"Don't worry, I'm not that bored," Qiao Lian'er waved to Fang Hong.

Three days passed, and Old Mrs. Qiao and Old Mr. Qiao stretched their necks longer and longer.

"Ten days have passed, and there's still no sign of them."

"Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Aunt, Sister Zhizhi, and I are going to the county town to pick them up."

Qiao Lian'er drove the carriage to prepare for departure, and Qiao Yunni and the others had also changed their clothes.

“Alright, you can go to the county town and wait for them. They’ll be back either today or tomorrow, or at the latest the day after tomorrow. It’s only a few hundred miles away, not too far.” Grandma Qiao nodded.

For some reason, she's been having nightmares lately, and her eyelids are twitching uncontrollably.

She just hoped that her dreams were the opposite of reality, and that none of the things she worried about would happen.

Qiao Lian'er could have gone alone, or just called Qiao Zhizhi. The reason she brought so many people was to support the Ling family.

The date has been set, it's today.

Inside the carriage, everyone was filled with anticipation, yet also a touch of nervousness.

When they arrived at Yongguan County, they still hadn't seen Old Yang and his group return.

Some people on the street were walking hurriedly.

"Hurry up, hurry up, or you won't find a good spot to watch."

"The matter has been circulating for several days, and it has finally gone to court."

Someone asked them, "What's going on? Where are you all going? Is there some excitement to watch somewhere?"

"It's that case. The tyrant from Lingjia Village wanted to abduct a young woman. He used a porcelain piece that he claimed was an antique to threaten her into marrying him off. Now the Ling family has seized the fragments of that porcelain piece and is in court, asking the county magistrate to have it appraised."

"Ah, they're in court now. So it's true. Let's go see."

Then more and more people flocked to the county government office.

At the very front, you can see Ah Da and the others leading the way.

"Let's go take a look too," Qiao Lian'er said.

"Lingjia Village, not the village where Yin'er is. How could there be a tyrant in their village who tried to abduct women?" Madam Feng was surprised.

"Yes, Auntie. I heard she's from Lingyin's village."

Madam Feng's face showed more anger: "With such a person around, wouldn't that scare Yin'er so much that she has to worry about going out?"

In order to secure a better position, Qiao Lian'er sped up.

When they arrived at the county government office, they had left everyone else far behind.

The courtroom doors were wide open, facing the street across a courtyard.

There were already quite a few people standing in the courtyard.

When the Qiao family entered the courtyard, they saw Ling Laosan, Qiu Shi, Ling Yin, and Shi Lao Er kneeling below the courtroom.

Shi Zhenxiang also arrived, but he was slumped on a stretcher, his hair disheveled, his face as pale as paper, looking both dull and foolish. Yet, he still managed to lewdly stare at Ling Yin with the last vestiges of his consciousness.

Upon seeing the Ling family members clearly, Madam Feng was startled.

"Aren't these Qiu's daughter and Ling's daughter?"

"What, what—"

"Aunt, it's them. They're just waiting for the magistrate to give them justice."

Madam Feng looked again at the object placed in front of them. It was a piece of cloth containing fragments of porcelain. She quickly understood what it meant and looked at Ling Yin with a pained expression.

It turns out that Lingyin was the girl who was tricked.

The constables standing on both sides kept wielding their stern rods and shouting "Majesty!" The county magistrate, who was about fifty years old, sat upright in the hall with a stern face.

Every case in Yongguan County is tried publicly to ensure fairness.

People kept coming into the courtyard, and when the courtyard was too crowded, they stood on the street outside, watching from the stone benches.

"Silence!" The magistrate slammed his gavel when the time was right.