, Zhuang Hong had calmed his nerves. Even as Wei Liang struck the judge’s wooden block and bellowed, “Zhuang Hong, come forward and answer!”—treating him like an ordinary suspect—Zhuang remained composed, stepping into the hall with a faint smile. “This servant greets Your Excellency.”

“Slap!” The county magistrate’s voice was filled with authority. “Zhuang Hong, do you know your crimes?”

“This servant does not know what crimes Your Excellency refers to.” With a respectful bow, Zhuang Hong looked directly into Wei Liang’s eyes, making it clear he would not confess so easily.

“What? Even now you stubbornly resist and conceal your crimes? Let me remind you: three days ago, a citizen named Li Ling accused you of embezzling public funds and attempting arson to cover up your guilt. Such grave offenses—you still intend to deny them?”

“This servant repeats: I have done none of those things. The alleged embezzlement of public funds is utterly baseless, and the claim of attempted arson to burn the warehouse is groundless slander. I implore Your Excellency to judge wisely and restore my innocence.”

“Unbelievable that after all this time you still deny it so stubbornly. Do you think I lack solid evidence? Look here!” Wei Liang suddenly slammed down a thick stack of ledgers. “These are the county’s records from recent years, containing irrefutable proof of your embezzlement while in office!”

He flipped open a ledger and began questioning, “In the twenty-fifth year of the Xianlong era, the prefectural office allocated fifteen hundred taels for river repairs, but only five hundred taels were actually spent on the project. Where did the remaining thousand taels go? And the records clearly show you, Zhuang Hong, oversaw the river repairs.”

“Furthermore, at last year’s end, twenty-three thousand taels of tax silver were to be sent to the prefectural city, but only nineteen thousand six hundred twenty-seven taels arrived. I ask you: where did the missing three thousand taels go? And there’s more…”

“Your Excellency, please wait!” As Wei Liang continued rattling off numbers, the crowd outside shifted uneasily, whispers rising. Zhuang Hong’s irritation grew, and he suddenly interrupted.

This caught Wei Liang off guard. He looked up at Zhuang Hong in surprise. “What? You still have more excuses? These are records you yourself kept, with your own signature. Surely you don’t think someone forged your name?”

“Your Excellency worries too much. Since I dared have these accounts recorded, I cannot deny them. My question is simply this: were these records investigated by your household officials, or did you personally lead the inquiry?”

“Well…” Wei Liang hesitated briefly, then chose to be honest. “These accounts were examined by Li Ling at my order.” Now, holding the moral high ground, he could not afford to be caught in a lie.

“That is somewhat improper,” said Wang He, not Zhuang Hong. Feng Ping nodded in agreement. “It’s well known that justice requires fairness. Li Ling is a party to the case; how can the county office use him to verify evidence?”

“Exactly, Your Excellency. Such a method is unreasonable. It would be better to set aside this evidence and allow county officials to re-examine it thoroughly. Otherwise, the higher courts may not accept these findings,” Wang He added.

These three had worked together for years and coordinated perfectly, responding in unison without prior planning, putting Wei Liang under great pressure. Even among the crowd, some whispered loudly, “Presenting evidence so hastily seems unreliable.”

A sharp gleam flashed in Wei Liang’s eyes as he slammed the wooden block again. “Silence in the court!” His glare silenced the murmurs. Then he sneered at his subordinates, “I understand your doubts, but to me, the evidence Li Ling found is the most trustworthy.”

“Your Excellency, surely you don’t believe he is more reliable than those within the county office?”

“Precisely! The county officials may be in Zhuang Hong’s pocket. Li Ling, however, is an ordinary citizen with no ties to him. So in my view, this evidence is entirely credible. What do you think?” Wei Liang’s question wasn’t just to the two assistant magistrates but to all the clerks present.

Feeling the threat in the magistrate’s gaze, the clerks’ hearts pounded, sensing immense pressure. They also recalled that the suspicious ledgers had just been confiscated—evidence of their own graft and bribery.

After a brief silence, one spoke up: “Your Excellency, it would be fairer to have outsiders examine the accounts.” Lin Lie was the first to voice support, having fully committed to this stance.

With his lead, others quickly followed: “The gentleman is right. Though Li Ling is the plaintiff, he would never dare forge evidence. I believe this matter is credible.”

Hearing so many clerks side with Wei Liang, Zhuang Hong’s face darkened further. Now he truly felt the pressure and tasted the lonely bitterness of previous magistrates who stood isolated in the office. He had thought to suppress the young magistrate with certain rules, but Wei Liang simply would not yield.

Seeing his expression, Wei Liang’s delight grew. He smiled and said, “Zhuang Hong, what else do you have to say? The evidence is conclusive: you have embezzled tens of thousands of taels over the years and even tried to cover it up by arson…”

“Your Excellency, please wait!” Zhuang Hong interrupted again. “My earlier question was not to challenge the evidence Li Ling presented. On the contrary, I admit to having tampered with some tax and public funds.”

The courtroom erupted in shock, inside and out. Many wore expressions of disbelief. He just confessed? So easily accepted the charge of corruption?

Even Feng Ping and Wang He looked surprised, unable to fathom what he was truly up to. Wei Liang furrowed his brow, sensing the situation was more complicated than it seemed.

Sure enough, Zhuang Hong continued: “However, I would never admit to ordering the arson of the warehouse. I have no reason to commit such a grave crime to hide a matter that is not truly a fault.”

The crowd’s bewilderment deepened. Li Ling, who had stood silently as the plaintiff, frowned deeply. “What excuse does he hope to find? Having admitted all this, how can he exonerate himself?”

“Slap!”

“Silence! Zhuang Hong, are you mocking me? In just a few years, as a mere county clerk, you have embezzled tens of thousands of taels and yet refuse to acknowledge your guilt? Utterly absurd!”

As the magistrate’s anger grew, Zhuang Hong grew even more composed. He met Wei Liang’s gaze steadily for a moment, then smiled. “Ultimately, it’s because Li Ling is just a commoner, unaware of the inner workings of the county office. And Your Excellency, being new to local governance, overlooked a crucial fact.”

“Yes, I have indeed withheld portions of many taxes and public funds. But none of this money has ever entered my personal pocket—it has all been used where it was needed.”

“That’s nonsense! You embezzled public funds and expect us to believe you used them for public good?” Wei Liang scolded, voice loud but heart uneasy, sensing Zhuang’s confident smile spelled trouble.

“Exactly! Your Excellency, as a newcomer, you may not yet understand many official customs. Our county office’s annual expenses are considerable—not only for the daily needs of dozens or hundreds of people but also for hosting superior offices, imperial envoys, and other dignitaries. These expenses cannot be officially recorded, creating discrepancies that appear as embezzlement to outsiders like you and Li Ling.”

“Therefore, the shortage of public funds is not due to my corruption, much less arson. Li Ling’s accusations are entirely false. I ask Your Excellency to judge fairly!”

With these flawless words, Zhuang Hong not only patched up the issue but even portrayed himself as a protector of the government’s reputation—a truly exemplary official.