Lin Xiazhi glanced at his legs, her eyes filled with disdain, but she still walked over.
After using her x-ray vision to examine the bones, she slipped on a pair of gloves and grabbed his left leg.
Pull.
Stretch.
Twist.
Pat.
Done.
If she didn’t need Chen Feicai to accompany her to the yamen, she wouldn’t have bothered going through all that trouble.
“Y-you, you, you… What did you just do?!”
Chen Feicai’s eyes widened.
Lin Xiazhi’s series of actions had left his entire body limp with shock.
A moment later, his other knee emitted several cracking sounds, accompanied by a dull ache.
He stared down in disbelief.
Both knees had returned to their original shape.
The bones had been set back into place.
Which meant…
He wasn’t going to become crippled after all.
Chen Feicai’s chest trembled uncontrollably as overwhelming joy surged through him.
“Hurry up and get dressed. If you delay important business, you’ll bear the consequences yourself.”
He was so excited that he wasn’t even afraid of Lin Xiazhi’s threats anymore.
“I’m going! Right now!”
He sprang to his feet and stumbled into the room.
Not long afterward, he emerged fully dressed.
With his head held high and chest puffed out like a victorious rooster, he once again looked every bit the refined young scholar.
Unfortunately…
Leaning against the doorway, Lin Xiazhi watched him. Sunlight reflected in her almond-shaped eyes, filling them with an unreadable gleam.
“Short-lived.”
“…!”
Those two simple words instantly erased all of Chen Feicai’s excitement and happiness.
The only word left echoing in his mind was:
Run.
No matter what, he had to take his parents and escape Lin Xiazhi’s clutches.
His bones had only just been reset. Walking too much naturally caused pain.
Still, Chen Feicai gritted his teeth and limped after her, all the while nurturing a dangerous thought.
“The yamen is just ahead.”
The words sounded as though he were reminding Lin Xiazhi.
Or perhaps reminding himself.
“Walk faster.”
Lin Xiazhi increased her pace as she looked toward the government office in the distance.
Her gaze briefly landed on the large complaint drum standing beside it.
The hour was still early.
There were very few people on the streets, and the area around the yamen was especially quiet.
With his head lowered and expression gloomy, Chen Feicai walked unevenly behind her.
His distracted appearance made it obvious that his thoughts were elsewhere.
Lin Xiazhi didn’t even need to look to know what he was thinking.
“Get rid of those little schemes in your head. Otherwise… I’ll strip every bone from your entire family.”
With that, she continued toward the yamen.
Chen Feicai’s heart skipped a beat.
His carefully arranged thoughts instantly fell apart.
On the surface, he appeared calm.
Inside, however, his mind was roaring like thunder.
Taking a deep breath, he stared at the government office with a mixture of longing and hesitation.
Should he report her?
Or not?
He had endured for so long.
Now the entrance was right before him.
If he hesitated again, he might never get another chance to turn his life around.
He couldn’t allow the engagement to be dissolved yet.
Once Lin Xiazhi got her way, his entire family would be in danger.
But what if she discovered his plan?
No.
He would go inside first and figure things out later.
As he entered the yamen, every step felt as though he were walking on knife blades.
Cold sweat soaked his back.
His pace grew slower.
And slower.
And slower.
Noticing that the person behind her had stopped following, Lin Xiazhi turned around.
At that very moment, Chen Feicai suddenly looked as though he had spotted his savior.
He spun around and bolted for the entrance.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
The sound of the complaint drum echoed outside.
Within moments, constables and curious townsfolk gathered around.
“…”
Lin Xiazhi let out a cold laugh.
Did he really think reporting her would keep him safe?
No.
His nightmare was only beginning.
Since she had dared to bring Chen Feicai to the yamen in the first place, she naturally wasn’t afraid of him trying any tricks.
Not long afterward, both of them were escorted into the courtroom.
Standing before the county magistrate, they finally came face to face.
The magistrate wore a black official robe embroidered with red-thread patterns and a formal court hat.
Seated behind the desk, he blended perfectly into the solemn atmosphere of the courtroom.
Curious about his appearance, Lin Xiazhi took a few extra glances.
The more she looked, the more familiar he seemed.
Then it clicked.
The man before her was Zhao Xiuxiu’s father, the county magistrate.
The courtroom was deathly silent.
Even the spectators gathered outside barely dared to breathe as they waited for the session to begin.
Bang!
