Chapter 32: Heartening Justice

“My sister is inside!” Having found the place, Cao Da and Cao Er could no longer restrain themselves and wanted to smash through the door.

Zhao Mengcheng held the two brothers back. “Wait a little longer.”

“Wait for what?” Cao Da frowned. He had not expected that Zhao Mengcheng, who looked like a frail scholar, could actually hold both brothers still at once.

Zhao Mengcheng asked them, “Do you want to rush in now to save her and give the Wan family a way to evade responsibility, or wait a moment so that Wan San cannot escape the punishment of the Great Zhou laws?”

Cao Da knitted his brows tightly. “If my sister is inside and Wan San is here, the evidence is conclusive. How could he escape?”

“He could easily claim that after you caused a scene at his door today, he discovered his manager was secretly trafficking people and came here himself to rescue the children,” Zhao Mengcheng explained.

Cao Da’s heart sank. He knew wealthy families had many ways to escape their crimes. “What do you suggest we do?”

“Big brother, we should still rush in and save her. If we’re a step too late, Wu Mei will suffer even more,” Cao Er said, his heart full of worry.

Zhao Mengcheng explained, “If I’m not mistaken, Wan San came here in a hurry to destroy the evidence.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Cao Da’s concern grew.

Zhao Mengcheng continued, “He wouldn’t dare act within the city, or it would cause too much of a commotion and the bodies would be hard to dispose of.”

“Based on my deduction, the two of them will hide the children in a carriage and transport them out of the county. Once they reach the wilderness, it will be much easier to deal with a few children.”

The Cao brothers looked at each other. Beyond their worry, they felt a deep sense of injustice. “We certainly don’t want the culprit to go unpunished.”

Cao Er asked with a struggle, “Can you be sure my sister will be safe for now? Compared to her life, I would rather let Wan San escape.”

As long as his sister could return safely, everything else was secondary.

“Of course,” Zhao Mengcheng said firmly.

While he was outside the door, his Mental Power had already probed into the house. Wan San was ordering Manager Ma to stuff the children into a carriage.

The children were listless after starving for several days, but none were in life-threatening danger. Each one was tied up like a ball.

Wan San cursed, “Damn it. If I had known, I should have sent them away sooner. Now it’s caused such trouble.”

Previously, he had thought to train them well before sending them off. Because these kidnapped ones were particularly disobedient, he had kept them for a few days to teach them a lesson.

Manager Ma was panting from exhaustion. “Fortunately, we already sent off one batch. There are only four left here, so they’ll be easy to handle.”

“Then hurry up.”

Wan San glanced at the four children and sneered. “If you want to blame someone, blame your families for being ignorant and insisting on making a scene at my door. You can settle the score with them when you reach the Yellow Springs.”

The four children were gagged. Realizing the danger, they wept uncontrollably but could make no sound.

Zhao Mengcheng’s Mental Power swept over the children and identified the youngest as the Cao family’s daughter. Her eyes were very similar to those of the Cao brothers.

The carriage slowly drove out of the residence.

Cao Da grabbed his brother. “Wait a little longer.”

Cao Er ground his teeth. “That damned dog. I’m going to beat him to death later.”

Cao Da looked at Zhao Mengcheng. “Second brother, go and inform everyone. I’ll follow them just in case.”

Cao Er nodded and turned to run.

Zhao Mengcheng and Cao Da followed quickly.

Once they reached a busy area, Zhao Mengcheng signaled to Cao Da. “Now is the best time.”

Before the words had fully left his mouth, Cao Da rushed out and forced the carriage to a halt by his own strength. “Wan San, release my sister immediately!”

Wan San nearly tumbled out of the carriage. Terrified by those words, he forced himself to stay calm. “Bastard! Who are you to dare collide with the Wan family’s carriage? Get out of the way, or this young master will take you to see the officials.”

Inside the carriage, Cao Wumei heard her brother’s voice and began to struggle violently.

Wan San hurriedly covered her mouth. “Go! Drive through him and get out of the city.”

