Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Xiao Anan, let your brother hug you~…
Adoptive brother?
Xiaoman's eyelids twitched and she felt a headache.
That year, her adoptive parents passed away, and Grandma He from the village kindly took her in. He Ping is Grandma He's grandson.
A notorious troublemaker in the surrounding villages!
Climb trees to catch birds, go to rivers to fish, poke hornets' nests in summer and play icicles in winter, tie bed sheets around the body and imitate big birds jumping down the hillside, and almost set the mountain on fire while roasting sweet potatoes.
He even pretended to be Guanyin's little golden boy and tricked the black-hearted boss in the town into swallowing the mud pill as a magic medicine. Afterwards, the boss was actually grateful to him!
The most outrageous thing happened one New Year's Day when he was carrying mountain products to sell and was robbed by bandits on the way. Everyone pooled their money to redeem him, but the two bandits ended up sending him back.
This guy was drunk and acted like a brother to the two bandits. He kept talking tirelessly and the two bandits fled in panic.
Since then, their village, and even the entire town, has never been harassed by bandits again.
Later, He Ping felt quite regretful that the bandits didn't want him. He was really blind and missed the God-given opportunity to become the king!
Grandma He had expressed her feelings to her more than once, saying that it was fortunate that Mr. Lin Ting took in this naughty monkey, otherwise He Ping would have definitely poked a big hole in the sky.
In a nutshell, wherever he goes, there is chaos and unrest.
In the letter to Grandma He, Xiaoman repeatedly warned her not to let He Ping know.
Now she was on the verge of tears: "Why did he come here for no reason? What trouble has he caused this time?"
Chen Lingan coughed twice, "Intent on murdering Princess Jingxuan..."
Xiaoman was so shocked that she took a long time to recover. She covered her face and said, "I don't know him."
-
Two days later, in Yingtian Prefecture Prison.
A young man was clinging to the iron bars with both hands, chatting animatedly with the jailer, grinning with his big white teeth bared. He didn't look like a prisoner at all, but rather like someone who was out for fun.
Zhang Xiaoman on the iron gate turned his head silently.
He Ping had already seen her and waved his hands excitedly, "Xiao Man, look here, look here!"
Xiaoman slowly moved to him, and He Ping hugged her through the fence, "I miss your brother so much."
I almost strangled Xiaoman to death!
Chen Ling'an pried He Ping's hands apart with a cold expression, "Change your bad habits."
He Ping burst into laughter.
He is not very good-looking, but he has a pair of very bright eyes.
When she smiles, her eyes are curved, which is very pleasing. Even when she is not smiling, her eyes are smiling, just like the clear lake water in spring, gentle, warm and full of vitality.
Even standing next to the stunningly beautiful Chen Ling'an, it was impossible to ignore his presence.
"You're still laughing!" Xiaoman said with a stern face, "You're murdering the princess. I think you don't want to live anymore."
He Ping cried out in injustice, "I was trying to save someone. Yesterday, I was passing by Yanque Lake and saw a woman standing on the bridge. Her face was thin and her expression was bleak. Her eyes were fixed on the water. I knew at a glance that she was a foolish girl who hated the sea and the sky after watching a few operas and wanted to commit suicide to win back her lover."
"As a man, how could I stand by and watch someone die without helping? In a split second, I leaped forward, trying to grab her... but I was so swift, I couldn't stop and knocked her overboard. After finally climbing ashore, a group of guards came flying over, shouting about assassins, and they rushed over to me."
He Ping wiped away a bitter tear. "Don't princesses usually live in the deep palace for a long time, surrounded by people and servants? She is all alone. I would never have thought she was a princess. I am really wronged. I only knew you in the capital, so I had to ask the officials to find you. Hey, I didn't expect you two to be here!"
Chen Ling'an said coldly, "The princess said she was leaning on the bridge railing watching the fish when a man suddenly rushed out, grabbed her and jumped into the water. Luckily, the secret guards were nearby, so nothing happened."
He Ping blinked, "Looking at fish? No, you wouldn't have that kind of expression when looking at fish."
Xiaoman retorted, "Whatever the princess says is what it is. You're still arguing. I really want to be locked up here forever."
He Ping heard the hope of being rescued and asked in surprise, "Can I get out?"
Chen Lingan glanced at him sideways, "Princess, you are kind. Knowing that you are Xiaoman's adopted brother, you will spare your life."
Then a jailer came forward and opened the prison door.
He Ping came out happily, opened his arms and wanted to hug Xiaoman again, "Oh my dear sister, you are my lucky star!"
