Book 5: Chapter 18: Unable to
Book 5: Chapter 18: Unable to
“Locked up for half a year?”
The dark faced large man was startled, only feeling like Lin Xi’s words were a bit strange.
“Seems like Lin Xi really was a student a certain great one favors, brave and wise.” On the contrary, for Peng Xiaofeng who was kicked, his eyes now instead carried a bit more true respect for Lin Xi. Purely from Lin Xi’s expressions and how he handled matters just now, he clearly understood that Lin Xi wasn’t one of those ignorant and incompetent silk pants who only relied on their patrons.
“Someone from the Enforcer Office came.”
“Even if it is someone from the Enforcer Office, I fear that they still can’t do much to Fourth Grandpa Zhu’s men.”
Right at this time, Lin Xi heard some discussions. He turned around, only seeing a clear and square, steady faced middle-aged bailiff quickly walk over along the riverside boardwalk.
Previously, he had never seen a bailiff in Deerwood Town, the small booklet Mu Qing gave him also didn’t have many explanations regarding the Enforcer Office’s uniform, but when he saw the blue gown on this middle-aged bailiff, a large ‘arrest’ character at the center of his chest, it couldn’t be more clear. This person didn’t wear any hats, only having a blade at his side.
This blade looked much shorter than the border army’s long blades, only a bit longer than the short blade border army soldiers like to call ‘vegetable knives’, but it was also much lighter.
This bailiff currently being examined carefully by Lin Xi was precisely the one with the greatest seniority in East Port Town, Enforcer Office’s Xu Jianling.
Xu Jianling was someone from Breath River’s upper reaches Fierce Cave Town, already serving as a bailiff in East Port Town for seventeen years. Ever since Enforcer Zhang was transferred out, he felt like it was now his turn. Once he rose up to becoming an Enforcer, he would officially have a military rank, registering his name under Judicial Sector. Apart from all of his contributions being carefully recorded, if there are any vacancies in the surrounding government offices, he would have a chance of filling in.
This promotion to Enforcer, for Xu Jianling, was equivalent to jumping through a dragon gate, entering the path of government officials from the small alley he walked in a single step.
However, what he never expected was that there was no order from above to directly let him fill in this position, they were instead transferring someone over. When he heard this, the greater the expectations, the greater the disappointment, which was why his mood was incredibly nasty.
When he heard that someone was causing trouble in Ocean Bowl Alley, just refusing to let this day pass peacefully, it was basically scattering some salt on his wounds, making him feel even more unhappy. That was why when he walked over, his expression was especially overcast.
“It’s you?”
After just giving this dark faced large man a look, looking at the tofu scattered on the ground, he immediately knew what happened. As such, he impatiently waved his hand towards the dark faced large man. “Liu Tong, don’t cause trouble here, just get lost.”
“Brother Xu, where would I dare cause trouble? There were merely some misunderstandings.” Liu Tong was also a quick-witted individual. When he saw that Xu Jianling’s mood was extremely bad, he knew that the other party experienced some unhappy things, turning around and leaving.
Lin Xi was completely calm to begin with, watching this bailiff handle matters. From the whispers of the people around him, he knew that this dark faced large man definitely had some background, but right now, Xu Jianling actually didn’t even ask about the situation, directly impatiently having Liu Tong leave, making him frown. Before he could even say anything, the youngster who was kicked until it took a long time for him to catch his breath already roared out in fury, “What? He bumped into someone’s stall, even committed violence, yet you are letting him off just like that? Under broad daylight, this is how East Port Town’s Enforcer Office deals with things?”
Normally, even if it was just for his reputation, Xu Jianling wouldn’t do things like this. However, his mood today was exceptionally bad. When he heard this outsider youngster’s shouts, he felt more and more vexed. His eyes narrowed, coldly sweeping his eyes over this outsider youngster. “What, could it be that my Enforcer Office needs you to teach us how to do things? In my opinion, all I see is you making noise and causing trouble. If you don’t listen to warnings, then I can punish you for disturbing law and order.”
