Free Web NovelChapter 389: Chapter 203: Action II
Only under the favor and protection of the Divine Intent can the Song Family endure and thrive endlessly.
Yet over the years, Father has grown increasingly distant from them. The authority that should belong to the Deities has become more formidable; even the brothers are exceedingly respectful. Unless in dreams, they do not dare to call him Father in any situation, even within the family, but only address him as the Huangshan Divine Monarch.
Although Song Wen knows that his father acts for the larger plan, he seeks not to ruin important affairs for personal reasons and does not truly despise the family, he still feels as if walking on thin ice, fearful of doing anything poorly that would make his father disappointed in them, in the Song Family.
Despite being extremely cautious, mistakes still happened in the end.
This makes Song Wen furious enough to want to kill Song Guan.
It isn’t easy for the Song Family!
Back in the days with the three families of Little Huang Village, although the Song Family developed the best, the Lu and Huang Families were also scrambling to hold onto the Deities’ favor, achieving not insignificant growth these years.
Especially the Huang Family, no one knows what luck befell them. First, Huang Qi showed exceptional talent, practiced medicine and martial arts, starting from the Huang Village medical hall, step by step becoming the renowned Divine Doctor Huang of Baozhi Lin; then Huang Hong, surpassing even the excellent, having mastered both medicine and martial arts, amazed everyone as he ranked first in both literary and martial sacrifices for three consecutive years at the Mountain God Festival, stealing the spotlight.
Although this hasn’t yet challenged the Song Family’s status, such vigorous momentum worries the Song Family; they have to strive at literary, martial, medical, and craft sacrifices, competing for favor.
At this critical moment, Song Guan committed such an affair. Do you say he deserves to die? freewebnøvel.coɱ
Looking at Song Hex weakened on the ground and silent, Song Wen felt bitterly disappointed: "Reflect well here; you are not to step away. Otherwise, you will no longer be part of the Song Family."
With that, he swept his sleeve and left!
Meanwhile, members of the Song Clan escorted Li Qing and Song Guan, the mother and son, to the Qinghe County Government Office.
In the back hall of the government office, a middle-aged man wearing a light blue official robe looked at the female corpse on the ground, along with the presented dossier, feeling a bit uneasy as he carefully turned his gaze: "Brother Song, how do you think this case should be handled?"
The tone was uneasy, utterly lacking confidence.
Indeed, there was no confidence!
More than thirty years ago, the Song Family had already been the local powerhouse in Qinghe and Huangshan Counties, the Uncrowned King, having connections up and down, with ties everywhere, and possessing great strength themselves. A seventh-grade County Magistrate, not to mention fourth or sixth-grade officials from the State Mansion, or even County-Respected Families couldn’t contend with such local authority.
Although, in these thirty years or so, their development momentum wasn’t as it used to be, they continued to grow steadily; both in the official and business world it remained thus, someone even attained an official position at Jinling Prefecture, not supreme in power, yet notably influential.
As a seventh-grade County Magistrate, he dared not trouble them nor speculate rashly; he opened asking directly how this case should be handled.
"Ensuring strict impartial processing!"
Wearing the County Captain uniform, Song Jiann also gave a clear indication: "Give justice to the deceased, and bring clarity to my Song Family. We must not allow such scandalous conduct to sully my Song Family’s reputation and ancestors’ honor!"
He was Song Ying’s son, recommended by his third uncle Song Wu, inheriting the position of Qinghe County Captain.
Upon such words, the County Magistrate understood: "Noted, shall we proceed with court?"
"Indeed!"
...
"Proceed with court!"
"Authority~Power!"
The sound of Authority Power resounded through the public court, many townsfolk crowded in, watching those in court with whispers of astonishment.
"Eh?" frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
"Isn’t that the Song Family’s eldest son?"
"Why is he brought to court?"
"Even Madam Song, mother and son arrived together?"
"Perhaps there’s someone to accuse, look how the Eldest Young Master Song was beaten."
"Beaten like this; who did it? The Eldest Young Master Song is skilled; before at the Martial Sacrifice, he sparred evenly with the Divine Doctor Huang, narrowly losing, not everyone could do such to him, right?"
"Ah, what narrowly losing, that was the Divine Doctor Huang favoring the Song Family, holding back; without it, his skills couldn’t exchange dozens of moves with the Divine Doctor Huang!"
The crowd discussed enthusiastically, yet unclear of the situation.
"Silence!"
At this moment, a wood clap quieted the crowd in discussion.
The County Magistrate sat above the court, Li Qing and Song Guan, mother and son, were held firmly below, with a soil-covered female corpse aside.
Such a scene finally alerted the crowd to a misstep.
But before speaking, the County Magistrate voiced: "Song Guan, someone accuses you, mother and son, of murdering the Song Family maid Song Yulian, and posthumously humiliating her, burying her in the wilderness to evade justice; do you admit or not?"
"I don’t admit, I don’t admit!"
Sealing his acupoints, Song Guan shouted hoarsely, struggling under two government officials, already somewhat hysterical: "Do you know who I am? I’m the Song Family’s eldest son; my father is the Patriarch of the Song Clan; my great-grandfather is..."
"Silence!"
Seeing him about to babble, the County Magistrate hastily clapped to interrupt, the two officials also held him firmly.
Observing this, the County Magistrate exhaled, turning a gaze to Li Qing: "Li Qing, you aided Song Guan in burying and concealing the crime. Though as a mother you have kinship privileges, you are an accomplice. Do you admit this charge or not?"
"My lord, I admit guilt, but..."
Yet, Li Qing shifted her gaze, beginning to argue: "My son indeed accidentally killed Song Yulian, but that woman had already sold herself to my Song Family. Last night, it was she who noticed my son drunk and offered herself to gain favor with the Song Family; unexpectedly, my son’s martial arts defied drunkenness, mistakenly killed her. According to the Great Chen Law, while a Patriarch killing a servant is wrong, it’s not punishable by death, and my son’s act wasn’t intentional but accidental. I’m willing to give ten thousand silver for reparation, begging the lord for leniency."
