Chapter 102: How to Take Down Magistrate Wu
gradually expand beyond the village”"In the future, it could completely leave Jianghe County and cover Pingyuan Prefecture, the entire Jiangnan Province, and even the whole of Dayan!""...and it could...What's the matter! What are you shouting about in the middle of the night, aren't you sleeping You're such a monster!
Zhou Zhengyang didn't open his eyes, rolled over, and cursed.
"Bang!"
The next moment, the door was kicked open and a group of torch-bearing constables rushed in.
Zhou Zhengyang was about to continue cursing, but when he opened his eyes and saw so many people rushing in, he was taken aback.
Immediately, a group of officers came into view. Leading the charge was Zhang Wu, the very same officer who had fawned over him before. Zhou Zhengyang erupted in anger once again.
"What are you doing Did I let you in Get out of here!"
Zhou Zhengyang pointed angrily at the door.
Only after he had finished berating her did he finally sober up and hear the cries coming from outside.
Yang Lin then came in, surrounded by a group of people.
"Yang Lin You... how did you get here"
"Come here, quickly! Arrest this scoundrel!"
Zhou Zhengyang's eyes widened, and he shouted loudly.
He knew his father and Zhao County Magistrate were taking people to deal with Yang Lin tonight.
Now you can...
How could Yang Lin be in his own bedroom in the middle of the night, and with so many yamen servants
"Why aren't you moving"
Zhou Zhengyang glared fiercely at the yamen officers, gnashing his teeth and saying, "You bunch of dog-slaves! You don't even listen to my orders, are you not afraid that my father will punish you"
Yang Lin sneered: "Young Master Zhou, you're still asleep The days of relying on your father and bullying others are over."
"Take it away!"
Yang Lin waved his hand, and the yamen officers immediately stepped forward, dragging Zhou Zhengyang, who was still stunned, off the bed and binding him with five ropes.
"You, you have such guts! What kind of brainwashing did Yang Lin give you Why would you listen to him My father won't let you get away with this!"
Even after being dragged off the bed, Zhou Zhengyang hadn't realized what was happening and was still grumbling.
Zhang Wu kicked over with his foot.
“Shut your mouth! Your father intended to assassinate the Lord, he deserves death! We were deceived by your father, luckily the Lord is magnanimous and didn't punish us. Now we are loyal to the Lord! Do you still think you're some kind of young master If the Lord shows mercy, you can continue to be your young master in prison for the rest of your life!”
At this moment, Zhang Wu was eager to distance himself from the Zhou family, so he performed even more vigorously.
Dad was arrested
To murder a lord Who is the lord
Zhou Zhengyang was completely dumbfounded.
When he was shoved by the constables into the courtyard, the entire Zhou family was already under their control!
Zhou Kun's wife, three concubines, Zhou Zhengyang's older brother... as well as a host of servants, maidservants, and slaves, were all tied up tightly.
"Everyone is here, not a single person has run out!"
Zhong Tao came to report.
Yang Lin nodded. "Tao ge, immediately arrange to separate these people for questioning and dig up all the bad things and evil deeds Zhou family has done over the years. Get confessions as soon as possible!"
"A breakthrough can be made by turning to the lower servants. Tell them that those who report wrongdoing will not only be exonerated and pardoned, but may even receive rewards."
But if you know and don't report it, and we find out later, your punishment will be increased by one degree!
"Okay."
Zhong Tao immediately arranged for it.
As long as no one runs away, the news won't leak. Therefore, Yang Lin decided to first thoroughly deal with the Zhou family before dealing with the Zhao family!
To Yang Lin's surprise, the interrogation ended in less than an hour. As the saying goes, "When a tree falls, the monkeys scatter." Although the common people didn't know exactly what had happened, with the current situation unfolding before their eyes, they all knew that the Zhou family was finished!
And Yang Lin also put forward the policy of "Leniency for those who confess fully and strictness for those who resist," so even those people who didn't want to speak up at first, worried that if they didn't say anything, others would speak up instead. In that case, not only would they miss out on rewards, but they would also be punished more severely...
Therefore, they admitted to everything very enthusiastically.
After all, many bad things and evil deeds were instigated by the Zhou family, and they only followed orders and acted as errand boys. They took advantage of the opportunity to confess and pushed all the blame onto the Zhou family.
After completing the statement, pressing my fingerprint, and signing...the whole process went very smoothly.
Even Zhou Kun's concubines and Zhou Zhengyang admitted to numerous crimes!
When Zhong Tao found Yang Lin with a thick stack of confessions in his hand, his anger was shaking him so badly.
"Master, look at this! These bastards, they all deserve to die!"
When Zhong Tao handed over the statement to Yang Lin, his face was contorted with rage.
Yang Lin went through these testimonies, already mentally prepared. The Zhou family had even colluded with bandits and terrorized Jianghe County for so many years; he didn't believe they hadn't done anything wrong.
As he flipped through the pages, Yang Lin's anger became increasingly difficult to control.
"What the **!"
Yang Lin's lips were trembling with anger.
A total of twenty-eight testimonies record at least fifty-plus crimes committed by the Zhou family!
There is strong-arming, arbitrary beating of others, rape of women, and forcing good people into prostitution.
Even to forcefully occupy land, they beat people to death on the street!
When people went to the county office to report the crime, they were beaten to death by them!
The crimes committed are so numerous and egregious that words fail to describe them.
"Master, what should we do with these people" Zhong Tao asked.
"Stay here for now, and report to the authorities when it's daylight!" Yang Lin said.
Everything done tonight, regardless of whether this baron is real or not, is absolutely illegal.
Therefore, he cannot continue this way. He is not truly seeking rebellion; he must conclude tonight's bold action through legal means.
This is also the reason why Yang Lin wants to collect testimonies.
As long as the final result is presentable, does it really matter how we get there
By then, both the Zhou family and Zhao family will have confessed and been punished. No one will be able to exonerate them. Once the outcome is a settled fact, we can openly and aboveboard eliminate them!
Zhong Tao left two guard members, armed with bows and crossbows, to watch over the prisoner.
Outside, twenty villagers guarded the perimeter and walls of the courtyard.
Yang Lin, with the remaining people, immediately rushed to the Zhao family.
With Zhou family's experience, taking down Zhao family was even smoother.
By the time all the Zhao family members were tied up and confessed, it was almost dawn.
Zhao Deyi's family committed no fewer crimes than the Zhou family, each one a violation of heaven and earth, causing outrage among both gods and men!
Although they were up all night, everyone was wide awake.
As we all know, the most important moment is about to arrive!
To take down the Zhou and Zhao families, they relied on brute force.
...and how will they be lawfully and openly jailed for punishment...
That was the clash between me and County Magistrate Wu Yong!
To keep things tonight under control, we need Wu Yong's cooperation.
But whether or not Wu Yong can be dealt with is the most pressing concern for everyone right now.
Wu Yong is a seventh-rank Zhixian county magistrate, a true imperial official. Even if Yang Lin holds a title, he has no legal right to interfere in government affairs.
If Wu Yong doesn't cooperate, then everything becomes a mystery...r during the spring and autumn seasons, they would openly go to nearby villages and towns to collect "protection fees." Whether poor or wealthy households, they had to pay them "protection fees" just...