The situation is very clear. The officials and soldiers here are arresting criminals, but it's not like the legal society she was familiar with before, where the safety of the hostages must be ensured at all costs. She just saw it, the county official had no intention of letting the hostage survive. Now, this seemingly higher-ranking official who appeared, although she didn't know who he was, the situation was the same. She felt very sympathetic for the unfortunate woman, but in this situation, there was nothing she could do except feel sympathy.
The soldiers received the order and immediately rushed towards Ding Biao. Ding Biao was in an agitated state, waving the knife in his hand recklessly, his eyes red with anger as he cursed, "You dog officials, I will fight—" There was a scream, and the knife had already cut across the neck and shoulder of the woman in front of him. He pushed the woman to the ground, raised the knife and lashed out at the soldiers, but he couldn't resist the larger number of them, and soon he was subdued, tightly bound, and still cursing non-stop.
Fang Zhen saw Ding Biao finally being captured and sighed in relief. Hearing him still cursing recklessly, afraid of provoking Wei Zixing, he stepped forward and slapped him, stuffing a cloth into his mouth, personally escorting him to the alley.
Wei Zixing glanced at the woman who was captured as a hostage. Seeing her lying on the ground, bleeding profusely from her shoulder, and a seven or eight-year-old girl crying beside her, calling for her mother, her brow furrowed slightly. He glanced at one of his attendants and then urged his horse to leave. The attendant understood, threw a piece of silver on the ground next to the woman, and the soldiers also immediately withdrew.
As soon as the soldiers left, the people who had been frightened by the scene returned to their senses and gathered around. Seeing the injured woman lying on the ground and the pitiful crying girl, along with the silver piece on the ground, someone sighed, "Finally, a little conscience..."
"Nonsense! They didn’t even blink when they captured someone, and now only throw a small piece of silver when an innocent is injured. Do they really value our lives as ordinary people?" Immediately, someone interrupted the first person's words, indignant and discontented.
"Don't you want to live? Do we have the right to speak about the government capturing people for the Seventh Political Office? Blame her bad luck. Send her for medical treatment quickly, maybe she can still save her life..." Discussion ensued, and soon someone helped pick up the piece of silver and carried the woman away. The people gradually dispersed, leaving only a pool of blood on the ground in the alley.
Mrs. Fan saw that Wen Lan was staring at the blood and pulled her sleeve, whispering, "Let's go! What are you still looking at? In this world, people like us can only rely on luck."
Wen Lan sighed and averted her gaze. However, her mood was heavy. In the days that followed, she could mimic the way of speaking and try to adapt to everything here, but from the bits and pieces of conversation with Li Sanniang and Mrs. Fan, she could still feel that the present world is not peaceful, and the people are suffering. Now, witnessing this scene, she truly experienced the sorrow of the common people under the power, their lives as insignificant as grass. For her future, she felt even more worried and confused.
There were no more words on the way. The two returned and brewed the medicine to feed Sanniang. Unfortunately, Sanniang's illness had reached the advanced stage, and after enduring fear and hardship for several days, she ultimately passed away.
Although they had only met briefly, remembering how Sanniang had tearfully thanked her before, Wen Lan felt a bit sad. She asked Mrs. Fan about the price of a coffin. Learning that a simple coffin would cost one or two and a half silver, she had already spent more than half of what she had gained from selling gold in the past few days to treat Sanniang, and the remaining money was just enough to buy a simple coffin.
Knowing that she didn't have much money either, Mrs. Fan respected her for still willing to help Sanniang. Due to local customs, it was believed that the soul would not leave the body until three days after death, so they needed to stop for at least three days before burial. Mrs. Fan went to the village head to plead and obtained permission to temporarily place Sanniang's body in the village orphanage at the end of the village. When she took Wen Lan back to rest at her house, she saw her frowning and advised, "Don’t worry, girl. Although you and Sanniang were old friends, just by doing this, you have done all that can be expected. It's just that Sanniang had a bad fate to die in a foreign land. If there is no way, in a few days, we will just have to bury her. Although I can't afford a coffin, I can provide a shroud."
