Meng Huaining looked over and then ordered: “Meng An, the Cui family members have all arrived, read it out!”
Meng An took out a thick stack of papers from his bosom, and stood in front of the Cui family to read aloud.
"Cui Fugui, head of the Cui clan, holds an official position in Xiling village. He abused his power and used his nephew Cui Wen's connections to extort twenty-five acres of good land from the Zhao and Zhou clans. He exploited the Zhao and Zhou clans as forced labor, and allowed his clansmen to bully and plunder.
Now there is ironclad evidence. Considering his old age, the county magistrate has exempted him from fifty heavy beatings and sentenced him to ten years in jail starting today..."
As soon as Meng An finished speaking, the Cui clan members began wailing.
"Your Honor, we are wronged!"
"All of you shut up!" Along with the crisp sounds of whips striking human bodies, the cries of the Cui clan were immediately silenced.
Seeing the surroundings had quieted down, Meng An continued reading:
"Starting today, the Cui clan must compensate the Zhao and Zhou clans 280 taels of silver within three days."
There were also compensations for others which he didn't need to read out. In other words, the Cui clan had to compensate more people than just what they heard.
At this, the Cui clan was completely shocked again.
280 taels? Where could they get so much silver?
"Your Honor, please show mercy. Our old man is now in jail, and my sons have not returned. There are only us old people, women and children left in the family. We cannot come up with so much silver..."
Meng An sneered at the old woman who had shouted. Judging by her tone, she was probably Cui Fugui's mother-in-law.
"Don't worry, there are also fines for your sons. I will tell you the full amount after I have finished reading everything."
Upon hearing this, the old woman was so shocked she fainted on the spot.
Several daughters-in-law quickly helped her up and knelt before Meng Huaining, tearfully begging for mercy.
But the Cui clan's crimes were too grave, and no matter how piteously they wept, they would not be forgiven.
Without needing Meng Huaining's orders, the yamen runners stepped forward to maintain order. When the women no longer dared to wail loudly, Meng An continued to announce the Cui clan's punishments.
Cui Fugui's sons had also committed many misdeeds. In addition to jail time, they also had to compensate the Zhao and Zhou clans 100 taels.
Not a single Cui clansman who had done wrong was spared. Those who deserved jail time were jailed, and those who owed compensation paid it.
This news was extremely gratifying for the Zhao and Zhou clan members.
Finally, they would no longer be oppressed by the Cui clan, and could even obtain due compensation.
The crowd knelt before Meng Huaining in unison, ceaselessly shouting, "Blue Sky Magistrate!"
Judging by their reaction, if shouting "Long Live" wasn't taboo, they would have shouted it several times.
Meng Huaining gestured for the commoners to stand.
"I'm just doing my official duty, no need for such courtesy."
Then he turned towards the Cui clan and said loudly, "If you cannot hand over the fines within three days, your houses and land will be confiscated as payment."
The Cui clan had thought that since they couldn't take out the silver, the county magistrate could do nothing to them.
They didn't expect the county magistrate to be so decisive as to confiscate their houses and land as compensation.
Now the Cui clan was truly dumbfounded. The silver they had extorted had been slowly frittered away. Where could they find so much silver for compensation now?
If they didn't pay compensation, their houses and land would be sold off. How would they survive after that?
Thinking of this, the Cui clan members knelt before Meng Huaining.
"County Magistrate, have mercy on us. Please spare us..."
Meng Huaining looked coldly at them.
"You should have thought of today before doing those misdeeds. Wrongdoings must be punished accordingly."
After speaking, he flicked his robe sleeves and turned to find Mo Jiuye.
"Brother Jiu, Sister-in-law, it's still early today. I hope I'm not intruding by visiting your home?"
How could Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran possibly refuse such a thing?
"You are most welcome."
Meng Huaining ordered the yamen runners to carry out their duties, while he went with Meng An to the Mo house.
After the county magistrate and yamen runners left, the Cui clan members returned home, faces full of grief, to think of ways to raise the silver fines. Seeing there was no more spectacle, the Zhao and Zhou clan members also returned home.
When Meng Huaining came visiting, the Mo family naturally had to treat him well.
Fortunately He Zhiran had recently gotten many new and exotic foods from the foreigners. Whipping up a table of proper dishes was no trouble at all.
He Zhiran went with the women to prepare food, while Mo Jiuye and Mo Chuhan accompanied Meng Huaining in the room to chat.
Meng Huaining looked around the Mo family's current lodgings. Though the house was a little shabby, at least it could keep out wind and rain.
"Elder Brothers, is your family comfortably settled here?"
"It's great here. Other than the Cui clan, the other two clans are very amiable. Compared to the gossip and drama of the capital, this place is much more peaceful." Mo Jiuye said.
"Elder Brother speaks true. I also aspire to such a life."
Meng Huaining was speaking his true thoughts. If not for his whole family's hopes resting on him, he would be too lazy to work for such an incompetent emperor.
He turned to Mo Chuhan and asked, "When will Eldest Brother finish handling affairs back home? My yamen is short on manpower since I just arrived in Yuncheng."
Mo Chuhan had originally thought to stay home longer to help his younger brother and sister-in-law.
But he could see that his younger brother and sister-in-law were extremely capable in handling matters, and didn't really need his help at all.
Since that was the case, it would be better to report for duty at the yamen earlier. No matter how little, he could still earn some income for the family. Also, the position of Chief Constable was a supervisor role in the yamen and came with some status. Having such an identity would help the family in many ways.
"If Brother Meng needs me, I can report for duty anytime."
Meng Huaining was overjoyed to hear this. "In that case, Eldest Brother, come to the yamen tomorrow to report in. I'll have Meng An make all the arrangements."
"Alright, I'll be there on time tomorrow morning."
After settling Mo Chuhan's employment, Mo Jiuye brought up the mountain and the wastelands up north.
"Brother Meng, I have one more matter to trouble you with."
Meng Huaining politely replied, "No trouble at all. Brother Jiu, just tell me anything I can help with. As long as it's within my ability, I will certainly assist you."
"Let me be frank, my wife and I have our eyes on the mountain behind the village, as well as some of the wastelands. We wish to purchase them."
Meng Huaining knew the Mo family had already bought quite a bit of land from the villagers, as he had personally helped process the paperwork.
At the time, he wondered why the Mo family, with just over a dozen people, mostly women, were buying so much farmland. How could they work it all?
Not only that, the Mo family had also purchased many dilapidated compounds.
In Meng Huaining's opinion, even if they had money to spare, such spending was frivolous.
Later, he conjectured for himself that the Mo family was buying so much land in order to hire laborers to farm it, just like those wealthy households with their manors and estates. All were worked by hired hands rather than the owners themselves.
Therefore, the Mo family must have similar ideas for buying up so much land.