Xiaoman quickly dodged, "Don't thank me, it's Chen Ling'an's honor."
He Ping immediately changed direction, "Xiao An'an, let brother hug you."
"roll!"
"Don't be shy. You've always put on a stern face and acted like an adult since you were little. You're even more mature than me. Your official robes are so bright. Where did you make your fortune? When did you come to the capital? Why didn't you send a message to Xuanfu? We've been missing you. Hey, why are you running away?"
…
It was not until lunch time that Xiaoman and Chen Ling'an had a moment of peace and quiet.
Although He Ping was noisy, he ate very quietly and his movements were very graceful. Xiaoman couldn't help laughing as she watched him.
The other two looked over.
Xiaoman explained, "Brother, when he eats, he's exactly like Mr. Lin Ting. He's truly a proud disciple, carefully trained by Mr. Lin. I haven't seen you for over six months, and I miss my family so much. Are they all doing well?"
He Ping said, "I'm fine. But you seem to be having a hard time in the Zhang family. Don't be afraid. I'm here, no one dares to bully you."
Hearing this, Xiaoman glanced at Chen Lingan, and Chen Lingan looked away awkwardly.
He Ping raised his eyebrows slightly, with an expression as if he was watching a show.
Xiaoman asked again: "Who else did grandma look for?"
"Huh? I don't understand what you are saying."
"Didn't you come here because of my letter?"
He Ping was even more puzzled. "It was my teacher who wrote me a letter of recommendation, inviting me to study at Nancui Academy. I received the gifts and letters you sent me in March, but nothing else."
Xiaoman was stunned for a moment, then shook her head and said with a smile: "I don't think it will be that fast."
"What are you doing?" Chen Ling'an asked with a frown.
"It has nothing to do with you."
"Don't do unnecessary things and don't cause unnecessary trouble." His tone contained a warning.
Xiaoman snorted and ignored him.
He Ping looked around and jokingly said, "Xiao An'an, if you talk to girls like that, you might end up being single for the rest of your life."
"Don't call me such a disgusting name."
"Then...Xiao Anzi?"
Xiaoman couldn't help it and spit out a mouthful of tea all over her sleeves. She wiped it with a handkerchief while coughing and laughing. It took her a long time to stop.
Chen Lingan's handsome face flushed red, but he had no idea what to do when facing this brother who had taken care of him for a long time and could switch between serious and frivolous at any time.
He could only say that he was on official business and prepare to slip away.
"Chen Ling'an!" He Ping suddenly raised his voice.
Chen Lingan paused.
He Ping had a loving smile on his face. He supported his chin with his left hand and reached out with his right hand to gently stroke Chen Ling'an's head. His voice was slow and low, "Good boy."
Chen Ling'an's muscles suddenly tensed up, and he stood up suddenly. "Don't give me that! I'm taller than you!"
He Ping laughed heartily, "I've given you everything the teacher said."
Chen Ling'an's expression froze for a moment, but he immediately reacted, "Mr. Lin Ting would never say that, and would never make that expression. You're lying to me again."
He Ping put his arm around his neck and said, "You didn't fall for it, it's really boring. When will you let down your guard?"
"Let me go!"
"Xiao Anzi, I miss you so much."
"roll!"
"Don't run, Xiao Anzi, wait for me."
…
The willow shades moved slightly, the cicadas chirped, and the youthful spirit that had disappeared for a long time seemed to come back at this moment.
-
In the past two days, Chen Ling'an has been busy with He Ping's release from prison. The middleman hired by the Zhang family at a high price has not found an opportunity to mediate, so the Zhang family's plan has been delayed again and again until they received the court order from the Jiangning government to re-examine the divorce case.
Zhang Wen had no choice but to go ahead with it.
It is the beginning of autumn, and the wind blowing from the north is no longer as scorching as in midsummer, but today is a cloudy day and still a bit stuffy.
The outside of the yamen was still crowded with people watching the fun.
The two parties have almost finished their arguments last time, and the current dispute is about the ownership of the dowry.
Zhang Wen still used social norms to explain that the husband is the head of the wife, and the wife's entire body belongs to her husband. The husband's wishes and demands should be the top priority. What's wrong with the husband using his wife's dowry?
Your parents' home is not your home; your husband's home is your home. If you want to calculate every penny, you have simply forgotten your identity as a married woman and this is unethical of a wife.
So it couldn't be a divorce by peace agreement, Jiang could only be divorced.
His words were echoed by most of the men outside the hall.
Zheng Dicai looked at him with interest. "Master Zhang, do you want all the dowry to be left to you, and Madam Jiang to leave the house empty-handed?"
