Jing Xiuran was already frightened, but he was kicked to the ground by his own father, so he immediately cried.
Jing Xiuran is two years older than Jing Heguang. He remembers clearly how poor his family was when he was a child, so he also knows that his family’s wealth didn’t come from the right way!
But he doesn’t want to go to jail!
Jing Xiuran wailed: “He didn’t react at all in front of me. How would I know who he is?! Dad, please think of a way, what should I do? Wuwu…I don’t want to go to jail!”
Jing Haonan listened to what he said and gave him another kick: “Why are you crying?! You useless thing. Why did you call me dad? I am your uncle!”
Jing Haonan forced himself to calm down, then cast his attention to his wife who was also crying: “Qing Niang, go find big brother! Tell big brother to collect evidence to rescue me and Xiuran!”
Qing Niang wondered: Where did the evidence come from?
What happened back then was obviously forcibly fabricated by her husband’s elder brother who was the clan patriarch…
However, unlike Jing Xiuran, she knew that she couldn’t admit what she had done at that time, so she nodded with tears in her eyes and said: “I remember! I’ll go find big brother!”
After saying these two words, Jing Haonan and Jing Xiuran were escorted back to the yamen prison.
The Yatou conducted a preliminary interrogation overnight, then recorded the case based on the confession.
It is not easy to solve old cases. But cases like ‘Jing Heguang redressed his mother’s grievance’ are relatively easy to investigate.
The case has a clear beneficiary. They only need to find out whether the death of Jing Heguang’s mother was unjust or not, and then the case can be further tried.
****
is night.
Qing Niang came to the eldest brother Jing Pingdong’s house, crying and begging Jing Pingdong to find a way to rescue them.
Jing Pingdong sat on a chair, listening to Qing Niang’s narration, his face darkened and his breathing gradually became heavier.
Before the two of them could discuss it any further, the old man of the Jing family sent someone to ask.
“Old master asked me to ask, what happened to those yamen officials? Did they take Haonan and Xiuran away?!”
Jing Pingdong nodded with difficulty: “Yes.”
“What on earth is going on?!” The man’s questioning tone was full of displeasure. He completely ignored Jing Pingdong, the clan patriarch.
Jing Pingdong secretly clenched his teeth and slowly suppressed his dissatisfaction.
Qing Niang cried and said: “It’s Jing Yangbing’s son, he is back! He got the second place imperial exam and sued us, saying that our family occupied his family’s property!”
Qing Niang felt like this was retribution, so she was very desperate.
She then thought again, even if it was retribution, her husband Jing Haonan should not be the only one who deserves retribution for doing bad things…
Moreover, her youngest son was also caught. Her son was only five years old at the time. What does the child know?
Qing Niang’s eyes were eager and she grabbed Jing Pingdong’s sleeve: “Brother, you took most of the money and property left by Jing Yangbing. You can’t ignore Haonan and Xiuran! Xiuran was only five years old at the time, so it was the adult’s fault!”
Jing Pingdong thought for a moment and said: “What are you panicking about? The more it’s like this, the more you must remember not to panic. That scoundrel is already dead, and we killed that woman because she is frivolous!”
Jing Pingdong looked at the person sent by the old man: “Go and tell the old man that I already gave instructions to the clan to not talk nonsense. I will also go to the door of those families who participated in the pond sinking back then to warn them.”
The man figured out what was going on, so he said disgustedly: “You can’t even watch a child, it’s really useless! I’ll go back and tell master right now.” After that, he left.
Inside the room.
Jing Pingdong looked at Qing Niang and warned her worriedly: “If you want Haonan to come out perfectly fine, you have to be determined. We have done nothing wrong, do you understand?”
Qing Niang was extremely panicked, but she still nodded with a pale face.
However, she thought in her heart: It must be retribution…otherwise, how could Jing Yangbing’s son get second place in the exam, that is a living genius scholar1The meaning here is like the legendary god in charge of imperial examinations and literary affairs; a superbrain; renowned man of letters!
****
The investigation was not progressing quickly. People involved in the pond sinking swore that they had seen Jing Heguang’s mother in contact with the scoundrel.
However, upon careful investigation, they find out that Jing Yangbing’s husband and wife were very harmonious during his lifetime.
The evidence is inconsistent. Therefore, Li Wenxin naturally knew that someone was lying, so the people who lied were most likely those involved in the pond sinking.
But if he wants to prove that someone is lying, he needs evidence.
Li Wenxin wanted to quickly tell the truth to his poor brother Jing Heguang, so he took his people out of the city to investigate the case.
***
Before the yamen has settled the case, word of Jing Heguang’s redress of grievances has suddenly spread to the streets.
Jing Heguang, this new bangyan, is still very popular, so news about him spreads very fast.
When Li Wenxin went out of the city to investigate the case, they saw that even the magistrate was moving, thus the commotion was even bigger that more people knew about it!
Three days later.
In the teahouse near the gate of Fucheng, the well-informed storyteller vividly talks about the banquet the night before yesterday, and how Jing bangyan had studied hard for many years and was finally able to redress his mother’s grievances.
Then, an old man nodded: “The case is still under trial, but this old man believes that someone from the Jing family murdered them for money.”
“This old man saw Jing Yangbing back then. He was really handsome. With such a man as a husband, how could anyone accept others!”
The people sitting below also said: “Just by looking at whose hands has so much money, one will know who has tampered with it!”
