novelhk Chapter 497: Slandered
Chapter 497: Slandered
Just then, Pei Yan and Ouyang Tuoba returned to the inn. When they saw their wives being threatened, they didn't hesitate to attack the Whale Gang. Ouyang Tuoba was agile, and before the Whale Gang leader could even react, he was captured alive.
Faced with this predicament, the leader of the Whale Gang remained calm and declared, "If anyone dares to harm me in the slightest, I guarantee that everyone in the entire inn will not survive the night."
Ouyang Tuoba was already furious, and roared, "You villain, how dare you threaten me!" It turned out that he and Pei Yan had rushed there after learning about the mountain stronghold, only to find there was no stronghold at all—it was all a lie. Enraged, they decided to turn back, but then encountered extremely bad weather, forcing them to seek shelter from the rain. Unexpectedly, the cave they were sheltering in suddenly collapsed, trapping them inside until today.
Pei Yan was covered in mud and grime; he, who was always very clean, was now incredibly slovenly.
Once the situation was under control, Fang Xiaoxiao was not afraid of the Whale Gang leader's threats. She walked straight up to him and slapped him across the face.
"Snap!" A crisp sound echoed through the inn.
"You villain, how dare you be so arrogant!" Fang Xiaoxiao glared angrily.
The leader of the Whale Gang was somewhat stunned by the slap.
"You, you just wait!" he retorted defiantly.
Li Wan'er said, "Hmph, still being stubborn even at a time like this."
Hongxiu chimed in, "Exactly, let's see what else you can do."
Pei Yan stepped forward and said, "Hand him over to the authorities and see what other evil deeds he can commit."
Ouyang Tuoba nodded: "That's exactly what I was thinking."
So they turned the Whale Gang leader over to the authorities.
Upon hearing of the Whale Gang's numerous misdeeds, the government officials immediately ordered them to be severely punished.
Having resolved the issue with the Whale Gang, Fang Xiaoxiao and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Fang Xiaoxiao couldn't help but laugh when she saw Pei Yan and Ouyang Tuoba's disheveled appearance.
"You two have really suffered a lot," Fang Xiaoxiao said.
Pei Yan smiled helplessly: "Don't even mention it, this trip was really unlucky."
Ouyang Tuoba said, "Fortunately, we returned in time, and nothing happened to you."
The group exchanged smiles and then returned to the inn together to rest.
As soon as they came out of the government office, they saw that the roadside was crowded with people. When the people saw them come out, they cheered and shouted that they were great heroes. Many children even carried eggs and vegetables and walked up to Fang Xiaoxiao.
A little boy who looked older than the other five smiled and said, "These are things my mom and dad asked me to give to you, big sister. They are all vegetables that we grow ourselves. My mom said that you and your brother are great heroes who saved our county."
The other children nodded in agreement and handed their things to Fang Xiaoxiao and the others. Fang Xiaoxiao waved her hands repeatedly, but no matter how stubborn she was, she couldn't resist the children's enthusiasm.
Finally, amidst a welcoming crowd of people lining the streets, they returned to the inn. The innkeeper excitedly offered to waive the rent and meals for Fang Xiaoxiao and her companions. Fang Xiaoxiao, of course, didn't stand on ceremony, and the group rested at the inn for the night, preparing to depart for the capital city early the next morning.
But to their surprise, just as they came downstairs, a group of constables surrounded them. The head constable directly insulted Fang Xiaoxiao and her companions, calling them heartless and inhumane, and saying that the shopkeeper was such a good person, how could they commit murder and robbery?
Fang Xiaoxiao frowned and said, "Officer, what do you mean? When did we commit murder and robbery?"
The head constable sneered, "Still trying to argue! Someone reported that the shopkeeper was killed by you last night, and all his belongings were looted."
Pei Yan angrily retorted, "That's utter nonsense! We have no grudge against the shopkeeper, why would we want to kill him?"
Ouyang Tuoba also said, "There must be some misunderstanding here."
Li Wan'er said anxiously, "Sir, you can't wrong an innocent person!"
The head constable shouted, "Enough talk, take them away!"
The officials swarmed forward, ready to arrest him.
Fang Xiao shouted, "Wait! If you're accusing us of murder and robbery, you need evidence, right?"
