35 Chapter 035
◎Tit for a tooth◎
The one on guard tonight is Luo Qi.
He had heard the noise outside the yard a long time ago and reported it to Xie Mingzhuo in time.
All six of them gathered in the main room, ready to catch the two men in the act and report them to the authorities.
Unexpectedly, the night patrol officer got there first.
The neighbors all came out of the yard to check, so the six people naturally couldn't pretend not to hear anything.
Li Jiuyue, the apparent host, was the first to open the courtyard gate. Just as she was about to take a step outside, she heard Aunt Jin exclaim, "Nine-year-old, be careful!"
Her feet immediately retracted.
Everyone held up lanterns, lighting up the alleyway very brightly, and the bloody and horrifying dead rat in front of the courtyard gate came into view.
Even though Li Jiuyue had experienced many storms, she couldn't help but take a breath.
"Second Mother, don't come over here yet!"
She then signaled Luo Qi and Yang Yunkai to stand in front of the door to block Xie Mingzhuo's view.
Xie Mingzhuo: “…”
She didn't create a delicate character.
Someone outside the door warned: "Da Li, deal with it as soon as possible."
The voice sounds somewhat familiar.
The two thieves naturally did not pick up the dead rat with their hands. After throwing the dead rat away, they rolled up the sack and planned to take it back for further use. Now they tied the sack around one of their waists.
He pulled the sack off vigorously, borrowed two pairs of tongs from a neighbor, and together with Lin Fan, quickly picked up the dead mouse and put it into the bag.
The thief who threw the rat had his hands and feet tied, and was watched by many neighbors, so he had no chance to escape.
"Oh, it's Team Leader Lin." Aunt Jin only then noticed Lin Fan's face and asked in surprise, "Why are you on night patrol tonight?"
Lin Fan didn't answer, so Dali said first, "Boss, come here for night patrol from now on."
"That's great! With Captain Lin here, everyone can live in peace." Aunt Jin praised sincerely. She turned her eyes and said behind Li Jiuyue, "Second Aunt, we've picked up all the dead rats at the door. Come out and thank Captain Lin with your aunt."
"No need, it's all part of my job." Lin Fan replied politely, pulling up the two thieves who had collapsed on the ground. "I'll take them back to the government office first. I'll definitely give you an explanation on this matter."
Everyone expressed their trust in Team Leader Lin, watched them disappear at the alley entrance, and then went home to sleep.
Aunt Jin lingered and didn't leave. She grabbed Li Jiuyue's arm and asked mysteriously, "Jiu Niang, what do you think of that Lin Bantou just now?"
Li Jiuyue said subconsciously: "It's good."
It was this head of the forest department who took her to the yamen to sign the contract that day.
"Looks good, doesn't it?"
"He is indeed handsome."
"At such a young age, he's already the head of a yamen."
“Incredible.”
"He's only twenty, only one year older than Er Niang."
Li Jiuyue now understood that the fifth candidate was this Team Leader Lin.
If Meng Erniang was really just Meng Erniang, Lin Bantou would indeed be a good match for her, but the key point was that Meng Erniang was a princess trusted and favored by His Majesty, and the gap in their status was as huge as the difference between heaven and earth.
Seeing her hesitation, Aunt Jin frowned and asked, "Are you not satisfied with this?"
Li Jiuyue came back to her senses and said, "Didn't you say he didn't want to get married? Why should we rush into it?"
"People change." Aunt Jin patted her arm and said meaningfully, "Team Leader Lin has never been here on night patrol before."
"Why?"
"Our alleys are safe and there aren't many incidents. He's a waste of talent here. He only goes to places where there are a lot of hooligans. But he hasn't patrolled at night since the New Year."
Li Jiuyue was curious: "What's wrong?"
"I heard it's to train the men so that someone can take over in the future."
"He's so young, and he's already thinking about this?"
Aunt Jin speculated, "The prosecutor at the government office has been trying to recommend him for a job there. Perhaps he's looking for a better job."
"That makes sense." Li Jiuyue quickly stopped talking, "Auntie, it's late, you should go back and rest early."
After Aunt Jin left, Li Jiuyue closed the courtyard gate and returned to the main hall.
Jiang Qing was indignant: "Your Highness, Fan Zhao has been causing trouble time and time again. We must teach him a lesson."
"That's right." Feng Caiyu also looked annoyed.
