Chapter 239 The Prefect
"Father, mother."
Xu Zaohua fell to her knees in front of her parents-in-law and burst into tears.
"Let me tell you the truth. The original formula of the medicine for eliminating ear rot was not prepared by me, but by someone else. You all know this person. She is the widow Tong from Qinghe Bay." Xu Zaohua said.
When Mr. Zheng and his wife heard Xu Zaohua mention Tong Huaqiong, their faces suddenly darkened.
If Widow Tong had not gone back on her word, her granddaughter might have married into the Zheng family to bring good luck, and their eldest son would still be alive.
Widow Tong is the enemy of the Zheng family.
"This widow Tong is so powerful that she can even make medicine?" Mr. Zheng asked in disbelief.
Xu Zaohua said, "I don't know how lucky I am, but this medicine was indeed prepared by her. I thought she was the enemy of the Zheng family and I couldn't let her get away with it, so I secretly took the pesticides she distributed to the villagers and found someone to prepare it in the capital. I originally thought that the prescription would enhance the reputation of my Zheng family, so I first asked my uncle to take it and try the effect, but I didn't expect it to ruin the crops now."
"But I really don't know whether it was my prescription that had problems, or whether my uncle secretly prescribed the medicine and destroyed the crops and then blamed it on me. My uncle is a person... no matter whether I provided the prescription or not, he will insist that it was me. Dad, Mom, please forgive me this time for the sake of my deceased husband and the child in my belly."
"If my reputation of making fake medicine spreads, let alone how our Zheng family will do business, I'm afraid it will also tarnish my husband's reputation during his lifetime."
Xu Zaohua held her stomach and cried bitterly.
The husband and children she mentioned touched Mrs. Zheng.
Mrs. Zheng's eyes were red and she asked the maid beside her to help Xu Zaohua up.
"Master, I think this is all caused by Widow Tong. Why don't we put the blame on Widow Tong for the fake medicine?" Mrs. Zheng said gritting her teeth.
No matter how much of a spoiled brat a country widow is, she will become a coward once she is brought to court.
Mr. Zheng had the same idea, so he nodded and arranged for someone to go to the county government office.
Xu Zaohua hurriedly stopped him and said, "No. I heard that Widow Tong had hooked up with Master Liu and persuaded him to accept her as his godmother."
Mr. Zheng and Mrs. Zheng were shocked again when they heard the news. This crazy country woman actually wanted Lord Liu to recognize her as his godmother. Is this world too crazy or is Lord Liu crazy?
Mrs. Zheng said, "This widow is quite capable."
Then Mrs. Zheng began to blame Xu Zaohua again. She knew very well that this crazy woman was the godmother of Magistrate Liu, so how dare she steal Widow Tong's prescription.
Now he has shot himself in the foot and wants the Zheng family to be laughed at together.
Especially being laughed at by Widow Tong.
What a shame!
If possible, Xu Zaohua would certainly like to put the blame for the fake medicine on the widow.
I’m afraid that County Magistrate Liu will favor Widow Tong.
But what if they report it to an official higher than Magistrate Liu, such as the prefect?
Thinking of this, Xu Zaohua said, "Dad, Mom, in the end it's all Widow Tong's fault. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have thought of making the medicine. Since I made the medicine using Widow Tong's prescription, there must be something wrong with Widow Tong's prescription. County Magistrate Liu favors her. If the prefect knew about this, I don't know what the result would be."
Mr. Zheng’s eyes lit up.
He was so angry that Xu Zaohua caused trouble that he forgot to take the opportunity to deal with Widow Tong.
Could County Magistrate Liu’s thighs be as thick as the prefect’s?
The new prefect was considered half his junior fellow apprentice. He had met this junior fellow apprentice twice when he was studying at Wanliu Academy. He didn't believe that the prefect would stand on the side of a shrew instead of him in the matter of fake medicine.
"Quick, quick, bring me a pen so I can write a letter." Mr. Zheng shouted repeatedly.
Soon, writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstone were presented. Mr. Zheng used his life's talent to describe Tong Huaqiong's evil deeds of making fake medicines. He took his own seal and sent a trusted person to deliver it to the prefect at full speed.
After the confidant went to the capital, Madam Zheng said, "We can take this opportunity to deal with Widow Tong. This will be considered revenge for my eldest son."