Manager Ma’s hands were trembling. Just as he raised the whip, Cao Da grabbed it. “I know my sister is in your carriage. Even if you are from the Wan family, you cannot kidnap free citizens. Release them now!”

In the time it took to say those few words, a crowd had already gathered around them.

Cao Er arrived quickly with the others, surrounding the carriage so tightly that not a drop of water could leak through.

“Presumptuous! You are all being presumptuous!” Wan San shouted, his voice betraying his fear. “Ignore them! Charge through!”

Manager Ma wanted to charge, but he saw a man leap onto the carriage with lightning speed, kick him to the ground, and snatch the whip from his hand.

Zhao Mengcheng pulled back the curtain and indeed saw Wan San hiding inside, holding a child.

Wan San was about to scream when the world suddenly brightened. The roof of the carriage was completely ripped off, exposing him without any protection.

“Wu Mei!” Cao Da cried out. He rushed forward and threw a punch, knocking Wan San over.

He hurriedly untied his sister. Seeing the bruises on her hands, his hatred intensified. “Are you alright?”

“Big brother, I thought I would never see you again.” Cao Wumei was finally saved and burst into loud sobs.

“Little sister!”

“Jingui!”

“Huihui!”

Following the cries of their families, the other three girls were untied one by one and threw themselves into their relatives’ arms, weeping bitterly.

However, two children were still missing. Their relatives surrounded Wan San. At this moment, they didn’t care that he was a member of the Wan family. They grabbed him and demanded, “Where is my daughter? Where did you hide my daughter!”

Wan San had taken a punch and his nose was bleeding. He still didn’t realize the gravity of the situation and shouted, “You dare to hit someone in the street? I will make you pay for this!”

Cao Da sneered and said loudly, “Everyone, come and look! This is the Third Young Master of the Wan family in Shanghe Town. He kidnaps free citizens first, then tries to kill them to silence them. Now that the matter is exposed, he still dares to threaten us!”

The onlookers suddenly understood.

“So that is Third Young Master Wan.”

“He’s the villain from White Dragon Saves the Children. I thought it was just a play, but he’s even more arrogant than the script.”

“His name is Wan. He’s always been like this. He doesn’t even respect the Assistant Magistrate’s son and hits people whenever he wants.”

Zhao Mengcheng stepped aside, his gaze falling on a carriage that had just entered the city, a slight smile touching his lips.

Lord Huang never expected that after traveling a thousand miles to Fengzhou to discuss the flood and finally returning, he would encounter such a scene the moment he entered the city.

The families who found their daughters wailed loudly, letting out all the worry and grievances they had felt during this time.

Meanwhile, the two families who hadn’t found their children were furious. They rained blows on Wan San and Manager Ma, demanding to know where their daughters were.

“My Lord, why don’t we take a detour back to the County Yamen and clarify the details of the matter later?” a servant suggested.

Lord Huang knew what he meant. He wanted to coordinate with the Wan family and Assistant Magistrate Bai to see how to handle Wan San.

He snorted coldly and stood up to exit the carriage.

“Stop!”

“It’s the County Magistrate!”

“Honorable Magistrate, you must seek justice for us!”

“The Wan family stole my daughter! Our whole family are law-abiding citizens. My Lord, you cannot show favoritism to the Wan family.”

Unfortunately, when Wan San saw Lord Huang, he thought he was saved. He immediately shouted, “My Lord, these thugs are mobbing your nephew in the street! Hurry and arrest them all!”

He even sneered, “Whoever hit me just now, this young master will pay you back ten or a hundred times over.”

He glared at Zhao Mengcheng, his eyes full of malice. “I remember you. You’re the one who started this. I’ll make you pay.”

This villainous display made the onlookers indignant, wishing they could go over and give him another punch.

“Who are you going to make pay?” Lord Huang asked in a heavy voice.

Wan San crawled up, clutching his bleeding nose. “Hurry and throw them all in jail! Otherwise, I’ll go to Fengzhou to file a complaint, and you, the County Magistrate, will be in deep trouble too!”

He was so arrogant that the families who had been hitting him shrank back, all looking toward Magistrate Huang.

