When the group of people fell silent, they finally realized fear, but they still didn't believe she was the Princess Consort. Instead, they thought she was a demon. Greatly alarmed, they fled towards the door, only to be knocked unconscious a few steps away.
With seven or eight people arriving, Te Shier tied them up like bundles of scallions and dumped them directly into the horse stable in the backyard, completely indifferent to whether they would freeze to death. Angering the Princess Consort would lead to a bad end for these people.
Before long, the small courtyard returned to its usual tranquility. Not even the time it took to drink a cup of tea after cleaning up had passed when four aunts arrived together, bringing food for Zhao Jiaqi.
Steamed buns and stewed cabbage were considered good food in their eyes, but even if Zhao Jiaqi were offered delicacies from heaven and earth now, she couldn't eat them!
"Thank you, Aunts!" Zhao Jiaqi accepted the still-warm food and expressed her sincere gratitude.
In the afternoon, an yamen runner came to investigate yesterday's incident. The village chief came out to testify, and even a few villagers spoke their minds. The yamen runner didn't ask too many questions, understood the events, and his account matched what Fan Da had said. The woman's words from that morning were found to be highly exaggerated.
Back at the county yamen, the town magistrate, wanting to avoid trouble, said, "They attacked first, so it was their fault. However, you hitting people is also your fault, and you injured them so badly they couldn't get out of bed, which is also a fact. You will both receive fifty board strokes!"
Fan Zehao's face darkened as he raised an eyebrow. Hit him?
However, the town magistrate didn't mean it that way at all. He immediately said, "It's the New Year, and times are hard for everyone. His ribs are broken, and he needs medicine. You just compensate two taels of silver. This way, they can see a doctor and get medicine, and there won't be a case of accidental death. Otherwise, even if you aren't sentenced to death, you'll definitely go to jail, won't you!"
What he said made sense.
But he said, "Broken ribs won't kill him. If they intentionally die or are murdered by their family, what then?"
The town magistrate was truly troubled by such a tricky question. He thought for a moment, "Then I'll find a doctor to examine him and confirm that he won't die from broken ribs. With the two taels of silver you compensate, their life or death will be irrelevant to you. How about that?"
Surely that would satisfy him!
Fan Zehao felt that this solution was barely acceptable, as he had indeed incapacitated the man.
However, it also served as a reminder: in the future, when hitting people, he should aim for the painful spots, not enough to cripple or kill, but enough to incapacitate. This way, he wouldn't have so much trouble.
"Two taels of silver, I... can accept it, but I don't have it. However, I can come up with five hundred wen. I'll need some time to hunt and sell game to pay it back slowly. If they don't agree, then I can't do anything!"
The town magistrate was headache. He had been a town magistrate for many years, and this was the first time he had encountered such a troublemaker. But they were just common folk; if any family could easily come up with two taels of silver, he would be laughing in his sleep at night.
"Alright, I will find Wang Juxiang, explain it to her, and then we'll write and sign the agreement. You go back and prepare the five hundred wen first, and come back tomorrow. If you dare to run, you'll be caught again, and that will be adding to your crime, a serious crime, you understand!"
"I won't run. Not only will I not run, but I will come back!" he said with firm conviction.
In his life, running away was impossible.
Although the town magistrate wasn't entirely pleased with his words, he figured that since he would definitely come back tomorrow, he didn't dwell on it!
He waved his hand, and the yamen runners escorted him back and went to the village to deliver the message to Wang Juxiang.
Upon leaving the yamen, he saw that the sun had already set, the clouds in the sky tinged with a final glow. As he walked on the road, he chatted idly with the yamen runners.
Along the way, Fan Zehao subtly inquired about the town magistrate. To his surprise, the yamen runner praised the town magistrate incessantly.
Upon returning home, the yamen runner went to find Wang Juxiang. The house was empty, except for Liu Er Lengzi lying on the bed. When he saw someone arrive, he immediately started groaning, "Aiyo, aiyo!"
After questioning him, he learned that Wang Juxiang had gone to Fan Da's house. The yamen runner looked suspicious, "I just came from Fan Da's house. There were a few women making clothes in the room, no one else!"
The yamen runner thought he was trying to deceive him, implying he was blind, and became very angry. He had come with good intentions to negotiate the matter, only to be ridiculed like this.
"The town magistrate has made his judgment: Fan Da will compensate you two taels of silver. If you don't accept, you can report it to the county magistrate. Given your family's repeated transgressions over the years, I wouldn't dare say you'll get ten or eight years, but at least for five years, you won't be getting out of prison!"
The yamen runner angrily flicked his sleeve and said, "Tomorrow morning, you go to town in person and have a doctor examine you. If you agree to the town magistrate's judgment, sign the agreement. If you don't agree, go directly to the county seat!"
After saying this, he turned and left. He didn't look like someone with several broken ribs; he looked more like he had pulled a muscle.
Compared to the coolness at Liu Er Lengzi's house, Fan Zehao's home was much livelier. He recounted everything that had happened that day, which put everyone's minds at ease.
Zhao Jiaqi raised an eyebrow slightly, "It seems this town magistrate is reasonable. He didn't make an unfair judgment just because you're not from here!"
"That's true. The town magistrate is quite tactful, and his methods of handling matters are relatively peaceful. He tries his best to satisfy both parties, and his decisions are well-founded. I am quite satisfied with his approach!"
Their conversation made the onlookers laugh.
Liu Qinshi said with a smile, "As long as you're satisfied. Two taels of silver is a lot, but there won't be any subsequent trouble. As long as you sign the agreement, Liu Er Lengzi will have nothing to do with you anymore. Losing some money is better than you returning whole. That's what matters!"
Wang Zhangshi chimed in, "Exactly. Money can be earned back, but if you were imprisoned for a year or so, how would your wife manage this courtyard alone!"
Even if no one targeted her, there would at least be gossip. A widow's door attracted many troubles!
Fan Zehao was deeply touched by the genuine concern from these aunts.
"Thank you, Aunts. Don't leave tonight. Call your uncles over, and let my wife make a few dishes. We'll have a few drinks to calm our nerves!"
"That's a great idea!" Liu Qinshi said first. "No problem, I'll go call your uncles now, and I'll bring some cabbage and potatoes along!"
Seeing Liu Qinshi run out cheerfully, everyone burst into laughter.
For dinner, Zhao Jiaqi made a one-pot meal: venison ribs, two chickens cut into pieces, stewed together with cabbage and potatoes, with raw steamed buns placed on top. This sight made the aunts' eyes pop out!
"Oh my, child, you can't do that! What if the stew turns out well but the buns don't? That would be a waste of such good food!"
"Yes, in all my years, I've never seen such a way of cooking," Wang Zhangshi also added.
It wasn't that they thought it was bad; they were afraid of wasting such fine grains!