The head constable said, "Evidence? We'll convince you when we get to the yamen."
Just then, a mysterious person stepped out from the crowd and said, "This matter is not so simple. I think someone is deliberately framing us."
The constable shouted, "Who are you? How dare you meddle in other people's business!"
The mysterious man smiled slightly: "I just can't stand seeing people being wronged."
Fang Xiaoxiao looked at the mysterious man and said, "Thank you for speaking up for justice, brother."
The mysterious man said, "You're too kind, young lady. I believe you are innocent."
The constable said impatiently, "Take him away!"
Left with no other choice, Fang Xiaoxiao and her companions could only follow the officials to the yamen.
Upon arriving at the yamen, the magistrate slammed his gavel and asked, "Who is this person before you? What crime have you committed?"
The constable recounted the events.
Fang Xiaoxiao said, "Sir, we are innocent! We rested in our rooms all night and never went out."
The magistrate asked, "Are there any witnesses?"
Fang Xiaoxiao and the others shook their heads.
Just then, the mysterious man appeared in the courtroom and said, "Your Honor, I can testify that they did not leave the inn last night."
The magistrate asked, "Who are you?"
The mysterious man said, "I am just a passerby who happened to witness what happened last night."
The magistrate was skeptical: "Is what you say true?"
The mysterious man said, "I am willing to stake my life on this."
With the help of a mysterious person, Fang Xiaoxiao and the others were finally exonerated.
After leaving the yamen, Fang Xiaoxiao said, "Thank you for your help, brother. May I ask your name?"
The mysterious man said, "You're too kind, young lady. Just call me Ling Feng."
Fang Xiaoxiao said, "Brother Ling, I will definitely repay your kindness today."
Ling Feng said, "You flatter me, young lady. It is the duty of chivalrous people like us to help those in need."
Fang Xiaoxiao and the others finally returned to the capital, only to find everything unchanged, even the notorious Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau) was still bustling with song and dance. Fang Xiaoxiao returned to her courtyard in a daze, Li Wan'er went back to her Prince's Mansion, and only Hongxiu stayed behind to keep her company.
As for Pei Yan, Ouyang Tuoba, and the others, they were naturally busy with their own things.
Fang Xiaoxiao sighed, saying she was so tired. Hongxiu comforted her, saying it was alright. At least Jin Sanniang had received the punishment she deserved, and that Fang Xiaoxiao had done something remarkable, ensuring that no more girls would be hurt.
Fang Xiaoxiao said with a wry smile, "But the evil in this world is not limited to just one Jin Sanniang and one Jiaofangsi."
Hongxiu gently held Fang Xiaoxiao's hand: "Miss, don't worry too much. We can solve one problem at a time. Little by little, we can make this world a better place."
Fang Xiaoxiao looked up at the sky: "I hope so."
At this moment, there was a knock on the door.
Hongxiu went to open the door and saw a servant standing at the door, handing her a letter.
Hongxiu took it back and handed it to Fang Xiaoxiao. Fang Xiaoxiao opened it and her expression changed slightly.
"Miss, what's wrong?" Hongxiu asked.
Fang Xiaoxiao frowned: "It's a letter from Li Wan'er, saying that she discovered something unusual at the Prince's mansion."
Hongxiu exclaimed in surprise, "Something unusual? Could it be related to our previous experience?"
Fang Xiaoxiao pondered for a moment: "I don't know. Li Wan'er said in the letter that we should go to the Prince's Mansion as soon as possible."
Hongxiu said, "Then let's go quickly."
Fang Xiaoxiao nodded, and the two quickly tidied up before heading to the Prince's Mansion.
Upon arriving at the Prince's residence, Li Wan'er nervously ushered them inside.
"What exactly happened?" Fang Xiaoxiao asked.
Li Wan'er lowered her voice and said, "I discovered that my father has been in close contact with some mysterious people recently, and I also saw some secret accounts about the Jiaofangsi in his study."
Fang Xiaoxiao was startled: "Could it be that the Prince is also involved in the affairs of the Jiaofangsi?"
Li Wan'er said worriedly, "I'm not sure either, but I feel that things are not simple."
Fang Xiaoxiao pondered for a moment: "This matter must not be made public. We must investigate it secretly first."
Just as they were discussing their options, they suddenly heard footsteps outside.