Chapter 420: Chapter 420 Government Officer Chapter 420: Chapter 420 Government Officer Xie Residence
As soon as Xuexue and Big Bull entered the house, Madam Xie’s room door opened. Seeing that they looked travel-worn, as if they had just returned, she couldn’t help but be startled and quickly asked, “Xuexue, Big Bull, have you just come back from the fields? Haven’t you slept all night?”
“Yes! There were so many people, and before we knew it, it was dawn.” Xuexue turned to glance at Madam Xie, and once the lie was told, she had to see it through.
The path to the creek in the fields was very narrow, and at this time of year, it was the season when the creek dried up, and the water flow was even smaller. With Xuexue saying this, Madam Xie believed her completely.
In previous years, while at the Mo family’s, during this season, it was Mo Xiaoqiang and his brother who took turns guarding the water source in the fields, for fear that if they weren’t careful, other villagers would block off their water supply.
Indeed, farmers rely on their fields for sustenance. With such limited water, and hundreds of households in Mo Family Village, each and every one of them hoping for that water to nourish their crops – it was next year’s food supply. If the crops were to dry up and die, their families would go hungry next year. It was no wonder that they fought over the water supply.
On normal days, the villagers would often fight over the water source, which only calmed down after the village head intervened.
“You must be hungry after not sleeping all night. Mother will cook some noodles for you, eat, and then sleep.” Madam Xie hurried to the kitchen, intending to cook some food to fill their stomachs for a good sleep.
“Mother, I won’t eat. I’m going back to my room to rest for a while.” As Xuexue spoke, she yawned several times, clearly exhausted.
Madam Xie paused, looking at Xuexue with heartfelt concern, “You girl, you haven’t slept all night, aren’t you hungry?”
“Not hungry, just sleepy, I’m exhausted.”
“Alright, alright, go to sleep quickly.”
Seeing her daughter’s lack of energy, Madam Xie quickly urged her to go back to her room to rest.
Xuexue agreed, turned into her room, and closed the door behind her.
“Auntie, I’m going to sleep too.”
After telling Madam Xie, Big Bull went to his room to sleep as well.
Madam Xie stood where she was, muttering to herself, “It really is hard on these two children. They’ve been through so much for our family.”
The next day, early in the morning, a dozen Yamen officers, armed with sabers at their waists, descended on Qinger Building like a pack of wolves.
“Open up, open up, hurry and open the door!”
The officers pounded on the large doors of Qinger Building while loudly shouting.
“What’s the matter? So much noise so early, are you calling for souls? Won’t you let people sleep?”
The Procuress had just gone to bed when the thunderous knocking woke her, infuriating her. As she yawned, she got up to open the door.
The moment the latch was lifted, a dozen officers charged in menacingly.
They nearly knocked over the Procuress.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” Seeing the officers rummaging around inside, the Procuress instantly woke up, thinking to herself, had someone informed the authorities about last night’s incident? It couldn’t be possible; she had given each victim’s family a substantial sum of condolence money, and they had promised not to inform. She had just settled down for the night, had they changed their minds in less than two hours?
The officers paid her no attention and continued their rough search.
Having no other choice, the Procuress turned and walked up to the leading arrest officer, pulling a silver note from her bosom to hand him, all smiles as she asked, “Sir Constable, our Qinger Building is a licensed brothel. You all come rushing in early in the morning; what business brings you here?”
The arrest officer took the silver note and tucked it into his chest, his expression easing somewhat, “Nanny, do you really not know what sort of trouble you’ve gotten into? Someone went to the Yamen in the middle of the night to file a complaint, saying that many people died at your Qinger Building on the very first day, and the county magistrate has ordered a thorough investigation.”