CH 24

Translator: KongoIsamu

Eidtor: KongoIsamu

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Thoughts are italicized

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Our hearts will get sick?

Tang Lian’s tears was still falling, she was scared.

“Miss Tang, when someone is sick, they will get confused and would do things that they usually would not do. So, there is nothing to blame. You wish to please him, want to listen to him, but sometimes you would remember something, remember that you are unable to talk about him. You can’t tell anyone, it’s shameful, right?”

Tang Lian gasped heavily, what is with this eccentric girl, she seems to be able to see through my heart.

“Miss Tang look at me, that’s it, look at me. Think about it, seriously think about it, what do you love about him? Do you love him because he did not kill you after kidnapping you? Or, did you fall in love with him because he gave you something to eat, for not starving you to death? This is not the question that I am supposed to asked, it is the question that you must ask yourself. You do not have to answer, just as long as you have the answer in your heart. What do you love about him?”

Tang Lian was stunned, she couldn’t help but think about the question that Su Xiao Pei’s had just said. What did she like about him? She likes that……she also doesn’t know! But she can’t help it, she only has him, their lives are tied together already.

“You think that the two you are connected through destiny, and that you have to listened to him, don’t you?”

Tang Lian’s heart was beating very fast, can she read mind? She knows what I’m thinking? Does this mean that she had seen him before? Is she able to know what he is thinking? Does she recognize him?

“I’ve seen him, of course, I can also identify him, but I’ve already said to the officials, I hope to leave this chance to you. After all, you are the one who wants to continue to live in this place.”

Tang Lian couldn’t help but bit her lip. I am going to continue living here? How can I continue living here? After all this trouble, her chances of staying here is much smaller than before.

“He let you go, didn’t he? He told you a reason that was able to impress you, let you find a suitable Miss in the town. You promised him, you were anxious to please him, to prove your loyalty to him. But, once you came back, you didn’t know which type of girl is suitable for him. Although, he taught you the methods to be safe, how to do it without leaving a trace, how would the two of you meet, how to exchange information, he taught of every step. He even taught you how to answer question from family members and officials, you said that you were scared and that you were unable to remember anything. Everything was going well, but you were unable to find a target. Choosing acquaintance is the safest, you knew the person throughout but was unable to target her, and if you don’t know the person well, you don’t want to get to know her either.

Su Xiao Pei stopped here, and she looked at Tang Lian.

Tang Lian was trembling a little, and she finally burst into tears. She was shocked, pained, sad and embarrassed! She actually knows everything? How did she know?!

“But you were unable to explain to him, you were scared, and you thought of me. Foreign, helpless, alone, and had no past, if such a person disappeared, no one would care.”

Tang Lian’s buried her head even lower, at that time, she had really thought this.

“But your conscience did not allow you to do so. Miss Tang, I am very glad that you came to me. I knew that you lied, you clearly remembered, but you said that you were unable to. Miss Tang, you do not have to doubt, I did not believe you, I was very sure that you did not lose your memories. Did you know, when people are trying to recall something, they would be unable to control their expression. At that time, when we were talking, when you were talking about your family matters and your meeting of Soldier, your expression was different when you were talking about your experience with the mountain bandit. Look, even now, you are trying to remember the instance where we were taking about it, right?

Tang Lian was shocked. She was really wondering what they both had said at that time.

“The expression is different when people are telling real memories and lies. Miss Tang, I always felt that your words were hesitant and uneasy. I thought it was because of other things, now, I knew the reason why. You didn’t want to hand me over, it does not matter if it was discovered or not, not matter the outcome, you don’t want to be an accomplice. But he must have urge you, you told him about my situation, and that you would look into it again, but you knew that once you told him, I would be in danger, and you were hesitant to warn me about it.”

Tang Lian mockingly laughed at herself, no matter what she had thought before, it was not important now.

“Miss Tang, you see, you are good in nature, know how to differentiate the good and the wrong. Although your heart is sick, it still knows what is wrong and what is right.”

She doesn’t blame me?

