Chief Constable Zheng Chatou's opening remarks were relatively normal, but later he brought up the matter of the tax.
“It has been three days since the tax began. In these past two days, many Yamen Runners have reported good news, successfully collecting the full amount of tax. There are also some Yamen Runners who are in the midst of making progress and have hope of completion.
However, here, I must severely criticize certain Yamen Runners. You have neglected your duties and have not even made a single house visit until today! I will not name names here!
In any case, let's look at the results! If the results are smooth and Perfection, then I will pretend nothing happened, and this matter will be over. But if the results are also unsatisfactory, then don't blame me for being heartless!”
Chief Constable Zheng Chatou spoke endlessly from the high platform, his words pointed.
Zeng Jihe, standing beside Chen Ping'an, couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
Oh no, he's talking about them!
Although they hadn't received the collection vouchers yet, in terms of process, they truly hadn't made any official house visits.
Just as Zeng Jihe was nervous, fearing being named, a calm voice suddenly rang out.
“Chief Constable Zheng Chatou, Chen has something he would like to report to all the Chief Constables here! I wonder if it's convenient!”
Zeng Jihe turned his head and saw that it was Chen Ping'an who was speaking.
“Chen Tou…” Zeng Jihe's heart skipped a beat.
“What is it?”
Chief Constable Zheng Chatou truly didn't expect Chen Ping'an to dare to speak in this setting. He was expressionless, his thoughts unreadable.
“Thanks to Chief Constable Zheng Chatou's care and consideration, Chen was assigned to the tax task list, specifically the shops under the Tiger Head Gang. For this, Chen is immensely grateful. However, Chen is full of enthusiasm and wanted to go door-to-door to collect. But unfortunately, even to this day, he has not received the collection vouchers! I wonder if there was some mistake or omission in the process!”
Chen Ping'an spoke in a calm tone, bowing his hands word by word.
As soon as his voice fell, there was an uproar throughout the venue.
“My goodness! What's going on?!”
“Chen Ping'an's words, 'Thanks to Chief Constable Zheng Chatou's care and consideration'! Is he using Yin and Yang to imply Chief Constable Zheng Chatou is making things difficult for him?”
“This isn't just Yin and Yang, this is direct!”
“Chen Ping'an is a bit fierce!”
“Fierce? What's fierce about it, I think he's just foolish! How can he say such things directly?! He'll be tormented to death later!”
“Don't say that, I admire him for daring to say it so directly on the spot!”
“Today is the last day, and he still hasn't received the collection vouchers, that's a bit miserable!”
“If it's true, then it's really a bit targeted!”
“Alas, there was still room for maneuver, but with this reveal, it's troublesome!”
“What's troublesome, just watch the show!”
“…”
Listening to the whispers around him, Chen Ping'an stood ramrod straight, like a pine tree, his back unbent.
“Silence!”
Chief Constable Zheng Chatou frowned, his deep voice resounding through the venue.
The many whispers and discussions in the venue fell silent.
However, the atmosphere became somewhat strange. Even the several Chief Constables behind Chief Constable Zheng Chatou, except for Stern, who had a good relationship with him, looked at Chief Constable Zheng Chatou and Chen Ping'an with some strangeness.
Chief Constable Zheng Chatou truly didn't expect Chen Ping'an to dare to be so direct. However, in a setting like the pre-duty meeting, what he feared least was a head-on confrontation.
“The tax task list is reviewed and decided by the Zhenfu Division Squad Leader. It's not my care, so your gratitude is misplaced!
As for your feedback that you haven't received the collection vouchers! Why are you only saying this today? Don't you know the tax only has a three-day deadline? Why didn't you report this before, and wait until the last day today?!
At the pre-duty meetings the past two days, I repeatedly stated that everyone must take it seriously! Is this how you take it seriously?!”
The more Chief Constable Zheng Chatou spoke, the stronger his Aura became. By the time he finished his last word, he was staring directly at Chen Ping'an, like an enraged lion.
The many Yamen Runners below were all silent with fear. No one dared to confront Chief Constable Zheng Chatou when he was enraged.
“Chief Constable Zheng Chatou is so enraged, it's unreasonable! Chen's feedback is reasonable and logical, but Chief Constable Zheng Chatou doesn't first look for problems with the Errand Office, but instead looks for Chen's faults. Not to mention, Chief Constable Zheng Chatou doesn't know whether Chen urged the Errand Office for the collection vouchers. Even if Chen didn't urge them, is the responsibility not with the Errand Office?”