“The bangyan is really pitiful. His mother was forced to death right after his father left…”
“There’s the problem with the adoption too! I’ve never heard any adoption case with the parents still alive and even live with them. Aren’t the adopted children usually all poor and uncared for? The only way for this kind of adoption is if the child’s father or mother is a sibling to the family that adopts him!”
“Haha! This is interesting, the adopted son is the clan patriarch’s nephew, he and the clan patriarch are brothers!”
In the corner of the teahouse, in front of a small table, Zhang Xingyu’s eyes were red when he heard this.
He thought to himself: No wonder he kept dreaming about Heguang a few days ago. It turned out that Heguang was facing such an urgent matter. Fortunately, he came here on his own!
Zhang Xingyu wiped the corners of his eyes and waited for the old man to finish, and then went up and asked: “sir, do you know where Jing banyan lives?”
The old man said with a smile: “Why are you asking about Jing bangyan? But this old man knows that Jing bangyan lives in lord magistrate house.”
“Thank you, sir! I’ll treat you to tea.”
There were ten more copper coins on the table, then Zhang Xingyu left in a hurry.
An hour later, Zhang Xingyu finally found Li Mansion after repeated inquiries.
Zhang Xingyu stuffed some money into the concierge and asked politely: “Excuse me, Jing Heguang, is Jing bangyan in the house?”
Zhang Xingyu was carrying his big baggage. Because he was in a hurry, his trouser legs were covered with dust and his face was sweaty, he looked very embarrassed.
The guard looked at Zhang Xingyu, who dressed in married ger style, and returned the money to him: “This fulang(husband), our house cannot accept money. Sir Jing is indeed in the house, but…who are you to sir Jing?”
Zhang Xingyu looked at the ornate iron-nailed door behind the concierge, pursed his lips, and said: “I, I am his husband.”
Afraid that the guard would not believe it, Zhang Xingyu added: “I am really his husband! Tell him that Xing’ger is looking for him, he will come out!”
The guard really didn’t believe it, but the Li family didn’t have the bad habit of judging someone by their appearance, so the guard said politely: “Then wait a moment, I will pass the message for you.”
***
When the news was sent, the errand boy ran to the guest room where Jing Heguang lived and informed him: “sir Jing, there is a man named Xing’ger, he said he is your husband, should we…” Send him away?
Before the boy finished speaking, he saw lord Jing figure running wildly against the wind.
After Jing Heguang passed by him, he turned back in surprise: “Thank you! Is it the Xing from the star character?”
The servant nodded stupidly: “It should be.”
“That should be my husband! I’ll pick him up right away!”
Jing Heguang ran over and looked at the familiar figure from a distance, feeling emotions rolling in his chest.
However, Zhang Xingyu stood still at the door of the majestic gate that scared him. As soon as he saw Jing Heguang, he felt at ease, as if he had walked a long long way, then felt at home!
Jing Heguang strode across the threshold and hugged Zhang Xingyu: “Xingxing, I miss you so much!”
Zhang Xingyu, who had not seen Jing Heguang for a long time, put aside his restraint and said enthusiastically: “Heguang, I miss you too!”
After hugging him for a while, Jing Heguang let go and took Zhang Xingyu’s hand and asked, “Why did you come here by yourself? Are you tired from the road? Are you thirsty? It’s afternoon now, are you hungry?”
As soon as Jing Heguang let go of his hand, he saw the half-dried sweat on Zhang Xingyu’s face. He wiped it with a handkerchief distressingly: “Have you been looking for it for a long time?”
In Jing Heguang’s memory, this was Zhang Xingyu’s first visit to Fucheng.
But now Fucheng is full of rumors about his poor life experience.
Jing Heguang felt even more distressed when he thought that Zhang Xingyu might be worried about him when he heard the news on the road coming to such a place for the first time.
Sure enough, Zhang Xingyu looked at him with pure eyes and said: “Don’t worry, I’m not hungry or thirsty. I ate two big buns in the teahouse. How about you?! When I was in the teahouse, I heard someone say that you file a case and the people were arrested, but the case has not been completed yet.”
Zhang Xingyu was afraid that Jing Heguang would be sad thinking about the past. Zhang Xingyu still feels sad when he thinks about his father.
Zhang Xingyu thought, and took the initiative to hug Jing Heguang and said: “You still have me! The magistrate is also very powerful, he will definitely be able to investigate the truth of the case!”
When Zhang Xingyu spoke, his eyes met Jing Heguang’s. His eyes were full of sincere concern and determination.
Jing Heguang’s heart beat very fast when he looked at him like this.
How could he not be tired when he came here in such a hurry?
It’s just that Zhang Xingyu regards Jing Heguang’s sadness as a very important thing, much more important than his own discomfort and fatigue.
Jing Heguang always felt that Zhang Xingyu was very good, but Zhang Xingyu told him every time that he thought he was not good enough.
Jing Heguang couldn’t help but put the person in his arms, then lowered his head and kissed Zhang Xingyu’s forehead.
The guard who felt like he had been waiting for a long time: …I believe you guys, okay!!!
T/N:
Singledog theater:
Jing Heguang: You don’t believe that he is my husband? I will prove it to you! ψ(｀∇´)ψ
Throw dog food~~
Guard: I believe it! I believe it, okay!!!! [ ± _ ± ]
Singledog: (▽◕ ᴥ ◕▽) woof woof
