As for the silk and supplies that my cheap sister brought back then, they all turned into ashes in the flash of the explosion.
Zhang Chen wandered around for a bit and then, with a basket on his back, headed to his stepmother’s home. Looking from a distance, he saw many unfamiliar faces among the neighbors, and his stepmother was sitting in the courtyard with a face full of worry.
Zhang Chen hesitated slightly, but still walked into the courtyard with a composed face: "Mother, I’ve returned!"
All these troubles were caused by himself; he couldn’t let his own mother and younger siblings take the blame! A man must own up to his responsibilities!
Zhang Chen’s words startled his stepmother, who suddenly stood up and rushed in front of Zhang Chen, looking him up and down with joy in her eyes: "It’s good that you’re okay! It’s good that you’re okay!"
After repeating it twice, Mrs. Zhang grabbed Zhang Chen’s hand and pushed him toward the door with all her strength: "You must go quickly! The officials have already set up surveillance in the village and have us under house arrest, just waiting for you to walk into their trap. Go as far as possible before they realize it, preferably never return! Hide deep in the mountains and forests, and don’t worry about us!"
An unknown strong force erupted from Mrs. Zhang’s frail body, pushing Zhang Chen into a stumble, yet Zhang Chen steadied himself: "Mother, stop saying. I already know everything. Since I came back, I have a way to resolve this! I can’t let you all be implicated."
Zhang Chen closed the door and placed the backpack in the corner: "There are jerky pieces here. I hunted deer in the mountains and made them into jerky, enough to last half a month."
Looking at Zhang Chen’s calm demeanor, Mrs. Zhang was momentarily stunned, unable to speak.
Taking the opportunity, Zhang Chen went into the house and filled up the empty water tank.
"Big Brother!"
At this moment, the two little ones rushed over, seemingly sensing something was amiss, their voices full of sorrow and distress.
"Don’t be afraid, nothing will happen to Big Brother!" Zhang Chen stroked the heads of the two little ones, making them laugh heartily.
Mrs. Zhang walked over at this moment, her voice filled with seriousness: "You have to think it over carefully, the courthouse is a den of wolves and tigers; once you go in, it’s not easy to come out."
"Rest assured, Mother, I can easily resolve this crisis." Zhang Chen’s voice was filled with reassuring strength, gradually easing Mrs. Zhang’s worried heart.
After talking with Mrs. Zhang for a while, Zhang Chen noticed that the officials had yet to make a move. He then bid farewell to Mrs. Zhang, thinking about visiting Blacksmith Cui’s home since he wanted to upgrade his tools for making more explosives in the future.
But Zhang Chen had only walked a short distance when he noticed from afar seven or eight people beginning to gather around him, one of them seemingly the leader called out loudly: "Isn’t that Zhang Chen?"
On hearing this, villagers looked over and quickly said: "Official, that’s Zhang Chen!"
"Stop right there!"
Upon the villagers’ confirmation, the officers quickly rushed forward and shouted.
Zhang Chen halted his steps, looking at the group in front of him with a confused face: "Does the official have some business with me?"
"Zhang Chen, your deeds are discovered! Your neighbor Zhang Chen accuses you of attempted murder; come with us at once." The officer said as he took out chains, stepping forward to lock Zhang Chen.
"Officer, there must be a mistake. I’ve been hunting in the mountains all this time; how could I have attempted to murder Zhang Chen?" Zhang Chen’s face was full of innocence.
"Whether you did or not, come to the magistrate’s court for a confrontation, and it’ll be clear." The officer didn’t give him a choice and directly chained Zhang Chen, then escorted him down the mountain.
"What a disaster out of nowhere." Zhang Chen’s voice was filled with innocence at this moment.
"Whether it’s a disaster of nowhere or not, the County Magistrate will figure it out once asked." The officer stated dryly.
Zhang Chen said no more words, a deputy walked up at this moment to search Zhang Chen but found nothing, not even a penny.
