Chapter 378: Chapter 378: The High Platform

Wang Bolao had been completely in the dark about what was happening, and now he broke out in a cold sweat.

It turned out that their invitation to him and Xia Wenjin for a meal was all with ulterior motives, and he, along with his wife, had unwittingly become accomplices? Yu County Magistrate, finding Miss Xia beautiful, intended to take her and keep her as a slave or maid?

Wang Bolao was so terrified his eyes rolled back, almost fainting.

Who didn’t know how much Xia Wenjin had done for the people of Wangshan Town because of this epidemic?

If the townspeople of Wangshan found out about the sordid intentions of these two, they’d rush over and tear Yu Shikui and Kong Tixin to pieces.

Kong Tixin, tears and snot streaming, finished speaking and begged, “Lord Imperial Envoy, I was utterly confused. I had no lewd thoughts about Miss Xia; I only acted like this to curry favor with Lord Yu. Please spare me!”

Huangfu Jinxuan asked, “Brother Zheng, did you note it down?”

Only then did everyone recall that when Huangfu Jinxuan had been beating Yu Shikui and Kong Tixin, Huangfu Jingchen seemed not to be present. Following Huangfu Jinxuan’s gaze, they saw Huangfu Jingchen sitting by a table, paper spread out, writing swiftly.

He put down the pen and said, “All done!”

The paper was taken over, and Huangfu Jinxuan snatched it with one hand, thrusting it in front of Kong Tixin. He grabbed Kong Tixin’s hair, forcing his head toward the paper, and said, “Look, this is everything you said, isn’t it?”

Kong Tixin, already beaten with one eye swollen and blurry, looked at it and saw it indeed captured his earlier confession, referring to Xia Wenjin as a woman surnamed Xia. There was a particularly glaring line: “The woman surnamed Xia saw through the plot and didn’t fall for it.”

So Xia Wenjin hadn’t been fooled.

But Xia Wenjin clearly drank the wine!

And Xia Wenjin obviously entered that room!

At that moment, clarity suddenly struck his head: Xia Wenjin was herself a physician, an exceedingly skilled one at that, someone even the Deputy Director of the Imperial Hospital couldn’t gain an advantage over.

Realizing the problem with the wine, she either drank it knowing how to detoxify herself or didn’t drink at all, tricking him and Yu County Magistrate into downing the adulterated wine.

As for entering the room, it was so she could lull him and Yu County Magistrate into a false sense of security after they had drunk the wine.

Upon entering the room, the effects of the drug must have kicked in, while Xia Wenjin quietly slipped away. That cunning girl; she was maliciously shrewd!

He admitted, “Yes… yes…”

“Then sign and seal it!”

A massive terror surged in Kong Tixin’s heart as he recoiled, horrified, saying, “No… no…”

Bringing it up was now unavoidable, but signing and sealing meant irrefutable guilt. How could he dare!

Huangfu Jinxuan said coolly, “You don’t have to sign. I’ll just blind one of your eyes and force your hand to make the mark. After all, you’ve already admitted it’s all true, willingly or not!”

Seeing Huangfu Jinxuan pick up the dagger again, he was terrified and hastily shouted, “I’ll sign… sign!”

Huangfu Jinxuan removed the cloth binding from his hand.

He took the pen, nervously signing his name, and then Huangfu Jingchen handed over the sealing clay, and he pressed his fingerprint, sobbing bitterly, “Lord Imperial Envoy, it was momentary madness, I’ve confessed everything. Spare my life!”

“Don’t worry, I won’t take your life!” Huangfu Jinxuan said with a grin, “Bring it over to let Lord Yu seal it, too!”

Kong Tixin widened his eyes, seeing Lord Yu lying unconscious.

Huangfu Jinxuan’s smile disappeared, and he brandished the dagger, saying, “What are you standing there for? Hurry up!”

Kong Tixin thought, since he had already signed, Yu Shikui wouldn’t spare him anyway, and he had done this for Yu Shikui, finding himself in this position because of him. If he was going down, they were going down together!

Resolved, he took the sealing clay and pressed it on Yu Shikui’s unconscious hand, marking the paper.

Once it was done, Huangfu Jinxuan shouted, “Bind him!” Wei Jun used the remaining cloth strips to bind his hands again.

Kong Tixin, crying and snotting, said, “Lord Imperial Envoy, you promised not to take my life…”

Huangfu Jinxuan looked at him, cheerfully restored, and said, “Of course I won’t take your life; how could I be so cruel?”

Then, he delivered a palm strike and knocked him out.

With those two unconscious, the room fell silent.

Shang Jingwang, coming to his senses, said, “Truly heaven sees all, good fortune smiled on Miss Xia!” The most poisonous thing in the world is the human heart. Such a wonderful person as Miss Xia had villains who wanted to ruin her because of her beauty!

Huangfu Jingchen looked at Yu Shikui and Kong Tixin with cold, severe eyes. It wasn’t mere fortune but Wenjin’s wit that saved her, turning their trick back on them!

He said to Huangfu Jinxuan, “I leave the rest to you!”

Huangfu Jinxuan replied with satisfaction, “Rest assured! I’ve had it with that foul latrine; who knew his mind was even filthier. I’ll ensure he’s honored in style!”

By dawn, Wangshan Town was in an uproar as the Imperial Envoy Guard beat a gong, announcing that the villagers should all gather at the large open area outside the quarantine zone, promising a reward of one hundred wen for each person who came!

Even without the money, the villagers would want to see what was happening, not to mention a chance to earn some cash!

So, nearly the entire village mobilized.

Upon arriving at the open area outside the quarantine zone, they found a platform set up, a simple one, but with the Lord Imperial Envoy seated on it.

The townsfolk were not in a hurry. The Lord Imperial Envoy wouldn’t go back on his word, so they found places to sit as instructed and waited.

As the time arrived and all the villagers gathered, Huangfu Jinxuan signaled, and a person came onto the stage from the side.

The villagers all recognized him—isn’t that the town chief, Wang Bolao?

To them, Wang Bolao used to be a significant official, but ever since the County Magistrate, Prefecture, Prefectural Governor, and the Lord Imperial Envoy arrived, they had a more detached view.

Upon taking the stage, Wang Bolao confessed sorrowfully, “Fellow villagers, I am guilty!”

Wasn’t it supposed to be the Lord Imperial Envoy making an announcement? How did it turn into a confession?

Confused, the villagers listened as Wang Bolao continued, “I, Wang Bolao, as the head of the town, indulged in wine and recklessness and nearly harmed Doctor Xia yesterday evening!”

What? This concerned Doctor Xia?

The villagers couldn’t remain calm or seated, rapidly asking, “What on earth happened?”

“Is Doctor Xia alright?”

“Is Doctor Xia unharmed?”

…

Wang Bolao cast a quick glance at the displeased Huangfu Jinxuan and hastily added, “Doctor Xia is fine!” He then recounted how the County Magistrate Kong had invited him to join them in a farewell drink for Xia Wenjin and subsequently learned that County Magistrate Kong intended to drug Xia Wenjin’s wine and present her to Yu Shikui.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep