Squad Leader Lin was conducting a search of the study with Lord Jiang, and she had overheard quite a few conversations. Zou Hai had committed a serious cri and was still of slave status. With such an evil man, not only would she be implicated, but her family would also be dragged down with her.
Zhang Yan’er’s mother, scolded, glared at her angrily and said: "What nonsense are you spouting, you foolish girl? You are your son-in-law’s official wife. When your husband is unjustly accused and falls into misfortune, you should be speaking in his defense. How can you side with outsiders, turning your elbow out instead of in?"
Although Zhang Yan’er’s two brothers felt sorry for their sister, they were very concerned about the family’s silver and land and did not want to return it to the governnt office, so they bowed their heads and remained silent, allowing their mother to make a fuss.
Jiang Qi and the others had already pursued the matter and directly produced an indenture for Zou Hai, saying, "Sun Tianxi, whose real na is Zou Hai, is a house slave from the Zou family of Tianfu County. Now that the master of the Zou family has committed a serious cri, Zou Hai is also accused of a capital case and must be taken back to Tianfu County for trial. As for you, being one of Zou Hai’s in-laws and involved in financial transactions, you should be detained according to the law."
After hearing this, Zhang Yan’er’s mother jumped up: "What are you saying? Sun Tianxi is a servant, and our Zhang family is just one of his in-laws? Does this beast have other in-laws too? Then what does that make my family’s Yan’er, major or minor?!"
Jiang Qi responded, "Zou Hai has registered several households; he has property, wives, and children in places like Jianghuai, Jiangnan, and Central State. As for whether your daughter is his first wife or not, that remains unknown at present. All that is known is that among Zou Hai’s various wives, only your daughter has not borne him a child."
After listening, Zhang Yan’er’s mother fainted from the shock.
Zhang Yan’er’s two brothers were terrified and anxiously asked Jiang Qi: "Esteed official, what should our family do now? Do we really have to suffer guilt by association? If we return the money and sever ties with Zou Hai, could that work?"
Jiang Qi laughed. This Zhang family was really weak and fearful: "Since you have already made marital ties, there’s no reasoning that allows you to simply disclaim any connection as soon as Zou Hai is arrested."
After thinking for a mont, he added: "The affairs of your Zhang family should be decided by the Yujiang County Governnt. We from Tianfu County are only responsible for arresting Zou Hai and his wife, and seizing his ill-gotten wealth."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yan’er’s two brothers were even more panic-stricken. This ant that the fate of their Zhang family was still uncertain.
The feeling of being left hanging was truly unbearable, and both brothers were overwrought with anxiety.
Zhang Yan’er’s father, who still had so conscience left, was sowhat reluctant to be related by marriage to the Sun family from the start, feeling that their extended family was suspicious and not from good people.
Now after hearing what Jiang Qi said, he stepped forward, his eyes red, and asked Jiang Qi, "My Lord, our family did not know that Sun Tianxi was actually Zou Hai, and we too were deceived. In a case like ours, after Zou Hai’s case is closed, can my daughter divorce him and return ho?"
He added another line, "We will return all the land and silver given by the Sun family to the governnt, we won’t take this tainted money. Would that be acceptable?"
Hearing this, Zhang Yan’er burst into tears. Her whole family felt pity for her, and it was her father who cared.
Jiang Qi said, "You should ask Squad Leader Lin about this matter."
Zhang Yan’er was from Yujiang County, and her marriage certificate and such affairs were handled by the Yujiang County Governnt. It was up to them whether she could get a divorce.
Zhang Yan’er’s father then looked towards Squad Leader Lin expectantly.
Squad Leader Lin also felt that the Zhang family was sowhat wronged and said, "According to the law, in a situation like yours, once the case is clarified, and it is proven that your family was indeed deceived, it is possible to get a divorce."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yan’er’s father was overjoyed. After thanking Squad Leader Lin, he said to Zhang Yan’er, "Yan’er, don’t be afraid. First, follow Lord Jiang and the others to Tianfu County. Once the case is clarified, Daddy will help you get a divorce and you can co ho. Then, we’ll find another good and honest family for you to marry into."
