Chapter 186 Lustful Devil

Chapter 186: A Lecher in Lust

"Your Honor," Inspector Huang said, pointing to the woman, "this woman is named Qing Niang, a neighbor of He Niang. Both are backstreet prostitutes and both work for Brother Hei. Four days ago, she saw with her own eyes Brother Hei taking He Niang away."

Song Tingzhou looked at Qing Niang, dressed in pink. "How did you and He Niang end up being brought to Longmei Alley by Brother Hei to become backstreet prostitutes? And after he left, why did he only take He Niang and not you?"

He was so intimidating that Qing Niang trembled for a long while before daring to speak. "Your Honor, this humble woman was once a widow in the town. After my husband died, I couldn't make a living and turned to selling my body. Four years ago, I met Brother Hei when he brought He Niang to Longmei Alley, and somehow got mixed up with them. Maybe because I was a latecomer, Brother Hei only took He Niang when he left." Her words were unclear, and she knew even less about Brother Hei's background.

Song Tingzhou sat back in his chair, his gaze sweeping over the other man, a farmer in his forties or fifties. "Are you the Village Head of Liantang Village?" Each year, village heads had to report to the county office on matters like farmland taxes and yields, and Liantang Village was always at the bottom.

Luqiao Town was different from other towns. Most of its villages were on rivers and streams, with very little land, so even terrace farming yielded little. Thus, while most villages benefited from terrace fields and the land tax reform, Luqiao's villages remained largely the same.

Song Tingzhou had already begun addressing this issue, with road construction starting in Luqiao Town. He had interacted with the Liantang village head several times, but he hadn't expected Inspector Huang to bring him to the county office.

After Song Tingzhou finished questioning him, the Liantang Village head knelt directly before him. "Your... Your Honor, this humble servant doesn't know. A dark-faced man asked the village if... if anyone wanted to go with him to enjoy a good life. I... this servant, someone sent a young boy to him."

He rambled incoherently, his words disjointed, as he knelt trembling on the ground. Clearly, Inspector Huang had said something to him on the way, and he realized he had made a mistake and committed a crime.

Song Tingzhou's authority was too strong; since taking office, he had ordered the beheading of many. The Liantang Village head feared he too would be executed, and the terror of death nearly drove him out of his mind, making him unable to speak clearly. Inspector Huang explained to Song Tingzhou, "Your Honor, the Liantang Village head had dealings with Brother Hei. He even arranged the sale of children from several families in the village. It's only because of your strict inspections in recent years that he dared not continue such practices."

Selling free people into slavery was illegal, requiring family fingerprints and changes to household registrations. But kidnappers didn't bother; they just took people.

After Song Tingzhou took office and shut down Broker Tong, Huang Mama had been careful not to cross the line. The county personnel not only patrolled the town; during major festivals, Song Tingzhou also dispatched constables to patrol the townships. Coupled with the strict and decisive handling of Jin Gu's case, those with bad intentions didn't dare act rashly.

Heshan County's system was thorough enough, but it still had loopholes.

Seeing Song Tingzhou coldly staring at the still-kneeling village head, Inspector Huang respectfully continued, "Four days ago, Brother Hei and He Niang stayed overnight at the village head's house. After they left, some villagers discovered their children missing—two young boys and one young woman, all of age."

"No villagers came to report this?" Under Song Tingzhou's jurisdiction, three people had gone missing without his knowledge. Everyone could hear the suppressed anger in his voice.

"Your Honor, I questioned the constables on duty at the gate these past four days. Two of them saw a couple lingering at the county office entrance but didn't approach. After a while, the couple left, and the constables thought nothing of it." Tao Jiu lowered his head. Inspector Huang was responsible for overseeing the constables' patrols, while the county office constables were under Tao Jiu's authority, making him partly responsible for this oversight.

Even though Tao Jiu was his protégé, Song Tingzhou showed no leniency. "First, detain the Liantang Village head in prison. Then, fine the two constables three months' pay and give them ten strokes of the bamboo."

Tao Jiu bowed, "As you command, Your Honor."

Song Tingzhou straightened his official robe and said gravely, "Deputy Magistrate Zhang and Sergeant Tao, remain to guard the county office. The rest of you, set out immediately with me for Shakeng County."

From now on, it wasn't just about the disappearance of Huang Ye. Someone had dared to openly kidnap and sell free people into prostitution within Heshan's borders!

