Chapter 146: Exiled to Lingnan
County Magistrate Liu was indeed furious.
Not only did Xu Kun and Xu Yong act arrogantly in the village and allow the Xu family's children to run rampant in the village, they also ruined his reputation.
He was a fatherly official who loved his people like his own children, but in the eyes of the villagers of Qinghewan, he was actually a coward who could not distinguish right from wrong.
It's really damaging to the image.
We must make a comeback today.
County Magistrate Liu had just said that a private court could not be set up in Qinghe Bay, but he could write down Xu Si's crimes on the spot.
And the plaintiffs are all ready.
Gu Jingzhe volunteered to write the article, and Tong Huaqiong became the first defendant.
"Lord Liu, I am Gu Xiaocao, and I will also sue Xu Si in person."
When Gu Xiaocao heard in the shop in the town that Tong Huaqiong was bullied by Xu Si, she hurried to the village with Gu Guangkui who came to pick her up.
Liu Qiaoyun also came along, and they all wanted to add fuel to Xu Si's charges.
She hated Xu Si so much that her teeth were itching. At the entrance of the village, she was greeted by a kind-hearted old lady who told her that County Magistrate Liu was seeking justice for everyone. How could Gu Xiaocao let Xu Si go at this moment?
"Lord Liu, Xu Si threatened to force me to marry him in the village. Xu Yong allowed Xu Si to send matchmakers to my house from time to time to propose marriage. My parents were forced to move out of the village. I dare not return to the village. Please, Lord Liu, make the decision for me." Gu Xiaocao cried bitterly.
Liu Qiaoyun continued, "Master Liu, I was on Master Xu's oxcart. Xu Si wanted to do something indecent to me in broad daylight. It was Aunt Tong and Taohua who stopped Xu Si. Aunt Tong was bullied by Xu Si today because of me... There were other witnesses in the oxcart that day. If I lied to you, I would die a miserable death."
Gu Jingzhe held the pen and wrote down all of Xu Si's crimes on the paper.
In addition to Xu Si's crimes, there is naturally the cover-up of Xu Yong as the village chief and the inaction of Xu Kun as the head of the Xu family.
After Gu Jingzhe finished writing, County Magistrate Liu ordered the accompanying yamen runners to read it again.
Tong Huaqiong was the first to press her fingerprints, followed by Gu Xiaocao, Liu Qiaoyun, and other villagers.
"Take the man away." County Magistrate Liu ordered the bailiffs.
Since County Magistrate Liu came to the countryside mainly to inspect the wheat harvest, solving cases was outside of his job, so the yamen runners who followed him did not bring any wooden shackles or other criminal instruments.
Some enthusiastic villagers provided ropes, and the yamen runners tied Xu Si tightly.
Xu Yong and Xu Kun were also tied up.
They will be taken to the county government office to await their fate.
"Brother, what crime will Xu Si be sentenced for?" Liu Shan asked a friendly-looking yamen runner with curiosity.
The onlookers pricked up their ears.
"Even if it's not a capital crime, it's inevitable that you'll be sentenced to life imprisonment. At the very least, you'll be exiled to Lingnan and won't be able to return for ten or twenty years."
Xu Si, who was tied up tightly, was shaking like a sieve.
Suddenly, a sense of nostalgia filled the air.
Xu Si was so scared that he peed his pants.
"Even if the roots are broken, it won't affect your urine."
There was a naughty boy in the village who stared at Xu Si curiously.
A smile appeared on Gu Xiaocao's face. The devil Xu Si had finally left her life, and she would never have nightmares again.
This smile seemed like a provocation to Mrs. Yan.
Mrs. Yan screamed and almost fainted.
Sent to exile in Lingnan!
She didn't know where Lingnan was, but she knew it wasn't a good place.
When listening to operas during the New Year and other festivals, the operas described a region in southern Lingnan where miasma was rampant and wild beasts were roaming. Any criminals who were exiled there and returned alive would have their ancestors’ graves filled with smoke.
Mrs. Yan was extremely heartbroken. Her son's roots and legs were broken, and it was doubtful whether he could survive to reach Lingnan.
