Free Web NovelChapter 109: Chapter 109: Sliding Kneel for Forgiveness
Shen Ningning had been attending the academy for two days.
She had just bid a smiling farewell to her classmates when she stepped outside and saw Chen Ye waiting at the entrance, his expression grim.
The little one’s heart sank. She hurried over to him. "Brother Chen, why are you here? Did something happen to Grandma?"
Chen Ye shook his head. "It’s not Grandma Qin. It’s... Wu Zuchang."
Shen Ningning’s large, clear eyes widened. "What’s happened to him now?"
Chen Ye found the matter difficult to talk about.
He gave her a rough summary, omitting Ba Deshun’s more vulgar remarks, of course.
He only said that Grandma Qin, furious at Wang Qiao’er for spouting nonsense, had gone to confront her.
But the door was locked. Wu Zuchang climbed over the courtyard wall to get help, but he ended up stumbling upon Ba Deshun and Wang Qiao’er’s affair. Ba Deshun then made some outrageous claims, which Deng Fugui overheard.
"So Deng Fugui kicked him, and apparently caused some kind of injury."
Shen Ningning was surprised to hear this.
Deng Fugui was only two or three years older than her. How could he possibly have the strength to cause an injury with a single kick?
Being so young, she didn’t understand.
So she asked in confusion, "But if Fugui was the one who did the kicking, why did they arrest Brother Zuchang?"
Chen Ye sighed. "Wang Qiao’er is Deng Fugui’s mother, and she’s also distantly related to Ba Deshun..."
With that, the little one understood.
So, Ba Deshun was angry, but since he couldn’t very well make trouble for Deng Fugui, he decided to pin all the blame on Wu Zuchang.
"He was taken to the government office yesterday. Wu Zuchang’s parents tried to bribe their way through with silver, but they were told he was being charged with attempted theft. They’re going to beat him with a paddle and lock him up for a month."
"Grandma Qin feels terribly guilty. She thinks she’s the one who got Wu Zuchang into this mess, so she wanted to go to the government office to bail him out. My mother managed to talk her out of it, though."
Hearing this, Shen Ningning’s soft, sweet voice filled with anxiety. "This has nothing to do with Grandma!"
Still, she understood her grandmother’s personality. Grandma Qin probably felt that because she had gone looking for Wang Qiao’er, she was the reason Wu Zuchang had gotten into trouble.
’That settles it. I have to get involved.’
The little one asked, "Which government office was he taken to?"
’If it’s in Guangyang County, I’ll probably have to go see Grandpa Fu.’
But Chen Ye said, "The Yu’an County Government Office."
’That place again?’
She thought she would never have to go there again, not after Lu Shaoyuan and Chen Shaobei had stood up for her last time.
’Who would have thought that today, I’d have to make another trip for Wu Zuchang.’
Shen Ningning let out a breath. "Let’s go, Brother Chen. We’ll go take a look."
By the time the little one arrived at the government office, the sun was setting. The lingering warmth from the day’s scorching heat was still palpable.
She wiped the sweat from her brow. As she hopped down from the carriage, her bright, lively eyes peered into the government office.
She couldn’t see anything, but she could hear a string of angry shouts.
"I’m gone for a few days, and you lot turn the whole place upside down? You actually dared to arrest this person? Release him, now!"
"Your Honor, please don’t be angry! Calm down, please! We had no idea Wu Zuchang had such powerful backing. Who is he? Mr. Ba gave us a lot of silver and specifically ordered us to make sure he died in his cell without anyone knowing why..."
"Bullshit! In this lawful land, he thinks he can order a man’s death for a few paltry pieces of silver? Release him, quickly! Otherwise, it’s our necks on the line, not his."
Drawn by the voice, Shen Ningning went inside and saw a familiar figure.
It was the same Chief Judge who had been reprimanded before. He was now laying into a Government Official kneeling in front of him.
With a cold expression, Chen Ye struck the Petition Drum at his side.
"Who is it?! Whatever it is, come back tomorrow!" the Chief Judge snapped, turning around impatiently.
When he saw Shen Ningning, his eyes went wide and his mouth fell open, as if he’d seen a ghost.
’The little girl with the creamy white skin and delicate features... It was the formidable Miss Ningning!’
Shen Ningning watched as the Chief Judge slid to his knees before her.
She wasn’t very tall, yet this official was willing to speak to her while half-kneeling, his face plastered with a fawning, ingratiating smile.
"Miss Ningning, please don’t worry! It’s all my subordinates’ fault for being so blind. I’ve just given them a good tongue-lashing. We’ll release your brother right away."
