Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Su Family’s Day of Doom

"Sit."

An Xin held his teacup, gesturing for Su Daoran to take a seat.

"Thank you, Magistrate."

Su Daoran felt a prickle of tension, but he kept his expression neutral as he sat down with stiff formality.

"Wuren County is plagued by two major bandit groups. The first is the bandits of Baling Mountain. They are numerous, mostly deserters, and their mountain stronghold is steep and treacherous. They are known for their ruthless and venomous ways. The second is the Tuoshan bandits. Though fewer in number, they are exceptionally cunning and well-informed. They retreat when the government troops arrive and emerge once they depart, consistently managing to stay one step ahead of the authorities.

Four years ago, when the provincial troops came to suppress them, they managed to slip away to Dongyang Prefecture in advance, turning the entire campaign into a farce. Once the troops withdrew, they simply returned to continue their wickedness.

The authorities have attempted to eradicate both groups several times, but all efforts have ended in failure. Consequently, the bandits have become increasingly rampant, the people are filled with complaints, and our official prestige has been shattered. Though I have only recently taken office, I still feel a profound sense of humiliation."

An Xin spoke slowly.

Su Daoran quickly interjected, "The Magistrate is absolutely right. Everyone, from the local gentry to the common folk, is applauding your campaign to eradicate the bandits!"

"Oh?" An Xin smiled. "Does Master Su applaud it as well?"

Su Daoran’s heart skipped a beat, but he nodded repeatedly. "Of course, of course!"

"In that case, Master Su, you must assist me further. Cooperate with the troops and write a letter to the Tuoshan bandits, inviting them to come down from the mountain so that I may wipe them out in one fell swoop!"

"This—this—Magistrate, you are forcing me into an impossible position. What status or virtue does the Su family possess to be writing to Tuoshan bandits..." Su Daoran’s composure crumbled, and his well-groomed goatee trembled violently.

"I suspect it is not that you cannot, but that you will not!"

An Xin slammed his teacup onto the table with a sharp *thud*. Su Daoran’s body jerked, and terror filled his eyes.

"Let me tell you something that might not amuse you, Master Su." An Xin stood up and paced to the center of the hall. "When I was traveling to take up my post, I passed through the Tongshan Plank Road and was waylaid by those very Tuoshan bandits. Though I managed to escape through my own means, tell me, Su Daoran, can I possibly forgive you?"

As An Xin spoke, his eyes locked onto Su Daoran. "It is no longer a question of whether you die, but how. It is not even just about your own life, but whether you wish to drag the entire Su family down into the grave with you!"

Sweat poured down Su Daoran’s forehead. He looked up in terror, only to find the Magistrate’s gaze cold and piercing. Despite the bright sunshine outside, he felt as if he had been plunged into the depths of winter. His hand rose tremblingly as he stammered, "Magistrate, that was the work of bandits! It has nothing to do with the Su family!"

He stood up shakily and fell to his knees before An Xin.

"Whether it is connected, surely you know best, Master Su. Over the years, the Su family has fenced stolen goods for the Tuoshan bandits and provided them with tip-offs whenever the government launched a raid. It would be no exaggeration to say that the Tuoshan bandits were cultivated by the Su family itself."

An Xin tossed a piece of paper onto the floor—a confession listing the crimes of the Tuoshan bandits, including their collusion with the Su family.

Su Daoran wept, "This is the bandits' confession, but the parts involving the Su family are slander! I beg the Magistrate to investigate the truth!"

Hu Changshan walked in from the back hall and handed a document to An Xin. An Xin took one look and threw it onto the floor, right in front of Su Daoran. It was another confession, signed by the Su family’s own steward, with a blood-red thumbprint that was blindingly bright. Under An Xin’s orders, Hu Changshan had long since tracked the steward’s movements, captured him early that morning, and extracted exactly what An Xin needed. The document detailed the interactions between the Su family and the Tuoshan bandits with absolute clarity—dates, locations, and the nature of the transactions. Any investigation along these lines would surely yield the truth.

The last flicker of hope vanished. Every ounce of strength drained from Su Daoran’s body. He was filled with nothing but rage—rage at those damned bandits for the havoc they had wreaked. Why had they kidnapped the Magistrate? And if they had, why had they let him escape? Why had they allowed him to reach Wuren County alive and take office?

Watching the slumped, defeated Su Daoran, An Xin leisurely sat back in his chair, picked up his refilled teacup, blew on it gently, and suddenly asked, "Su Daoran, I just remembered something."

Su Daoran snapped back to reality, kneeling on the floor and banging his head against the blue-brick tiles. "Magistrate, I deserve to die, but this matter has little to do with the Su family. It was all my own doing. I beg you to observe the truth and spare the lives of my kin!"

An Xin set down his cup, satisfied now that the evidence was ironclad. "Whether I spare the Su family depends on your performance."

"Whatever the Magistrate commands, I will obey, even at the cost of my life," Su Daoran replied despondently.

"The Wu family has a daughter who is said to be close friends with your eldest daughter. Why did you order the Tuoshan bandits to kidnap her?" An Xin finally asked the question he had kept to himself for so long.

"My Lord," Su Daoran said, his head bowed, his tears dampening the bricks. His voice sounded muffled as it bounced off the floor. "The Wu family is very wealthy and wanted to marry their daughter into the Su family. I did not want them to be a primary marriage alliance, but I did covet the Wu family’s substantial dowry. So, I plotted this. My plan was to reveal this incident to the Wu family later, forcing the daughter to enter the Su family only as a concubine, and ensuring the dowry would be even more generous."

The Wu family had sought to climb the social ladder by befriending Su Daoran, who in turn had long eyed their wealth. Not wanting his talented son to legally marry a merchant’s daughter, he had hatched this scheme.

"Ha," An Xin let out a soft laugh and walked out alone. "Changshan, arrange a guest room for Master Su. Tell the public that I am having a delightful conversation with him, discussing philosophy and life."

"Understood!" Hu Changshan replied, hoisting Su Daoran up and escorting him to the guest quarters. When the Su family servant returned with the news from the magistrate’s office, the family members were, for the most part, overjoyed.

In the magistrate's office reception hall, Wu Yin hurried in and bowed respectfully. "My Lord!"

"The weather is turning cold. You are dressed quite thinly, Clerk Wu; take care not to catch a chill," An Xin noted, glancing up at him.

"I thank the Magistrate for your concern," Wu Yin replied, his face filled with emotion, shocked that the man holding his fate in his hands would show such consideration.

"Your family likely has warm clothing, but I wonder if the common people will survive the coming winter." During his rural inspections, An Xin had seen many who were barely clothed. While summer was manageable, winter was a struggle. History books often recorded that during winter, many froze to death. Among the four necessities—clothing, food, shelter, and transport—clothing was listed first, a testament to its importance for survival. A tattered cotton jacket was a valuable asset that could be pawned for hard currency; for many, owning one was a significant possession.

Wu Yin’s lips trembled before he finally said, "You have a benevolent heart, My Lord."

"What use is benevolence?" An Xin waved his hand, pressing him. "Go. The task of soliciting donations from the local merchants is yours. I have not prosecuted you for your crimes because I value your capabilities. Handle this matter well; do not let me see any errors."

"I understand, My Lord," Wu Yin replied earnestly.

"Go." An Xin waved him away.

Just then, a clerk rushed in. "My Lord, the identity of Qin Shiyue has been uncovered."