Yang Yunkai: "I've inquired before, and Fan Zhao often stays overnight in Ningxiang Pavilion recently."
"Why not give him a taste of his own medicine?" Li Jiuyue snorted coldly. "Let's throw a dead rat on his bed."
"That's great!" Jiang Qing was the first to agree.
Xie Mingzhuo was satisfied. It was a good thing that they were unwilling to passively take a beating and were actively planning how to fight back.
She approved of Li Jiuyue's suggestion: "This method is indeed good, but it is only our guess that Fan Zhao is the mastermind behind this."
"Those two rat-thieves have been taken to the government office," Li Jiuyue said. "It's better to wait until the government office investigates thoroughly before taking any action."
Xie Mingzhuo nodded: "Yes."
At midnight, in the county government's criminal chamber.
The rat-throwing thief could not withstand the torture and had to confess the truth, saying that he was ordered by the boss to intimidate Li Jiuniang and the other six.
"Boss?" Lin Fan asked, "Who is your boss?"
"Wang Dazhuang, leader of the Tiger Gang."
Lin Fan: “…”
Was there some new gang emerging in Anlu County? How come he had never heard of it?
The rat-throwing thief felt deeply insulted and said unconvincedly, "Our gang leader is no ordinary man. He can lift a large vat with one hand. His skills are unparalleled and he is invincible!"
"Tsk." Ren Dali couldn't help but sneer, "Any random person can claim to have unparalleled skills? They're no match for Lin Tou."
"Impossible!" the Rat Thrower yelled, "Our gang leader could crush any Lin Bantou with just one finger!"
"you--"
Lin Fan stopped the furious Ren Dali, smiled and said, "Such a hero, I really want to meet him. Where is your gang's headquarters?"
"It's in Sparrow Alley, south of the city!" the Rat Thrower said proudly, "You can't come back once you go there!"
The other rat-throwing thief had the exact same expression as him.
Ren Dali couldn't help but say, "Boss, this Tiger Gang is really good at 'soul-stealing'."
Look at these two, they've lost their minds.
Lin Fan stood up: "Let's go and meet the Tiger Gang."
At midnight, the torture chamber opened again.
The two rat thieves looked at the tied-up tall and strong man in shock and said in unison: "Boss, why are you here too?!"
Wang Dazhuang: “…”
After interrogation, Wang Dazhuang confessed everything.
He claimed that he had learned some magic tricks before, so he used them to deceive others, boasting of his extraordinary skills, and attracted idle thugs to work for him, thus establishing the Tiger Gang.
That day, while he was having a meal in a restaurant, he heard the son of the county magistrate next door drunkenly insulting the Liuliu Grocery Store and the government office's County Magistrate He and Team Leader Lin. He then became inspired and, finding an opportunity, deliberately performed a magic trick in front of Fan Zhao.
Fan Zhao fell into the trap and took the initiative to come forward to recruit.
The smashing of shops and intimidation of Li Jiuniang and others were also instigated by Fan Zhao.
The clerk on duty wrote down the confession, asked several people to sign it, and then left.
"Boss, what should we do with these?" Dali asked.
Lin Fan: "Lock him in jail first."
"yes."
He took a few people to the prison and returned to the torture room, where he saw his squad leader standing at the door looking up at the night sky.
"Boss, can you also watch the stars?"
Lin Fan: "Do you want me to help you calculate when your salary will increase?"
“Yes, yes, yes!”
"But there are no stars tonight, so I can't calculate it." Lin Fan spread his hands innocently, "Let's do it another time."
Ren Dali showed a look of disappointment, kicked the sack thrown at the door of the torture chamber, and asked, "What should we do with these filthy things?"
Lin Fan said casually, "It's getting late. Go home first and leave these to me."
Ren Dali was naturally one hundred and twenty percent relieved.
At the beginning of the morning hour, Fan Zhao walked out of Ningxiang Pavilion yawning.
The carriage was parked in the alley outside the back door of Ningxiang Pavilion, and the driver had not arrived for some reason.
Fan Zhao planned to get into the carriage and take a nap.
He squinted his eyes, opened the curtain, and half asleep, he lay down on the soft cushion in the carriage.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhh!”
A sharp cry echoed through the back alley of Ningxiang Pavilion.
