Chapter 187: The Truth Revealed

When all the progress returned to the body itself.

Just back at the County Government Office, Mo Xiaobai called the clerk who had stayed late with Guo Yuan to his side. After asking a bit about the appearance of the Zhou brothers, the answer quickly confirmed his guess.

The two brothers were similar in build, and their looks and voices were alike.

The only difference was that Zhou Ding had a clear scar on his left forehead, while the former County Magistrate Zhou Yi did not.

“A scar, a scar.”

“When I went to the Zhou family, a cloth covered his head, so you couldn’t see it. But this just shows he was hiding something. Also, their bellies. There must be another difference between the two brothers, something obvious like the scar, a distinct physical feature.”

“So, the person who died that night was not County Magistrate Zhou Yi, but his older brother, Zhou Ding. The person now lying in the inner courtyard of the Zhou Family is the real County Magistrate Zhou Yi. This also explains why the County Commandant returned without hesitation, because the one who ordered his return was his own superior, a thief hiding with thieves!”

When the final judgment appeared in his mind, Mo Xiaobai even drew a sharp breath.

It was just a Small Town Instance Quest. Was the Intellect Brain really making it this complicated?

Unlicensed killing, plus a substitute to escape.

Mo Xiaobai felt his brain cells were about to collapse from being toyed with by the Intellect Brain.

“In my past life, I had already heard that the strongest Small Town Instances with Comprehensive Characteristics were much harder than those with single Characteristics. Now I see it is absolutely true. Back then, when I was messing around with the Fatty and his Territory, it wasn’t this difficult. We finished the task in less than two days.”

Thinking of some experiences from his past life, Mo Xiaobai could only shake his head helplessly.

Choosing Comprehensive Characteristics was his own decision. Encountering a high-difficulty Instance was something he could have expected.

After all, even if Mo Xiaobai got a chance to choose again, he would still choose Comprehensive Characteristics. This was not just because of the comprehensiveness of Comprehensive Characteristics, but because Mo Xiaobai deeply knew that Comprehensive Characteristics would evolve into Metropolis Characteristics when the town upgraded to a city.

And Metropolis Characteristics were one of the necessary conditions for upgrading to a Prefecture City in the future.

If he did not choose Comprehensive Characteristics but only chose various single Characteristics, the limit would be a County City at level three. It would never rise to a Prefecture City.

As for the Wang City and the Imperial City, there would be no hope.

…

The next day, on the third day of the six entering the Instance.

Mo Xiaobai did not choose to work at the County Government Office. Instead, he moved all his office supplies to an open space in the center of the city.

Dozens of Soldiers guarded the surroundings, and all the important prisoners were personally escorted by Li Ji.

At the same time, Mo Xiaobai also had “Zhou Ding” “invited” out.

“Before we hear the case of the former County Magistrate Zhou Yi’s murder, I want to settle an account with the villagers present today.”

“An account owed by the County Government Office!”

Mo Xiaobai sat in the central position. After speaking, he looked toward Guo Yuan on the side. Seeing this, Guo Yuan immediately nodded and continued: “Ziwu County is a large county in Xu Commandery. All the townships, all the Ting, and the residents inside the city total 3,132 households, amounting to 17,633 people.”

“Today, I, Yuan, will speak on behalf of My Lord to announce to you all how much tax you have paid over the years.”

“Chen Ergou, from Da Liu Village in Quhe Township, paid 5 hu of grain in the spring of this year, and 8 hu in autumn of last year…”

“Chen Yan, from Da Liu Village in Quhe Township, paid 4 hu of grain in the spring of this year…”

“Chen Xiao, from Da Liu Village in Quhe Township, paid 4 hu of grain in the spring of this year…”

…

As Guo Yuan read out the work of the past two days word by word, many onlookers around fell silent.

For these years, Ziwu County had indeed taken away too much money and grain from on their heads.

Some paid in grain, while some merchants paid in money. And this list, if read one by one, would take a whole day to finish.

So at first, Guo Yuan explained every tax payment to the County Government Office very clearly. But after reading for half an hour, Mo Xiaobai could not bear to listen anymore and directly told Guo Yuan to report the total for each person.

Even so, it took from morning until noon. Three people had to take turns before the reading was finally finished.

“You might feel strange why I am bringing up old accounts with you instead of announcing the result of Zhou Yi’s death.”

Finally, after Guo Yuan finished reading the tax record of the last person, Mo Xiaobai gave a deep look around the crowd: “Now I tell you this. Compared to a person who is already dead, living people are actually more important.”

“These oppressive taxes were collected by the County Government Office. As the current County Magistrate, I must accept this account. However, although I accept the debt, I will never treat my people as I did in the past. In fact, I will help you all get back that old account!”

“Guards, arrest Zhou Ding now!”

With Mo Xiaobai’s loud command, Li Guang, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately stepped forward. He pushed away all the Zhou family servants, grabbed Zhou Ding by the neck, and dragged him before Mo Xiaobai:

“My Lord, the person is brought here!”

“What are you doing? My Lord, what are you doing?”

Zhou Ding had not expected Mo Xiaobai to do this. First, he just talked about old cases without saying anything, then he said nothing about the crime, and directly grabbed him out.

Watching Zhou Ding struggle and speak in front of him, a cold smile appeared on Mo Xiaobai’s face: “What am I doing? I should ask you, Zhou Ding, what do you want to do? Or should I change my title? County Magistrate Zhou Yi, My Lord, what do you want to do?”

“Harassing the countryside, lying to superiors. Seeing that the paper no longer covers the fire, you played this trick of the golden cicada shedding its shell? You wanted your older brother to die for you, so that even if things went badly, you could be a rich man for the rest of your life?”

“Take the cloth off his head!”

After Mo Xiaobai finished speaking, Li Guang pulled it off, revealing a fresh scar on Zhou Yi’s forehead that had not yet fully peeled off.

“Heh~ Is this a scar you forged?”

Looking at the guy before him, Mo Xiaobai chuckled twice: “For these past few days, you deliberately hid and refused to see people. You even refused to see your own steward. What are you afraid of? Giving your youngest son to the dead? Are you guilty?”

“Now that both human and physical evidence are in place, you have no way to argue. Today, I am holding court not for anyone else.”

“It is you, Zhou Yi!”

As Mo Xiaobai’s loud voice spread around, all the residents of Ziwu County present were stunned.

County Magistrate Zhou Yi, who had been dead for many days, was actually still alive?

The one who died was actually Zhou Ding?

Immediately, as one witness after another took the stage, Miss Yun was the first to tell everything. She joined in because she was used by Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi had promised her that after the matter, he would buy her freedom.

Next, the night watchman also had to confess. Helping to give false testimony that day was ordered by the County Commandant.

County Commandant He Yin had nothing good to confess because he was already in league with Zhou Yi. He had taken a big share of the money collected.

The last person was Zhou Yi. Originally, Zhou Ding should have been added, but since Zhou Ding was already dead, all the accounts of the Zhou Family naturally fell on Zhou Yi.

And the core mastermind of the corruption forces in the entire County City was, indeed, Zhou Yi!

For the trial of this group of people, Mo Xiaobai had no hesitation. After all, it was just an Instance Quest. Of course, he would do whatever raised the Populace Sentiment the most.

Beheading and confiscation of property!