Chapter 213 - 213 Comfort

213 Comfort

When the banquet ended, County Magistrate Liu was already drunk and was carried back.

Yu Niaoniao and Xiao Juan returned to their rooms and prepared to wash up and sleep. Because of their identities, the two of them slept in separate rooms. Xiao Juan was a little unhappy about this. He silently made another note of Prince Min and his son. It was all those two burdens!

Yu Niaoniao did not have any thoughts about sleeping alone. At this moment, she was still thinking about County Magistrate Liu. The more she thought about it, the more unhappy she became.

As an official, he did not care about the safety of the commoners and only thought about his future.

Such a person was not worthy of being an official!

She tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. Then she simply got up, put on her clothes, and pushed out.

She knocked on the door opposite.

Soon, the door was opened. Xiao Juan, who was wearing a thin middle shirt, looked down at her and asked.

“What happened?”

Yu Niaoniao said, “I have something to ask you.”

Xiao Juan turned around and let her enter the house.

Yu Niaoniao walked to the table and sat down.

“Can’t someone like County Magistrate Liu be disciplined?”

Xiao Juan sat down opposite her and said calmly, “Strictly speaking, County Magistrate Liu did not break the law. Our Justice Department cannot interfere rashly.”

Yu Niaoniao said, “But he watched as the commoners suffered and did nothing. And he still felt that he was very reasonable.”

Xiao Juan said, “That can only mean that he’s incompetent. At the end of the year, I can suggest that the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs give him a low grade, but even so, this can at most demote him.”

Hearing him finish, Yu Niaoniao was even angrier.

Xiao Juan poured her a glass of warm water and said slowly.

“In our Imperial Court, there are many officials like County Magistrate Liu. They didn’t make any major mistakes. They just did nothing.”

Yu Niaoniao argued, “Not only is County Magistrate Liu useless, but he’s also selfish!”

Xiao Juan said, “But who isn’t selfish? Officials are also humans, and they have selfish desires. You know the principle that if the water is too clear, there will be no fish.”

Yu Niaoniao glared at him. “You actually spoke up for County Magistrate Liu! Whose side are you on?”

Xiao Juan said helplessly, “I’m just telling the truth. If you don’t like it, I won’t say anything.”

Of course, Yu Niaoniao knew that Duke Lang was right, but she was still unhappy.

She complained aggrievedly, “I’m a girl. I came to tell you this in the middle of the night because I wanted you to comfort me. Instead, you’re being so philosophical.”

Xiao Juan did not expect her to blame him. However, looking at her angry and aggrieved expression, Xiao Juan could not help but soften his tone.

“I know what you’re angry about. I used to be like you. I would be very angry in the face of these things, but it turns out that anger is useless because you’ll find that there are many other bad things like this. If you insist on being angry about everything, you’ll be angered to death.”

Yu Niaoniao snorted. “Then what do you think we should do? Are we going to do nothing and let the local people continue to suffer?”

Xiao Juan stroked her little head. “Leave this to me. It’s getting late. Go to sleep, or you won’t be able to get up tomorrow morning.”

Yu Niaoniao was still very convinced by Duke Lang’s ability to do things.

She stood up. “If there’s anything you need from me, just let me know. I’ll definitely help.”

Xiao Juan stared at her and replied softly, “Okay.”

Seeing that he had been looking at her, Yu Niaoniao could not help but touch her cheek and ask in confusion.

“Is there something on my face?”

Xiao Juan said, “Nothing. I just think you’re very good.”

When he first met Yu Niaoniao, he felt that she was an ordinary little girl who was greedy and smart.

However, after spending some time with her, he gradually discovered more and more dazzling things about her. She had a photographic memory. She could learn anything at once.

Although she cared a lot about money, she was always generous when it came to serious matters. She could easily teach others skills that were extremely precious, and she could derive joy from such sharing and communication.

She also had a sense of justice. She would help those in trouble and fight for justice.

Be it ability, character, or morals, she was very good.

Yu Niaoniao smiled shyly. “Thank you. I think I’m fine too.”

Xiao Juan was speechless.

He sent her back to her room, before calling for Meng Xizhou to give him instructions.

“Send someone to investigate the cases that County Magistrate Liu has handled since he was in office. Pick out all the cases with problems and give them to me.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Meng Xizhou accepted the order and left.

Xiao Juan blew out the candle and returned to bed to rest.

He had seen many officials like County Magistrate Liu. These people were timid and usually did not make any big mistakes, but there were definitely small mistakes.

The truth was as Xiao Juan had expected. Many of the cases that County Magistrate Liu had handled were left unsettled.

Meng Xizhou placed a pile of dossiers on the table.

“These cases were all tried by County Magistrate Liu. In the end, the plaintiff either withdrew the lawsuit or the defendant ran away. Some people simply delayed the trial for a few years with insufficient evidence.”

Xiao Juan casually picked up a dossier and opened it.

The content of this case was actually very simple. A certain country squire doted on his concubine and even allowed her to bully his main wife. His main wife was harmed and miscarried. Not long after, his main wife died of illness.

When her family found out about this, they were furious and directly sued the country squire in court.

From the plaintiff’s confession, it could be seen that the main wife’s family was originally agitated and determined to sue to the end. They had to seek justice.

But halfway through, the plaintiffs suddenly withdrew their case.

County Magistrate Liu did not ask further and closed the case hurriedly.

Xiao Juan flipped through the defendant’s confession and the court trial records. It was not difficult to guess that the main wife’s family had most likely been forced to withdraw the lawsuit by the country squire.

And County Magistrate Liu clearly knew. However, he held onto the principle that it was better to avoid trouble and closed the case.

Xiao Juan tapped the defendant’s name in the dossier and said calmly.

“Go and check on this squire. It’s best if you can find out if he has any private dealings with County Magistrate Liu?”

Meng Xizhou accepted the order. “Yes!”

At this moment, Yu Niaoniao was painting someone.

Early this morning, someone came to the courier station to look for her, saying that they wanted her to help draw a portrait.

Yu Niaoniao went out and saw the young couple she had met on the official road yesterday.

Behind the young couple were more than ten people.

Their daughters or daughters-in-law had gone missing. When they heard that there was a young master in the courier station who could draw a portrait, they set off from home before dawn and rushed more than ten kilometers to the relay station.