The neighbors came running over upon hearing the noise, and several guards from Ningxiang Pavilion also rushed out, all their eyes focused on the only carriage.
Fan Zhao climbed out from behind the curtain with disheveled hair. When he got out of the carriage, he stumbled and rolled under it. The horse was probably frightened and rushed forward a few steps, and the wheel of the carriage ran directly over his legs.
There was only a shrill scream, and Master Fan fainted completely.
The guard of Ningxiang Pavilion immediately reported to the owner.
Something happened to the magistrate's son in front of Ningxiang Pavilion. If they don't die, they will be skinned alive!
The owner of the inn immediately sent two groups of people, one to invite the best doctor in the city, and the other to go to the county government to report the case.
Fan Zhao was obviously frightened, and the cause was in the carriage.
They didn't dare to check on their own and could only wait for someone from the government office to come.
The people from the yamen have not arrived yet, but the doctor has arrived first.
The doctor examined him and said in a deep voice, "This gentleman has a fractured right leg and a minor abrasion on his arm. Please provide a stretcher to carry him to the infirmary."
A fracture is no small matter. If it's not handled properly, you'll be lame for the rest of your life.
Everyone followed the doctor's instructions, carefully lifted Fan Zhao onto a stretcher, and went to the clinic.
The bailiffs finally arrived, led by Huang Ding.
Because staying overnight at Ningxiang Pavilion sounded bad, the person who reported the case did not mention that the victim was Fan Zhao.
In order to avoid attracting attention, Fan Zhao did not ride in the Fan family's carriage, but rented one from a carriage shop.
Huang Ding asked witnesses in Ningxiang Pavilion and the surrounding neighborhoods, and everyone said that they only saw the man screaming and jumping out of the carriage, and then tumbling down and being run over by the frightened horse.
Huang Ding frowned. Isn’t this an accident?
Is it worth reporting such a small matter? Do you have nothing better to do?
"Boss, do you want to check the carriage?" asked the subordinate.
Huang Ding waved his hand, and immediately one of his men lifted the curtain, looked carefully, and was so scared that he took a step back.
There was a faint stench of decay wafting out.
Huang Ding was startled, thinking it was a murder case, and hurried forward to open the curtain.
The carriage was full of gray, dirty hair, and the seat cushions and footrests were all covered with dead rats. It was so disgusting that people almost vomited out their overnight meals.
Huang Ding suddenly lowered the curtain and moved away from the carriage.
"Did anyone see who threw the dead rat?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"The carriage owner must have offended someone. It was just a common threat. No one was killed, so it's not the government's responsibility."
Huang Ding concluded the situation with one sentence, without giving anyone a chance to object, and left the alley with his men, not caring at all about the complicated looks from the neighbors behind him.
He returned to the yamen leisurely, and his subordinates served him tea and water like a big boss.
Unfortunately, before I could even get the teacup, I heard Master Fan calling me.
Fan Zhao woke up halfway. After learning that his leg was broken, he immediately decided to take the doctor back to the back house of the county government for treatment.
The moment he saw the dead mouse, several faces from the Liuliu Grocery Store flashed through his mind.
After calming down, he overturned his previous guess.
Liuliu Grocery Store doesn’t have such courage.
Who could that be?
Such a serious matter as a broken leg could not be hidden from one's own father. After hearing the news, County Magistrate Fan specifically asked about the reason.
Fan Zhao hesitated and didn't want to say anything. After being scolded, he finally calmed down and told the whole story. He was then scolded by his father again.
If it weren't for the fact that his leg was broken, County Magistrate Fan would have beaten him to a pulp.
Fan Zhao said aggrievedly, "Dad, it was that guy surnamed Wang who insisted on coming over and said he wanted to help me teach them a lesson. It wasn't me who wanted to throw the dead rat."
Magistrate Fan snorted coldly and returned to the second hall. Just as he was about to send someone to investigate, he heard the clerk from the criminal department report that several rat thieves were caught last night and would be locked up for half a month. He asked the magistrate to review and approve it.
The reply was just a matter of convenience, but I mainly wanted to know the magistrate's attitude.
After all, the signed confession mentioned that the magistrate's son was the culprit.
"Throw away the rat thief?" Magistrate Fan immediately took the case file, glanced at it, and ordered his attendants, "Go call Lin Fan... No, call Ren Dali to see me first."
