Chapter 66: As Expected, There's a Cat in the Rafters

  This chapter is No. 17.

  It's probably around midnight now, everything is quiet, and there isn't even a single person on the streets.

  Li Wenjun opened the gate and saw a bailiff standing outside, his face vaguely familiar, as if he had seen him at the county yamen. He pointed to the sky with dissatisfaction and said: "Isn't this a mistake? Can't you see what time it is now? What's so important that it can't wait until dawn?"

  The servant smiled and said, "Young Master Li, the brothers who escorted the reward silver have been rushing day and night and just returned in the early hours of this morning. The old master is worried that you are eager to wait, so after signing for the silver, he immediately sent me to invite you over. Young Master Li, let's go, the old master is still waiting."

  Li Wenjun didn't think much of it and wasn't afraid of Wu Qi playing tricks on him. He said, "Wait a minute, let me wash my face."

  Li Wenjun had the yamen runners wait at the gate, then went back inside, put on his pack, and hung the Dragon Head Goose Feather Knife, along with its scabbard, from his waist.

  The dragon-headed goose feather knife is a bit long and cannot be put into the storage bag. As a magic tool, especially a low-level magic tool, it cannot change its size at will. When it was forged, it was what it was, and it would always be that way.

  Li Wenjun put all the valuable household items in a storage package, so even if something unexpected happened and they had to run away, they wouldn't have to worry about leaving anything behind.

  Soon, Li Wenjun came out of the hospital gate again. As he walked past the Sun's house entrance, he casually asked: "Can I call Uncle Sun?"

  Yamen said: "Li Gongzi, Master's intention is that you are the real mastermind behind Wang Yonggui's death and should be rewarded. There is no need to disturb others. Besides, it's so dark now, let's not bother Sun Baicao, whatever needs to be said can be said tomorrow, it's all the same."

  Li Wenjun's heart skipped a beat as he suddenly felt that something was off. When would the government ever worry about disturbing the common people? They had always come up with excuses to collect taxes and force labor, never once mentioning "disturbing" anyone. Had the government changed its ways? Was it taking a softer approach?

  Li Wenjun shook his head and said, "If the government can change its nature, all the vicious dogs in the world will not eat shit again."

  There must be something wrong with this!

  Li Wenjun thought of the time he sent Wang Yonggui's head to the county government, previously his heart wasn't on this matter and didn't think there was a problem, but now the more he thinks about it, the more he feels that there is something fishy going on.

  The silver vault of the county government office should have more than a thousand taels of silver. If he didn't remember incorrectly, County Magistrate Wu Qi had cleverly created a pretext to collect a bandit-catching tax from the entire county in previous years. This single tax item alone could increase revenue by several thousand taels of silver every month throughout the year. Even if there were expenses, there should be quite a bit left over. There was no need for Wu Qi to request silver from the prefectural city.

  And this time, instead of choosing another time, he chose midnight, letting him go to the county government office, which is also very abnormal.

  In the mouths of the people of Sanshan County, Wu Qi was never a diligent and hardworking county official who worked day and night. How could Wu Qi possibly look at him with special favor, get up in the middle of the night just for him, and work for him?

  Thinking of this, Li Wenjun touched the dragon-headed goose feather knife hanging from his waist and a cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. This time, Wu Qi honestly gave him the silver and promised to publicly announce his merits to all the people in the county, but if Wu Qi dared to play any tricks on him, he would make Wu Qi regret coming into this world.

  Li Wenjun was also a man of great artistic talent and boldness, knowing that there might be a trap in the county yamen, he still followed the bailiff to the county yamen without making any noise.

  The black gate of the county government was wide open, and there were no guards standing outside. Two wind lanterns emitted a dim yellow light, making the gate of the county government seem like an open bloody mouth, like the jaws of a beast waiting to devour people.

  The servant made a "please" gesture and said: "Young Master Li, the old master is waiting for you in the second hall, please go quickly."

  "Could there be assassins hiding inside?" Li Wenjun stood at the door, took a look inside, and then suddenly asked the officer.

  The yamen runner's words made Li Wenjun's heart skip a beat, and his face turned slightly pale. He forced himself to calm down and said, "Young Master Li is a great hero who has rid the people of a great evil. The old master wants to reward you, how could he possibly lay an ambush with knives and axes? Young Master Li, please come quickly, don't keep the old master waiting."

  Li Wenjun nodded, he held his head high and strode over the threshold of the county government gate. He seemed to be careless, but secretly he had increased his vigilance, relying on his eyes being able to see dozens of feet in the dark night, he constantly sized up possible hiding places, at the same time, his ears perked up, capturing every suspicious movement.

  As a cultivator in the second layer of Qi Refining, it's hard for ordinary people to harm him, but hard doesn't mean impossible. If someone sets up a deadly trap in the county government, like Wang Yonggui did, they can still make Li Wenjun suffer greatly.

  Li Wenjun walked through the gate and hadn't gone far when he heard a loud clang, the county government's gate closed. He turned his head to look back, then looked at the bailiff who accompanied him and said: "What does this mean?"

  The servant smiled and said: "Just now the gate was open, it was specially for welcoming you, Li Gongzi. Since you have arrived, the gate will naturally be closed. Don't worry, when you want to leave, we will definitely open the gate again for you, and won't delay your business."

  Li Wenjun smiled and nodded, saying: "I hope what you're saying is true. Also, I hope that before you deceive me, you think about Wang Yonggui's head. If you don't want to be with Wang Yonggui, then you need to learn how to treat people sincerely."

  The yamen runner shuddered violently, feeling like a wild beast was staring at him. Cold sweat broke out on his back in an instant. He forced a smile and said: "Young Master Li, you're being too cautious. Why would I cheat you? Hehe, let's hurry up and go, don't keep the old master waiting anxiously."

  The official smiled dryly and urged Li Wenjun to hurry up, he just wanted to quickly bring Li Wenjun in front of Wu Qi, finish the task as soon as possible. Following the suspicious Li Wenjun, his life was at risk.

  Li Wenjun followed the bailiff around the main hall of the county government office and arrived at the second hall.

  In the two halls, the light was dim, and only on the public case was a placed a gauze lamp, which blocked more than half of the already not very bright candlelight.

  Wu Qidian sat behind the public case, with a row of yamen runners standing on either side of the hall, each holding a water and fire killing club, their faces expressionless.

  Normally, the light was so dim that it would be hard for anyone to see the faces of the yamen runners clearly. But Li Wenjun's situation was special and he saw all their faces very clearly. He didn't recognize any of these yamen runners; they were not among the few he had seen on the day he brought Wang Yonggui's head.

  This is very abnormal. The number of yamen runners in the county government office is fixed, just that many. One or two are not inside, it can be understood, but it's impossible for everyone to be absent, this doesn't make sense.

  There is indeed a cat in here.

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