Chapter 208: Her lonely night in the wine cellar
The people from the county government had been there for less than half an hour, but with the villagers' enthusiastic testimony and the facts before their eyes, the general direction of the matter was already very clear.
There are both witnesses and evidence, and the facts at the scene are clear at a glance.
The body of the wolf that had injured and killed someone was also placed on the side. There were no signs of human beating on the body of the deceased. The only marks of blood and flesh torn out by the wolf were horrible. The cause of death was clear.
The yamen runner was conscientious in his duties. He also checked the stolen granary and discovered the suffocating smell of knockout drugs on Uncle Gu. Following the clues, he found Uncle Gu's tobacco bag that had been laced with knockout drugs, as well as the uneaten cakes that Uncle Gu had made for Xu Yu when he returned home yesterday.
Xu Yu and Uncle Gu were clearly guarding the threshing ground, so why were they sleeping soundly at night? Suddenly, a perfect explanation was found.
The leading yamen runner tore open the pancake, put it close to his nose, frowned, and said, "There's also a knockout drug in this pancake. Did you add it?"
Uncle Gu really had no idea.
The old man was first shocked by Gu Daniu's tragic death, and then he realized that the person who died tragically might have deserved it. Now when he heard the word "knocking drug", his mind immediately buzzed.
Xu Yu supported the old man who was almost collapsing on the ground at the right time, and told him lightly about the abnormalities in the threshing ground in the past two days.
Knowing that Gu Dahu had been staying at Uncle Gu's house in recent days and that he had helped Uncle Gu make pancakes yesterday, the yamen runners ordered someone to go to Uncle Gu's house in a grand manner. Sure enough, they found a packet of unused knockout drugs at Gu Dahu's temporary residence.
The evidence is conclusive.
He lost his life while trying to steal a chicken, it can be said that it was purely his own fault.
The yamen runner waved his hand sarcastically: "Aren't these people from your village?"
The village chief nodded gravely, "No, last night someone in the village heard someone shouting that a wild wolf had come down the mountain, so the villagers rushed out to rescue him, but they were too late."
"This is the sin of man, and God is watching. You don't have to worry about it, old village chief."
The yamen runner made a bland conclusion and turned to look at Xu Yu: "Was the rice stolen from your granary yesterday?"
Xu Yu nodded.
"How much was stolen?"
Xu Yu showed just the right amount of hesitation, paused, and then smiled bitterly, saying, "Hundreds of pounds were stolen from the granary, but these people probably couldn't move it and dumped a lot of it on the ground. It's hard to say exactly how much they have in their hands."
Most of the yamen runners came from poor backgrounds.
In the northwest, food is the lifeblood of life. Young and old alike share the same obsession: not a single grain of rice should be wasted, and not a single grain of food that can sustain life should be squandered.
When the story of these people dumping grain on the ground was brought up, the crowd that had calmed down again started to discuss it angrily. The yamen runner said coldly, "Since the grain was stolen, we should go and find the accomplices and the stolen grain."
"Old man, where did you say your nephew lives?"
The distraught Mr. Gu was stunned for a long time before he said in a hoarse voice: "Gujiazhuang, he is from Gujiazhuang."
"Okay, since we're here, let's go to Gujiazhuang."
"Send a few strong men from your village to carry the bodies of these people and the wild wolves and go to Gujiazhuang to find someone to identify the bodies!"
Without the need for the village chief to call for help, the young men, who had long been unable to contain their anger, all took action. Xu Yu made a move to follow, but Uncle Xu, feeling a huge weight on his heart, quickly stopped him: "Hey, what are you doing chasing them?"
When Uncle Xu San learned that the dead person did not die at the hands of Xu Yu, he breathed a sigh of relief and secretly prayed to the Buddha for protection in his heart.
Dead thieves are good people. No matter how they died, it doesn’t matter as long as it has nothing to do with their families.
Uncle Xu held Xu Yu and said, "Your grandfather is waiting at home. Xia girl has been frightened all night and hasn't slept a wink. You don't have to go with him."
