County Magistrate Tang had told the county constable and bailiffs during the investigation that they must prohibit spreading the origins of this matter.
With the portraits in hand, their investigation would be much easier. They could make up any excuse, such as thefts in a certain place, whether it was money or cattle that had been stolen. In any case, the two people in the portrait were responsible. They should capture them first, and finding the rest would be simple.
It just couldn’t be related to highway robbery.
If it was highway robbery, then they would be bandits.
Yizhou had just settled down, and now bandits were robbing travelers and merchants on the roads outside Yizhou City, creating panic. Could he still remain the county magistrate?
He had just seized a parcel of land from the Ying Family and others, and there were plenty of people who wanted to pull him down or drive him out of Yizhou City.
But he had not expected that the villages under his jurisdiction were so benighted that his officers could not even discover the two individuals.
County Magistrate Tang had asked Zhou SiLang carefully and confirmed that the act was done by someone very familiar with the highway.
There were three possibilities:
First, merchants who frequently traveled on that highway;
Second, displaced people who often roamed the highway;
Third, villagers from the nearby area.
Even if the merchants were poor, they would not covet Zhou SiLang’s carriage full of wheat seeds. Moreover, poor merchants generally traveled in groups of two or three. Groups of merchants capable of assembling ten or more people would care even less about Zhou SiLang’s modest business.
If it were displaced people, they would not just rob the wheat seeds; they would take the horse and cart as well.
Following the highway down into a smaller path, or for those who are more ruthless, they could kill Zhou SiLang and throw his body into the forest. If lady luck frowned upon him and his body was discovered within two or three days, they would be long gone.
If they sold the grain, cart, and horse elsewhere and split the money, they could blend into the displaced populace and go wherever they want.
Even if County Magistrate Tang eventually traced the cart and horse and could provide the Ministry of Justice with portraits of most of the suspects, thereby issuing a warrant for their arrest, finding a handful of people in the vast sea of humanity, especially among so many displaced people who had lost their household registrations, would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Only those with families and homes would worry about such things and not dare to steal something as conspicuous as the cart or horses.
Therefore, County Magistrate Tang could be sure that the perpetrators were villagers from the vicinity.
Yet, when the bailiffs with the portraits went to the village, they failed to uncover anything.
The two individuals surely couldn’t have sprung out from the cracks between stones. County Magistrate Tang knew he was facing the most difficult and frustrating situation he had encountered since he had started handling cases.
His father was formerly from the Ministry of Justice, and he had said that the cases he hated handling the most were those involving local people—a family, a clan, a village, or even a township against outsiders.
It would be something well known, and they would openly discuss it among themselves privately, but when officials went down to investigate, everyone from the village Chief to the youngest child would be tight-lipped, claiming ignorance.
It was all because they feared offending someone.
Before he left, his father had admonished him with two key points: one, when facing the powerful, be neither servile nor overbearing and always think of the common people under his jurisdiction. If handling a case, regardless of who the victims were, he must ensure proper redress for them;
Two, when dealing with villagers, village chiefs, and Chiefs who concealed case information, he needed to be measured in both leniency and severity. If he could handle them amicably and understand their perspective, that would be best.
Otherwise, he must not issue excessively harsh sentences.
At the time, County Magistrate Tang didn’t take these words seriously, not believing that people would obstruct the law enforcement for issues unrelated to themselves.
It was really quite infuriating.
So, County Magistrate Tang decided that since everyone was making things difficult for him, he would return the favor and make it difficult for all.
County Magistrate Tang, with a grave face, asked his steward to rest and then quietly summoned three bailiffs by name to come that very night.
"My lord!" The bailiffs bowed respectfully.
County Magistrate Tang nodded and asked, "If I remember correctly, you are all from Yanjia Bay and Dahua area, aren’t you?"
"Yes, you have a really good memory, my lord," the bailiffs complimented.
County Magistrate Tang gave a slight smile and asked, "Do you have any relatives around Dagong Ridge?"
The three bailiffs looked at each other and shook their heads, saying, "No, my lord. Yanjia Bay and Dahua are quite far from Dagong Ridge. We don’t have any relations or old acquaintances there."
County Magistrate Tang nodded in satisfaction and then said, "That’s excellent. I have a task for you."
County Magistrate Tang had them change into civilian clothes and lie in wait on the hills around Dagong Ridge to catch someone. Then he handed over the two portraits drawn by the artist.
The bailiffs quickly accepted them, looking at each other with concern in their faces.
They were aware of the important case County Magistrate Tang was currently handling.
After all, their County Governmental Office was only so large, with a limited number of people.
This was no easy case. Previously, when they went to the countryside to ask Chiefs, even if he knew nothing, he would actively help inquire among the villagers. But the ones who went this time encountered nothing but resistance.
Lately, the brothers handling this case were so angry. Rumor had it that even the county constable smashed a set of teacups, obviously livid.
A case that many could not handle, and it was left to the three of them, new recruits to the County Governmental Office who hadn’t been there for two years?
Indeed, these three bailiffs were very young. Not only were they young in age, but their service in the County Governmental Office was also short.
It was only after County Magistrate Tang’s arrival that they were recruited into the office.
After all, following the flood disaster, there were many bailiffs who died, fled, or disappeared.
The County Governmental Office was in dire need of people.
While County Magistrate Tang did not engage in factionalism, the three still considered themselves his men. So even though they felt the task was challenging, after some hesitation, they nodded in agreement.
Seeing this, County Magistrate Tang gave a small smile, his expression softened, and he encouraged them, "Don’t be afraid, you rarely appear around Dagong Ridge and are therefore fresh faces."
County Magistrate Tang said, "I don’t want you to go into those two or three villages. I’ve already had someone inquire for me. The villagers from the areas around Dagong Ridge like to go up to South Ridge and East Ridge to gather wood. Now, with the weather getting colder, every household needs a lot of firewood, and they are no exception."
"I will have Sun Da and his people withdraw from inside Dagong Ridge to look elsewhere. Once they relax their guard, they are bound to show up. When you see one of the individuals from the portraits, just swoop in and capture him," he continued.
County Magistrate Tang said, "I don’t need you to catch both, just getting one is enough."
One of the bailiffs couldn’t help but ask, "My lord, what if they come out in groups? I fear we might get killed by them before we even lay a hand on them."
Considering this case, the villagers were obviously very united. If they actually attempted to capture someone on the spot, especially dressed in civilian clothes, they would undoubtedly be mistaken for thieves and be killed.
By then, they would no longer be able to speak for themselves.
County Magistrate Tang glanced at them and said, "Can’t you just wait for someone to be alone before you catch him?"
He continued, "I am not concerned about timing. You can take three days or even five. All you need to do is keep a vigilant watch and gag them directly when capturing them. Just bring someone back, and I will credit you with a great merit."