Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 620 - 577: County Magistrate’s Assistance (3)
Li Lixing said, "Then how can we sue? Without identity, one cannot file a lawsuit, that’s what my father said."
Yang Runsen frowned, looking anxious.
Li Xingmao said, "Yang Runsen, if you have any unspoken troubles, just tell the Lord County Magistrate, he is a fair person, and will certainly help you punish the wicked."
Li Yuzhu said, "My brother is right, your matter is not something unforgivable; you did this because you had no other choice."
Li Lixing looked at Li Yuzhu, then at Yang Runsen, "What you’re saying, I don’t understand."
"Li Lixing, he’s afraid to see the Lord County Magistrate, will you take him?" Li Yuzhu patted Li Lixing’s shoulder.
Li Lixing blinked, looking at Yang Runsen, "Hey, you’re not hiding your identity because you’ve done something bad, right?"
Yang Runsen said loudly, "No, I haven’t done a single bad thing."
Li Lixing said, "Okay, as long as you haven’t done anything bad, and it’s because of other reasons, my dad shouldn’t make it difficult for you. Come with me to see my father."
Yang Runsen gratefully clasped his hands and saluted Li Lixing, "Thank you so much."
"Quickly, get in the carriage, my dad probably hasn’t left yet." Li Lixing beckoned to Yang Runsen and climbed into the carriage.
Li Yuzhu and the two children sat close together, with Yang Runsen sitting next to Li Lixing.
Li Xingmao drove the mule-drawn carriage back.
In the carriage, Li Yuzhu asked Yang Runsen about the events after coming to the village.
Yang Runsen sighed, "We left the village and came to the county town..."
He recounted his recent experiences.
Staying in the village, although people often traveled far, the news of any event in one village would reach other villages within days.
If he stayed in the village, his identity would be exposed sooner or later.
However, in the county town, although there were more people, everyone was busy with their own affairs, and neighbors had little contact.
People in the same alley might recognize each other, but those in the next alley across the street might not recognize each other even after ten years.
They both decided to come to the county town to seek a livelihood.
In front of the local temple in the city, they bowed to heaven and earth, becoming husband and wife.
When they left, they brought about thirty taels of silver, spent two taels to rent an old house with three rooms, a small courtyard, and a kitchen.
Wei San earned money by washing clothes for others, and Yang Runsen set up a stall selling calligraphy and paintings on the street or did odd jobs to earn money.
This way, they managed to make ends meet for a few days.
Yesterday, Wei San heard someone say that Qian Hong Lou was hiring dishwashing women, offering a monthly salary of twelve hundred wen.
Wei San was tempted and went to Qian Hong Lou.
But who knew that the guests in Qian Hong Lou were not good people, seeing Wei San young and beautiful, they thought she was a wine-serving lady and laid hands on her.
In her panic, Wei San broke a jade bottle in the tavern and ran away.
The shopkeeper’s wife of the tavern demanded Wei San compensate one thousand taels of silver and wouldn’t let her go without paying.
How could Wei San afford to pay?
The shopkeeper’s wife of Qian Hong Lou wouldn’t let Wei San leave, demanding she wash dishes in the tavern to earn money to pay it off.
Washing dishes in the tavern, twelve hundred wen a month, would earn less than a dozen taels of silver a year, yet it required a thousand taels; wouldn’t it take decades of dishwashing to pay off?
When Yang Runsen found Qian Hong Lou, he was both angry and scared upon hearing this news.
He went to argue with the tavern people, but no matter how he pleaded, they refused to release her.
Li Lixing exclaimed, "It would take seventy years to pay off that debt, that’s too outrageous!"
Li Yuzhu said, "Indeed it’s outrageous, if it weren’t for the unreasonable behavior of the tavern guests, how would Wei San have broken the jade bottle? But again, what jade bottle is so valuable? A thousand taels?"
Yang Runsen said, "We didn’t see it, that’s what the tavern people said."
"A shady place!" Guoguo, who was sitting on the side listening to the conversation, suddenly interjected.
Everyone looked at her.
"Bad people, shady place!" Guoguo glared with anger on her face.
Li Jing nodded in agreement, "Hmm, keeping someone locked up and not letting them out, they are bad people."
Li Yuzhu said, "This tavern is unreasonable, forcibly breaking in will only bring more trouble. We can only report it to the government and let them suppress it with law!"
Yang Runsen nodded, a worried expression on his face, "This is the only way."
They arrived at the County Magistrate Mansion.
Li Xingmao watched the two children in the carriage, while Li Yuzhu and Li Lixing led Yang Runsen to see County Magistrate Li.
County Magistrate Li had not left, he was chatting idly with a guest in his study.
Li Lixing politely stood at the door of the study and greeted, "Father, I brought a friend to plea for your assistance."
The guest stood up, "Sir, I shall take my leave."
The guest prudently withdrew from the study.
Seeing Li Yuzhu was also there, County Magistrate Li realized it was not his son’s friend and said, "Come in."
The three entered the study together.
Li Yuzhu confidently stepped forward and greeted, "Lord County Magistrate."
Yang Runsen, however, respectfully performed a grand salute, "This humble one Yang Runsen pays respects to the Lord County Magistrate."
County Magistrate sized up Yang Runsen, "Oh, where have I heard that name before?"
Yang Runsen said, "This humble one has participated in the county examination six times, perhaps that is why the Lord County Magistrate finds my name familiar."