Tang Lian was embarrassed and couldn’t help but open her mouth, “But I did have that idea. You are right, you are right. He said that he must find another girl, that this is the only way to break the bad luck in this life. His life was very bitter, his family is scattered and is destroyed, he has no roof over his head and has no meaning in his life, no matter how hard he tried, he is unable to live a good life. One day, he heard a voice in his ear, telling him, that he had been riddled with evil spirits, and he had to used woman’s life as a sacrifice. So, he had no choice but to do it. I……he should have used me as a sacrifice, but he told me… he said that he like me, he can’t bear to do it, he was sincere with me…… But he has been dragging it for a long time without a sacrifice, he will soon lose his life…… I… I did not know that he would do it so soon, I wanted to drag it on longer…”

“Miss Tang, this can’t be blame on you. If I were you, I would also believe him.”

Tang Lian blinked her eyes, causing her tears to fall, she wiped them away, “Really?”

Su Xiao Pei nodded and smiled at her.

Tang Lian stared at her and felt a lot more comfortable.

Su Xiao Pei looked at her slightly relaxed posture and knew that she had made a big step forward. ‘If I were you’ – this is only a hypothesis, she of course could not be her, but she was her, of course the result would be the same. This is a trick to win the approval of victims without lying.

Su Xiao Pei went on to say, “Miss Tang, you can ask yourself again, what do you like about him?”

Tang Lian took in a few deep breathes, feeling a little calmer.

Su Xiao Pei was quiet for a while, then said, “The feelings of like and dependence will not disappear so quickly, but you can do it. You are very brave. Miss Tang, you are very brave. You must know, everything that had happened, only became your memory, it can no longer hurt you.”

“Only a memory?”

“Yes, it has passed, it will only be a memory.”

Tang Lian didn’t say anything, but she couldn’t help but swear in her heart.

Su Xiao Pei did not bother her, she looked at Tang Lian’s expression and waited.

The Magistrate and Liu Xiang that was outside, heard Su Xiao Pei had managed to get Tang Lian talking, was very excited, but the inside was quiet. the two of them were in a hurry, Miss Su, the right time is now, strike while the iron is hot, but you are concentrating on something else, what if she had missed her chance? If it weren’t for Ran Fei Ze stopping them, they would have rush in and went to trial immediately.

At this moment, Su Xiao Pei, who was inside, began speaking again, “Miss Tang, do you feel better now?”

Tang Lian nodded.

Su Xiao Pei went on to say, “Miss Tang, both you and I are daughters, both of us are woman in a like, we know what is right and wrong. This is also why you are sick, and was confused by him, but you haven’t helped him to do any bad things yet. Now that things are at this point, you have done very well. If it is not because of you, there is no peace in this town? Miss Tang, you and I know who the peddler is. If you have identified who he is, do you know how many ladies would be save? Soldier and I will testify for you. If you pretend to do what the kidnapper’s request, you will be saved, and we would go along with the plan. This will enable us to catch the kidnapper, Miss Tang, you would be the hero of this town.”

Tang Lian was in a daze, even the Magistrate who heard it was in a daze, what is this situation? What are you saying, help the suspect be a hero?

Liu Xiang patted the shoulder of the Magistrate, and Ran Fei Ze also looked over. The magistrate shook his head, this Miss Tang is indeed a pitiful Miss, she was almost led astray, those girls that had been victimized are unable to say anything. They have no hardship to tell, he of course can’t say anything about it. The most important thing is to condemn the evil kidnapper and not let go.

If this can be exchanged for Tang Lian’s cooperation, allowing us to identify the kidnapper, it will be a good thing.

The Magistrate quickly understood and nodded.

Su Xiao Pei was still talking to Tang Lian, Ran Fei Ze, who was listening to their conversation, couldn’t help but laugh. This Miss is also quite powerful when she does her stuff. First, she told a story to make believe her. From head to tail, the story seems quite true, sounds like it is a true story. I know you are lying, you don’t need to come up with new tricks, I will believe everything you say. After frightening people, you show some kindness. I don’t blame you, if I were you, I would have done the same thing, so, how can I blame you? Not only I don’t blame you, I can even help you. You can’t stay in this town, right? Afraid that Tang Lian will be charged as a murderer after identifying the kidnapper? Look, I will help you think about it, you are not an accomplice, you are a hero. Everyone should be grateful to her, I will lay the road, you just concentrate on walking, you have a bad reputation in town?

