Xu Qi'an didn't feel optimistic as he watched the man's back disappear into the distance.

It had been many days, but gathering evidence was proving to be difficult.

"We can't verify the fingerprints, and it's almost impossible to gather evidence. The shoe print definitely couldn't have belonged to Zhang Xian himself... Hmm, aside from these, what other methods are applicable in this era that can help solve the case?" He racked his brains for ideas.

...

"These useless officials are all sharp as monkeys when it comes to lining their pockets, but when it comes to doing actual work, they're all worthless dogs."

The county magistrate was fuming in the inner hall. The case was already a major one, and to make matters worse, the deceased was related to Xu, a high-ranking official.

Who was Xu?

He was a censor who claimed to be a pure stream, a mad dog who would bite anyone he didn't like and impeach them.

Accompanying him was Xu, the thin and bearded chief clerk, who smiled and said, "If you keep pushing like this, they'll slack off."

They were all old hands at this. The officials under their command didn't need to be monitored, as they knew how to keep their hands clean.

When it came to shady dealings in the officialdom, the officials were at most at the level of elementary school students, with the highest-ranking ones being in the court, followed by the frontier officials.

"Slack off?" The county magistrate snorted. "It might have been fine before, but with the imperial inspection coming up, if we get caught slacking off, we'll be impeached for being coerced into confessing. How will I handle that?"

Just as he was speaking, hurried footsteps could be heard, and Wang, the head catcher, entered the inner hall. He stopped after crossing the threshold, his attitude respectful and his tone excited. "My lord, I've made progress in the Zhang case. Please issue a warrant, and I'll take the person into custody."

The county magistrate and Xu exchanged a glance. The former sneered, while the latter smiled as expected.

Seeing that their expressions were off, Wang urged, "My lord? Time is of the essence."

The county magistrate slammed the table and cursed, "Idiot, it's already this late, and you're still thinking about slacking off. Are you a pig?"

Coercion into confessing was a viable tactic on normal days, but there was a problem here.

After the suspect confessed, the testimony and case files had to be submitted to the Ministry of Justice, which would verify them before issuing a verdict.

It was the end of the year, and the imperial inspection was coming up. The atmosphere in the capital's officialdom was tense, with everyone tidying up their own tails while watching each other, hoping to catch their political enemies in the act.

This was a time when cases could be overturned.

Wang hurriedly explained, "My lord, you've misunderstood. I'm really confident that I can catch the real culprit. I'm not slacking off. Please believe me."

"What's your level? Don't I know?" The county magistrate wasn't reassured and gave Wang a sidelong glance. "Tell me in detail."

Wang thought to himself that this was the time to show his wisdom.

"My lord, please listen carefully. There are many suspicious points in the Zhang case..."

Wang repeated Xu Qi'an's deduction word for word, telling the two officials.At the beginning, the county magistrate Zhu had a cold smile on his face. As he listened, he unconsciously straightened his back. By the end, he remained silent but his face was serious.

He was thinking.

"Amazing!" Xu, the chief scribe, clapped his hands excitedly, making a loud sound. "By analyzing these inconspicuous details, you can deduce the beginning and end of the case. Even the experienced hands of the Ministry of Justice can't do this."

Although it still needed to be verified!

But this set of reasoning undoubtedly pointed the direction for the bewildered people of the county yamen.

Wang, the head catcher, smiled and said, "You flatter us."

The county magistrate Zhu sneered, "Tell me, who taught you?"

Wang, the head catcher, thought for a moment and honestly replied, "Kuai Shou Xu Qi'an."

Kuai Shou is not a live streaming platform, and Xu Qi'an is not a broadcaster. Kuai Shou is the title of a catcher, also known as a constable, in charge of catching criminals.

County magistrate Zhu was the first to react, "It's him."

County magistrate Zhu and Xu Pingzhi had drunk together a few times and had some friendship. A few years ago, Xu Pingzhi spent twenty taels of silver to get his nephew this good job of Kuai Shou.

In the Great Feng dynasty, the position of an official could be passed down to his son.

It was a stable job like a golden rice bowl.

Search "pawℝead.com" for the original.

"It's definitely him." County magistrate Zhu smiled.

Xu, the chief scribe, flashed a thought and thought of the tax case that involved Xu's family, and immediately asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Wang, the head catcher, also listened carefully.

County magistrate Zhu smiled, "The tax and silver robbery case caused a lot of trouble. Xu's family should have been held accountable. Do you know why Xu's family was able to escape punishment?"

Wang, the head catcher immediately said, "I heard that it was because the Imperial Guard Xu helped solve the case and the emperor was lenient, so he was pardoned."

This was what he had just heard Xu Qi'an say.

