Steward Zheng felt quite out of place, if it weren’t for San Lang’s reminder, he would have almost cried with them: "Alright, stop crying. Mrs. Gao Huang, follow the Government Officials back to your courtyard, and for this period you and your daughters-in-law will live together with your granddaughter."

This way, Mrs. Gao Huang could more easily send messages to people outside, transferring and hiding the silver.

"Much thanks to you, steward!" Mrs. Gao Huang bowed in gratitude to Steward Zheng along with her daughters-in-law and granddaughter.

Steward Zheng waved his hand, hurry up and go, enough with the thanks, remember to quickly send a message to the people outside, we’re still waiting to confiscate the silver you hid outside.

Squad Leader Jiang didn’t care much for Mrs. Gao Huang, always suspecting the old woman had some trick up her sleeve. He had the Government Officials herd them towards Mrs. Gao Huang’s yard, warned them a little, shut the courtyard gate, and left a group of Government Officials behind.

But in the end, this group of Government Officials was called away, their reason being: "It’s just a group of women and children, nothing to watch. The county government office is surrounded by villagers, it’s better for the brothers to follow Company Commander Qin back to guard the county government."

This message, passed along by a woman delivering food, reached Mrs. Gao Huang’s ears.

Mrs. Gao Huang was overjoyed, King Qin would leave, and most of the Government Officials would also be gone, leaving few people to watch them, giving her the opportunity to act.

Qin San Lang indeed didn’t stay long, he led the search of the Gao family, inventorying all belongings, and then took Gao Sanxiong, the family’s sons and grandsons, along with the Protector and gambling house thugs back to the county government.

Even Steward Zheng left.

But Steward Zheng was worried, asking Qin San Lang, "San Lang, if we leave like this, will Mrs. Gao Huang succeed in escaping with the silver?"

He had heard about Zou Hai of County Magistrate Zou’s Family using fake household registration to escape, and feared Mrs. Gao Huang might try the same trick.

Qin San Lang replied, "Don’t worry, Uncle Zheng, I’ve already arranged manpower, even if Mrs. Gao Huang has her own people, the ones I’ve arranged can capture them."

The Gao family is just a wealthy family in a small town, with limited manpower, definitely not more than the Zou family, so don’t worry.

Steward Zheng looked at the gambling house thugs captured, feeling very anxious, the thugs combined with the Protector numbered over eighty people.

This number almost matched the soldiers of the Military Office.

They were able to capture these people because San Lang was fierce, and those thugs were concerned about their families, otherwise there would surely have been a fierce battle.

Steward Zheng worried all the way back to the county.

County Magistrate Zheng had been waiting for them, upon hearing their return, he personally came out to greet them even though it was midnight, his first question was, "Where is the wealth confiscated from the Gao family?" 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Steward Zheng handed the list to County Magistrate Zheng, pointing to the two mule carts behind him: "It’s all here."

"Two mule carts? All silver?" County Magistrate Zheng frowned, yet asked eagerly, if it was two carts of silver, it would be considerable.

Well, Steward Zheng awkwardly said, "My lord, please have a look at the list first."

County Magistrate Zheng was obedient as he looked, and upon finishing, he directly kicked Gao Sanxiong: "Where did you hide the money?!"

A shady business, with only thirty-six hundred taels of silver in the home treasury, do you take me for a fool?

He then ordered, "Remove the cloth from his mouth, let him speak."

The Government Officials complied.

Once Gao Sanxiong could speak, he immediately cried out, "My lord, I truly have only this much wealth at home... Two residences, one hundred acres of irrigated fields, over one hundred acres of dry land, a gambling house, a cloth shop, plus over three thousand taels of silver, that’s already a lot in the countryside."

He chuckled: "I know my lord needs money, wants silver, but my family has only so much, there’s no more silver to conjure out for my lord."

His words insinuated that County Magistrate Zheng was framing him for money.

"Audacious, your crimes are proven, yet you dare say such entangling words to me, drag him into the government office, and use punishment!" County Magistrate Zheng was furious, fortunate it was midnight, and they came through the back door of the county government office, if it were daytime, and the villagers heard this, what chaos would ensue?

Given the gossipy nature of Tianfu County’s populace, in less than three days, his reputation for framing people for money would spread to the Prefecture.

"My lord, Liu Chief Commander from the garrison is my sworn brother, please send him a message, otherwise if I die like this, he won’t let it rest!" Gao Sanxiong spoke these words with blood in his mouth, his face, illuminated by torchlight, appeared both menacing and infuriating.

With a thud, Qin San Lang unceremoniously kicked him again, saying, "The same words again, do you think it’s of any use?"

Qin San Lang spoke to County Magistrate Zheng: "My lord, we can write to General Guo to inform the guarding General of Hushan Prefecture to thoroughly investigate Liu Chief Commander. Being sworn brothers with shady characters is certainly not good."

What?

Gao Sanxiong was shocked, totally unprepared for Qin San Lang’s move.

To be frank, Liu Chief Commander started as a street punk and worked up to being Chief Commander, he’s not clean, an investigation could be his end.

County Magistrate Zheng listened, looked at the frightened and worried Gao Sanxiong, and laughed: "Alright, just as San Lang suggested, I will immediately write to General Guo and let him contact the General in Hushan Prefecture to investigate Liu Chief Commander!"

Liu Chief Commander was Gao Sanxiong’s hope for salvation, upon hearing this, he was filled with despair, unable to catch his breath, he fainted.

County Magistrate Zheng was in no mood for his fainting, ordered him to be dragged into the government office and splashed with a bucket of water to wake him.

This led to a night of interrogation, even though Gao Sanxiong said nothing, Boss Gao was terrified, he was tortured alone in the Punishment Room, fearing he might be beaten to death, he confessed many of Gao Sanxiong’s crimes in hurry.

County Magistrate Zheng was delighted, with Boss Gao’s confession and the evidence provided by San Lang, as long as he sent someone to find the victims, Gao Sanxiong’s deeds could quickly be charged.

However...

"Where’s the silver? The confiscated wealth so far doesn’t amount to what’s on the government accounts."

In the confiscated assets of the Gao family, aside from those over three thousand taels of silver, only one hundred acres of irrigated fields were valuable, the houses and shops were in the town, not worth much.

Qin San Lang: "My lord, don’t worry, within three days, we will obtain the large sum of silver the Gao family has hidden."

And Qin San Lang wasn’t wrong, within three days of Gao Sanxiong being convicted, as County Magistrate Zheng wrote to General Guo to let him contact the guarding General of Hushan Prefecture to thoroughly investigate Liu Chief Commander, Mrs. Gao Huang finally couldn’t hold back, she immediately had her second daughter-in-law contact her family to quickly transfer the hidden gold.

Section Leader Hong, Section Leader Jiang, and You Ping had been watching them all along. As soon as the second daughter-in-law’s family took action, they caught them in the act!

Indeed, the Gao family turned out to be a den of snakes and rats. Except for the family of Boss Gao’s wife, all other three daughters-in-law’s families helped hide the gold for the Gao family.

"Haha, three jars of gold, the government has hit the jackpot this time." Section Leader Jiang’s eyes widened at the gold before him, then he glared at the family of the second daughter-in-law, angrily saying: "Mrs. Gao Huang claimed the second daughter-in-law was taken by force, yet you help hide gold for the Gao family, regarding them so highly, was your daughter really abducted by them?"