TSWPF -Chapter 190 Hatred

When the yamen runners entered through the back door and saw no sign of Li Laifu, Old Li and Liu felt the tension in their chests ease a little.

Not seeing their son meant he had escaped. That alone was enough to put them at ease.

Not seeing Li Laifu, however, caused Liu Zhimou and Li Qingling to exchange a glance. Their eyes darkened, though neither revealed their thoughts on their faces.

“We’ve searched the surrounding area but couldn’t find the suspect. We’re not sure which way he fled,” one of the runners said apologetically to Liu Zhimou. Letting a criminal escape right under their noses left them feeling deeply frustrated.

Liu Zhimou smiled and said, “Thank you for your hard work, brothers.” After a brief pause, he asked with apparent concern, “If the criminal has escaped, can a wanted notice be posted?”

Did Li Laifu really think that escaping meant peace forever? He was dreaming.

“Yes, that’s possible…”

Before the runner could finish, Liu suddenly began wailing at the top of her lungs. “What? What did you say? Y-you’re actually going to issue a wanted notice for my son?” Once people saw the sketch on the notice, they’d recognize him—how would her son survive then?

Vicious. Truly vicious. They still wouldn’t let her son go, even now.

Liu Zhimou cast Liu a cool glance, the corner of his lips lifting slightly. “Auntie, your ears aren’t deaf, are they? You can understand what we’re saying, right?”

“You—how can you be so heartless? Huh? How can you be so cruel?” Liu shrieked. “My son didn’t do anything unforgivable! Why can’t you just let him go?”
So what if he poisoned a few fish in Li Qingling’s fishpond? Did that really warrant such a big fuss, even throwing her son into prison? Their hearts were truly ruthless!

Pointing at Liu Zhimou, Liu cursed loudly in fury. If Old Li hadn’t been gripping her tightly, she would’ve already lunged forward to claw his face again.

If Liu Zhimou’s face were ruined, let’s see how he’d still sit for the imperial exams!

Li Qingling squeezed Liu Zhimou’s hand, signaling him not to speak and to let her handle Liu.

Liu was a woman. If Liu Zhimou argued with her, it could affect his reputation. This was something only Li Qingling could step forward to deal with.

Understanding her meaning, Liu Zhimou tightened his grip on her hand slightly in acknowledgment.

Li Qingling looked at Liu with a cold face and let out a mocking chuckle. “You should’ve just kept that thought to yourself. Why say it out loud? Aren’t you just making a fool of yourself?” Her gaze sharpened. “Your son did all those things, and you still say they weren’t unforgivable. What—does he have to kill someone before it counts? Huh?”

Liu truly kept breaking new records for shamelessness. Li Qingling was genuinely impressed.

Perhaps she should feel grateful that although her own father was somewhat honest and dull, he had a good heart.

People like Li Laifu were thoroughly ruined by mothers like Liu.

With a mother like her, Li Qingling almost felt that Li Laifu had suffered three lifetimes’ worth of misfortune.

Hearing this, Liu spat viciously at Li Qingling. “Pah! Even if you killed someone, my son wouldn’t! How could my son have a heart as black as yours, you cheap wretch? Yours is so black it’s festering!”

He should’ve poisoned all the chickens in Li Qingling’s chicken farm too. Then she’d see if she still dared to be so arrogant!

At this moment, Liu had absolutely no awareness of how serious the situation was, still harboring such malicious thoughts.

Li Qingling gave her another cold look, then turned to the runners. “Officers, may I ask—what punishment does someone receive for letting a criminal escape?”

If she didn’t teach Liu a lesson, Li Qingling wouldn’t have a moment’s peace for a long time.

It’d be best if Liu were thrown into jail for a couple of days—give her a scare. Then she’d stop being so arrogant.

Some people are like that: without a lesson, they never learn.

The runner replied that anyone who helped a criminal escape was considered an accomplice and would be thrown into prison.

As soon as those words fell, Liu’s legs went weak.

She didn’t want to go to jail—she really didn’t. Just hearing about that place was terrifying. If she went in, would she even come out?

“Old man, what do we do? Are we really going to be thrown into jail?” Liu looked at Old Li in panic. “I don’t want to go, I really don’t. Think of something—quick!”

Old Li was terrified as well. How could he not be, when they were about to be dragged off to prison?

He swallowed hard and forced a flattering smile at the runner. “Th-this can’t be right, can it? We didn’t do anything bad. How could you lock us up?”
This wasn’t how he’d imagined it. He’d thought that once his son escaped, everything would be fine. He never expected they’d be sent to jail instead.

