TGCFNM -Chapter 155 Seeking Justice

That night, the orphaned girl developed a fever again. Her cheeks burned crimson as the maids took turns wiping her down with wine to cool her. It was not until the latter half of the night that her condition finally stabilized somewhat.

Early the next morning, she regained consciousness. The very first thing she did after waking was ask to see the newly arrived magistrate.

When Chu Ling arrived, the girl’s lips were cracked and bleeding. Her legs trembled uncontrollably, and her bandaged feet were a horrifying sight.

“M-My Lord…”

Her hoarse voice sounded like air rasping across sandpaper. After forcing out just two words, she began coughing violently, her face flushing red as tears streamed down. She could not utter another syllable.

The old physician hurried forward, having someone support the girl while he gently patted her back, then fed her spoonful after spoonful of medicinal soup.

From the side, Chu Ling said softly, “Don’t be anxious. Drink the medicine and steady yourself first. I’ll question you afterward.”

With a face drenched in tears, the girl nodded and forced herself to swallow the bitter medicine.

After knocking, Wan Sanjin entered and handed a stack of written complaints to Chu Ling. “I asked the questions. Su He recorded everything.”

The moment Chu Ling glanced through them, her face turned livid. “Are the common people mere playthings in the hands of the Gao family? What right do they have to decide life and death at will?”

Ghost Scholar took the papers from her, lowered his gaze to read, and immediately cursed, “Beasts!”

It turned out that Gao Dashan, emboldened by the power of Consort Gao in the palace, ruled Linzhou like a local emperor. The Gao family was adept at disguising themselves—putting on a show of charity on the surface while committing countless atrocities in secret.

For instance, they would gather beggars and the poor, throw them into a large pit, and make them fight over scraps of food. Meanwhile, the Gao family would sit high above in a pavilion, watching the struggle below and wagering on who would eat the most.

Whoever ate the most would be rewarded with money.

To survive, the victims could only gorge themselves desperately. If they refused to eat, they would be beaten. Only when someone choked to death would they finally be released.

As for the orphaned girl who had been “rescued” from the roadside, there was even less to say—she was nothing more than a plaything for the powerful. Afterward, they would invent an excuse, claiming she had gone mad and send her away. No one would question it.

After all, these were pitiful souls with no family to rely on. No one would seek justice for them.

“Committing heinous crimes like demons on one hand, donating to temples to buy a good reputation on the other.” Chu Ling gripped the complaints tightly, her eyes burning red.

“I leveraged Qingyu’s reputation and the Wan family’s wealth to persuade them, but this is all we managed to gather. Adviser Chen said that over the years, no one knows how many have died. Later, when officials from the capital came, they even praised the Gao family’s kindness in aiding beggars, saying that the number of beggars in Linzhou had decreased considerably,” Wan Sanjin said, feeling the absurdity of it all—yet it was the truth.

Chu Ling glanced toward the orphan girl, who had finally calmed somewhat, and said quietly, “First, ask her what happened. After that, summon the Gao family for interrogation.”

“Yes, my lord,” Wan Sanjin replied.

Chu Ling had just taken a step when she turned back. “Are the city gates closed?”

“They are,” Wan Sanjin said. “The Gao family won’t be able to leave.”

Ever since Consort Gao rose to prominence, the Gao family had oppressed the people of Linzhou for years. Public resentment had long been boiling over. Before, no one had dared to resist—but now that Chu Ling had stepped forward, even if others did not openly show support, they would at least lend their help in secret.

Chu Ling nodded and walked over, sitting down on the chair by the bedside. Looking at the orphaned girl, she asked, “How are you recovering? Can you speak?”

The girl nodded. Her voice was still hoarse, but there was some strength in it now.

“My lord, I am the daughter of the Lin family from the lower city—Lin Yingzhi.” She paused for a moment, catching her breath before continuing. “My father came to the city for work and hasn’t returned for half a year. Mother brought me here to look for him. Our money was stolen, and we had no choice. Mother took me to beg, and we stayed in a ruined temple.”

Chu Ling nodded, signaling for her to go on.

Lin Yingzhi’s eyes reddened. “While we were begging, that wicked man saw us. At first, Mother and I thought we had met a kind person. He said he would help us find our relatives, so we followed him to the Gao residence. The old madam of the Gao family was displeased. She sized me up, pinched me, and even checked my teeth.”

“My mother was frightened and pulled me behind her. The old madam…” Lin Yingzhi coughed a few times before continuing. “She said that since we had entered their house, we must repay their kindness. She wanted me—wanted me to serve as a maid. I had no money anyway, so I thought becoming a maid would at least give my mother a place to stay.”

“Later, one day, my mother rushed to find me. She said she saw someone being forced to drink large amounts of wine—their stomach swelled up until they died, bloated alive. She was terrified and wanted to take me and run. But that very night, the old madam came and said I was to accompany guests for drinking. My mother was so frightened she tried to fight them, but they—they…” Her voice broke. “They beat her to death.”

At this point, Lin Yingzhi could no longer hold back her sobs. Her fingers trembled as she clutched tightly at Chu Ling’s sleeve, gripping so hard her knuckles turned white.

“They locked me up and threw away my mother’s body. Someone helped me escape. I reported it to the authorities—I reported it…” Her voice turned hoarse with anguish. “But no one dared to help me. They said my mother had an epileptic fit and injured the old madam. They said I deserved it. They said I repaid kindness with enmity.”

Biting her lip until it bled, Lin Yingzhi tightened her grip on Chu Ling’s sleeve and cried out hoarsely, “My lord, you will retry this case, won’t you? You will arrest them, won’t you?”

“I will. I promise,” Chu Ling said firmly.

Through bloodied lips, Lin Yingzhi managed a tearful smile. “My lord, I believe you. I believe you.”

Chu Ling looked at her injured foot, her voice tinged with reluctance. “Your foot… I’m afraid… I’m afraid it may be crippled.”

Lin Yingzhi shook her head. “My lord, if you truly can catch them, then so be it. One pair of feet in exchange for justice—it’s worth it!”

Chu Ling rose to her feet and declared resolutely, “This justice—I will seek it for you.”

The old physician stepped forward. “Young lady, my lord will seek justice for you. But you must live well, take your medicine properly. You must witness with your own eyes the justice you reclaim.”

Tears slid down Lin Yingzhi’s cheeks as she nodded heavily.

A tightness filled Chu Ling’s chest as she stepped outside. Wan Sanjin followed closely behind and said at her side, “My lord, we have both witness testimony and physical evidence. Su He has brought back many bodies from the mass grave.”

“Advisor Wan,” Chu Ling said softly, “I hope there is only one Gao family like this.”

Wan Sanjin let out a quiet breath. “A twisted household like the Gao family should be the only one. It’s only because Linzhou is far from the capital. Otherwise, no one would dare shield such a horrifying crime.”

Chu Ling exhaled lightly and looked at him. “I still need to perform acupuncture on Fu Qingyu. Go wait with Su He for the autopsy report. Once the evidence is fully gathered, we will retry the case tomorrow.”

“Yes, my lord,” Wan Sanjin replied.

Chu Ling added, “Oh, and the temple that received donations from the Gao family—send someone to investigate it. I have a bad feeling about it.”

Wan Sanjin nodded. “Understood.”