Zhang Wen sighed, "Considering we've been married for many years and have several children, I'm willing to leave her 20,000 yuan to support herself."
He deliberately emphasized the word "child".
Mrs. Jiang had indeed understood Zhang Wen's hint. If she could leave the Zhang family, could Xiaoman leave? And Zhang Junyi, that girl had come to her with a desperate determination. How could she ignore the lives of her children?
The wind started to blow, and large groups of gray-brown clouds rolled in, covering half the sky in an instant.
She subconsciously looked at Xiaoman who was standing at the gate of the yamen.
Xiaoman was looking at Zhang Wen, with contempt and disdain revealed at the corners of her mouth and eyebrows, and her whole face clearly said: I don’t believe you!
Mrs. Jiang suddenly woke up and shouted, "That doesn't make sense. The dowry is given to me by my parents, not to your Zhang family!"
Seeing that she didn't take the bait, Zhang Wen shouted angrily: "You only care about your own happiness and don't care about the life of the child. You are too selfish and cold-hearted!"
The people watching the excitement at the yamen gate laughed out loud. "None of them are born by anyone else. The biological father doesn't care about the children, but lets his ex-wife take care of them. If she doesn't care, she's unfaithful to her husband. I've lived for over forty years, and this is the first time I've heard such perverse logic."
Someone else said sarcastically, "From being penniless to having a fortune of millions, all he has to do is marry the daughter of a wealthy family and then kick her out of the house. This marriage is worth it, and he will have a good life after the whole family is wiped out."
"That's right, why are we still working so hard? We can just cheat and find a rich wife, preferably an only child, haha."
After hearing this, a woman strangled her husband who had just agreed with Zhang Wen. "We have a daughter too. If she marries a man like Zhang Wen, she will suffer, and all the money we have worked so hard to save will become someone else's. Let's see if you will cry!"
Those who had daughters at the scene stared at Zhang Wen thoughtfully.
Zhang Wen wiped the sweat from his forehead and pretended to be calm.
Zheng Dicai sneered, "Bringing prisoners."
But there was a sound of hurried footsteps, and the bailiffs came up with a group of frightened people.
Mrs. Jiang recognized that several of them were village heads from northern Jiangsu, Huizhou, and Xuzhou, and that they had come to the Zhang family to pay their respects to her a few years ago.
Zhang Wen's face changed.
Xiaoman was also stunned, and then she suddenly realized: Chen Ling'an was not going to touch the Zhang family, but wanted to use these people on the divorce case first, so that her mother could get out of the Zhang family before doing anything else!
These people had been interrogated before and had witnessed the torture methods of the Jinyiwei. At this moment, they were all shaking with fear, and the sound of their teeth chattering could be heard clearly. They muttered incoherently, "I just want to die quickly, I just want to die quickly..."
Zheng Dicai slammed the gavel and shouted, "Even if you want to die, you must first explain everything clearly. How did you embezzle the master's private property, bribe local officials, and frame others? Tell the truth!"
"We, we...were asked by the old lady of the Zhang family and our son-in-law to hand over the account books and income to them. If we do, they will sign the indentures to sell us. If we don't, they will sell us off."
They stared at Zhang Wen with resentment.
If Zhang Wen hadn't been so ruthless, his wife wouldn't have divorced him, and she wouldn't have checked the accounts of the farm, and they wouldn't have been involved at all!
When she thought about her life of luxury and luxury being ruined by Zhang Wen, she wanted to tear him to pieces.
What is particularly hateful is that their indentures have not been returned to them, and now they are still slaves.
Betraying one's master is a serious crime, punishable by a hundred strokes of the cane at the least, exile or even beheading at the worst.
If they can't survive, the Zhang family won't survive either!
He immediately explained in detail how he had colluded with others to cook the books and deceive Mrs. Jiang, how he had transferred the farm to Zhang Wen and Aunt Sun, and how he had bribed local officials to put pressure on Mother Fang's case...
The account books recording the real data were also submitted as evidence.
Zheng Dicai: "Zhang Wen, do you have anything else to say?"
Zhang Wenxin was determined and refused to admit it. "Jiang has a good relative. How can I know if they were instructed by someone to deliberately frame me?"
Zheng Weicai was amused. He was the type who wouldn't cry until he saw the coffin. "Bring Bian and Sun up here."
As soon as Mrs. Bian showed her face, she cried to her son, "There's no law! They've ransacked our house!"
Zhang Wen was shocked and furious. "Zheng Dicai, what crime have I committed that you raided my house? Do you have a warrant from the Emperor? You are abusing your power for personal gain. I'm suing you!"