Shen Ningning had expected to have to argue her case, but she never thought it would be this easy.
She blinked her long, dark, curled lashes in disbelief. "You’ve already cleared everything up?"
The Chief Judge nodded frantically. "Of course! That simpleton—bah! Forgive my slip of the tongue, I meant, that young master. One look at him and you can tell he has a pure heart. How could he possibly harm anyone with malicious intent?"
He immediately ordered a Government Official to release Wu Zuchang.
Wu Zuchang’s clothes were filthy and disheveled from his time in the cell, and he had his own smelly sock stuffed in his mouth.
The Chief Judge’s soul nearly left his body.
’If Miss Ningning thinks we tortured her brother, won’t she call on those powerful backers of hers again to have me stripped of my minor post?’
He shot a murderous glare at the Government Official.
The Government Official hastily explained, "It wasn’t us! He stuffed it in there himself!"
Chen Ye frowned. "Don’t tell me he’s been scared witless?"
Shen Ningning shared his concern.
But when Wu Zuchang saw her, he ran over with the same goofy grin as always.
"Mmph... mmph..."
The little one pointed to his mouth. "Take it out."
Wu Zuchang was very obedient and pulled out the smelly sock.
"Why did you stuff that in your mouth?" Shen Ningning asked.
For the first time, an embarrassed and shy expression appeared on Wu Zuchang’s face.
"The men in the cell... they said... I drool. And it’s... it’s embarrassing for... for Girlie." He stuttered as he grew flustered.
He stuffed his mouth so he wouldn’t embarrass her.
He couldn’t control the drooling, but he could stop it up.
’This guy really is a simpleton!’ the Chief Judge thought.
But out loud, he praised him with great, feigned emotion, "Miss Ningning, your brother is truly a pure and kind soul!"
Shen Ningning’s heart softened, and her eyes began to redden.
Her long lashes fluttered, and she mumbled in her soft, sweet voice, "Brother Zuchang, it’s okay to drool. When I cry, I get snot bubbles!"
"Like this..." She puffed out her cheeks, trying to force out a snot bubble to show him.
But after trying for a moment, she burst out laughing instead. "I can’t do it right now! I’ll show you when I’m ready!"
"Drooling isn’t embarrassing. They were just being mean."
Wu Zuchang immediately broke into a smile like a five-year-old child, his large frame bouncing and hopping with joy.
"Girlie shouldn’t cry! You should always smile!"
The little one said, "Let’s hurry back now. We shouldn’t keep your family waiting."
Wu Zuchang nodded eagerly and stayed by her side.
Just as Shen Ningning was about to leave, the Chief Judge called out and hurried after her.
"Miss Ningning, about what happened today... you... you won’t..." He trailed off, his face a mask of apologetic smiles.
Shen Ningning understood what he meant.
She replied calmly in her soft, sweet voice, "I won’t tell them. But if Brother Zuchang is ever brought here again, I must ask that you please take good care of him."
"Of course, of course!" the Chief Judge promised at once.
When Shen Ningning brought Wu Zuchang home, Wu Cui and Qian Siniang were at their wits’ end trying to think of a solution.
Qian Siniang had cried until her voice was hoarse.
Seeing Wu Zuchang return, she was overcome with shock and joy. "Zuchang! Oh, my son!"
She rushed forward and threw her arms around him, sobbing her heart out.
For the past two days, she and her husband had spent their silver trying every connection they could, but the government office refused to release him.
Ba Deshun had given the order: Wu Zuchang was to be taught a harsh lesson.
Qian Siniang had even gone to kneel and beg Wang Qiao’er. She cast aside her pride and self-respect, pleading with Wang Qiao’er to put in a good word for her with Ba Deshun.
But Wang Qiao’er had only watched her kneel with a smirk, humiliating her relentlessly. freeweɓnovel.cøm
She had even said, "Your son’s a simpleton. Maybe a good beating at the government office will knock some sense into him."
Heartbroken, Qian Siniang was driven away.
Wu Cui had taken gold to their patron, hoping for assistance.
But he was driven away by the man’s servants before he could even see him.
"Stick to your own duties and stop bothering our master!"
Convinced their son was doomed and with nowhere left to turn, Qian Siniang and Wu Cui could never have imagined that the one to save them from their desperate crisis would be Shen Ningning—the very child they had deceived.
Looking at Shen Ningning’s large, glistening eyes and hearing the concern for Wu Zuchang in her voice... freewēbnoveℓ.com
Qian Siniang suddenly dropped to her knees before her.
"Miss Ningning, I can never repay your immense kindness. There is something I must confess to you!"
