Chapter 423: Chapter 422: Shen Hua Looks at Him Like a Fool
Just like when she arrived, Shen Hua left quietly.
The He Family surely wouldn’t care about her whereabouts, only pleased that Yang Yu had driven her away in a timely manner for the marriage to He Yuan.
It was still Yingwu driving the horse.
Having slept late last night and risen early today, Shen Hua simply pulled over the blanket to take a nap. But just as she closed her eyes, a commotion erupted outside.
The wailing was so desolate that it made one’s heart quiver.
"Lady Wang, listen to my advice. Your son Tu Yao’s corpse has started to rot and stink, he’s dead and should be buried; why do you persist? Going to the government office every day isn’t the solution. Do you mean to let your son not rest in peace until the culprit is captured?"
"He died unclearly; if I don’t seek justice for him, who will?"
The person on the ground sat paralyzed, her hair unkempt and voice shrill.
"Rely on the government office?"
She laughed and cried at the same time, leaving behind only her sarcasm: "The moment Tu Yao disappeared, I reported it. Did the government office care?"
The government officials didn’t take the case, instead arrogantly dismissing her with a remark and driving her out.
—Hengzhou is long-peaceful and secure, how could anything happen?
Long-peaceful and secure? What a long-peaceful and secure?
This remark silenced all the onlookers.
The woman kept talking to herself.
"He was missing for three whole months!"
"During these three months, I visited the government office daily, but last time I was accused of disturbing the court and was beaten with ten planks."
"I am a widow who raised him through hardships, not asking for blessings but hoping he would start a family and establish himself! He was my only son."
Shen Hua got up and peered out through a corner of the carriage curtain.
The woman covered her face, weeping.
"Fine, I accepted that the government office wouldn’t help initially."
"But his death was so strange, covered in whip marks, thin as a stick. Who knows what sufferings he endured these three months."
"Why does the government still not care?"
She, a mere woman who could not read, other than reporting to the officials, what other means did she have?
Alas, no one sought justice for her.
People around her were persuading.
—Forget it, this is fate, let him rest in peace.
But she was not willing.
People live without dignity; why seek dignity in death?
She sought justice, only justice!
"Mr. Zhou."
She suddenly raised her voice and shouted.
The woman had trouble breathing, and her fists continuously pounded on her chest.
"If Lord Prefect were still here, he would certainly have sought justice for me."
"But this honorable Lord was falsely accused, at the end leaving only a group of black-hearted, corrupt officials—I—"
Before she could finish.
The woman’s eyes bulged out, wide open. Her body slumped downward. An arrow pierced through her head. Blood spurted out. She died with her eyes wide open.
The crowd was terrified and looked toward the distant archers.
The officials came menacingly, looking down at the dead woman from a high position.
"Defaming an official deserves death!"
This scene happened too quickly.
So quickly that everyone was caught off guard.
Shen Hua’s fingertips curled, and she abruptly let down the carriage curtain.
Suffering is everywhere in this world, but she still dared not look any longer.
The carriage moved unhurriedly out of Hengzhou City and traveled eastward along the official road.
Xiaoqi, seeing her looking unwell, quickly poured a cup of hot tea, handing it to Shen Hua’s chilled fingertips.
"That..."
Shen Hua’s eyes drooped.
"The person who disappeared, was he taken to work as labor in the mines?"
"Yes." Yingwu’s voice came through the curtain.
"His name was Tu Yao, a local from Hengzhou. He only had his mother at home."
"Three months ago, he went to the docks to move goods, but then vanished. The mines could also be called a living hell, those who go there are no longer treated as humans, but like beasts of burden. Tu Yao was capable, he escaped from there."
But his body was already worn to the limit.
He hadn’t even seen his mother, but his life ceased midway.
"His clothes were ragged, covered in blood. It was the night watchman who found him during the night."}
Shen Hua, hearing this, remained silent for a long while.
Her mood became heavy.
At lunchtime, the carriage stopped on the official road. Yingwu headed into the deep mountains and quickly came back carrying two caught wild chickens.
Sliced open and gutted, washed, and then sprinkled with spices to roast.
Shen Hua sat on a stone, patiently waiting. Along the way, there were very few travelers on the road. She, out of sheer boredom, struck a conversation with Xiaoqi.
"Are you betrothed?"
"Not yet."
"What a coincidence."
Shen Hua: "Ji Qing isn’t either."
Xiaoqi was slightly startled.
"Do you have a young man you fancy?"
"No."
Shen Hua: "Wow."
"Ji Qing doesn’t either."
It would be scary if he did!
Yingwu silently roasted the meat.
Xiaoqi belongs to the Third Prince, and once the matter with the lady is resolved, Xiaoqi naturally has to return, but if she and Ji Qing were matched up, they would inevitably stay at Marquis Yangling Mansion.
Thinking of this, Yingwu suffocated.
"Xiaoqi."
Her expressionless face suddenly spoke: "Ji Qing is not a good match."
"Why?"
Yingwu blurted out a word without thinking.
"He’s not worthy of you."
Xiaoqi: ...
She had no intentions originally, but with Yingwu putting it that way, Xiaoqi subconsciously felt that her fate with Ji Qing was destined.
Shen Hua just watched this scene unfold.
She was merciless: "Ha."
————
Just as they began eating the roasted chicken, other traces of people appeared on the road.
Initially, Shen Hua didn’t pay attention. But as the people approached, she recognized a familiar face.
Fengzhou Magistrate Wang’s legitimate son—Wang Xu.
She swallowed the meat in her mouth and then heard the bumpy ride of Wang Xu on the donkey cart, his tears flowing like rivers, "Daddy."
Accompanied by an obvious crying tone.
The bent old man looked stern, but now he was deep in affection: "Ah, good son."
Shen Hua was suspicious, and with a tap-tap-tap walked over, blocking the way. She still held a chicken leg in her hand.
"What did you call him?"
Wang Xu never expected to encounter Shen Hua here.
"Why is it you?"
The old man clearly panicked, he subconsciously rubbed his hands: "Do you know this girl?"
"Not really, saw her once."
While speaking, he responded to Shen Hua.
"This is my Daddy, for real."
Shen Hua looked at him with an expression that said it all.
You must be bewitched!
Pudgy Wang Xu sighed deeply: "It seems you’ve seen the drama about the real and fake daughter. I was accidentally taken as the wrong child."
"I also didn’t believe it initially, but the facts are as such. My daddy found me, and everything he said matched."
The old man narrowed his eyes, a fierce glint flickered through them.
"Son, since we are not familiar, let’s continue our journey. Your grandmother is seriously ill and waiting to see you. Hengzhou City is just ahead, and we should be able to get there before dark."
Wang Xu quickly agreed: "Alright."
In the next instant, a shadow flashed, and Yingwu grabbed the old man from the donkey cart and subdued him on the ground. To avoid disturbing Shen Hua, Xiaoqi poured a whole bottle of Love Potion into his mouth.
Before the old man could resist, his body softened, and he fell.
"What are you doing?"
Wang Xu couldn’t help but shout out loud in questioning.
"He doesn’t seem like a good person."
"How is he not a good person? I think you are not a good person!"
Shen Hua, suppressing the guesses that were ready to come out, asked: "You said earlier, what matched up?"
Wang Xu threw himself on the old man’s body: "When I was eight, I still wet the bed, and he got that right!"
Such things, the servants at home would never dare to talk about! So naturally, he believed it!
Shen Hua looked at him as if he was a fool.
"When were you swapped by mistake?"
"Right after I was born!"