The County Magistrate’s surname was Wei.

Magistrate Wei had been rather troubled lately. First, the White Lotus Sect had caused major disturbances in Shandong. This had made local officials everywhere nervous, as the White Lotus had spread its influence everywhere, including Huizhou.

If any local official became entangled with White Lotus matters, they could forget about receiving a good evaluation—keeping their official hat would be fortunate enough.

Therefore, Magistrate Wei had recently sent his men to investigate throughout Huizhou. Fortunately, the White Lotus hadn’t developed much of a presence here, and after some pressure, their followers had left Huizhou.

Just as that matter concluded, bandit problems arose near Mount Qiyun, causing significant damage to Bao Village. He had to personally lead troops to suppress the bandits, and only these past few days had the situation finally calmed down.

At last, he could catch his breath.

In the flower hall, Magistrate Wei called to his adviser Sheng: “Advisor, let’s play a game of chess.”

This was the County Magistrate’s only hobby.

“Yes, sir,” Advisor Sheng agreed and called for servants to set up the chess board.

Just then, the court drum sounded from outside.

Magistrate Wei frowned.

“Sir, let me check the situation first,” Advisor Sheng said to Magistrate Wei.

Unlike in historical dramas where officials immediately don their robes and ascend the court upon hearing the drum, usually after the drum sounds, runners would first receive the case files and analyze the pros and cons. Only if the case could be handled immediately would the official preside over it in court. For more complex cases, people would be called to the second hall for questioning first, and only after the situation was clear would it be handled in court.

Magistrate Wei nodded.

Advisor Sheng hurried out.

Watching Advisor Sheng’s departing figure, Magistrate Wei’s expression grew serious. He sipped his tea while waiting. Regardless, a drum-beating complaint usually meant the matter wasn’t small.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Advisor Sheng returned, his expression even more grave: “Sir, a major incident has occurred.”

“What is it?” Magistrate Wei asked quickly.

“The Du family’s oil shop sold cooking oil mixed with tung oil. Now over thirty households in the county have varying degrees of tung oil poisoning. These victims have come to file complaints,” Advisor Sheng reported.

“Why wait? Have the Du brothers arrested and brought to court immediately,” Magistrate Wei said firmly.

“The Du brothers fled last night,” Advisor Sheng said. “Neither Du brother is married, and only their mother, Madam Shen, remains in the Du household. The victims have brought Madam Shen to the yamen.” He paused before continuing: “However, I’ve made some private inquiries. Not only did the Du brothers flee, but they also took all the money from the oil shop. Even if Madam Shen were beaten to death, she couldn’t compensate for this.”

“Fled? Outrageous! Issue arrest warrants immediately to apprehend the Du brothers and bring them to court,” Magistrate Wei commanded sternly.

“That will certainly be done, but sir, that won’t resolve things quickly. What concerns me now is handling the aftermath. We already have thirty affected families, and who knows how many more might be involved.”

After all, the Du family’s oil shop had quite good sales.

“Isn’t there still the oil shop?” Magistrate Wei said. He knew about the Du oil shop—it wasn’t small and had some assets. Selling it could provide some compensation to the victims.

“The problem is, the Du brothers haven’t managed the shop for long. They emptied their savings to buy it and to keep production going, they mortgaged it to a pawnshop… Even if we ignore the pawnshop’s claim and seal the shop, no one would take it over now. These merchants are experts at pursuing profit and avoiding trouble,” Advisor Sheng explained.

“Then how do you suggest we handle this?” Magistrate Wei asked. The case itself wasn’t complicated, with clear responsibility, but now the responsible parties had fled, those remaining couldn’t bear the burden, and the poisoned victims couldn’t wait. If someone died, the situation would become even more serious.

“There is one solution. I privately questioned Madam Shen and learned something—the Du oil shop actually had three investors: besides the Du brothers, there was also their elder sister Du Luniang, who happens to be the eldest daughter-in-law of the Li family’s eighth branch. This matter could fall to the Li family.”

“Good, summon the Li family to court immediately,” Magistrate Wei ordered directly.

“Yes, I’ll send someone right away,” Advisor Sheng replied.

The discussion between the Magistrate and his advisor essentially determined the solution to the problem, just as Zhenniang had predicted.

In the afternoon, the Li family received the court summons for Old Master Li. Given the nature of the situation, Madam Du couldn’t take the lead.

With such a serious matter at hand, Zhenniang couldn’t attend to the ink shop and instead helped her grandfather to the yamen.

As Zhenniang supported Old Shopkeeper Li’s approaching, they heard Madam Shen’s shrill cry: “They’re here! The Li family is here! Deal with them, not me!”

Hearing these words, Zhenniang ground her teeth. Although she had expected Madam Shen to push the matter onto the Li family, actually hearing her say it made Zhenniang want to bite her.

Beside her, Madam Zhao was so angry she could hardly contain herself.

“What do you mean to deal with us and not you? Madam Shen, let me tell you something. Initially, I only agreed to lend you money. You privately arranged for Luniang to become a shareholder without any of us knowing. Our Li family hasn’t taken a single coin of dividends or interest from the oil shop. Let me tell you, you can’t pin this on us. Don’t think you can use Luniang as a shield just because she’s there. If worst comes to worst, I’ll divorce her right now with a written notice. Let’s see who you can blame then!” Madam Zhao snarled.