Magistrate Huang’s gaze swept over Zhao Mengcheng before he said coldly, “I did not know since when Third Young Master Wan became the law of Shanghe Town, able to arrest whoever he pleases.”

Zhao Mengcheng glanced at Cao Da.

Cao Da immediately understood and fell to his knees with a thud. “My Lord, please seek justice for us!”

“To please a noble, this beast searched everywhere for beautiful girls and boys, not hesitating to kidnap free citizens. Fortunately, we blocked him at the city gate. Otherwise, if these children were taken out of the city, we would never have found them again.”

The others followed suit and knelt. For a moment, cries of grievance filled the air, their voices reaching the heavens.

Lord Huang said sternly, “Men, take him into custody!”

He then personally helped Cao Da up. “Under my jurisdiction, I will never allow anyone to trade in free citizens. You may all rest assured.”

Someone cried out, “My Lord, my daughter hasn’t been found yet! He must have secretly sent her away. Please, My Lord, seek justice for us!”

Lord Huang helped them up one by one and promised in front of everyone, “I will thoroughly investigate this matter and find the children, returning a clear sky to the people of Shanghe Town.”

“Thank you, My Lord!”

“The Magistrate is the savior of our Shanghe Town!”

“With the Magistrate here, the Wan family can forget about being local tyrants!”

Surrounded by the crowd, the Yamen Runners escorted Wan San and Manager Ma toward the County Yamen.

Zhao Mengcheng followed them, knowing this matter was now secure.

If he hadn’t learned from Zhang Dahu that the County Magistrate and the Wan family were at odds, he wouldn’t have come up with this plan. Now that the public’s anger was boiling and their hatred for the Wan family ran deep, Lord Huang would surely follow the momentum.

Lord Huang had exactly this intention. He was a man of ambition and vision, yet he had arrived in the small Shanghe Town only to find the Wan Family acting like local tyrants, interfering in everything.

Unlike previous County Magistrates, Lord Huang was unwilling to be a puppet of the Wan Family, leading to significant friction between the two sides.

Now that he had caught an opportunity to strike a heavy blow against the Wan Family, how could Lord Huang let such a perfect chance slip away?

The gavel struck. With all witnesses and evidence present, Monkey Face was brought forward, already terrified. He immediately testified, “It was him! He only ordered me to kidnap the Zhao Family’s young daughter, but the little girl kept hiding in the mountain cave, so I had no choice but to steal the Zhao Family’s boy first.”

“My Lord, I am being framed! Everything was done under Third Young Master Wan’s orders. I was only following instructions.”

Even as he was forced down in the courtroom, Wan San realized things were looking grim.

He roared ferociously, “You dog of a servant, how dare you falsely accuse me! My Lord, I knew nothing about the kidnapping of children. They acted on their own initiative.”

Lord Huang snorted coldly. “Silence! Whether they acted on their own is for this official to decide.”

“Ma An, Hou Xing, confess quickly, or your stubbornness will only increase your crimes.”

Monkey Face trembled in fear, spilling everything he knew like beans from a bag.

Manager Ma saw that things were going south. If this continued, he would be the one to die, so he immediately turned on Third Young Master Wan to save himself.

Wan San, Manager Ma, and Monkey Face turned on each other, even dragging up other matters in the process, including Wan San’s history of kidnapping women and seizing fertile land.

The onlookers were filled with righteous indignation, and some even spat at him.

Wan San was humiliated and enraged. If he hadn’t been held down by the Yamen Runners, he likely would have rushed over to hit someone.

The more unrestrained and domineering he acted, the more Magistrate Huang’s eyes filled with impatience and disgust. He was determined to deal with him to serve as a warning to the Wan Family.

Zhao Mengcheng watched the entire trial as the victim. Finally, the gavel fell, and the verdict was set.

Wan San collapsed to the ground, never expecting that Lord Huang would actually dare to kill him.

He struggled and roared, shouting, “You dare kill me? I am a relative of the Empress, the nephew of the Crown Prince! If you dare touch me, just wait for the consequences!”

“And all of you, I won’t let you off! You will all pay the price!”

