Mrs. Zhou was extremely sad and desperate. Her mind was bleeding. She did not have her own mind. She could not see anything surrounding her. She only thought of her beloved husband and three loving children.
w.a.n.g Mah saw it and felt painful. She could not stop sighing. She was advising Mrs. Zhou that she should be careful when she arrived at Yan Mansion. She should stay in the room and do not go out. She should avoid the young master and ladies in case of provoking troubles...
Mrs. Zhou did not answer her and still stay there without a movement.
w.a.n.g Mah looked at Mrs. Zhou"s misery. She sighed and was hurried to clean the house.
The room was quiet, so as to the downstairs. There were shouts coming out from time to time.
Suddenly, someone outside the small building shouted, "My wife, where are you? My wife, where are you?"
Mrs. Zhou heard the familiar shouts. She stood up at once and rushed to open the window. She saw her husband was there when she looked out. She seemed to reunite with her husband. She tore down and burst into tears.
Zhang Erlin panicked and hurriedly asked, "My wife, what"s wrong with you? Did they hurt you?"
"My husband, I am sorry! Why does my fate so poor? I feel painful. I am so painful..."
Mrs. Zhou was crying and spat her endless sadness and pain to her loved ones.
Zhang Erlin was even more anxious and urged, "My wife, tell me. What happened?"
Mrs. Zhou tore down and stared at her husband without a blink with sadness on her face.
She mourned, "My husband, our family will depend on you in the future. You should take care of yourself!"
"My wife, why do you say something like this? You will be the one to support our family. Come down and go home with me."
He really wanted to go upstairs to pick up Mrs. Zhou, but Li Tietou and Chen Dahu were guarding over the gate. He could not go inside.
Mrs. Zhou did not answer him and continue to say, "Our kids are young. No matter what happens later on, you should raise them to adulthood."
"My wife, what"s wrong with you? Why are you saying something like this? Are they hurting you?"
Zhang Erlin was more anxious and stared at Mrs. Zhou upstairs.
Mrs. Zhou looked at her husband affectionately. Her grief and despair were constantly flowing with tears. She did not pay attention to Zhang Erlin"s questioning, but crying and advising. She said and chocked with sobbing. Her words were full of love and affection, so as to the pain of yearning.
She looked at her husband affectionately and burst into tears. She said, "My husband, your body is still weak after the illness. Don"t be too tired and take care of yourself."
Zhang Erlin felt sad and tore down. He wiped his tear. In order not to sink her beloved wife in sorrow, he had to hold his anger. He did not ask what happened and hoped she could get downstairs to go home with him.
Mrs. Zhou looked at her dependent husband and could not stop crying, flowing with endless desperation and painful emotions...
Zhang Erlin saw his wife was full of pain and felt that there was something wrong. He was anxious and angry, tearing down painfully. He could not pay attention to others and hoped to take his beloved wife back home. He did not hope anything more to happen.
Mrs. Zhou burst into tears bitterly. "My husband, I am sorry for you. I have a bitter fate. I have no other way, no other way... My husband, I don"t want to leave you and our kids. I have, have no face to see you again. My life is painful! My husband, keep my words, please!"
"I keep it." Zhang Erlin was full of tears and sobbed. "My wife, don"t say anything more. Come down and go back home with me. Our kids are waiting for you at home."
"My kids, I don"t want to leave you! You"re so young. I don"t want to leave you. I don"t want to... I can"t take care of you. I will miss you. I will miss you..."
Mrs. Zhou burst into tears and her tears were pouring down. She could not control her grief.
Zhang Erlin felt not good and urged her in a hurry. He could not wait to come for his wife"s side and took her away from this terrible place.
Mrs. Zhou looked at her husband with missing expression. "My husband, you should take care of your body and our kids. Remember?"
"I know, and you will too. Our family needs you. Come down and let"s go back to talk about it."
Mrs. Zhou cried even more and looked at her husband with deep affection.
Then, she shouted, "My husband, I am sorry. You must remember my words. I will leave. You should take care of our kids and be careful!"
At the end of her voice, she fell down and heavily hit on the ground.
Zhang Erlin was shocked and hurriedly ran over to pick up Mrs. Zhou. He shouted and screamed. He did not know what to do.
Mrs. Zhou slammed her head and stunned. Her b.l.o.o.d.y face still showed sadness. This gentle and kind woman struggled with death and embarked on a long road of no return. It was really heartbreaking.
Yan Xiaopeng came out of the house and looked at it. He could not help frowning and shaking his head.
He snorted and said to himself, "This is not a big deal. There is no need to cry and look for death. Is it worthy? She is really not worth bringing forward! Ah, she is so young and beautiful. Why should she look for death? It"s a pity. If she can stay with me for a few days more... ah..." He sighed while saying.
Living Yama took out two qian of silver and handed it to Li Tietou, giving Zhang Erlin to find a doctor. He hoped that he still had a chance to meet this beautiful lady in the future. He no longer cared about Mrs. Zhou in a coma and miserable Zhang Erlin. He left without turning back.
Li Tietou looked at the back of Yan Xiaopeng and felt emotional. His master was worthwhile on this trip and came back with satisfaction.
He shook his head and came to Mrs. Zhou slowly.
Zhang Erlin did not wait for his answer and asked, "What happened to my wife? Was she raped by Living Yama?
Li Tietou snorted. "Don"t ask me. Are you happy if I tell you this detail clearly?"
He looked at the lake. Yan Xiaopeng had already left by ship. He sighed again.