Xu, the chief scribe glanced at the expression of the county magistrate Zhu and tentatively asked, "Is there any insider information about this case?"

Xu, the chief scribe's rank was not high enough to be exposed to the details of the tax and silver robbery case. But County magistrate Zhu was the parent official of Chang Le County. Although he was only a younger brother in a place like the capital where the powerful and influential gathered, he couldn't sit securely without a backer.

County magistrate Zhu sneered, "Xu Pingzhi is just a rough and uncultured warrior. He was just a scapegoat in this case..." Suddenly, he stopped, seeming to not want to reveal too much, and said, "The one who really turned Xu's family's fate around was not him."

"Who was it?" Wang, the head catcher asked subconsciously.

Xu, the chief scribe flashed the answer in his mind and waited for County magistrate Zhu's follow-up.

"It was Xu Qi'an. He uncovered the truth of the tax and silver robbery case. This matter is recorded in the case file. I was also working in the Jingzhao Mansion at the same time." County magistrate Zhu said, "The sins of the father are visited upon the son. Although he is a nephew, the reason is the same."

Xu, the chief scribe took a cold breath, "After the case, Xu Qi'an should have been locked up in the county yamen's prison. How did he do it?"

County magistrate Zhu pondered for a moment and said, "I also thought it was unbelievable at first, but now I understand."

Xu, the chief scribe also thought of it and couldn't believe it, "Just based on the case file?!"Relying solely on the case files... Wang the Head Catcher's mind went blank. Such official secrets were only occasionally mentioned by the three high-ranking officials above him.

He found it hard to believe that Xu Qi'an had played a huge role in the robbery of the taxes and the rescue of the Xu family.

Wang the Head Catcher thought to himself, this doesn't make sense.

When this kid first arrived, he was straightforward and stubborn, only knowing how to work hard, a true hothead.

How did this hothead suddenly become so skilled at solving cases?

...

When Wang the Head Catcher returned to the resting room with his badge, Xu Qi'an was already sleeping on the table. He had thought too much about the chaotic events of last night and only managed to fall asleep after three in the morning.

Someone reached out to push Xu Qi'an, but Wang the Head Catcher immediately stopped them and whispered, "Let him sleep."

He randomly picked two people and said, "You two come with me to Zhang's residence."

The three fast runners, each with their own white laborer, a total of nine people, quickly left the jurisdiction of Chang Le County Ya.

White laborers were temporary workers, a type of conscription made up of common people. They did not receive wages and were not provided with food or shelter.

But there was also a good thing about them: they didn't have to take the blame.

Xu Qi'an was awakened by a "mighty" voice. He wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth and walked towards the main hall of the county government.

He guessed that the person had already been caught, and the county magistrate was interrogating them in front of the hall.

On the public platform, County Magistrate Zhu was seated high above the public case, with the court officials and Ding on either side.

On the platform, three yamen runners stood on either side, while two people knelt in the middle: a young man in a blue robe embroidered with clouds and a beautiful woman in a purple silk skirt.

The woman looked frightened and uneasy, while the young man was relatively calm.

"Slap!"

County Magistrate Zhu angrily slapped the gavel and shouted, "Who is in the hall!"

The woman subconsciously looked at the young man, who gave her a calm look and straightened his back. "This humble one is Zhang Xian."

The woman said in a soft voice, "I am Yang Zhenzhen."

County Magistrate Zhu shouted, "How did you two kill Zhang Yourui? Confess!"

The woman trembled in fear, her long eyelashes quivering, showing her anxiety.

Zhang Xian was shocked and said, "Why would you say that, sir? This humble one would never kill his own father."

County Magistrate Zhu asked, "Where were you at the time of the incident?"

"I was in the study."

"Why didn't you sleep with your wife?"

"I was looking at the accounts."

"Is there anyone who can testify to that?"

"It was late at night, where would I find a witness?"

Zhang Xian's answer was clear and organized, neither panicked nor confused. Either he was innocent or he had already prepared a script.

Based on his own logical reasoning, Xu Qi'an leaned towards the latter possibility.

Although he had no alibi, there was also no evidence to prove that he had killed someone. Regardless of his reasoning, if there was no concrete evidence, there was no suspicion of guilt...

The county magistrate turned to the woman and said, "Zhang Yang, this official asks you, you have been married to Zhang Yourui for ten years, but have not borne any children. Why do you have a child now? Tell the truth, did you commit adultery with your stepson and murder your husband?"Mrs. Zhang Yang was startled and cried, "My lord, this woman is innocent. She has been taking care of her health for years and finally became pregnant with her husband's child. How can you accuse her of murdering her own husband?"

She burst into tears.

It was impossible to find out the truth through such an interrogation. Xu Qi'an looked at Mrs. Shui Ling for a moment and had a good idea.