Speaking of which, Wen Lan didn't really understand why she cared so much about a stranger. Perhaps subconsciously, she felt that she and the present herself shared the same hardships, and Sanniang seemed to be another self in this world?
Wen Lan silently followed Mrs. Fan back to the village. When they reached the village, they met several women chatting together. Mrs. Fan went over to talk, while Wen Lan waited nearby. After a while, unable to resist, she approached and asked them about a reward notice put up by the county office.
During these days, most of the villagers had also learned that she was an old acquaintance of Li Sanniang and had become somewhat familiar with her during her stay here. When they heard her question, a woman explained in detail, "You don't know. Last month, there was a case in the county where a daring thief broke into the county office in the middle of the night. He was chased to the middle of Reed Lake to the south of the county and, seeing that the situation was not good, threw the stolen goods into the lake and escaped. The county master sent people to search and managed to retrieve some items, but it was said that a family heirloom of the county master's had not been found. That's why they put up an announcement, saying that whoever could dive into the lake and retrieve it would be rewarded with twenty taels of silver! We toil for a whole year for that much silver, and who wouldn't want it? Almost anyone with some knowledge of swimming in the vicinity has tried their luck, rowing, casting nets, and diving into the water. It's been so long, and not only has no one succeeded, but about seven or eight days ago, something happened. There is a youngster named Shui Sheng from Dongping Village who went down [into the lake] and never surfaced. In terms of water skills, in this surrounding area, if he's second, then there's no one who dares claim to be first. He went down and never came up, and everyone gave up hope. Unexpectedly, a few days ago, the county office put up a new notice and increased the reward to one hundred taels! We only regret that we don't have that ability. If we could swim around for two laps, even at the risk of our lives we'd want to try and retrieve it..."
Wen Lan suddenly realized. Thinking back to the scene she had seen at the posting kiosk on her way back from buying medicines in the county a few days ago, she realized it must have been the official notice about increasing the reward.
One hundred taels of silver... For the current Wen Lan, the allure was indeed considerable. With money, not only could Sanniang's funeral arrangements be taken care of, but for the time being, she might not know where she would go in the future, but at least, for now, she could breathe a sigh of relief. Plus, not being proficient in anything, if she missed this opportunity, she might never have another.
Wen Lan quickly made a decision. When the women finished speaking and dispersed, she said to Mrs. Fan, "Auntie, I want to give it a try. It’s just that I’m not familiar with the place. Could you please accompany me there tomorrow?"
Mrs. Fan was surprised and quickly shook her head, "You? They say the area where things were lost in the lake is so deep that even two bamboo poles thrust into it don’t reach the bottom. Besides, you heard just now, someone drowned, and even skilled swimmers couldn't find him. The reward is indeed substantial, but if it were easy to get, it wouldn't still be unclaimed."
Wen Lan smiled and said, "Auntie, rest assured. I grew up by the seaside and have some swimming skills." Seeing Mrs. Fan still hesitating, she added earnestly, "To be honest, I don’t have much money left. Sanniang needs to be buried, and I'll need expenses on my journey to find relatives in the future. It’s been lucky to have your help these few days, but once I leave here, I'm afraid I might not encounter another warm-hearted person like you. Since there’s a reward, I want to give it a try. If I can retrieve it, that would be great, but if not, I’ll give up, and I won't risk my life for it."
After seeing how determined she was, Mrs. Fan could only agree. They didn't speak the whole night, and the next morning, she accompanied Wen Lan to the county town.
"But did someone find it?" Wen Lan interjected.
The waiter shook his head and said, "I haven't heard anyone mention it. If it were true, I would have known."
Seeing disappointment on Wen Lan's face, Mrs. Fan and she left the tavern. Mrs. Fan said, "These taverns and tea houses are most well-informed. Since he said so, it must be true. Since we're here, we might as well not make this trip in vain. I have a nephew working in the county office; I'll take you to ask him about it."
Wen Lan was somewhat unwilling, but upon hearing her suggestion, she hastily expressed her thanks and followed her to the county office. When they arrived, Mrs. Fan's nephew, Fan Wen, happened to be on duty at the main gate. Mrs. Fan went over to inquire.
