Outside the government office, Elder Lin kept apologizing to Qin San Lang.

Qin San Lang had a lot to do and didn’t have time to listen to him much, so he said, "You should go back first, Elder Zhou and the others will be able to return after some time."

Luo Wu came out and said to Qin San Lang, "We beat Zhou Sanlang up, and Elder Zhou fainted when he saw it. They seem scared now."

Upon hearing this, Qin San Lang nodded and looked at Elder Lin, "Don’t worry, when the Zhou Family People return, they will surely be transformed."

If he didn’t get them on the right track, he wouldn’t be Qin.

"Oh, San Lang, Brother Wu, thank you both." Elder Lin was very pleased. If the Zhou Family People could reform, he would truly thank the heavens, as they had fled from famine together, and were companions after all.

He then asked, "Can Zhou Laoer and Li Kuihu be released?"

Qin San Lang: "No, the evidence against them is irrefutable; their lives are ruined."

Zhou Laoer had, for the past few years, secretly helped Li Kuihu with small crimes because his daughter was involved with Li Kuihu. This time they were caught at the Gao Family, also linked to spreading rumors intending to create chaos in Niugou Town, and they are surely to be convicted.

Elder Lin listened, a sorrowful expression crossing his face, and finally, he shook his head and walked away with a sigh.

Just as he exited the county’s gate, he was stopped by Li Kuihu’s wife and son: "Elder Lin, how is my husband? Will he be released soon?"

Seeing Mrs. Li Qian and her son, Elder Lin frowned, then looked at Miss Zhou, the young girl behind them barefoot, thin and haggard, with slap marks on her face, and his eyes reddened. This child was also unfortunate.

"Grandpa Lin." Miss Zhou greeted Elder Lin while pulling her child, moving her foot awkwardly, obviously embarrassed for having no shoes.

"Great-grandpa Lin." Miss Zhou’s son called out to Elder Lin, as he liked him for giving him food and not scolding him, better than his aunt and brother.

"Ah, Brother Shu is good." Elder Lin smiled in response.

Mrs. Li Qian got angry, shouting at Elder Lin, "Elder Lin, I’m asking you. Did it work out? The Zhou Family said you had connections in the government office, that the Lord Company Commander in the county was your junior, respected you highly, and as soon as you came forward, my husband would be saved. And now where is he? Where is he?!"

Mrs. Li Qian was a shrew, giving Elder Lin no face, spraying her words.

With passersby looking over, Elder Lin didn’t want to make an excessive scene, so he moved to the roadside undergrowth. When Mrs. Li Qian swaggered over, he finally said, "Li Kuihu, assisting Gao Sanxiong in doing evil, was caught. The evidence of his crimes is conclusive, and both he and Zhou Laoer will be convicted; they can’t be saved."

"What? Can’t save them? Why not? Surely they can be saved; you must not have tried hard enough!" Mrs. Li Qian shouted with her hands on her hips.

Elder Lin frowned tightly. People always said women in the South were gentle, so why was Mrs. Li Qian fiercer than a Northwest woman?

"If you don’t believe it, feel free to ask the government office. But don’t blame this old man for not warning you, the Zhou Family People were caught by Company Commander Qin because of their commotion, and Zhou Sanlang was even interrogated."

"What? The Zhou Family People were caught!" Mrs. Li Qian, hearing this, finally got scared, but she was unwilling to give up. If Li Kuihu wasn’t released, the assets he bullied and took over would be reclaimed by the villagers, and she and her son would suffer hardships.

Miss Zhou’s face turned pale as she asked, "Grandpa Lin, were my grandparents really caught?"

Elder Lin nodded, "Yes, Company Commander Qin was very dissatisfied with the chaos your grandparents caused and arrested them all. But Company Commander Qin just wants to teach them a lesson; they’ll be released after a while."

"Release? My husband is convicted, and yet the Zhou Family People expect to be released?" Mrs. Li Qian scolded harshly, pulling Elder Lin, "No way, you old codger must have not done your best to plead. Come back into the city and plead once more for me."

Mrs. Li Qian was a strong woman and forcefully dragged Elder Lin several meters away.

Seeing this, Li Qiangzi’s eyes swivelled, and he ran to pull Miss Zhou, dragging her to the city gate: "You fled the famine with the Luo Family and Qin family, you must know Squad Leader Luo and Company Commander Qin; you have to plead too."

While speaking, he took advantage of Miss Zhou.

"Ah, stop, Li Qiangzi, you beast! If you keep it up, I’ll die in front of you!" Miss Zhou had been taken advantage of by Li Qiangzi before, but never in broad daylight so publicly.

Miss Zhou wanted to die; feeling helpless yet her strength was too small to break free.

"Ha, die in front of me?" Li Qiangzi laughed, looking back at Mrs. Li Qian and Elder Lin, then leaned close to Miss Zhou and said sinisterly, "My father has been caught, he won’t be back this lifetime, and now the Li Family is mine, and so are you."

With parents like Li Kuihu and Mrs. Li Qian, Li Qiangzi couldn’t be a good person, having stolen chickens and dogs since young, later climbing walls to peep on young maidens.

Miss Zhou, with her good looks, had been targeted by Li Qiangzi since entering the Li Family.

Initially daring only to steal glances, then taking advantage when Li Kuihu was not home. Now upon hearing that Li Kuihu wasn’t coming back, he was overjoyed and openly fondling.

He sneered, "Behave yourself, or when we get back tonight, I’ll deal with you!"

"Li Qiangzi, you beast!" Miss Zhou was desperate. She thought her hard days were over when Li Kuihu was caught, not expecting Li Qiangzi to emerge.

Thinking of possibly serving Li Qiangzi and messing up her son’s lineage, Miss Zhou broke down and cried, feeling as lowly as a prostitute.

She couldn’t take it anymore, biting Li Qiangzi’s hand, making him let go, then grabbing her son and rushing forward, desperate to escape the Li family’s clutches.

"You shrew, dare to run, stay there for me!" Li Qiangzi chased after her, quickly grabbing Miss Zhou.

Whoa!

A carriage raced down the official road, and thanks to the driver’s skill, almost avoided hitting Li Qiangzi and Miss Zhou and her son.

"Damn it, who is it? Who dared to startle this young master’s carriage?" Young Master Dou was extremely busy these past few days, having just rushed back from Qingfu Town to the county to prepare for the opening of the new bank tomorrow.

He was exhausted and had fallen asleep on the carriage, deep in dreams when the carriage suddenly stopped, nearly flipping over.

Young Master Dou was thrown out of the carriage by the sudden stop and rolled twice on the ground, dirtying his expensive clothes.

Young Master Dou was furious, wanting to kill, jumping up angrily, tidying his messy hair, and shouted around, "Who dared disturb this young master’s carriage? Hurry up and come forward to kneel and admit your mistake!"