Chapter 1395: Chapter 1395: Too Stupid

County Magistrate Fang didn’t believe it and said to the Government Official, "Use torture!"

"Yes." The squad of Government Officials who had come with Tianfu County immediately pinned Liu Tianbao down and gave him a fierce beating.

Liu Tianbao was beaten so miserably that in the end he couldn’t take it anymore and could only shout, "Spare my life, my lord, I’ll tell the truth, please stop hitting me!"

If they kept beating him, he’d die.

Only then did County Magistrate Fang have the Government Officials stop and say in a deep voice, "Speak!"

Liu Tianbao recounted the ins and outs of the matter, not a bit different from what the sisters Bai Chunge and Bai Qiuge had said.

After hearing this, County Magistrate Fang let out a breath of relief. He really had been afraid he might save the wrong people. "Do you have the indentures of Bai Chunge’s whole family on you?"

Liu Tianbao nodded. "Y-yes, yes, they’re in the inner pocket of this lowly one’s underclothes, my lord, have someone take them."

The Fang family housekeeper immediately stepped forward, searched Liu Tianbao’s inner pocket, found the indentures of Bai Chunge’s family, and handed them to County Magistrate Fang.

After looking them over, County Magistrate Fang returned the indentures to Old Man Bai. "Take these, go to the government office to have your slave status removed; your whole family will then be on the good register. From now on you can decide your own affairs and won’t be bullied again."

But Old Man Bai said, "My lord, it was you who saved this old slave’s family. I beg you to take us in and let our whole family serve you as servants."

He added, "Our family has been servants all our lives, we have no house or land, and don’t know where to settle. The world is in chaos now, and my two granddaughters are both good-looking. Without someone to rely on, even if we’re on the good register, we’ll end up being plotted against and killed. I beg my lord to have mercy and take in our family."

The second son Bai and his wife, Bai’s three grandsons, as well as the Bai Chunge sisters all knelt down and kowtowed to County Magistrate Fang, begging him to take them in. "My lord, please take our whole family. We are used to doing servant work and will attend to your household with all our hearts."

"This..." County Magistrate Fang found it difficult, but Old Man Bai’s words made a lot of sense. Times were chaotic now; even ordinary households struggled to get by. If you added two beautiful granddaughters on top of that, they were like meat on the chopping block, ready to be slaughtered at any time.

Seeing that County Magistrate Fang seemed inclined to take this family in, Gu Jin’an hurriedly tugged at Young Master Dou’s sleeve.

Young Master Dou jerked his sleeve back and glared at Gu Jin’an: What the hell are you tugging for? If that surnamed Fang is this stupid, let him get duped; I don’t feel like saving him.

However, Gu Jin’an felt this matter wasn’t so simple. He clasped his hands toward him, putting on a full show of earnest pleading.

Young Master Dou finally spoke and said to County Magistrate Fang, "Lord Fang, we still have to hurry back to He’an Prefecture. The weather’s cold and the road far; it’s inconvenient to bring their whole family with us. The Dou Family has a Manor nearby. Why don’t I take their family in and send them to the Manor to work?"

Young Master Dou’s suggestion could be said to be the best of both worlds, but Old Man Bai panicked and hurriedly said, "Young master, thank you for your kindness, but Lord Fang is the lifesaving benefactor of this old slave’s family. Though we are servants, we understand the principle of repaying grace. We still wish to serve Lord Fang as servants to repay his kindness."

Repay his kindness?

Young Master Dou chuckled. "Heh, for a servant you’re quite well-spoken."

Old Man Bai didn’t respond to him and instead continued to plead with County Magistrate Fang. "My lord, please give this old slave’s family a chance to repay our debt. If we cannot repay the grace of saving our lives, this old man will die with his eyes open even after death."

Young Master Dou: "..."

Impressive, he even trotted out the line about dying with his eyes open; clearly a wily old fox.

Old Man Bai’s hair was completely white. An old man kneeling and begging County Magistrate Fang like this, even saying he would die with his eyes open if he couldn’t repay the favor, made it impossible for County Magistrate Fang to harden his heart and refuse.