Ren Dali walked into the second hall with a bewildered look on his face. After greeting the emperor, he said in a muffled voice, "Your Excellency, please give me your instructions."
"Were you patrolling the streets of Zhuangyuan Lane last night?" Magistrate Fan observed his expression calmly.
Ren Dali said honestly, "It's me and Lin Tou'er."
"I heard that a few rat thieves were caught."
Ren Dali: "That's right."
"Where is the dead rat?"
"After the case was tried, the boss said he would handle it, so he should have thrown it away." Ren Dali didn't understand what was so interesting about asking about the dead mouse.
Magistrate Fan nodded and said, "Go down and ask Lin Fan to come see me."
A moment later, Lin Fan arrived at the second hall, and his etiquette was impeccable.
Magistrate Fan stared at him for a moment before speaking, "How's the investigation into the missing woman going?"
"Your Excellency, we have not yet found any definite clues."
"On my first day in office, I heard that you, Chief Lin, had solved numerous extraordinary cases. Even the prefectural judge, Shen Tuiguan, highly praised you. Don't let me down on this case."
Lin Fan said calmly, "I will do my best."
"How did you deal with the dead rat last night?" County Magistrate Fan asked suddenly.
Lin Fan said without hesitation: "Throw it away."
"Where did you throw it?"
"I threw it away when I saw a suitable place. I didn't pay much attention to it. Maybe it was near Cat Alley."
Magistrate Fan was silent for a moment, then said, "You can go down."
"I'll take my leave." Lin Fan bowed and left the second hall.
Magistrate Fan watched him go away, then pounded the desk hard. Still not satisfied, he picked up the wooden paperweight on the desk and smashed it against the door of the second hall, making a clanging sound.
Fan Zhao's name was erased from the file, and only Wang Dazhuang and a few others were convicted and imprisoned for half a month.
But the county town was so small that Fan Zhao was paraded through the streets on a stretcher early in the morning. Someone recognized him and, after a little inquiry, found out that someone had thrown a dead rat into his carriage. He was so scared that he rolled off the carriage and his leg was crushed by it.
Aunt Jin came before noon, her face full of excitement, and at the end she made a comment: "That Huang Dingyou, he usually handles cases perfunctorily, and he didn't pay attention to the case involving the county magistrate. He got a good scolding from the county magistrate when he got home."
"Do you know who threw the rat?"
"You mean those two thieves last night?" Aunt Jin snorted. "Team Leader Lin sent someone to inform the neighbors. They're from the South City Tiger Gang. They said they were ordered by Master Fan, but the government officials just dismissed them as random accusations."
This kind of thing can only be understood intuitively, and it is impossible to get a clear explanation.
Li Jiuyue said with lingering fear: "These bastards deserve to go to jail!"
The two of them argued angrily until they were dry-mouthed, and only then did Aunt Jin say goodbye and go home.
Li Jiuyue returned to the main hall and drank a cup of tea. Then he breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "This is really satisfying."
"Who threw it into the carriage?" Jiang Qing was really curious. This person did what she had always wanted to do.
Li Jiuyue asked Xie Mingzhuo, "What do you think, Your Highness?"
"Without evidence, don't make any rash statements." Xie Mingzhuo ended the topic and added, "Fan Zhao's leg is broken, so he should be quiet for a while."
Li Jiuyue understood: "I will open the shop tomorrow."
"No need. If you say we'll be closed for three days, then that's it."
"Ah?" Li Jiuyue was worried. "Will I become bored and moldy?"
Xie Mingzhuo laughed: "Let's go for a walk outside the city tomorrow."
The eastern suburbs of the county town are home to Prince Liang's mansion, and Bishan in the western suburbs is the mausoleum secretly built by Prince Liang. The only places where you can enjoy yourself are the northern and southern suburbs.
They entered Anlu County through the north gate and had already seen the scenery of the northern suburbs, so they decided to go to the southern suburbs.
Xie Mingzhuo personally went to Liyu Lane to invite Yao Sanniang, and the latter readily agreed.
It was late May, midsummer, and the heat in Anlu was rising steadily.
Feng Caiyu and Jiang Qing prepared some cold tea and brought some pills to reduce the heat, as well as all the necessary picnic mats and utensils.
The three carriages passed through the south gate of the county town and headed all the way to the Nanjiao River.
Farmlands and villages can be seen everywhere on both sides of the official road.
