From atop the city wall, Lanxi watched them leave the city. Only after confirming they were far enough away that Jia Demao could not return in a short time did he make his move.
The front and back doors were instantly blocked. The servants guarding the gates were about to resist but were immediately shoved into the house by Lanxi.
"What are you doing? Our master is the county magistrate's father-in-law!"
Lanxi ordered coldly, "Gag him. From this moment on, no one leaves the Fang estate."
The main doors slammed shut with a loud crash. The onlookers pointed at the entrance of the Fang estate, murmuring among themselves.
"Did the Fang family commit a crime?"
"That can't be. Didn't the eldest daughter of the Fang family marry Magistrate Jia?"
Inside the chaotic inner courtyard of the Fang estate, bailiffs were searching for people everywhere. Once caught, they were immediately escorted to the front hall to be held under guard.
"Who gave you the nerve to cause trouble in the Fang family?" Fang Mo, the head of the Fang family, pointed at Lanxi and cursed. He charged forward with all his might, looking so terrifying that he seemed ready to eat him alive.
Lanxi kicked him squarely in the shoulder. The crisp sound of a dislocation, accompanied by a roaring scream, echoed through the inner courtyard of the Fang estate, making everyone else tremble in fear.
Fang Mo sat on the ground, grimacing in pain, his back already drenched in cold sweat.
"My family is related to the Jia family by marriage! I want to see Magistrate Jia!"
Lanxi watched him coldly without saying a word. He was waiting.
Before long, a bailiff who had gone to search rushed over to Lanxi, gripping his sword, and reported.
"Steward Lanxi, we found the salt warehouse."
The eyes of the Fang family members widened simultaneously, their terrified expressions filled with absolute shock.
They were here for the salt warehouse!
Fang Mo's mind went blank. Only then did he realize that these bailiffs were not from the county office.
"Who exactly are you? Why are you targeting our Fang family?"
Lanxi waved his hand, ordering his men to take all the adult males of the Fang family away for separate interrogations. He then walked over to Fang Mo and leaned down to look at him.
"The imperial court has strictly forbidden the sale of smuggled salt, let alone salt transported from Binzhou."
Every word hammered into Fang Mo's mind, terrifying him so much that his very soul trembled.
"You... how did you know..." Before he could finish, a sudden wail rang out.
Fang Mo turned around in panic. The screams were coming from behind tightly shut doors; it was his sons and brothers.
Lanxi threw a portrait onto Fang Mo, his voice carrying a heavy sense of oppression.
"If you don't want anyone to know, don't do it. And the murder of the Eldest Young Master of the Ding family to snatch the salt permits—who could you possibly keep that from?"
Fang Mo stared blankly at the ground, finally realizing something amidst the wails and cries.
"You are the prefect's man?"
No one else could command so many bailiffs. The inspection of government affairs was a fake; secretly investigating the smuggled salt was the true purpose.
It was completely over now!
"You're not too stupid. Whether the Fang family can leave a bloodline depends on whether you tell the truth."
As soon as these words were spoken, the female family members behind them immediately started having thoughts of their own.
Within a few breaths, someone holding a child cried out to Fang Mo.
"Father, Ye'er is still young; nothing can happen to him."
The person speaking was the second daughter-in-law of the Fang family, and the child in her arms was her son, born less than three months ago.
"I'll talk! I'll talk! I'll talk!" A familiar voice came from the room. Fang Mo collapsed onto the ground, all of his spirit completely draining away.
That was his son's voice.
"I will tell you everything you want to know." The great building was collapsing; there was no longer any room to maneuver.
With both Song Qiming and Jia Demao out of the city, the deputy magistrate and the petty officials of the county office, who had been under heavy pressure for days, finally had some time to catch their breath.
When Lanxi barged in with the confession, they were lying on their chairs taking a nap.
First, they heard footsteps, and upon opening their eyes to see a massive crowd of people, they panicked on the spot.
After clearly seeing Lanxi's face, they breathed a sigh of relief.
The master of records asked, "Guard Lanxi, why didn't you leave the city with Lord Song?"
Just as he finished speaking, the deputy magistrate walked out from the inner room. Seeing so many bailiffs, his face was full of confusion.
He was just about to speak when Lanxi handed a warrant right in front of him.
"This is a warrant personally written by the prefect. Lord Hai will understand after reading it."