"It's just a matter of going to Gujiazhuang. You take Xia girl home and tell your grandfather, and I'll go."
Xu Yu hesitated: "Uncle San, then..."
"Don't talk nonsense."
Uncle Xu was annoyed after being yelled at several times by the old man. He glared at Xu Yu and said, "Don't argue with me, you bastard! I've been frightened enough this night!"
He thought about the pancake that had been torn apart by the yamen runners, his eyebrows still throbbing. "Besides, is that knockout drug good? Who knows how much you took? What if it's harmful to your body? It's not a good idea to cover yourself up with these wet clothes. Go back and change and get some rest!"
"Xia girl, quickly take Xu Yu home and wait for me at home!"
In front of so many people, we have to give face to Uncle San.
Sang Zhixia grabbed Xu Yu's sleeve, which was twisted like a pickled vegetable, and whispered, "Listen to Third Uncle."
Xu Yu smiled helplessly: "Okay."
But I didn't listen to Uncle San.
I listened to Zhizhi.
The bailiffs brought people to carry away the body, which had died in a miserable and disgusting manner.
The people who came to work in the morning dew learned what happened last night and spontaneously helped to clean up the bloodstains and mess left in the threshing floor.
The people from the host family were not at home because of this matter, so there was no one watching and no panic. After cleaning up, they rolled up their sleeves and went to work in the fields in an orderly manner.
Sang Zhixia dragged Xu Yu home and saw the big padlock wrapped around the gate. Her expression suddenly became indescribable.
She pointed at the astonishing lock and the chain that had been wrapped around it several times, and said in a complicated tone, "Do you see this?"
"When the village started to riot last night, Uncle San used the same method to lock me in the wine cellar."
A full night without compromise.
She spent a lonely night in the wine cellar.
Xu Yu probably didn't expect Third Uncle Xu to be so decisive. He was stunned for a moment and laughed, "You've been locked up until now and are only being released now?"
Sang Zhixia glanced at him sideways: "Do you think I broke out of the door by myself?"
She did want to.
Sang Zhixia ignored the teasing in Xu Yu's eyes and took out a bunch of keys that hadn't been used for a long time. After searching for them, he unlocked the door and heard the old man's full-throated roar: "You know you're back?"
"If you don't come soon, I'll think you want to lock me up at home until I die!"
Sang Zhixia, who was also imprisoned, felt doubly sad. He looked longingly at the angry old man and said with a wry smile, "Grandfather, my third uncle had just released me too."
She raised her finger and pointed a little, sighing sadly, "I came out just a little earlier than you."
The old man didn't want to scold her.
Seeing that it was Sang Zhixia who entered first, his anger subsided slightly and his brows furrowed. "You've been locked up in the wine cellar all night. Did you catch a cold?"
Sang Zhixia shook her head. "Not really. It's quite warm in the wine cellar, but it's kind of boring being all alone and unable to hear anything."
The old man was so angry that he laughed.
"The village was bustling last night, so noisy that countless people couldn't sleep all night. Do you think it's better to have some peace and quiet?"
Sang Zhixia touched her nose and smiled. The old man waved his hands repeatedly: "You've been busy all night, go and rest quickly."
After the old man finished speaking, he finally gave the disheveled Xu Yu a look and said indifferently, "How can anyone say that you're in such a mess?"
"Go change your clothes and come over and tell me what happened."
The old man seemed to be resentful as he said this, dissatisfied: "Your third uncle is really reckless. He locked me up at home and kept me listening to him. He said all sorts of things through the door, but I couldn't hear anything!"
"You say it!"
Xu Yu lowered his head and agreed. He changed his clothes and went out without even waiting to dry his hair.
Sang Zhixia called out to him as he reached the door: "Xu Yu."
"Um?"
Sang Zhixia threw the dry handkerchief in her hand to him, lowered her eyes and said, "Everything is settled. There won't be any more trouble, right?"
Xu Yu's eyes narrowed slightly, and he sighed with his back to Sang Zhixia.
"Zhizhi, everything will be fine."
"I promise."
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