Everyone's heart tightened. "Yes!"

Chief Clerk Qiao, caught in the middle, weakly asked, "Your Honor, must I go too?"

Song Tingzhou glanced down at him with narrowed eyes. "Yes."

Chief Clerk Qiao wanted to cry. Help! Lord Song was charging in with such fury, as if ready to pick a fight. What could he, a mere civil official, do?

-

A day later, in Shakeng County—Magistrate Hu Ti was playing the old game of hard to get with his newly acquired concubine.

"My beauty, don't feel wronged. Though I'm just a magistrate now, soon I'll rise in rank. Then you'll have everything you desire—far better than being sold to some old widower in the countryside who can't find a wife." Hu Ti was in his thirties, with crow's feet at the corners of his eyes, of average height and build—unremarkable in every way except for the lecherous glint in his eyes.

The girl backed into a corner, hugging her chest as she fell to the ground, sobbing piteously. "Your Honor, please let me go home! I'm not a prostitute; I'm a good woman who was deceived into coming here. Please release me!"

Hu Ti considered himself a man who cherished beauty. Unfazed by her refusal, he sighed and pulled her up from the ground, stroking her slightly calloused hand, disappointed. "Look at you—a face like a peach blossom but hands so rough, and the fabric you're wearing is so drab. How is that fitting for your youthful beauty?"

He raised his voice to his steward, who pretended to be deaf and dumb, at the door, "Go to the cosmetics shop and buy two boxes of the most expensive rouge, then to the fabric store for several bolts of bright brocade."

He was skilled in this tactic of sweet-talking, and his attitude was gentle. The girl trembled, but she was less resistant. She just kept shaking her head, making a final weak protest. "I don't want clothes or makeup. I want to go home. Let me go home."

Hu Ti, emboldened, half-embraced her and was about to continue his coaxing when a constable burst in through the door.

"Your... Your Honor! The magistrate of Heshan County has brought people to our county office and is waiting at the gate," the constable panted, out of breath from running.

"Song Tingzhou? What does he want? Ruining my fun!" Hu Ti grumbled.

As a fellow magistrate in Xiwu Prefecture, he couldn't avoid him, so he had to abandon his newly acquired beauty, change into his official robe, and go see Song Tingzhou.

Before he even reached the county office gate, he saw over two hundred Heshan County constables and seventy to eighty constables stationed outside. His own constables were cowering, gawking at the crowd like they'd never seen anything.

"What are you all standing around for? Got nothing to do? Get lost!" Hu Ti scolded his men, then turned to Song Tingzhou, who stood tall and imposing at the front, exuding authority. "Lord Song sure puts on a show. Isn't Heshan County enough for you? What business brings you to my Shakeng County?"

Song Tingzhou's expression was cold. Watching the curious onlookers gathering, he said, "Four free people—women and young boys—have gone missing from my jurisdiction. All clues point to a person in Tin Mine Village in Shakeng County. I've come to ask Magistrate Hu if he has any leads."

"People go missing from your county, and you come to arrest people in mine?" Hu Ti wasn't particularly sharp. His face immediately turned a mix of colors at Song Tingzhou's mention of missing people.

His quick-witted secretary whispered, "Sir, Magistrate Song has come a long way. Perhaps you could invite him to your private residence for a talk."

He emphasized "private residence," and Hu Ti caught on instantly. "Though I don't know exactly what Magistrate Song is referring to, the county gate is no place to talk. Please come to my home."

"I'm here in Shakeng to investigate a case. The county office is fine, but I won't trouble you at your home." Song Tingzhou, towering over Hu Ti, he was not naturally showy, but compared to Hu Ti, he outshone him in every way.

Younger, taller, more robust, and even more handsome! Hu Ti looked up at him, feeling uncomfortable not just in his neck but in his pride as well.

"Hmph, since Magistrate Song insists on the county office, then follow me." Hu Ti quickly turned and strode away from Song Tingzhou into the office.

Song Tingzhou led his men inside. Accustomed to his strict discipline, the Heshan constables stood ramrod straight, lined from the gate to the main hall, their imposing presence leaving Shakeng's constables unsure where to stand.

"Someone, bring Magistrate Song a chair!" Hu Ti sat beneath the plaque reading "Clear Mirror Aloft," lazily ordering a clerk.

