Ms. Zhang recognized the governnt official; indeed, he was the one who took the ssage to the Zhan Family.
But...
"How did you co back so quickly? It’s been less than ten days. Can you fly to the sky or burrow through the ground to make one trip so fast?" Ms. Zhang seed to have discovered a major fault of the county governnt and sneered coldly at Lord County Magistrate: "Sir, let remind you, knowing the law and breaking it is a great cri that could ruin the family!"
The County Magistrate of Rushan County was almost fuming with anger. Ms. Zhang, this shrew, was accusing him of impersonating the Zhan Family to deal with her.
With a loud snap, the County Magistrate of Rushan County slamd the gavel and shouted angrily: "You there, enforce the punishnt for !"
Beat this obstinate shrew to death.
"Punishnt?" Ms. Zhang was shocked and scread: "How dare you! If you dare lay a finger on , my son-in-law..."
With a bang, the constable Squad Leader had had enough of Ms. Zhang and kicked her over, scolding: "Son-in-law? Your daughter is not even known to be around any corner, and you have a son-in-law? Claiming to be the mother-in-law of Young Master Zhan San? Not even bothering to look at your ghostly appearance fit for rebirth, do you? If you truly were Young Master Zhan San’s mother-in-law, the Zhan Family would collectively hang themselves to apologize to their ancestors!"
After scolding Ms. Zhang, he ordered the governnt officials: "Quick, go punish this shrew."
"Yes!" The governnt officials, having been instigated by Ms. Zhang to boiling anger, had long wanted to beat this bully of a shrew, and imdiately rushed forward, holding her down and beating her.
Bam bam bam!
After dozens of hits, they beat Ms. Zhang until her skin split open, her arrogance completely wiped out, and she imdiately begged for rcy: "Spare , spare , don’t hit..."
But the governnt officials did not listen and continued hitting since the Lord County Magistrate hadn’t called them to stop.
Seeing this, Ms. Zhang was genuinely afraid, the fear of losing her life enveloping her. She knew she couldn’t rely on the Zhan Family anymore and shifted all the bla onto Gu Chengli: "It was Gu Chengli, he made say it, ah!"
The governnt officials didn’t listen and kept hitting.
Bam bam bam!
Hit after hit, they knocked Ms. Zhang unconscious.
Gu Chengli was scared silly a long ti ago, trembling like a frightened chicken, staring at the governnt officials with wide eyes.
The governnt officials didn’t show any hospitality to him, grabbed him over, and gave him a beating as well.
After the beating, they finally vented their pent-up frustrations.
The County Magistrate of Rushan County directly ordered the clerk to make them mother and son sign, throw them back into the cells, report to the Prefecture Governnt Office, and then sentence them to execution.
When Ms. Zhang and Gu Chengli awoke and learned they were to be executed, they wailed and lanted, but they had exhausted all their tactics, and no one would rescue them. Their fate was to be beheaded as a warning.
...
The news of Ms. Zhang and Gu Chengli’s situation reached Gu Jinli’s house, but Gu Jinli and her family didn’t care.
Ms. Zhang and Gu Chengli dead were more beneficial to them than alive.
Gu Dashan, who remained kind-hearted, sighed hearing it: "What a pity. With proper teaching, they wouldn’t have ended up like this."
He rembered that Gu Chengli didn’t seem that malicious when he was young... But recalling the ti when Gu Youfu’s family of five plotted against their family, nearly getting them sold off, he suppressed the pity again.
Perhaps as Good Brother An pointed out, Gu Chengli was selfish and spiteful, not as simple-minded as he seed.
Gu Dashan knew Elder Gu was driven away alongside Ms. Zhang. Now that Ms. Zhang and Gu Chengli had committed cris and been sentenced to death, what of Elder Gu and Gu Youfu?
He wanted to ask but refrained from doing so knowing it wouldn’t be appropriate, but...
Seeing his hesitation, Gu Jinli straightforwardly told him about Elder Gu: "Elder Gu didn’t die. He was saved by two Daoists and is now living with them in the mountains."
And she explained: "It was discovered by Feng Jin and the others in a small town."
She then briefly told the story of Elder Gu and his son being abandoned by Ms. Zhang and Gu Youfu being bitten to death by wild dogs.