This kind of methods, let alone a weak-hearted lady, even an experienced man will be led by the nose?

Sure enough, Tang Lian surrender once the conversation was over, she was tempted by Su Xiao Pei. How she was kidnapped and brought to the mountains, the conversation between the mountain bandit and her, how he released her, how he used her to target other ladies, etc, Tang Lian said everything.

Of course, this process was not smooth, Su Xiao Pei talked about it bit by bit, it took almost an hour.

The outside of the Yamen was chaotic, several of the officials could not control the situation anymore, when the Magistrate heard Su Xiao Pei’s progress, he was very confident, so, he went out to appease the crowd, saying that the reason why Tang Lian was brought in was to identify the kidnapper. The chaotic crowd that was screaming for the constables to release Tang Lian, quiet down.

Suddenly, the crowd was under control, the Magistrate said that it is a difficult time for Miss Tang, asking the crowd to not be noisy, telling them to not worry, and to wait for a while longer.

When the crowd heard what the Magistrate had said, the focus of their discussion had changed from releasing Tang Lian to whether or not will Tang Lian be able to successfully identify her kidnapper. One moment they say that she is unable to remember, will she be able to recognize her kidnapper? Another moment they say that would she be too afraid, thus, unable to identify her kidnapper? They also say that it is not decent thing for a lady to do, as females can’t do it. Then, another moment, they say that she is a good lady, and she will not let the wicked harm others. Everyone was discussing about it and then they finally, turned to the Tang family, who was waiting at the Yamen’s entrance, and encouraged them

In everyone’s hearts, Stone Town’s peace is suddenly in the hands of Tang Lian.

In the backyard, Su Xiao Pei finally finished talking with Tang Lian. She came out and look at Ran Fei Ze, Liu Xiang and the Magistrate, who had been waiting outside of the building. Without waiting for her to speak, the Magistrate urgently said, “Miss, please be at ease, your conversation with Miss Tang was only heard by the three of us.”

Ran Fei Ze and Liu Xiang are not the residents of Stone Town and is unrelated to them. In other words, the only person who knows about it, and is a residence of the Stone Town, is the Magistrate.

Su Xiao Pei nodded her head.

The Magistrate said, “As long as Miss Tang is willing to identify the kidnapper, this official won’t mind about other things.”

Su Xiao Pei looked at Ran Fei Ze and Ran Fei Ze nodded his head.

The Magistrate was a little depressed, although, I am a small-town official, I am also the town Magistrate, how could Miss Su not believe me, and even have to confirm with others?

At this moment, Su Xiao Pei pushed open the door and said to the Magistrate, “Sir should talk with Miss Tang.

The Magistrate thought about it, nod his head and went in.

The Magistrate and Miss Tang discussed about the situation outside of the Yamen, in his heart, the Magistrate knew how much the Tang family’s place their reputation. Her parents came over to the Yamen to identify her, he knew how important it was. After discussing, he asked Miss Tang, “Does Miss wish to identify the kidnapper?”

Tang Lian looked at Su Xiao Pei, who was outside, Su Xiao Pei nod her head to Tang Lian.

The Magistrate, who saw this scene, was depressed again. I am the Magistrate, the one who makes the decision, all right?

Tang Lian took a deep breath and finally said, “I would like to identify the peddler who was talking to me beside the well, he is the mountain bandit who kidnapped me. The girls who died in the mountains before was also killed by him.”

Afterwards, what Su Xiao Pei could only be described was joy.

The mountain bandit was in trouble, Tang Lian went home, and although she did not manage to earn silver from this incident, she took the opportunity to ask for a brush and ink from the Magistrate.

She happily hugged the treasures that she got for free all the way back to the wood house of the wine shop. This evening, she wrote down the first entry of her in this world, on her bed.