Jiang Yan led Jiang Jingxing into the main courtyard.
Such a major incident had occurred in the household today that Madam Qian’s plan to observe a full forty-two days of confinement was completely ruined. She had already been moved out of the birthing room and back into the main courtyard. Sitting inside, she gazed at the trees in the yard. The osmanthus tree was lush and vigorous, full of life.
Jin Sui lifted the curtain and said with a smile, "Madam, the master has arrived."
"Why are all the doors and windows open? Don’t get greedy for cool air—you must not be exposed to drafts right now."
Jiang Yan personally shut the windows, leaving only one door ajar. Only then did he walk over to Madam Qian and say, "You must have been frightened today, weren’t you?"
The elder child sneaking the younger one out of the house had thrown everything into chaos—there was no way to hide it from Madam Qian. She had rushed out despite being stopped, only to run straight into Madam Sun returning with the two children.
Even Madam Sun, fierce as she was and a senior in the family, felt a trace of guilt when facing her daughter-in-law.
Failing to look after the children was her fault—no matter how one argued it, she had no justification.
At the time, Madam Qian had no energy to argue over right or wrong. The younger son of the Registrar’s household, Zhang Kang, had been carried back! Even now, the memory left her shaken.
Jiang Jingxing walked up to Madam Qian, knelt, and said through tears, "Mother, don’t cry. It’s all because your son was naughty."
Madam Qian wiped the tears from her son’s face with a handkerchief, then wiped her own. Her expression hardened as she asked, "Where were you wrong?"
Jiang Jingxing: "…"
Why were all the adults so scary today, sob…
Jiang Yan sat to one side with a cup of tea, taking a sip to hide the flicker of surprise on his face.
Back then, after passing the county examination and becoming a licentiate, his marriage prospects had become highly sought after. Among the families in the county who wished to ally with him, the Qian family had not been the best choice. Several gentry households would have been more suitable than the merchant Qian family. But he had valued the Qian family’s large and thriving household, their deep roots in the county—local power in their own right—and their willingness to fully support his studies.
Even so, he had only agreed after meeting Madam Qian in person.
She was beautiful, and he naturally liked that, but what he valued more was her gentle and compliant nature.
His widowed mother, Madam Sun, had a forceful temperament. If his wife were equally strong-willed, the household would never know peace.
The Qian family had another advantage. Qian Dayou, as a wealthy merchant, was determined to elevate the family’s standing. All the children in the family had received education—the daughters included.
Only today did Jiang Yan realize that Madam Qian was, in fact, a hard-hearted person.
His son deliberately showed his swollen, reddened palms, cried that his back was injured, and complained that his buttocks hurt too much to kneel. She clearly felt pain for him, yet she turned a blind eye and a deaf ear, refusing to let him muddle through with a few pitiful words.
Once one set out to discipline a child, one could not stop halfway. Otherwise, authority would be lost.
This was very good.
It took the time of an entire meal before Madam Qian finished scolding her son. Jiang Yan then spoke at the right moment. "I have already punished him. Mother cannot manage two children at once, so I intend to move Jingxing into the main room. A child of over three years can already begin his education. You can start teaching him the Thousand Character Classic…"
Madam Qian first felt a flash of joy, then quickly said, "My learning is limited—how could I instruct him properly? Husband, we should still invite a teacher to teach him."
"It may take time to find a suitable one. I will keep an eye out. For now, teach him with peace of mind. I will regularly check his studies," Jiang Yan said. Then he lowered his head and told his son, "From today onward, you will live in the main room."
Jiang Jingxing wanted to shout, "I refuse!" Mother was far more terrifying than Grandmother! But under his father’s stern gaze, he could only nod instinctively, like a pecking chick.
Madam Qian quickly called for people to prepare the room. Seeing her busy, Jiang Yan did not intend to stay long. "Today’s matter was resolved thanks to your mother’s mediation. Ask her to stay the night—there is no need for her to return in a hurry. I will go to the Qian household later and inform your father."
The two families lived in the same county. When Madam Zhang visited during the day, she would usually return home at night.
Madam Qian had Jin Sui take Jingxing away, then softly asked Jiang Yan, "Is there something you need from my father? Otherwise, a message would suffice—you wouldn’t need to go in person."
Jiang Yan reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Jin Sui and Yinzhu immediately lowered their heads, lifted the curtain, and withdrew.
Madam Qian’s cheeks flushed as she leaned into Jiang Yan’s arms.
Only when the room was left with the two of them did Jiang Yan say, "Two traffickers were caught today, but one accomplice escaped."
He had expected to uncover more within the crowd, but after inspection, there truly were no additional accomplices. Even so, three people already constituted a criminal group. Judging from their behavior, the street abduction had indeed been a spur-of-the-moment act.
"Of the two captured, one was merely hired muscle. The other—judging by appearance alone—would be taken for a child of around ten. Strangely, she possesses great strength and can feign idiocy to perfection. An ordinary person cannot distinguish truth from falsehood."
"Upon investigation, this ‘child’ turned out to be a dwarf—born with a stunted body that will never grow taller. In reality, she is over twenty years old. Her strength and mind are those of an adult, and she even knows some basic martial techniques. Not only children—even a slightly less robust man would have difficulty subduing her."
Madam Qian clicked her tongue. "Such a strange thing exists?"
