Transmigrated as a Peasant Girl with Prophetic Dreams: Using My Space to Become the Richest Person - Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Arresting Zhao Zhaodi

Early the next morning, the villagers went to report the crime to the authorities. It would have been too much effort to transport over a dozen bandits to the yamen themselves, and they couldn’t guarantee that no accidents would happen along the way. Therefore, it was better to report it and let the government officials come down to take custody of the prisoners.

Upon hearing news of bandits, the County Magistrate naturally took it very seriously and dispatched men to take them away. Once the bandits were gone, the Village Head immediately led a group of people to the Old Yang residence.

Zhao Zhaodi had no idea her deeds had been exposed. She was currently at home repairing their house when she saw the Village Head barge in with a crowd of people.

Old Man Yang was sitting in the courtyard. Seeing the Village Head arrive with so many people, his expression immediately darkened. “Village Head, what is the meaning of this? Why bring so many people to my home so suddenly?”

Before the Village Head could speak, someone shouted, “Old Man Yang, you have the nerve to ask us what we mean? Why don’t you look at what your family has done!”

Old Man Yang was genuinely confused. They hadn’t caused any trouble these past few days. Could it be that Yang the Third had filed a complaint against them? Hmph, that Yang the Third! Not only had he failed to come help repair the house all these days, but now he was even suing them? He had truly raised an ungrateful wolf.

“What have we done? Our family consists of honest and law-abiding people. For you to bring people here just to interrogate us, Village Head—don’t you think that’s inappropriate?”

Sun Qiuping had already returned home with her children after the floodwaters completely receded. She hadn’t wanted to return, but she feared that if she didn’t, she might never be allowed back. Though that old hag Wang Dani had disappeared, Old Man Yang was still there, and she remained wary of him. She didn’t know what had happened on the mountain after she left, but seeing the Village Head and the angry villagers, she was certain the Old Yang family had committed another moral atrocity.

As for Zhao Zhaodi, seeing the villagers safe and sound yet boiling with rage, she instantly felt a pang of guilt. Her shifty behavior did not escape Sun Qiuping’s eyes.

Yang the Eldest and Yang the Second had already stepped to Old Man Yang’s side. The Eldest looked at the crowd with dissatisfaction. “Village Head, aren’t you just bullying people now?”

The Village Head’s gaze fell directly on Zhao Zhaodi. “Whether we are bullying people or not—we’ll have to ask the Zhao woman.”

As soon as he spoke, several middle-aged village women stepped forward toward Zhao Zhaodi. Zhao Zhaodi tried to run, but the women surrounded her tightly.

“Zhao Zhaodi, you nearly got us killed! And now you dare try to run?”

The members of the Old Yang family were completely bewildered. Zhao Zhaodi had been working hard at home for the past few days; how could she have almost killed the villagers? This seemed like a gross injustice.

Seeing his wife seized, Yang the Eldest naturally stepped up to defend her. “What is wrong with you all? Unless you explain yourselves clearly, no one is taking her anywhere!”

An angry villager stepped out. “Zhao Zhaodi conspired with bandits to harm her fellow villagers. We cannot allow someone like this to stay in our village. We are taking her to see the Magistrate!”

Zhao Zhaodi quickly denied it. “I didn’t! You are framing me!”

The Old Yang family was shocked. “What? Conspiring with bandits?”

“Zhao Zhaodi, don’t even think about denying it! The bandits have already confessed. They said you told them our village had grain and told them to come rob us!”

“That’s right! The bandits have all been caught. You can look forward to rotting in the dungeon right alongside them!”

“Zhao Zhaodi, you black-hearted wretch! What did we ever do to you for you to sabotage us like this?”

“Someone like you deserves a miserable death!”

As the villagers threw accusations one after another, Zhao Zhaodi’s face grew paler and paler. Her legs had turned to jelly the moment she heard the bandits were caught; if not for the village women holding her up, she would have collapsed.

However, people like Zhao Zhaodi are stubborn by nature. She wouldn’t admit to her crimes until the very last second. “I didn’t do it! You’re just trying to frame me!”

The Village Head snorted coldly. “Whether it’s a frame-up or not, the Magistrate will decide. You’re coming with us to the yamen right now.”

Zhao Zhaodi refused to budge. Hearing “yamen” made the last bit of color drain from her face. She began to struggle desperately. “I’m not going! I didn’t conspire with bandits! You’re framing me!”

“Father-in-law! Husband! Save me! These people are going to kill me!”

One of the aunts holding her spat at her. “We’re killing you? Zhao Zhaodi, you really have no shame!”

The Village Head’s face remained cold. “Take her away.” He then looked at Old Man Yang and his sons. “If you have something to say, you can come to the yamen and say it. We are taking her regardless.”

Old Man Yang’s face was dark, but he remained silent. What could he say? The Village Head had invited him to speak at the yamen—did he dare go? If he went, his old face would be dragged through the mud. A family misfortune! A total family misfortune! How did we marry such a disaster of a woman into this house?

Yang the Eldest also looked sickly. Faced with Zhao Zhaodi’s cries for help, he felt powerless. With so many villagers there, how could he possibly stop them?

Realizing she couldn’t count on the men, Zhao Zhaodi turned her hopes toward her children. “Save your mother! I don’t want to go to the yamen! I don’t want to go to prison!”

Her children could only watch in frantic helplessness. “Mother—!”

As the women dragged her to the doorway, Zhao Zhaodi reached out and grabbed the doorframe. Since the frame hadn’t been properly repaired yet, her desperate tug caused it to give way. Fortunately, a few villagers were quick enough to catch it, or it would have smashed onto Zhao Zhaodi and the women.

Despite her struggles, she was eventually dragged out.

“Shu’er! Shu’er! Save Mother! If they take me away, you’ll never see me again!”

She didn’t give up, screaming her son’s name. Zhao Chunshu, thinking he was about to lose his mother, burst into tears and rushed out. He grabbed onto the Village Head, begging him to let her go.

Facing the child who was sobbing so hard he could barely breathe, the Village Head felt conflicted, and the villagers felt a pang of pity. Seeing a glimmer of hope, Zhao Zhaodi quickly said to her son, “Shu’er, kneel down and beg your Uncle Village Head! You don’t want to never see me again, do you?”

“If they take me, the Magistrate will have me beaten to death!”

Hearing that his mother might die, Zhao Chunshu fell to his knees with a loud thud.