Peaceful Farm Life

Chapter 784: Chapter 785 Dog Bites Dog_1

”However,” Lord Zhang continued, ”you have yet to report this matter to date, and today, as it happens, I had some free time, so I came in person to see for myself and ask why you hadn’t reported such an important issue.”

Without waiting for Official Liu to reply, Lord Zhang pressed on, ”Official Liu, as the manager of the Agricultural Institute of Qilin County, failing to report such a major issue until now, do you realize the seriousness of your offense?”

Official Liu was so frightened that he immediately knelt down, not having had the chance to defend himself, when An Jing feigned confusion, saying, ”Lord Zhang, Official Liu hasn’t reported it yet? But I saw him dispatch someone to report it last time. Look, that’s the person he sent.”

Saying so, An Jing even pointed toward a junior official standing by the side.

Seeing that Lord Zhang was inquiring into the matter, and sensing that the situation was escalating severely, the junior official was already trembling with fear, and now that An Jing had singled him out, he too immediately knelt down.

Who isn’t afraid of death?

If this were investigated thoroughly, it could mean the death penalty, especially since this has been labeled as ’an important matter for the benefit of the people.’

Fearing for his life, and likely to betray in order to save himself, Official Liu hastily spoke before the junior official could beg for mercy, ”Injustice, Lord Zhang! On the twelfth day of this month, I had already sent this junior official with a letter to report the matter of this cart. At that time, Lord An and Xiao Bio Gong were present, and Lord An has just now said the same, which proves that I was not lying. I indeed reported it, but as to why it didn’t reach your office at the state Agricultural Institute, I truly don’t know why.”

An Jingxin inwardly sneered: He really was cunning indeed.

Official Liu was clearly trying to put all the blame on him alone. The junior official couldn’t stand for that and immediately began kowtowing to Lord Zhang, saying, ”My lord, Official Liu is spouting nonsense! It was he who hinted that I should make a show of it. He had me take the letter from him and pretend to deliver it, only to come back around and return it to him!”

”He often had me do this. There’re many matters he actually doesn’t want to report, and even if they’re reported, the letters are switched out and replaced with those that are favorable to him. He’s just a hypocrite, a pretender—he’s—”

Before the junior official could finish, Official Liu angrily interrupted with a loud voice, ”You’re slandering me! You are truly a shameless wretch! To think I have always treated you kindly! Despicable!”

Seeing Official Liu and the junior official turn on each other like dogs fighting over a bone, An Jing found it amusing.

Not only did Official Liu lash out at the junior official, but he also sought support: ”Master Zhou, Official Zhao, Official Qian, Official Sun, Official Li, we have worked together for so long. You know me best. Tell me, have I ever been insincere or hypocritical?”

Master Zhou always remembered the favor Official Liu had done by advising him that An Jing had powerful connections and that he should be careful with his temper so as not to offend An Jing.

So, as soon as Official Liu asked for support, Master Zhou bowed to Lord Zhang and said, ”Official Liu is warm-hearted, modest, polite, and conscientious in his work, never having had any conflicts with us... Lord Zhang, it must be the junior official talking nonsense.”

Officials Zhao, Qian, and Sun immediately echoed, ”Master Zhou is right, it must be the junior official talking nonsense.”

Li Jifan hesitated for a moment, knowing that appearances can be deceiving, but in the end, he also joined in, saying, ”I too believe it is the junior official talking nonsense.”

The reason Li Jifan eventually joined in was because he considered that if Official Liu survived this ordeal and remained as the manager of the Agricultural Institute, then in the future, Official Liu should be more accommodating to him. Today, he had helped confirm Official Liu’s character, after all.