Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 351: The Right Choice
Zheng Xu held a high official position, but even in the county government, he had to wait for the county magistrate to speak.

The officials of Daliang each performed their duties, and no one was allowed to interfere in the official business of others. This was also the reason why Zheng Xu did not compete with Xu Huaiyi for the testament.

He had to maintain his dignity, or he would become a laughingstock.

Besides, he also wanted to use this as an excuse to file a complaint against Xu Huaiyi in front of Minister Xia. However, to Zheng Xu's surprise, a look of panic flashed in the eyes of the Kaifeng County Magistrate. When he looked at him, his brows furrowed, and he looked like he was about to face a great disaster.

Zheng Xu stiffened, his back straightening instinctively.

The magistrate of Kaifeng County looked at Xu Huaiyi: "Lord Xu, what are you preparing for..."

"Take Guo Xiong and Guo Chuan to Xiangfu County," Xu Huaiyi said calmly. "This case will be tried together with the Xiangfu County gambling case."

Zheng Xu sensed the hidden meaning: "What gambling case?"

Seeing that Xu Huaiyi had no intention of explaining, the Kaifeng County Magistrate had no choice but to speak up. He was still hoping that Zheng Xu would deliver the message to Minister Xia. If Minister Xia did not intervene, it would probably not be easy to resolve this matter peacefully.

The county magistrate said, "Someone went to Xiangfu County to report that there were people gambling in Xiangfu County. The magistrate led a group to investigate, and found that... indeed, someone had set up a gambling den, and dozens of guests were gambling on the estate, involving at least several hundred taels of silver. The people in the estate resisted the yamen runners with weapons, and someone even died..."

At this point, the county magistrate gritted his teeth inwardly. In Bianjing City, those people actually dared to do this. Did they even have brains? If it hadn't blown up like this, Xiangfu County wouldn't have reported it to the Ministry of Justice and invited Xu Huaiyi, such a jinx.

Xu Huaiyi interjected, "That estate also involved the abduction and trafficking of women, and we found Feng Erniang, who had been missing for a long time, there."

Upon hearing "Feng Erniang," Guo Chuan, who had been staring at his elder brother, turned to look at Xu Huaiyi in a daze, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.

This Lord Xu found the second wife.

The unexpected good news took him a while to come to his senses, and then he realized why Lord Xu had mentioned Feng Erniang at this time.

“My lord,” Guo Chuan began, “it was those people…those people who used Feng Erniang to blackmail us brothers. It was them…it was them…who framed my elder brother and me for smuggling spices. Please, my lord, do justice for us.”

Xu Huaiyi did not respond to Guo Chuan, but stared at the Kaifeng County Magistrate and Zheng Xu with clear eyes. With Guo Chuan's words, he no longer needed to explain why the two cases should be combined.

Guo Xiong slowly woke up at this time. He first heard his younger brother's excited shouts, then found that there were several more people in the prison. Finally, his gaze fell on Xu Huaiyi.

He tried to speak, but his throat itched, and he couldn't help coughing, then spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"Big brother, big brother..."

Guo Chuan shouted loudly in his anxiety.

Xu Huaiyi looked at the county magistrate: "If a prisoner is brought into the jail and beaten unconscious within a few hours, I will also impeach the officials of Kaifeng County."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Huaiyi instructed the people behind him: "Carry the person out of the county government office and ask the doctor to treat him properly."

The yamen runners from the Ministry of Justice behind them responded and went to put the Guo brothers, Guo Xiong and Guo Chuan, down, and then went to the prison to take away the boatmen.

The county magistrate of Kaifeng dared not say much, because the gambling case had become too big for him, a mere county magistrate, to handle. Since that was the case, why should he step forward and court death?

Zheng Xu was unwilling to give up: "The case has reached the Ministry of Justice. Why would they send you here? Have you asked the Minister?"

“This case was naturally approved by the Vice Minister,” Xu Huaiyi said to Zheng Xu, “and besides, only I can supervise this case.”

Xu Huaiyi paused here: "After all, these two people had submitted the complaint to me, and no one knows the ins and outs of this matter better than me."

Before one issue has been fully explained, another one is brought up.

When did the Guo brothers file a complaint with the Ministry of Justice? Zheng Xu felt like a fool, completely unaware of so many inside details. Did Minister Xia know any of this?
Zheng Xu resented Xia Ziqiao. If the He family hadn't come looking for him with Xia Ziqiao's name card, he wouldn't have gotten involved in this mess.

“Lord Zheng,” Xu Huaiyi said, “there are many things I need to verify with you regarding my trip to Xiangfu County.”

Zheng Xu suddenly remembered the money the He family had given him, which was still in his own house. If the He family confessed, he would probably not be able to escape punishment.

"I need to go home first," Zheng Xu said. "I can go to the yamen later."

Xu Huaiyi stared at Zheng Xu, making Zheng Xu break out in a cold sweat.

“It would be best if you did not go back, sir,” Xu Huaiyi said, seemingly without any emotion, with a businesslike expression. “If you do not listen, I will not just impeach you, but arrest you directly.”

“You…” Zheng Xu’s face flushed red, “You dare…”

Xu Huaiyi stretched out his hand, his long sleeves fluttering: "You can give it a try."

Zheng Xu felt a tightness in his chest. This was the first time he had been threatened like this, and he didn't even dare to resist.

"Take him away," Xu Huaiyi ordered again.

Hearing that authoritative, indifferent voice, Guo Xiong and Guo Chuan felt unusually at ease. If it weren't for the presence of so many people, Guo Xiong would have burst out laughing.

He recalled the day when the lady of the house asked him to find Lord Xu. He had hesitated at the time, fearing that he would be tricked again. Fortunately... he did not make the wrong choice.

After he gets out of prison, he will definitely devote himself to serving Madam and repaying her kindness.

……

Xie Yuyan's carriage continued to move forward.

Granny Jiang had been talking all the way and her throat was dry. She wanted to ask for a cup of tea, but it was clear that the old lady in front of her didn't want that, so she didn't dare to ask.

Of all the women Jiang Po had seen, none were more terrifying than this old lady.

Most of the time, the eldest daughter-in-law's gaze was not on her, and Granny Jiang had no way of knowing whether the eldest daughter-in-law was interested in what she said.
Because the future was uncertain, Granny Jiang was always on tenterhooks.

"Last winter, were women taken to the Northwest?"

Granny Jiang nodded: "I remember the steward of the He family said that last winter, when the Northwest needed people, they specially selected some young and beautiful women to send there."

Xie Yuyan thought of Jiao Da. When was she taken to Daming Prefecture by Jiao Da? Was it related to the He family?

"You remember so clearly," Xie Yuyan said, "were all those women sold to the He family by you?"

"I'm innocent!" Granny Jiang hurriedly said, "Madam, it's true that I sell women, but they are all from legitimate sources. I would never dare to do such shady business."

"The reason I remember it so clearly is because... those women tried to resist and almost escaped from the He family. Many people died that time, and the He family couldn't gather enough people, so they spent extra money to send me to find women."

“I just happened to fall seriously ill and couldn’t make that deal. I feel heartbroken every time I think about it.”

Xie Yuyan looked at Granny Jiang: "They're all women, how much of a commotion can they cause?"

Granny Jiang revealed a mysterious expression and lowered her voice: "Those women have outside help. I heard they are from some kind of Holy Sect, which is why the He family was caught off guard."