Qingyang County is not far from Liangcheng.
Approaching noon, Lin Ji and Lu Zhao'er entered the county.
After dismounting, Lin Ji was stopped by someone after just a few steps.
"Lin Chief, I heard you got promoted to Liangcheng?" A neighbor blocked the way.
"Yes." Lin Ji smiled in response.
"Then you owe my shop money for meals." Lin Ji was stunned, carefully looking at the person blocking the way before realizing.
It was the boss who sold wontons in the county.
"How much do I owe you?"
"More than three taels."
Lin Ji took out some silver and handed it over. The wonton boss accepted it with a smile and even invited Lin Ji to come again.
After paying, Lin Ji looked somewhat embarrassed as he glanced at Lu Zhao'er beside him.
He thought Lu Zhao'er would be angry, as she seemed quite aloof.
However, Lu Zhao'er did not react that way. Instead, she asked, "It seems like you have a good relationship with the people of Qingyang County? That wonton boss dared to stop you on the road for money."
"They are common folks, and I also come from a common background. Why put on airs?" Lin Ji smiled, "It's good to be familiar with the neighbors since I don't have to go around solving cases everywhere."
The two continued walking in the county, with people occasionally greeting Lin Ji along the way.
Lu Zhao'er asked again, "You don't have authority. What will you do when faced with a situation?"
"If they don't listen, I'll break their legs, it's that simple." Lin Ji said frankly, "You can inquire around, everyone knows Lin Chief is lenient to the obedient and tough on the disobedient."
In the meantime, they passed by Ruyi Tower.
Coincidentally, Song Da was sitting on the first floor. After seeing Lin Ji, he awkwardly nodded and then limped to a different corner.
Lu Zhao'er looked at Lin Ji.
"That's the one I broke the legs of, the head honcho in the city who manages all sorts of people."
"The head honcho? Why didn't you arrest him?"
"I caught one, and another one pops up. Can't handle them all. It's better to keep someone sensible and obedient, which can make those troublemakers behave a bit."
"Reasonable." Lu Zhao'er nodded.
As they were talking, they arrived at the vegetable market.
Lin Ji saw Song Er holding a peddler, accompanied by a group of constables passing by.
"Song Er!"
Song Er turned his head, and upon seeing Lin Ji, instinctively let go of the peddler.
The peddler immediately wanted to run, but upon seeing Lin Ji, he shrank his neck and stayed put.
Upon closer inspection, Lin Ji realized this lad was the one who shortchanged customers at the vegetable market.
"Lin Chief, why are you back?" Song Er greeted with a smile.
"What did he do?" Lin Ji gestured towards the peddler.
"This lad was dumping manure in someone else's yard." Song Er explained helplessly.
"What's going on?" Lin Ji looked at the peddler.
The peddler looked aggrieved.
"Lin Chief, I just sold vegetables a bit short. It was an issue with my scale, not intentional."
"Get to the point!" Lin Ji kicked the peddler.
The peddler winced in pain and quickly explained, "It's because of that bastard I fought with last time. He keeps sending people to buy vegetables from me, threatening to beat me up if they find any discrepancies. I was angry, so I dumped manure in his yard."
Lin Ji rubbed his temples, gesturing for Song Er to take the peddler away.
After Song Er left, Lin Ji helplessly said to Lu Zhao'er, "There are so many trivial matters like this in the county."
Lu Zhao'er nodded lightly, a hint of amusement in her eyes.
They arrived at the county yamen together.
Song Er, who had returned early, had apparently already informed them.
County Magistrate Li Cheng was waiting at the front hall.
"Subordinate Li Cheng, greetings to Master Lin." Li Cheng bowed respectfully.
Seeing this scene, Lin Ji was speechless.
A sixth-ranked chief constable from Liangcheng, and a seventh-ranked county magistrate from the county.
But they were all old acquaintances who used to not interfere with each other.
This county magistrate seemed desperate for promotion.
"Please rise, I'm just a sixth-ranked official, and this person beside me is fifth-ranked. You're bowing to the wrong person." Lin Ji waved his hand.
Upon hearing this, Li Cheng looked up at Lu Zhao'er, about to bow again.
But Lin Ji stopped him.
"Bring out all the files from the county, Lu Youxing wants to review them."
"Yes, I'll go fetch them." Li Cheng hurriedly left.
Lin Ji sighed twice.
Just then, Guo Yi arrived with Lu Cong at the county yamen.
"Chief Lin." Guo Yi greeted with a hand gesture, nodding towards Lu Zhao'er.
Lu Cong smiled, "Boss, life won't be easy for me once you're gone."
Without needing Guo Yi to explain, Lin Ji kicked over.
"You have nowhere to freeload, huh?"
"Hehe." Lu Cong scratched his head.
After exchanging greetings with acquaintances, Lin Ji pondered for a moment and said to Lu Cong, "Go buy some vegetables."
"Boss, are we cooking? I'll go right away!" Lu Cong's eyes lit up.
"Don't rush. Get two catties of soy-braised beef from Ruyi Tower, and also get soy-braised donkey meat. Go run this errand too."
"Also, go to Old Li's place and buy some baked cakes."
"Old Li doesn't open for lunch."
"What do you mean? Go to his place and drag him out for me. Tell him I'm back and ask him to bake a new batch for me. No, bake several batches. I'll take them when I leave." After finishing, Lin Ji handed a silver ingot to Lu Cong.
"Got it, I'll go now." Lu Cong grinned and hurried off.
Lin Ji then turned to Guo Yi.
"Old Guo, call your wife for lunch at my place."
"No problem." Guo Yi nodded with a smile.
Then, Lin Ji looked at Lu Zhao'er.
"Lu Youxing, I'll be the host for lunch today. You can taste my cooking."
"Guests follow the host's lead. In Qingyang County, I'll naturally follow your lead." Lu Zhao'er readily agreed.
Her experiences in Qingyang County had left her quite intrigued.
She had been to many places, but had never seen a chief constable like Lin Ji, who was not feared by the common folks but rather had a slightly distant air from the high-ranking officials and troublemakers.
"Let's go to my house first. Since we're here, we won't finish reviewing the files anytime soon. It's better to rest first." Lu Zhao'er agreed.
Walking side by side, they soon arrived at Lin Ji's small house.
The courtyard gate was tightly closed. Lin Ji pushed it open easily.
He moved some chairs from the yard and gestured for Lu Zhao'er to sit.
Just as Lin Ji was about to go to the kitchen to start a fire, a head suddenly popped out from the neighboring wall.
"Oh, I thought there was a thief next door, turns out it's you back!" Zhong Xiaoyan, with her big dark eyes wide open, looked around.
Before Lin Ji could respond, Zhong Xiaoyan's voice continued.
"Not bad, you've only been to Liangcheng for a few days and brought back a sweetheart. Men are all the same, not a single good one among them."
"What nonsense, did I offend you?"
"You left, why didn't you let me be the chief constable?" Zhong Xiaoyan asked angrily.
Lin Ji rubbed his temples, recalling the official letter he received from Qingyang County while in Liangcheng.
Zhong Xiaoyan had asked about this matter in the letter, and he had replied with just two words, "Get lost."
"Did you receive my reply?" Lin Ji asked.
"What do you think!" Zhong Xiaoyan became even more furious.
If she didn't know that Lin Ji was at the Fourth Realm and she couldn't beat him, she would have climbed over the wall by now.
"It's the same now. Go away, come back when the food is ready for dinner."
"Hmph, I don't care!" With that, Zhong Xiaoyan turned and left.
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(The end of this chapter)