"Master Liu, my son was indulged by Xu Kun and Xu Yong. If they hadn't said that the Xu family's children could do anything in Qinghe Bay, would my son have committed such a serious crime? Master Liu, Xu Kun and Xu Yong should be skinned alive."
Mrs. Yan started to fight with Xu Kun and Xu Yong while cursing, but was soon pulled away by the bailiffs.
"Mrs. Yan bullied the girls in the village and condoned her son's misconduct, so she took all of it away as well." County Magistrate Liu was merciless.
When Mrs. Yan heard that they were going to arrest her, she fainted with a cry when the bailiff asked the villagers for a rope.
Xu Da and his two brothers were so frightened after seeing this scene that they dared not even breathe.
I was afraid that they would be taken away as well.
The bailiffs took Xu Si, Xu Yong, Xu Kun and Yan Po away.
The villagers applauded and called County Magistrate Liu an honest official and a great ruler.
The weather in Qinghe Bay finally changed today.
From now on, the Xu family will never be able to shit on other families in the village again.
"Master Liu, Xu Yong has been taken away. Will we have no village chief in Qinghewan anymore? How are we going to pay the grain tax in a few days?" Tong Huaqiong asked.
Liu Tielian stood aside, his heart beating like a drum.
He wants to be the village chief, and he is confident that he can do a better job than Xu Yong.
"Aunt Tong, do you have any good candidates to recommend?" County Magistrate Liu asked Tong Huaqiong directly.
Tong Huaqiong thought for a moment and said, "We all know that Liu Tielian in the village is a capable man who is fair in his work. He led his men to dig the ditch in our village. He always handles any issues in the village fairly. Let me tell you, I think he is suitable to be the village chief."
Tong Huaqiong thought that since she was asked, she would definitely nominate Liu Tielian.
She wanted to choose a member of the Gu family, but who in the Gu family could be qualified to be the village chief?
The head of the Gu family has not come forward until now, and she doesn't believe that he didn't get the news that she was bullied.
The stepson Gu Dahan has no chance of becoming the village chief, and Gu Dashu can't become the village chief either, even if he is a flying monkey.
Gu Jingzhe is suitable, firstly, he is too young, and secondly, he wants to study and pursue a career in politics.
The only suitable one is Liu Tielian.
He has prestige in the village, is relatively fair in his work, and is also the uncle of her daughter-in-law.
It would be better to just do him a favor.
Presumably, when Gu Jingzhe asked Liu Tong to go to Niujiazhuang to invite County Magistrate Liu, he was planning to let Liu Tielian replace Xu Yong.
The Liu family has always been dissatisfied with the Xu family. For so many years, because of Xu Kun and Xu Yong, the Liu family has been avoiding the spotlight in the village.
How can I be willing to accept this?
She proposed that Liu Tielian be the village chief. Not only was she doing Liu Tielian a favor, but the entire Liu family would also be indebted to her.
"Since Aunt Tong has recommended me, it would be hypocritical to continue to decline. Lord Liu, please rest assured and leave Qinghe Bay to me. I will definitely be a good village chief of Qinghe Bay." Liu Tielan took the opportunity to express his opinion to County Magistrate Liu, following Tong Huaqiong's words.
He would be a fool if he didn't step up with such a good opportunity.
County Magistrate Liu was at a loss as to what to say.
He had some impression of Liu Tielian, and his style of doing things did seem more reliable than Xu Yong's.
Let him be the village chief of Moon Bay temporarily. It won’t be a big deal if he is replaced if he doesn’t work out.
County Magistrate Liu smiled and said, "Okay, you will temporarily serve as the village chief of Qinghewan. Take care of this year's tax grain and summer farming. If you do a good job, you will officially serve as the village chief of Qinghewan."
Liu Tielian thanked him again and again and made assurances.
When the Liu family members heard the news that Liu Tielian would be the village chief, they were very grateful to Tong Huaqiong. At the same time, they used the example of the Xu family members as a warning to each other not to hold back the Liu family clan.