Chapter 833: Chapter 833: Getting Involved in a Lawsuit Means a Dead End
Looking at her innocent and carefree youngest son, the woman was even more heartbroken. When her husband was alive, though he wasn’t good to them, at least the children had both a father and a mother. Now, they were left with nobody, and the children would become orphans without a father. Even if they stepped outside, they would be bullied by others.
“Don’t ask anymore, little brother, Mother is grieving!”
A little girl, about eight or nine years old, holding her younger brother’s hand in sorrow. The brother was too young to understand life and death, but she knew, realizing that they no longer had a father.
“Let’s not ask anymore, let’s go home.” The little girl said as she lowered her head and wiped away a tear.
The woman, carrying the deceased Zhang San on her back, was preparing to take her children home and give her husband a proper burial.
Just then, a commotion arose from behind the crowd.
Before they could react,
A group of Government Officials, wielding big knives, charged in.
The crowd scattered at the sight.
“We received a report of a homicide here just now. Who is the victim?” The leading constable surged in, casting a glance around and fixating on the woman.
Seeing their ragged and destitute appearance, he deliberately pretended ignorance and inquired.
The woman froze on the spot, her grip loosened, and the body fell to the ground with a thud.
The youngest two children, only three or four years old and oblivious to the situation, saw their father fall to the ground and pounced on him, hugging the body and crying loudly, “Dad, dad, what’s wrong with you? Did you hurt yourself when you fell?”
The steward, witnessing this, couldn’t help but change his expression and thought, who on earth reported this to the authorities? With the government officers here, wouldn’t Prince Pu’s Mansion be troubled?
“Since you have come to the Prince’s Mansion, why not come in for a cup of tea?” The steward attempted to remain calm and suggested to the leading constable.
“No need, we are on official business today.”
Having been involved with the government office for so long, and slightly familiar with the power dynamics in the Capital, the constable knew that Prince Pu held no official position in the Imperial court and was merely a prince without a portfolio, but he was someone who could easily approach The Emperor, not someone to be trifled with.
“Steward, what exactly happened here? Why did someone report a homicide, especially one that occurred right in front of Prince Pu’s Mansion?” The constable maintained a posture of carrying out his duty, never taking his eyes off Zhang San’s body on the ground.
“It’s a trivial matter, already resolved. You see, is it not…?” The steward quietly pulled out a wad of silver notes from his bosom and subtly handed it over to the constable, shielding it with his body.
The constable weighed it in his hand, stealthily glanced at the silver note, and with a flickering gaze, said, “Alright, out of respect for Prince Pu today, let’s pretend nothing happened. I hope such incidents won’t recur.”
“Yes, yes, it won’t! It won’t!”
“Let’s go, nothing to see here, let us head back to the Mansion.” The constable waved his hand and left hurriedly with the Government Officials.
“Pah! What kind of constable? More like a bloodsucker,” someone in the crowd spat disdainfully.
“Shh! Quiet down, do you want to die?”
“It’s just infuriating, the government office is so corrupt nowadays. If you have money, anything is possible. Poor us, who have none–if we ever encounter legal trouble, it’s a dead end.”
“Exactly, which is why we mustn’t offend those who are ravenous. Otherwise, our good days are over.”
Regardless of the crowd’s murmurs, the steward achieved his goal and felt elated. He disdainfully said to the woman who was still standing by, “It’s all settled! Hurry up and take your husband home for burial, don’t bring bad luck to our Prince’s Mansion.”
The woman once again hoisted Zhang San’s body onto her back, followed by a few raggedly-dressed crying children, leaving the scene.