Chapter 803 Confession (Part 2)
"Just tell me about Zhou Yin. What was he like as a child? What happened when he grew up? How he sold himself? How he left home? What happened when he returned? What did he bring home? What did he say? What did he do?" County Magistrate Tang nodded at the table. "If you tell the truth, I'll investigate and let you go after I've confirmed you had nothing to do with it. But if you're lying, I'll go to Qili Village and investigate. If your story doesn't match what you said, then..."
Just as he was about to say something bad about Zhou Yin and try to clear himself of the blame, the bald man paused and said honestly, "Zhou Yin, he has been smart since he was young..."
Lai Tou is only two years older than Zhou Yin, but he has also lived under Zhou Yin's shadow since he was a child, and he has envied Zhou Yin since he was a child.
Because he lived a good life and was so likable.
More than 20 years ago, their family lived a better life than Old Zhou's family. Even though Lai Tou's family is living the worst life now and Old Zhou's family is living the best life.
When he was a child, the life of the Lai Tou family was much better than that of the Old Zhou family. At that time, the Old Zhou family was the one that was living the worst off.
Because he was the only son in their family, and Old Zhou's family had too many children, all of whom were half-grown children. The children at this time did not do much work but ate a lot, so they were very poor.
But despite such difficult times, Zhou Yin actually lived a good life, which made Baldy envious.
Of course, he felt that living a good life did not mean eating well and dressing well, but that Zhou Yin was very comfortable and his sister-in-law Qian was very indulgent towards him.
Who among the six or seven-year-old children can follow adults to the county town?
But Zhou Yin can do it. As long as Qian or Zhou Jin go to the county town to sell or buy things, Zhou Yin will be able to follow.
And every time he went to the county town, he would definitely be able to buy a piece of candy.
So all the children in Qili Village envied him.
By the time he was eight or nine, Zhou Yin was able to go to the county town to play on his own. He even learned to read. Because Zhou Yin was handsome and smart, the adults in the village liked him. During the New Year, everyone came to pay New Year's greetings, and he received more cakes and pastries than other children.
Knowing that County Magistrate Tang was going to ask the villagers, Lai Tou did not dare to hide the story, so he told them about the drought in the eleventh year of Dading and how Zhou Yin sold himself and helped the villagers find jobs.
The bald-headed man said, "Because of this, the villagers were grateful for his kindness. In the third year of Dazhen, he returned to the village with his wife and children. The villagers went to his house to see him and heard him say that he wanted to settle down in the village. The village chief also said that he would choose a good piece of land for him and that everyone would work together to build a house for him. It was because of this that everyone followed the Zhou family and hid the matter from the officials."
County Magistrate Tang asked, "What did he bring back home?"
"He came back with the caravan with just two bags. He said he was worried about the road safety and that it would be difficult for him and his wife to travel with them, so he only took the two bags. He asked friends to bring back the rest of the family's belongings. Because there were so many things, they were left behind. He also said he brought gifts for the villagers." The bald man said, "Then he stayed in the village for two days and took his wife with him, saying he was going out to bring back the things. But he never came back. It was only when people who went hunting in the mountains to pick wild vegetables saw them that they had been chopped to pieces that they were carried back."
"And their luggage?"
"No, they had nothing but the clothes they were wearing."
"He never told me what he did for a living after he came back?"
"He said he farmed and occasionally did some small business," the bald man hesitated for a moment before continuing, "He told us that his father-in-law was a scholar. He fell ill halfway through the journey with the merchant caravan and had no choice but to stop in a certain state. When he was nearly dying, the scholar took pity on him and gave him some water, rice, and medicine, which helped him get through that difficult time."
"Then he often went to the scholar's house to help out and run errands. Seeing how diligent he was, the scholar took him in," the bald man said with some suspicion and envy, "The scholar had only one daughter, so he simply took him in as his son-in-law. They came back to take care of the scholar and his wife until they died. The scholar's family property was given to him."
County Magistrate Tang's mind flashed through an official document, and he asked, "Shangzhou?"
The bald man's eyes lit up and he nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, it's Shangzhou, it's Shangzhou."
County Magistrate Tang was even more puzzled. He asked, "They say Zhou Yin is a bandit, but did they tell us where he robbed and who he robbed?"
"How dare we ask the official? Not only me, but even Zhou Jin's family doesn't know."
County Magistrate Tang then asked, "What about Zhou Yin's accomplices?"
Baldy: "I don't know, I've never seen him. Maybe it's Zhou Yin's friend? But we don't know him either, we've never seen him."
What happened next was that he knew nothing about anything. He knew what happened before Zhou Yin sold herself, and he also knew what happened after Zhou Man was raised by the Zhou family, but he knew nothing about what happened in between.
County Magistrate Tang went back and forth to investigate, and when he found out that he really knew nothing, he waved his hand and had him taken away.
Baldy became timid and asked hurriedly, "Sir, I didn't lie. You can find out once you go to the village and ask. Can you please let me go first?"
County Magistrate Tang looked at him and asked, "Are you sure you want to go back to the village? If the people in your village knew that you confessed everything..."
The bald man's face turned pale. Then their family would definitely be driven out of the village.
The bald man swallowed and asked, "Isn't it said that if you conceal the crime, you will be considered an accomplice?"
"That's right, but Zhou Yin's crime is still uncertain, so I won't hold anyone from Qili Village accountable." County Magistrate Tang knew that if he spoke too obscurely, the man might not understand, so he said bluntly, "But it's true that you confessed to a secret your village has kept hidden for years."
The bald man burst into tears and cried out, "Sir, I have heard all this because of your confession. Please don't harm me."
"I won't harm you," County Magistrate Tang said. "So you should stay in the county office for the time being. And keep your mouth shut. Unless I ask, don't say anything no matter who asks you. Once I have investigated the matter, regardless of Zhou Yin's guilt or innocence, I will let you go. But if you continue to talk nonsense and ruin my good deeds..."
Baldy immediately promised, "I will never say anything nonsense. From today on, unless an adult asks me, I will be mute."
County Magistrate Tang nodded with satisfaction and had him taken away.
Jiang Qi submitted the recorded minutes to County Magistrate Tang.
After reading it once and confirming that it was correct, County Magistrate Tang signed it, then put the transcript away and stuffed it into his sleeve.
Jiang Qi looked at him silently. County Magistrate Tang ignored his gaze and said, "Jiang Qi, go find the list of county officials who have been on official business in the past three years of Dazhen, as well as the announcements issued that year. I want all of them, including the source."
The next update will be around 6:00 PM
(End of this chapter)
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