CHAPTER 1338: CHAPTER 1338: INTERROGATION

The Jiang family members heard these words, and everyone understood that Lady Jiang wanted to distance herself from them.

If it were before, it wouldn’t matter, as Lady Jiang couldn’t even manage her own life.

But now, who could have known that Lady Jiang would have a turnaround in fortune? The family she married into produced a Magistrate’s Lady!

Such good fortune is something that even those unrelated would try their hardest to get close to the Lord County Magistrate.

Especially since their family is actually legitimate in-laws!

Scholar Jiang thought even more; his dream of taking the imperial exams hadn’t died. He intended to use his daughter’s connection to seek advice from Lord Song. Perhaps he might gain something, and when the autumn exams come, he might gamble on it again. Maybe if heaven smiled upon him, he might become a Graduate.

Immediately, he was the first to jump up and oppose, "No way! You’re my Jiang family’s daughter, my daughter! If you dare not to recognize me as your father, I’ll sue you for being unfilial! Let’s see if the Wang family can still accept you? Aren’t you hoping for your own son to walk the path of imperial exams? If you become an unfilial mother, let’s see how he can take the exams!"

Lady Jiang, upon hearing this, her eyes turned red! In her heart, her two sons ranked first, her husband second, and herself last.

Threatening her is one thing, but threatening her most cherished sons is something she couldn’t endure!

Just as she was about to speak, Wang Yonggui pulled her aside.

Wang Yonggui sneered, "Go ahead and sue! The moment you’re done, I’ll divorce Lady Jiang!"

Lady Jiang wiped her tears, her eyes glaring red at Scholar Jiang, as if looking at an enemy: "If Father, you go to sue, I’ll bring the divorce papers back tomorrow, hang myself at the Jiang family’s door! Whoever harms my sons, I’ll risk my life to never forgive them!"

Wang Yonggui and his wife remained firm in their stance, scaring Scholar Jiang.

He was the sort to act tough but be weak within. If he truly had some backbone, could he live off others while draining the first wife’s essence?

Usually, at home and outside, he put on the airs of a Scholar Master. But when confronted with those who don’t value their lives, he’d immediately become submissive.

Only timidly and harshly, he said, "You unfilial daughter, married and forgot your roots, not recognizing your father nor caring for your brothers! What a disgraceful woman!"

He rambled on about some treasonous words.

Unfortunately, no one listened to him.

Wang Yonggui was burning with anger inside, as he had hopes that his son Jinpan would pass the exams and fulfill his dream of being an Officials Master’s father.

Threatened by Scholar Jiang, Wang Yonggui, although unwilling, knew that Scholar Jiang was his father-in-law. Without this thought, he’d have dragged him out and beaten him for satisfaction.

Originally, he wanted to maintain appearances, thinking if his brother-in-law’s men really acted harshly later, he could plead and keep Scholar Jiang alive.

Now, he worried that his brother-in-law’s men might not be harsh enough.

He decisively said, "The Jiang family no longer has any connection with us, the Wang family. Please leave!"

He handed over the scene.

The few personal soldiers had long grown tired of Lady Jiang and the Jiang family’s back-and-forth talk.

They thought that their master’s third sister-in-law was also senseless. Since her family couldn’t be relied upon, she should focus solely on her own family.

But to stir such trouble just for reputation, they reckoned her brain was caught in the door.

For such a woman, if she were their wife, they’d first give her a beating. This isn’t the way to fight for dignity!

Thus, when Wang Yonggui backed away, the personal soldiers grinned fiercely and terrifyingly, rolling up their sleeves and moving forward.

They used to stay by Song Hong’s side, having spent time in the border military. Song Hong was once the commander, and around him were threats from spies and assassins.

They each became skilled in interrogation. Initially, they politely asked the Jiang Brothers.

Seeing the situation, the Jiang Brothers sensed trouble but didn’t dare confess entirely, only muttering ambiguously.

The soldiers had no patience. After a few sentences, seeing the Jiang Brothers thinking they could muddle through, they directly resorted to methods.

One soldier picked up a wooden stick as thick as a bowl, laying it flat before the Jiang Brothers, gently tapping it with the knife handle, explaining in detail. If this stick were a leg, with one chop, the bone would break in parts. With his current skill, he could break a leg into eighteen pieces without causing fainting.

While speaking, he exerted force, and sure enough, where the knife handle tapped, the stick broke with a snap.

The Jiang Brothers, hearing the snap, felt pain in their bones, as if the knife handle was tapping on them.

After explaining, the soldier dragged the Jiang Brothers over, effortlessly controlling them with one hand, stepping on one’s ankle, his fierce eyes scanning them, deciding where to start.

When the soldier raised the knife, yet before tapping down, the Jiang Brothers couldn’t take it.

A miserable scream escaped them. To outsiders, it sounded like their leg was broken.

Tears and snot flowed out immediately, as they hugged the soldier’s leg, calling him Grandpa, begging for mercy.

The soldier was quite disappointed, as he hadn’t even laid a finger. Besides, he hadn’t practiced interrogation skills in a while and was somewhat nostalgic.

He hesitated whether to use it once more for questioning or to let it go.

At that moment, the Jiang Brothers seemed enlightened, sensing the soldier’s regret, and without concern, spilled everything like beans from a bamboo tube.

Not only did they confess to how many people they deceived and which families, and the amount of silver,

but also what they did with the silver, how much was misappropriated, and how much was secretly kept, all was confessed crystal clear.

The rest of the Jiang family stood aside, trembling, fearing these methods would be used on them.

Especially hearing the miserable screams of the Jiang Brothers, the two elders of the Jiang family felt dizzy, thinking torture was actually being used, their pants wet with fear.

Scholar Jiang initially tried to maintain composure, claiming he was a Scholar and had titles, and these warriors couldn’t treat him roughly.

But after hearing the soldier’s explanation, he dared not speak, his face turned ashen, sitting on the ground without caring about his scholar’s dignity.

After the Jiang Brothers confessed, those personal soldiers quickly searched the Jiang family and found the hidden silver and the contracts the Jiang Brothers signed, bringing them all out.

Wang Yonggui and Lady Jiang shrank tremblingly by the door, looking at the soldiers with reverence.

Wang Yonggui, having seen the world, during his time wandering, had seen those who, for protection fees or gambling debts, would break legs or chop hands.

But soldiers like these, exuding killing intent and breaking legs with calmness as if chopping wood, he had never seen before.

Especially knowing they weren’t joking, which made it all the more terrifying.