Mentioning the county examination, County Magistrate immediately inquired about the content of the six exams.
Yang Runsen answered truthfully.
County Magistrate replied, "Oh right, now I remember, you are the Yang Runsen who took the test six times and never completed it?"
Yang Runsen began taking the county exam at sixteen, having registered six times in total.
His handwriting was very neat, like printed type, making him stand out among the candidates.
And because he continuously failed to pass, he was quite famous among the scholars.
Yang Runsen looked ashamed, "Yes, that is me."
"Why do you never finish? The exam has five sections, yet you always stop halfway?" County Magistrate asked, "Judging by your scholarship, if you completed all five parts, you would certainly earn a title, but... you always leave the remaining papers blank, what a pity."
Feeling guilty, Yang Runsen said, "I’m... I’m timid at heart..."
The exam spans three days with five sections, and when reaching the explanation of Classics and History, his palms began to sweat.
County Magistrate curiously asked, "Why timid? What are you afraid of?"
Yang Runsen looked embarrassed, "Because... I was ridiculed by villagers."
In the second month after his first fiancée tragically died, it was county exam month.
As he had to take the exam, he did not return home to pay respects to his deceased fiancée, and her family pursued him to the county to insult him.
Burdened with guilt, he performed poorly in the exam.
Though he later paid his respects as a form of consolation, and did not retrieve the wedding gift, her family was relentless, every time he took the county exam, they would cause a scene in the county.
He couldn’t avoid it.
As a result, he never passed once.
Although their family later encountered some problems and, unable to stay in the village, moved elsewhere, Yang Runsen, by then older, lost interest in taking the county exams and stopped attending, choosing instead to return home to manage his family affairs, never to attempt the county exam again.
Yang Runsen respectfully told County Magistrate Li, "I am indeed that person."
"You always leave? The exam has five parts yet you leave them unfinished?" County Magistrate questioned, "With your scholarship, completing all five parts surely would earn you honors, but... you always leave the other papers blank, what a pity."
Despite this, he later, after some practice, even passed the provincial exam, but the exams took longer. How would you pass?"
Yang Runsen told him what happened at Qian Hong Lou.
"I have come here because I am aggrieved, and since I can draft a complaint myself, why not submit one? If you want to sue them, it can only be done in court, seeing me in the hall afterwards is merely personal mediation and I can’t use my position to force someone."
Yang Runsen lowered his head and continued, "It’s just that... we don’t have any proof, so... we can only come and seek help from Lord County Magistrate."
County Magistrate Li listened quietly until Yang Runsen finished.
The County Magistrate pondered for a moment, tapping the table, and said, "Well then, Let’s handle this carefully."
He looked at Yang Runsen, "Tomorrow at Chenshi, bring your wife to the main hall to sue."
Yang Runsen was stunned, "Really... I didn’t expect it would be so easy, I thought... this would be difficult."
But the County Magistrate did not continue the topic, just said, "Go to the main hall to sue, this official will hear the case according to the rule of law."
Yang Runsen hurriedly kneeled and kowtowed, "Grateful to Lord County Magistrate for the opportunity, I won’t let you down."
Li Yuzhu also expressed gratitude on behalf of him, pulling Li Lixing along to bow before leaving the study.
When they left the County Magistrate Mansion, Yang Runsen was still in disbelief, "Is it really going to be that easy?"
Li Lixing said, "My father is just and upright. As long as you have a case, you have nothing to fear. However, you must provide some evidence or witnesses tomorrow."
Yang Runsen muttered to himself, "Can we really rely on the government to find justice?"
Li Jing piped up, "Uncle, the Lord County Magistrate is a fair and just person."
Li Yuzhu patted Yang Runsen on the shoulder reassuringly, "My father cherishes reputations of the people and upholds justice to clear grievances, don’t worry."
Arriving home, Li Yuzhu and the rest went to discuss the plan.
Li Lixing said, "There’s no need to worry now, tomorrow when you reach the County Magistrate Mansion and the County Magistrate sees the situation with his own eyes, everything will fall into place. You only need to summon the witnesses and write a complaint yourself, explaining the cause and effects clearly. Then this wrong would surely be righted."
Yang Runsen looked at them, feeling much more settled, "Thank you for your guidance, I will write the complaint immediately when I get back."
At that moment, there was a sound at the entrance, the shopkeeper had arrived at the County Magistrate’s Mansion to file a complaint about the smashed jade bottle incident.
"What a coincidence, we are talking about her now." whispered Li Jing.
When the friend left, the County Magistrate sat at his desk with his eyes closed, listening to his son narrate the whole story.
The County Magistrate raised his hand, signaling Li Lixing to stop and said, "It should be a clear matter, only that the amount of compensation is quite dubious."
He paused, then continued, "So what do you plan to do now, Mr. Li?"
Li Lixing said, "Yang Runsen wrote a complaint and wants to sue the tavern for wrongful detention."
The County Magistrate nodded, "Then bring it to me first thing tomorrow morning."
He turned his gaze to Yang Runsen and spoke gently, "Tomorrow, we shall see how the tavern justifies their demand. If there is any fraud, they will be punished according to the law. Go back and prepare."
"Yes, County Magistrate," Yang Runsen replied, deeply bowing in thanks.
The County Magistrate glanced at his son again, "Take care of Mr. Li these past few days, help him settle his affairs so he can return to the village with peace of mind."
Li Lixing nodded and took Yang Runsen and Li Yuzhu to retreat.
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