OFTLHFRO C58

Chapter 58: A Bunch of Fake Constables

The lead constable froze for a moment, surprised that Luo Mingchen wasn’t the least bit flustered and could lay things out so clearly.

Ordinary farming folk, upon seeing officials, usually struggled to speak, let alone analyze with such order.

Even so, he tried to throw weight around first. “You two are the owners? With no scholarly rank, why aren’t you kneeling when you see us?”

The four behind him glared and shook the blades at their waists.

Luo didn’t bat an eye, and Huo Yan didn’t react at all.

“Sir, with so many people here, do all of us need to kneel to you?” Luo asked calmly.

That set several young masters and ladies off.

“They’re just constables, not even the head constable. Acting like they outrank the county magistrate.”

“Right—none of us committed a crime. Why should we kneel?”

The leader frowned. “We’re investigating this shop. Naturally, it’s the owners who should kneel.”

“Where’s the evidence?” Luo’s voice stayed even. “Without evidence, you can storm in because someone made a report? So anyone can denounce any person they dislike? For instance, that steward in the corner—last time he deliberately took rent from two parties for the same stall. Where did the skimmed money go?”

He pointed straight at the stall steward in the crowd.

Everyone turned to stare at the man.

Several people who had followed the commotion outside now looked puzzled at the constables.

Anyone could hear these men had come already convinced poppy shells were in the milk tea; they weren’t listening to a word said.

As for the steward Luo had called out, the constables didn’t so much as glance at him.

The Third Young Master pressed his lips together, ready to order those suspicious “constables” seized and questioned, but Master Ming stopped him.

“Watch a bit longer,” Master Ming said meaningfully.

Only then did the Third Young Master wait.

The constable’s voice rose. “Don’t change the subject. We’re here to investigate poppy shells in your food.”

With that, Luo was sure they were in on it together—and had a good idea who was behind it.

“So let’s do it properly,” Luo said. “We’ll fetch two physicians and bring everything to the county yamen for proper testing. And bring the accuser along, too—so when this is resolved, we can charge him for slander and not ‘lose’ him afterward.”

The leader was thrown. How had it come to this?

By all rights, these two should have been terrified, trembling as they ushered them inside.

Then they’d force the milk tea recipe from them and extort them hard—like always. Why weren’t these two playing along?

Another “constable” scoffed, “Maybe you didn’t add it this time.”

“You arrived unannounced,” Luo said. “If we used poppy shells, why wouldn’t we have used them today? We don’t have the gift of foretelling. If we did, our lock wouldn’t have been pried the other night.”

The bystanders couldn’t help laughing.

Having remained silent till now, Huo Yan eyed the leader’s sloppy stance and asked, “Under which head constable do you serve? I’ve escorted caravans and helped capture plenty of bandits, met the two head constables—both decent and impartial. If there’s a report, shouldn’t you tell us the source of these supposed poppy shells?”

“How would I know where your poppy shells came from?” the leader snapped, taking the bait.

Huo’s lip curled faintly. “By this dynasty’s law, when a shop is suspected of poisoning, constables should first investigate the source. Given the special nature of poppy shells, the source even more so—lest private cultivation spread and bring disaster. If you don’t even know that, it’s reasonable to suspect you’re impostors. In fact, we ought to haul you to the yamen.”

The constables paled. They’d always relied on swagger and the tiger’s borrowed might; they’d never run into spines this stiff and didn’t know what to do.

A flicker of panic crossed the leader’s eyes. He forced calm. “You wouldn’t dare!”

“Why not?” Huo said coolly. “You won’t name your superior, you’ve no evidence, and yet you’d haul people away—without even knowing the law. If not impostors, then derelict. Either way, we can countersue for defamation.”

Even Luo was shocked—Huo’s nerve outstripped his own.

Luo had suspected as much but wouldn’t have said it so boldly. Now that Huo had opened that door—and with everyone watching—Luo couldn’t back down.

“You’re working together,” he declared. “The one who pried our door the other night was that steward. We’ll go to the yamen and lay it all out.”

No one had expected the situation to turn like this.

At the mention of the yamen, the “constables” showed even more panic than Luo and Huo.

The crowd’s eyes shifted—now full of suspicion.

The Third Young Master watched Huo with growing interest; his brows and eyes looked oddly familiar.

Seeing the tide turn, the leader blurted, “You want evidence, we’ll bring it later.”

Luo had already committed to a head-on clash. He grabbed the man’s sleeve. “No. We’ll all go to the county yamen now—and you can present your evidence there, in front of everyone. If you smear us with nothing but your mouths, who’s going to keep buying from us? Do you not understand that for people who make a living selling food, nothing is more important than safety and honesty?”

The man hadn’t expected Luo to lay hands on him and shouted, “Let go!”

“I won’t,” Luo said. “You’re not leaving until we have an answer.”

Those with guards had their men step up to block the “constables.”

“You barged in, claimed poppy shells, and wasted our time,” someone barked. “Now you want to run? No way!”

“Let’s take these fakes to the yamen together!” another yelled.

The steward in the crowd bolted—only to freeze mid-stride when a stone from Huo struck his acupoint, startling everyone nearby.

Huo went over and said to the onlookers, “Don’t worry—he’s alive.”

That left little doubt for the Third Young Master.

“These people,” he said crisply, “my men will escort to the county yamen—and see this investigated thoroughly.”

The fired-up crowd eyed the Third Young Master warily—unsure if he was in on it.

Luo smiled. “Then we’ll trouble Third Young Master.”

The guards trussed the group with hemp rope and stuffed rags in their mouths for good measure.

“Do you really trust them?” someone asked Luo.

“He’s a nobleman,” Luo said with an easy smile. “Of course I trust him.”

He was also the one about to pay two hundred taels—how could he not be “noble”?

At that, the crowd finally relaxed.

“You still selling milk tea?” someone asked.

“Selling,” Wen Liuyun answered at once—he’d said nothing since the ruckus began.

And so those who’d come for milk tea lined up again, buying as if nothing had happened—leaving the bound “constables” seething.