The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 823 - 801: Confession One (Happy Birthday to Book Friend ’Mo Yan’)

Chapter 823: Chapter 801: Confession One (Happy Birthday to Book Friend ’Mo Yan’)

Everyone looked toward the County Magistrate Tang, and Old Madam Liu also straightened up and said to him, "Lord Tang, isn’t your presence at the temple fair to inquire about something from us?"

County Magistrate Tang raised his eyebrows, his gaze sweeping back and forth between her and the Zhou couple.

Meanwhile, Old Zhou and Ms. Qian also looked puzzled.

Old Madam Liu asked, "Are you looking for Zhou Yin, my lord?"

Old Zhou and Ms. Qian immediately turned their heads to look at Old Madam Liu, and then, unable to help themselves, they looked toward Old Master Bai, suspecting that he had told Old Madam Liu.

Old Master Bai sighed and said nothing.

Manbao and Bai Shan were utterly confused, not understanding how Old Madam Liu had become the focal point, and wondering how this matter could possibly pertain to her at all.

County Magistrate Tang observed the expressions of everyone in the room, then dismissed Old Zhou and Ms. Qian from his focus and concentrated on Old Madam Liu instead. "Old Madam, do you recognize Zhou Yin?"

"Although I have never met him, I have heard of him for a long time. Every year on Tomb-Sweeping Day and the eighth day of May, I perform secret commemorations."

Bai Shan, surprised, couldn’t help but say, "Grandmother, isn’t the eighth of May the anniversary of my father’s death?"

Ms. Qian couldn’t help but tighten her grip on Manbao’s hand, although Manbao did not notice. Instead, he looked toward Bai Shan and said, "Every year on the eighth of May, I also go to the cemetery to offer incense to my grandparents."

Of course, he also offered incense to the solitary grave next to theirs and later to his uncle.

Manbao turned to look at his parents, then turned his gaze toward Old Madam Liu.

County Magistrate Tang swept his gaze over everyone, withdrew it, and said to Old Madam Liu, "Indeed, this county is looking for Zhou Yin. Initially, I suspected he had committed a crime, but later I learned that he had died a wrongful death. Hence, this is a murder case, and thus I am conducting an investigation. From what you have implied, Madam, it seems you know the inside story?"

"Indeed," Old Madam Liu said uprightly, "in this world, aside from myself, only Lord Wei from the capital understands this matter thoroughly. The Zhou family, though the victims, know even less than I do."

County Magistrate Tang, deep in thought, asked, "The Lord Wei you mentioned, couldn’t be Supervisor Wei Zhi, could he?"

"Exactly, Supervisor Wei."

County Magistrate Tang immediately tensed up, clenching his fist. He looked at Old Madam Liu for a long time without speaking. After a while, he couldn’t help but chuckle softly and said, "I see, so you have been waiting here for me all along."

Old Madam Liu immediately stood up to pay her respects, "Since you, Lord Tang, have not turned away, it is clear you have accepted this case. Please, my lord, clear our names and restore justice for the deceased."

With that, she attempted to kneel.

Ms. Qian stood up, pulling Manbao into a kneeling position, and though Old Zhou was confused, seeing his wife kneel, he too knelt down.

Bai Shan also knelt with a thud, equally baffled. Various thoughts flashed through his mind, which gradually settled down. He looked up at his kneeling grandmother and mother before bowing his head.

County Magistrate Tang sighed, helped Old Madam Liu up, and said with a bitter smile, "A matter even Lord Wei couldn’t handle—can I?"

Old Madam Liu was about to speak when County Magistrate Tang put his hand on her and said, "Though it’s difficult, now that I am aware of it, I will certainly give it my best effort."

He truly wanted to uncover the details of this case, which had been concealed by so many people for over a decade.

County Magistrate Tang helped Old Madam Liu back to her chair and said, "Please tell us, Madam. It seems everyone is eager to know."

After indicating her to look toward the Zhou couple, Old Madam Liu stepped forward two paces and solemnly paid her respects to them. Old Zhou hastily stepped aside while Ms. Qian supported Old Madam Liu, her lips trembling, "Old Madam, what are you doing?"

Old Madam Liu held her hand and said, "This bow is long overdue. The death of Zhou Yin was because of my son, and these years of fear you suffered are also because of this matter. I, I feel such remorse."

Ms. Qian’s lips quivered but she said nothing, for she truly did not know what to say.

It had been nearly twelve years since Zhou Yin’s death. Over those years, they had racked their brains but could not understand why he was killed or who had killed him. And to think the person who knew the truth had been beside them all along?

Old Madam Liu patted her hand and then looked back at County Magistrate Tang, "Lord Tang, this matter must be traced back to the second year of the Great Zhen Dynasty."

County Magistrate Tang made a gesture to listen attentively.

"My son Bai Qi graduated as a scholar during the first year of the Great Zhen Dynasty, and in the second year, he was assigned by the Hanlin Academy to the Ministry of Personnel and dispatched to Yizhou’s Shu County as the magistrate."

"Shu County?" County Magistrate Tang couldn’t help but interject, "Isn’t that Huayang County?"

Previously, Yizhou City’s Guo County was called Shu County. However, in the eighth year of the Great Zhen Dynasty, the Emperor renamed Shu County to Huayang County and shortened Huayang County’s jurisdiction, allocating some areas to neighboring counties.

County Magistrate Tang stroked his chin, realizing this was his predecessor.

"Correct, but formerly, Shu County also managed the Jiewei Yan area, and it covered a much larger area."

County Magistrate Tang shuddered slightly upon hearing of Jiewei Yan, vaguely guessing something.

"When my son took office, his wife was heavily pregnant, which made it difficult for her to endure the hardship of travel; hence, we stayed in the capital, planning to move there once his wife had given birth and he had firmly established himself. However, close to the year’s end, he only sent back a letter stating that Shu County affairs were complicated, with various powers interwoven, making it difficult to manage. He felt that if we were to go there, he would not be able to accommodate us. He advised us to return first to our home in Longzhou and that he would send for us once he had Shu County affairs under control," Old Madam Liu explained, "Upon receiving the letter, my daughter-in-law and I returned to Longzhou from the capital."

"As you know, my lord, an official stationed away from home needs his family to manage domestic affairs and maintain social contacts. Thus, I persistently urged him to send for his wife, but he kept deferring. Until in the fourth month of the third year of Great Zhen, he sent an urgent letter stating that Yizhou was dangerous, and he was in danger, hence he dare not let his family stay in Shu County. He only hoped that I could take good care of our home, and that once he had managed the county affairs, he would personally come to fetch us."

Old Madam Liu was visibly saddened as she remembered, wiping away her tears, "But less than two months after we received the letter, news of his death reached us. The County Governmental Office reported that he and the Assistant County Magistrate had left the city to suppress bandits and died at the hands of the bandits, with half of the people from Shu County Governmental Office perished."

County Magistrate Tang involuntarily opened his mouth wide and asked, "Was this in the third year of Great Zhen?"

"Yes."

County Magistrate Tang couldn’t help but stand and pace around, saying, "I have looked through the records at the governmental office, up until the fifteenth year of Great De, and there was no record of this case."

Old Madam Liu wiped her tears and continued, "Initially, I had no suspicions; bearing my grief, I went to Yizhou City to arrange his funeral, only to discover that Erji, who had always been close to him, was missing. When I asked the officials handling the case, they just evaded responsibility by saying that he had gone out to suppress bandits as well, and since his body was not found, he was most likely unidentifiable. They..."

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