This was basically suffering on his son’s behalf!

With his old bones, would he even survive a stint in prison?

He didn’t dare think about it—couldn’t think about it at all.

“What do you mean you didn’t do anything bad?” one runner scoffed, shooting Old Li a disdainful look. “Letting a criminal escape is the worst offense of all. If you obediently call the criminal out, we won’t pursue your responsibility.”

After all, debts had owners and grievances had origins. Once the main culprit was caught, others wouldn’t be implicated.

Hearing this, Old Li’s heart pounded wildly. He didn’t want to go to jail, and he didn’t want his son to go either.

“I… I really don’t know where my son is,” Old Li said bitterly, shaking his head. Then he looked toward Li Qingling with a pleading expression. “Xiaoling, no matter what, we’re still family. Can’t you show us some mercy?”

As long as Li Qingling agreed not to pursue the matter, they’d be fine. He could see that clearly.

His heart thudded anxiously as he watched her, unsure whether she’d relent.

“Uncle Li, I’ve said this many times—we have no relationship whatsoever,” Li Qingling replied impatiently. “Please stop trying to claim kinship here.”
Then she added coldly, “If you’d known this would happen, why do what you did in the first place?”

If they’d taught Li Laifu properly, none of this would’ve happened.

A child’s wrongdoing is the parents’ fault.

Seeing that Li Qingling wouldn’t budge, Old Li secretly seethed, though he couldn’t show it on his face. He continued begging her for forgiveness, even tugging at Liu and urging her to plead as well.

With no choice, Liu followed his lead and lowered her head to Li Qingling. “Xiaoling, no matter whose fault it is, it’s all mine. Can you forgive me?”

Once she got through this, she’d settle accounts with Li Qingling slowly.

Looking at Liu’s obvious unwillingness, Li Qingling sneered. “Fine. I forgive you.”

The moment those words left her mouth, Old Li and Liu stared at her in disbelief, as if trying to confirm whether she was serious.

Li Qingling curled her lips coldly, then looked up at the runners. “Officers, to avoid wasting your time, please take the accomplices away first. As for the real culprit, you can catch him slowly.”

“You—Li Qingling! Didn’t you say you forgave us?” Liu screamed. “Then what do you mean by this?!”

In an instant, she’d fallen from heaven straight into hell. She’d never expected Li Qingling to say she forgave her, only to immediately have the runners drag them away.

She was being played.

Li Qingling shrugged innocently, looking helpless. “Auntie, are you imagining things? When did I ever say I’d let you go?”
Her tone turned cool. “Auntie, remember this—not everything can be forgiven.”

If it were otherwise, the world would be full of people who killed and set fires without consequence.

“You cheap wretch! Li Qingling, you cheap wretch!” Liu glared at her with venom, wishing she could rush forward and tear flesh from her bones. “I curse you—you’ll die a horrible death! A horrible death!”

“I don’t think you’ll live long enough to see that,” Li Qingling replied calmly. “After all, you’ll die before I do.”

She wasn’t someone born and raised in this world, and she didn’t put much stock in ghosts or curses. Liu’s words meant nothing to her.

Liu Zhimou, however, was different. His face was so dark it looked ready to drip ink. The woman he cherished above all else—how could he tolerate someone cursing her like this?

“Officers, please gag this auntie’s mouth and take her away.”

The runners were more than happy to give Liu Zhimou face. They stuffed a filthy, sweat-soaked rag into Liu’s mouth.

Seeing Old Li about to speak, they seized the chance to gag him as well.

Li Qingling pressed her lips together in a smile. At last, the world was quiet—no more shrill, grating voices.

The runners loaded Old Li and Liu onto the carriage and took them back to the yamen.

Li Qingling and Liu Zhimou had to follow as well. This case still needed to be tried by the county magistrate.

The villagers of Niutou Village also trailed along in a great crowd. They all wanted to see what kind of end awaited Old Li and Liu.

This was a major event for the village—of course they had to witness it.

As soon as they entered the yamen, the runners shouted the solemn cry of “Silence!”

The sheer authority of that sound startled not only Old Li and Liu, but even the villagers who had come to watch.

This place was truly terrifying.

Li Qingling and Liu Zhimou, however, stood calmly in the center of the court, waiting for the county magistrate to arrive.

After a short while, the magistrate appeared in full official robes, his expression stern. He slammed the wooden block on the desk and, once the hall fell silent, loudly asked:

“Who stands before the court, and for what matter has this session been convened?”

Li Qingling and Liu Zhimou exchanged a glance. Liu Zhimou stepped forward and answered the magistrate in a composed manner.