The village head asked, "Is there anything you'd like to say?"
When Changsheng raised his head, tears were already streaming down his face.
"Your Excellency, four years ago I suspected that my stepmother killed my younger brother, but I had no evidence. My father also said that harmony in the family brings prosperity. Disheartened, I faked jumping into the river and sold myself."
"If I hadn't been here today, I wouldn't have known that she was the one who killed my own mother."
Madam Qian stared wide-eyed, as if looking at an ingrate. "You little beast, what nonsense are you spouting? You unfilial son, you actually joined others in framing your mother."
"quiet!"
"Su Yi, do you have any evidence to support these testimonies?"
Su Yi glanced behind him and saw Da Shi enter with a man and an old woman. When Qian Shi saw the two of them, she collapsed to the ground, exclaiming, "How could this be?"
Su Yi explained, "Your Excellency, this is the midwife who delivered the first wife's baby back then. She listened to Qian Shi's words, which led to the death of the first wife and her unborn child. Afterwards, Qian Shi used money to send her to the neighboring county."
The old woman knelt on the ground, her eyes filled with fear as she stared at Madam Qian and accused her, "Your Excellency, I was threatened by Madam Qian back then. It had nothing to do with me."
The village head asked, "Who is that man next to you?"
"Your Honor, I am from the same village as the Qian family. Four years ago, I was passing by their village when I saw the Qian family and her brother killing a child."
"I dare not speak out, but I have nightmares every night. The other day I heard that this matter was being discussed. My conscience is not at ease, and I just want to speak out for that poor child."
After the man finished speaking, Qian's husband looked incredulous and said, "You...you."
Qian shook her head in fear: "Father, please let me explain, it's not like that."
The village head was too lazy to listen to their nonsense, so he took them back to the prison and summoned Qian's elder brother, a notorious hoodlum in the city.
At first he wouldn't admit it, but after being hit twice with a stick, he confessed to everything.
"My lord, I was just blinded by greed. My sister said that the Zhao family was rich and that as long as the first wife died, I could enjoy endless wealth and honor after marrying into the family. That's why I helped her find someone."
The village head: "Where is that child?"
"My sister also said that having another child means taking away a larger share of the family fortune, so it's better to get rid of them sooner rather than later..."
He became increasingly guilty as he spoke, and finally fell silent.
Changsheng, his eyes bloodshot, lunged at him, punching and kicking him, yelling, "You beast, you animal!"
Seeing that he had beaten him enough, the village head waved for someone to pull him away. "Alright, everyone, go back now. Next, it's the government office's business."
After returning home, Changsheng became depressed and blamed himself for not caring more about his mother and younger brother, which led to their tragic deaths.
Everyone felt that he needed time to process this, so they didn't bother him.
A few days later, the verdict was handed down: Qian's brother was sentenced to twenty strokes of the cane for premeditated murder and then exiled.
Because of the severity of his crime, Qian was given fifty strokes of the cane and sentenced to be executed in the autumn.
As for the midwife, she died immediately after being beaten twenty times.
Changsheng's father was beaten with ten strokes of the cane and then sent back home.
After hearing the news, Changsheng ran to his mother's grave and cried bitterly. When he returned, he developed a fever.
Mother Su wiped away her tears with a handkerchief: "This child is so pitiful. I never imagined she had gone through so much. That Qian woman really deserves to die."
Li Lian looked at the room, biting her lip, seemingly lost in thought.
In the evening, I cooked a bowl of porridge and said, "Brother Changsheng, get up and eat something."
Changsheng stared blankly into the distance, his dry, chapped lips moving as he said, "I'm sorry to my mother."
Li Lian sat on the bed, listening to his story, and then she also thought of Widow Zhang.
He recounted the scene in detail:
"You know how my mother died, but do you know what happened back then?"
"In order to protect my brother and me, she and my grandmother locked the door and went out when they had no other choice."
“We heard their screams inside. When she crawled to open the door at dawn, she was unrecognizable.”
Wiping away her tears, she continued, "We are all pitiful people, yet we are also fortunate. Our mother protected us with her life, so we must live well."
After the conversation, Changsheng cheered up the next day. If it weren't for his red and swollen eyes, no one would have noticed anything unusual.
His father came once later, wanting to redeem him, but Changsheng was disillusioned with him and coldly let him go.
