Jiang Yimian waved her hand, but before she could speak, the old man who had been looking at her grabbed Wang Jinbao, his face streaked with tears, and said, "Jinbao, you, you tell your aunt, is your brother Shagen dead?"
Wang Jinbao's eyes instantly reddened, and he didn't know how to start speaking.
The old man suddenly realized what was happening, and he swayed and almost fainted. It was only thanks to the quick thinking of the guards that he was pulled back from the ground.
The other elderly people were stunned when they heard this. They stared blankly at the dried bloodstains in the front hall and remained silent for a long time.
They only learned of the major incident that happened on the mountain yesterday when they saw Wang Jinbao return this morning. Their hearts, which had been filled with disappointment and numbness, were suddenly revived, and they all rushed to find their children with hope.
But seeing so many wounded people, each with a pained face that wasn't someone they knew, they already had many bad thoughts in their minds, but they just didn't want to believe them.
I don't want that little bit of hope that has been rekindled in my heart to disappear again.
Seeing the familiar yet unfamiliar faces before him, Wang Jinbao felt a pang of sadness. After hesitating for a long time, he finally gritted his teeth and said, "Uncles and elders, to tell you the truth, very few of the people from our village who went up the mountain have stayed. You should be prepared."
If they don't return by then, don't come looking for these adults. They are our saviors, not the likes of Zhu Shichang who ruined us.
Making things difficult for them and causing trouble here is useless; those people can't go back.
Listen to Miss Jiang, leave your children's names. If any are alive, or if we find their bodies, we will definitely let you know.
Almost all of the first group of people who went up the mountain died, and those who remained were all mentally unstable. He didn't know if the people who were in the mine collapse were still alive, and he couldn't guarantee that they were still alive.
Instead of clinging to hope, it's better to face reality early on.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yimian glanced at Wang Jinbao again. He was a clear-headed and ruthless person; no wonder he had survived so long on the mountain.
To endure such torture for so long without going insane is truly remarkable; no ordinary person could withstand that kind of torment.
Upon hearing this, the expectation in the eyes of the elderly vanished instantly, replaced by loneliness, sorrow, and heavy sighs.
They knew this perfectly well, but after seeing Wang Jinbao return, their long-lost hopes rekindled, and they wanted to try their luck to see if their son and daughter were still alive.
The group exchanged glances for a few moments before silently nodding.
Despite the overwhelming sadness welling up in their eyes, they stopped crying and instead silently registered their family members' names before saying to Jiang Yimian and the others, "Thank you, officers."
Regardless of whether their families are still alive, they have been reborn. They no longer have to be trapped in this place and live in constant fear, not knowing when they will be killed by people from the mountains or the village.
At least there's some hope for the future than before.
Jiang Yimian felt a pang of sadness as she watched those people hobble away with their canes.
No wonder they were so excited, they went straight to Zhuangzi. If she were them, she would probably be even more excited.
I just wanted to come and see if my children were still alive, to verify if my expectation was real.
After the group left, Wang Jinbao said with some distress, "I was careful to avoid people when I went back, but I didn't expect them to still see me."
There weren't many people left in the village, and he naturally knew that many of their sons had died. That's why he only dared to sneak back, not daring to linger in front of them, for fear that they would be reminded of their parents and children and would only want to go back to see them before hurrying back.
Unexpectedly, they were discovered, which caused trouble for Jiang Yimian and her group.
Jiang Yimian waved her hand dismissively, "It's nothing, it's only human nature."
It would be strange if those people didn't come knocking on our door.
Fortunately, they were all rational; they only wanted to find their children, not to seek revenge or cause trouble.
Seeing that she genuinely didn't care, Wang Jinbao breathed a sigh of relief. After hesitating for a while, he asked, "Miss Jiang, will Zhu Shichang's concubines also be beheaded?"
He only learned yesterday when he returned home that his sister had become Zhu Shichang's concubine.
At first, I was still basking in the joy that my sister was alive, but then I realized something was wrong.
Zhu Shichang committed treason, a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of his family. Whether it was the ladies and young women in the Zhu household or the concubines on the estate, they would all be beheaded.
Even if the younger sister becomes Zhu Shichang's concubine, she will still die.
Jiang Yimian was startled, and it took her a while to realize what was going on. She suddenly remembered hearing Steward Chen say in the artificial hill yesterday that Aunt Wang was from a deserted village.
So, that Aunt Wang might be Wang Jinbao's sister.
She hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to begin.
Logically speaking, Zhu Shichang should be charged with treason this time. Not only did he mine privately, but he also manufactured weapons, which is definitely an attempt to rebel. If he could expose the person behind the scenes, the Zhu family's punishment would be lighter.
If they can't confess, the Zhu family will be the masterminds, and all the concubines and wives will surely be beheaded.
Perhaps all the maids and servants on the estate, as well as the girls who were kidnapped, will die along with them.
Thinking of this, Jiang Yimian frowned slightly.
Most of the people in this village were victims kidnapped by Zhu Shichang. Why should they be buried with the Zhu family? That's unfair to them.
If she had the chance, she would have to ask the officials in the Ministry of Justice how the court planned to deal with the people on the estate, and whether there was any way to let these innocent people live.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Wang Jinbao's eyes instantly reddened, and his voice became choked with emotion, "Miss Jiang, I, can I see my sister?"
Jiang Yimian hesitated for a moment before looking at Wang Er, unsure of Lu Cijian's plans.
Seeing Wang Er nod, she said, "Let me take you to see it."
Wang Jinbao quickly thanked her and followed Jiang Yimian to the backyard.
Seeing this, Lin Yan'an quickly followed.
Since the Ministry of Justice officials had not yet arrived, Lu Cijian was busy searching for traces left by those people on the mountain. He didn't pay much attention to the concubines in the manor, only ordering people to guard the backyard and prevent anyone from entering or leaving at will.
After finding out which courtyard Aunt Wang lived in, Jiang Yimian took the two of them there directly.
When the three entered the Bamboo Garden, a pale-faced young lady was standing under the eaves, lost in thought.
The young lady had a gentle face, delicate eyebrows and a straight nose. From a distance, she looked like a painting, but she always seemed light-headed and lacked any vitality.
Upon seeing his sister's current state, Wang Jinbao's eyes instantly welled up with tears, and he called out in a hoarse voice, "Shuihua."
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