The outsider youngster was furious. “You are simply deliberately distorting the truth!”
Xu Jianling looked at this youngster up and down, coldly saying, “Then you aren’t heeding warnings? That’s fine, all of you follow me back to the Enforcer Office, we’ll continue after slowly interrogating everyone.”
“Let it go, let it go…” At this time, many locals were already advising the youngster against it one after another. If they were all brought back to the Enforcer’s Office, who knows if that dark faced large man would just be directly released, and then the youngster would continue to be detained, interrogated for a few days? It definitely wouldn’t end well for this youngster.
This youngster clearly didn’t think Xu Jianling would actually have this type of attitude. As such, he immediately shuddered all over, finding it a bit hard to speak up.
Lin Xi, who heard everything up to here, not saying anything all this time, instead released a light cough.
He felt like this was a bit embarrassing.
Both him and Peng Xiaofeng were standing here, yet no one acknowledged them.
For better or for worse, one was also a Martial Sector petty officer, one a Green Luan Academy student… When he saw that his cough finally drew some people’s attention, he clapped his hands. After clearing his throat, he looked at Xu Jianling and said, “This bailiff great one made a great decision, handling matters swiftly and decisively. However, when handling cases, we should do it according to the law. You can see that there is a large footprint still hanging from my friend’s chest, I believe this bailiff great one can’t say that my friend was the one who committed a crime, moving himself over into this Liu Tong’s foot, right?”
When he heard Lin Xi’s voice, and then saw Lin Xi’s calm expression, Xu Jianling inwardly shivered. He didn’t serve as a bailiff for seventeen years for nothing after all, knowing that he might have encountered a prick. After giving the footprint on Peng Xiaofeng’s chest a look, his face sunk. He looked at the dark faced large man and said, “Liu Tong, seems like you really were committing violence on the street, you are fined three silvers.”
When Liu Tong saw Xu Jianling’s change in expression, he knew that things were bad. When he heard Xu Jianling say this, he knew that he couldn’t go against Xu Jianling’s intentions. As such, he clenched his teeth, gave Lin Xi a hateful look, and then fished out three silvers, handing them to Xu Jianling.
Xu Jianling didn’t say anything either, handing the three silvers to Lin Xi.
Lin Xi didn’t accept it, only laughing. He pointed at the outsider youngster. “These three silvers should be given to him. We all witnessed him being knocked to the ground by Liu Tong.”
Xu Jianling’s brows frowned, his expression becoming a bit more ugly. However, he still endured the fury within himself, not saying anything, handing the three silvers to the outsider youngster.
The outsider youngster originally turned around, not willing to accept it, but when he saw Lin Xi’s eye signal, after a bit of hesitation, he still accepted the three silvers.
“Also, there is the tofu stall that was knocked over, I must ask bailiff great one to uphold public justice.” Lin Xi smiled, pointing towards the tofu all over the ground, saying to Xu Jianling.
The tofu all over the ground wasn’t worth all that much money, but Peng Xiaofeng on the side still had a footprint on his chest. This way, if the tofu was also compensated for, Lin Xi might ask for three more silvers. For Liu Tong, it really was quite the misfortune. Moreover, he didn’t even have six silvers in total on him, so together with his background, he decided he wasn’t going to play around anymore. His face sunk, looking at Xu Jianling and saying, “Brother Xu, what your respected self has said, I have heard everything. However, this matter where we bumped into each other, you cannot tell me to compensate her, right? You can see that even my clothes were ruined. Moreover, it was them who wanted to take action, which was why I took action. I believe your respected self should still bring us back to the Enforcers Office and interrogate us clearly.”
