Reborn as a Happy Wife in a Rural Family
Chapter 56: Arrest

Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Arrest

There was no need to elaborate on the officials; they were inherently part of the imperial court. Scholars were the pillars of the nation, and most individuals within the court originated from scholarly backgrounds.

If martial arts forces were to infiltrate them, would the court still remain the court?

What if, one day, the martial arts world grew discontented and rose in rebellion? Would the court be able to withstand them?

It would surely be overthrown.

Heroes often emerge from humble beginnings, and in times of chaos, some from such origins had even conquered the world.

TSK, TSK, TSK...

Gu Dahe must have read himself stupid, Magistrate Xu secretly sighed, daring to touch the Emperor’s inverse scale.

He pulled out an arrest arrow from the bamboo tube and declared, "Captain Han, apprehend Gu Dahe of Qinghe Village and all his associates for this magistrate immediately."

He then informed Captain Han that Gu Dahe was a student at the Qinghe Private School.

A sword-bearing constable standing by, ready for orders, nodded in acknowledgment. He accepted the arrest arrow, gathered six bailiffs, and they hastily departed from the county yamen.

Once the bailiffs had gone, Magistrate Xu began to observe the five people kneeling in the hall.

The black-robed man, trussed up and lying on the ground like a lamb awaiting slaughter, appeared utterly devoid of spirit.

Hmph! Magistrate Xu sneered internally. He knows there’s basically no escape once he’s in the government’s hands. Why put on this lifeless act now? He should have thought of that earlier.

He then glanced at Xiao Yunjing, who kept his head bowed. The aura emanating from this man was... how to describe it? It suggested an unapproachable and ineffable nobility.

Magistrate Xu squinted, propping his chin on his hand. He claims to be a commoner from Qinghe Village. A farmer?

Unlikely, highly unlikely, Magistrate Xu mused.

The advisor, observing his magistrate, wondered with confusion, Why is he staring at that man? If he wants to look at someone, it should be the woman. Ah, no, no, I should go home and look at my wife.

Master Xu, seeing his younger brother staring at the man, shot him a fierce glare. Young Xiao bears a four-tenths resemblance to that person in the palace. Considering what happened back then, it’s entirely possible Young Xiao is him. It’s quite normal for my foolish brother to be staring.

"AHEM, AHEM, AHEM..." Master Xu coughed, giving Magistrate Xu a pointed look.

Catching his elder brother’s signal, Magistrate Xu gestured to a yamen runner below. The runner quickly fetched four rush cushions, allowing the four to kneel on them.

Magistrate Xu then turned his gaze to Gu Qingli, beside Xiao Yunjing. She appeared delicate and frail, yet her aura, reminiscent of a secluded orchid in an empty valley, was strikingly captivating.

HEHE... Interesting that Qinghe Village could produce such a young couple.

He then observed the two children. They knelt respectfully, neither flustered nor fearful, indeed showing some courage. So these are the two little rascals my elder brother has taken a liking to, he mused.

HEHE~ How peculiar. There are countless such little rascals in the Capital City, yet I’ve never seen my elder brother show interest in any of them.

Out of consideration for his elder brother, he addressed the four, "The primary suspect has not yet arrived. Continue kneeling for now. If you have any needs, inform this magistrate."

For instance, needing the privy, that can be arranged. As for food... this magistrate hasn’t eaten either. Let them all go hungry.

"Yes," Yunjing replied. He glanced sideways at Gu Qingli, worried she might not endure it.

Gu Qingli understood Yunjing’s concern and shook her head.

With the rush cushions, their knees felt much better. If they had to kneel directly on the cold ground for another two to four hours, their legs might have been crippled.

This Magistrate Xu seems to be a decent official after all, Gu Qingli thought.

While everyone waited in the public hall, Captain Han and his six men rode directly to Qinghe Town. Their horses were swift, and they arrived in less than an hour.

They headed straight for the Qinghe Private School.

