She Holds the World After Being Reborn
Chapter 436 - 435: Lure the Snake Out of Its Hole, the Bait Must be Willing

Chapter 436: Chapter 435: Lure the Snake Out of Its Hole, the Bait Must be Willing

The moment the first beating stick fell, the ruffian panicked.

Crying out in pain incessantly.

All this time, Hao Ren had been seen as kind and benevolent in the hearts of the people in Luzhou County.

Who ever saw him order a beating without a second thought, with no consideration for mercy!

Looking at his fierce expression, staring intently at him, it indeed seemed like he could scare someone to death.

"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!" When the second stick came down, the ruffian struggled desperately, wanting nothing more than to avoid any more beatings.

If the jailer continued with this strength for twenty harsh beatings, he would meet his parents in the afterlife.

"Sir, I am wronged, sir, you watched me grow up, and though I am unruly, you know me well, how could I dare to get involved in murderous deeds! I am truly wronged to death." The ruffian cried with snot and tears streaming down.

Hao Ren was about to say something.

Then he heard a clear, unhurried voice approaching from afar.

Looking up, it was Yan Wanqing and Ji Yuntai coming together.

"You don’t dare commit murder, but you’ve done plenty of cheating and deceiving," she said.

She walked up to the ruffian, looked at his shifty eyes, and scoffed coldly.

"You fear the knife that goes in red and comes out white, but you don’t fear ruining homes and destroying lives with your actions and words?" As the ruffian’s eyes darted around, Yan Wanqing knew she was right, made a swift decision, "Continue the beating, County Magistrate Hao!"

Hao Ren was so enraged that he snatched the beating stick from the jailer and went down himself.

He had trained in martial arts, his strength was much greater than that of the jailer, and with one beat, the ruffian rolled his eyes back in agony, nearly fainting.

"...I confess! I confess! I, I confess everything!" The ruffian immediately raised his hand and called out weakly.

If they continued, he really would meet his parents.

Hao Ren threw down the stick heavily onto the ground.

The jailer stepped forward, dragged the ruffian off the stool, and let him drop to the ground, cursing incessantly, "If you confessed earlier, all this would have been avoided, damn scum!"

The ruffian was in so much pain he didn’t dare talk back.

"Speak, how did Qin Xiao die?" Hao Ren asked somberly.

The ruffian pursed his lips, silent, seemingly deep in thought.

"If you won’t talk, I’ll lock you up with Qin Xiao, let’s see if he comes looking for you at night to discuss family matters," Ji Yuntai suddenly said coldly beside him.

Everyone thought he was trying to lighten the mood, even Hao Ren frowned and glanced at his unrestrained elder brother.

But to everyone’s surprise, the ruffian seemed as though he had been shocked.

His face turned deathly pale.

"I’ll talk, I’ll talk, just don’t lock me up with Qin Xiao!"

He shivered as he spoke, "That day, I deliberately caused trouble and got arrested by you, because someone had given me a wad of cash, saying if I did the job, they would give me even more..."

The ruffian fell into his memories.

"It was like this... that day, I lost money at the gambling house, and after being beaten and thrown out, I planned to steal some silver when I bumped into a man. He caught me, and not only did he not report me, but he also gave me all the money from his purse, telling me to deliver a message to Qin Xiao..."

"What message?" Hao Ren asked promptly.

"Nothing else really, I never understood it, something like ’Where there are corpses of starvation, there is life rising from death.’ The words were perplexing."

Indeed perplexing, completely unclear in meaning.

Hao Ren frowned, unable to fathom what it truly meant.

Was it only meaningful to Qin Xiao?

What exactly was hidden behind this phrase that could make someone as fearful of death as Qin Xiao choose to smash his head against the wall and die?

The more he thought, the more troubled Hao Ren felt.

In peaceable Luzhou County, already three people had died!

There was still a connection between these three!

Now the murderer was lurking behind the scenes, beyond the reach of the law, making it impossible for Hao Ren to rest or eat in peace!

Seeing his junior brother with a sullen face, saying nothing, Ji Yuntai knew he was stubbornly pondering again.

Once Hao Ren began to fall into this strange area, not even ten horses could pull him back.

He thought for a moment and looked towards Yan Wanqing.

"Does the Commandery Princess have any ideas?"

Yan Wanqing was considering whether or not to have sweet and sour fish for dinner that night when she was suddenly asked, and she immediately regained focus, "Didn’t that person say he was going to give him a large sum of money? Just let him go and see who it is."

Such good bait, if not thrown out to fish, how could that be justified?

Yan Wanqing didn’t understand why the two men were hesitating so much.

"But this is an important witness, if he dies—" Hao Ren felt very anxious inside.

"As long as that person is caught, does it matter if this one dies? After all, he killed Qin Xiao, and according to the laws of Dawei, he would have to face capital punishment either way."

As soon as these words came out.

The thug’s face turned even paler as he looked at Hao Ren and shook his head desperately.

But Hao Ren suddenly realized, "You’re right!"

Thug: "Lord, spare my life!" He couldn’t be the bait, couldn’t be at all!

"However—" Yan Wanqing spoke again, "To send a living person to his death like this isn’t something the parental officials of Dawei would do, and if this gets out, the County Magistrate might be criticized harshly."

The thug immediately nodded.

Yes, yes, yes, that can’t be right!

He might have committed terrible deeds, but at least he was a living person now, a living person!

Hao Ren’s expression was complex as he stared at the thug, "For the safety of Luzhou County, you should act as bait once, sacrificing yourself for justice, a true man should stand between heaven and earth!"

"...then I might as well die now!" The thug immediately laid down on the ground, "I’m going to die either sooner or later; I will not be your bait!"

"What if it’s to redeem your sins and spare your life?" Yan Wanqing spoke again.

The thug looked at her suspiciously, "Can you really be that kind-hearted? Besides, who says you have the final say? The County Magistrate hasn’t agreed yet."

"He doesn’t need to agree," Yan Wanqing bent her eyebrows slightly, "You just say if you’re willing or not."

"Why doesn’t he need to agree?" The thug was on guard, "You’re trying to trick me again!"

Ji Yuntai couldn’t take it anymore.

"She has the Crown Prince’s token; her status is greater than the County Magistrate’s, naturally, what she promises you won’t be taken back; don’t be ungrateful."

The thug squinted as he looked over, Yan Wanqing pulled down the token from her waist and flashed it quickly in front of him.

He only saw the character "Imperial."

He couldn’t see the details clearly, but Yan Wanqing had already put it away.

The "Imperial," only the Imperial Kinsmen and Nobility could use it; commoners who used it would face the death penalty.

The thug immediately kneeled down towards Yan Wanqing, "Please, madam, give me a way to live!"

This guy, his mouth really is slick.

"Alright, madam will show you a clear path; you go be the bait, and I will arrange for someone to secretly protect you, ensuring your safe return."

The original aim was to have a bait to lure out the snake.

After going such a long way around, the thug finally loosened up, softened, or else it would have indeed been difficult.

After coming out from the jail, Hao Ren looked much better.

"I really can’t thank you enough, Commandery Princess," he bowed in salute.

Yan Wanqing lazily glanced at Ji Yuntai next to her.

The latter quickly touched his nose and shifted his gaze away.

This guy!

He must have spilled the beans.

But now that she was recognized, she carried it off with confidence.

"County Magistrate need not stand on ceremony."