Fan Wen listened to Wen Lan's intention to apply for the list and, surprised, glanced at her. Upon learning that she was from the seaside, he then nodded and said in a low voice, "Things will need to be found, just not right now. Come back in a few days."
Wen Lan was a bit puzzled and about to ask for more information when a group of people suddenly rushed out from inside the gate. Leading them was a young man in grand golden embroidered lion official attire, with a long sword at his waist and black official boots. His demeanor was cold and imposing, the same person Wen Lan had seen a few days ago on the street, the Qianhu of the Qizhengmen. Following him was the county magistrate Fang Zhen and some deputy military officers and yamen runners.
Hearing the commotion behind him, Fan Wen quickly stood up straight and remained silent. Mrs. Fan also tried to pull Wen Lan away to avoid a confrontation, but it was too late; the man had already arrived at the gate.
The gaze of Wei Zixing swept over the two ordinary women standing on the steps of the gate, not giving them much attention as he was about to step across the threshold. However, his peripheral vision caught the young girl's face, and his gaze suddenly halted, causing him to slow his steps.
Wen Lan had been keeping her head down, but she seemingly sensed the two piercing gazes from the opposite side. She raised her eyes slightly and saw the man looking in her direction, feeling a slight sense of panic. She quickly lowered her eyelids, avoiding his gaze without a sound.
Fang Zhen had already noticed the two common women standing at the gate, and observing Wei Zixing's hesitant steps, he thought that he had obstructed him and wanted to remedy the situation. Pointing at Mrs. Fan and Wen Lan, he barked, "Audacious commoners, how dare you block the path outside the yamen gate, what is your intention?"
Mrs. Fan knelt down in fright and trembled, "Sir, it's a misunderstanding. We heard there was a list at the county office and came to inquire about it. We didn't expect the list to be missing, so we came here to ask for more information..."
Fang Zhen had been bluffing earlier, but when Mrs. Fan mentioned the list, he was genuinely distressed. He was angry and quickly rushed out, loudly saying, "Bold! Nonsensical talk! What list? Someone, drive these two troublemakers away!"
Mrs. Fan was terrified, not knowing what she had said wrong to enrage the county official. Wen Lan, though puzzled, realized that the timing of her visit was clearly inappropriate. Seeing Fan Wen casting anxious glances at her, she hurriedly helped the trembling Mrs. Fan up and was about to leave when the Qianhu named Wei interjected in a calm manner, "Fang, it's a good thing for people to answer the list. Why are you in such a hurry?"
Seeing Wei Zixing inquire about this, Fang Zhen felt distressed and hot all over. As he already authorized the posting of the list throughout the city, he urgently dispatched personnel to covertly remove them, prohibiting any leakage of information. A few days ago, they caught Ding Biao and interrogated him. Since this matter did not involve him, he felt relieved. But now, as these people were about to leave, he had not heard of any repercussions for his negligence. Fang Zhen felt relieved. He thought everything would be fine, but unexpectedly, as they were about to leave, this happened...
Fang Zhen's heart raced as he struggled to respond, "Sir, it's a misunderstanding. Please do not believe the words of these troublemakers..."
Wei Zixing interrupted him, saying, "I have heard that Fang's official seal is missing. Is it true? Although the county's affairs are extensive, and you have your hands full, it's forgivable if you missed internal treason. But losing the official seal is indeed unusual."
Fang Zhen, seeing Wei Zixing's calm yet stern expression, was covered in sweat.
The eyes and ears of the Qizhengmen reached far and wide. As long as necessary, there was no secret they couldn't uncover. It was said that during the court's handling of the case of Xu Wenshan's faction, the Qizhengmen submitted his daily dining records as evidence. Now, seeing that Wei Zixing not only knew about the missing seal but what was missing as well, it was impossible to continue concealing it.
Fang Zhen, careless of the others, quickly knelt down, pallid, and said, "I am guilty, I shouldn't have tried to conceal it. The county office was robbed, and the thief threw the seal into the reed lake outside the city. I have been searching for it, but unfortunately haven't found it yet. When I arrived here, I kept in mind serving the court and was diligent, day and night, which earned me the thief's resentment. They deliberately framed me with this. I hope you will understand, sir!"
