Just then, a mounted party approached from ahead.
At their head was none other than the County Magistrate, Liu Zheng. He had brought the various officials of Xiahe County to welcome the new Captain of Xiahe County Town.
By rights, as Fang Hu's superior officer, the higher-ranking Liu Zheng had no need to personally leave the town to greet him.
However, this was partly to put on a show for his subordinate officials, and partly to take the opportunity to lay a trap for Fang Hu.
He would see if Fang Hu would be impartial enough to arrest the scoundrel who had attacked the constables. If he did, it would be master against disciple, and Fang Hu's reputation would be in tatters. Liu Zheng, in turn, could seize the Tea Garden amidst the chaos.
If Fang Hu refused to act, even better. That would be perverting justice for personal reasons. In that case, Liu Zheng would forcibly strip Fang Hu of his captaincy, detain him, and report the facts of the case to his own superiors.