Zhao Mengcheng looked at him indifferently. No one from the Wan Family had arrived yet, clearly indicating they had abandoned this third young master.

His prediction was correct. After Wan San was arrested on the street and continued his shameless shouting, the news reached the head of the Wan Family, who only sighed deeply. “The third one is finished.”

“Do we need to find Lord Huang to smooth things over?”

The head of the Wan Family sneered. “He is eager to slap the Wan Family’s face. How could he possibly agree?”

“Instead of inviting humiliation, it’s better to wait for an opportunity. As long as there is change at court and the Empress and Crown Prince regain power, these petty people will be of no consequence.”

The head of the Wan Family closed his eyes and said calmly, “Go and clean up the third one’s loose ends. Remember, this matter was his own doing and has nothing to do with the Wan Family or the Empress in the palace.”

“Make sure he keeps his mouth shut. The Wan Family will ensure his wife remains a widow and never remarries, and we will raise his children for him. Otherwise, he shouldn’t blame me for being heartless.”

“Yes.” The butler shivered and hurried to carry out the orders.

While the Wan Family was busy cleaning up loose ends and pushing Wan San out to take the fall to cover up their secret collection of beautiful women for the palace, there was no way they would save him.

No one realized this more than Lord Huang, who completely ignored Wan San’s shouting.

Facing Wan San’s frantic cries, Lord Huang’s expression darkened.

“This official will report this to the Emperor and petition for the people. If the Empress and Crown Prince blame anyone, I will take full responsibility.”

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone cheered for the “Clear Sky Official,” and Lord Huang’s reputation in Shanghe Town reached its peak.

With the dust settled, Wan San was taken to the dungeon to await the various levels of approval for execution after autumn¹.

Leaving the court, Cao Da cursed, “To think he gets to live until next autumn. He’s getting off easy.”

Zhao Mengcheng only just learned that the County Magistrate couldn’t order an immediate execution. It had to be reported up through the ranks. For heinous crimes requiring execution, it even needed the Emperor’s approval.

Given the efficiency of ancient times, it was no wonder they had to wait until autumn.

“Death is the end of it. For a man like him, living in a dungeon is the real torture,” Zhao Mengcheng said.

Cao Da sneered, already planning to bribe the jailer to ensure Wan San enjoyed his time inside.

He bowed deeply to Zhao Mengcheng. “Thank you, Brother Zhao, for saving her life. Wu Mei is badly shaken, so I will take her home to rest first. I will certainly visit your home to thank you properly another day.”

Zhao Mengcheng didn’t mind the lack of immediate thanks. “No need for such formality. I was also seeking revenge for my son.”

Cao Da then led his people and the newly rescued young girl away.

After several days of poor food and sleep, followed by the ordeal in court, Cao Wumei had already fallen asleep on her brother’s shoulder. Her features were relaxed, the panic from before gone.

Except for the two families who hadn’t found their children, the rest of the crowd dispersed.

Zhao Mengcheng was about to leave when a Yamen Runner caught up to him. “Master Zhao, Lord Huang requests your presence.”

Following the Yamen Runner to the back office, he found Lord Huang sipping tea in the courtyard, the anger from before gone from his face.

“Sit.” Lord Huang politely poured tea for him.

Zhao Mengcheng replied courteously, “Thank you, My Lord.”

He took a sip of the tea. It was indeed sweet and refreshing, completely different from the coarse tea at home.

Seeing his composure, Lord Huang laughed. “You have quite the nerve, daring to go up against the Wan Family. Do you know the Wan Family is the maternal clan of the current Empress? If Her Majesty were to investigate, how many heads do you have to lose?”

Zhao Mengcheng asked in return, “If even you are not afraid, My Lord, why should a mere commoner like me be timid?”

Lord Huang said calmly, “Oh? You really aren’t afraid?”

“I believe the Empress and the Crown Prince are high and mighty figures, as different from me as clouds are from mud. I imagine they have no time to bother with an ant in the dirt.”