He turned his head and saw Zhang Erlin still watching him. He snorted and said, "Well, since you want to know, I can tell you the truth. Your wife has been raped by my master. If not, how can I let you go."
Zhang Erlin was very angry and wanted to find troubles of Living Yama. However, that bully had left by ship. Where should he look for him? Besides, he was looking for death to talk with that fierce bully.
Li Tietou stared at him. "Find a doctor for your wife since she gets badly hurt. Why are you still finding trouble here?"
Zhang Erlin suddenly woke up and hurriedly picked up Mrs. Zhou, running to the village.
Li Tietou looked at the silver coins in his hand and said with a smile, "Brother, we have money to drink today."
Chen Dahu was also full of smiles, looking at Zhang Erlin"s back and wearing a proud expression.
Li Tietou sighed. "Our master is really lucky!"
Chen Dahu also lamented, "Yes, our master means what he said and does whatever he wants. We can"t compare with him."
Zhang Erlin took his wife to the doctor tiredly.
The doctor saw Mrs. Zhou getting hurt so badly and took action at once. He touched her veins and tested her breath under her nose. He could not but shake his head.
He looked at Zhang Erlin and sighed. "Your wife is no longer alive. Go back and prepare her a funeral. Such a good person. How can this happen? Ah..."
This was like a bolt from the blue sky, which completely shocked Zhang Erlin. He was extremely terrified and sorrowful, sitting down on the ground. He was stunned and burst into tears. He was out of consciousness when encountering such a huge attack. Heaven and earth would not help him.
It was noon. The sky was full of dark clouds. The wind was roaring lime the raging horses. "Crack..." The thunder was continuous and rains poured down. In an instant, heaven and earth disappeared. Everything was hard to see...
His wife who had been with him for many years suddenly pa.s.sed away, which seemed that his family had fallen down. Zhang Erlin did not know how to live up in the future. How could he support this family alone?
He tore down all days and felt sorrowful and yearning. He was suffering from pain and despair...
He could not bear this anger and went to the teacher Mr. w.a.n.g to help him write a plaint. He needed to go to the government to accuse Yan Xiaopeng.
Mr. w.a.n.g shook his head and sighed. He tried to persuade him that he should endure this for his children. For this generation, one would be strong if he had money. He could not win the bully.
Besides, Yan Xiaopeng colluded the government. The officers in government had the same purposes with him. Zhang Erlin should not provoke them. Perhaps, he would be killed.
What if he was in danger? What should the three little kids do in the future?
Endure it. Poor people had no power and wealth, neither reliance. They could only endure it. What should they do?
Zhang Erlin felt grief and anger. He could not endure it or allow his beloved wife to die with grief. He could not care about anything with his anger. He was bent on revenge for Mrs. Zhou and hoped that Living Yama could be captured. He pleaded Mr. w.a.n.g to write a plaint for him.
Mr. w.a.n.g was very sympathetic to Zhang Erlin. He was also saddened by Mrs. Zhou"s death. He thought of Yan Xiaopeng and also hated him deeply. However, he dared not offend the vicious man.
When he found that Zhang Erlin did not listen to his persuasion and would sue Yan Xiaopeng even if he would die, he felt somewhat helpless. He had no way to persuade him, but could not refuse his demand, so he had to agree.
Mr. w.a.n.g had some scruples and repeatedly advised Zhang Erlin that he could not tell anyone who had written this plaint.
Zhang Erlin made a bow to thank him, "Sir, be at ease. You have a benefit for me. I will not bring you trouble."
Mr. w.a.n.g wrote it in his left hand. He was thinking while writing. He was at a slow speed because he did not get used to writing in the left hand.
Zhang Erlin got the plaint and kowtowed him for appreciation. He had arranged his kids in his neighbor Li Gousheng"s home. Then, he went straight to the county.
In the lobby of the county, when the judge"s gavel fell down, the soldiers on both sides called "Court starts, be quiet", which made people feel chilled.
The officer shouted and asked, "Who is over there? Take him in."
The followers answered and took Zhang Erlin to the lobby.
The officer saw him and asked, "Who are you going to sue? Do you have a plaint?"
"I have plaint." Zhang Erlin hurriedly took it out.
The soldier took the plaint and handed it over.
When the officer took the plaint and read it, he was stunned. He raised his head to look at Zhang Erlin and shook his head gently.
The handwriting on the paper was neat and no tip of a writing brush. It could easily tell that it was written by a person with lower education. The sentences were normal without any literary, but it was very fluent. The cause and result were clear, showing out a chilling intent out of the plain.
He shook his head and said, "You will sue Yan Xiaopeng? He has a group of women in his mansion, so how can he rape a woman in the village. It"s nonsense!"
Zhang Erlin immediately answered, "My Lord, I tell the truth. My wife has been forced to death by Yan Xiaopeng. His servants Li Tietou and Chen Dahu are also there. They know this issue. Please, figure it out."
The officer clapped his judge"s gavel and shouted, "Be quiet and don"t say something nonsense. Master Yan is a gentleman in our county, so how can he do such a shameless thing? You contempt a good man, so I should judge your crime. I know you are just a villager and know little of the rules. It is the first time for you to commit a crime. I will let go of you. Go out, now."
The soldiers on both sides issued a stalwart and the sticks in their hands. .h.i.t the ground, making the majestic place even more terrible.
Although the county lobby was very scary, Zhang Erlin had no fear. He was still shouting for grievance and pleading the officer to host the justice and to punish the criminal.