The old housekeeper quickly brought the thick family tree from the ancestral hall. Old Man Tang unfolded the tree and found the name of his youngest son on it.

Taking a last look at his youngest son lying limp on the ground, Master Tang closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he resolutely used a brush dipped in ink to draw heavily!

The youngest son of the Tang family couldn't help but burst into tears when he saw that his father had actually given up on him!

Just as the youngest son was expelled from the family, the two brothers of the Yang family came to the Tang family with yamen runners.

Yang Dalang stood in the hall, looking at the panicked Tang family members, and waved to the yamen runners behind him: "Take everyone away!"

Yang Dalang brought the entire Yang family to the lobby of the county government office.

As soon as he entered the county hall, Master Tang knelt down in the direction of the county magistrate with great discernment: "Sir, I am guilty!"

When County Magistrate Zheng heard him say this, he couldn't help but laugh inwardly. He was indeed an old fox. "Oh? What crime have you committed?"

Master Tang said tearfully, "Sir, I was deceived by a villain and favored someone. I was careless for a moment and someone took advantage of me! Please punish me!"

County Magistrate Zheng sneered, his eyes scanning Master Tang sharply. "Master Tang, you sound so easy. Does this clear your Xiuyun Cloth Shop of the crime of selling adulterated cotton-padded clothes?"

Mr. Tang: "Sir, this was indeed done privately by an ignorant child like me. If you don't believe me, you can interrogate the shopkeeper. We were indeed unaware of it!" After saying that, he looked at his own shopkeeper with sharp eyes.

The shopkeeper caught the master's eye and instantly understood the implication. No matter what happened, he, as an insider, would be implicated. If he followed the master's advice, his family might still have a chance of survival! After weighing the pros and cons, the shopkeeper lowered his hammer and said in a low voice, "Sir, these adulterated cotton-padded clothes were indeed adulterated by the young master's order!"

County Magistrate Zheng: "Even if you claim ignorance, this cotton-padded jacket was sold from your Xiuyun Cloth Shop, which means that those who died because of this adulterated cotton-padded jacket are innocent! How can you not be involved?"

Mr. Tang bowed to the county magistrate and said, "Sir, after learning that this beast was responsible, I expelled him from the family. My Tang family's cloth shop started from humble beginnings and grew up in Rongcheng. How could we do something that would harm the people?"

County Magistrate Zheng pointed to the piles of reed-cotton coats filling the room and snorted, "That sounds very high-sounding, but where did all this come from?"

"Sir, this reed-feather cotton-padded jacket came from our Tang family's Xiuyun Cloth Shop. Even though we were unaware of its purchase, we cannot escape responsibility. How about this? Those who bought the reed-feather cotton-padded jacket just need to bring it to us and we'll compensate them three times the price. For those who died as a result, if the clan leader can come forward and confirm that it happened, we'll compensate them a hundred times! Sir, please give the Tang family a chance to make amends. For those people who have just been hit by the snowstorm and have been left homeless, our Tang family is willing to spend all our wealth to provide protection for the people affected by this disaster!"

Now the family wealth is about to be lost, and the family assets will soon be out of my control. As long as I can save the lives of the old and young in the family, I will give up the family property in Rongcheng!

Upon hearing this, County Magistrate Zheng sat up straight. Although he wanted to discipline these wealthy businessmen, he was also worried that things would backfire. The most important thing right now was to rescue the people affected by the disaster!

The chief clerk, sitting directly under County Magistrate Zheng, couldn't help but wink at him, signaling him to quickly agree to the deal. The yamen's treasury was empty, and waiting for the court to come down for disaster relief would be tantamount to wishful thinking. Now, with such a large piece of fat meat, the problems plaguing the people could be easily solved. How could he not be tempted?

County Magistrate Zheng pondered for a moment. The Tang family was trying to spend all their wealth to save the lives of their entire family!

He looked around at the Tang family and said, "Master Tang, your proposal is quite sincere. If you can really provide funds and supplies, I will show leniency to those in the Tang family who are not involved in this matter!"

After hearing the answer from County Magistrate Zheng, Mr. Tang couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

County Magistrate Zheng continued, "As for the mastermind behind this case, as well as the shopkeeper and waiter responsible for selling the adulterated cotton-padded clothes, they will be immediately imprisoned and exiled to Yanbei to serve in the city in two days!"

Looking at his youngest son being dragged away crying, Master Tang turned his head away with a heartbroken look, "Son, don't blame me for being cruel. I can only sacrifice you to protect the whole family from punishment!"