Chapter 27: How Could You Not Report It?!

County Magistrate Lin comforted the Zhao family's widow, then lifted his foot to walk outside, when suddenly he saw a young scholar stepping into the courtyard.

He appeared to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a tall and slender build, distinct facial features, bright eyes and white teeth; he wore a gold-colored ramie-silk gown and a green Chengzi scholar's cap, with black leather boots on his feet.

As he stepped on the ground, he made a rhythmic tapping sound.

"I am Hanlin Academy Compiler Feng Qi, here specifically to pay my respects to County Assistant Zhao." As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, the young man bowed first.

County Magistrate Lin pulled Lady Zhao to perform a bow, pointed at the darkening sky, and said, "It is getting late today. Master Feng, please go to a restaurant in the city to stay for the night; whatever the matter is, we shall discuss it tomorrow."

"No, no, no." Feng Qi shook his head, looked directly at Lady Zhao, and cupped his hands, saying, "Madam, County Assistant Zhao met his end at the hands of a treacherous villain. I am also heartbroken, but if we just swallow our anger like this, wouldn't that mean County Assistant Zhao died with his eyes unclosed?!"

As he spoke, he took a few steps forward, patted County Assistant Zhao's coffin, and said sorrowfully, "County Assistant Zhao studied hard for decades, finally passed the Imperial Examination, and served as an official for six years with a reputation for integrity. In the end, he had his life taken by a castrated villain—is this not tragic?"

He cried and shouted, as if it were his own father who had died.

The Zhao family was infected by this, their noses turned sour, and they burst into tears with a "wa" sound.

Feng Qi stood up, supported Lady Zhao, and looking at the woman who was weeping like rain-drenched pear blossoms, he said, "Sister-in-law, rest assured. Although I, Feng Qi, am not a great figure, I am determined to handle this matter!"

Having said that, he took out a petition he had prepared early on and unfolded it.

"Sister-in-law, as long as you sign your name on this, even if I have to risk my life, I will seek justice for County Assistant Zhao."

County Magistrate Lin's eyelids twitched in shock; he cursed inwardly and prepared to step forward to persuade him otherwise.

Unexpectedly, Lady Zhao shook her head and choked out, "Many thanks for your concern, Master Feng. My family is of humble means and not like you, Master. Let this matter pass."

"How can that be?" Feng Qi's plan had fallen through, and he suddenly became agitated. "Brother Zhao was an official of the imperial court with a rank. He was beaten to death by Feng Bangning. If this matter is not pursued, where does the Da Ming Law stand?"

He had come here with the intention of standing firm against Feng Bao to make a name for himself in the world.

As long as he didn't die, in the future, when Feng Bao lost power, he would be a model for the scholars of the world and revered by all the intellectuals.

Like that Hai Rui, who dared to carry a coffin to scold the Emperor—in his view, it was the same principle.

Lady Zhao, however, was not impressed. Although she was a woman of the inner chambers, she could see that these people did not care about her husband's life or death at all.

Instead, they wanted to use her husband's death to make a big scene.

Otherwise, how could her husband, a poor County Assistant, receive such funeral honors? After thinking this through, Lady Zhao shielded her daughter and son behind her and said coldly, "Master Feng, my husband has already passed away. I do not want to involve the two children any further. Please return."

"Sister-in-law—"

"Master Feng, the dead are to be respected. Please return." County Magistrate Lin waved his hand, issuing an order to leave.

"Very well, I will come again tomorrow." Feng Qi gritted his teeth and replied.

By the evening, the people who had come to pay their respects dispersed.

Lady Zhao knelt in the mourning hall with her son and daughter. Looking at the wreaths and funeral offerings filling the courtyard, sorrow rose in her heart again, and she shed tears in torrents.

Her daughter, Zhao Yue, also sobbed along with her.

The mother and daughter hugged each other, crying incessantly.

Zhao Yong clenched his fists, stood up abruptly, and said through gritted teeth, "Father cannot die like this. I want to take revenge, make that dog villain pay with his life, make that dog villain pay with his life for my father."

"Yong'er, have you forgotten what your father said?!" Lady Zhao widened her eyes and scolded.

"I don't care, I don't care, I just want him to pay for his blood debt!"

