Chapter 95: Inducing a Concussion

Mu Nan Zhao directed the way, heading west along the official road not far before turning onto a small path.

These traffickers were clearly experienced at a glance.

They deliberately abandoned the official road midway for a side path to prevent the victims' relatives from catching up.

Mu Nan Zhao said, "Their ox cart shouldn't go too far."

"There are two sets of children's footprints; the slightly larger set likely belongs to Gou Wa and Shitou."

"But they're not following too closely, which is fairly smart."

"Don't chase too fast, lest the horse hooves alert them."

Gu Xixi let out a slight breath, "Exactly, if these desperadoes get cornered and take the children hostage, it would be disastrous."

As Mu Nan Zhao had anticipated.

After walking about the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, they turned a bend and saw in the distance an ox-drawn flatbed cart.

Besides the driver, three men sat on the cart's bed.

Between them were stacked several large hemp sacks.

No mistake, these are them!

Gu Xixi looked around but saw no trace of Shitou and Gou Wa.

She whispered, "Could those two have already been packed up?"

Mu Nan Zhao glanced at the roadside bushes, "Not necessarily."

He had Gu Xixi stop, dismounted, picked up several stones each the size of a child's fist, remounted, and said, "Speed up; we needn't worry about what's ahead."

Gu Xixi didn't know what he intended, but out of trust she obeyed without hesitation.

As they galloped wildly, the people in the cart ahead were startled and turned to look.

But before they could react, Mu Nan Zhao threw the stones in his hand one after another.

The first stone jammed the rear wheel, forcing the ox cart to stop.

The following stones struck the heads of the four traffickers in succession.

Accompanied by wails, bright red blood blossomed repeatedly on the white snow.

Gu Xixi barely reined her horse behind the ox cart.

The driver trafficker was the first to fall forward to the ground and immediately lay still.

The three men on the cart also clutched their heads and rolled about, their wails unceasing.

It appeared they had all lost the ability to resist.

Gu Xixi stared, dumbfounded; she had just seen Mu Nan Zhao toss the stones effortlessly, without even gathering force, yet the power was astonishing.

At that moment two little tots darted out from the roadside bushes, "Sister Xixi!"

"Mister Chen!!"

Gu Xixi dismounted, "Are you two all right?"

Shitou said, "We're fine! The bad guys didn't notice we were following!"

Gou Wa puffed his chest, "We tracked their wheel marks the whole way, then hid in the bushes to follow."

Gu Xixi frowned at the two little rascals, "Running off without greeting the adults to seek adventure, you two are rather proud of yourselves?"

"When we get back I'll deal with you two! Come over here and help first!"

She turned and walked toward the horse cart, pulling out several lengths of hemp rope from her pack.

Gou Wa and Shitou worked together to bind the four traffickers tightly.

The three hemp sacks on the cart held little girls when opened.

Xiao Tao and Dou Dou were greatly frightened; upon seeing familiar faces they burst into loud sobs.

The other few girls were infected by the crying and also began to wail.

Gu Xixi, not skilled at soothing children, took out a small packet of pine-nut candy and slapped it into Shitou's hand.

"Hurry up and comfort them, so the older and younger girls stop crying."

Gu Xixi then jumped down from the cart and walked toward Mu Nan Zhao, "Gou Wa and Shitou surely saw you act."

Mu Nan Zhao replied lightly, "Just throwing stones; anyone can do that."

"But your—" Gu Xixi glanced at the children and lowered her voice:

"Is that ordinary stone‑throwing? You nearly split someone open on the spot."

Mu Nan Zhao mused, "It seems I used a bit too much force."

He lifted his eyes to Gu Xixi, "If anyone asks later, say they were hit by the stones, fell and knocked each other down, not colliding with the cart, which worsened their injuries."

Gu Xixi fell silent for a moment, "Fine, that's what we'll say when we hand them over to the government office."

She realized that Mu Nan Zhao had not only grown accustomed to the identity of Chen Fang,

but also that fabricating lies was becoming increasingly easy for him.

On the ox cart, Shitou and Gou Wa also acquitted themselves honorably.

The little girls gradually stopped crying, each holding back tears with a piece of candy in their mouth, eating it with relish.

Gu Xixi had Mu Nan Zhao ride alone on horseback, and she put all the children onto the ox cart.

She drove the cart back, got onto the official road, and then encountered Lao Qian leading a large crowd of villagers rushing over.

All the able-bodied men and women of Huachi Du Cun were gathered here.

Each held farming tools, their manner fierce.

Lao Qian first spotted Gu Xixi and Mu Nan Zhao, "Great‑niece? Mister Chen?"

Gu Xixi slowly halted the cart, "Uncle Qian, everyone can rest easy; the children are unharmed."

After confirming that Xiao Ying and Dou Dou had been safely brought back, everyone, still filled with righteous indignation, surrounded the ox cart, intending to strip the traffickers and give them a harsh beating.

Gu Xixi showed a troubled expression, "Better not, in case we beat them to death, the government office side would be hard to explain."

Only then did everyone notice, several traffickers were tied up and shoved into a corner, their heads and faces covered in blood.

Even Lao Qian showed an expression of astonishment.

Gu Xixi said embarrassedly, "They're all alive, just some external wounds that look frightening, they won't die."

Lao Qian waved his hand, saying, "Then let's not beat them, just hand them over to the government office and be done with it."

That day, the county office personnel received the criminals, and at noon specifically sent two constables to the village to inquire about the situation.

Gu Xixi and Mu Nan Zhao, as eyewitnesses, provided testimonies.

Naturally, they had to answer how the criminals ended up with broken heads and bloody faces, and with brain qi shock.

That is what modern Western medicine calls a concussion.

Gu Xixi followed what Mu Nan Zhao had said earlier.

Plus, Shitou and Gouwa were far off in the grass thicket at the time, didn't see clearly, only knew those bad guys indeed fell in a heap crying for father and mother.

On the contrary, this corroborated Gu Xixi's words from the side.

The constables ultimately had no suspicions, and after finishing the records they left.

This incident sounded an alarm for every household in Huachi Du Cun; the village school closed, children ran around playing, safety must not be taken lightly.

Coincidentally, the adults were recently idle at home, having plenty of time to look after the children.

In the afternoon, the snow lessened a bit, but before evening it began to increase again.

Zhang Shen stewed a big pot of vegetables, thinking that with such heavy snow no one would come now; she walked toward the gate, intending to put down the door bolt early, so the family could comfortably nest on the heated bed and eat.

But just as she touched the door bolt, a loud, urgent knocking sounded.

Zhang Shen looked doubtfully at the crack in the door, "Who is it?"

Outside the door stood four tall men in black clothing and boots, all dressed as constables.

The one knocking had a stern face, tone somewhat fierce, "Open the door! Is Chen Fang at home!"

Zhang Shen had no choice but to open the door, offering an apologetic smile, "The constable from the government office wasn't just back at noon, why come again? And it's so late, in heavy snow..."

"What's up with the heavy snow?" the constable retorted displeasedly, without further ado shoved Zhang Shen aside and entered the courtyard.

"No matter how heavy the snow, we must arrest those who ought to be arrested!"