You Are in Big Trouble

A court officer quickly ran to the sedan chair's entrance, lifted the curtain, and the magistrate, dressed in official robes, descended slowly, exuding authority.

With such a high-ranking fifth-rank official standing there, the villagers, fearful of authority, lowered their heads and shrank back silently.

Zhang Zhuzi also lowered his head, but seeing the magistrate's imposing presence, his eyes turned red with envy, thinking to himself how great it must be to be an official, so majestic!

Thinking that he, Zhang Zhuzi, would soon become the village chief, he felt a little excited inside!

At this moment, Director Zhang was feeling quite smug, thinking to himself that he was a scholar who often dealt with officials, very different from these timid commoners!

So Director Zhang immediately straightened his back, approached the magistrate, cupped his hands, and said, "Magistrate, you just saw it, this group of unruly villagers openly beat the scholar; it's clearly contempt for the court. Magistrate, you must punish them severely!"

The magistrate glanced at Director Zhang and said, "Scholar Zhang, what are you doing here?"

Director Zhang, seeing the magistrate speak to him personally, felt very proud. He rolled his eyes at Su Li and Zhang Mu, and said to the magistrate, "Magistrate, this is the situation: the new village chief of Haizi Village is my distant nephew. He took office today, so I came to congratulate him."

After Director Zhang finished speaking, Zhang Zhuzi quickly stepped forward, smiling broadly: "I pay my respects to the magistrate!"

The magistrate glanced at Zhang Zhuzi with disdain in his heart, but being a seasoned official, he did not show it.

Zhang Zhuzi, feeling that the magistrate had actually looked him in the eye, thought to himself that he was truly valued! Could it be that the magistrate came to the village to personally appoint him as village chief!?

Zhang Zhuzi immediately felt like he was floating on air. Seeing the villagers’ fearful expressions toward the magistrate, he thought, "If the villagers fear me like this, how dignified that would be!"

"Magistrate, you personally came to appoint me village chief today; I am truly honored!" Zhang Zhuzi was ecstatic, bowing and scraping before the magistrate, pointing at Su Li, Zhang Mu, and the others. "Your honor, look at these unruly villagers who gathered others and beat me like this!"

Zhang Zhuzi pointed at his face and leaned in to show the magistrate.

The magistrate looked at his face, swollen like a pig's, and frowned in disgust.

Director Zhang fanned the flames, pointing at Su Li: "Magistrate, it's this unchaste village woman! A woman behaving outrageously, she set up some chaotic academy in the village and incited the villagers to beat people! You must stand up for us, sir!"

"Right, and that Zhang Mu, he led the beating!" Zhang Zhuzi jumped behind Director Zhang, pointing at Zhang Mu with a smug look: "Zhang Mu, no matter how tough you are, you can't win against the magistrate. If you dare lay a finger on me again, just try it!"

"Enough!" The magistrate was utterly annoyed by these two flies buzzing around, and shouted loudly, scaring Director Zhang and Zhang Zhuzi into silence immediately.

The magistrate walked up to Zhang Mu, scrutinized him from head to toe, and said, "Are you Zhang Mu, a villager of Haizi Village?"

Zhang Mu cupped his fists, neither humble nor arrogant, and said, "Reporting to your honor, this humble villager is Zhang Mu."

The magistrate stroked his beard, quite impressed with Zhang Mu's attitude, thinking to himself that no wonder the young lord insisted on appointing Zhang Mu as village chief—he truly was a remarkable person.

Meanwhile, Zhang Zhuzi, though unwilling to speak, was making gestures at Zhang Mu with a smug face, mouthing: "You're doomed!"