Chapter 105: Slandering the Queen Mother
The child trembled with fear.
"Don't be afraid, little brother. We will protect you here. Just repeat what you just said to me." Tao Yao ran up to him and encouraged the child in a low voice.
The child's eyes instantly turned red, and he begged, "I am not a slave. I have a home, I have a father and a mother. I want to go home! I want to go home!"
He suddenly broke free from the children's support, but when he saw Mrs. Fan's ferocious face, he screamed again, "I want to go home! Don't hit me! I'm a slave, I'm a slave, don't hit me!"
He wanted to escape, but there were people everywhere and there was no way to go.
Mrs. Fan was quick to catch him, pinching the child's waist and abdomen with her hands, and coaxing him with her devilish voice, "Don't be afraid! Grandma is here, and Grandma will take you home!"
The child's mouth was slightly open, his expression was stiff, and he was unable to speak because he was being restrained.
Zhang Liang frowned, "Let him go!"
Mrs. Fan sneered, "What does it have to do with you if I buy a slave?"
According to her, they were too gentle, otherwise how could they have left a person alive. Now that the person is in her hands, whether he lives or dies depends on what she does.
"I said, let—him—go—"
Before Mrs. Fan could say anything, the wooden stick pierced her heart.
Zhang Liang's hand trembled, and her face suddenly turned pale. She lost the strength in her hands, and then she let go of the child.
Zhang Liang supported his body and turned to look at the clerk beside him. "Doctor Qu, can you tell me what's going on with these children?"
Doctor Qu is a famous doctor in this area. Everyone in the streets and alleys knows him. Not long ago, his son took his place. Everyone thought that Doctor Qu had retired, but they didn't expect that he would come here.
Doctor Qu bowed to everyone and then slowly spoke, "These four children were sent to the academy today, but their injuries were incurred a few days ago."
He squatted down, lifted the corner of the child's clothes, pointed at the exposed scars and said, "These places are already scabbed over, obviously at least a day old. There are also many marks of fists here. Judging from the force and angle, it is obvious that only a tall adult could have done this."
Doctor Qu sighed softly, "We are just a few old men and children here. Who could have caused such an injury?"
"You are in the same group with him, so of course you will speak for him." Mrs. Fan was not giving up.
"If you don't believe me, you can ask other doctors to come and examine the injury." Doctor Qu snorted coldly.
He also knew this old lady Fan. She relied on her connections with some powerful people to act tyrannically in this area. He had been fed up with her for a long time.
There were other people among the crowd who were well versed in medicine, and they confirmed that what Doctor Qu said was true.
Seeing that she had no hope of winning, Mrs. Fan wanted to run away. "Since it wasn't you who did it, then I must have found the wrong person! I'll take him back right away. I don't blame you for this!"
Everyone was shocked by Mrs. Fan's shamelessness. Now that things have turned around, she wants to just let it go so easily?
Many people had a look of reluctance on their faces, but because they were afraid of Mrs. Fan's past power, they did not dare to say a few words.
"Wait, did you not hear me clearly? I just accused you of human trafficking. You said they were slaves, but do you have their deeds?" Zhang Liang said with a faint smile.
Yes! Everyone's eyes lit up, and their gazes fell on the young man in the middle. Yuanxi College was fine, but the issue of Mrs. Fan kidnapping and trafficking people hadn't been resolved yet!
If there is anything that is most harmful to the harmony of nature, it is human trafficking. Good people are sold as slaves. If children are kidnapped and sold, the crime is even more serious.
Mrs. Fan's eyes were evasive. She did have the deeds to those children, but she didn't dare to take them out.
"I, I didn't bring it today."
"Then let your subordinates go back and get it!"
"Mr. Zhou, please say something! You know, my business is a legitimate one!" Mrs. Fan placed her hopes on the clerk.
The clerk, mindful of their old friendship, was about to speak up to try to calm the situation.
Zhang Liang said, "Official Zhou, this old woman Fan's crime is one: kidnapping and selling children, then abusing them; two: provoking trouble with the intent to extort money; and three: slandering the Queen Mother, nearly destroying her reputation."
Everyone can understand the first two things, but how does the last sentence "slandering the Queen Mother" have to do with the Queen Mother?
Some of those who were quick to react immediately guessed who was behind this academy, and there was a look of shock in their eyes.
"Empress Dowager?" Zhou Yuanli's lips trembled in disbelief.
All the officials in Yongcheng, big and small, have heard about what happened to Lord Weiyang before. Coupled with the incident at the annual sacrifice, who in Yongcheng dares to offend the Queen Mother now?
Official Zhou never imagined that this small academy would be related to the Empress Dowager.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Mrs. Fan's legs were shaking. She just wanted some money, not death.
If she knew that this was the territory of the Queen Mother of Qin, she would not dare to get close even if she had a hundred courage!
Zhang Liang sighed softly, "The Queen Mother originally opened this academy to provide these children with a place to stay. She never sought fame or fortune, nor did she want others to know about it. But now someone has come to provoke me. If I don't make this clear, I'm afraid someone will one day slander this place as a place where children are kidnapped and sold. Then the Queen Mother's kindness will be truly betrayed."
If it was shocking enough to just learn that the Queen Mother was the master of this academy, then these remarks now are truly admirable.
Doing good without being noticed is actually a great virtue.
The Queen Mother of Qin, who had no contact with these common people, actually thought of them and was willing to provide shelter for their children.
Especially when the people around saw the children holding wooden sticks and protecting the academy, they thought of their own children and tears welled up in their eyes.
It is a great blessing for the Qin State to have such a queen mother!
"The Empress Dowager is right. This old woman Fan is truly vicious and should be arrested and beaten to death." Someone in the crowd couldn't help but shout.
Everyone came to their senses at this point and began to indignantly accuse Mrs. Fan, with some even secretly throwing stones at her.
A stone hits you, and then more stones come.
Mrs. Fan was hit on the head and was bleeding, so she had to hide everywhere. The four men who helped the evil were also affected. In the end, they were caught by the people brought by Zhou Yuanli.
Only then did everyone give up.
Someone timidly asked, "Sir, do you still accept children here?"
Zhang Liang curled his lips slightly, "Of course we still have to accept them, but the academy can't accommodate many people, so we give priority to those children whose families can't afford to raise them."
Suddenly someone in the crowd burst into tears, "If my child had come across a place like this, he wouldn't have starved to death."
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