Chapter 304: Stone Smashes One's Own Foot (Debt 23)

"Li Yichuan!" Nan Hu was greatly startled.

No matter how loudly they recited their rhymes, they were merely local rich men of Xuan Guang County.

They could not compare with the Li family.

Moreover, Li Yichuan is the Li family patriarch; he sent a personal attendant to write a handwritten letter. Who would dare refuse such a face?

"What exactly is the background of this Xu Yuan you offended?! It is truly extraordinary." Fourth Master Feng advised: "You should just admit your mistake. With such overwhelming force pressing down, we simply cannot hold out!"

After Fourth Master Feng finished speaking, he left: "I cannot stay long. My elder brother knows our friendship and has been sending people to watch me.

You also know my elder brother is treacherous. If he knew I came to leak information to you, he would surely go to my mother and make a false accusation.

You know my mother's temper even better. I am fifty years old; if I get beaten by my mother again... where would I put my old face?"

After Fourth Master Feng hurriedly departed, Nan Hu sat dazed in the tea house for two double-hours.

Finally, he realized the Li family was not targeting the Nan family; the Li family was simply helping Xu Yuan handle this case.

Even if he refused to yield and did not apologize, after this matter ended, the Li family would not do anything to the Nan family.

Because there was no need.

The Li family has a huge pile of businesses; they don't even have enough time to earn silver. To put it bluntly but truthfully: their time and energy are precious; they will not waste them on the Nan family.

Nan Hu had been the local bully in Xuan Guang County for too long; he was no longer capable of "bending and stretching."

He stood up and ordered his attendant: "Settle the bill, go home."

I admit defeat!

But I will not apologize or make amends—I will just never provoke you again.

Is it not enough if I avoid you?

After Nan Hu got into the carriage, he still felt deeply aggrieved.

Moments later, the carriage creaked along, passing the yamen gate once more. Suddenly, the large crowd of onlookers erupted in cheers: "Meng Sanlang has taken the poster!"

"Meng Sanlang is the number one hero of our Xuan Guang! Since he has stepped forward, he will surely solve this case!"

"Others feared that taking the poster would cause the Nan family to lose face, so they dared not step forward. In this county, the only hero is Meng Sanlang!"

The vein at the corner of Nan Hu's eye twitched violently with anger.

A group of ignorant fools!

Your so-called number one hero of Xuan Guang, Meng Sanlang, is nothing but a dog secretly raised by the Tan family!

If the Tan family had not arranged people to praise him, where would Meng Sanlang have gotten such a huge reputation?

While the crowd of onlookers was praising Meng Sanlang, they saw the Captains of the Filth-Cleansing Bureau returning, escorting a large group of people in a grand procession.

Nan Hu glanced from inside the carriage and recognized them as people from the late husband's family of the Widow Zhou.

"He actually... solved this case first..." Nan Hu cried out in shock.

For the first time, he felt that this young Patrol Inspector actually had some ability.

The matter of Widow Zhou certainly could not be hidden from Nan Hu; he had also received a hundred taels of silver.

But a Patrol Inspector from Champa, without the help of locals, seeing through this "setup" so quickly was indeed impressive.

Nan Hu felt a bit uneasy in his heart: Could it be that this young man can truly solve this case?

Then I would truly be utterly humiliated.

Avoiding the issue somewhat, Nan Hu whispered in the carriage: "Go quickly."

The carriage sped up, rushing straight home.

In the county yamen, Yao Qingyuan held court to interrogate the prisoners Xu Yuan had brought back.

There were five people from the late husband's family of Widow Zhou, plus their village head and neighborhood head; all had participated in this matter.

In the courtroom, they confessed to their crimes without reservation.

Yao Qingyuan cut through the tangle with a swift sword, ordering them thrown into the great prison.

He could not interrogate further; doing so would implicate people within the yamen.

Returning to the rear yamen, Yao Qingyuan ordered someone to find the Zhancheng Yamen Runner who had been assigned to guide Xu Yuan today.

