Volume 1: River City Melody - Chapter 56: A Small Test of Skill (Part Two)

A professional and warm professional smile remained plastered across Li Ling's face as he politely gestured toward the seats before them. "You folks don't need to stand and talk, please take a seat. Whatever you wish to say to the Magistrate, you can say to me, it's all the same."

The dozen or so people exchanged glances for a moment before ultimately following Li Ling's instructions and finding seats for themselves. Just outside the county office gates, emboldened by the presence of several hundred onlookers, their courage had naturally been magnified infinitely. They had convinced themselves that they would not feel the slightest bit intimidated even when facing the Magistrate in the flesh. However, now trapped in this enclosed environment, with only their small group remaining, they distinctly felt an immense pressure. A few even swallowed secretly, their bodies leaning back slightly as if trying to put more distance between themselves and Li Ling.

Still, there were bolder ones among them. An elderly man snorted, "Don't think you can use such cheap tricks to scare us! Years ago, this old man also served in the county office, and I've seen it all. We made ourselves very clear outside just now: it was wrong of the county office to dispose of our sons and husbands in this manner. Everyone has worked hard and faithfully for the county office for years; how can they be arbitrarily dismissed over a minor fault?"

With someone taking the lead, the others regained their courage and chimed in one after another: "Exactly what he said! What you're doing is pushing our entire families onto a desperate path, how can anyone act like this? If the Magistrate cannot give me a satisfactory answer today, we will take this all the way to the prefectural office!"

"That's right, we're going to Hengzhou Prefecture to let the Prefect judge the rights and wrongs. Local clerks have never been dismissed without cause. To fire people just because a few of them failed to show up makes no sense at all!"

"The one in my family arrived at the county office to participate a few days ago precisely as the Magistrate instructed, but in the end, he was still dismissed. There's simply no justice in this..."

These people suddenly began to pour out their grievances loudly toward Li Ling like an opened floodgate, babbling on and on. A few impatient ones even stood up directly to press their case, genuinely building up a menacing momentum. Li Ling, however, simply sat quietly behind the desk without responding, until they had all more or less finished speaking. Only then did he nod and say, "I have basically understood your intentions and demands. It is simply that you all cannot accept this reality and feel that it is highly inappropriate for the Magistrate to dismiss Li Qing, Zhang Dan, and the others, am I right?"

"That's right!"

"Then let me ask you all a question: did the county office make any guarantees before employing them, stating that this was a job for life, just like buying land or a house, and that they could never go back on it? If so, do you have a written receipt for it?"

Li Ling's question instantly left them all stunned. How could such a document possibly exist? Li Ling swept his gaze across the circle of them before continuing, "Then do you know that even imperial officials of the imperial court can be impeached and removed from office? What about shop assistants and managers, or the tenant farmers you employ—must you employ them for a lifetime, even knowing full well that they are slacking off and abusing public office for private gain? May I ask, is there such a rule anywhere under heaven? May I ask if you truly believe the status of a so-called county clerk surpasses that of a court-appointed official?"

This rapid-fire succession of questions left them all gaping and speechless, entirely unsure of how to respond. Li Ling maintained his smiling expression, his tone devoid of any fluctuation. "I believe you all know the answer. That being the case, on what grounds do you stubbornly insist that county clerks must serve for a lifetime?"

"Hmph, you are clearly just arguing for the sake of arguing! We came here simply to ask the Magistrate why our family members were suddenly dismissed," the old man challenged once more. "Could it be that just because the county office has the power to dismiss people, it can act however it pleases? Wouldn't that chill the hearts of everyone else?"

"Indeed, my husband has never offended anyone nor committed any wrong, yet he was dismissed as well..." a woman shouted at the top of her lungs, her face flushed red.

"So, you are all looking for an explanation?" Li Ling nodded. "That's easy enough. I have some materials right here in my hand that you can take a look at. Once you read them, you'll understand that the Magistrate has already shown a great deal of consideration for your families." With that, he picked up a stack of papers and, following the names written on them, handed a document resembling an official petition to each of the family members.

Those who were illiterate held the thin sheets of paper with a blank expression, while those who could read turned the pages with utter bewilderment. After just a moment of reading, the complexions of several individuals shifted abruptly, transforming their previous belligerence into the sensation of sitting on pins and needles, as if sharp thorns were pricking their backs...

Li Ling stood right before them, absorbing every single one of their reactions. With a solemn expression, he said, "Some things were already stuck in my throat earlier, but now I am compelled to speak. The reason your so-called Zhang Dan and the others were supposedly wronged and dismissed is purely because the Magistrate wished to preserve their dignity and chose not to pursue the matter further.

"What is in your hands right now are merely the minor offenses they committed within the county office over the past two years. Take Li Qing, for instance: in the household department alone, he embezzled over two hundred taels of silver in two years, and that is only what has been temporarily uncovered with solid evidence. If the Magistrate were to truly investigate thoroughly, I am afraid that figure would have to be multiplied several times over. According to our dynasty's laws, even officials who embezzled over five hundred taels are subject to severe punishment—at the very least, demotion and salary forfeiture; at worst, immediate dismissal and exile to the frontier. What do you suppose would be the fate of a clerk whose embezzlement of several hundred or thousands of taels is proven beyond a doubt?

