Chapter 031 – Making Inquiries
Uncle Ma collapsed onto the ground. He hadn’t heard what the bailiff had whispered to Li Yuan, but he sensed it boded ill. He started wailing like a scoundrel in a street brawl.
“Help! Somebody help! Murder!”
This was the county office, so he assumed shouting for help would surely draw more bailiffs. But he was wrong. No matter how much he screamed, the gates remained firmly shut.
At one point, Tian Bao looked like he wanted to gag the old man, but Li Yuan shot him a warning glance. Li Yuan simply allowed Uncle Ma to howl until his voice was ragged.
Even so, the gates stayed closed. Narrowing his eyes, Li Yuan realized that Cai Ze wasn't lying. It’s really come to this...
For all Uncle Ma’s screaming, not a single bailiff reappeared. That meant government authorities no longer maintained order in Gemhill County.
The villagers from Little Ink Village grew uneasy. One of them asked, “Li Yuan, what’s going on?”
Keeping his voice light, Li Yuan said, “Nothing, really. The bailiff from a moment ago, he’s an old friend of mine. We recognized each other, and he told me I could handle this any way I like. Said even if I killed someone, it’d be fine.”
Someone blurted out, “That’s impossible! What about the law?”
Another onlooker shook his head in disbelief. “No way. Wasn’t Monk Pan executed for his crimes not too long ago?”
Li Yuan didn’t argue. He simply strode forward, grabbed Uncle Ma, slapped him silent, then twisted and broke his other arm. Uncle Ma howled in agony, but the county office gates never opened.
Terror flooded Uncle Ma's eyes.