Zhao Mengcheng sighed. “I only seek a peaceful life for my family as a law-abiding citizen. If Wan San hadn’t pushed me time and again, nearly costing my son his life, I wouldn’t have risen in resistance.”

Lord Huang glanced at him. “Do you know that sometimes a single word from above can ruin you forever without them ever lifting a finger against you personally?”

Zhao Mengcheng sighed inwardly and stood up to bow. “It is thanks to your protection, My Lord, that Shanghe Town enjoys its current peace.”

Seeing that he understood immediately, Lord Huang laughed. “Since I am the local official of Shanghe Town, it is my duty to protect the people of this land.”

He paused, then added, “Currently, those above are preoccupied and have no time for other matters. That is your luck. If this were a few years ago, let alone a few common girls, the Wan Family could have settled even murder or arson. There would be no such thing as justice.”

He tapped the table, his voice carrying a hint of irony and disdain. “Those who climb up through nepotism will one day reap what they sow. These are turbulent times, and Shanghe Town will be no exception.”

Lord Huang was clearly extremely dissatisfied with the Empress and the Crown Prince, his eyes and brow full of mockery.

From his posture, Zhao Mengcheng could tell that the situation of the Empress and the Crown Prince was very precarious; otherwise, Lord Huang would not be so brazen.

“Zhao Mengcheng, I see you have some wit and courage. I would like to recruit you as a Sub-official Clerk². Would you be willing?” Lord Huang suddenly asked.

Zhao Mengcheng was somewhat surprised.

He had no scholarly honors and no reputation. Lord Huang’s invitation to join the yamen was quite abrupt.

Becoming a Sub-official Clerk in the yamen naturally had great benefits. First and foremost, he wouldn’t have to fear the Wan Family’s retaliation, and from then on, he would have one foot in the door of officialdom.

Zhao Mengcheng’s mind whirled, and he cupped his hands. “Thank you for the promotion, My Lord, but I have too many burdens at home and truly cannot spare the time.”

Although a Sub-official Clerk had no fixed rank, they were essentially Lord Huang’s secretary. The responsibilities would be varied and numerous, and they would have to travel everywhere with Lord Huang, which was the exact opposite of the life Zhao Mengcheng preferred.

Even the tiny Changhe Town had this much trouble, let alone the imperial court.

Having been given a second life, he didn’t want to dive back in and exhaust his brain with schemes and intrigue.

Lord Huang raised an eyebrow. “Have you thought this through? If you miss this chance, I will not offer it again.”

“Thank you, My Lord.” Zhao Mengcheng remained firm.

Lord Huang felt it was a pity but did not force the issue, simply saying, “In that case, so be it.”

He also felt that Zhao Mengcheng was perhaps too focused on domestic matters. They were just three children; he could simply marry another wife to look after them. Why stay at home himself? There would be no achievements that way.

With that thought, Lord Huang’s desire to recruit him vanished.

Zhao Mengcheng took his leave, ignoring the pitying looks from the Yamen Runners. No one knew better than he that the Great Zhou was on its last legs and would soon enter a period of chaos.

At that time, being an official of the Great Zhou would be high risk and low reward, and one would easily be targeted for retribution later. It was better to stay at home in peace and quiet.

With one major concern resolved, Zhao Mengcheng felt great relief. He made a special trip to the general store to buy a bag of sugar.

“Do you have any toys suitable for children?” Remembering how the three little ones treated stones and wooden sticks like treasures, Zhao Mengcheng asked.

Seeing him buy sugar, the shop assistant assumed he was a big customer and introduced the items enthusiastically. “Take a look at these, sir. We have pellet drums, Kongming Locks³, and cloth tigers. These are all children’s favorites.”

Zhao Mengcheng glanced at them and felt they were too simple. He could make them himself. After a moment’s thought, he abandoned the idea of buying them directly.

Carrying a bag of candy, he returned to Qingshan Village. However, when he reached the village entrance, he didn’t hear a sound from the three little ones. Every time he returned home, the three of them would be waiting here, so it was quite strange that they were missing.

Not only were the three little ones not there, but even the women who usually loved to sit at the village entrance chatting and working were gone.