"No need. I'm here only to apprehend suspects and find the people of my county. I ask for Magistrate Hu's cooperation." Song Tingzhou's tone was cold. He stood tall in the hall, his bearing extraordinary, making Hu Ti seethe with jealousy.

Hu Ti looked down at him from his seat and spoke sharply, "How do you expect me to cooperate? Just because you say so, should I arrest everyone in Tin Mine Village for questioning?"

Song Tingzhou's words were outrageous. "Why not?"

Hu Ti, seeing no trace of a smile on his face and his eyes as cold as a winter pool, shuddered and asked in disbelief, "Are you serious?"

After a moment, feeling he had lost authority, he slapped the table and added, "Ridiculous! I refuse!"

Song Tingzhou had anticipated his refusal. "I've heard that young women and boys often go missing from the tin mines here. Has Magistrate Hu ever thoroughly investigated?"

"Women and boys are weak by nature and can't endure hard labor. There's no such thing as missing; they just die of exhaustion." Hu Ti spouted this flawed reasoning, as if he wasn't afraid of Song Tingzhou investigating the mine.

Song Tingzhou observed his confident yet muddled demeanor, sized him up, and didn't waste more words.

"Since Shakeng County is not under my jurisdiction, I came to inform you. But since you're unwilling to act, I'll handle this myself."

Hu Ti was startled by his firm stance. "Handle it yourself? What do you mean?"

Song Tingzhou reached behind him, and Chief Clerk Qiao immediately placed a document from his bundle into his hand.

Song Tingzhou took the document and threw it onto Hu Ti's desk. "This is the deployment order I received from the Ministry of War before taking office. Magistrate Hu, do you recognize it?"

Hu Ti's eyelid twitched. "You... don't try to intimidate me. The two thousand soldiers assigned to you were already lent to Qinzhou!"

Song Tingzhou's dark eyes bore into Hu Ti with stern scrutiny, his voice low and commanding. "Magistrate Hu knows full well that those two thousand soldiers are only temporarily loaned and will return shortly. I merely don't wish to wait. Heshan citizens have been abducted by criminals under your jurisdiction. Since you're incapable of investigating, it's only logical that I take over this case. Even if you take this to the Emperor, I am in the right!"

"Song Tingzhou, you... you dare!" Hu Ti jumped to his feet as Song Tingzhou turned to leave, showing no intention of negotiating privately.

"Guards, stop him..." Before Hu Ti finished speaking, a wooden stick as thick as a finger shot in from the county office gate, piercing straight through the black gauze cap on his head and nailing it to the plaque beneath the placard inscribed with "Bright Mirror Hanging High."

Hu Ti's legs went weak with fear. "Who? Who's there!"

The county office fell silent, broken only by the steady footsteps of Lord Song's group, and the footsteps of Chief Clerk Qiao, who quietly retrieved the document and hurried after them.

Ge Quan leaped down easily from the county office wall. "Lord Song, I've heard from Wan Geer about what's been happening lately. If there's any way I can help, just say the word." He had rushed over without stopping at Meng Wan's request, leaving Fang Jinrong safely at the Song residence.

Lord Song's heart was stirred—with Ge Quan here, many things would be easier. "Indeed, there is a task I would trouble Brother Ge with."

Shakeng County was impoverished to begin with. The meager salaries of its yamen runners had been taken by Hu Ti to support his women, leaving so little that the runners were no match for the well-trained runners of Heshan County.

Lord Song easily removed the yamen runners guarding the tin mine, replacing them with Inspector Huang and his men. Every single person from the tin mine village in the mountains was taken to Heshan County without exception.

Unable to stop him, Hu Ti was already fuming. When he returned home and heard the steward's report, he was thunderstruck.

"What! You say my concubines and beauties are all gone?"

The steward's face was drenched in Hu Ti's spittle; he didn't dare even wipe it, and only said, with difficulty, "Gone, my lord. Even the new one—she was crying in her room just a moment ago, and then in the blink of an eye she vanished."

Hu Ti nearly fainted. "Not one... not a single one left?" This was more painful than death!

Then the steward suddenly remembered something and said excitedly, "My lord, there is still one!"

Hu Ti grabbed him by the collar as if grasping at a lifeline, shaking him. "Which one is still there? Lan Niang or Ying Ge'er?"

The steward said, with difficulty, "My lord... it's the lady of the house—your wife—is still at home."

Hu Ti collapsed in despair, sitting on the ground and wailing without any regard for his dignity, "Why didn't they take my wife too!"