#151: Uncovering the Truth

Upon hearing this, Yunyi nodded repeatedly and followed Qi Shi to the county office with Wu Laosan. Upon entering, they saw Li Shimin, Duan Zhiming, Magistrate Qin, Feng Cheng’s family, Li Feng, Lu Sheng, and others gathered.

Seeing them enter, Feng Cheng’s eyes flickered with malice as he bowed and asked, “May I ask, Second Young Master, why have we been summoned here?”

Li Shimin ignored him and exchanged a glance with Magistrate Qin, who nodded in understanding before turning his stern gaze to Lu Sheng. “How many years have you served in the county office?”

Hearing this, Lu Sheng hastily rose and replied, “To answer my lord, this humble servant has served for seven years.”

“Seven years…” Magistrate Qin nodded thoughtfully. “Longer than my tenure here.” His expression suddenly turned cold as he barked, “Lu Sheng, do you know your crimes?!”

Ever since seeing Feng Cheng and Li Feng earlier, Lu Sheng had sensed something was amiss. Now, under Magistrate Qin’s rebuke, his entire body trembled. Still, he forced himself to remain calm and replied, “I don’t know what crime you’re accusing me of.”

Magistrate Qin’s voice was icy. “This official has uncovered your collusion with Li Feng and Feng Cheng to tamper with the household registry for personal gain. If you confess now, I may show leniency. Otherwise, you will face severe punishment!”

Lu Sheng’s face turned pale. “My lord, there must be some mistake. How could I possibly commit such an offense?”

“So you deny it?” Faced with Magistrate Qin’s accusation, Lu Sheng clenched his teeth and replied, “I truly haven’t done anything wrong. Please, my lord, see the truth!”

Feng Cheng interjected, “My lord, I’ve always abided by the law. I barely know Chief Clerk Lu—how could we possibly collude?”

Li Shimin finally spoke. “You may not be familiar with him, but Li Feng is. After failing to frame Wu Laosan previously, you harbored resentment. Upon learning of the conscription order, you bribed Lu Sheng through Li Feng to alter the household registry, changing Wu Laosan’s age from fifty to forty-nine. This placed him within the conscription range. Furthermore, Lu Sheng altered the ages of several wealthier households to gain even more profit.”

Feng Cheng sneered. “As Second Young Master puts it, it sounds convincing. However, I assure you—I did no such thing.”

Li Feng added, “Though Second Young Master holds great authority, he cannot falsely accuse people without evidence.”

Magistrate Qin scoffed. “So stubborn until death stares you in the face.” With that, he commanded, “Bring it in, and bring those people as well.”

At his command, two constables struggled to carry in a large tray laden with over fifty strings of copper coins, along with some gold and silver jewelry. Accompanying them were several frightened individuals—young men and elderly men around Wu Laosan’s age.

Upon seeing them, Lu Sheng’s face turned ashen. Trembling violently like a leaf in the autumn wind, he could no longer sit still.

The newcomers immediately knelt before Magistrate Qin. “Mercy, my lord! We acted out of desperation. We acknowledge our mistakes and beg for your forgiveness.”

Magistrate Qin glared at them. “If you admit your guilt, then speak the truth!”

At his words, the group promptly confessed how Lu Sheng had hinted they could alter their ages to avoid conscription. In return, they sold valuable possessions to bribe him. Collectively, they paid about thirty strings of coins.

Lu Sheng stammered, “My lord, don’t listen to their lies! Tampering with the household registry is a capital offense. How could I possibly do such a thing? They must have been bribed by someone else to slander me.”

“Is that so?” Magistrate Qin sneered, pointing at the pile of coins. “Then explain—why does your home contain so much money? Your monthly salary is barely over one string of coins. Have you lived all these years without eating or spending a single coin? And where did these gold and silver ornaments come from?”

“Your humble servant… your humble servant…” Lu Sheng broke into a sweat under the questioning. Before he could respond, Magistrate Qin bellowed, “Lu Sheng, even now, do you still refuse to confess?!”

Already trembling with fear, Lu Sheng collapsed to his knees upon being shouted at. Panicking, he pleaded, “Mercy, my lord! I acted foolishly, swayed by Li Feng’s instigation. I committed a grave error—I beg for your compassion!”

“Speak the truth!” Under Magistrate Qin’s harsh rebuke, Lu Sheng dared not hide any longer. He confessed, “About a month ago, shortly after the conscription order was issued, Li Feng approached me. He asked me to alter someone’s birth year by reducing it by one year. Knowing it was a capital offense, I naturally refused and drove him away. A few days later, he returned, suggesting we gamble together. Thinking nothing of it, I agreed. At first, I won quite a bit, but later, I kept losing. Not only did I lose all my money, but I also owed him three strings of coins, which he demanded I repay within ten days—or he’d cause trouble at the county office and ruin my position as chief clerk. My monthly salary barely covers my expenses, leaving no surplus. Desperate, I caved when Li Feng revisited his earlier request. He promised not only to cancel my debt but also to give me thirty strings of coins, even more. I knew I’d fallen into his trap, but… it was too late. I had no choice but to agree.”

Magistrate Qin glanced at Li Feng, whose expression remained calm, and asked, “The person whose age you altered—was it Wu Laosan’s birth year?”

“Yes,” Lu Sheng admitted hurriedly. “Later, when he learned I planned to recopy the household registry, he suggested altering the ages of several wealthier households on the verge of conscription eligibility. Greedy, I… I agreed.” Turning to Li Feng, he accused, “All of this was his scheme! I was merely a pawn—he’s the mastermind!”

“And where is the original household registry now?” Yunyi urgently asked. This was her primary concern. Only by retrieving the original record could they prove Wu Laosan had already passed fifty, thereby exempting him from conscription.

Lu Sheng pointed at Li Feng. “As soon as I finished copying it, he took it, saying it wasn’t safe with me.”

Magistrate Qin glared at Li Feng, his voice heavy with disappointment. “You once served in the county office. How could you commit such an act?”

Li Feng’s jaw twitched as he gritted his teeth. “Precisely because I once served in the county office, I had to act. If I were still a constable today, I wouldn’t be included in this conscription. I wouldn’t have to fight this accursed war. All of this is thanks to Wu Laosan. Tell me, how could I let him go unpunished?!”

Li Shimin coldly remarked, “You couldn’t possibly have amassed so much money alone. Surely, a significant portion of those thirty strings came from Feng Cheng, didn’t it?”