Chapter 109: Nighttime Exploration of the County Magistrate’s Mansion

Chapter 109: Nighttime Exploration of the County Magistrate's Mansion

He Zhiran smiled and said, "I won't hide it from you, old sir. I'm just passing through on family business and will be leaving tomorrow."

As she spoke, she pretended to be mysterious, scanning her surroundings before whispering, "Old sir, I've heard people talking about how the county magistrate's son was beaten up. Is that true?"

The elder was cautious. After hearing He Zhiran's words, he looked around and leaned in, whispering mysteriously, "Since you're from out of town, old man might as well tell you about Pingyang County."

He Zhiran pretended to be deeply interested and listened attentively.

The elder continued in a hushed voice, "Sun Jiaba is the only child of the county magistrate. Spoiled since birth, he abuses his power knowing his father's position, terrorizing both men and women in Pingyang County. The common folk dare not speak out against him...

I must say, I truly admire the young woman who had the courage to strike back today, giving our Pingyang citizens a taste of justice."

Seeing that the young man was engaged, the elder paused for a moment before continuing.

"I suppose you noticed when you entered the city that each person is charged five copper coins to enter Pingyang County. For the wealthy, five coins are nothing, but for ordinary folk, it's a hardship. They might earn at most fifteen coins a day for their labor, which is barely enough to feed their families. Paying another five coins just to pass through the gates is like taking their very life."

Especially those villagers who come to the city for work. To save the five copper coins they'd spend daily on entry and exit, they refuse to go home at night and simply find a corner to spend the night in," the elder said, shaking his head helplessly. "This world doesn't make it easy for common folk, does it?"

Seeing that the elder had taken a few sips of tea, He Zhiran asked the most crucial question.

"Old man, is the charge of five copper coins per person to enter the city the county magistrate's decision?"

The elder sighed helplessly and looked around once more before whispering, "Who else would dare to make such a decision besides the county magistrate?"

He Zhiran pressed on, "Where does all that money go?"

The elder smiled bitterly. "Where else could it go? It all ends up in someone's private coffers."

Although He Zhiran had already guessed this outcome, hearing it firsthand stirred up far greater anger within her.

Beneath the table, her small hand clenched into a fist, her heart filled with hatred for the injustices of this era.

Having learned all she wanted to know, He Zhiran had no intention of staying longer. She rose to bid the elder farewell and left the teahouse at a leisurely pace.

With the space at her disposal, there was no need for her to worry about finding an inn. At this moment, He Zhiran's top priority was to mete out punishment to that utterly wicked county magistrate and his son.

There was a long night ahead anyway, and she had nothing better to do.

After strolling around for a while, He Zhiran found the residence of the county magistrate.

Seeing that it was still early, she slipped into the space.

Mo Jiuya was finally relieved to see He Zhiran return.

Although he was aware of her capabilities, he still couldn't help but worry about her safety when she was out alone.

"Did you learn anything?" Mo Jiuya asked with concern.

He Zhiran recounted everything the old man had told her to Mo Jiuya, along with her own plans.

"I intend to pay a visit to the county magistrate's residence after midnight," she said.

Mo Jiuya could easily guess what He Zhiran had in mind.

He deliberately straightened his posture to show that he was unharmed.

"I'll accompany you."

"No, you're injured. I can manage on my own," He Zhiran rejected promptly, leaving no room for Mo Jiuya to argue.

If she couldn't handle the residence of a mere county magistrate, there would be no hope for her in the future.

Taking advantage of this spare time, He Zhiran personally cooked a delicious meal for the two of them.

One dish was the braised bear paw that she had been longing for.

The pressure cooker rendered the bear paw tender and flavorful, filling the air with an irresistible aroma the moment it was removed from the pot.

In addition, she prepared a few more side dishes.

Mo Jiuya was effusive in his praise for He Zhiran's culinary skills, no longer holding back his admiration as he had in the past.

"If you were to open a restaurant with this cooking skill, it would surely be bustling with business."

He Zhiran didn't have much confidence in her culinary skills, but she was fully assured by the variety of spices in her space.

Even a cooking novice could whip up delectable dishes with such a diverse selection of seasonings.

In this resource-scarce ancient era, people's daily meals were bland. With just a touch of novelty in the dishes and enhancements in flavor, they could easily be transformed into culinary delights.

However, given He Zhiran's disposition, she had no interest in running a restaurant. If anything, she preferred to remain an unseen investor.

After a satisfying meal and some casual conversation, He Zhiran cited Mo Jiuya's need for rest as he recuperated, urging him to return to their bedroom.

Swiftly changing into a stealth outfit, she slipped out of the space.

She emerged right beside the magistrate's residence's side gate, a spot she had carefully scoped out earlier. It was an area with minimal foot traffic, ensuring safer entry and exit.

After a thorough inspection and confirming the absence of danger, He Zhiran retrieved a miniature drone from her space and held a compact display in hand.

Activating the remote control, the drone lifted off slowly into the sky.

With the controller, He Zhiran navigated the drone, simultaneously observing the layout of the magistrate's residence on the small display.

Having grasped the general situation, she made a swift run and leaped over the courtyard wall with grace.

Presumably, most of the men were deployed to search for the culprit who harmed Sun Jiaba, leaving only two guards at the county magistrate's residence that day.

The two guards seemed rather indolent, as they were currently hiding in a corner, dozing off.

Based on the drone's observations, He Zhiran first approached a larger courtyard.

Despite the late hour, the place was still brightly illuminated.

With agility, she scaled the wall and landed on the roof of the main house, gently lifting a tile to peek inside.

Inside, she saw a portly middle-aged man, around fifty, pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back.

In the room, a plump woman, approximately her age, stood by the bed, weeping.

Lying on the bed, undoubtedly, was Sun Jiaba.

His entire face was wrapped up like a dumpling, and he was tossing and turning in agony.

"Father, I don't care! You must catch that woman for me. I want her to wish she were never born."

The woman patted Sun Jiaba's body with a tender tone, "My child, rest assured. Your father has already dispatched all the officers to capture her. We won't let the one who hurt you escape."

Sun Lin also paused, his voice cold and menacing, "Anyone who dares to harm my son in Pingyang County will surely wish they were dead rather than alive."

As he finished speaking, two women dressed as maids entered, each carrying a soup bowl.

The woman took the bowls herself and coaxed Sun Jiaba into taking the medicine.

Seeing this, He Zhiran found it uninteresting. From her space, she retrieved a self-made sleeping powder, lit it, and slipped it through a gap in the roof.

In no time, all five people in the room, including the two maids, fell into a deep sleep.