The limping man had been bound like a dumpling, his mouth stuffed, and was thrown at their feet.
Yu Tingwan found it hard to find a place to step.
The young lady lifted her embroidered shoe and gave him a little kick.
"Move over."
The limping man’s eyes were almost popping out: ...
How could he move!
He couldn’t even budge!
Aunt He: ...
How could this girl still be so bold!
Once they arrived at the dical clinic, the old physician on duty glanced at Zhaozhao’s injuries and imdiately went over to tend to her without a word.
Fortunately, no vital areas were hard.
However, it would still take so ti to recover.
When Widow Jiang reached for money, she found she didn’t have enough. Without hesitation, she took off the silver bracelet from her wrist to make up for it.
After treating the injuries and getting so dicine, the group headed to the Governnt Office.
Zhaozhao had already fallen asleep, now nestled small and delicate in Widow Jiang’s arms, with tear marks still lingering on her tender face.
Widow Jiang, who hadn’t spoken a word the whole way, gently wiped them away, afraid of hurting her.
Yu Tingwan just watched.
Instead, Aunt He, seeing the Governnt Office drawing closer, beca increasingly worried, mainly because the limping man’s condition was worse. The blood on his face had congealed, making him look terrifying.
She whispered to Yu Tingwan, "Are we really going to the Governnt Office? If we bring him there, we’re likely going to get in trouble too."
"If he bites back and accuses us of trying to kill him, girl, we might end up in trouble too."
Yu Tingwan patted her back, "Don’t worry."
Aunt He: ...
Her eyes lit up.
"Girl, you don’t happen to know soone in the Governnt Office, do you?"
Otherwise, why would she sound so confident in the alley?
"No."
What could Yu Tingwan possibly know?
She honestly said, "I’m just an ordinary citizen."
"But that tall, thin man outside with the horse just called you ’madam’."
Yu Tingwan was also troubled by this.
"He’s not changing the way he addresses , and there’s nothing I can do about it."
Aunt He: ...
I’m talking about one thing, and you respond with another.
The carriage stopped.
Yu Tingwan didn’t hurry to disembark, she looked calmly at Widow Jiang.
"Neither your family nor your husband’s family are easy to deal with. Have you thought about what to do?"
"If those above are not benevolent, those below will not be filial, that’s the natural order. If the elders are not kind, the young will be disrespectful, that’s the way it goes."
She hinted.
"If I were you, I’d certainly take this opportunity to make a fuss, fight for what you should, and cut off what you should."
————
Outside the Governnt Office stood two ferocious stone lions, with constables carrying big knives standing on either side. Passersby instinctively lowered their voices.
The newly appointed County Magistrate was brewing tea for He Xuran.
At that mont, a constable hurriedly ca to report.
"Sir, soone is beating the drum outside."
He Xuran, having said almost everything he had to, stood up, not wanting to stay longer.
"You go on."
"I’ll see you off, sir."
"No need."
He Xuran headed outside, but hadn’t gone far when he saw Uncle Yan, sent by Grand Tutor Gu to protect him, striding his way.
Uncle Yan looked grave, whispering a few words into his ear.
He Xuran stopped in his tracks abruptly.
"Is she here too?"
"Yes."
"Was she hurt?"
"No, it’s soone else who’s hurt."
The County Magistrate was already preparing to hold court, but He Xuran turned back just as he was about to leave.
He quickly asked respectfully, "Is there sothing you need, Mr. He?"
"Nothing major."
He Xuran only said, "The interrogation is your job; I won’t interfere. However, the young lady in the pink cotton clothes..."
He paused slightly.
"It’s cold, and standing for a long ti is tiring. Wouldn’t you agree?"
This sentence seed harmless.
Yet it carried a lot of significance.
The County Magistrate quickly said, "Yes, yes."
Passing through the corridor, he rushed to the main hall, where he was shocked to see the limping man on the ground.
"How... how did his forehead get smashed?"
Yu Tingwan remained calm and composed, "Sir, he did it to himself."