Zheng Dicai shouted, "How dare you roar in court!" Then he winked at those around him.
Four water and fire sticks immediately grabbed Zhang Wen's hands and feet, and then there was a loud "bang". Zhang Wen, who had not yet reacted, fell flat on his face and one of his front teeth was knocked out.
The injured right wrist was broken again.
His screams were so miserable that Zheng Weicai was annoyed and ordered someone to cover his mouth.
Zheng Yicai flipped through the account books he'd seized from the Zhang family. "Ms. Bian, I was searching for physical evidence and only took the farm account books. I left everything else untouched. Yet, you're calling it a confiscation of property. If I hadn't asked the officials from the Censorate, the Ministry of Justice, and the Supreme Court to secretly monitor this, I wouldn't be able to explain myself today even if I had a reason."
"I have learned a lesson from the Zhang family's brutality and viciousness."
Zheng Dicai threw the account book back into the box and said, "Give it to the finance minister to calculate how much they have embezzled. Tell them to return it all to Madame Jiang."
"No, that's my house." Old Mrs. Bian gasped for breath, her face turning purple and red.
"No?" Zheng Dicai sneered, "I haven't even questioned you yet. How did you coerce and bribe the village head to falsify accounts and transfer Jiang's assets? Tell me the truth, and tell me!"
As soon as the word "say" came out, the gavel in his hand slammed down, like a stick hitting the old lady on the head, and she immediately wilted.
But no matter how scared she was, she knew she couldn't confess. "The accounts were all managed by Sun. I know nothing. I don't know anyone on the farm, and I don't have any land or assets to my name."
"You're so clever, you've stayed out of all the action, sitting quietly behind the scenes and reaping the profits. Do you really think you can get away with it this way?"
Zheng Yicai looked at the Zhang family mother and son with disgust. "The farm account book was found in your room. You dare to say that you don't know how to fool me? You underestimate me."
He glanced at Aunt Sun, who lowered her head and remained silent. "Sun, you colluded with Huangzhuang Huayi and framed Fang to seize Madam Jiang's wealth. What crime should you be charged with?"
Aunt Sun shuddered violently. "Your Excellency, I am innocent. It was all your fault. I have nothing to do with it. I am just a concubine who never leaves the house. I don't even know which way the gate of the imperial manor faces. How could I have such connections and bribes?"
The dog I raised actually bit my owner!
Old Lady Bian swung her cane and hit Aunt Sun on the head. "Nonsense! How dare you throw dirty water on my son? I'll beat you to death, you bitch!"
Aunt Sun screamed, covered her head with blood and fainted.
People had never seen such a violent scene in the lobby before, and there was an uproar and chaos.
Mrs. Jiang was stunned. Xiaoman was afraid that the old lady would go crazy and hurt her mother, so she quickly pulled her behind the yamen runners to hide.
Zheng Yicai banged the gavel in his hand loudly. "Silence! Silence! Hold down the old woman and take the injured away for treatment."
After the noise subsided, Zheng Dicai took out the verdict that he had prepared long ago.
"Zhang Wensu enjoyed the Jiang family's kindness and support, and his wife's support, yet he has no desire to repay her and despises her. He is also guilty of abusing her and faking her death and seizing her property. Without punishment, many will get away with it. He is sentenced to fifty strokes of the cane and death, and must return Jiang's entire dowry. The case of faking her death and seizing her property will be transferred to the Northern Pacification Office for a joint trial."
Zhang Wen struggled to plead, "I was wrong. Please, sir, please bear in mind my ten years of hard study. It's not easy to get to where I am today. We even attended the Qionglin Banquet together. We are both Confucian scholars. Please show some respect..."
The thought of having attended a banquet with such a person made Zheng Yicai feel so disgusted that she almost vomited the food she had eaten the night before.
"If I had known this would happen, why did I do it in the first place? You've done such a shameful thing, and you've brought shame not only on yourself, but also on the scholars of the world, and even on the court! You're not worthy of being a scholar!"
"I will submit a petition based on the facts and have your student status revoked, your reputation shattered. Come on, strip Zhang Wen of his clothes. You are a beast, so why pretend to be a human being?"
"Adjourn!"
As the word "adjourn" was shouted, a bright flash streaked across the raging sky, followed by a deafening thunder. The long-accumulated torrential rain poured down, washing over the world thoroughly.
Mrs. Jiang woke up from her shock.
She stared blankly at Zhang Wen, who was limp on the ground like a dead pig, Old Lady Bian, whose hair was disheveled and she was crying non-stop, and Aunt Sun, whose face was pale and eyes were lifeless...
