Young Master Dou frowned and sneered, "So it’s them. Hmph, do they really think I’m so easy to bully? Since they’re so eager to die, I might as well take some time to play with them!"

He had been in the south for many years, and when he first arrived, some local noble families thought he was young and easy to deceive and used various means to trap him. He retaliated against all of them and even made quite a bit of silver in the process.

The Ying Family and Zongzheng Family had not seen his methods, so he would open their eyes.

"Don’t be impulsive," Gu Jin’an advised. "You cannot directly confront the Ying Family, Zongzheng Family, and Shen Family. Just deal with the people helping these three families harm you. This way, you can show that you’re not easy to provoke and also let the Emperor know that you are reverent to the royal family and not someone who disrespects those ranked above you."

The matter of the new bank had already made Young Master Dou stand out. If he went against these three families now, even if he won, the Emperor might think that Young Master Dou doesn’t respect the royal family or the noble families ranked above the Dou Family.

The Emperor is suspicious and thinks too much. If he thinks Young Master Dou doesn’t even respect him, it’ll be troublesome.

After Gu Jin’an explained things clearly to Young Master Dou, he said, "Showing weakness now can win the Emperor’s favor. Rest assured, as long as Elder Ouyang persuades the Emperor, he will personally take action to eliminate the Shen, Ying, and Zongzheng families. By then, all your grudges will be avenged."

Young Master Dou laughed and nodded, saying, "You truly have a dark heart. Fine, I’ll follow your advice and let those three families go for now."

Gu Jin’an’s face looked displeased, "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

Your heart is the one that’s dark!

Young Master Dou nodded, "Indeed, unless you think you’re a kind-hearted person—stop joking."

After saying this, he was afraid of being hit by Gu Jin’an and quickly ran.

In the following days, Young Master Dou moved swiftly and crushed those who aided the Zongzheng Family in harming him. First, he swallowed the most famous brothel in the Prefecture, Yingxian Square, and made it his private property.

Ms. Jin cried almost fainting, pleading with Young Master Dou, "Young Master Dou, I was harmed by the Xue Family..."

"Silence, are you calling him Young Master Dou? Call him Master, you servant!" Young Master Dou was quite arrogant, sitting in the main hall of Yingxian Square, looking at Ms. Jin kneeling at his feet, and said, "How did the Xue Family make you harm me? Tell me everything in detail and make it sound serious."

If she spoke lightly, how could he deal with the Xue Family?

Ms. Jin understood but hesitated. Although the Xue Family was not very powerful, there were people behind them supporting them, including noble figures from the Capital. With this layered relationship, she, as a brothel procuress, couldn’t afford to offend them, so she hesitated.

"Oh, you still want to protect those people? Think you can protect them? Is Magistrate Gu a decoration or is the Ouyang Family not powerful enough?" Young Master Dou’s words were like knives, scaring Ms. Jin pale as a ghost, "An old procuress playing the unyielding card, fine, if you want to die, I’ll grant your wish."

He sighed again, "Hey, I originally thought you were being used and had skills, so I would keep you helping me manage the brothel, but you..."

"Master, I’ll tell everything!" Ms. Jin almost jumped for joy, no longer fearing offending those behind, she spilled how the Xue Family found her, how Yun Hua got sick, the actions of Boss Fan, and how the noble young master of the Zongzheng Family was behind Boss Fan.

Young Master Dou was quite astonished, Ms. Jin indeed deserved her reputation for singlehandedly starting a brothel in the Prefecture, she was indeed someone.

"Did you record it all?" Young Master Dou looked at the Shadow Guards serving as a servant.

The Shadow Guards nodded, "Young Master, it’s all recorded, word for word." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Young Master Dou nodded, and looked at Ms. Jin, "Let’s go, follow me to the government office and accuse the Xue Family to death."

Ah?

Using such an open method? Ms. Jin thought Young Master Dou would secretly deal with the Xue Family.

But now she was Young Master Dou’s servant, so she said obsequiously, "Oh, as you command."

She swiftly got up and followed Young Master Dou to the government office.

Recently, Magistrate Gu treated Young Master Dou like a father, seeing him come to file a complaint, and the Xue Family had offended Lord Yu and had declined, he immediately took the list given by Young Master Dou to arrest people, capturing Xue De and his sons, uncles, and Old Master Xue.

"Injustice, my lord!" Xue De had just shouted when he was held down by the Government Official in the court and beaten 20 times.

The Government Officials used heavy hands, almost beating Xue De to death.

Xue De’s father and two uncles were also held down and beaten. Xue De’s father was easier to speak to, but Xue De’s two uncles were unjustly beaten to the extreme, screaming and shouting, "My lord, a child’s misteachings are a father’s fault, we are not Xue De’s father."

You can punish Xue De’s biological father, but why involve us?

Magistrate Gu’s face turned cold, "Uncles, uncles, also count as half a father. You have teaching responsibilities to your nephew and should be punished along with him. If you dare cry injustice again, the punishment will be doubled!"

Doubled?

Xue De’s two uncles were terrified and were punished along with Xue De’s father with twenty strikes.

As for Xue De’s grandfather, he was not beaten. At his age, if beaten to death in court, Magistrate Gu would have trouble explaining.

However, Old Master Xue was almost breathless with anger, trembling as he questioned, "Lord Magistrate, what crime has the Xue Family committed to warrant such punishment from you? Please give this old man an explanation, or else the Xue Family will never relent!"

The Xue Family was a wealthy household in the Prefecture, with plenty of silver and many people, rooted in He’an Prefecture for a long time. Although not considered a noble family, they were still not easy to offend.

Magistrate Gu had the clerk deliver the confession and evidence that Young Master Dou brought to Old Master Xue: "See for yourself, lest you accuse this government of unfairness."

Young Master Dou obnoxiously said, "Lord Magistrate, rest assured, the people of He’an Prefecture are discerning and the storytellers even more so love to uphold justice. After today, they will only curse the Xue Family as shameless, and they won’t say a single bad word against you. After all, you are a rare good official."

Magistrate Gu: "..."

I feel you’re insulting me?

Forget it, for the sake of silver, this government won’t hold it against you.

Old Master Xue was shaken almost unconscious upon seeing Ms. Jin’s confession and the evidence found by Young Master Dou. This stinky brat Xue De has truly destroyed the Xue Family, daring to act as a pawn for Boss Fan!

Fool, a true fool.

Boss Fan had the support of nobles from the Capital yet didn’t dare come forward to harm Young Master Dou. Where did this stinky brat get the courage to think he could harm Young Master Dou and get away unscathed?

Old Master Xue, however, did not acknowledge the confession and said, "Lord Magistrate, Ms. Jin, a brothel procuress, her words are unreliable."