Chapter 160: The Pisces Jade Pendant
The constables looked at each other, none of them daring to be the first to make a decision.
Before anyone could react, Wang Xu's confidants had already brought the old lady over.
Old Madam Wang had a full head of silver hair, a haggard face, and wore fine clothes and expensive jewelry, but her eyes betrayed her weariness.
She staggered over, looking at her son who was pinned down, her eyes filled with mixed emotions.
"Mother, please tell me! Mother, I am your youngest son, Wang Chu, right? I've had this birthmark since I was born, haven't I?"
Wang Xu stared intently at the woman in front of him, speaking slowly and deliberately. When she remained silent, he growled, "Mother, say something!"
Madam Wang was startled. She knew perfectly well that something was wrong with her son.
After all, they were all her children, and she raised them all herself. No matter how convincingly Wang Xu acted, she could still sense something was off from the smallest details.
But she didn't dare to confirm, because both of them were her sons.
The younger son is already dead, so the older son absolutely cannot have anything happen to him.
As Madam Wang was thinking this, she closed her eyes and was about to speak up to clarify things for her eldest son when she heard her younger daughter-in-law's voice beside her.
“He is not my husband. My husband does not have a birthmark on his head.” The prefect’s wife had recovered her composure by now and walked in. Her eyes were slightly red as she looked at the person who was being suppressed in front of her and said earnestly.
Upon hearing this, Wang Xu instantly became agitated. He glared at the woman with a ferocious expression and said in a sinister tone, "Madam, what nonsense are you spouting? If I'm not your husband, then who is? I know you've been unhappy lately because I favor Concubine Chen, but this is a matter of life and death, you can't just spout nonsense!"
The prefect's wife received his look, but ignored it and remained firm in her statement.
She came from a prominent family and was never one to back down from trouble. Besides, she and her husband were deeply in love, and with her husband's killer right in front of her, how could she not seek revenge and instead cover for him?
Fortunately, Wang Xu has rarely visited her courtyard in the past ten years, and even when he does, they only share a bed.
She had once thought her husband had changed his mind and was heartbroken for a long time, but now she was extremely grateful.
She recognized Yue Huai; she had seen him twice at palace banquets before she was married.
So the prefect's wife turned around and bowed to the young man: "I beg you, Young Master Yue, to report this to the court and seek justice for my husband."
Upon receiving this gesture, Yue Huai immediately helped the person up.
"I have just sent a message back to the capital, and someone will be here soon."
"Thank you, young master."
When Jingwu saw that his identity had been exposed, he immediately conjured a spirit rope, tied the man up tightly, and threw him aside.
Then, he looked at Old Madam Wang, whose mouth was moving and whose eyes were filled with tears, as if she wanted to say something but didn't know how to start.
She staggered to her son's side, her trembling hand touching his face: "Why did you have to do all these things? Isn't it good enough that your brother is an official and supports you?"
Wang Xu snorted coldly and turned his head away: "Mother, I am Wang Chu, not Wang Xu! Why won't you defend me?"
Madam Wang frowned deeply, and after a moment she let out a deep sigh.
Well, ever since I discovered his identity, I haven't been able to eat or sleep properly. I'm afraid that his identity will be discovered and he'll lose his life, and I also feel guilty towards my youngest son.
It's good that they've been discovered now. Although there's no one to care for them in their old age and see them off in their final days, at least they don't have to live in fear anymore.
Madam Wang stood up, not lingering any longer, and turned back to her own courtyard to pack her things.
Wang Xu watched his mother turn and leave without any mercy, his eyes wide with anger as he struggled to his feet.
"Mother, you're just leaving like this? You really do favor him more!"
Madam Wang did not stop walking; she continued to slowly walk outside.
Wang Xu was left standing there, jumping up and down in anger.
Jingwu glanced around at the surrounding constables, then turned to Yue Huai and spoke.
"Shouldn't this matter be handled by people in the capital? How long will it take them to get here?"
Yue Huai thought for a moment, then said, "It will take at least half a month."
"Then let's find a storyteller first and spread the story of the guardian beast."
“Alright.” Yue Huai nodded in agreement, then turned to instruct a yamen runner: “Who is the prefectural magistrate of Pingjiang? Please invite him here.”
The sub-prefect is the prefect's deputy, and in these special times, he can also issue orders on behalf of the prefect.
Upon hearing this, the yamen runner immediately went to carry it out.
A moment later, the magistrate hurriedly walked in.
He arrived still half asleep, wearing wrinkled clothes.
As soon as he entered, he saw the prefect bound hand and foot and was immediately startled.
"This...this..."
No wonder the yamen runners said something had happened at the prefectural government office. The prefect himself had been kidnapped; how could things not go wrong?
"Your Excellency, Prefect," Yue Huai said, taking out the Crown Prince's token, "Wang Xu murdered his brother to seize the position of Prefect. We have now apprehended him and will bring him to the capital to await His Majesty's interrogation once the officials from the capital arrive."
Judge Ye rubbed his eyes and carefully examined the Crown Prince's token. After recognizing it, he immediately stood up straight to show his loyalty.
Seeing that he was so cooperative, Yue Huai stopped beating around the bush and said, "You immediately gather people to rebuild the destroyed Guardian Temple. Then, find a few scholars to spread the story of the Guardian Beast in major restaurants. Make sure the people regain their faith in the Guardian Beast!"
"Yes, Your Excellency understands and will take care of it immediately." Magistrate Ye did not know why he had to do this, but the person in front of him was holding the Crown Prince's token, which meant he was acting on behalf of the Crown Prince, so of course he had to comply.
After Yue Huai made the arrangements swiftly and decisively, he turned to the prefect's wife and asked, "Are there any empty rooms in the courtyard?"
"Yes, I will make arrangements for you two." The prefect's wife immediately understood his meaning and quickly made the arrangements.
After Yue Huai saw her leave, he walked to the girl's side and said softly, "I will go back to Xuanmen tomorrow to get the Qingling Dew. I will definitely be back in three or four days at most."
"Okay." Jingwu replied with a smile, "Don't worry, I'll take good care of things here."
“Okay.” Yue Huai replied, turning to look at the girl beside him, his eyes filled with deep meaning: “If anything happens, you can take this jade pendant to any Han family inn and ask the Han family for help.”
A finely carved jade pendant depicting two fish appeared before Jingwu, with a small Korean character engraved on the edge of the pendant.
She didn't stand on ceremony and immediately accepted it. After all, she was in an unfamiliar place, and if anything happened, she could ask for help.
Thank you.
When Yue Huai saw that she accepted it, a smile appeared on his face.
The two didn't say anything more, and the prefect's wife came to inform them that their room had been prepared and they could go to rest.
Jingwu turned around and set up a barrier for Wang Xu to prevent him from escaping or being rescued. Afterwards, he went inside to rest.
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