The Zhou family's second downfall became news in the capital, causing a stir for several days before gradually dying down.
During this period, Xu Si's blackmail case went to court, and Xu Jiang was summoned to the court to hear the verdict.
With the confessions of Xu Wu and Xu Twelve, Xu Si had no way to defend himself and pleaded guilty. He was finally sentenced to one year in prison and was also flogged 100 times for escaping.
As for his crime of conspiring with Zhou Huai to overturn the verdict and accuse the government, his judgment will have to wait until the Zhou family case is concluded.
In the court, Xu Jiang and Xu Si had no objection to the verdict. The county magistrate approved the verdict and then ordered the prison guards to drag Xu Si outside the court and whip him.
Xu Jiang watched the execution from the side.
At first Xu Si could still curse a few words, but later on he could only cry and beg for mercy.
After the execution, Xu Si, half dead, said to Xu Jiang, "I've been whipped, and you've gotten your revenge. For the sake of our brotherly relationship, please forgive me."
"I don't feel relieved, because you deserve this." Xu Jiang said calmly, "You don't have to talk about brother and sister with me. There is no such relationship between us. Besides, I am not a high-ranking official. The crime you committed by colluding with the Zhou family is unforgivable. Just wish yourself the best."
"You can't, but your lover can. He's not..."
"Shut up!" Xu Si was interrupted by Xu Jiang before he could finish his words. "Don't even think about saying this crime can't be redeemed. Even if it can be redeemed, I don't want to redeem it. And don't even think about involving others."
Xu Si said unwillingly, "You hate me, but don't you hate Xu Twelve and Xu Dang? Especially Xu Twelve. He betrayed Sixth Uncle and was the murderer who killed him. If you can redeem him, why can't I?"
His words were like a sharp thorn piercing Xu Jiang's heart. Her face turned pale with pain. She suppressed her surging emotions and said coldly, "Since you are so curious, why not ask him for advice next time when you are in court together?"
After saying this, she said goodbye to the county magistrate and the chief clerk without further ado and left.
"Xu Jiang!" Xu Sigang roared and was whipped again.
The prison guard said, "No noise is allowed in the courtroom."
After this whip, Xu Si could no longer hold on and fell to the ground with a thud.
The jailer called two men over and said, "Drag them away and throw them back into the prison."
Xu Jiang sat in the carriage with a gloomy face, Xu Si's words echoing in his ears.
Clearly, the Xu family had their own sense of good and evil regarding the events of that year. The deplorable thing was that they knew the evil and yet they still committed it, completely disregarding the blood ties of their clan and the bonds of brotherhood for the sake of money and fame, and severing her master's life. Xu Hao and Xu Dang followed suit, coming to the capital to cause trouble for her, attempting to drag her back into the mire and pit of fire.
Those who know evil and still do evil, redeeming their punishment is aiding and abetting their evil, which will cause endless harm. She will not seek trouble for herself.
But Xu Hao's words had indeed struck a nerve. The events of the past were a nightmare, a knot in her heart, and a deep, unresolved hatred. She had been forced to atonce for Xu Dang and Xu Twelve, a betrayal of her master. For the greater good, she had no choice but to endure, feeling deeply aggrieved.
It’s hateful that Xu Hao used this as a raft and even wanted to ask Lou Yunchun to redeem his sentence. He is so shameless.
The more Xu Jiang thought about it, the angrier she became. She wished she could go back and whip Xu Hao to death herself.
The carriage, carrying a huge amount of resentment, arrived at Huailiu Lane.
Xu Jiang got out of the car with a sullen expression. As soon as she landed, she saw Yin Yin waiting for her under a tree. Seeing her return, she rushed over to greet her, circling around her like a little sparrow, asking her all sorts of questions. Xu Jiang pinched her rosy cheeks, and the pent-up anger in her heart instantly dissipated, as if a cool breeze had blown upon her.
"It's so hot, I'm not afraid of getting a heat stroke standing outside."
"Yinyin is not afraid of heat."
"Are you not afraid of the heat, but the dark?"
Yin Yin touched her face and asked, "Am I dark?"
The originally fair and tender little girl had gotten quite tanned after following him around all the time. Xu Jiang pulled her into the house and said, "If you continue to tan, you'll get even darker."
After entering the house, Liang Mo was nowhere to be found, so he asked, "Where is Liang Mo?"
"Applying medicine to Uncle Jackal in the backyard."
"I'll go take a look."
"I'm going too." Little Tail quickly followed.
The two men came to the backyard, only to see Guard Zhu there. He and Liang Mo held down the Jackal Uncle while the other applied medicine to it. The Jackal Uncle heard Xu Jiang's voice and cried for help.
Xu Jiang stepped forward, touched its head, and said soothingly, "Be good, I'll give you a big bone after I apply the medicine."
Yinyin looked at its fur, which was covered in black medicine, and her eyebrows were knotted. "Can its fur grow back?"
Uncle Jackal was so majestic and handsome before, but if he becomes a bald dog in the future and is looked down upon by others, how pitiful he would be.
"We'll know after the scar falls off." Liang Mo finished applying medicine to Uncle Jackal and patted his head. "Don't be afraid if it doesn't grow back. This is a feat of repelling bandits. Other dogs don't have it yet."
Xu Jiangmo said: Uncle Jackal is still someone else's dog now.
At this point, Xu Jiang remembered something, "Guard Zhu, has the master replied regarding hiring Uncle Jackal?"
"The master agreed," Guard Zhu said with a smile. "He learned that Uncle Jackal had defended the master from thieves and was injured in the process, so he thought it was a connection between them and the master, and so he wanted to help. Plus, he has a lot of dogs, and they've had several litters recently. Money and energy are tight, and he's worried that if he takes Uncle Jackal back, he might not be able to take good care of him and even risk his life, so he agreed. He didn't ask for money, just that I want to treat him well and take good care of his wounds."
"Thank him for me, and rest assured that we will not treat Uncle Jackal unfairly, especially since he has done me a favor." Remembering Guard Zhu's comment about his master's financial difficulties, Xu Jiang added, "As for the money, it should be given. If he hadn't tamed Uncle Jackal to such a ferocious ferocity, he wouldn't have been able to stop me from this disaster. Consider it a token of gratitude."
Zhu Huwei knew his friend's predicament, and since Xu Jiang said so, he did not refuse.
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