It’s over, everything is over, she finally escaped from the Zhang family!
Mrs. Jiang couldn't explain how she felt. She should have felt relieved, but at the same time, she felt like there was a resentment in her heart that she couldn't get rid of.
After bearing so much pressure and putting in so much effort, I just ended up back at the starting point.
No, it's worse than the starting point. Now she is exhausted both physically and mentally, and has to endure people's pointing and criticizing. That spirited girl of heaven will never come back.
Twenty years of a woman's best life was wasted on a bad man.
I wanted to cry, I wanted to laugh, all kinds of thoughts came to my mind, but in the end they turned into a sigh.
"Mother, mother!" Xiaoman cried and rushed over to hug her. "You are free, you are free!"
Mrs. Jiang held her daughter's face in her hands and said, "But Xiaoman, what are you going to do in the future?"
Xiaoman was startled, tears streaming down her face. Worried that Mrs. Jiang would be upset, she took a deep breath, shook her head, and said with a smile, "It's okay. I have a plan."
Mrs. Chiang didn't believe it.
There is no clever plan, it's just to comfort her.
Zhang Wen was accused of a crime, the Zhang family's reputation was ruined, and the money they had earned was gone. How could Old Lady Bian let Xiaoman go? She would most likely give up and use the crime of "disobedience" to torture the child.
How can we save her?
Mrs. Jiang's heart was in a knot.
"Madam!" Aunt Sun rushed out and knelt down in front of them. Her energy was nothing like that of someone who had just fainted.
"I was wrong. I shouldn't have helped the old lady and the master deceive Madam. Now I've made a big mistake. I don't dare ask Madam for forgiveness. I just ask Madam to be kind and take care of the fifth girl. Don't let her be sold to the old lady."
She kowtowed loudly, and in a moment her head, which had just been bandaged, was covered in blood again.
"The child is innocent. After all, the Fifth Miss has called Madam mother for more than ten years—"
"Shut up!" Seeing the look of pity on Mrs. Jiang's face, Xiaoman hurriedly interrupted Aunt Sun. "Now you know you're afraid. Why weren't you afraid when you seized the wife's dowry? Why weren't you afraid when you framed Mother Fang? You Zhang family members are all the same. You only take advantage of the kind-hearted wife to bully her!"
Aunt Sun shouted, "Don't forget that you are also a member of the Zhang family."
Xiaoman smiled, leaned over and whispered in her ear, "It won't be that soon."
Aunt Sun stared at her in astonishment, and only when the yamen runner pulled her away did she suddenly scream, "Impossible, impossible—"
Her screams were filled with hysterical despair. Even when she heard that she was imprisoned in the Northern Pacification Office, she didn't break down like this.
Xiaoman's brows slowly furrowed. Is being a member of the Zhang family more important to Aunt Sun than her life?
-
Because the divorce case involved a case of false corpse and property seizure as well as official corruption cases in Huai'an and the Ministry of Justice, Zheng Dicai sorted out the files and went to the Ministry of Justice.
Arriving at the Ministry of Justice, he saw Chen Ling'an, the Minister of Justice Yu Deshui, and several officials from the Censorate and the Supreme Court. He hurried forward and said, "This humble official pays his respects to you, gentlemen."
Yu Deshui looked over the file he submitted and said with a smile, "That's a good judgment. The reputation of us scholars has been tarnished by this kind of scum in the Confucian community."
The Vice Minister of the Censorate said, "Isn't the sentence too harsh? Jiang has been the mistress of the Zhang family for twenty years, and even received an imperial decree because of Zhang Wen. It's not as if she hasn't benefited from the Zhang family in any way, yet she escaped unscathed, without suffering the slightest loss. If other women follow her example, wouldn't it disrupt social order and morality?"
Chen Ling'an slowly stood up. "A while ago, the Emperor asked me how Zhang Wen became the Minister of Personnel. Who supported him and promoted him? I couldn't answer at the time, but today, I can report back to the Emperor."
The Minister was horrified. "You...you...I didn't recommend him. I did it to uphold the Three Bonds and Five Constant Virtues. I have absolutely no selfish motives. I dare say this even before the Emperor. But you, Chen Ling'an, dare you say you had no selfish motives in intervening in this case?"
The signing room suddenly became quiet.
Chen Ling'an looked out the window at the heavy rain, and his cold voice was clearly heard by everyone through the sound of the rain, "Yes, I have selfish motives."
He turned around and looked at the minister coldly, "I will also let you know how many people will be imprisoned because of my selfishness in the future."
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