But just as he was about to agree, Gu Jin’an said, "My lord, we’ve been out for too long. Why don’t we go and inform Lord Tang first, lest he grow anxious waiting?"

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Gu Jin’an was only a Scholar. If he directly told County Magistrate Fang that he might be falling for a trap, it would surely hurt County Magistrate Fang’s pride. Better to have County Magistrate Fang go to see Lord Tang.

Lord Tang was smart. Once he heard about this, he would surely point it out bluntly. And since County Magistrate Fang’s rank was much lower than Lord Tang’s, even if he were scolded as an idiot to his face, he wouldn’t dare get angry.

After hearing this, County Magistrate Fang furrowed his brows, but still nodded in agreement. "Very well, let’s go see Lord Tang first."

Gu Jin’an did not go, and instead looked at Young Master Dou.

Young Master Dou was furious, feeling like he was the Gu Family People’s wet nurse, yet he could only say, "Lord Fang, I’ll accompany you. Let Gu Jin’an stay and keep an eye on them."

People care about saving face. If Deputy Magistrate Tang scolded County Magistrate Fang harshly and a peasant Scholar like Gu Jin’an were present, County Magistrate Fang would likely lose face.

If County Magistrate Fang bore a grudge, that would be a hidden danger for the Gu Family.

"All right." County Magistrate Fang agreed, and left the small grove with Young Master Dou to see Deputy Magistrate Tang.

Deputy Magistrate Tang had been waiting for so long that he was already somewhat annoyed. After hearing County Magistrate Fang out, he was even angrier. He sized up County Magistrate Fang and said, "Zian, have you considered that in this desolate wilderness, for such a group of people to suddenly appear, might it not be that someone has long planned this, just waiting for us to fall into their pit?"

County Magistrate Fang froze for a moment, then quickly said, "My lord, this subordinate did consider that. But this subordinate has examined Bai Chunge’s family’s indentures; they are stamped with the official seal of Tong’an Prefecture government office and record the Bai Family from Prefecture city. They clearly are not counterfeit bandits posing as roadside robbers."

Deputy Magistrate Tang: "..."

How could this Fang Zian be this stupid?

Picking up people off the roadside and daring to bring them home—does he think he has too many lives or wants to stir up trouble for his family?

Or is it that he wants to play the hero rescuing a beauty?

"Zian, people you meet on the road can’t be trusted. Just listen to Young Master Dou and send them to the Dou’s Mansion." Deputy Magistrate Tang couldn’t be bothered lecturing County Magistrate Fang and directly made the decision. "The Dou Family is wealthy, and we are on familiar terms with Young Master Dou; he won’t harm them. Let’s do it this way."

Young Master Dou thought to himself: Hey now, Lord Tang, don’t praise me. I have no intention of keeping that bunch of people with unclear backgrounds; I’ll just have the Dou Family Shadow Guards turn around and sell them off later.

Seeing Deputy Magistrate Tang’s firm attitude, County Magistrate Fang, as his subordinate, did not dare disobey and nodded. "Yes, this subordinate obeys."

Deputy Magistrate Tang nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand. "Hurry up and take care of it. Once it’s settled, we can be on our way."

"Yes." County Magistrate Fang and Young Master Dou returned to the small grove.

Seeing County Magistrate Fang’s gloomy face and Young Master Dou’s look of enjoying the show, Gu Jin’an knew the matter was settled.

Old Man Bai’s heart sank at the sight. So it wasn’t going to work?

If their master found out, they’d be finished!

County Magistrate Fang said, "I am not from Tong’an Prefecture, but an official of He’an Prefecture. I’m here on a case and must rush back to report; I cannot bring too many people along. Old Bai, you and your family will go with Young Master Dou’s servants to the Dou’s Mansion."

"The Dou Family is an Imperial Merchant of Great Chu, with countless wealth. Following Young Master Dou, you can live a life of prosperity."

Old Man Bai was so stunned he didn’t even want to speak, but he quickly came back to his senses and answered, "This old slave obeys."

With that, he led his whole family to kneel down and kowtow to County Magistrate Fang, thanking him for his great kindness in saving their lives.

They then kowtowed to Young Master Dou, thanking him for his kindness in taking them in.

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