The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 887 - 865 Temporary Avoidance

Chapter 887: Chapter 865 Temporary Avoidance

County Magistrate Tang invited them inside to sit down and spoke to Mingli, "Go and tell the lady that I will not be coming home for lunch; bring the food box here."

He asked Manbao the pair, "Have you eaten?"

Both shook their heads.

County Magistrate Tang then said, "Bring more."

Mingli bowed and left to help them open the door.

County Magistrate Tang looked around and, not seeing any tea, poured them two cups of cooled boiled water, saying, "Just drink this for now."

Bai Shan and Manbao didn’t drink and went straight to the point, "Old Master Guan must have recognized me."

County Magistrate Tang sighed, "I can’t remember the matter concerning you and your father. Why can’t you remember it as well?"

Bai Shan remained silent.

He had no memory of his father, how could he remember?

There was no use in saying more, and the three of them sat oppossite each other, saddened, beginning to think of solutions.

County Magistrate Tang asked, "What do you think Old Master Guan might have figured out?"

Manbao and Bai Shan exchanged glances and began to speculate the worst scenario. Bai Shan thoughtfully said, "If he knows that I am my father’s child, he will surely suspect I am investigating the incident from those years."

Manbao added, "He will also know it was me who led Bai Shan there, and then know that we already know that he knows."

County Magistrate Tang asked, "Why would he know that you know he knows?"

Manbao coughed lightly and replied, "While he was talking to Shanbao, I was taking his pulse; he must have guessed I figured it out."

County Magistrate Tang, curious, said, "Does pulse taking really work? Come, come, try taking mine and see if I am lying about anything next."

Bai Shan exclaimed, "Lord Tang, can we not joke around now?"

"How can that be called joking? This is quite useful in interrogation, but anyway, now is not the time to discuss this," County Magistrate Tang asked, "So do you guess he knows that I already know?"

Bai Shan and Manbao thought seriously for a moment then shook their heads, "He probably doesn’t know, as we have never shown any signs in front of him."

"It’s true we haven’t shown signs, but if he investigates carefully, he will see the close contact between the three of us, not to mention, I have lived in Luojiang County for a while. Do you think he might guess that I already know and am even investigating this matter?"

Manbao and Bai Shan opened their mouths in shock.

This could really blow up. If it were just the two of them, Old Master Guan might only deal with them, thinking they are just children unwilling to let things go and thus investigating, but if County Magistrate Tang also got involved...

Manbao trembled and asked, "What should we do?"

County Magistrate Tang walked around twice, sighing, "It’s just that I don’t know whether he is a friend or a foe."

County Magistrate Tang, with one hand on the table and speaking softly, said, "It’s also unknown who the former County Magistrate Bai met in the other courtyard; it happened specifically in his other courtyard. If it was him, that’s fine, but if it wasn’t him, then it must have been someone very close to him, otherwise they wouldn’t choose to meet in his other courtyard."

County Magistrate Tang’s mind raced as he pondered, "I don’t know whether County Magistrate Bai failed all those years ago because he openly fought and lost against the Prince of Yizhou, or because his movements were tracked and led to his defeat."

If it was the latter, it likely meant someone had betrayed him; otherwise, how would the Prince of Yizhou have known about such a confidential matter so quickly?

Bai Shan and Manbao also grew anxious, "What should we do? The Prince of Yizhou’s mansion is so powerful, and he’s so ruthless—could he possibly send someone to kill our families?"

"It won’t come to that, do you think this is his domain from over a decade ago?" County Magistrate Tang paused, stroking his chin, "Killing your entire family is unlikely, but killing the two of you..."

He scanned them both and frowned slightly, "You..."

He paused before suggesting, "Maybe go home and hide for a while?"

Manbao retorted skeptically, "This is in Yizhou City, amidst crowds of people. Would he dare to kill someone under such scrutiny?"

County Magistrate Tang’s expression remained impassive as he asked, "Do you know how many people died in the Shu County Governmental Office twelve years ago?"

Manbao paused, then shook her head.

"Twenty-eight people, including County Magistrate Bai and his guards," stated County Magistrate Tang. "All twenty-eight were reported to have died at the hands of bandits. Following that, Governor Yan led troops to annihilate the bandits in the hills, claiming thirty-two heads, yet in my review of the archives from fifteen to twelve years ago, I found no reports of bandits near Yizhou."

The two young people were stunned.

"Of course, back then, from the Envoy to the governing officials, everyone in and around Yizhou City was under the influence of the Prince of Yizhou," County Magistrate Tang explained. "But now, Envoy Zhang has been here for less than four years, and both the Governor and I have recently assumed our posts. Even if we do maintain a relationship with the Prince’s mansion, we would not blindly obey him, so it’s impossible for him to conduct a massacre like he did twelve years ago within Yizhou City. Still, killing one or two people remains a simple task."

County Magistrate Tang gave examples, "For instance, a fight breaks out during a school debate, and someone accidentally gets killed; or, a patient you’ve diagnosed, or their family, goes crazy, believing you prescribed the wrong or overly expensive medicine and they strike you dead; or perhaps, your horse carriage suddenly goes berserk, tips over, and all three of you perish..."

Manbao and Bai Shan swallowed hard, their eyes ticking nervously towards County Magistrate Tang.

County Magistrate Tang sighed and after a long silence, he said, "Just go home and lay low for a while. Can you get leave? If it’s hard to ask for leave, I’ll write to Zhangbo and have him issue an official document to call you back."

Bai Shan responded in astonishment, "Can you really do that?"

"Of course, although your household registration is still in Longzhou, you live in Yizhou City, and it was Zhangbo who recommended you for the academy. If necessary, the county office can indeed summon students from the academy back for county affairs; of course, whether to accept is up to you."

After pondering for a moment, Bai Shan looked at Manbao and then, gritting his teeth, nodded, "Alright, we’ll go back."

County Magistrate Tang nodded, "That’s prudent. As the saying goes, you can’t cook without wood, and while you’re still young, there’s no need to rush."

Bai Shan worried aloud, "But wouldn’t that make it easier for them to suspect that Lord Tang and Lord Yang are also investigating this case?"

County Magistrate Tang smiled, "That’s not easy to guess, and even if they do guess, it doesn’t matter much. At this point, what should be known and what shouldn’t be, I mostly know already; all that’s missing is concrete evidence."

Manbao queried, "Then aren’t you worried that he might also arrange for you to have a horseriding accident, or a carriage crash, or even choke while eating?"

County Magistrate Tang, irritated, retorted, "Can’t you think of a better way for me to die? Don’t worry, I am not like you; he wouldn’t dare let me die abruptly."

Bai Shan inquired, "Is it because of your family background?"

"Yes and no," replied County Magistrate Tang. "My father is no pushover. If I were to die here for no reason, my father wouldn’t let it go unchecked. Moreover, times are different from twelve years ago. Although Envoy Zhang and Governor Ming have close dealings with the Prince of Yizhou, they are not his servants. It would be difficult to hide and kill me from them."

County Magistrate Tang left out that his wife and her family were also formidable.

County Magistrate Tang smiled, "He hasn’t dared to kill me here in Yizhou City, much less Zhangbo. The safest place for you is to return to Luojiang County. With Zhangbo there to protect you, even if he personally goes there, he can’t just take your lives arbitrarily."