Shao Yunan said weakly, “Shijing, quickly take Wang Qing back. My legs are still weak. Quickly give him a cup of warm water and ginger soup. Then ask Grandpa Sun to come over and give him a look. I need to sit down for a bit.”

After kissing Shao Yunan on the head, Wang Shijing picked up Wang Qing and Wang Nizi with both hands and went home, while fourth aunt Wang tried to help Shao Yunan. But Shao Yunan just shook his head saying, “I’m afraid, I still can’t stand up. Give me a moment.”

“Rest for a while, I’ll go over.” Fourth aunt Wang ignored Shao Yunan for the time being and beckoned Aunt Zhou and the others to go after Wang Shijing. At times like this, someone should help them.

Then another person came over to help Shao Yunan, who was still paralyzed and sat on the ground due to recent events, and tried to help him get up. Shao Yunan turned around in surprise, when the other party helped him to sit down on a nearby stone, while the onlookers suddenly quieted down because of his appearance. “Who can tell this official what is going on?”

This, official?

This official?

This official?!

“This is the County Magistrate! Why don’t you kneel down when you see His Excellency?!” Another person who stood beside County Magistrate Jiang shouted, giving the villagers a jolt as they knelt down and greeted, “Your Excellency!”

How could the County Magistrate be in Xiushui Village? Ah! Could it be that the one who came to look for Wang Shijing this time was the County Magistrate? Was Wang Shijing’s wife really good friends with the County Magistrate?

“Get up.” County Magistrate Jiang sat down next to Shao Yunan and asked, “Which one of you will tell me first what happened?”

Finally Tang Genshu walked out of the crowd, knelt down and said, “ Your Excellency, I saw Wang Zaizheng and three children stop Wang Qing and Wang Nizi a short while ago. They walked together for a while, but later Wang Zaizheng pushed Wang Qing into the river.”

Shao Yunan clenched his teeth. In fact, Wang Zaizheng was only seven months younger than Wang Qing. But because Wang Qing grew up malnourished, Wang Zaizheng was stronger and taller than him. He also had other boys on his side, while Wang Qing needed to protect his sister. Thinking of the scene that might have happened, Shao Yunan wanted to drag Wang Zaizheng over and throw him directly into the river.

County Magistrate Jiang asked, “Was it you who saved Wang Qing?”

“No, it was Brother Tianbao.” Shao Yunan was surprised, it was Zhou Tianbao? Then another villager came out and said, “Your Excellency, it was Zhou Tianbao. He was the closest when Wang Qing fell into the water. Because Wang Nizi cried very loudly, Zhou Tianbao heard it and jumped into the water to save Wang Qing.”

“Then where is Zhou Tianbao?”

“Answering Your Excellency, Zhou Tianbao went home to change his clothes.” Shao Yunan whispered, “Your Excellency, Zhou Tianbao’s brain was burned out when he was a child, so his mentality is just like that of a child.” County Magistrate Jiang nodded, finally understanding the situation. Having nothing more to say, he looked around and asked, “Where is Xiushui Village’s Head?”

“Your Excellency, this underling is here.” Zhao Lizheng was also a small official, so in front of the County Magistrate he had to call himself ‘underling.’ County Magistrate Jiang said, “I want you to go and bring Wang Zaizheng and his family, as well as the other three children and their families for questioning.”

“Yes.” Zhao Lizheng then turned to Tang Genshu and asked, “Do you recognize who those three boys were?” Tang Genshu nodded, when someone next to him also said, “I recognized them too.”

“You guys come with me.” Zhao Lizheng took the people who knew which children were there, while also taking several strong men along with them. Since the County Magistrate was here, it was no longer just a clan or Xiushui Village’s matter. It’s useless for the patriarch to plead for mercy. Both Wang Wenhe and Wang Shuping were in the crowd. Wang Wenhe’s face was pale. The Wang clan was once again disgraced in front of County Magistrate Jiang. He just couldn’t understand why his family could not live in peace and quiet!

While waiting for the people to come, County Magistrate Jiang asked the person beside him, “Yunan, what was the method you used to save your son Qing just now?”

Calling his name directly secretly shocked the villagers. Shao Yunan was so familiar and close with him? Shao Yunan calmly replied, “Lord, this method is called ‘artificial respiration method.’ I’ve seen others use it on drowning people before, so just now I used it on little Qing since it was an emergency, but I didn’t expect it to work. If you think it is useful, I can find someone to draw it and bring it to you.”

“Very useful. Can this method only be used for people who drowned?” 

“Well, I think that it can be used for people who suddenly stop breathing. Sometimes a dead horse is still a living horse, so if there is some hope we can’t give up.” Shao Yunan squeezed his palms and smiled bitterly, “I’m still soft all over.”

County Magistrate Jiang nodded. “Good. This official will send someone to find you later, so you can draw this method of artificial respiration.”

“Yes.”

At this time, the magistrate’s people escorted old lady Wang’s family over, together with the crying Wang Zaizheng. The families of the other three children were also escorted over. Once they saw the county magistrate they first knelt down and then began to shout injustice, especially old lady Wang whose voice was the loudest.

“Shut up!” The county magistrate’s men shouted angrily, making the scene quiet. The man who was sent by County Magistrate Jiang to investigate also came back and directly said, “Your Excellency, I have found out that the young child Wang Zaizheng, together with three children of the same age from the same clan had evil intentions towards Wang Qing and Wang Nizi. Wang Zaizheng shouted at that time that he would kill Wang Qing and Wang Nizi.”

County Magistrate Jiang’s eyes narrowed as old lady Wang opened her mouth and shouted, “Your Excellency, that’s wrong. Wang Zaizheng is only five years old, how could he want to kill someone.” County Magistrate Jiang said, “If you disrupt this case again, you will be slapped in the face.”

Old lady Wang shrank and no longer dared to make a sound. Wang Zhisong looked anxious and with hatred at his nephew Wang Zaizheng. Why was the county magistrate here? County Magistrate Jiang… “Continue.”

The subordinate continued. “I asked the three children and all three of them said that Wang Zaizheng wanted to teach Wang Qing and Wang Nizi a lesson, because Wang Qing and Wang Nizi’s fathers Wang Shijing and Shao Yunan caused his parents to go to prison. So he wanted to threaten to kill Wang Qing and Wang Nizi to avenge his parents and said that with his younger uncle Wang Zhisong, the patriarch will not ask for an explanation.”

“Oh?” County Magistrate Jiang looked at the shivering Wang Zhisong, but still asked, “Which one is the patriarch of the Wang clan?” Patriarch Wang shivered as he stepped out of the crowd. “I am here.”

“Patriarch Wang, this official wants to ask you why Wang Zaizheng would say that with his uncle around, even if he killed someone, you, the clan patriarch would not ask any questions? Or is it that among your Wang clan, there are rules greater than the laws of the court?”

“My Lord, spare my life!” Patriarch Wang knelt down.

Unable to bear his father’s punishment, Wang Shuping rushed out and also knelt down. “My Lord, I am Wang Shuping and this is my father. I can testify that my father never said this. Even though my father may be biased, he would never harbor clan members who killed people. Please get to the bottom of this, Your Excellency!”

Shao Yunan also spoke out. “Your Excellency, although the patriarch is fond of Wang Zhisong’s studying, he would never sit back and watch his clan members kill people. Wang Zaizheng is just a child who would say such things. He must have heard something and thought something like this.” Wang Shuping was very grateful to Shao Yunan.

Edited by: Jaisland

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