After this matter was properly resolved.
Liu Huan then began to inquire about the cost of going to the capital for the imperial examinations.
I was shocked to hear that the cost was unimaginably high.
First comes the county examination, then the prefectural examination; only those who pass this can become a student of the lowest rank. Next comes the provincial examination; only those who pass this can become a scholar of the lowest rank.
Then came the provincial examination, the metropolitan examination, and the palace examination, all of which required money.
Considering that their family only had a few dozen taels of working capital, for an ordinary family, this amount of money would be enough to support a shop and live a comfortable life, but for a family that wanted to take the imperial examinations, it was very difficult.
No, we need to think of something that can be preserved for a long time and transported across the country.
Before the plan could even begin, the academy's teacher visited again. "The other students have all left. You should hurry up and make arrangements so as not to delay things."
He was referring to his trip to the county school.
After entertaining the master, the family sat down to discuss...
Father Su made the decision: "We'll go in the next couple of days. We'll run these shops from home. If you run out of money, just give us a message and we'll send it to you."
Su Yi deliberately ignored Liu Huan's anxious look and answered slowly, "Okay, Father."
Liu Huan was still fuming all evening, and she finished her meal in a huff and left.
Su's mother was about to go and see her when Su Yi stopped her, saying, "Mother, don't worry about her."
He had no choice but to sit down again, hesitating to speak, "You..."
Su's mother wanted to ask if she should take her along.
"Um?"
Su's mother didn't say anything in the end; her son could decide for himself. "It's alright, let's eat."
Liu Huan stood at the door looking outside. Seeing that everyone had finished eating, she quickly went back to bed and covered herself with the blanket.
After a while, when Su Yi still hadn't come looking for him, he got up angrily and deliberately made a noise.
This prompted Xiao Shi to ask, "Huanhuan, are you feeling unwell? Why did you eat so little?"
“No, I want to go to the county with Shi Tou,” she whispered in his ear.
They grew up together, shared everything, and confided in each other about their innermost thoughts.
"Huh? I don't want to go, my second brother is too fierce." Xiao Shi frowned.
"Then you can stay at home. It's fine at home."
Xiao Shi bit her lower lip, looking conflicted. "But I don't want to be separated from you."
"What should I do? I'm going anyway." Liu Huan said that it's not good for boys to be too clingy.
"If you want to go, just go find your second brother. Why are you hesitating like this?"
Liu Huan followed his advice and sneaked into Su Yi's room.
Carefully looking around...
"A petty thief?"
"Ah... Stone, you scared me!" Liu Huan clutched her heart, quite displeased.
Su Yi looked at her with a half-smile, a smirk playing on his lips: "Speak, what do you want from me?"
Liu Huan got angry when she saw his face. So what if he's five years older? How can he be so tall, so good-looking, and so cunning?
They bullied women who were weak and helpless, who had no power to even kill a chicken.
"Insulting me?"
Look, that mocking look is back again, ahhhhh, you stinky rock!
Don't be angry, put on a fawning smile: "No, why would I scold Stone? I just came to check if you were sleeping well."
Su Yi coughed lightly and nodded: "Okay, it's time to sleep. You can go now."
Liu Huan had no choice but to resort to shamelessness: "I don't care anymore, I'm going to the county too."
Seeing that Su Yi didn't react, she became exasperated, "Are you going to let me pass or not?"
Stone flicked her nose and pushed her away, saying, "Okay, you little thief, go back and pack your things."
"That's more like it." Liu Huan was as smug as a victorious fighting rooster, strutting proudly.
Since Da Shi came to town, he has been managing the family shop, with Su's parents helping out, so there's nothing he needs to explain.
The next day, Liu Huan took the packed package, slung it over her shoulder, and tripped and fell flat on her face as she walked out the door.
A passing blade of grass quickly helped her up: "Hey, what are you doing carrying so many things?"
Liu Huan heaved: "I'm going to the county with Shi Tou. This is all our belongings."
"Oh, no need. We'll bring you accommodation once you've found a place to stay. Just bring a few sets of clothes."
"Oh..." Liu Huan had no choice but to go back in and shrink back, bringing only what she considered most important.
It turns out that you really shouldn't bring too much stuff when you travel long distances.
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