Chapter 45 - 045 The Evil Woman Gets Caught
Chapter 45: Chapter 045: The Evil Woman Gets Caught
Chapter 45 -045: The Evil Woman Gets Caught
“It’s said that the rumor originated from the Cao family’s general store in town.
The Cao family’s son claimed that it was message passed by a traveling merchant.
I, in my limited capacity, hope to solicit your assistance in investigating this matter.
This issue not only tarnishes my younger sister’s reputation, it aims to destroy the reputation of my family, as well as myself.
With the rural examination approaching, I don’t want false accusations from others to ruin my future.” Bai Zepei said, then bowed deeply to Magistrate Li once again.
Seeing Bai Zepei repeatedly addressing himself as a “student” and being extremely respectful, Magistrate Li rethought the situation.
If someone under his jurisdiction could pass the exam, it would reflect an achievement on his part as well.
Furthermore, knowing that Bai Zepei has also claimed him as his tutor, if he could qualify as Scholar or an Imperial degree holder in the future, others would praise him for cultivating talent.
Even if Bai Zepei does not progress much further in the imperial examinations in the future, Li can still win over his goodwill, which also counts as a credit to his political achievements.
“Such a thing happened?” Magistrate Li raised his eyebrows in surprise, “This is outrageous!
I will definitely investigate this matter carefully to ensure that you participate in the rural examination unaffected.”
Bai Zepei bowed deeply and exclaimed: “Student thanks the magistrate!”
…
The Cao family’s grocery store was particularly bustling today.
However, the decision-makers of the family were out.
Cao LeSheng’s mother, Cao LeSheng, and Zhang were not home; only Cao Youfu, the simple and naive father of Cao LeSheng, was there to run the shop.
Some people came to buy things, but the questions they asked were not about the price of goods, but they asked Cao Youfu with a grin: “Old Cao, is it true that your son Cao LeSheng is stealing the wife of someone else?”
Fortunately, Cao Youfu was present.
If it had been the aggressive Cao Sunshi, people would not have dared to ask this question.
Cao Youfu’s face turned a purplish shade and he stuttered: “How could that be possible?
Do not listen to others’ gossip.” Being a sincere person and not good at lying, he was taken aback when the people who were sent to find Cao LeSheng came back and revealed everything they saw.
Cao LeSheng even gave those people some copper coins to drink and asked them to keep it a secret.
“He surely did something.
Your son is pretty capable, haha.” The visitor started a joke and there was a burst of laughter outside.
Right when Cao Youfu wished he could close the shop and return home immediately, something even more frightening happened.
An officer came to the door and asked harshly: “Who’s in charge here in the Cao family?
Is that kid Cao LeSheng around?”
The onlookers started exclaiming, “Oh boy, big trouble now, the Cao family’s son stole someone’s wife, and now they have reported it to the county government office!”
Someone by the side laughed stating, “How could that be?
Even if the bed has been defiled, they can’t report it to the main hall for this, it must be for something else.”
So, many people followed the officer to the Cao family, wanting to see what exactly was going on.
Meanwhile, in Back Mountain Village, the Liu Family’s daughter-in-law fiercely covered her chest, refusing anyone’s inspection.
She wished she could scratch off the birthmarks on her chest.
Unfortunately, in the end, it was seen by others.
She screamed, “It’s their silver that bought the news, I am innocent!”
An older woman looked at her contemptuously and said, “How could you buy news?
Only Liu San and your mother know what’s on your chest, could your mother sell you out?” The chest wasn’t just any place, it could not be seen by outsiders.
In this era, there was no custom of women bathing together.
Generally, women would discreetly wash themselves at home.
“She won’t admit to the things she has done, it’s truly shameless.” Another older woman spat heavily.
The eldest daughter-in-law of the Liu family remained silent and hurriedly returned to the Liu family.
She reported everything that had happened to her mother-in-law.
The old lady of the Liu family was so angry that she threw a pillow and cursed, “This wicked woman has never done any good.
Why did my Liu family marry such a scourge?
Write the divorce papers quickly, it’s already shameful enough!”
Just as the Liu family was preparing the divorce papers, four officers arrived at Back Mountain Village.
They went directly to the Liu family to arrest someone.
Liu San’s wife was crying bitterly in front of the Liu family’s door, swearing and crying out that she was being falsely accused, begging her mother-in-law to let her in.
“Who is Wang LaiDi in your village, the third wife of the Liu family?” an officer called out.
The spectators all pointed to the person crying outside the Liu family’s door, Liu San’s wife, or rather, she was no longer Liu San’s wife, she should be called by her maiden name, Wang LaiDi.
“You’ve got it wrong, Sirs.
I’ve been mistakenly accused!” Wang LaiDi wailed loudly.
“Whether you’ve been wronged or not can be decided in the main hall.” The officer dragged away Liu San’s wife.
Wang LaiDi was terrified and shook all over, “Sirs, I really didn’t steal anyone, I really did not.” As she spoke, she kept shaking her head, tears and snot flying everywhere, the haughty demeanor she usually carried was long gone.
The officer frowned, “I don’t care if you’ve stolen someone or not, someone has accused you of slandering a good woman by making her a concubine and ruining Bai Zepei’s future prospects.
You can tell the magistrate about it at the county government office.”
No matter how Wang LaiDi denied, she was eventually taken away by the officers.
The village was immediately in an uproar, including the older villagers, one of them being Wang Shugen, the village head.
“Our Back Mountain Village has an exceptional young man who is about to become a scholar, Wang LaiDi intends to destroy the Feng Shui of our village.
She should be kicked out of the village!
If the Liu family dares to let her in again, don’t blame me, the village head, for being ruthless!”
Previously, when Wang LaiDi spread rumors that Bai Ruozhu was a concubine for someone else, most villagers watched the excitement or scorned more.
But the thoughts of the peasant households were simple; they did not think too deeply.
Bai Zepei laid out the deeper impacts of the incident, which made the village chief and others instantly realize the gravity of the situation.
It’s a great honor to have multiple scholars in a village.
How could they let a woman’s jealousy ruin that opportunity?
The news quickly reached the Bai family, and Bai Yihong excitedly shouted, “There is justice in this world!
This wicked woman should be duly punished by the magistrate.”
Lin Ping sneered, “Hmph, a person like Wang LaiDi even if she died would be pulled out her tongue and be thrown to the oil pan.”
Seeing that the officer didn’t call her, Bai Ruozhu understood her second brother’s intent.
He wanted her to handle this matter.
Alright then, she would stay at home and enjoy her blessings.
In addition, she would make a fish dish, and prepare a bowl of fish ball soup which her second brother loved the most.
The messenger was Granny Wang.
She cursed Wang LaiDi a lot.
But there wasn’t much anger on her face, more of a sense pride in misfortune.
Bai Ruozhu suddenly stood up and yelled, “I don’t care about Wang LaiDi’s deliberate targeting of me; but if she dares to affect my second brother’s future, even if it takes my own life, I will never let her go!”
Seeing Bai Ruozhu’s emotional state, Granny Wang comforted her for a while and then left.
Soon, the words of Bai Ruozhu spread throughout the village.
No one in the Liu family dared to say a word; no matter what they did now, they would come out as wrongdoers.
Worse still, they might be labelled as accomplices of Wang LaiDi.
Bai Ruozhu took a deep breath at home.
She had been too calm for the longest time.
In reality, she wanted to swear bitterly a long time ago.
She had been holding back for so long, partly because she didn’t want to worry her family, and partly because she didn’t want to scare the child in her stomach.
But she was also a person and needed to vent her emotions too.