She spoke offhandedly, "For so reason, he suddenly ran into the wall, and we couldn’t stop him."
"We had no choice but to tie him up. Well, that’s how it happened."
County Magistrate: ...
Such a pale excuse.
But seeing that the person speaking was the one in pink cotton clothes...
The limping man denied, "No..."
The County Magistrate directly accepted Yu Tingwan’s statent, "So it is."
Yu Tingwan: ???
Shunzi, who hadn’t yet shown his Wei Family Army identity badge: ???
Aunt He: ???
The rest went smoothly.
Widow Jiang knelt on the ground, reporting everything in detail, causing listeners to weep. Moreover, the County Magistrate was inclined to be biased.
The witnesses were present.
The evidence of the young girl’s injuries was too.
The County Magistrate quickly sentenced the cri without a word.
According to the law, the limping man was swiftly taken away by the constables.
Yet Widow Jiang remained kneeling on the ground.
She knew the real hatred should be directed at...
"Sir, I beg you to summon my parents and in-laws here as well."
"Even if I am gossiped about or blad, I want to sign a break-off letter with these people, so we need not associate anymore."
"Ever since my husband died, I never asked for their help, but I couldn’t prevent them from causing trouble. Yet they conspire insidiously, not sparing even won and children."
"Even when I was still unmarried, I never defied my elders. After marrying, I never wronged my deceased husband either."
Widow Jiang choked with emotion, "I’m just a coarse-mannered woman, no understanding of profound reasoning. But if they can sell off once, they can do it a second ti. Who am I to be treated as sothing up for sale by these people? Though filial piety is the greatest virtue, but when one’s life becos unbearable, what more can I care about."
County Magistrate: "This..."
This indeed goes against the basic social order.
Yu Tingwan’s voice ca through, "Putting out a fire by throwing water isn’t as effective as cutting off the source."
It was those people who failed to value familial ties first.
Yu Tingwan said coolly, "Otherwise, it would only remain a hidden threat."
The County Magistrate no longer hesitated, "The young lady speaks reasonably."
Shunzi: ...
He thought he had done sothing ahead of ti.
Everything went smoothly.
After coming out, Aunt He was in a daze.
"Girl, you’re really..."
Yu Tingwan: "An ordinary citizen."
Aunt He: ...
Widow Jiang stuffed the break-off letter into her bosom, and upon leaving the Governnt Office, she knelt before Yu Tingwan.
She could see clearly that it was thanks to Yu Tingwan.
"For today’s matter, many thanks to you, young lady. Without you, I’m afraid..."
Yu Tingwan helped her up.
"No need to thank ."
She glanced at the child, her expression softening.
"If you must thank soone, thank yourself."
"You gave her a good na."
Widow Jiang was puzzled.
Yu Tingwan said no more, catching sight in the distance of another humble carriage parked by the roadside, but she saw Rong Di!
The young lady’s eyes brightened.
Who doesn’t have their Zhaozhao!
"Shunzi, you take Aunt He and the others back."
Shunzi: "Yes."
Yu Tingwan quickly descended the steps and swiftly slipped into that carriage.
"Husband."
Wei Zhao looked up, setting aside the book in his hand, and as she sat down, he handed her a warr.
Yu Tingwan held it close.
She gazed at him with a smile.
"Aren’t you going to test on my lessons today?"
Wei Zhao was surprised, "Hinting at ?"
His slender fingers touched Yu Tingwan’s lips.
He whispered, "Wanting it again?"
"Not that I can’t."
Yu Tingwan slapped his hand away.
"I just suddenly thought of a poem."
She cleared her throat, her eyes brimming with an unconscious allure.
"I want you to listen."
It’s rare to see such progress.
Though it slightly ruined the atmosphere.
But... it wasn’t really spoiled.
The little finger hooked around his hand.
Wei Zhao felt sothing tickle his heart. His deep eyes gazed at her rosy lips opening and closing.
Softly reciting.
Words that plucked his heartstrings.
"In the deep spring, Yaoyao; next year, Zhaozhao."
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