“Even if you divorce her, she has a son who is of your Li family. A mother’s debt must be paid by her children—your Li family still can’t escape,” Madam Shen first shrank back from Madam Zhao’s scolding, but seeing the angry crowd, she stuck out her neck and retorted.

“Mother, how can you say such things? Do you want your daughter to die?” Madam Du stood to the side, pale as death. Her mother was determined to drag her down.

Hearing her daughter’s words, Madam Shen’s face showed embarrassment, but she turned away.

“Enough, all of you stand aside,” Old Shopkeeper Li said coldly. Such arguing only made them a laughingstock. As he finished speaking, he broke into violent coughing.

Zhenniang quickly patted his back.

“Stop putting on an act. Since your Li family is also an owner of the oil shop, let me tell you—if you don’t give us a proper explanation today, we’ll fight you to the death!” A man in his thirties burst from the crowd wielding a chopper, his eyes red with rage.

Zhenniang quickly pulled her grandfather back.

The man was Wang Dong from Wang Village outside the city. He had three daughters and finally had a son, but then disaster struck—his four-year-old son was poisoned by tung oil. Yesterday, the Du brothers had promised to cover the medical expenses, but overnight they had fled, and now there was no money left. Without payment, the medicine shops wouldn’t treat patients. He was desperately worried, and upon hearing that the Li family was also a shareholder in the oil shop, he naturally came to confront them.

“Fighting to the death—what good will that do? If someone dies, do you think you can run away?” Zhenniang sympathized with him but couldn’t let people push them around.

“My son is dying anyway. If he dies, I’ll fight you to my last breath,” Wang Dong declared, beyond reason now.

“So the most urgent matter is saving lives,” Zhenniang said earnestly.

“Save lives? How? Without money, the medicine shops won’t take patients.” As Wang Dong spoke, he waved his hand, and immediately several people brought out door panels carrying poisoning victims. They were all groaning, with some of the severe cases already unconscious, including Wang Dong’s four-year-old son.

“I’ve already notified the medicine shops. You can go now—they will accept patients,” Zhenniang said.

“Ha! Who would believe you? The Du brothers said the same thing yesterday, but when we went to the medicine shops, they still wouldn’t take us.” The crowd started getting agitated.

“How dare you compare the centuries-old reputation of our Li family with the Du family? Go ahead—these are our Li family’s accountants. Follow them to the medicine shops, and they’ll pay the medical fees on the spot.” Just then, Madam Chen, the first wife of the seventh branch, arrived hurriedly with her people and spoke sternly upon hearing the crowd’s commotion.

“First Aunt, you’ve come.” Zhenniang looked at Madam Chen, feeling moved. She had expected the main family to step in but hadn’t expected them to come so quickly.

Old Shopkeeper Li nodded at Madam Chen. She bowed to him, then glared at Zhenniang: “You girl, why didn’t you come to tell me about such a major incident?”

The tung oil poisoning incident had fermented overnight, and with the Du brothers’ escape, the situation had escalated. Now with news of the yamen summoning the Li family, rumors were flying throughout the city. As soon as Madam Chen heard the news, she rushed over.

“First Aunt, it’s not that I didn’t want to tell you—I just didn’t have time. One thing led to another, and with Big Brother away, I couldn’t leave,” Zhenniang explained.

“Hmph.” Madam Chen tapped Zhenniang’s forehead in mild reproach. How could she have had no time? She could see right through this girl’s little scheme—wanting to see if the main family would step in when the eighth branch was in trouble.

If they hadn’t stepped in, the girl would have been disappointed. This girl was quite clever.

Zhenniang smiled sheepishly, realizing her small scheme had been seen through by her first aunt from the main family.

The Li family of Huizhou, a centuries-old clan, represented authority in common people’s eyes. They couldn’t help but believe.

“Do you mean it?” Wang Dong asked anxiously.

“Of course I mean it. Do you think our Li family’s century-old reputation is false? Here’s what we’ll do: some of you take the patients for treatment, and the rest go to court to clarify everything. Whatever responsibility falls to our Li family, we won’t shirk it. But let me also say this—this whole matter was originally the Du family’s doing, and I think everyone understands this without me explaining further. Don’t keep trying to drag down the Li family. Though we’re a house of widows, we’re not to be bullied. Understand?” Madam Chen swept her gaze over the crowd and spoke coldly.

Madam Chen’s words carried immense authority.

All along, Zhenniang had thought Madam Chen was gentle, never expecting she had such a commanding side. She truly showed the style of the Seventh Ancestral Mother. Indeed, the century-old Li family had the capital to speak such words.

The crowd, hearing Madam Chen’s words, showed both panic and reluctance on their faces. The Du family clearly couldn’t be counted on, and while the Li family was offering to help with treatment today, what about later? What about compensation? What about the oil they had bought—who would dare eat it now? There had to be some resolution to all these issues.

Never mind—let’s send the sick for treatment first, they thought. The rest would have to be decided by the Magistrate.

With this in mind, some people took the patients to the medicine shops, while others waited outside the yamen for the Magistrate’s summons.