Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 27 How could you not sue? !
After comforting the widow of the Zhao family, County Magistrate Lin was about to walk out when he suddenly saw a young scholar walking into the courtyard.

He was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, tall, with distinct features, bright eyes and white teeth. He was wearing a golden silk shirt, a green Chengzi scarf on his head, and black soap leather boots on his feet.

Stepping on the ground, making a trampling sound.

"I'm Feng Qi, an editor at the Hanlin Academy. I've come here specially to pay my respects to County Magistrate Zhao." As he entered the courtyard, the young man was the first to bow.

County Magistrate Lin took Madam Zhao to bow, pointed to the dark sky, and said, "It's getting late today, Feng Hanlin should first invite you to stay in a restaurant in the city for one night. If there is anything, we can talk tomorrow."

“No, no, no.” Feng Qi shook his head and looked directly at Madam Zhao. He clasped his fists and said, “Madam, County Magistrate Zhao was murdered by a traitor. I am also heartbroken. But if we just swallow our anger, won’t County Magistrate Zhao die with regrets?!”

As he spoke, he took a few steps forward, patted the coffin of County Magistrate Zhao and said sadly: "County Magistrate Zhao studied hard for decades and finally passed the imperial examination. He served as an official for six years and had a good reputation. But in the end, he was killed by the eunuch. Isn't it tragic?"

He cried and shouted as if it was his father who had died.

The Zhao family members were infected by this and felt a sore nose and burst into tears.

Feng Qi stood up, supported Madam Zhao, looked at the crying woman and said, "Don't worry, Madam. Although Feng Qi is not a big shot, I will take care of this matter!"

After saying that, he took out the petition he had prepared earlier and unfolded it.

"Sister-in-law, as long as you sign your name on it, I will fight for justice for County Magistrate Zhao even if it costs me my life."

Magistrate Lin's eyelids jumped in shock, he cursed inwardly, and was about to step forward to persuade them.

Unexpectedly, Mrs. Zhao shook her head and choked up, saying, "Thank you, Lord Feng, for your concern. My family is small and cannot be as generous as you. Let him let it go."

"How can that be possible?" Feng Qi's plan failed, and he suddenly became agitated. "Brother Zhao is an official of high rank in the court, and he was beaten to death by Feng Bangning. If this matter is not investigated, where is the law of the Ming Dynasty?"

He came here with the intention of confronting Feng Bao and becoming famous.

As long as he doesn't die, when Feng Bao loses power in the future, he will be a role model for scholars and respected by readers all over the world.

Like Hai Rui, who dared to carry a coffin and curse the emperor, this was also the truth in his opinion.

Mrs. Zhao was not impressed by this. Although she was a woman, she could see that these people didn't care about her husband's life or death at all.

Instead, she wanted to use her husband's death to make a big fuss.

Otherwise, how could her husband, a poor county magistrate, receive such honor?
After figuring this out, Madam Zhao protected her daughter and son behind her and said coldly, "Sir Feng, my husband has passed away. I don't want the two children to be involved anymore. Please go back."

"Sister-in-law"

"Feng Hanlin, the dead are the most important. Please go back." County Magistrate Lin waved his hand and ordered him to leave.

"Okay, I'll come again tomorrow." Feng Qi replied with gritted teeth.

By evening, the mourners dispersed.

Mrs. Zhao and her son and daughter knelt in the mourning hall. Looking at the wreaths and mourning items all over the yard, she was overwhelmed with grief and tears began to fall.

My daughter Zhao Yue also started sobbing.

The mother and daughter hugged each other and cried bitterly.

Zhao Yong clenched his fists, stood up, and said through gritted teeth: "My father can't die like this. I want revenge. I want to make that bastard pay for his life. I want that bastard to pay for my father's life."

"Yong'er, have you forgotten what your father said?!" Mrs. Zhao scolded with her eyes wide open.

"I don't care, I don't care, I just want him to pay with blood!"

"Your father wouldn't have lived more than two years. It's good that he's gone like this." Mrs. Zhao smiled miserably.