Tong Huaqiong in Qinghe Bay was unaware that Xu Zaohua had joined forces with the Zheng family to deal with her.
Since Tong Huaqiong was one of the parties involved in the "fake medicine" scandal, she also needed to go to the county government to testify.
Gu Jingzhe accompanied Tong Huaqiong to complete the testimony.
Xu Yong has always refused to plead guilty and put all the blame on Xu Zaohua.
Based on Tong Huaqiong's understanding of Xu Yong, this "fake medicine" was definitely prepared by Xu Zaohua.
It was only because of the Zheng family and the baby in Xu Zaohua's belly that she was temporarily saved.
Tong Huaqiong felt regretful. She really wanted to confront Xu Zaohua in court.
Tong Huaqiong was about to leave the county government office after giving her testimony.
Then he heard someone announce that the prefect had arrived, and County Magistrate Liu was so frightened that the gavel in his hand almost fell down.
Why did the prefect come to Pingchuan County?
Could it be that the fake drug scandal in Pingchuan County has spread to Ningcheng?
County Magistrate Liu went out to greet him.
"Your humble servant greets Lord Yao. Lord, why are you here?"
County Magistrate Liu saluted to Prefect Yao, and felt a little relieved when he saw his cousin Lu Zhaoyang beside Prefect Yao.
"I am here to use pesticides to eliminate ear rot." said Prefect Yao.
County Magistrate Liu didn't know whether Governor Yao was looking for fake medicine or real medicine.
Prefect Yao had only been in Ningcheng for two months, and County Magistrate Liu didn't know the new prefect very well.
Now the medicine provided by Tong Huaqiong has been prepared.
It was first used in Yanguan Town and then promoted in various towns and villages in Pingchuan County. County Magistrate Liu had no time to inform Prefect Yao.
It must be my cousin who told Prefect Yao. After all, my cousin has a close relationship with Prefect Yao, and his family’s cornfield has already started using the medicine given by Tong Huaqiong.
I wonder if Prefect Yao will blame him for only focusing on his own county after getting the good things and ignoring the villagers of Ningcheng.
"Sir Yao, I am planning to go to Ningcheng in a few days to meet you and discuss this matter." County Magistrate Liu said.
Prefect Yao nodded.
Tong Huaqiong looked at Magistrate Yao carefully. This was the highest-ranking official she had ever met when she was reincarnated as Tong Da Jiao.
Lu Zhaoyang had already spotted Tong Huaqiong, and he stepped forward and called out "Aunt Tong." He excitedly said to Master Yao, "Brother, this is the Aunt Tong I mentioned to you who formulated the pesticide to eliminate ear rot."
Master Yao strode to Tong Huaqiong and said in a friendly manner, "I have heard from my junior brother that Aunt Tong from Qinghe Bay is extraordinary. Today I see that it is indeed true."
Tong Huaqiong's mouth twitched. This senior official looked older than her, but he called her Aunt Tong.
However, Magistrate Yao is Lu Zhaoyang's senior brother, so there is nothing wrong with her accepting his offer of Aunt Tong's favor.
Tong Huaqiong had wronged Prefect Yao. Prefect Yao only looked mature, but in terms of age, he was actually a young and talented man.
Prefect Yao passed the imperial examination the year before last and was transferred from the capital to Ningcheng to serve as prefect this summer.
He was originally from Shengjing. When he was young, he came to his ancestral home outside Ningcheng and studied at Wanliu Academy.
His maternal grandfather's house was connected to the Lu family's house. Lu Zhaoyang had known him since childhood, and they had a master-student relationship in Wanliu Academy, so the two were like real brothers.
Tong Huaqiong searched Tong Dajiao's mind and found that in the previous life, Governor Yao also played a role in killing Jingzhe in the Valley of Death.
When Prefect Yao in Ningcheng heard that someone in Pingchuan County had prepared fake medicine, causing several acres of corn to die, he was furious.
At this time, Mr. Zheng's letter arrived.
Prefect Yao did not have much impression of this senior brother who was much older than him. It was only until the person who delivered the letter said that it was about fake medicine in Yanguan Town, Pingchuan County that he ordered someone to bring the letter in.
The letter revealed that the fake medicine was prepared by Widow Tong, the owner of Peach Blossom Dessert in Yanguan Town.