Chapter 28: Demanding the Pei Family Pay with Their Lives
Page 1 of 3
The consultation fee alone is five taels of silver!
Pei Yuansheng said instinctively, “Even Doctor Chen of the Ming Shan Hall in the prefectural city doesn’t charge such a high consultation fee.”
Pei Yuanxing planted his stick firmly on the ground and shouted, “If you know some famous physician who can cure him, go invite that doctor yourself. Don’t come begging my second sister-in-law.”
He raised his chin and snorted proudly.
“You can get lost now.”
Pei Yuansheng was so enraged by the rebuke that his face burned with suppressed fury.
Just as he hesitated, two constables appeared in the distance and walked toward them.
Villagers rarely ever saw constables, and they had an instinctive fear of the authorities. Pei Yuansheng was no exception; the moment he saw them, he panicked.
“Which of you are Pei Yuantang and Qin Hanxiao? Come with us.”
But after hearing the constables’ words, he perked up again, unable to conceal the malicious delight in his eyes.
They had only just returned, and constables were already at their door. Who knew what wicked things the couple had done behind everyone’s backs?
Perhaps she had deliberately demanded an exorbitant fee while treating someone and been reported.
He had heard that she had extorted quite a few things from the wealthy Huang family. Surely the Huangs were the ones who had reported her.
Qin Hanxiao stepped forward and bowed. “I am Qin Hanxiao. My husband has difficulty walking. Please come inside and have some tea while you wait.”
The constables had merely come as a matter of routine to take the two of them to the county office to give their statements and close the case. Since Qin Hanxiao was so courteous, they naturally had no intention of making things difficult for her.
Qin Hanxiao ushered them inside, first asking Ah Hui to pour them some water, then telling Pei Yuanxing to borrow an ox cart from the village head.
She went into the room for a moment and returned with two taels of silver for each of them.
“We’ve truly troubled you both, making you come back and forth several times over this small matter of ours. Please accept this token so that you can have some tea. We couldn’t possibly let you labor on our behalf without even offering you something to drink.”
The two constables understood her meaning and accepted the silver.
“Your case can be considered serious or minor. After all, it is still a family matter.”
They said this because they assumed Qin Hanxiao, as the daughter, intended to plead for her father. They had completely misunderstood her.
“The state has its laws, and families have their rules. Before the law, personal family matters are insignificant. I trust that the law and the officials will handle this impartially and give me justice.”
Her words left both men stunned, but they were experienced enough to understand immediately.
“This case of yours is quite serious. Even Governor Zhang has been alerted. Don’t worry. Magistrate Zhang will certainly give you justice.”
Page 1 of 3
Page 2 of 3
Qin Hanxiao was careful not to show her surprise. How had this matter managed to reach the governor?
At that moment, she still did not know that Huang Yuezhi had helped behind the scenes.
The constable soon solved the mystery for her. “Old Madam Huang and our old madam are close friends.”
Qin Hanxiao understood at once. It seemed she owed them a considerable favor this time.
The moment the constables left, the news spread throughout the entire village.
Everyone else merely gossiped for the entertainment of it, but Pei Yuansheng paid close attention.
He had heard everything while buying flour outside and was astounded that Qin Hanxiao possessed such good fortune.
If he could find an opportunity to show his face before the governor, he would have an excellent chance of passing next year’s academy examination.
No, he had to find a way to meet the governor.
Wasn’t it only five taels of silver? He would pay it.
Elsewhere, Wang Dalin had also been brought to the county office.
When the two men saw Qin Hanxiao, they both wished they could tear her limb from limb.
In the end, Qin He and Wang Dalin were sentenced to three months in prison and twenty strokes of the cane.
In Qin Hanxiao’s eyes, the sentence was naturally too light. But just as the two constables had said, the matter involved a family dispute. Given that, this outcome was already quite good.
There was no need to hurry. Once they were released, she still had a fine gift waiting for them.