Her husband was frail and often needed medication.

But his salary was not high and he refused to accept bribes. It was already difficult for him to support his family, so how could he have any extra money to buy medicine?

The slaps Feng Bangning gave her were not heavy, and might have been fine on an ordinary person. But when it came to her husband, he felt so humiliated that he collapsed.

Zhao Yong was only 13 or 14 years old, so he didn't listen to his mother. He pointed at her and scolded her, "You are blinded by money. You took other people's money and didn't even care about our father's life or death!"

"I don't care about your life or death, I should go with your father!" Mrs. Zhao didn't expect her son to miss her so much, and she cried heartbrokenly.

"With this money, you won't have to worry about money anymore, and you can take the imperial examination. Yue'er will also have a dowry and can marry into a good family. Eunuch Feng's people also said that if you have no hope of passing the imperial examination, they can find you a job."

"I don't want anything, I just want my dad!" Zhao Yong's eyes were bloodshot and he roared with his neck stretched.

"Xiaoyong, our father is dead, dead. He will never come back even if you call him!" Zhao Yue choked with sobs, her eyes red.

Zhao Yong was in a state of trance, as if all his bones had been pulled out. He staggered and fell on his back.

Mrs. Zhao hurried forward, picked up her son, and ran into the house.

Suddenly, a strong wind blew up, lightning and thunder flashed, and raindrops as big as beans fell down with a crackling sound.

After a while, the whole place was in a mess. The white paper was smashed into pieces and the uneven courtyard was filled with water.

Seeing that County Magistrate Zhao's coffin was washed away by the heavy rain, Mrs. Zhao rushed out with her son and daughter holding sackcloth.

After covering it, the three of them rushed to the inner room in a hurry.

At this moment, County Magistrate Zhao's old mother also woke up. She was 65 years old this year. After hearing about her son's death, she cried so hard that she fainted.

She leaned on a cane and moved forward step by step.

Everyone in the Zhao family did not dare to be careless and hurried forward to support them.

"Great, this heavy rain is great. When it rains, it will wash away all the dirt on the ground." Old Mrs. Zhao leaned against the door, looking into the distance at the sky. Her gray pupils turned and she couldn't help clapping and cheering.

The three of them looked at each other. Zhao Yong tugged at the corner of his grandmother's clothes and called out, "Grandma."

Old Mrs. Zhao turned her eyes around, rubbed her grandson's head, and said lovingly: "Good boy, good boy, Yong'er, you will be the pillar of this family in the future. You must take good care of your mother and your sister, understand?"

"Yeah." Zhao Yong looked at his grandmother and nodded repeatedly.

Old Mrs. Zhao turned her gaze to her graceful granddaughter and smiled kindly, "Yue'er, you are a grown-up girl now. You can't be as willful as before."

"Yue'er understands." Zhao Yue nodded in response.

Finally, Old Mrs. Zhao turned her eyes to her daughter-in-law.

The two looked at each other, and Mrs. Zhao's eyes turned red. She grasped her daughter-in-law's calloused hand and said with guilt, "Yue'e, you have suffered with our family for so many years. We have never let you live a comfortable life. You are not old, so if you meet the right person, you can..."

"Mother, what are you talking about? We are rich. We are rich now." Mrs. Zhao took out a stack of banknotes and said with tears in her eyes, "Look, here is one thousand taels. If we add the money these people gave us, we can buy dozens of acres of good land and build a few big tiled houses when we go back home."

"Just wait for your happiness in the future."

"Yes, yes." Old Mrs. Zhao nodded, and with the help of her family, she sat back down beside the bed.

Afterwards, Old Lady Zhao glanced at them lovingly and told them to go down and rest.

After working for half a day, everyone fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Mrs. Zhao came to call her mother-in-law to eat as usual.

After calling for a long time and no one answered, she pushed the door open and was instantly so frightened that she screamed "Wow!"

Zhao Yue and Zhao Yong also ran in.

Then I saw my grandmother hanging high on the beam with her eyes wide open.

(End of this chapter)