The Master at Qinghe Private School was in the middle of a lesson when he saw the county yamen bailiffs enter imposingly. He quickly came forward, bowed, and asked, "May I inquire, officers, what brings you here?"

Captain Han said, "Is there a student named Gu Dahe from Qinghe Village in your school?"

The Master frowned and nodded. "Yes, there is."

"Bring him out," Captain Han ordered.

The Master hesitated, then asked, "If I may ask, Officer, what offense has Gu Dahe committed?"

"Enough chatter," Captain Han said impatiently. "Just bring the person and accompany us on a trip."

Dealing with these scholars is the most tedious, always so verbose. If it were an ordinary commoner, I’d have clapped him in irons and been done with it by now.

The Master’s heart lurched. What does he mean, ’accompany us on a trip’? What terrible crime could Gu Dahe have committed that even I, his Master, must go along?

The Master hurried forward and called out Gu Dahe, who was daydreaming in the classroom.

"Master, you were looking for me?" Gu Dahe asked fawningly.

"It’s not I who’s looking for you, it’s them," the Master replied, exasperated.

Gu Dahe followed the Master’s gesture and saw them. Heavens, bailiffs! This is terrible!

Gu Dahe bolted.

He knew the private school had a back door and dashed towards it.

Several bailiffs immediately gave chase.

Witnessing this, the Master understood at once that Gu Dahe must have committed some offense; otherwise, why would he flee?

Captain Han did not join the chase. Instead, he asked the Master, "Master, this Gu Dahe has been secretly selling children and colluding with a martial arts sect. Who does he usually associate closely with?"

"What?" The Master was so terrified upon hearing this that his legs began to shake. Collusion with people from the martial arts world! It’s over, completely over! His mind buzzed, and it took him a long moment before he managed to stammer, "He... he has two nephews, and another person from the same village. They are usually close."

Seeing the Master was so frightened he looked as if he’d lost two of his three souls, Captain Han thought, Still a scholar, yet so timid. He shook his head and offered some reassurance, "Bring them out. You will immediately accompany me to the county yamen. Don’t be afraid. As long as this has nothing to do with any of you, your private school will be fine."

Those six men have gone after the main culprit; they’ll bring him back once he’s caught. I need to take these few away first, and if necessary, I’ll have to bring in his family members too, Captain Han considered.

"Yes, yes, yes," the Master hastily agreed. He then anxiously called out Gu Dahe’s two nephews and Chen Erlang, completely forgetting to reassure his other students.

The three individuals—Gu Qingming, Chen Erlang, and Gu Qingyan—stood before Captain Han, utterly bewildered. Gu Qingming and Chen Erlang, in particular, were on the verge of tears from fright.

Only Gu Qingyan understood the situation, but he feigned ignorance and terror. I absolutely cannot speak of this, not even if it kills me. If I do, I’m finished, he thought.

"Let’s go," Captain Han said, gesturing to the four of them—the Master, Gu Qingming, Gu Qingyan, and Chen Erlang. The Master had someone bring a carriage, and the four boarded it. Captain Han followed on horseback as they headed towards the County Town.

The students remaining in the schoolroom stared at each other in dismay. The bailiffs even took the Master away! What could he have done?

A sudden panic seized the twenty-odd remaining students. With the Master arrested, how will we participate in the examinations in the second month?

In an instant, the private school descended into chaos.

Meanwhile, the six bailiffs pursuing Gu Dahe had no trouble apprehending him. One of them whipped out the chains from his waist and bound him securely.

"Officers, on what grounds are you arresting me?" Gu Dahe shouted in panic.

"On what grounds? If you have grievances, cry them out to His Honor the County Magistrate!" a bailiff retorted, dragging him away.

With the main culprit apprehended, the six bailiffs returned to the private school. Learning that their captain had already departed with several suspects, one of them slung the loudly protesting Gu Dahe onto a horse, and they too galloped off towards the County Town.