My Wife is Unbeatable in the Whole World, Touch Me If You Dare!

Qin State.

Government Office.

The Injustice Drum at the entrance of the government office was struck, emitting a series of dull sounds, alarming the officials inside, sparking a commotion in each office.

"What's happening?"

"Who's beating the drum outside?"

"Law Officer Zhou, go check immediately, don't let him keep striking it!"

"Damn it, are the Government Officials at the door slacking off again? Why aren't they stopping it?"

...

Though the Injustice Drum is meant for people to seek justice, its main function is to make the public and the court believe it's for seeking justice; who would be so fearless as to dare strike that thing?

The number of times the Injustice Drum is struck each year is assessed in the performance evaluations of local officials; the more strikes, the more wrongful cases in the jurisdiction, affecting their assessment. If people come seeking justice every day, what then?

The Government Officials stationed at the government office entrance have an important duty, which is to prevent the public from randomly striking the Injustice Drum. Yet today, for some reason, when a young man struck the drum, the two officials just stood there watching without any action.

Law Officer Zhou Ming, upon hearing the drum, immediately ran outside, grasped the young man's hand, and hurriedly said: "Stop striking, stop striking!"

The young man put down the drumstick, and Zhou Ming quickly snatched it away, frowned at him, and asked: "Who are you, and why are you beating the drum?"

The young man looked Zhou Ming up and down, asking: "And who might this official be?"

Zhou Ming replied: "I am the Law Officer of Qin State. If you have any issues, you can tell me."

"So it is the Law Officer." The young man slightly bowed his hands at him, then asked: "I heard the government office arrested a few street-performing girls and banned their performances. May I ask, on what law is the government basing this action?"

The duties of a state's Law Officer include adjudicating state cases, and capturing thieves, similar to a County Magistrate but with broader authority. A state usually encompasses several counties, and the judicial responsibilities of these counties fall under the Law Officer's jurisdiction.

With such a high judicial position, adhering to Legalism should be quite convenient and simple, yet this Law Officer showed no trace of Legalism at all.

By now, a considerable crowd had gathered outside the government office.

Upon hearing the young man's inquiry, the crowd looked at him with admiration.

This young man truly dares to ask!

Does the government need to explain itself to the public?

Law Officer Zhou Ming did not expect the young man's drum beating was to inquire about this matter.

Things like this don't require legal adherence.

It's merely a casual directive from the Assistant Governor.

But in front of so many people, he certainly could not say that, so he cleared his throat and said: "There are national laws and family rules. Those girls exposed their clothes on the street, corrupting morals. The government detained them for three days as punishment, which is reasonable and lawful..."

The young man said: "But I heard from many people that they did not expose themselves, and the government made baseless arrests."

Zhou Ming immediately looked at the crowd behind him, with a stern face, asked: "Who said that, step forward!"

The street crowd, upon hearing this, stepped back two steps.

Zhou Ming smiled at the young man, saying: "See, no one said anything... Our government acts absolutely fair and just. You can't just doubt the government's fairness based on some hearsay."

To his surprise, after hearing this, the young man, while no longer questioning the matter of the street performers, shifted the topic and said: "I just passed by a brothel, where the women were openly exposing themselves to solicit customers. That indeed is corrupting morals. Why does the government not intervene?"

Zhou Ming's lips moved; even though he was adept at bureaucratic rhetoric, he did not know how to respond.

That brothel belonged to the Assistant Governor's brother-in-law, and the exposure was to better attract customers. They often went there for free fun after work, so why intervene?

His face darkened, and his patience worn out, he scrutinized the young man before him, asking: "Who are you, where are you from? Show me your travel permit!"

For the public, a travel permit is akin to an ID card, recording their place of origin and residence.

An official's credentials differ from a travel permit. Li Nuo would not be able to conceal his identity once he presented it.

For convenience, before leaving Chang'an, Li Nuo issued himself a new travel permit.

The travel permit omitted his official position and family status, and Li Nuo did not write Chang'an as his origin but rather a remote state or county.

He took the travel permit from his bosom and handed it to the Law Officer.

Zhou Ming, after taking it, glanced over it and scrutinized Li Nuo again, snorted, and said: "You look familiar, and I reasonably suspect you are a criminal wanted by the court. Guards, arrest him and take him to the jail. I must conduct a thorough interrogation..."

Li Nuo looked at him, saying: "Sir, this isn't right. According to Daxia Law, your suspicion can't serve as a reason for imprisoning me, and you still haven't answered my previous question."

Even if he sought a reason for arrest or personnel, he should first establish and then proceed by law, unlike the carefree approach of the Assistant Governor of Qin State.

Zhou Ming tugged at his lips, sarcastically saying: "Daxia Law... You speak of law; it's laughable to me. I am a state Law Officer, thoroughly versed in Daxia Law. Do you understand the law better than I do?"

After speaking, he glanced at the old man standing beside Li Nuo and asked: "Are you his accomplice?"

The fortune-telling old man decisively shook his head, retreating into the crowd, saying: "No, I don't know him."