Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside-Chapter 22 - 0 Punishment

"Young Master Qi, it's them, it's this group of refugees who took our Qi Mansion's grain and silver coin but refused to pay, and they even beat our men to this state." Zhu Da pointed at Father Luo and his group to complain to Young Master Qi, catching a glimpse of Elder Ding, who was beaten beyond recognition, and started yelling again: "Oh, Young Master Qi, look at what they have done to Manager Ding. It's horrible."

Elder Ding, with eyes swollen from the beating, looked towards Young Master Qi and cried out, "Young Master Qi... Young Master Qi, save me."

Young Master of Qi Mansion appeared to be in his mid-twenties, handsome, dressed in a dark blue cross-collared robe, exhibiting the demeanor of a scholar. Hearing Elder Ding's cries for help, he glanced at him, frowning slightly but said nothing. Instead, he turned to Father Luo and asked, "I am Qi Yi from the Qi Mansion, may I ask who is in charge here?"

Upon hearing Qi Yi's words, Gu Jinli's heart relaxed a bit; this Qi Yi seemed to be a reasonable person, and today's affair might have room for resolution.

Father Luo clasped his fist at Qi Yi and said, "I am Luo Tiezhu, it was I who hit them, but we did not intend to cause trouble on purpose. It was your housekeeper who wanted to forcibly snatch good citizens as slaves, and in desperation, we fought back."

Father Luo pointed at Gu Dashan and said, "This is the victim, Gu Dashan. Your housekeeper wanted to take away his family of six."

"Nonsense!" Granny Gu saw that Young Master of Qi Mansion had arrived and was about to make a fierce complaint about Father Luo and his group when Father Luo took the lead, leaving her quite furious.

She pointed at Gu Dashan's family and said, "Young Master Qi, Manager Ding didn't kidnap anyone. It was Gu Dashan who willingly sold his family of six to the Qi Mansion to become house slaves, but then he changed his mind and refused to enter into servitude, so they had to take them by force. Luo Tiezhu, relying on a few years of martial arts training, then led several families close to Gu Dashan to brutally beat Manager Ding."

Granny Gu took a few breaths and continued, "Manager Ding works his heart out for the Qi Mansion, yet he met with a cruel beating. Young Master Qi, you must seek justice for Manager Ding."

How to seek justice?

Naturally, catch all of Father Luo's group, beat them harshly, and that would satisfy her grievances.

Hearing Granny Gu's emotional words, Qi Yi looked at her, smiled faintly, and asked, "And who may this elderly lady be?"

"This is Gu Dashan's mother, my mother-in-law, and my name is Qian Guangzong, formerly the shopkeeper of a cloth shop before fleeing the famine." Qian Guangzong liked to ingratiate himself with the rich; the Qi Mansion of the prefecture city was not only immensely wealthy but also an official family, and it would be a disservice to his ancestors if he did not brown-nose at this time.

Qi Yi nodded to Qian Guangzong and said to Granny Gu with profound meaning, "So you are Old Mrs. Gu."

Really Gu Dashan's mother?

In the world, would a mother be so eager to sell her son?

Qi Yi, born in a large estate, knew all too well about the dirty affairs within such households. After hearing Granny Gu's words, he realized today's issue was no simple matter.

He did not have the Protectors rush in to rescue Manager Ding but only brought one Guardian Master with him to the front of Father Luo and Gu Dashan, and said to Gu Dashan, "Big brother, since this issue started over your family of six, you represent your family, and I represent the Qi Mansion, let's clarify this matter between us."

Gu Dashan had never been treated so courteously by the son of an official family. Hearing Qi Yi's words, he was excited and nervous, and for a moment, he could not speak.

Father Luo, feeling anxious, nudged him with his elbow and said, "Brother Dashan, Young Master Qi is asking you a question. Whatever it is, just say it and tell Young Master Qi the whole story of today's events. He will surely seek justice for you."

Qi Yi smiled, "This big brother is right, tell me about today's events."

Gu Dashan was still nervous, trembling and unable to speak coherently. Third Grandma was so anxious that she smacked her thigh and told Qi Yi everything that had happened today in one breath.

