"Ah Er should be put to good use now," Lu Yu said, taking a sip of tea and looking at Zheng Yu, who was full of confidence beside her.
" Wuji, go to the Laifu Inn and bring Ah Er out."
Wuji took the order and left.
After Ah Er was sold, he suffered greatly. During that time, Chen Qi had sent people to kill him, but fortunately, he was saved by Wuji. After Lu Yu healed his wounds, he had been hiding in the Laifu Inn, waiting for this day to completely expose Chen Qi's true face.
At that time, Chen Qi had promised to take good care of her mother and siblings at home, but she never expected that as soon as she was sold, her mother and elder sister would die mysteriously, and her brothers would disappear. All of this was Chen Qi's doing!
When she was informed of this, the county magistrate had already left, and she never had the chance to speak out. Fortunately, Magistrate Zheng gave her a chance for revenge, and this time she would not let Chen Qi off.
With everything prepared, Zheng Yu acted swiftly. Within two days, the truth was revealed. Chen Qi was the one who poisoned the county magistrate, the one who disregarded human lives and killed innocent people, and the one who used his official position for personal gain and accepted bribes.
The county magistrate and Zheng Yu had jointly reported the matter to the imperial court, and today was the day the verdict would be announced.
"...Deputy Magistrate Chen Qi, for corruption, abuse of power, disregard for human life, and poisoning an imperial official, is hereby dismissed from his post as deputy magistrate and imprisoned. All confiscated silver will be returned to the state treasury. His daughter, Chen Yao, for abusing her influence, is stripped of all her positions and exiled to the army. All other members of the household are demoted to servitude. By imperial decree!"
Chen Qi slumped to the ground, her eyes wide open, her brain unable to command her body, her very hair stiff. One thought filled her mind: it was over, everything was over, she had lost everything.
Seeing Chen Qi being dragged away by guards with a stiff body, Chen Yao could no longer contain her rage. But this was the Emperor's punishment, and Chen Yao dared not act rashly. However, she could vent all her anger on Zhao Ran.
She never expected that this useless Zhao Ran would confess everything. Since she couldn't have a good life, Zhao Ran shouldn't either!
"Zhao Ran! Today, I'll fight you to the death! Let go of me!" Chen Yao struggled with all her might to break free from the guards beside her, but because she never exercised, her body was full of fat and had no strength, so she couldn't break free at all.
"Let go," Zheng Yu waved her hand, signaling the guards to release Chen Yao.
"Do you have anything else to say?"
Chen Yao pointed at Zhao Ran, who was kneeling beside her, and said madly, "Do you think she's a good person? She's so obedient to us only because we have something on her!"
"Lu Yu! Don't you know how your mother died yet?" Chen Yao let out a low laugh from her throat. Seeing the shock in Lu Yu's eyes when she heard this news, Chen Yao felt very satisfied.
Lu Yu was indeed shocked by the news. The book she had picked up unconsciously was suddenly clenched tightly in her hand, her brows furrowed.
Zheng Yu also looked at Lu Yu subconsciously.
"The fire at the medical hall back then was not an accident. Zhao Ran burned your mother and father to death while trying to steal the prescription! Otherwise, why would she be so obediently working for us now?" Chen Yao's eyes showed madness. "Zhao Ran! Since you won't let us go, you don't deserve to be human either!"
"Take her away!"
"If you don't believe me, you can ask Zhao Liu. He knows much more than I do! Zhao Ran! I want you dead!" The heart-wrenching shouts gradually faded away. Zhao Ran knelt on the ground with hollow eyes, having given up on herself.
After a long while, she slowly raised her head and looked at Lu Yu, who was sitting above. She said hoarsely, "She's right. I did it back then, but unfortunately, you didn't die."
"I admit my guilt in this matter, but Zhao Liu knew about it early on and was guilty of concealing it, slandering the reputation of the Shen family's primary husband, framing the primary husband, drugging the primary husband, and causing his death during difficult childbirth. All of these were done by him, Zhao Liu. You must not let him go!"
Zhao Ran, having committed this crime, was bound to die. She hated Zhao Liu to the core and wanted to drag him down with her even in death.
She had known Zhao Liu for a long time. At that time, Zhao Liu had asked for her help. He wanted to replace Li Ning and become the Shen family's primary husband. She was tempted by the generous reward. This was her first collaboration with Zhao Liu.
Later, the Lu family couple's medical skills were superb, and they cured many difficult and complicated diseases. It was rumored that the Lu family couple had a prescription that could cure all diseases. Zhao Ran harbored evil intentions and prepared to steal it, but accidentally knocked over a kerosene lamp. The fire was huge and spread quickly. Zhao Ran, afraid of being discovered, secretly left.
When she returned, she happened to meet Zhao Liu, who had come to find her. Since then, Zhao Liu had been threatening Zhao Ran with this matter, forcing her to work for him.
Later, due to the relationship between Shen Jia and Chen Yao, this matter was told to Chen Qi to show his loyalty, and Zhao Ran had to obey Chen Qi again.
Now that her life was ruined, she could not let Zhao Liu off.
Zhao Liu had her handle, and she naturally had Zhao Liu's handle as well. She had framed Li Ning with aphrodisiacs, spread rumors to damage Li Ning's reputation, and drugged Li Ning, causing his death during difficult childbirth. Zhao Ran knew all of this.
"Take her away," Lu Yu, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke, no longer wanting to face Zhao Ran's ugly face.
Her mother and father were murdered. This news stunned Lu Yu. Lu Yu felt her brain was a bit slow, and her mind was filled with self-reproach.
She was not the original Lu Yu. She had occupied her body and lived her life, but she never thought of reinvestigating the matter. At that time, she had always thought that her mother and father had died accidentally as she remembered, but she never expected that they were all murdered.
Although she had no feelings for the Lu mother and father here, this body was related to them by blood. Sadness, grief, and anger were the body's natural reactions. She should indeed help the original owner avenge this.
However, she also understood why Chen Yao told her this. It was nothing more than wanting to use her as her knife to get revenge on Zhao Ran. It was clearly a dog-eat-dog drama between three families, but she was dragged into it.
Seeing Lu Yu looking unhappy, Zheng Yu handed her a cup of tea. "Zhao Ran has personally confessed. According to the law, Zhao Ran should be executed, and the revenge for Aunt and Uncle is finally achieved. Don't be so down."
"It's just that Zhao Liu's matter is a bit difficult. The series of things Zhao Ran just said, apart from concealing information, are all internal family matters. Moreover, we cannot convict Zhao Liu based solely on Zhao Ran's word. Therefore, it is difficult to convict Zhao Liu!"
"It is best for Li Ning's relatives to report to the yamen themselves, and then we will accept the case," Zheng Yu said, taking a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and continued, "You can go back and ask Young Master Shen if he is willing to report it himself."
"Furthermore, witnesses and physical evidence are also needed. This matter has passed for a long time, and the drugs at that time must have long since disappeared. It is extremely difficult to find physical evidence."