Chapter 94: Punishment of Crimes

Chapter 94

Twilight arrived, and the villagers happily carried lamb meat and lamb soup back home. Li Yao's family also sat together around the table.

Li Yao had a carpenter make a round table with a hole in the middle, and asked a blacksmith to make a pot. Now the pot sat on the table above a coal fire. The soup had started boiling, and the familiar smell of hot pot made Li Yao feel like her soul would leave her body.

"Let's eat!"

Li Yao picked up a slice of tripe and put it in the pot, silently counting to 10 seconds, then quickly fished it out.

She dipped it in the small dish of scallions, garlic paste, and sesame oil, then immediately put it in her mouth.

The familiar numb, spicy, crispy sensation.

But she suddenly realized the children and Song Zhe still hadn't picked up their chopsticks.

"Why aren't you eating?"

"Can we really eat it after just scalding it briefly?" He Xiaoya asked. "Won't it be raw?"

Looks like she'd have to eat and teach at the same time.

"Different foods need to be cooked for different lengths of time. Scald the tripe for 10 counts."

He Xiaoya followed her instructions, scalding a slice of tripe, then carefully put it in her mouth. Her expression then became rather strange, a bit pained, a bit enjoying it, but mostly surprised.

"Although it's spicy and numb, it's so fragrant and crispy. Makes me want to keep eating it."

Seeing she wasn't afraid, the others also followed suit.

At first they ate carefully, not quite used to the spicy flavor, but gradually they got over their fear.

Just like He Xiaoya said, it made them want to keep eating!

The table full of ingredients visibly decreased at a rapid pace.

"Mother, how many counts for the lamb?"

"What about the goose intestine?"

"The duck stomach is cooked, hurry and eat it!"

...

"Mrs. Li! Open the door!"

Right after finishing the delicious hot pot, a woman's voice sounded outside the door.

Dazhuang opened the door to find it was the maid Xiaocui of the county magistrate's wife.

"I have an urgent matter to discuss with Mrs. Li."

Dazhuang led Xiaocui inside, but she refused to speak in front of everyone. Li Yao then called her into the bedroom.

Li Yao left the county office by a back door, then under the night's cover went to Vice Magistrate Yu's residence.

As a wealthy gentry, Yu's home was a massive five-section courtyard residence. She climbed over the back wall onto the roof, and found Yu's study.

At that time there were several oil lamps lit in the study, and voices could be heard talking inside. Li Yao gently lifted a few roof tiles to get a full view of the scene below.

"Congratulations Vice Magistrate Yu, you've achieved great merit this time!" It was Zhang Guangsheng, owner of Zhang's Restaurant.

"I've already sent someone to swiftly pass on the news, the prefect will know about it tomorrow," Zhang Liao said. "By then the prefect can easily convict him of crimes!"

"That Song fellow will never get back on his feet again in this life!"

...

Listening to their conversation, Li Yao roughly grasped what was going on. No wonder Yu dared to act so boldly, even stealing the official seal. It turned out he had the covert support of the prefect.

Li Yao waited on the roof until midnight, then soundlessly sneaked into the study and took the official seal locked in a box. She then swiftly returned to the county office.

The county magistrate couple had made preparations. Seeing her finally return, they hurriedly asked: "Did you succeed?"

Li Yao handed the seal to the county magistrate. Only then did the huge stone weighing down the couple's hearts finally land on the ground.

"But the prefect secretly orchestrated this matter."

The county magistrate was shocked to find the prefect was also involved.

"It's the same everywhere, I see," the county magistrate sighed lightly. "Although my office is lowly, I cannot allow him to act so improperly. I will petition this to His Majesty right away!"

"Wait until we obtain evidence," Li Yao said. "Have you found the person you asked for?"

"He's been waiting a while."

Li Yao had the county magistrate find a blacksmith. She wanted to make a replica of the official seal to look as real as possible.

The one found was an old blacksmith surnamed Xu. In his youth he had been the most famous artisan in Baichuan County, but now over 60 years old, his strength and skills had long declined. He had languished idle at home for several years.

Old Man Xu didn't ask many questions. As he melted the brass, he used the real seal to make a mold. Soon a replica seal was produced.

Next was polishing and artificial aging.

With abundant experience and consummate skills, he finished it before dawn.

Li Yao took the two seals, along with a forged letter, and once again went to Vice Magistrate Yu's residence. She put the fake seal back in its original place in the study, and hid the real seal and letter in a cabinet in Yu's bedroom.

After completing this, her mission was accomplished.

"Mr. Xu," after returning to the county office, Li Yao said to the old blacksmith. "My home happens to need some items made. Please come stay with us for a few days."

Old Man Xu understood she was worried he might let something slip, so without hesitation he followed Li Yao back to Hejiang Village.

Meanwhile, the county magistrate's side busily made arrangements according to Li Yao's plan.