The blurry fingerprint, the fake print pressed by Third Uncle Gu in place of Gu Dashan, the indenture stating a family of five while in reality intending to take away someone else's family of six, and also attempting to snatch a girl from a good family to make her a concubine.

Good for nothing Ding Changwang!

Qi Yi had almost figured out the situation. He asked Gu Dashan, "Where is the indenture?"

Gu Jinli quickly stepped forward, holding the indenture that she had clutched in her hand and handed it to Qi Yi: "Uncle, the indenture is here."

Qi Yi didn't seem like a bad person, and she felt assured giving the indenture to him.

Qi Yi glanced at her, saw she was just a child of around ten years old, smiled, took the indenture, and examined the content and the fingerprints on it.

After a moment, his demeanor changed, and the gentleness vanished from his face, replaced by a sharp intensity. His eyes fixated on Elder Ding, he shouted angrily, "Ding Changwang, you impersonated the housekeeper of Qi Mansion, forged a false indenture, maliciously trafficked good people, and even dared to abduct a good family's daughter to make her your concubine. According to the Great Chu Criminal Law, those in the register of slaves may not marry those in the good register, yet you, bold as brass, dared to forcefully take a good family's daughter to be a concubine. If you wish to die, Young Master will not stop you, but for causing such trouble for Qi Mansion, Young Master will certainly not let you off lightly!"

This Ding Changwang was not actually the housekeeper of Qi Mansion. The true housekeeper of Qi Mansion had already gone to the capital to handle affairs, and this Ding Changwang was merely an outer court manager. He had been entrusted with the task of buying people because he was acquainted with many disaster victims. To think that this wretched slave nearly brought disaster upon them.

Elder Ding, or Ding Changwang, realizing Qi Yi had not immediately ordered the Protector to rescue him, knew he was in trouble. Hearing Qi Yi's furious questioning, he was so scared that he trembled uncontrollably, and instinctively cried out, "Wronged... I have been wronged, Young Master!"

Wronged?

Qi Yi said to the Guardian Master beside him, "Master You, it seems that a house slave of Qi Mansion refuses to admit his mistake. I suppose we need to loosen his muscles and bones to teach him the rules."

Master You, the Guardian Master, was usually responsible for securing the mansion and also for punishing the house slaves who made grave mistakes. Ding Changwang had seen Master You mete out punishments to house slaves before. Hearing these words, he was so frightened that he wet himself, crying and pleading, "Young Master, Young Master, I was wrong. Please, for the sake of my aged mother, spare my life."

He had already been beaten black and blue by Luo Wu, and now if Master You were to lay hands on him, could he still have a life?

Qi Yi had no intention of letting someone die at this juncture. He gestured to stop Master You and pointed to Zhu Da and the dozen or so servants, instructing, "Tie up these deceitful slaves who have done nothing but commit evil deeds."

If it hadn't been for Zhu Da and these servants' complicity, this situation would not have escalated to this point.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Da and the servants hurried to kneel down, scared out of their wits, "Young Master, we have been wronged! It was all Ding Changwang who forced us to do it..."

Before they could finish their plea of innocence, dozens of Protectors who had rushed in gagged them, tied them up with hemp rope, and left them unable to utter another word.

The Protectors from Qi Mansion were all practitioners with excellent skills. After tying up Zhu Da and the others, they dragged them together, surrounding them, and waited for Qi Yi's command.

The sight of Ding Changwang being captured thrilled the entire family of Gu Dashan. Mrs. Cui and Gu Jinxiu were even moved to tears. Their family had finally escaped the calamity of being sold.

Granny Gu was quite frightened by everything happening before her eyes, but seeing the joyful Gu Dashan and his family, she became angry and pointed at them, saying to Qi Yi, "Young Master Qi, the Gu Dashan family has already sold themselves to your Qi Mansion. Please take them away."

"Exactly, exactly, Young Master Qi, my uncle's family are now your house slaves. Please take them back with you, or if you prefer, I can deliver them to you. What do you say?" Qian Guangzong smiled with a bit of cautiousness, hoping not to leave the Gu Dashan family behind. He didn't want to return the grain and Silver Coin they had already acquired to Qi Mansion.

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