The Zhancheng Yamen Runner reported the situation of the day, then said: "After we returned from the house of Widow Zhou's eldest uncle this morning, their family began to be haunted by ghosts.

In broad daylight, Widow Zhou crawled out of the well at her uncle's house to claim a life!

She scared the uncle so much he fell to the ground and wet his pants."

"As for those who conspired with him, not a single one was spared. They even threatened that if they did not confess, their families would be implicated; no one could escape!"

"Then the people of the Filth-Cleansing Bureau appeared, and one by one, these people all confessed..."

Yao Qingyuan's expression was solemn; he waved his hand to dismiss the Zhancheng Yamen Runner.

"Claiming a life in broad daylight? Widow Zhou has been dead for several days. Hehehe, why didn't she claim a life before Xu Yuan arrived?"

But Yao Qingyuan was not mocking Xu Yuan; rather, he felt admiration: to have opened the situation so quickly.

The matter of Li Yichuan secretly contacting the Tan, Wang, and Feng families certainly could not be hidden from Yao Qingyuan.

In Yao Qingyuan's view, Xu Yuan's image had changed from "a young Patrol Inspector from Shanhe County who rose by luck" to:

A young capable talent with a mysterious and complex background, a reckless temperament but outstanding ability, and a promising future.

Such a person can be a partner, rather than the previous "neither helping nor hindering."

Yao Qingyuan was considering how to release some goodwill toward Xu Yuan when his old servant servant rushed over: "Master, it is bad news; another one has died!"

Yao Qingyuan merely smiled slightly and asked: "Where is Patrol Inspector Xu?"

"He has already rushed to the scene."

"Let us go and take a look as well."

Xu Yuan had the two little foxes transform into the likeness of Widow Zhou, then emerged from the well, terrifying the husband's family half to death.

They admitted their crimes while wetting their trousers.

Yao Qingyuan conducted the interrogation in the courtroom and sentenced the husband's family; after Xu Yuan returned, he was rewarding the fox sisters, giving each a small dried fish.

The fox sisters were secretly cursing: When did we give you the impression that we like to eat fish?

Back at Qihe Tai Town, you clearly knew that we two nieces liked to eat chicken.

Why did it change to fish for us?

And dried fish at that?

Yet the two cowardly foxes dared not complain.

"Eat quickly, I bought these especially for you," Xu Yuan urged.

The two foxes dawdled, tearing off a thin strip of fish meat with their little paws and slowly putting it into their mouths...

"My lord!" Lang Xiao Ba burst in: "Someone has committed suicide again!"

Xu Yuan immediately rushed out.

The two little foxes disdainfully tossed the dried fish aside.

Nan Hu had just arrived at his doorstep and stepped down from the carriage when he saw a crowd rushing out in panic.

Several female servants, their faces ashen, screamed as they ran: "Dead person—!"

Nan Hu's expression changed; he grabbed one of them and shouted sternly: "Who is dead?"

"Young master, the young master committed suicide by cutting open his abdomen!"

Darkness swam before Nan Hu's eyes; his body swayed and he crashed to the ground with a thud.

The Nan family descended into chaos.

Xu Yuan had just arrived when Yao Qingyuan followed close behind.

Meng Sanlang was accompanying Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan had not even had time to have a detailed conversation with this number-one hero of Xuan Guang.

"County Magistrate," Xu Yuan greeted with a fist-and-palm salute.

Yao Qingyuan smiled and returned the courtesy very politely: "Magistrate Xu need not be concerned about this official; simply investigate the case. I will stand guard for you; if anyone in this county dares to obstruct your investigation, I will deal with them for you."

Xu Yuan then expressed his thanks.

This county magistrate's attitude had changed too obviously.

Meng Sanlang, standing beside Xu Yuan, whispered: "Nan Hu has only this one son; he was carefully raised from childhood and has already reached the ninth rank of Wu Xiu."

The group entered the young master's room; the floor was covered in blood!

He had committed suicide by cutting open his abdomen, yet this triggered the calamity of a Wu Xiu's cultivation broken, resulting in an explosion of blood.

He died in an extremely miserable manner!

(End of this chapter)