The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 246 - 235: Interrogation

Chapter 246: Chapter 235: Interrogation

There was a vacant courtyard, originally intended for visiting guests, but now a lamp was lit inside.

Daji unlocked the door for Ms. Liu and whispered, "Those two have woken up, and in accordance with your orders, I have imprisoned them separately."

Ms. Liu nodded, glanced inside the room from outside the window without entering, and then turned to visit the one who had remained fully conscious throughout.

His hands and feet were bound, tied with a special technique that made it virtually impossible to struggle free.

Daji brought Ms. Liu a chair, and after receiving her signal, he removed the cloth gagging the captive’s mouth before kicking him and threatening, "Behave yourself, or you’ll regret it."

Seated in her chair, Ms. Liu asked, "Who sent you?"

He didn’t respond.

Ms. Liu didn’t wait too long before continuing to look at him and ask, "Did you come for my Bai Family, or were you after someone else?"

He still didn’t respond.

Ms. Liu watched him, no longer asking any questions, yet not leaving either, just silently staring at him, her thoughts unknown.

After a long while, Ms. Liu sighed and asked, "Does a fourth person know about your visit here? If someone comes asking, we all will insist that you left. Tell me, what can they do to us then?"

Fear flashed in his eyes.

Ms. Liu spoke slowly and deliberately, "There are many ways to kill a man, and just as many to dispose of a body. Do you think I can find the best way to do it?"

He trembled but remained silent.

Ms. Liu stood up and left.

Daji gagged the man again before following her out the door.

The nanny looked puzzled, not understanding why Old Madam would involve herself in such murky affairs.

Ms. Liu stood in the courtyard, looking at the dark night outside, where it seemed a monster was hiding, ready to swallow any passerby with its gaping maw.

Daji approached, bowed, and said, "Old Madam, I have ordered the family guards to watch this place for twelve hours. They won’t let them escape."

Ms. Liu nodded, then asked, "Has Dongshu left?"

"Yes, he left during the afternoon scuffle, likely to inform Old Master Bai."

Even though Old Master Bai had said to contact him only if something happened at home, the fact that the Bai Family lived within Qili Village and that the Bai Manor was the first place the three strangers visited meant they couldn’t afford to take the situation lightly.

So, Dongshu went.

Ms. Liu then said, "Let’s get some sleep. By morning, Lizhi should be back as well."

Manbao also ran back to her room to sleep, and Ms. Qian glanced at the hole in the roof, intending to invite her to share her bed, but Manbao firmly shook her head, "It’s not going to rain. I want to sleep alone."

"All right, all right, let her sleep," Old Zhou, whose face hurt, was also feeling anxious and restless, waved his hand and said, "If there’s any trouble, call Four. Manbao, don’t stay up too late playing, understand?"

Manbao replied, "Understood."

Manbao happily ran back to her bed, swatted out all the mosquitoes, lowered the mosquito net, and lay down, still able to see the stars in the sky.

If it never rained, she thought, it might actually be nice not to fix the roof. She could see the stars and the moon from her bed every night.

After admiring the starry sky for a while, Manbao entered the system, where two books sat in one of the compartments: "Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine" and the "Full-Version Yellow Emperor’s Internal Classic."

Keke explained, "The ’Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine’ was compiled by people from the future, containing only the most rudimentary information. Many herbs were extinct or nearly so in the future, which is why I acquired the most comprehensive ’Full-Version Yellow Emperor’s Internal Classic’ for you. It includes translations and is easy to understand, very suitable for beginners."

"Compared to modern times—of course, which is the future for you—I would recommend you first study ancient medicine, especially the prescriptions left from the 21st century," it said.

"In the mid-21st century, traditional Chinese medicine flourished, and many prescriptions were fully verified and refined. By studying these, you won’t just be standing on the shoulders of those who came before you but on those who came after you as well."

That would be stable.

Manbao always considered Keke’s advice carefully and nodded before beginning with the basic theory.

Theory is something you understand when you see it, and it wasn’t long before Manbao felt sleepy.

Always one to follow her heart, she let her consciousness bounce away at the first sign of drowsiness, and then her body flopped onto the bed asleep.

Keke: ...

It seemed a bit miscalculated. Should it have gotten her only the "Full-Version Yellow Emperor’s Internal Classic"? Maybe save the basic theory for when she’s older?

Due to the excitement and the thrill of the day, not to mention the skylight, the weather was relatively cool. And although the buzzing of mosquitoes was constant, the mosquito net kept them out, not disturbing her sleep.

Manbao slept soundly, unaware of when dawn arrived. In contrast, most villagers, the adults in Old Zhou’s family, and Ms. Liu in the Bai Manor, slept poorly.

Ms. Liu barely slept at all, sitting and lying down in quiet all night, such that any noise in the courtyard had her opening her eyes and asking in a hoarse voice, "What’s the matter?"

The night-shift maid immediately went out to inquire and reported back shortly, "Old Madam, the gatekeeper has come with news that Old Master Bai from next door has returned."

Ms. Liu got up and instructed, "Tell the steward to invite him over."

"Yes."

Bai Li had traveled back overnight, planning to return to Luojiang County from the neighboring county town anyway, but the news last night left him restless until morning when the city gates opened and he headed back. Fortunately, Lin County wasn’t far from their own; a fast horse got him back in just over an hour.

Having just washed his face, Bai Li was met by the steward waiting at the doorway; while watching his master freshen up, the steward reported the latest developments.

When he heard that the three captured men had been taken to Ms. Liu’s home, Old Master Bai turned to the steward in surprise, "Did my aunt personally decide to take responsibility for their imprisonment and guard?"

"Yes, it was Old Madam Liu’s own suggestion."

Old Master Bai then hastened his pace. He knew his aunt well: Since his cousin’s death, she had avoided trouble whenever she could, and except for matters concerning Shanbao, she was indifferent to almost everything else.

The fact that Ms. Liu had personally taken the suspected fraudster to the village head’s house had already seemed odd to him; now hearing that she took on the troublesome task of guarding the prisoners was even more unusual.

Old Master Bai put down the towel, and as the servant who had come to fetch him arrived, he skipped breakfast, grabbed a couple of pastries, and followed the servant to the neighboring house.

"Did the Old Madam get frightened?" he asked.

Once assured not only that the Bai Family was fine but also that the three "swindlers" seemed to be okay, he breathed a sigh of relief.