Quick Transmigration: Underdog Turns out to be Untouchable

Chapter 1262: Chapter 1171: Lady Chancellor 110

After handling Chai Pengfei and Xu Huirong, as well as Hu Bingchen’s assets, County Magistrate Yin directly instructed Wang Ruibo to interrogate these three people to see if anything else could be unearthed.

Originally, County Magistrate Yin conducting the interrogation herself would have been the safest option. However, the major crimes were already established, and the rest were not so important. She intended to use this opportunity to cultivate her cousin Wang Ruibo’s decision-making abilities.

Since taking on the responsibilities of an arrest officer, Wang Ruibo had developed a keen interest in criminal justice. This interest serves as a driving force for persistence and is also the best teacher for learning.

Given Wang Ruibo’s interest in this field, County Magistrate Yin planned for him to gain experience. Joining the Ministry of Justice or the Ministry of Justice in the future would be a good move.

County Magistrate Yin noticed that Wang Ruibo, perhaps due to their constant companionship and never needing to worry himself, tended not to think independently in her presence. Already inclined toward action rather than thought, he avoided using his own judgment when she was around.

Every time something happened, Wang Ruibo would just follow her train of thought, waiting for her to analyze the pros and cons before simply executing her orders.

As a subordinate, this is no doubt an excellent trait, but County Magistrate Yin did not wish for Wang Ruibo to spend his life merely being someone else’s assistant.

Doing criminal justice work requires independent thinking and agile mental faculties. So, this time, County Magistrate Yin fully let Wang Ruibo take charge to cultivate his independence from her.

Anyway, anything of value that could be squeezed out of Chai Pengfei, Xu Huirong, and Hu Bingchen, County Magistrate Yin already held in her hands. The rest were merely charges like oppressing common people and accepting bribes.

Given the charges of privately mining gold and iron, kidnapping common people to torment and force them into mining, and selling the ores to aristocratic families, their fates were sealed. The additional charges were just right for Wang Ruibo to practice on.

Wang Ruibo did not know what was spinning in County Magistrate Yin’s mind; he just assumed she was too busy. Though slightly nervous about handling matters independently for the first time, he was more thrilled with anticipation.

After agreeing with County Magistrate Yin, Wang Ruibo carefully contemplated how to interrogate the prisoners later, how to avoid their verbal traps, distinguish between true and false confessions, and so forth, making a plan before eagerly heading to the dungeon to display his skills.

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In the carriage inn of the county, the door was tightly shut. In the main room of the inner courtyard, Housekeeper Hu Buwei paced back and forth anxiously.

Sitting on a Taishi Chair beside him, with the scholarly appearance of a literati, was the boss Zhou Chengbing, also looking tense and helpless as he watched Hu Buwei pacing around.

The more Hu Buwei paced, the more restless he felt. He and Hu Bingchen were uncle and nephew. As a child, due to his family’s difficulties, he was sold to work as a slave in the Zhou Family, eventually climbing to a position as a minor steward thanks to his talents.

Hu Buwei valued family ties greatly. Furthermore, his family sold him to a wealthy family, intending to train him as a household servant, ensuring he wouldn’t suffer hunger or hardship, ultimately thinking it through for him.

Therefore, Hu Buwei did not resent his parents for selling him. Instead, he always thought about his parents, who were out there somewhere, and for many years tried to find his family.

One day, Hu Buwei finally got in touch with the few remaining members of his family, discovering he had a nephew who had even become a County Magistrate.

This County Magistrate nephew discovered a gold and iron mine and reached out to do business with the Zhou Family. That’s when Hu Buwei reunited with Hu Bingchen.

As a slave meticulously trained by the Zhou Family from childhood, Hu Buwei had a broad perspective. He quickly realized the significance of the iron mine. Indeed, after reporting it, the Family Head of the Zhou Family took it very seriously.

Because of his connection with his nephew Hu Bingchen, the Zhou Family’s Family Head placed Hu Buwei in charge of this matter.

However, such an important iron mine couldn’t be solely managed by an external slave. Someone from the family had to be selected as well, to act as Manager alongside going to Qinglin County.

The person responsible for this matter was akin to someone going out to gain prestige, so the legitimate sons and favored sons of concubines in the Zhou Family competed fiercely.

Ultimately, the responsibility fell on Zhou Chengbing, the legitimate son. After all, in a long-established aristocratic family, rules abound, and the Family Head, no matter how fond of concubines and their sons, would not overlook legitimate sons from the main wife.

However, Zhou Chengbing was somewhat weak-willed, adept at nothing apart from studying. Were it not for his powerful mother, this opportunity would not have come his way.

Indeed, before arriving, Hu Buwei considered this a great opportunity. Not only was Zhou Chengbing, the master, here to gain prestige, but he, the minor steward, was here to do the same.

But Hu Buwei never expected that this remote Qinglin County would suddenly see the arrival of the formidable female county magistrate, Yin Shuangshuang.

Until now, Hu Buwei found it surreal. In just a few days, the female county magistrate had dealt with his nephew, the secretary Xu Huirong, and the toughest County Magistrate, Chai Pengfei.

He had just witnessed it with his own eyes: those people were taken away tightly bound, even their house was raided. One by one, large chests were carried in a line into the county government, surely filled with seized gold and silver.

For now, Hu Buwei couldn’t even worry about his nephew Hu Bingchen; he was concerned that once those three were caught, they would turn him and the young master in.

This Yin Shuangshuang was indeed the Emperor’s confidante and was clearly against aristocratic families. Buying iron mines secretly was a crime more severe than mining gold secretly. If the Emperor caught wind of this, the entire Zhou Family would be in danger.

However, Hu Buwei wasn’t worried about the Zhou Family, as that was a concern for later. Now, his own well-being was paramount.

He needed to escape Qinglin County immediately. Any further delays might trap him here permanently.

A sudden knock on the door startled both Hu Buwei and Zhou Chengbing, but the voice outside quickly reassured them, ”Master, Housekeeper Hu, it’s just the servant.”

Hu Buwei opened the door to reveal a man dressed in black. Upon seeing him, Hu Buwei urgently asked, ”What’s the situation outside? Can we leave?”

The man in black shook his head with a grave expression: ”I snuck out to scout around. The entire Qinglin County is surrounded; there’s no way to get out. I was almost discovered despite hiding carefully. Leaving Qinglin County is impossible.”

Hu Buwei’s heart sank: ”County Magistrate Yin is truly formidable. How did she manage to bring in so many people for her use in a single day? Could the Emperor have provided her with a backup plan?”

Beside him, Zhou Chengbing couldn’t help but gasp, his face showing anxious panic: ”What, what should we do now? We can’t stay in Qinglin County. That County Magistrate might come for us any time. Housekeeper Hu, please come up with a plan!”