Chapter 511 - Chapter 511: Chapter 511: Falling Out (1/2)

Chapter 511: Chapter 511: Falling Out

In the backyard of the County Magistrate’s Office.

All the doors and windows of a room had been sealed shut, making it so dark inside one could hardly see their own hand in front of them.

Due to Di Yelei’s special status, he was kept in an isolated cell.

Suddenly, the jingling of keys unlocking a door reverberated outside his cell. Moments later, along with a squeaky sound, the cell door was opened, allowing a touch of light from the outside to pour in. This abrupt exposure to light made Di Yelei instinctively squint, gradually adjusting his sight to comprehend the person who had come.

“Oh, so it is none other than Lord County Magistrate Su himself! What a rare guest you are!”

County Magistrate Su grinned from ear to ear, accepting the torch from the hands of the constable who had accompanied him, and bent down to enter the cell.

“Brother Di, there is no need for such courtesy. This is just a routine inquiry for the sake of maintaining order. Once everything is thoroughly investigated, we will naturally set you free.” Su, the County Magistrate, replied while squinting eyes under his smile.

“Hmph! Su, the County Magistrate, why those words?”

Di Yelei looked at him with narrowed eyes, standing up from the floor, “Both of us are seventh-rank officials. According to the law, only the Court of Judicial Review has the authority to oversee and adjudicate matters involving imperial officials. Yesterday, you asked me to cooperate with your investigation, and I did. However, I am astonished at the state of Macheng County, where even the guest rooms are so deplorably dark. It seems the reputation of this small county is indeed far overstated.”

Whether a county is large or small during the current era is determined by the amount of tax and grain levies that it submits to the national bank. At present, Macheng County is already a small one. If it fails to live up to even these meager expectations, it will be demoted and absorbed by a larger neighboring county, thereby rendering the position of its County Magistrate obsolete.

Unable to maintain his facade, County Magistrate Su’s mouth twitched before he let out a hearty laugh, “You are too harsh, Brother Di. This is just a temporary situation. After all, we discovered the remains of more than a dozen ordinary people at the crime scene. As a devoted official, I must provide an explanation to everyone, right? I ask you to please remain calm, Brother Di, and rest here for a couple more days. I will surely find the real culprit and clear your name.”

“No need! I have been here since yesterday and I worry about how my parents, my wife, and my children at home are coping without me. I have also been an inconvenience here overnight. I should take my leave now!”

Saying this, Di Yelei directly stepped past County Magistrate Su and bent down, ready to crawl out of the room.

However, to his surprise, four constables suddenly appeared in front, standing in a line blocking Di Yelei’s exit way. Instinctively, Di Yelei squinted his eyes and turned back to look at County Magistrate Su.

“Su, what is the meaning of this? Are you trying to test my martial arts abilities, like you did yesterday?”

Yesterday, he was tricked by County Magistrate Su into this special cell under the pretext of interviewing a surviving witness from the crime scene. But that scoundrel, Xin Quan, coveted to torture him, only to be bested by him instead, making him flee with his tail between his legs.

However, judging by their demeanor, they are not likely to let this matter rest so easily! They might very well strike back at any moment.

Moreover, Da Niu was in their custody and Su, the County Magistrate, was using him as a bargaining chip. He had no choice but to play by their rules.

After a night of rest here, he had analyzed the entire scenario once again, confirming that he had inadvertently fallen into their trap. The person who had set this trap was most likely the oily-smiling Su County Magistrate standing right in front of him.

County Magistrate Su was also full of resentment.

He had been incessantly flattering the Gan family, hoping to climb up the ladder of power. However, when the Gan family went to the capital, they didn’t mention him at all, which was obviously a sign that they had forgotten about him.

As for Liu Sisi, he still held some apprehension towards her. When it came to Di Yelei though, he wished nothing more than to get rid of him.

Originally, Di was just a common constable under his command, but in a blink of an eye, he had risen to the same rank as him! How could he tolerate such humiliation?

Thinking about Xin Quan’s promise that he would skyrocket through the ranks once the matter was settled, a feeling of warmth filled his heart.

He couldn’t help but laugh out loud, “Brother Di, your martial arts skills are superior. How can these subordinates of mine be your match? It’s just that yesterday, my men took Da Niu out for some fun, and he hasn’t returned as of yet. I just hope you don’t mind their unruly behavior.”

“That is all right! As long as your men have taken my subordinate out, I believe they will take good care of him and ensure he is not hurt in the slightest. With these assurances, what reason would I have to worry?”