Zhang San, please behave yourself!

"Have you written it all down?"

The martial artist in charge of recording, seeing the four nearly full sheets of paper, nodded.

"Let him take a look and then sign and seal it."

The martial artist handed over the papers for the County Magistrate to glance at.

The County Magistrate twisted his mouth and asked, "Does our Heavenly Punishment Sect also insist on confession and execution?"

Zhang San sneered, "If you prefer to die immediately, it's not out of the question."

"No, no, no... I was just curious, merely curious..."

Speaking thus, the County Magistrate immediately signed and sealed the confession.

After all, by signing and sealing, there was still hope of living.

After all, the Imperial Court had not found it easy to cultivate a County Magistrate.

Worst case, he could just penalize himself with three drinks in front of the Governor, how could he truly kill himself?

But falling into the hands of these Heavenly Punishment Sect people was another story.

Being able to sign and seal meant he would not be killed for the moment.

After the County Magistrate had signed, Zhang San glanced at him, this man who looked decent enough, and asked, "Now that you have confessed everything, let me ask you something serious."

At these words, the heart of the County Magistrate skipped a beat.

What did that mean?

Was there something serious?

Weren't the matters discussed just now serious?

Wait a minute...

Did I just say something wrong?

Or was everything I've said from the beginning wrong? Should I have never relied on confessing for leniency?

"I'll ask you, there was a widow who recently appeared in Jingyang County, do you know about that?"

Upon hearing this, the County Magistrate's back that had straightened slumped again, and he knelt down and kowtowed on the ground.

"Oh, Lord of the Heavenly Punishment Sect, illumine us! I have never touched that widow... Yes, some of my concubines were from families I had destroyed, but I really have no interest in widows! Who doesn't prefer someone untouched!"

Zhang San's gaze bore into the County Magistrate sternly.

"Oh? How many families did you ruin because of these concubines?"

"Just... just four concubines... led to... um... four families... ruined..."

The martial artist, having just finished documenting the confession and stretching his wrists, furrowed his brow upon hearing this.

Ah, here comes more work.

He took out the papers and continued recording.

Then the County Magistrate confessed everything about spotting young and beautiful women, destroying their families, and then buying them under the guise of kindness and righteousness to make them his concubines, and signed and sealed for the second time.

Zhang San was amazed, was the job of this Seventh Rank County Magistrate really so easy?

Watching him, it seemed that besides levying taxes improperly and lusting after women, he did nothing but nourish his kidneys.

"Do you know what happened to the widow from the Yu Daoning family?"

"Ah— her! I know, her husband was killed by her brother-in-law Yu Daorong."

Zhang San: ???

"You know?"

"I know! Yu Daorong came to give me money, eight animal hides, forty kilos of meat, and a gold hairpin."

Zhang San immediately followed up, "Since you knew, why didn't you arrest him and bring him to justice?"

"Oh, Heavenly Punishment Sect master, you really don't know how to be an official!"

"When someone brings me gifts, as a good official, I naturally do not want to accept, but would refusing not break the hearts of the common people?"

"After I accepted his gifts, he confessed to me about killing his own brother. He trusts you so much, how can you betray him?"

"When I saw that gold hairpin, I knew it was obviously the jewelry of the woman Yu Zhen. How could she possibly give away such a valuable item unless she was involved too? So, this is not about condoning a crime; it is about helping a pair of star-crossed lovers!"

"Anyway, Yu Daoning is already dead. His widow has her own brother to take care of her—at least, he'll provide all sorts of care. Even though he might be cuckolded, he doesn't need to worry about his wife lacking someone to look after her!"

"If I were to arrest Yu Daorong and clarify the case, then Yu Daoning would be dead, his brother would also die, and that woman would die as well. Initially, only one person needed to die, and now three must die. As the father of my people, I can't bear to see so many under my jurisdiction die!"

"Besides, Yu Daorong has already given me money, and besides giving a share to the governor, I will certainly spend the rest. Isn't the money I spend also earned by the people of Jingyang County?"

"You may think I am not a good official, and that I have not adjudicated well, but little do you know that this is actually a great kindness!"

Magistrate Long Zhengren's words left everyone stunned.

Some of the martial artists, although still feeling that something was amiss, actually started to find his illogical words somewhat reasonable.

Zhang San nodded slightly.

"I think you're right."

The moment Magistrate heard it, he grinned from ear to ear, never expecting that this young master of Heavenly Punishment Sect could also be a kindred spirit.

"Indeed, this act is truly benevolent. In that case, bring someone here to chop up this magistrate and feed him to the dogs to let the dogs of Jingyang County have a feast as well."

"Then go and take all the valuable things from Magistrate Long's house; consider it our way of encouraging monetary circulation."

"Lastly, take his four mistresses away; I'll take good care of them. As for your wife, given her age, let's send her on your journey to accompany you, so you won't be lonely on the Yellow River Road."

"Almost forgot, set the county government office ablaze. Especially the area behind the office where they keep the spiritual tablets of Magistrate Long's family—make sure to burn it cleanly. That way, when the county government office is rebuilt, the common people can earn some wages."

"Magistrate Long, do you now agree that I am truly benevolent?"

Magistrate Long was so frightened that he knocked his head on the floor so hard his scalp started bleeding.

"I'm wrong, my lords of Heavenly Punishment Sect, I'm wrong! Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it! Really! Really!"

The plea for mercy was accompanied by loud knocking sounds, showcasing the reverence and sincerity towards life just before death.

"Want to save your life, huh? Fine. Tomorrow you will convene a court session and hear the case about Yu Daoning's death. Say that last night a wronged soul approached you seeking justice, and that soul was Yu Daoning himself. Do you understand?"

"Understood! I will hear it properly!"

Zhang San walked over, helped Magistrate Long, who was still kneeling and knocking his head on the ground, to his feet.

He took out a piece of paper, wiped the blood on Magistrate Long's forehead, then stuffed the paper into his hand.

"Rest assured, our Heavenly Punishment Sect isn't an organization that kills innocents for no reason. You can even send a message to the Town Martial Office saying we are here. It's just a matter of seeing whether Qiongqi of the Town Martial Office delivers messages faster or our knives are swifter?"

Before, Magistrate Long truly had a mind to go back and bring help.

But hearing Zhang San's words, he knew that before the rescue message could even be sent out, he might already be done for.

"Someone, take Magistrate Long back."

A few martial artists came over, stuffed Magistrate Long back into a sack, and carried him away.

As they lifted him, they deliberately pretended to be unable to lift him at the threshold and cruelly dropped him hard.

Meanwhile, Zhang San watched as the martial artists and the receding figure of Magistrate Long vanished, lamenting that the Great Sui Dynasty, although seemingly prosperous, also had places rotten to such an extent.

But it must be said, the name of Heavenly Punishment Sect is really damn useful!

Just then, Zhang San noticed that under the moonlight, a young Taoist carrying the Great Sword, stood with his hands behind his back on the rooftop outside, coldly watching him.