Since their daughter married "Sun Tianxi," the county has been awash with idle gossip. They all said their family had been deceived, that their daughter wasn’t made the official wife of Sun Tianxi, but a concubine instead.
At that ti, he flew into a rage, taking his son to beat up those spreading rumors. Now he thinks about it, soone like "Sun Tianxi," who hardly ever cos ho in a year, must indeed have sothing to hide.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yan’er’s hanging heart finally settled, and sobbingly said, "Daddy, rest assured, your daughter will hold on. Once the divorce is finalized and I return ho, I will definitely repay you well and never cause you another mont of worry."
After hearing his daughter, Zhang Yan’er’s father waved his hand and said, "Go on, your daddy will bring you ho."
With these words, Zhang Yan’er burst into tears, becoming a teary ss, but fearing that her sobbing might weigh on her father’s mind, she quickly held back her tears.
Jiang Qi and his group hastened back, sorted the items they had searched for, and reported back to the Yujiang County Magistrate, then took the items they had found, escorted Zou Hai, and Zhang Yan’er back to Tianfu County.
The Yujiang County Magistrate was shrewd; no sooner had he sent off Jiang Qi and his group, than he dashed straight to the Prefecture to report the case of Sun Tianxi’s family to Magistrate Liang personally, and successfully got an audience with Ming Shaoqing, which thrilled him beyond asure.
County Magistrate Xu, because of the Zou Youlian case, had shone in front of figures like Magistrate Liang, General Guo, both Capital Commanders, Ming Shaoqing, the Zheng Family, and the Shangguan family, arousing envy in his colleagues. Little did he expect to also have a chance to et Ming Shaoqing. This was Elder Shangguan’s beloved disciple! If he could et him a few more tis, it would greatly help his future career prospects.
However, County Magistrate Xu, heeding a reminder from Zou Jiang, said the case involving Zou Hai could not be concealed and must be reported to the Prefecture Governnt Office and Ming Shaoqing. Hence, those two were already inford about Zou Hai’s case. Upon hearing the report from Yujiang County Magistrate, far from being angry with County Magistrate Xu, they were surprised at how quickly he had managed to capture the criminals.
Ming Shaoqing praised him with a sentence: "County Magistrate Xu is highly talented in investigating cases."
After hearing this, Yujiang County Magistrate almost spat blood, but still followed up with praise for County Magistrate Xu.
As for the matter of Zou Hai hiring soone to kidnap Gu Yui, resulting in her death, Ming Shaoqing did not ntion it; compared to the cris of County Magistrate Zou colluding with river bandits, trafficking commoners, and selling household registrations, it barely counted as anything at all. In Great Chu, how many such cases occur throughout the year was not known, and the fact that a murderer was caught for her case, allowing her to die with her eyes closed, was already not bad.
...
Jiang Qi, knowing that County Magistrate Xu was eager to close the case, rushed back non-stop after capturing Zou Hai and finally returned to the Tianfu County Governnt the following morning.
County Magistrate Xu hurriedly summoned people like Zou Jiang and Zou He over to see Zou Hai, confirming that Sun Tianxi was indeed Zou Hai, he laughed heartily, thinking to himself that he finally caught the scourge.
Upon learning that Zou Hai was apprehended, Gu Dafu imdiately rushed to the county governnt to confront Zou Hai, questioning him: "You beast, why did you harm my daughter? She has never offended you, so why did you do it? It’s a pity she was not yet sixteen years old and gone just like that."
Even dying in such a tragic way, with her entire forehead caved in. It required the Third Grandma and the others to work hard for quite a while to partially restore the sunken forehead.
Zou Hai was malicious, harboring the thought of ’if I die, I won’t let you off either.’ Upon hearing this, he laughed and said, "Bla Gu Jinli, for she wouldn’t part with the recipe and offended the Lu Family, causing trouble for the family, which hard the Third Master. Out of anger at Gu Jinli, the Third Master, on his deathbed, didn’t want Gu Jinli to have it easy, so he..."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Before Zou Hai could finish his words, Qin San Lang’s fists had already pumled him.
He didn’t hold back, beating Zou Hai nearly to his last breath, finishing off with a kick as he said, "You committed sins and yet try to drag others down, sowing discord among our families; a person like you dying is no loss at all!"
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