"Indeed," Jiang Yan said. "This group is no ordinary band of traffickers. Under severe interrogation, the dwarf refused to reveal the whereabouts of the accomplice. The hired muscle, however, had only recently joined and could not withstand questioning—he did reveal a hideout where abducted children are being kept."
Madam Qian’s eyes widened. "Then we must quickly send people to rescue them!"
"Do not worry, Yuan'er. The County Magistrate has already dispatched people."
Jiang Yan sighed. "Unfortunately, the hired muscle does not know where the accomplice is. The elderly woman who escaped should be the leader of the three. I was thinking—since they are outsiders who frequently move about the county, perhaps someone has taken notice of them…"
Madam Qian said, "I understand. You want my father to help locate the leader. That is a good idea—he knows people from all walks of life. Perhaps there will be leads."
She pushed Jiang Yan lightly. "These traffickers are truly detestable! This is important—go quickly."
"No rush," Jiang Yan said. "The county yamen has already sent people to hunt down the accomplice. The Registrar is in charge of local security and has captured many criminals before. Asking your father to keep watch is merely to cover any gaps."
If that person were clever, he would already have fled the county.
What Jiang Yan was doing would most likely be futile—but it was the only thing he could do. The credit for this case lay plainly before him. By all rights, his role could not be overlooked—the children taken were his, and he had been the one to capture the traffickers. Yet, given the conduct of the previous County Magistrate, he had his concerns—how the case would be reported to the prefecture depended entirely on Magistrate Huang’s discretion.
Thinking of this, Jiang Yan could no longer sit still.
After he left, Madam Zhang entered the room. "I have already applied medicine to Jingxing. The skin on both his hands has broken, and the injuries on his back and buttocks are somewhat lighter, but for the next few days his sitting and lying down will be affected. After this lesson, he will certainly remember it. Since your husband wishes to be a strict father, you should be the gentle mother. Go check on him later and make sure he drinks the calming soup the kitchen sends over, so he doesn’t have nightmares. As for your mother-in-law, I’ve already had Yinzhu send a pot over…"
Madam Qian was still lost in thought. Hearing this, she said blankly, "The girl is still young—she shouldn’t be given medicine casually."
"You foolish child! That’s for your mother-in-law!" Madam Zhang huffed, squeezing her plump body into a chair. "Youxi has such a long wound across his abdomen…"
She gestured. "The physician stitched it like embroidery before the bleeding finally stopped. If that knife had struck Jingxing instead… that would have been… that would have been…"
How could he have survived?
Even now, there was no certainty that Youxi would recover.
The physician had forbidden anyone from moving him and required him to remain at the clinic overnight.
If he did not develop a fever tonight, that would be a great blessing. If he did, the chances were grim—even if he survived, his mind might be damaged.
Madam Qian said, "Mother, tell the physician to use the best medicine. No matter the cost, we will pay."
"Of course. He took the blow meant for our boy—no matter what happens, the family must take responsibility for him."
Madam Zhang continued, "If your mother-in-law causes trouble, don’t argue with her—just send him to my place. Where has your husband gone?"
Madam Qian explained about the traffickers. Madam Zhang kept chanting "Amitabha," then comforted her daughter, "Heaven’s justice is clear—such villains will surely be punished."
In the study, someone else was saying the same thing: "Heaven’s justice is clear—such villains will surely be punished."
Magistrate Huang Yundao, flushed with excitement, sprang to his feet, clutching a piece of double-sided embroidered cloth. He paced before his desk and said, "Among those who had contact with the Jiang family’s girl, a group of children could not possibly possess such an item to convey affection. Nor could it belong to the two villagers who acted bravely. However, one of the traffickers’ testimonies stated that the mastermind excels in disguise. His appearance is unknown even to his accomplices, but based on his build and manner of speech, his true gender should be male."
"This must belong to the escaped mastermind! That Jiang family girl must have been drawn to the bright colors and unique style of the talisman and grabbed it. Truly—heaven’s justice is clear…"
If Miss Player were present, she would have told him that while the process was roughly correct, the motive was entirely wrong.
Lady Huang took a sip of tea and said, "This is not heaven’s justice—it is that child’s sharp wit. She tore the talisman from the mastermind herself, which is why the case has progressed. You must remember to credit her."
"Of course."
Magistrate Huang readily agreed, completely forgetting that he had once privately scoffed that "a mere infant could not discern character." For the first time, when his mother praised the Jiang family’s girl, he sincerely echoed her.
"That girl is indeed clever and perceptive, blessed with good fortune."
Otherwise, how could she attract such criminals and still emerge unharmed?
Lady Huang nodded in satisfaction. "Go and attend to your duties. Do not put yourself in danger—but do not let the criminal escape either."
"Rest assured! This talisman is a love charm made by Wan’an Temple in this county. Only a local would know to hide a portrait and writing inside it to ensure a man’s lasting affection. And such exquisite double-sided embroidery is beyond ordinary embroiderers. With a bit of inquiry, we can find who made it. Once we find that woman, tracing the criminal will be as simple as following the vine to the melon."
Magistrate Huang said sternly, "As long as that criminal remains within Cuixi County, I will dig three feet into the ground if I must—I will drag him out."
He had a strong intuition: the criminal had not yet fled the county.