Rebirth Married The Control group Fulang Chapter 130 Part 1

Chapter 130

    "Young Master, Young Master! Liu Wu sent word that none of the men we sent out to handle the matter have returned. When we went to inquire, we heard that they were all detained by Zhang Fangyuan!"  

    Qin Zhong, who had been waiting for news, crushed the thin porcelain teacup in his hand with a bang. He had already felt a vague unease after not hearing back for so long, but he never expected the plan to fail.  

    He stood up and grabbed the collar of the servant who had delivered the message: "You said Zhang Fangyuan detained them? He’s unharmed?"  

    "Only the coachman was slightly injured. Zhang Fangyuan has been walking in and out of Shencao Hall without a care!"  

    Qin Zhong’s chest tightened with frustration. He couldn’t figure out which part of the plan had gone wrong.  

    "Quick, have the groom prepare the horses. I must see the magistrate immediately."  

    The men he had sent would surely confess under interrogation. He had acted in haste, sending them out in a rush. Had he known this would happen, he would have sent men who would take their secrets to the grave. Zhang Fangyuan was a cunning old fox, this careless mistake had given him leverage.  

    Sooner or later, the evidence and testimonies would be handed over to the authorities. No matter what, he had to ensure the magistrate protected him first.  

    Rushing to the county office, Qin Zhong didn’t dare enter through the main gate and instead knocked on the side door.  

    After a long wait, the side door finally opened. The servant who answered took one look at Qin Zhong’s frantic state and blocked the doorway. "Ah, it’s Young Master Qin."  

    "I have urgent business with His Honor. Please let me in."  

    "The magistrate is occupied with important matters and likely has no time to see you. Perhaps you should come another day."  

    With that, the servant moved to shut the door, but Qin Zhong quickly wedged his foot in. "I must see him today. Please inform him."  

    "Young Master Qin, no matter how urgent your business, His Honor will not receive guests today. Please don’t make things difficult for me."  

    The servant then gave a subtle signal, and several men immediately stepped forward to escort Qin Zhong out. Staring at the firmly shut door, Qin Zhong raised his hand to knock again but hesitated at the last moment.  

    "What is the magistrate playing at?"  

    Unable to see him, Qin Zhong grew even more uneasy. Gritting his teeth, he turned to leave, still racking his brain for a solution when his carriage was suddenly stopped.  

    "What’s going on?!"  

    Furious, Qin Zhong yanked open the curtain - only for his anger to die the moment he saw who stood outside.  

    "We were just on our way to your residence to find you, Young Master Qin. How convenient that you’ve come to us, saves us the trip."  

    Qin Zhong stared at the constable. "What do you mean?"  

    "Young Master Qin, don’t you already know what you’ve done? Zhang Fangyuan just arrived at the county office with witnesses to accuse you of attempted murder." The constable smirked. "Well then, let’s go. We mustn’t delay - after all, the Salt Commissioner is present."  

    Qin Zhong’s heart turned cold.  

    The courtroom was packed. Huang Guan, already embroiled in his own troubles, now had to preside over Qin Zhong’s case, his expression darker than ever.  

    "Defendant Qin Zhong, Zhang Fangyuan accuses you of attempted murder. Do you admit guilt?"  

    Qin Zhong remained silent, only glancing at Huang Guan.  

    Huang Guan knew exactly what Qin Zhong was implying, but he cursed the fool for not recognizing the gravity of the situation, especially with the Salt Commissioner sitting right there. He didn’t dare breathe too loudly, let alone intervene.  

    Slamming the gavel, Huang Guan declared, "The plaintiff has submitted both witnesses and evidence. If you have no defense, then you admit to the crime!"  

    Realizing Huang Guan wouldn’t speak up for him, Qin Zhong hurriedly argued, "Your Honor, why would I risk harming Zhang Fangyuan without cause?"  

    "You had every cause," Yu Mingda, who had remained silent until now, snapped. "The Zhang family won the salt monopoly bid, news that hadn’t yet been made public. You wanted to overturn the outcome. This was no baseless act but one with clear motive."  

    "If the matter wasn’t public, how could I—" Qin Zhong began, only to feel a sharp gaze slice through him.  

    Seeing Huang Guan’s expression, he swallowed his words.  

    "So the Zhang family did secure the salt monopoly?"  

    "How could it be false? Were you deaf to the Salt Commissioner’s words just now?"  

    Merchants observing the trial outside learned of the salt monopoly’s outcome, their disappointment palpable. Yet some wore unnatural expressions.  

    "It seems we wronged both the Qin family and the magistrate."  

    "Not entirely. Since we didn’t win the bid, why did we bribe Huang Guan so heavily? The Salt Commissioner accepted no gifts, but Huang Guan lined his pockets. He’s been extorting merchants for years."  

    The merchants found this reasoning sound and felt slightly better.  

    "Well, what’s done is done. We might as well tidy up and congratulate Zhang Fangyuan."  

    "Quite right. From now on, the merchants of Siyang will likely defer to the Zhang family."  

    The trial was straightforward. With the Salt Commissioner overseeing the proceedings, the magistrate dared not show bias. Zhang Fangyuan presented witnesses and evidence, leaving Qin Zhong no room for defense. The case was swiftly concluded.  

    Yu Mingda deemed the crime particularly egregious and ordered a severe sentence to set an example: imprisonment until the autumn conscription, followed by exile.  

    With the matter settled, the merchants of Siyang grew wary of the Zhang family but also sought to curry favor. They waited for the Zhang family to host a celebration banquet, but even after the Salt Commissioner formally announced the Zhang family’s monopoly rights, no banquet had been held.  

    Whispers spread: Had the Zhang family grown too proud after securing the monopoly, looking down on the other merchants and denying them a chance to celebrate?

    By early June, the sun blazed fiercely.  

    Scholars who had gone to the capital for the imperial exams returned home. A procession of red-silk-adorned horses rode through the city gates, led by Zhang Ruijin, tall and proud atop his steed. Only then did everyone learn that the Zhang family had produced a Liang bang jinshi imperial scholar, who, after the palace examination, had been appointed by the emperor as Tongzhi of Zangzhu Prefecture. 

[两榜进士 (liǎng bǎng jìnshì): a scholar who passed both the provincial and metropolitan exams.] 

[同知 (Tóngzhī): a mid-level official position in imperial China, often a deputy prefect]

    Now returning home to thank his teacher, after that he would assume his post the following year.