After leaving the county office, she saw the young attendant from the Huang family, who usually drove her back and forth.
“Madam Qin, it’s wonderful that you’re all right. It was my fault. If I had taken you all the way home that day, none of this would have happened.”
Qin Hanxiao did not agree with him. “Please don’t say that. This had nothing to do with you. I was simply careless. I must also thank the Seventh Young Master this time. Please convey my gratitude to him first. When I next visit your residence, I’ll thank him in person.”
The attendant readily agreed, then explained why he had come.
“The Seventh Young Master specifically ordered me to wait here for you and pass along a message. He said you should rest properly before visiting the residence. He also wishes to take you to meet someone very important, so please prepare yourself.”
“Someone important?” Qin Hanxiao asked, puzzled.
The attendant shook his head. “I don’t know who, exactly. It seems to be one of the old madam’s friends.”
Qin Hanxiao had a good idea who it was and thanked the attendant again.
They had barely gone a few steps after parting ways when someone suddenly rushed out and blocked the ox cart.
“Go tell the county magistrate that you did it willingly! Beg him to release your father!
“You ungrateful wretch! What good does it do you to have your own father thrown into prison?
“If I had known what a calamity you would become, I should have strangled you the moment you were born!”
Page 2 of 3
Page 3 of 3
The moment Madam Luo rushed forward, Pei Yuantang pulled Qin Hanxiao into his arms to protect her and signaled with his eyes: Don’t concern yourself with this. Leave it to me.
“Mother-in-law, are you trying to challenge the law? Or shall we go to the county office right now and have you repeat those words before the magistrate?”
Knowing that she was not Qin Hanxiao’s biological mother, Pei Yuantang was already being exceptionally respectful by maintaining the appearance of courtesy.
Pei Yuanxing had never held Qin’s family in high regard. And after Qin He had actually sold his own daughter, he had even less reason to show them any mercy.
He raised a hand and blocked Madam Luo’s path.
“If you believe the county magistrate made the wrong decision, then go beat the grievance drum and make an appeal. Don’t forget that when you demanded twenty taels as the betrothal gift, you yourself said that my second sister-in-law would no longer be a member of the Qin family.
“She is now a member of the Pei family. You have no right to make irresponsible remarks about her.
“Get out of the way. If you keep spouting nonsense, believe me, I’ll send you in there to accompany Qin He.”
Ever since Qin He had been arrested, Madam Luo had been terrified, afraid that she might also end up in prison.
When she rushed forward just now, she had not thought things through. She had only wanted to use Qin Hanxiao to exchange for Qin He’s release.
But she had never expected the Pei brothers to protect Qin Hanxiao—or even threaten to have her imprisoned as well. Fear immediately took hold of her.
Yet when she thought of how impossible it would be to manage the household without its head, she simply sat down on the ground and began shouting.
“I don’t care about any of that. I don’t understand it. All I know is that my husband cannot go to prison.
“She’s my daughter. Even after marrying, she still has to obey me. If I want her life, she ought to give it to me.
“Besides, she’s perfectly fine now. Nothing happened to her.
“That was her own father! How could she send her father to prison? Why doesn’t she just die?
“I don’t care. If she refuses to go today, I’ll stay right here in the street and make your Pei family pay with your lives!”
She thought she was still in the village, where she could throw tantrums and roll around as she pleased. She also assumed that the Pei brothers would give in to such behavior.
As luck would have it, two constables patrolling the street appeared in the distance at that very moment. Pei Yuantang pretended to be helpful and reminded her, “Mother-in-law, the constables are coming. We can explain everything before them.”
The moment Madam Luo saw the constables, she was scared out of her wits. She could no longer think of anything else and scrambled to her feet before fleeing.
Watching her disheveled figure running away, Qin Hanxiao pursed her lips and gave a disdainful smile.
But Madam Luo was not willing to let the matter end there. After turning it over in her mind, she finally decided to go to the Qin family and look for Qin Cuicui.
Page 3 of 3