Xu Jianling also felt like Lin Xi was crossing the line. Moreover, the patron backing Liu Tong was not someone he could offend either. When he heard Liu Tong speak like this, his face also completely sunk, saying, “They bumped into each other, both sides suffering losses, how can there be compensation to speak of? Also, both sides have faults, I already punished him according to the law, what more do you want?”
“I don’t particularly wish to do anything.” Lin Xi looked at Xu Jianling, calmly saying, “Have you really thought things through, deciding not to reconsider, that this is your decision on this matter?”
Xu Jianling also became completely furious. He sneered, and then said, “I was already partial to you all, yet you still aren’t satisfied. Could it be that you want me to arrest all of you for disturbing public law and order?”
“I wanted to give you a way out of an embarrassing situation, but you aren’t willing to take it. It truly leaves me a bit disappointed.”
Lin Xi shook his head, and then after a light chuckle, said, “In that case, we won’t talk about this tofu matter, we’ll instead talk about committing violence against a Martial Sector official. According to my Yunqin’s law, violent acts against an officer, even if they are not injured, the lightest punishment is being locked up for half a year, right?”
“Martial Sector’s official?” When they heard Lin Xi say this, Xu Jianling and Liu Tong’s faces both immediately changed greatly, their eyes inadvertently shifting to Peng Xiaofeng’s body.
Peng Xiaofeng long understood Lin Xi’s intentions. As such, he didn’t say anything more, only producing a brass medal from his sleeves.
This brass medal had the word martial on the front, on the back the patterns of war drums and horses.
“Only minor tenth rank?”
Once he saw the brass medal, Xu Jianling instead calmed down a bit. He gave a respectful bow, and then said coldly, “According to our Yunqin law, if officials take the initiative to take action against civilians, the crimes will be raised a level. Is there anyone that can prove that he was the only one hit?”
“I can testify!”
When the outsider youngster saw Peng Xiaofeng fish out the Martial Sector medal, he was already overjoyed at this turn of events. He immediately shouted out, stepping up.
“You are someone involved in this matter, according to the law, you cannot serve as a witness.” Xu Jianling swept out a look. No one in the surroundings dared utter a sound.
“Right now, it isn’t you who has the final say, but rather me.” However, Lin Xi didn’t bother discussing things regarding witnesses with Xu Jianling, saying with a smile, “I wonder if I have recalled incorrectly, but according to my Yunqin’s law, as soon as my appointment documentation arrives in East Port Town, I have already become East Port Town’s Enforcer. Once I enter East Port Town, I should already be able to exercise my responsibilities.”
Peng Xiaofeng also smiled, cooperating and saying, “Sir Lin, your memory does not serve you wrong. My Yunqin’s late emperor encouraged officials to investigate the situation before they take office, and they can already exercise their responsibilities.”
“East Port Town’s Enforcer?”
Just from these four words Lin Xi spoke, Xu Jianling stumbled, almost falling onto the ground.
This green-clothed youngster was actually the new enforcer who was transferred over?!
With a hong sound, the surrounding witnesses all reacted, knowing what was happening. They immediately erupted into commotion.
“Great one, do you have proof?”
Xu Jianling’s face lacked the slightest trace of color, his back covered in a layer of cold sweat. However, he still forcefully calmed himself down, looking at Lin Xi and asking.
Peng Xiaofeng took a few steps forward.
No one noticed the yellow horse that pulled the carriage behind him, it had been standing still all this time.
Hanging from the yellow horse was a dark iron tube.
When he saw this yellow horse and the dark iron tube, Xu Jianling’s face became a bit more pale, knowing that his mood today really was a bit too awful. He actually didn’t even notice this military horse and dark iron tube used by Martial Sector to store documents.
“Great one, there are other reasons for this matter. This Liu Tong, it isn’t that I don’t want to deal with him, but rather that I am unable to.” Without waiting for Peng Xiaofeng to walk back, Xu Jianling who knew that he was unlucky to the extreme today took a step up, bowing down and saying this quietly, pleading by Lin Xi’s ears.