Chapter 41: Arrest Them All

Hua Qinci was so stunned by fear that she stood rooted to the spot, unable to believe that someone would dare to strike another, and with such force.

“No fighting, no injuring others! You are not allowed to start a brawl or cause a disturbance!” Constable Zhao shouted.

“Beat him up! What are you afraid of? If he dies, I’ll take responsibility. The sooner a scourge like that is gone, the better for everyone!” At the man’s command, the entire scene erupted into chaos.

“Wei San’er!” Hua Qinci wanted to rush forward, but several burly men raised their fists and charged at her instead.

“Stop fighting, stop it! Let’s talk this out!” Doctor Li tried to mediate in a drawn-out plea, but it was useless—his voice was completely drowned out by the commotion.

“Bah! You useless fool! A toad trying to eat swan meat, courting death, are you? Let me help you!” Those who relished bullying Wei San’er seized the opportunity to beat him mercilessly.

“San’er, my San’er! Don’t hit him, stop!” Wei San’er’s wife, hearing the uproar, rushed out. Seeing her husband lying in a pool of blood downstairs, surrounded and being kicked and punched, she panicked and, in her haste, tumbled down the stairs.

“Sister-in-law Wei!” Hua Qinci saw her rolling down from the stairs, eyes wide and shouting until her voice broke. She tried to rush forward but was stopped by Qin Youtian.

“Qinci, don’t move, be careful,” Qin Youtian blocked her path, refusing to fight back even as those men struck at him, always watching out for Hua Qinci.

“Wei San’er! Sister-in-law Wei!” The scene was utter pandemonium; the constable and villagers tangled together, Wei San’er lay motionless, while Sister-in-law Wei desperately fought her way to his side and cradled him, weeping bitterly.

“You, Hua! If I’m doomed either way, I’ll take you down with me today!” The ringleader was the husband of the woman from earlier—short and swarthy, but his blows were deadly.

He wielded a hoe and had swung it down intending to strike Hua Qinci, but Wei San’er, coming down the stairs, intervened just in time. Otherwise, it would have been Hua Qinci’s head that was split open.

“Hua Qinci, you shameless liar! May you die a miserable death! Even if I die, I’ll drag you with me!”

Qin Youtian caught the swinging hoe, and as the man abandoned the weapon, he hurled his fists at Hua Qinci behind Qin Youtian.

“In broad daylight, in front of an officer, you dare gather to cause trouble and injure people without reason? Arrest them all and bring them to the yamen for questioning!” Seeing the shop in total disarray and the owner missing—likely off to report to the authorities—Constable Zhao realized he could not let them commit crimes right under his nose and ordered them seized.

“Arrest everyone and take them to the yamen!” Constable Zhao had barely finished when the shop owner returned with several other officers. The one in the lead ignored everyone and, before even stepping inside, shouted with arrogant authority.

Several constables rushed in behind him, each drawing their blades.

With the officers taking real action, a few villagers gave up resisting, and even the short ringleader was subdued.

The shop was in ruins, but Hua Qinci cared only for Wei San’er and his wife. She hurried over, anxious to tend to Wei San’er’s wounds.

“Take them all back—are you deaf?” the arrogant officer snapped impatiently when his subordinates hesitated at those Constable Zhao was shielding.

Hua Qinci had no time for anything else, busy trying to save Wei San’er as Sister-in-law Wei’s heart-wrenching sobs shook her to the core, her desperate pleas unending.

Wei San’er was gravely injured—if she didn’t staunch the bleeding, the consequences could be dire. He was already simple-minded; this time, he might be left an imbecile.

Now that things had come to this, she could not shake the feeling that she had used and deceived everyone. She knew it was terribly wrong, even if it had been out of necessity.

Constable Zhao glanced at the busy Hua Qinci, his brow furrowing as he drew his blade and shouted, “Who dares!”