But she just skimd through it, not even telling the na of the town to Gu Dashan.
Gu Dashan knew Gu Jinli disliked the Old Gu Family. Upon learning Elder Gu wasn’t killed miserably, he felt relieved and never asked about Elder Gu again.
Gu Jinli wasn’t angry; after all, Elder Gu was Gu Dashan’s biological father. Elder Gu might be less than a beast, but Gu Dashan couldn’t stoop to that level.
As long as Elder Gu wasn’t left to rot in the wilderness, and had soone to rely on for his days, Gu Dashan could live his life with a clear conscience.
Seeing the room’s atmosphere turning slightly gloomy, Third Grandma changed the subject to Gu Jin’an preparing for the Prefecture Examination: "In eight days, Good Brother An will take the Prefecture Examination. He should focus on preparing instead of worrying about other things."
The date for the Prefecture Examination had been announced half a month ago, on April ninth, just like the county examination in February, picking the auspicious ninth day.
Gu Dashan smiled: "Yes, our Good Brother An will take the Prefecture Examination soon, let’s not talk about anything else to avoid affecting him."
He turned to look at Gu Jin’an: "Good Brother An, study well lately. Your family will accompany you in the Prefecture, rest assured, my son is so clever, he can surely pass."
Mrs. Cui smiled: "Who openly boasts about their son like this? Aren’t you ashad?"
Gu Dashan blushed, he just felt he had let Gu Jin’an and the others suffer before and wanted to praise them more.
Gu Jin’an laughed: "It’s okay, Mother, when Father praises , I’m happy, and it helps write well."
Mrs. Cui laughed, looking at the four, then at Gu Dashan, thinking the Old Gu Family’s trouble was finally dealt with, feeling happier, she said: "It’s a bit chilly today, I’ll make a lamb hotpot for you all. If we don’t eat it now, when the weather gets warm, it won’t taste as good."
Gu Jinli nodded upon hearing it: "Great, Mother, make us so lamb hotpot. Have Xiao Ji and the others help, don’t make it alone."
She wasn’t fond of lamb but after saying this, she added two more dishes: "Mother, also stew so mushroom chicken soup, and make so pan-fried fish cakes, they’ll be tasty."
Brother Cheng teased her: "Second Sister, all you do is eat, isn’t the lamb hotpot enough, so you have to order extra dishes?"
Gu Jinli grabbed him and pushed him toward Gu Jin’an: "Big Brother, he has too few studies, give him more."
Brother Cheng hurriedly admitted his mistake: "Second Sister, I’m wrong, don’t add more studies, it’s too boring."
"Hm?" Gu Jin’an heard and frowned, suddenly enlightened and said: "So you find the current studies boring? Then I’ll give you so fun studies."
Upon hearing this, Brother Cheng nearly cried, knowing the fun studies the Big Brother ntioned were definitely of hell-level difficulty.
Mrs. Cui observed the children playing and teasing each other, feeling happy as she took Gu Jinxiu to the kitchen to busy themselves.
...
Life at Gu Jinli’s house was harmonious, while at the Lai Family, it was icy cold.
Second Young Master Lai couldn’t understand why his stepmother would testify in court, helping others convict his father?
"Although Madam is not my birth mother, she’s just a few years older, and in these ten-plus years, she has treated us very well. But why suddenly do this? She has caused us great suffering." Second Young Master Lai asked his own wife.
Second Young Master’s wife said: "Husband, don’t think too much, Madam surely has a reason... she’s not insidious at heart."
"But with the outco we’ve ended up with, she can’t shirk responsibility!" Second Young Master Lai said with resentnt.
Just after speaking, a governnt official knocked on the courtyard door, shouting: "Lai Er, Mrs. Tao is here to see you, quick, open the door."
There was a lock inside and outside the courtyard, the official could only open the outside lock.
"Mrs. Tao? Is Madam here, how is she here?" Second Young Master Lai was shocked; he thought Mrs. Lai Tao had left after divorcing his father and wouldn’t return, but now she ca.
Getting angry, he said: "How dare she co? She has brought us to ruin!"
Lady Lai accompanied by an official ca, and hearing Second Young Master’s loud voice, didn’t get angry, but rely shouted towards the courtyard: "Second Young Master, I’m here to rescue you!"
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