The prefect slammed his gavel, ordered the bailiffs to pull Wang Yuanwai away, and sternly interrogated Uncle Zhong: "Wang Zhong, two families in Dahuaishu Village have accused you of murdering them more than ten years ago to cover it up, killing their sons. Do you plead guilty?"
Wang Zhong shrank back and remained silent, it was unclear whether he was hesitating or not prepared to confess.
The prefect glanced at the constables, who immediately began to strike with their fire-and-water sticks. The imposing sound made Wang Zhong tremble even more violently.
"My lord, I'll talk, I'll talk! It wasn't me who killed them to cover it up. It was our old master who told me to do it! I didn't dare to kill them, but they kept coming to ask for money, and the demands kept increasing, so the old master told me to find some江湖人 (jianghu people, people from the martial arts world) to deal with them!"
Does this mean we're admitting that Old Master Wang hired someone to commit murder?!
Wang E had been clinging to a sliver of hope, craning her neck to stare intently at Wang Zhong. But now, hearing Wang Zhong's words, she collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings pulled out, muttering to herself, "It's over, it's all over!"
But no one cared about her now, as the prefect continued interrogating Wang Zhong.
The story details everything from when Old Master Wang first met Master Wang, how he asked Master Wang to become his son-in-law but was refused, leading him to commit the crime, and how his accomplices were silenced.
Wang Zhong was just an ordinary person after all. This matter had been weighing on his mind for many years, and he would have nightmares from time to time.
Especially when his children and grandchildren are good-for-nothings, he feels even more that it is retribution for the wrongdoings he committed in the past.
So at this moment, he was completely open and honest, saying everything that was useful and useless.
As a result, the hundreds of people in and around the hall were all dumbfounded.
Although the old master of the Wang family has passed away for many years, many people in this city still remember him.
In his quest for a son, Old Master Wang generously donated medicine and food, hoping that his good deeds would ensure the continuation of the Wang family line.
Unfortunately, even in his fifties, he only had one daughter, Wang E.
Unexpectedly, he would actually set his sights on the traveling scholar in order to continue the family line!
Everyone has heard of bullies forcibly taking women, but this is the first time I've heard of a man being forcibly taken to marry into the family, and the one being taken was a scholar with official rank!
Both being from humble backgrounds, the Prefect knew all too well how difficult it was for a poor farming family to support a scholar. Yet, Wang Jiaqiang snatched him away, turning gratitude into revenge and deceiving him for years. Now, he was even more severely harmed and on the verge of death.
This is absolutely intolerable!
The prefect slammed his gavel and continued, "Wang Zhong, do you know what Wang Xinqiu's original name was? And where was he from?"
Wang Zhong, his eyes blurred with snot and tears, kowtowed heavily and replied, "I don't know what my son-in-law's name is. I only know that he is a newly passed scholar who traveled south in a caravan from the north. The old master and my son-in-law got along very well on the way and became close friends despite their age difference. He told me to call him 'Young Master,' but I don't know his name."
The prefect was furious, but there was nothing he could do. He could only comfort Master Wang, "Don't worry. All the scholars in the imperial court are recorded. As long as we check the register in the north and find out which scholar went missing back then, we should be able to find your family."
He himself didn't believe this. Now, Jiangbei was the territory of the barbarians. The capital was moved in a hurry, and too many things were left behind. The list of scholars from more than ten years ago, such unimportant things, were probably not even brought to the new capital...
Master Wang's eyes were vacant as he stared at Wang Zhong and Wang E, like a walking corpse, neither crying nor laughing.
He didn't even know how to thank the prefect for saying that.
Everyone who saw this couldn't help but sigh and feel sad.
Put yourself in their shoes. If they passed the imperial examination and went out to study with high spirits, only to be hit on the head with a stick and forget who they are and where they came from.
That enemy then transformed himself into a benefactor, forcing him to marry into the family to repay the debt of gratitude, and more than a decade passed in the blink of an eye.