Magistrate Zhao struck the desk with the court block.
His voice was stern.
“Who stands before this court? Why do you not kneel before this official?”
Chen Feicai stood proudly, clasping his hands in greeting.
“Your Excellency, I am Chen Feicai, a newly certified scholar.”
“A scholar, you say…”
The magistrate paused.
Then his expression suddenly changed.
“You said your name was what?”
Scholars were exempt from kneeling before officials.
Magistrate Zhao had originally intended to exchange a few polite words.
But the moment he heard the name, an inexplicable surge of anger rose within him.
He nearly lost his composure.
Fortunately, with so many people watching, he managed to suppress it.
Assuming the magistrate hadn’t heard clearly, Chen Feicai repeated himself.
“Your Excellency, I am Chen Feicai.”
Your future son-in-law.
Like a peacock displaying its feathers, Chen Feicai flashed a dazzling smile and radiated confidence.
Unfortunately, Magistrate Zhao did not return the gesture.
Instead, he merely snorted and shifted his attention to Lin Xiazhi.
“And you? Why do you not kneel?”
Ignored entirely, Chen Feicai’s smile froze.
It felt as though his pride had been trampled beneath someone’s feet.
His hands slowly clenched inside his sleeves.
What was going on?
Had Xiuxiu never mentioned him to her father?
Lin Xiazhi, on the other hand, knew exactly when to bend and when to stand firm.
Immediately adopting the posture of a respectful married woman, she dropped to one knee.
“Your Excellency, I am Lin Xiazhi, Scholar Chen’s fiancée.”
“Fiancée? You actually have a fiancée? You…!”
Good.
Very good indeed!
Magistrate Zhao hadn’t even noticed how she was kneeling.
His entire attention was focused on the words fiancée.
This little scoundrel had already ruined his precious daughter.
And now he dared bring his fiancée here to humiliate him?
Outrageous!
Unfortunately, Chen Feicai was a scholar.
The magistrate couldn’t punish him arbitrarily.
Besides, family scandals should never be made public.
Even though rage nearly blinded him, he had no choice but to endure the humiliation.
“Enough. Which of you struck the drum, and whom do you wish to accuse?”
At last, the conversation reached the main issue.
Chen Feicai lifted his chin proudly and began his accusation.
“Your Excellency, I was the one who struck the drum.”
“I accuse this vicious woman of abusing her husband’s family.”
“She broke both of my parents’ arms. Their lives are currently hanging in the balance.”
“She also stole every coin our family possessed and refuses to admit it.”
“After breaking my legs, she kidnapped me overnight and dragged me into town. Her purpose was to force me to dissolve our engagement.”
“I ask Your Excellency to see the truth and punish this poisonous woman!”
What a pity.
The slave contract had already been destroyed.
Otherwise, he could have charged her with even more serious crimes.
“Oh?”
Magistrate Zhao stroked his beard thoughtfully.
His expression became impossible to read.
“Madam Chen Lin, do you admit your guilt?”
“I do not.”
Lin Xiazhi raised her head and looked at Chen Feicai with sorrow and disappointment in her eyes.
“Brother Chen is clearly standing here perfectly fine. How can his legs be broken?”
“My parents-in-law were injured by thieves. Their money was stolen by thieves as well. The entire village can testify to this.”
“How did it suddenly become my crime?”
“I am a weak woman. How could I possibly overpower three strong adults by myself?”
“I entered the Chen family years ago, and for years I have endured beatings and abuse.”
“My body is covered in injuries even now.”
“Today they are framing me because they want to force me to death so Brother Chen can smoothly marry the daughter of a government official.”
“S-shut up!”
Seeing his plan veer wildly off course, Chen Feicai immediately exploded.
“What nonsense are you talking about?!”
“Which part of what I said is wrong?”
“You’re making everything up!”
“Silence!”
Magistrate Zhao’s face darkened terrifyingly.
Yet he still struggled to maintain the dignity expected of his position.
His hand trembled as he slammed the court block onto the desk.
The daughter of a government official?
Wasn’t that his own daughter?
Good.
Excellent.
So this had all been planned from the beginning.
The target had been him all along.
A scholar?
No.
This man was nothing more than a beast in scholar’s clothing.
Without realizing it, the balance in Magistrate Zhao’s heart had already tilted toward the pitiful young woman standing before him.
“What exactly happened?”
“Madam Chen Lin, tell this official everything.”