Wei Zixing remained silent with a nonchalant tone. "Blatant attacks are easy to evade, hidden arrows are hard to guard against. Fang, there's no need for excessive self-reproach. Finding the official seal should be your primary concern."
Fang Zhen was well aware of Wei Zixing's background.
Wei Zixing came from a prestigious family. His grandfather was once a central figure in the court for a long time but retired after being undermined by political rivals and disgruntled. This led to the decline of the Wei family. Subsequently, the family members were denounced for various illegal activities, and Wei Zixing also suffered and was stripped of his achievements. Due to the Wei family's acquaintance with Xu Qinglin, the commander of the Qizhengmen, Wei Zixing joined the Qizhengmen and made rapid progress. Three years ago, when there was a drought in the south, there were widespread uprisings and the Yunnan general, Yang Xian, took advantage of the situation to cause chaos. It was Wei Zixing who subdued the rebels and lured and killed Yang Xian, which provided temporary stability for the Daxing Dynasty. It was because of this feat that he was appointed as the commander of the Guangdong Qizhengmen at such a young age, being hailed as one of the most outstanding young military officers to arise in the past decade.
Fang Zhen had heard of his ruthlessness, so he was afraid of Wei knowing about the missing seal. Unexpectedly, Wei casually glossed over it, and he was overjoyed. He quickly expressed his gratitude, his head nodding like a pecking chicken, and said, "Yes, yes, you are right, sir. I'll go look for it..."
As he finished speaking, he noticed that Wei Zixing remained motionless, seeming to have no intention of leaving. He was at a loss for a moment. In the past few days, he had handed over the Yamen to Wei Zixing and understood that this man had a moody and unpredictable character. Now that he had narrowly escaped trouble, he dared not hurry him or say anything inappropriate, fearing it would bring trouble. Peering at Wei Zixing, he saw that his gaze was fixed on the young woman standing outside the gate. Carefully observing, he noticed that although she had slightly tanned skin, not fitting the contemporary standard of fair female skin, her features were quite elegant, hidden beneath her ordinary, loose clothes, he could discern her graceful figure.
His heart stirred, as he suspected that Wei Zixing had set his sights on this woman.
He naturally wanted to please him, but just couldn't figure out his temper, so, in the past few days, he didn't dare to make a move. Now, there was a ready opportunity, and he didn't want to miss it. After a moment's thought, he already had an idea. Hurriedly got up from the ground and said to Mrs. Fan and Wenlan with a pleasant look, "Which village are you two from?"
Wenlan hadn't expected to encounter such a situation at the county office gate. The man named Wei, from the first time she saw him a few days ago, knew by intuition that he was not a good person. Now he had noticed her more than once. She wasn't a beauty that could overthrow a country, so she didn't know what had attracted his attention. She was a person without a status here, and suddenly felt regret for coming at this time. Just as she was thinking of finding an excuse to leave quickly, Mrs. Fan was already nervously saying, "We are from Liuzhuang in the north of the county. This is Mrs. Wen who responded to the announcement..." and pointed to Wenlan.
Wenlan, seeing everyone looking at her, had no way to retreat and had to face everyone, and said frankly to Fangzhen, "That's right. I have some water skills. I heard there is a reward, so I came to try my luck."
Fangzhen was somewhat skeptical, saying, "The official's notice has been posted for many days, and many young men who are familiar with water skills have returned without any success..." implying that he did not believe her.
Wenlan, hearing the county magistrate's disbelief, took the opportunity and hastily said, "Sir, you're right. I was too naive before. I'll leave now." After saying that, she grabbed Mrs. Fan's hand, bowed her head, and turned to leave.
"Master Fang, since she dared to respond, she must have some skills. Let her try, what harm could it do?"
Suddenly, Wei spoke.
Fangzhen glanced at Wei and saw him staring at the woman, which confirmed his previous guess. Since he was interested, he didn't dare to object. Hastily agreeing with him, he said to Wenlan, "Master Wei is right. Since you are here, then give it a try. If you can really find the official seal for me, you will be greatly rewarded."