Liu Fengjiao laughed disdainfully, as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world. "Chen Han, how did you learn to lie? You said you made money by digging ginseng? Do you think ginseng is so easy to dig up that it's waiting for your sister on the mountain? And Wild Wolf Valley? Do you know that even dozens of men in a group wouldn't dare to go to Wild Wolf Valley? You're just spouting nonsense."
Chen Han stubbornly insisted, "I'm telling the truth. It was my sister who dug up the ginseng and earned the money. Why are you framing my sister?"
Upon hearing that ginseng had been dug up in Wolf Valley, everyone began to express their doubts.
"Kid, everyone within a hundred miles knows about Wild Wolf Valley. It's teeming with wolves, insects, and wild beasts. Even three or four adult men wouldn't dare venture up there easily. How did your sister manage to dig up ginseng?"
"That's right, kid. Tell the truth, where did you get your money? If you don't tell the truth, you'll have your tongue cut out."
Chen Han's eyes welled up with tears as he murmured repeatedly, "It really was the ginseng my sister dug up, and the money she got from selling it... I'm not lying, I really am not lying..."
Seeing that Chen Han was about to cry, Chen Qingqing quickly comforted her, "Don't be afraid, Xiao Han. We are upright and honest, and we have nothing to fear."
"But, but they don't believe it."
"Don't worry, I'll make them believe me." Chen Qingqing smiled slightly. "Elder Wang, I'd like to ask you something. I used my own money to buy cloth, and first someone accused me of using fake money. After the shopkeeper checked it, they said I stole it and that it was of dubious origin. If this money is truly mine, and I've been wrongly accused like this, aren't they guilty of false accusation?"
Wang Qizhang looked at Chen Qingqing and her brother. Although they were dressed in shabby clothes, their eyes were clear and they did not seem like wicked people.
He frowned and asked, "If it is indeed a false accusation, you should be given thirty strokes of the cane and six months of hard labor. If the young lady cannot prove the origin of the silver, she will be charged with theft and will be severely punished."
“Alright, since Elder Wang says so, please send someone to Miaoshou Huichuntang and invite Manager Miao here. You’ll know the answer as soon as you ask.”
Wang Qizhang nodded slightly, "Someone, quickly go and invite Manager Miao here."
“Yes, Elder Wang.” One of them responded and turned to leave.
Liu Fengjiao was taken aback, vaguely sensing that something was wrong with the atmosphere, and she lost her confidence. "Wang Qizhang, I have some things to take care of at home. You can investigate slowly. I'll be leaving now."
He then winked at Chen Ruolan, "Let's go."
Chen Qingqing stepped forward to stop the two of them, speaking sternly, "You two stop right there! You think you can just leave after you've made a false accusation? Not so easy!"
The waiter glared at them irritably. "Madam Chen, this young lady is just buying things peacefully in my shop, and you come up here like a mad dog and won't let her go. What are you up to?"
Liu Fengjiao turned pale and was speechless.
Chen Ruolan looked guilty. "Xiao, Xiao Er, we're only doing this for your own good. After all, her family used to be really poor."
The waiter retorted sarcastically, "Your father is supposed to be a scholar, yet there's a saying, 'No one stays rich forever, and no one stays poor forever.' Don't you all understand this principle? So, in your minds, this girl can't have money!"
Xiao Er's words struck a chord with the onlookers, who looked at Chen Ruolan and her daughter with disdain.
“Young lady, as the saying goes: Don’t bully the poor, don’t boast about the rich. Who is always poor and always rich? You are looking down on people too much.”
"Exactly, the rich and poor alternate. What makes you think that someone else's money is fake, and now you're saying it's stolen?"
"Even though you've separated your families, you're still relatives. How can you speak so disparagingly of us!"
"Who says otherwise? There's a limit to looking down on people. You even dared to make a bet with someone. I bet you're going to lose. Just wait and see how you crawl like a dog!"
Hearing what everyone said, Chen Ruolan trembled with fear and could not speak properly, "I, we, we didn't mean that."
Just then, the person who went to fetch Doctor Miao returned.
Doctor Miao followed behind and came to Elder Wang's side. "Elder Wang, what brings you here?"
"Dr. Miao, I apologize for disturbing you. This matter concerns the young lady's innocence," Wang Qichang said, glancing at Chen Qingqing.
"Some people say that this young lady's silver was stolen, but she says it came from selling ginseng, so she specifically asked you to come and inquire whether this is true or not?"
Doctor Miao stroked his beard and chuckled, “This young lady did indeed sell a ginseng in our shop for one hundred taels of silver. It was definitely not stolen. I can vouch for what I have said with my integrity.”
"Okay, thank you, Dr. Miao."
"You're too kind. It's only right that I cooperate with the elders." After saying this, Doctor Miao clasped his hands in farewell.
Chen Qingqing's gaze was stern. "Elder Wang, now that things are clear, shouldn't you give me justice?"
With a stern expression, Elder Wang ordered, "Guards, seize these two! Give them thirty strokes of the cane and six months of hard labor!"
Liu Fengjiao was immediately dumbfounded. Forgetting all about her image, she grabbed Chen Qingqing's arm and said, "Qingqing, I'm your third aunt. You can't let the elders take me and your sister away!"
"Sister Qing, I was wrong. Please tell the elders that this is all a misunderstanding." Chen Ruolan pleaded, tears streaming down her face.
"Misunderstanding! When you two were aggressively framing me just now, did you ever consider that it was a misunderstanding?" Chen Qingqing forcefully shook off Liu Fengjiao's hand and snorted coldly, "Chen Ruolan, a bet's a bet. You'd better crawl out of here first!"
"No, I won't climb." Chen Ruolan's face was pale. She couldn't climb. If she climbed out, how could she face living in the town afterward?
“Not climbing? The Great Ning Dynasty advocates keeping one’s word and being true to one’s promise. If you break your promise, word will spread and Chen Zhancai’s daughter will be seen as a person who does not keep their word. I wonder how your father will be able to stand in the Confucius Academy.”
Liu Fengjiao's face immediately darkened. Her husband was going to take the imperial examination to become a scholar and eventually a provincial graduate. He couldn't have any blemishes on his record. If she and her daughter were arrested and flogged thirty times and forced to do hard labor for half a year, her husband's reputation would be ruined and he would become the laughing stock of Qingshui Town.
Thinking of this, Liu Fengjiao disregarded her pride and gave Wang Qizhang a charming smile, "Brother Qizhang, let's talk in private."
Wang Qizhang had long harbored feelings for Liu Fengjiao, and when he saw the beauty winking at him, his heart melted instantly. It seemed there was a chance, so he lowered his voice and asked, "Madam Chen, what is it?"
Liu Fengjiao whispered, "Brother Qi, this is all a misunderstanding. You know Zhancai from my family. I often play mahjong with your wife. Please forgive me this time. I'm begging you."
"This seems a bit difficult; it depends on your sincerity."
"Don't worry, Elder Brother, as long as I'm not punished with caning, I'll do anything you ask." Liu Fengjiao's eyes conveyed her affection.
Wang Qizhang understood, cleared his throat, and feigned a stern expression.
"Young lady, since they have framed you, they will certainly be punished. This matter is not serious."
According to the laws of the Great Ning Dynasty, if a prisoner did not wish to serve his sentence, he could pay five taels of silver to be exempted from caning and hard labor.
This lady is willing to pay to keep quiet, so let's consider this matter closed; you mustn't pursue it further.
......
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