"This time, the Magistrate merely dismissing them from the county office is an act of utmost benevolence, done out of consideration for their years of diligent service in the yamen, which is why he did not pursue the matter further. However, this does not mean the Magistrate is unaware of the sordid deeds they engaged in behind the scenes, nor does it mean the matter is simply over. Should anyone prove ungrateful and still attempt to stir up trouble, do not blame the Magistrate for lacking courtesy."

At that moment, the dozen or so people before him fell completely silent, their previous momentum dissipating like smoke. As family members who shared their pillows, they naturally knew very well how much ill-gotten wealth their households had acquired over the past few years, and they were even clearer that if the government truly decided to prosecute them, the consequences would be terrifying.

Li Ling continued, "I do not know whether your coming here to disrupt things today was spontaneous or instigated by someone else. If it is the former, I hope you will all go back and reflect carefully. Every action has its consequences, and one must always bear the responsibility for the mistakes they make. But if it is the latter, then that becomes rather intriguing. What on earth is the hidden motive of the person who instigated you? In my view, he simply wants to use you as pawns while keeping himself hidden behind the scenes. If you fail and are punished, do you think he will come forward to help you?

"None of you are fools; you are surely capable of weighing the stakes and consequences, so I will say no more. It is getting late, and you should all return. Convey my message to your sons and husbands as well: this time, the Magistrate has shown magnanimity and will not hold your transgressions against you, but should there be a next time, it will not be so lenient."

Having finished this long speech, Li Ling rose first, opened the door, and walked out.

The clerks outside, along with Cao Jin who had been standing guard the entire time, looked at him with a mixture of unease and bewilderment. Seeing his calm demeanor while the people inside the room emerged dejected and shaken, they felt a wave of relief wash over them, instantly replaced by a flood of questions.

In less than an hour from start to finish, these fellows who had been arguing endlessly and demanding an explanation upon entering had all completely wilted? They had still heard shouting from inside the room just moments ago, and although Li Ling's later words had been muffled by the closed door and weren't entirely clear, how could the power of just those few short sentences be so overwhelmingly immense?

The scribes were astonished, the gazes they cast toward Li Ling tinged with a trace of awe. They were well aware that the Magistrate intended to bring him into the household department as a chief clerk; though they had initially felt unconvinced, they now dared not look down upon him in the slightest. In terms of capability, methods, and his relationship with the Magistrate, they were light-years behind Li Ling.

Cao Jin, on the other hand, was filled with admiration. He had harbored doubts earlier and had waited outside to provide backup precisely because he worried Li Ling might not be able to handle the situation. But looking at it now, his worries had been entirely groundless; this young man was far more formidable than he had imagined. Not only was he exceptionally skilled at accounting and bold in spirit, but he also possessed a silver tongue.

"The master truly has a discerning eye for talent. If this young man is put to good use, he will undoubtedly be a major asset." Fortunately, Secretary Cao had not read web novels of later eras; otherwise, he would have had to add four more words to his thoughts: *terrifyingly formidable...*

Not long after Li Ling came out and nodded to Cao Jin to signal that the matter had been settled, the dozen or so people inside the room finally snapped out of their daze. Exchanging stunned, blank stares, they stood up, walked out, and slinked away despondently, completely devoid of their earlier aggressive momentum, looking thoroughly guilty instead.

The subsequent matters were naturally handled by the rest of the county office staff. Li Ling went back to see Wei Liang and briefly recounted the process by which he had persuaded the group, prompting yet another round of clicking tongues and praise from Magistrate Wei: "Li Ling, you are truly meticulous. To think you made the appropriate preparations so early on. Were the evidence of those people's embezzlement also found from the ledgers in the archive room?"

"Indeed. Although they covered up their tracks on the surface, a little careful inspection reveals the flaws. This humble subordinate didn't even have to spend much effort to uncover quite a few loopholes," Li Ling replied with a smile. It wasn't a boast; after all, the modern methods of falsifying accounts were far too crude to begin with, rendering their practices full of flaws in the eyes of a professional like him.

Just as Wei Liang was marveling once more, Li Ling furrowed his brow and said, "Sir, I believe this disturbance must have been instigated by someone behind the scenes. Furthermore, it's not just Zhuang Hong—there must be others adding fuel to the fire, and that person is bound to be a key figure within the county office!"

Following this incident, Magistrate Wei held him in even higher regard and nodded without reservation. "I've realized that as well. But investigating it truly won't be easy, and with the New Year approaching, it really isn't suitable to stir up any more turmoil in the yamen."

"Indeed, today is already the twenty-sixth; they really picked a good time," Li Ling sighed as well. The county office had pushed itself to the limit working until today, and any further strain would likely cause everyone to revolt.

Therefore, whether it was the mastermind behind the scenes or Zhuang Hong locked in the jail, both would simply have to wait until after the New Year to be dealt with.