CHAPTER 485: CHAPTER 485: THE ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY IS GONE

Ms. Bao and Zou Yuqian agreed on a divorce, and the Prefecture Government Office ruled that the Zou family must return Ms. Bao’s dowry to the Bao Family.

This dowry was to be split evenly between Zou Chengzu and Zou Lanhua, and thus, Zou Chengzu wanted to donate his share to help those victimized families.

After Zou Lanhua left the Zou family, she gradually became bolder, and upon hearing this, she said, "Brother, why not give it all away? I don’t want my share either."

The Bao family people were deeply pained to hear this.

Ms. Bao was the beloved daughter of Elder Bao, and both Elder Bao and Grandmaster Bao, being scholars, had accumulated quite a fortune, providing Ms. Bao with a generous dowry. If all of it were given away, it would truly be agonizing.

However, Zou Chengzu shook his head and did not agree: "Half is sufficient."

In the future, he and his sister would rely on their maternal grandfather’s household, and being a man, he could earn his own money. But his sister, being a young lady, would need a dowry for her marriage. Although their grandfather’s family would not shortchange her, their aunt would surely have some thoughts. Keeping half of their mother’s dowry would also save their maternal grandfather’s family some money and prevent any gossip from their aunt.

After hearing this, Uncle Bao was both relieved and pained, sighing that Chengzu had grown up. He agreed to donate half of Ms. Bao’s dowry and took them to the county government to seek an audience with County Magistrate Xu, to whom they stated their intentions.

Upon hearing this, County Magistrate Xu was inwardly impressed, exclaiming that a bad bamboo shoot had produced a good one: "Alright, if you are willing to donate, then do so. Those families truly need money."

Zou Chengzu sighed with relief, saying: "This junior thanks Lord County Magistrate."

However, Zou Chengzu did not transport Ms. Bao’s dowry but instead converted it directly into silver, giving the county government a total of one thousand taels in silver notes.

Uncle Bao came to pick them up, fearing that the Zou family might cause trouble; he brought quite a few silver notes for emergencies. Now, only a hundred taels of broken silver were left, and the rest of the silver notes were given to the county government.

After receiving this amount, the county government immediately took out seven hundred taels in silver notes and distributed them to those seven households. The remaining three hundred taels were kept for treating the people who were still in the medical hall.

The silver was delivered by Master Tian, house by house. While delivering, he specifically mentioned that this was a donation from "Bao Chengliang and his siblings."

He also explained to them that Bao Chengliang was formerly known as Zou Chengzu, that now the Bao Family from the Prefecture had come to settle the matter of Ms. Bao’s divorce with the Zou family, and that Zou Chengzu and his sister were no longer members of the Zou family but part of the Bao Family from the Prefecture.

He also revealed the secret of how Ms. Bao had been harmed by the Zou family to the point of hitting the pillar.

The seven households originally cursed upon hearing that Bao Chengliang was Zou Chengzu, but after learning that Ms. Bao was driven to death by the Zou family and that the Bao Family had sued the Zou family in the Prefecture, they stopped cursing the siblings and felt grateful that after leaving the Zou family, Zou Chengzu still provided them with money for lifesaving.

This matter spread like the wind throughout the county, and while people condemned the Zou family as beasts, they also praised the Zou siblings and lamented Ms. Bao’s unfortunate fate.

Upon hearing these words from the citizens of the county, Uncle Bao breathed a sigh of relief, and took the Zou siblings back to the Bao Family in the Prefecture.

Elder Bao deliberately waited at the city gates to meet his two grandchildren. Upon learning what Zou Chengzu had done, he was very satisfied. With such a good deed, if Chengzu wanted to take the exam again, he would not be criticized.

When Magistrate Liang received the case file involving Zou Yuzhen’s crimes, he was so angry that he smashed two tea cups and railed at both Zou Yuzhen and County Magistrate Xu. He also worried that his ruling, which allowed Ms. Bao to divorce and the Zou siblings to return to the Bao Family, might be chastised by the authorities from the capital due to Zou Yuzhen’s case. Now, hearing of Zou Chengzu’s good deeds, he was considerably relieved.

With this act of kindness, even if the officials from the capital arrived, they wouldn’t blame him.

And nearly ten days after the river bandits were wiped out, the delegated officials from the capital finally arrived on fast horses with their men.