She bore a child for her enemy's family to continue their lineage, worked tirelessly like a slave in their business, and only when she was about to die of illness did she realize that it was all a lie!
My benefactor is my enemy, my wife is my enemy's daughter, my son is my enemy's bloodline, and my life is in danger because my wife has been hiding it and delaying the process!
I'm afraid no one could stand it; it would drive them crazy...
Some women, with soft hearts, were already wiping away tears.
"This is so pitiful."
"Yes, it's true, why do perfectly good people have such bad luck?"
"The Wang family is utterly depraved!"
"A wolf in sheep's clothing! This family, who seemed decent enough on the surface, has truly lost all virtue!"
"The old villain of the Wang family is dead, but Wang E is still alive! She definitely knows about all the filthy things her father did!"
"Of course she knows! If she didn't know, what would she be afraid of? Why would she hide it from her?!"
The people outside the hall were furious, and they looked at Wang E with eyes that seemed to want to gouge a thousand holes in her!
Wang Fu was jumping up and down anxiously in the front row, urging Li Ge'er and Mao Ge'er, "Young Master, hurry up and hug the Master! The Master can only live if he looks after you!"
Cat Brother was too young to understand what was happening and cried in fear, but Li Brother understood most of it.
Mother is trying to kill Father, and Grandfather is a bad person too!
He wiped away his tears and pulled his younger brother forward to hug their father's neck. "Dad, don't be afraid. I'll take care of you when I grow up."
"Waaah, is Daddy going to die?" Cat Brother cried incessantly.
Master Wang finally regained some of his vitality. Looking at his two young sons, he hugged them, and tears streamed down his face like a spring.
A man doesn't easily shed tears, unless he's truly heartbroken.
Silence fell over the hall, with women sobbing and men occasionally wiping their eyes with their sleeves.
The prefect sighed, took the divination stick and threw it on the ground. "Guards, take Wang Zhong away immediately to collect his remains. Wang E is to be taken to prison. The rest of you are to go home and await your summons. We will hold court on a chosen day!"
Immediately, a constable stepped forward, took the warrant, and dragged Wang Zhong away.
Er Gouzi and Shuan Zhuzi's family followed behind, weeping and wailing, clearly wanting to see their son's burial place.
Wang E struggled desperately, refusing to go to the prison. "Waaah, I don't want to go to the prison! Help! Help! I didn't kill anyone, why are you locking me up! Someone go find my uncle, help!"
Unfortunately, no one paid any attention to her. The guards were even annoyed by her noise and pulled her hair out, causing her to cry out in pain.
Cat wanted to chase after his mother, but his older brother pulled his arm tightly, and he burst into tears.
Cat Brother's cries reminded Wang E, who struggled desperately to pull her husband away, crying out, "Master, save me! Waaah, it was all Father's doing! I didn't know anything! Waaah, we've been husband and wife for over ten years, you can't watch me die! It was all Father's doing, not me!"
Master Wang held two children, staring at her with an icy expression, as if she were a stranger.
Upon hearing this, the people below the hall couldn't help but point at Wang E and begin to curse her.
"Look at him, what a heartless bastard! He even betrayed his own father to escape punishment!"
"What wouldn't that viperous woman do!"
"She has benefited from all these years, and she blames all the blame on her own father."
Wang E was eventually dragged away, leaving Wang Yuanwai to support himself. He led his two children to pay their respects to the prefect before leaving.
Wang Fu immediately carried his master on his back, and escorted the two young masters onto the carriage and drove away.
Passing by the pharmacy, they asked Doctor Sun to accompany them to the Wang family's house.
Needless to say, Doctor Sun reiterated that Master Wang's life was nearing its end, and even a celestial being couldn't save him.
In the Wang family courtyard, the cries of two children were deafening, and the servants were all listless and anxious, unable to concentrate on their work.
The people in the teahouse sighed in dismay, finding the tea tasteless.
Some daring individuals, drawn by the spectacle, followed the officials to collect bones outside the city, and upon their return, the whole city knew about it…
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