"Why? Just because you brought this Daoist here," the village chief said sternly, unable to fathom that such a malignant family existed in his jurisdiction.
Mrs. Sun quickly glanced at Mrs. Lin and shouted loudly, "We didn’t bring him! It was Mrs. Lin who asked her brother to bring him. She said her brother is acquainted with the Temple Master of the White Cloud Temple. It was Mrs. Lin who told me she felt something was off with Meng Yao and Zhao Xiaohua, that they must be possessed by spirits. I was instigated by her!"
Mrs. Lin was dumbfounded, thinking of ways to extricate herself, only to find her mother-in-law dumping all the blame on her.
"So, just arrest Mrs. Lin and her brother and send them to the authorities; our family has nothing to do with this," Mrs. Sun struggled, "Release us quickly; we are victims too, all incited by this venomous woman."
Mrs. Lin cast her gaze towards Meng Cheng.
Meng Cheng glanced at her briefly and quickly turned his head away.
The meaning was clear.
"And the silver for inviting the Daoist was given by you, you wretched hag!" Mrs. Lin said viciously, "The Meng Family is under your control; how can a mere daughter-in-law like me instigate anything? Clearly, it’s your hatred for Meng Yao that made you direct me."
The old hag can shift blame, but Mrs. Lin can also deflect it back.
"Village chief, I want to report Mrs. Sun and Meng Cheng. After Zhao Ting’s death, they forged loan notes and hired people to demand silver from the Zhao Family, first and foremost extracting over one hundred twenty taels of silver. That’s why the Meng Family could build such a grand residence, all scammed from the Zhao Family," Mrs. Lin dropped an even more shocking revelation.
They all planned to abandon her fate, why should she keep any secrets?
Meng Yao was astonished.
The villagers of Shanghua Village were astounded.
"You bitch, what nonsense are you spouting?" Mrs. Sun, somehow finding strength, broke free from the villagers holding her and lunged at Mrs. Lin, resulting in a tussle between mother and daughter-in-law.
The village chief ordered people, who with much effort, managed to separate the two.
Mrs. Lin, being young and vigorous, although disheveled, fortunately, had no injuries on her face.
Mrs. Sun wasn’t so fortunate, with several scratches on her face.
"Village chief, they forged loan notes and committed fraud," Meng Yao spoke up with difficulty.
Actually, inside, she was delighted.
She had initially planned to arrange an act with Shopkeeper Liu to sever ties with the Meng Family.
Unexpectedly, before she could set it up, the Meng Family orchestrated their own downfall.
The invited Daoist might be involved in manslaughter.
After the incident, they even dug up past affairs.
This really is a case where even drinking cold water chokes you.
Such matters are beyond what a village chief can handle.
The village chief picked out a few people, "Let’s go, directly to the County Government."
The Daoist, Meng Family members, and Zhao Family members all headed to the County Government. Of course, the village chief had to accompany them.
The Zhao Family rode in a carriage, naturally.
As for the people the village chief took, they rode on Old Niu’s ox cart.
The Daoist and Meng Family people were tied up, led on foot.
One carriage and one ox cart arrived at the county by noon.
The village chief, having visited the County Government a few times, was quite familiar with the place.
Soon, a Government Official came out to lead them inside.
Contrary to Meng Yao’s imagination, there was no drum roll initiation to court.
The group was taken to the back court.
The County Magistrate was a middle-aged man with a beard, not in official robes, his face squarely shaped, giving off an impression of righteous integrity.
The village chief respectfully recounted the events to the County Magistrate in detail.
The County Magistrate, occasionally furrowing his brows, remained silent.
Beside him, a skinny man was busily recording in writing.
Meng Yao surmised this must be the clerk responsible for recording the case.
"Officer Zhang, take someone to Lin Village to detain Lin Jinbao."
"Officer Liu, take this Daoist away, search him, detain him, and inform the team to be cautious not to fall for his tricks."
The County Magistrate issued two orders methodically.
The Daoist was quickly taken away.
"You are the one from the Meng Family?" the County Magistrate asked Meng Yao.
Meng Yao stepped forward and answered respectfully, being the first big official she had encountered here, she dared not act rashly.
"In reply to the lord, I am indeed from the Meng Family," she said.
"What are your demands?" asked the County Magistrate.
"No matter what, the Meng Family has provided me with nourishment," Meng Yao considered her words, "I just can’t understand why they treated me this way. The matter of my foster care is something I’ll never get clarity on in this lifetime. All I want now is to ask why they not only didn’t lend me a hand after my husband’s death but instead chose to kick me when I was down. Back then, to repay debts, I sold almost all the belongings in the house. For years afterward, I worked hard and barely repaid all the silver."
"We didn’t," Mrs. Sun denied.
"Did I ask you?" The County Magistrate’s stern gaze immediately silenced Mrs. Sun.
"Why the Meng Family acted this way, I will naturally investigate thoroughly. Just state your demands," the County Magistrate spoke to Meng Yao with reasonable civility.
"I wish to sever ties with the Meng Family. As for the silver, I do not intend to pursue it, considering it as repayment for their nurturing," Meng Yao replied thoughtfully.
Remembering the Meng Family’s care made her seem grateful.
"A hundred twenty taels is not a small amount," the County Magistrate was somewhat surprised.
"Whether it’s small or not, all the things my husband amassed and we sold, those can’t be reclaimed," Meng Yao replied with a slightly sorrowful tone.
She treasured the things rather than the silver; with the things gone, there was no meaning in claiming the silver.
Such profound sentimentality.
"Additionally, I wish to retrieve the locket I wore back then, as it might be key to finding my own origins," Meng Yao added.
The County Magistrate nodded, "Granted."
The Meng Family breathed a sigh of relief, and Mrs. Sun was thankful she had kept it back then because it looked nice.
"Meng Shi not pursuing doesn’t mean I won’t pursue. Your forgery and fraud have violated Zhou Country’s laws, punished by ten strikes, three months of hard labor," declared the County Magistrate, "Additionally fined fifty taels of silver. Now, who was the mastermind behind this?"
Meng Cheng’s legs were trembling.
He looked hesitantly at Mrs. Sun.
Mrs. Sun also looked hesitantly at Meng Cheng.
She was old, a woman who couldn’t withstand the beating or endure three months of hard labor.
Her son, in his prime, could endure ten strikes and withstand three months of labor.
So, Mrs. Sun hoped her son would step forward.
Besides, the idea originally came from her son.
"In response to the lord, it’s my mother’s idea," Meng Cheng spoke.
"It was my son’s idea," Mrs. Sun said simultaneously.
"Both claim the other is the mastermind?" the County Magistrate frowned.
Mrs. Sun yelled angrily, "You ungrateful son, all that care was wasted on you!"