The visitor was one of the Junior Ministers from the Da Li Temple, surnamed Ming, and was one of Elder Shangguan’s disciples.

When Magistrate Liang found out that it was Junior Minister Ming from the Da Li Temple who had come, he was so thrilled: "Elder Shangguan’s proud disciple, let’s go greet him quickly."

Magistrate Liang, along with the entire staff of subordinates from the Prefecture Government Office, went to welcome Junior Minister Ming in a grand procession.

Before his arrival, Junior Minister Ming had received instructions from Elder Shangguan and did not dare to delay for one moment, immediately starting the investigation into the Water Bandit Case.

...

Da Feng Village had been bustling with gossip lately, first about County Magistrate Zou, then Zou Yuzhen, and then the affair of Ms. Bao being driven to death by the Zou family.

While gossiping about Elder Chang Laopeng and the others, when they heard that Junior Minister Ming from the capital had arrived, they started discussing this Junior Minister Ming.

"It’s said that Junior Minister Ming is young, but he appears fierce and imposing. Not only would evil men fear him upon seeing him, but even evil spirits would be scared. Moreover, he possesses incredible skills in handling cases. No matter how difficult a case is, in the hands of Junior Minister Ming, it would be solved within three hours."

Gu Jinli couldn’t help but laugh as she listened to Mrs. Chen elaborating the gossip about Junior Minister Ming in the spice workshop: "Aunt Da Gui, please take it easy. You’ve spoken of Junior Minister Ming as if he’s not human. Does anyone really look fierce and imposing like a monster? Moreover, a Junior Minister from Da Li Temple isn’t personally involved in investigating cases; his subordinates do it, and he only needs to read the case files. There’s no one in the world who can solve a major case in three hours."

It’s like the bull has been blown up into the sky.

Mrs. Chen was enjoying her storytelling when Gu Jinli interrupted her, and she said discontentedly: "What would you, a young girl, know about it? Those who can become such high-ranking officials are all like immortals descended to earth. I reckon Junior Minister Ming is the tiger immortal incarnate; otherwise, how could he hold such a high office?"

Gu Jinli: "Fine, say whatever makes you happy."

Mrs. Chen continued to gossip about Junior Minister Ming: "It’s said that Junior Minister Ming will come to the Tianfu County Government personally to interrogate that beast Zou Youlian. Oh, such a high official. If my family lived in the county, I would definitely take Brother Wang and Brother Fa to see Junior Minister Ming. If my two sons could get a pat on the head from Junior Minister Ming, they would be guaranteed to pass the exams and become high officials in the future."

Gu Jinli: "..." Do you really think Junior Minister Ming is an immortal? A pat on the head ensuring a prosperous career in officialdom?

Mrs. Chen went on about the Qin Brothers: "Do you think San Lang and Er Lang are silly? They went to fight bandits and earn merits but didn’t stay in the county to rest, choosing to go home and nurse their injuries? They’ve missed the chance to meet Junior Minister Ming for nothing. Look at how smart Brother Wu is. He’s got injuries too but didn’t go back to rest and has been staying at the county government handling cases. He’s about to meet Junior Minister Ming, and he’s sure to get a promotion."

"This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has simply slipped away, San Lang and Er Lang really don’t rise to the occasion!" Mrs. Chen said regretfully, as if the Qin Brothers had missed out on two high-ranking positions.

Gu Jinli didn’t like Mrs. Chen’s words about Qin San Lang and said to her with a slightly cold voice: "Aunt Da Gui, it’s getting late. If you don’t go help Gu Yumei with making tofu now, you’ll have your pay docked."

As for the Qin family’s matter, it was necessary for the Qin Brothers to avoid the officials from the capital. If they had met Junior Minister Ming, that would be bad. Luo Wu, on the other hand, had nothing to fear and could meet him.

"Ah, I almost forgot about that." Mrs. Chen slapped her thigh and hurriedly left, as Sister Mei worked slowly. If she didn’t go help out and they failed to finish today’s tasks before the workshop closed, Xiao Yu wouldn’t be polite with them; deductions would be made directly from their pay, and it would be painfully felt.

Gu Jinli saw Mrs. Chen leave and then diverted her path towards the pharmaceutical workshop to prepare antiseptic medicine for Qin San Lang.

Qin San Lang had not only added new injuries from fighting the river bandits, but the wound on his back inflicted by Gao Zhong had also reopened. The antiseptic medicine she prepared would help him recover faster.