Superstition is harmful, as they say, and it's truly no exaggeration!
Zhao Jiaqi asked the surrounding onlookers, "If he treats those young women like this, doesn't the local magistrate do anything about it?"
Onlooker: "The Zhang family paid the taxes for taking concubines, and those girls' families eagerly sent them to the manor. If one dies, those families make a fuss, and the Zhang family smooths things over with money, and that's that. The prefect can't intervene even if he wants to. Besides, any girl targeted by the Zhang family, who could escape?"
"Exactly. In this day and age, a girl's life is worth a mere thousand or eight hundred taels, and some people eagerly do such heinous deeds!"
Hearing this, Zhao Jiaqi could roughly understand why the government couldn't handle the matter. It was a case of "the common people don't report, and officials don't investigate." Even if they did investigate, the victims would speak well of the perpetrators. How could the local government intervene?
Zhao Jiaqi was truly enlightened this time!
Fan Zehao put his arm around his wife's shoulder and gently comforted her, "Let's see how things develop first."
The two stood in the crowd, listening to all sorts of gossip, and also watching the developments unfolding before them!
Shopkeeper Wang originally wanted to resolve the issue smoothly, but he was beaten up by the Zhang family's thugs. Those thugs were as if they had trained, striking with fierce blows. They not only demolished the inn but also dragged out the two people in the backyard who were trying to rescue the damsels!
Zhao Jiaqi crossed her arms and looked at the ashen-faced Huangfu Xian and the leisurely Huangfu Xu. She said, "Good brothers share hardships!"
Fan Zehao, however, chuckled, "This matter is easy to resolve. The difficult part is what to do with the two women afterward. What if the two brothers fall for the same woman..."
He gave his wife a knowing look and smiled without saying a word!
In ancient times, there were Ehuang and Nüying, but never a precedent of one woman with two husbands. Hearing her husband say this, she also felt a flicker of anticipation, wondering what the final outcome would be.
However, on second thought, what if these two women were sent by someone else, and today's events were merely a play for them?
In an instant, Zhao Jiaqi's mind had conjured up various scenarios, her imagination running wild, but she suppressed them all.
Let's take it one step at a time!
Huangfu Xian faced the master of the Zhang family. Before any direct confrontation, the sound of horses' hooves echoed from the street!
A person in a dark purple official uniform, riding a tall horse, with a group of yamen runners behind him, gestured with his arm, encircling the Zhang family's men.
Sun Mo!
Zhao Jiaqi and Fan Zehao exchanged glances. The prefect had arrived at a most opportune time, not too early, not too late!
Sun Mo dismounted and walked over. He cast a displeased glance at the master of the Zhang family, then looked at Huangfu Xian. As their eyes met, Sun Mo was momentarily stunned, then quickly knelt.
"Your subordinate, Sun Mo, prefect of Hedong Prefecture, pays his respects to Prince Xian. I was unaware of Prince Xian's presence here. I beg the Prince's punishment!"
The prefect's words were spoken in a clear, loud voice that everyone around could hear. Those further away might not have heard, but their eyes saw the prefect kneeling before someone, realizing the newcomer must be of considerable standing.
With a rustle, a crowd of people knelt down, prostrating themselves on the ground. Amidst the crowd, Zhao Jiaqi and Fan Zehao stood out like cranes in a flock of chickens.
At this moment, Zhao Jiaqi's skirt was tugged. She saw an onlooker winking at her, "Quick, kneel down! That's a prince!"
Even at this moment, someone was concerned about her. Zhao Jiaqi smiled, "It's alright, I'm higher in rank than him. The prince wouldn't dare do anything to me!"
The onlookers stared at the woman, thinking she was a bit foolish. Higher rank than a prince? Unless she was the prince's mother, what woman could be higher in rank?
Soon, their group standing without kneeling to Prince Xian was noticed by the yamen runners, who angrily pointed at them, "Insolence! You dare not kneel to the prince, do you intend to show contempt for the royal family!"
Huangfu Xian's mouth twitched upon hearing the yamen runner's words; he even felt a slight throbbing.
What a joke! When Fan Zehao was a general, he had never knelt to him, and now he was the Regent, even less likely to force anyone to kneel!
"Insolence! This is the Regent and the Regent's Consort! Do you not wish to keep your heads by not kneeling to them!" Huangfu Xian's furious words were spoken, leaving everyone even more stunned.
Sun Mo turned his head to look at the couple approaching, his heart sinking. It was indeed this couple. Sun Mo was very familiar with them.
He twisted his backside, turned his knees, and bowed to them, "Your subordinate, Sun Mo, prefect of Hedong Prefecture, pays his respects to the Regent and the Regent's Consort. Your subordinate was unaware of the Prince and Princess's arrival and has caused them distress. Your subordinate deserves death!"
Fan Zehao, seeing how the situation had unfolded, furrowed his brow. He had originally come to watch a show, but ended up being the subject of one.
"Ignorance is no crime. Rise and handle the matter. This good inn, Binyue Inn, was smashed because this prince stayed here. This matter must be thoroughly investigated!" Fan Zehao said with uncharacteristic anger!
Sun Mo dared not utter a word of refusal. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he began to arrest all involved parties and arrange accommodation for the princes.
In the end, Fan Zehao refused, "We will not stay at the separate residence. This prince and his consort are quite comfortable in the backyard of Binyue Inn, so we will stay here for now. If you have matters, you may report to us. You may go and attend to your duties."
Upon hearing the words "go and attend to your duties," Sun Mo felt a sense of relief and immediately took the arrested individuals back to the yamen for interrogation without delay.
After everyone had left, the onlookers looked at Zhao Jiaqi with a mixture of admiration and resentment. Just now, she had acted so harmlessly, making them think she was just an ordinary housewife like them. Little did they know, she was the Regent's Consort! No wonder she had said her rank was higher than the prince!
After all, it turned out this consort was the elder sister-in-law of Prince Xian. Whether her rank was higher was unknown, but her status was certainly higher than Prince Xian, as an elder sister-in-law was like a mother.
After everyone had dispersed, Zhao Jiaqi sent someone to take Shopkeeper Wang to the medical clinic and undertook all the losses incurred by the inn!
Su Ya expressed slight dissatisfaction, "Madam, if you ask me, Master Zhang should be the one to compensate for all these damaged items!"
"We will advance the payment first. After the case is concluded, we will have him pay the silver. Besides, Binyue Inn suffered damage because we stayed here, so it is only reasonable for us to contribute some money for repairs!"
Su Ya sighed helplessly, "Madam is just too kind-hearted. If it were someone else, they would have left long ago and stayed comfortably at the separate residence!"
Zhao Jiaqi smiled, "We are not born into this world to enjoy leisure. If I ever get to enjoy leisure, it will be when my head is buried in the grave!"
When her eyes close, and she no longer has to worry about her children or her husband, her life will be over, and she will truly be able to enjoy leisure.