"What a pauper." The deputy grumbled discontentedly, his words full of complaint.
Running back and forth from the county town over a dozen kilometers would wear down quite a few shoe soles, wouldn’t it?
The officer’s search found no useful items on Zhang Chen, adding to his bad mood.
Shoes these days weren’t durable, handmade with thousand-layer soles that didn’t endure wear well; the round trip of more than twenty kilometers might ruin a pair of shoes.
The chains were heavy, approximately ten pounds, causing Zhang Chen to furrow his eyebrows, yet he said nothing.
"Let’s go!" The officer gave Zhang Chen a glance, as if looking at a fat sheep.
Whether a criminal or not, once in their hands, the family would need to hand over money, or else literally skin him.
"Hurry up!"
One officer impatiently shoved Zhang Chen with great force, causing him to stumble.
"Official, I am not a criminal! Why do you treat me like this?" Zhang Chen looked towards the officer.
"Ha! Once in our hands, it’s not up to you to say whether you’re a criminal." The officer coldly smirked.
Zhang Chen looked at the officer, furrowing his eyebrows slightly, then took a breath, unwilling to argue further. The situation was against him, a wise man avoids immediate losses.
In his heart, he had already marked this; later, he’d let the Fox Spirit trouble the officer’s home.
He hadn’t walked far when inside the yard, Mrs. Zhang heard the commotion, opened the door, and upon seeing Zhang Chen shackled, immediately rushed over, stood emotionally in front of the officer:
"Why are you arresting my son?"
"Your son committed a crime; the County Magistrate summoned him, so make way." The leading officer said sternly.
"Oh? Chief Liu said he’s a criminal, what evidence do you have?" Although Mrs. Zhang’s frame was small and skinny, like a monkey among a group of stout men, she stood her ground, questioning him.
"We have the victim’s direct accusation, isn’t that enough confirmation? His neighboring scholar Zhang Chen accused him of attempted murder and robbery personally, isn’t that evidence enough?" Chief Liu asked grimly.
"Heh, just the accusation of a poor scholar counts? Where’s the physical evidence? Was he caught red-handed?" Mrs. Zhang was unwilling to let it go: "I could just as easily say you were trying to frame that poor scholar; I saw it with my own eyes, you were the one who caused the explosion!"
"You... What nonsense!" Chief Liu fumed, pointing at Mrs. Zhang, lost for words.
"You have no witnesses, no physical evidence, and no one caught at the scene, just the slander of a poor scholar, and you expect to take someone away? There isn’t any sense in that anywhere." Mrs. Zhang acted like a hen defending her chicks.
Hearing this, Chief Liu shook his head: "You, this sharp-tongued woman, I won’t argue with you; I’m only following orders from the magistrate. If you dare obstruct justice, we might have to take you as well."
With that, he gestured for the officers to push Mrs. Zhang aside.
Seeing Mrs. Zhang about to block again, Zhang Chen said: "Mother! Let me go!"
No matter how Mrs. Zhang protested, it couldn’t change the outcome. His intention was to keep Mrs. Zhang clear from involvement, not to drag her into it.
Hearing this, Chief Liu glanced at Zhang Chen, giving an approving nod: "You’re sensible enough."
Then he looked at the petite Mrs. Zhang: "If you wish to save your son, I’ll give you some advice. Tomorrow, bring three hundred taels of silver to the court for a bribe."
With that said, the group escorted Zhang Chen away.
Zhang Chen smiled at Mrs. Zhang, then followed the officers out of the village, heading towards the county town.
Honestly, it was Zhang Chen’s first time leaving the village; even in his childhood memories, he had never traveled far before.
Just as Zhang Chen reached the village entrance, the dejected Fox Spirit came over. Seeing Zhang Chen tied up like that, she lost her color in shock: "What’s happening?"
With Zhang Chen’s capabilities, could a mere group of officers really capture him?