After being jilted, the entire neighboring village was filled with deep regret.

"Yes, yes, yes! I haven't felt at ease since this happened!" Shen Ying said with a mournful face.

Lu Tong's tightly furrowed brows relaxed. "Alright, just don't run around. You might need to go to the county government office to testify and sign documents."

Shen Ying was overjoyed and quickly kowtowed in gratitude.

Su Tai seized the opportunity and said, "There's one more thing."

"What is it now?" Lu Tong frowned unhappily.

Su Tai hurriedly explained, "That's right, the opera troupe said they also lost a child named Xiao Shier."

“Yes, yes, yes! Our child is missing too, we are victims too!” Qiu struggled agitatedly.

Su Tai didn't even glance at her, and continued, "That child actually escaped and came home with me. He's hiding in my house now."

Everyone was shocked.

Lu Tong was even more surprised, "Where is he? Bring him over quickly for questioning."

Qiu's face was ashen, and she could say nothing except stare at Su Tai with resentment.

Xiao Shier arrived at the village compound under Tang Yu's escort.

The child had been cleaned up and dressed in new clothes, making him stand out from Chunqin and the others.

Lu Tong immediately took a good look at Tang Yu. "Did you clean up for him?"

Tang Yu nodded solemnly and said, "This child went home with Madam Shen, but Madam Shen has too much energy and it's inconvenient for her to take care of four children, so she entrusted the child to me. When I was bathing the child, I found many wounds on his body, old and new, which obviously means he has been beaten a lot."

As he spoke, he stepped forward and, in front of everyone, took off Xiao Shier's shirt.

Without clothes to cover her, Xiao Shier instinctively hugged herself. Her emaciated body was covered in scars, a shocking sight. Some wounds hadn't healed properly and even showed signs of suppuration.

Lu Tong was so angry his head was about to explode.

With red eyes, Tang Yu accused indignantly, "He is only eight years old, but he looks like a six-year-old child. He has very little flesh on his body and no good skin. Even Madam Shen couldn't help but shed tears when she saw him. His original wounds were even more gruesome. It was Madam Shen who brought medicine to clean the child's wounds, so they don't look so shocking now."

I asked him how he lived in the opera troupe, and he said that the troupe leader and his wife would often take their anger out on them. He was young and inevitably didn't do things well enough, so he became their tool for venting their frustrations.

He was rarely given food and went hungry every day, so when he saw so much food that day, he couldn't resist and wanted to have a full meal. But after he finished eating, he was told that he was going to die.

The child was terrified and had no choice but to run away to save his life.

Upon hearing this, the villagers all burst into tears and began to curse Rong Laosi and Qiu Shi.

"We're going to the county town too. I can't eat until I see their fate with my own eyes!"

"Yes! We must seek justice for those poor children!"

Faced with the angry crowd, Lu Tong dared not force them, and besides, he also deeply hated Rong Laosi, so he nodded in agreement.

Just then, Shen Wen's wife, Qi Yan, rushed out and stared intently at Xiao Shier.

Xu stepped forward with concern, "Yanzi, what's wrong?"

Qi Yan pointed tremblingly at a large red spot on Xiao Shier's waist, "Mother, what's that?"

Little Twelve looked puzzled, subconsciously touched the red spot, and said weakly, "There's nothing there, this isn't an injury, it's always been here."

Qi Yan's eyes brightened even more. Coming to her senses, she knelt down before Lu Tong. "Sir, a child once went missing from the Pu family in Dahe Town. They even reported it to the authorities before. The child had a large red spot on his waist, and his age matched. Could you please inform Master Pu to come and take a look?"

Lu Tong knew the Pu family of Dahe Town; they were the richest family in Dahe Town. If this child really was from the Pu family, it would be a great thing for him.

Lu Tong immediately ordered his men to cross the river and bring the Pu family members over. Only then did he inquire about Qi Yan's background.

Qi Yan dared not hide anything and told the truth: "My father is a master at the Pu family's dye shop and has a lot of influence with Master Pu. Master Pu has also taken good care of my family. When the Pu family lost a child, my father was very upset and depressed for a long time. So I know more about the situation."

Lu Tong nodded in understanding.

About an hour and a half later.

The officials arrived in a hurry with a group of people.

As soon as Madam Yu entered the courtyard, she looked around and rushed over to Qi Yan when she spotted her. "Yanzi, where's the child? Where is the child?"

Qi Yan quickly pointed to Xiao Twelve, who was standing close to Tang Yu, "Madam, it's him."

Yu turned her head sharply, carefully examining Xiao Twelve's face, and staggered over. "Can I see your birthmark?"

With Tang Yu's encouraging gaze, Xiao Shier obediently took off his clothes.

Yu carefully touched the birthmark with her hand, then glanced at Xiao Twelve's injuries out of the corner of her eye, cried out twice, and fainted.

Master Pu and Uncle Qi and the others also rushed over.

Mr. Pu looked at his wife and then at his child, not knowing what to do.

Uncle Qi gritted his teeth and said, "Master, besides the birthmark on his waist, is there anything else special about the young master?"

After thinking carefully, Mr. Pu said, "I remember the child has two moles on his thigh."

Without saying a word, Uncle Qi stepped forward and cautiously asked Little Twelve, "Could you take off your pants so Uncle can take a look?"

Lu Tong very considerately told them to go to the side room to examine Xiao Twelve.

Yu Shi, who was awakened by Master Pu pinching her philtrum, struggled to follow him inside.

The family entered the side room, and everyone in the courtyard waited anxiously for news, not daring to breathe.

A moment later, Madam Yu came out tightly holding Little Twelve, and knelt down before Lu Tong and the others with tears in her eyes, "My lords, this is my lost youngest son, there's no mistake!"

With Uncle Qi's help, Master Pu knelt down as well, saying, "Lord Lu, please accept my bow!"

The Pu family members all kowtowed and knelt before Lu Tong.

Lu Tong felt a little guilty, so he quickly had someone help them up and then explained what had happened in detail. "If you want to thank someone, thank Madam Shen and Mr. Tang. They took in Xiao Twelve, treated his injuries, and upheld justice for him."

Master Pu and Madam Yu immediately turned around and were about to kneel down to Su Tai and Tang Yu.

The two were so frightened that they jumped up at the same time, one to the left and the other to the right, leaping higher than rabbits.

The villagers were amused and burst into laughter.

Lu Tong couldn't help but chuckle.

"Alright! It's good news that Little Twelve has found his parents, but the crimes committed by Rong Laosi and the others still need to be carefully investigated. It's getting late, so we'll be going now."

Lu Tong, accompanied by an official, escorted Rong Lao Si and the others onto the carriage.

When Master Pu saw Rong Lao Si and his wife, a murderous glint flashed in his eyes.

Rong Lao Si and Qiu Shi were too scared to look at anyone. They knew it was all over when Xiao Shi Er was taken back by the Pu family.

No sooner had the officials left than Shen Ying began preparing oxcarts and donkey carts to go to the county town. (End of Chapter)