"Your father was... was not going to live for another two years anyway. Leaving like this is for the best." Lady Zhao gave a miserable smile.

Her husband had always been weak and sickly, often needing medicine for treatment.

But his salary was low, and he refused to accept bribes; it was already difficult to support the family, so how could there be extra money to buy medicine?

Those few slaps from Feng Bangning were not heavy and might not have mattered to an ordinary person. But for her husband, he could not bear the humiliation, his vital energy was disrupted, and his body simply collapsed.

At thirteen or fourteen years old, how could Zhao Yong listen to his mother's words? He pointed at his mother and cursed, "You are just greedy for money! You took other people's money and don't even care about Father's life or death!"

"If I didn't care about your lives, I should have followed your father!" Lady Zhao had not expected her son to think of her this way, and she cried in utter heartbreak.

"With this silver, you won't have to worry about money and can study hard for your career. 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 in the Imperial Examination, they can find you a job."

"I don't want that, I just want my father!" Zhao Yong's eyes were bloodshot as he roared at the top of his lungs.

"Xiao Yong, Father is already dead, dead... even if you call him, he won't come back!" Zhao Yue choked out, her eyes red.

Zhao Yong was distraught, as if his bones had been pulled out; he stumbled and fell backward onto the ground.

Lady Zhao hurriedly stepped forward to pick up her son and ran into the house.

Suddenly, a violent wind rose, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, and raindrops the size of beans came crashing down.

Before long, the courtyard was a mess; the white paper was smashed to pieces, and the uneven courtyard was filled with standing water.

Seeing County Assistant Zhao's coffin being washed by the heavy rain, Lady Zhao rushed out with her son and daughter, holding hemp cloth.

After covering it, the three of them hurriedly rushed back into the inner room.

By this time, County Assistant Zhao's mother had also woken up. At sixty-five years old, upon hearing that her son had passed away, she had cried until she fainted.

She leaned on her cane, moving forward step by step.

The Zhao family members did not dare to be careless and hurriedly stepped forward to support her.

"Good, this heavy rain is good. Once the heavy rain comes, it will wash away the filth on the ground." Zhao Laotai leaned against the door frame, looking up at the sky. Her eyes, clouded with cataracts, turned, and she couldn't help but clap and cheer.

The three of them looked at each other. Zhao Yong tugged at his grandmother's sleeve and called out, "Grandmother."

Zhao Laotai turned her gaze back, rubbed her grandson's head, and said dotingly, "Good child, good child. Yong'er, from now on you are the pillar of this family. You must take good care of your mother and your sister, do you understand?"

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

Zhao Laotai turned her gaze again, shifting it to her graceful granddaughter, and smiled kindly: "Yue'er, you are a big girl now, too. From now on, you cannot be as willful as you were before."

"Yue'er understands." Zhao Yue hurriedly nodded in agreement.

Finally, Zhao Laotai cast her gaze upon her daughter-in-law.

The two met each other's eyes. Zhao Laotai's eyes turned red, and she grabbed her daughter-in-law's calloused hand, saying with deep guilt: "Yue E, for so many years, you have suffered with our family. Our family never gave you a single day of comfort. You are still young, if you find someone suitable..."

"Mother, what are you saying? Our family has money; we have money now." Lady Zhao hurriedly took out a stack of silver notes and said with tears shimmering in her eyes, "Look, here is one thousand taels. If we add what these people sent, we can go back to our hometown, buy dozens of acres of good land, and build several large tiled houses."

"You just wait to enjoy your life from now on."

"Yes, yes." Zhao Laotai nodded and, supported by her family, returned to the bedside and sat down.

Afterwards, Zhao Laotai swept her gaze over the group with great affection and instructed them to go and rest.

Having been busy for the better part of half a day, everyone slept soundly.

When the morning of the next day arrived, Lady Zhao came as usual to call her mother-in-law to eat.

After calling for a long while with no response, she pushed the door open and entered, instantly terrified to the point of heart-rending horror, she let out a loud "Wah!" scream.

Zhao Yue and Zhao Yong also ran inside.

Then they saw their grandmother's body hanging high from the rafters, her eyes wide open.

(End of this chapter)