A few people found a shady spot, spread out linen by the river, sat on the ground, and put out tea, snacks, fruits and other food.
Yao Sanniang lay back, folded her hands behind her head, closed her eyes and said, "I walk freely in the green fields, spring has arrived and the distant mountains are surrounded by green. Although it is not spring, the charm is just as extraordinary."[Note 1]
Xie Mingzhuo half leaned against a low table, waving a palm-leaf fan in his hand, chasing away a few naughty mosquitoes for her, and praised with a smile: "Sanniang has a poetic spirit."
"Since we are traveling together, why don't we follow the example of the scholars and play some flying flowers," Yao Sanniang suggested.
Xie Mingzhuo was stunned, then said helplessly: "Sanniang knows that I am not good at poetry."
"Hahaha, I'm just teasing you." Yao Sanniang snatched the palm-leaf fan from her hand and said bluntly, "Reciting poetry is so boring. I'd rather listen to your stories than spend this time here. Second Mother, tell us a new story."
Xie Mingzhuo took out a new palm-leaf fan and said slowly, "There is a country on the other side of the sea. The king and queen are very much in love. They gave birth to a princess with eyes like sapphires and hair like rainbows."
"I've seen foreigners with blue eyes," Yao Sanniang said, eyes wide open. "But is there really rainbow hair in the world?"
Li Jiuyue and the others also had confusion written on their faces.
"It's just a story, just like Houyi shooting down the sun. Can anyone really shoot down the sun?" Xie Mingzhuo asked back.
Yao Sanniang suddenly realized: "That's right, please continue."
"Such a strange hair color caused a sensation throughout the country. People all thought that this was a child favored by the gods. The king was also very happy and named the princess 'Mary'.
"Mary grew up surrounded by countless loves and affections, but on her sixteenth birthday, the devil descended upon the world and slaughtered the people wantonly, cruel and merciless until he met Princess Mary."
Yao Sanniang asked excitedly, "Could it be that the devil fell in love with the princess at first sight and decided to spare the world?"
"No," Xie Mingzhuo continued in a calm tone. "He saw that the princess' eyes were the divine cores left behind by the gods after the war, and her hair was also formed from the remaining divine power of the gods."
Li Jiuyue exclaimed: "He wants to kill the princess?!"
"No." Xie Mingzhuo denied again, "The princess is loved by thousands of people. This love is enough to protect her. He can't kill Mary so easily."
Jiang Qing breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good."
"So he came up with a plan. He told everyone that it was the birth of the princess that broke his seal and that it was the princess who brought endless disasters to the world."
"No one will believe it, right?" Feng Caiyu asked anxiously.
Xie Mingzhuo nodded. "At first, the king, queen, and the people didn't believe the devil's words. But as suffering in the world continued to intensify, someone who was tortured to death couldn't help but assassinate the princess. The princess was not injured, but the assassin miraculously recovered."
"Second Mother," Yao Sanniang suddenly interrupted her, "This story is too heavy. How about a different one?"
Hearing this, you can predict the ending.
No one can resist the temptation of the devil, and the princess will eventually die at the hands of the man who once loved her.
Xie Mingzhuo said, "The princess saw through the devil's trick. Instead of waiting to die, she devoted all her energy to learning magic. She eventually found the devil's weakness and sealed him away once more."
"That's it?"
“No more.”
Yao Sanniang sat up suddenly. "You just skipped over the most exciting part? And why was it sealed instead of killed?"
"Because I don't understand magic either." Xie Mingzhuo said seriously, "and the devil can't be killed."
Yao Sanniang: “…”
How is this any different from enjoying a feast when suddenly a tray of candles is served?!
"puff."
Suddenly, a sound came from the slope near the river.
Yao Sanniang, Li Jiuyue and Feng Caiyu sat up straight instantly and looked over with vigilance.
Xie Mingzhuo and his fellow martial artists were very sharp-eyed and had already discovered a person hiding at the bottom of the slope when they arrived.
Not only was there someone at the bottom of the slope, but there was also someone lying on a big tree a few steps away.
A hand climbed up the river bank, and the head emerged.
The man looked apologetic and said naively, "I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to eavesdrop."
【Author’s words】
[Note 1] Quoted from Cheng Hao’s “Things on a Suburban Trip” in the Song Dynasty
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