Chen Ping'an's words showed no retreat. In the eyes of others, he seemed to be confronting him to the very end.
“Bold!”
Chief Constable Zheng Chatou roared in anger.
Since becoming a Chief Constable, when had he ever been openly contradicted in front of so many people?
“Do you know what crime it is to openly defy a Chief Constable?!”
Chief Constable Zheng Chatou was about to pin a big accusation on Chen Ping'an.
“Chen is merely providing normal feedback, what crime is there? Instead, Chief Constable Zheng Chatou is attempting to pin an accusation on Chen, could there be some trickery involved?
As a subordinate, Chen provides feedback on issues, hoping to resolve them. When the Chief Constable hears it, it's fine not to provide corresponding support, but to deal with it so directly and crudely, what is the reason?! Chen is puzzled, please enlighten me!”
Chen Ping'an's sentences were coherent, every word was logical, and his emotions were calm.
“Good! Good! Good!” Chief Constable Zheng Chatou's anger flared, his years of Qi cultivation almost breaking.
“Who in the Errand Office is responsible for the collection vouchers! Come out!”
Among the Yamen Runners, a middle-aged Yamen Runner with his head held high stepped out; it was Old Fan from the Errand Office.
“Reporting to Chief Constable Zheng Chatou, it is I.” Old Fan said tremblingly.
He was completely numb now!
He had listened to Zheng Shiyong's words, and considering the other party's background and the actual benefits he would gain, he had foolishly helped with this favor. He had originally thought it was just a small favor done casually, but it turned out like this?
Zheng Shiyong, who was beside him, was also bewildered.
Is this Chen Ping'an looking for death?! He's flipping the table already? And he's flipping the table without looking at his own capabilities!
“Good, you tell me, what exactly happened with the collection vouchers Chen Ping'an mentioned?!”
Although Chief Constable Zheng Chatou was furious, his tone when speaking to Old Fan was forcefully calmed down.
Old Fan's mind was enlightened, and with a thought, he blurted out: “Reporting to Chief Constable Zheng Chatou, what Chen Ping'an reported is baseless! The collection vouchers were indeed delayed due to the stamping process. However, they were already placed in the Errand Office yesterday, waiting for them to come and collect. It's just that no one came to pick them up for a long time. I originally wanted to send them over, but I couldn't find anyone for a while! I never thought that this Chen Ping'an would turn the tables and actually throw dirt on me!”
Listening to Old Fan's words, Zeng Jihe's face immediately darkened.
This Old Fan, where did he get the nerve to say that?! No one came to collect?! He didn't know how many times he ran yesterday, and they all kept making excuses that the vouchers hadn't been stamped yet!
Almost at the same time, he impulsively wanted to stand out and scold him. But looking at Chief Constable Zheng Chatou on the high platform, he hesitated for a moment.
“Is that true?! Chen Ping'an, what do you say?”
Chief Constable Zheng Chatou's voice rang out.
Before Chen Ping'an could speak, Cheng Yuan and Zhao Hu jumped out.
“Reporting to Chief Constable Zheng Chatou, we can testify for Old Fan! Yesterday, he did come out looking for Township Defender Chen, but Township Defender Chen went home early in the morning after his duty. So they didn't meet!”
“You guys!” Zeng Jihe didn't expect Cheng Yuan and Zhao Hu to even step out and stab him in the back.
“Hmm?!” Chief Constable Zheng Chatou's authority was immense, his gaze fixed on Chen Ping'an: “With witnesses present, what do you say?!”
Chen Ping'an's expression remained unchanged: “Oh?! Then I'd like to ask, since Cheng Yuan and Zhao Hu saw Old Fan come out to deliver the collection vouchers, why didn't the two of you take these collection vouchers?!”
That's right!
Since they saw Old Fan, why didn't they take the collection vouchers?
From their identities, they were all Yamen Runners from the same shift!
Chen Ping'an's question instantly stunned Cheng Yuan and Zhao Hu.
They had originally intended to come out as witnesses, add fuel to the fire, and show their worth. But they didn't expect such a big flaw.
“Idiots!”
Zheng Shiyong was exasperated.
Cheng Yuan and Zhao Hu had a strong tendency to shoot themselves in the foot. At most, it would have been a matter of 'he said, she said,' but their participation as witnesses actually tilted the scales in Chen Ping'an's favor.
“Good assist!” Chen Ping'an secretly gave Cheng Yuan and Zhao Hu a thumbs up in his heart.
He would have had to go through more trouble to clarify the matter, but now that the two of them got involved, it was much easier.