Zhao Mengcheng frowned and walked toward the direction of the greatest commotion.

“Mengcheng is back,” Auntie Wang greeted him.

The three little ones were standing beside her, and upon hearing his voice, they quickly ran back. “Dad! Auntie sold Cousin Xiaohua!”

“What?” Zhao Mengcheng was shocked.

Zhao Wencheng’s family had always lived a decent life. Even with the losses from this autumn harvest and Zhao Wencheng’s broken leg, it shouldn’t have come to the point of selling their daughter so suddenly.

Auntie Wang walked over. “It’s true. People used to say they doted on their daughter, but who knew their true colors would show after a flood? They haven’t even run out of food, so how did it come to selling their own child?”

“It’s a sin. No one knows where such a good girl was sold, and the couple refuses to say a word.”

The villagers all thought the same. Everyone had suffered losses from the flood, but the grain was still there, so no one would starve to death this winter. No matter what, they shouldn’t have sold their own flesh and blood.

The Old Village Chief hadn’t expected that Zhao Wencheng and his wife would do such a thing the moment he looked away. He slapped the table and cursed, “Are you even parents? That’s your own flesh and blood. How could you bear to send her away to be ruined by others?”

Zhao Dasao curled her lip. “Village Chief, we sent her to enjoy a better life. My husband and I have already discussed this and agreed. Don’t interfere.”

The Old Village Chief was fuming. “There has never been a family in Qingshan Village that sold their daughter. You’re going to ruin the village’s reputation!”

“I told you, she’s going there to enjoy a better life! When she returns in glory in the future, others will only be able to look on with envy!” Zhao Dasao shouted.

The Old Village Chief trembled with rage, looking at Zhao Wencheng as he asked, “Do you think so too? How many girls from poor families end up with a good life after being sold?”

Zhao Wencheng said sullenly, “My leg is broken and I need money for treatment. If I don’t sell her, who else can I sell? Otherwise, Village Chief, you can lend me the silver.”

The Old Village Chief was so angry he turned and left, declaring that he would never involve himself in their family’s affairs again.

Zhao Mengcheng watched the scene unfold, and a thread of clues flashed through his mind: the Wan Family, the imperial family, the gathered beauties, and the future Empress.

He narrowed his eyes, roughly guessing what Zhao Xiaohua intended to do.

It was hard to say if she was lucky or unlucky. She had been sent to Fengzhou by Wan San almost as soon as she entered their doors, and now her whereabouts were unknown.

Zhao Mengcheng didn’t understand Zhao Xiaohua’s choice, but he didn’t take it to heart. His own three children were already enough for him to worry about.

“Come on, let’s go home,” Zhao Mengcheng said, patting the children’s heads.

The three little ones followed behind him. Zhao Chun tilted his head and said, “Uncle and the others went too far. Even if Xiaohua is annoying, they shouldn’t have sold her.”

“Maybe Xiaohua was willing to go herself,” Zhao Mao suggested instead.

Zhao Mengcheng was a bit surprised by the second child’s sharp intuition. He pulled the candy from his robe. “Here, one for each of you. We’ll save the rest to eat slowly later.”

“Candy!” Zhao Chun shouted in surprise.

Zhao Mao had one stuffed into his mouth, his eyes curving into happy little crescents. He said indistinctly, “It’s delicious. You have some too, Dad.”

Zhao Mengcheng popped one into his own mouth as well. The malt candy tasted average, nothing special.

The news of the eldest Zhao brother and his wife selling their daughter became the talk of Qingshan Village, but Zhao Mengcheng had no time to worry about it because construction on his new house had begun.

Zhao Mengcheng had originally been worried that the building process would be slow and they wouldn’t be able to move in before the new year.

To his surprise, Liu Bingkun had a wide network. The very next day, he brought over a group of strong young men and quickly got everything settled.

Before the construction began, a group of men looked at the blueprints Zhao Mengcheng produced and exchanged bewildered glances.

The burly man leading them scratched his head and said with some difficulty, “These drawings of yours are too novel. I really don’t know how to do this.”

Translator’s Notes