Chapter 500: March on the Wan Family

Qin San Lang and Qin Er Lang followed along as well.

Before leaving, Qin San Lang said to Gu Jinli, "This time we’re going far, you shouldn’t go, head home, and be careful. I’m afraid the village isn’t safe yet."

Gu Jinli nodded, "Don’t worry, we’ll head down the mountain and go home soon. I’ll keep an eye on the village’s affairs."

The He family’s uncles and elder brothers were clearly guarding the village entrance, so how did those criminals get in?

It’s likely someone in the village helped, otherwise those criminals wouldn’t have known how to enter the village from outside the entrance and find Gu Yumei so precisely...

Gu Jinli’s heart tightened, suddenly thinking of someone related to Gu Yumei—Wan Lifang!

Could it be that Wan Lifang bore a grudge and found a gang to teach Gu Yumei a lesson, and was caught by Luo Huiniang, so they took both of them? It’s very possible.

Gu Jinli immediately went to ask Luo Huiniang.

Luo Huiniang described the events of that night in detail, making Gu Jinli frown... Gu Yumei brought Nanny Yao into the village, instead of Gu Yumei being dragged out of the village by Nanny Yao.

Leaving means being captured, coming in means... wanting to capture others?

Who are these others?

Gu Jinli’s heart sank, and she immediately found Qin San Lang to tell him everything, finally expressing her suspicion, "Those people might not be led by Wan Lifang alone, there might be others involved... didn’t County Captain Jiang pass a message saying Zou Yuzhen and Fan Dabiao died suspiciously? I guess they weren’t killed fighting each other but were murdered by a third person. Gu Yumei’s matter might be related to that third person!"

Qin San Lang and Luo Wu listened and realized the seriousness of the matter. It was urgent to catch the escaped criminals and find out who is behind this from his mouth.

Mrs. Chen had just finished dressing Gu Yumei properly when she heard this. She rushed over and said, "Was it that Wan family’s little beast? I will skin him alive!!"

Mrs. Chen’s eyes were fierce, filled with a vicious light, wishing she could tear the Wan family to pieces.

Luo Wu feared she would act rashly and cause trouble, so he quickly said, "Aunt Da Gui, we don’t have any evidence yet. Don’t make wild guesses, or the Wan family might bite back."

"Pah! That little beast killed my Sister Mei, you think I should be polite to him? I must kill him!" Mrs. Chen burst into tears again, lamenting Gu Yumei’s fate, "She was cherished by her family as a child, folks said she was destined for a bright future, marrying into an official family, but who would have thought... This girl has an ill fate, enjoying all her life’s fortune in her first fourteen years."

She cried again, "Our family wasn’t well-off, she didn’t enjoy much luxury, I’m not as kind as my elder sister-in-law, I scolded and beat her often."

Mrs. Chen said this, slapping herself hard twice, while Gu Dagui quickly pulled her back to comfort her, "That’s enough, don’t cause a fuss. Leave catching the criminals to Brother Wu’s group. You should be with Sister Mei. She was timid and afraid of the dark since she was little, don’t leave her alone in the cave, she’s scared."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Chen quickly rushed into the cave to be with Gu Yumei’s body.

Gu Dagui wiped his tears and pleaded with Luo Wu, "Brother Wu, you must help your uncle catch the criminals... let Sister Mei rest in peace, I’m begging you."

As he was about to kneel to Luo Wu, Luo Wu quickly pulled Gu Dagui up, "Uncle Da Gui, what are you doing? Please stand up, we will definitely catch the criminals and avenge Sister Mei."

Gu Dagui was still clear-headed and, after Luo Wu’s assurance, urged Luo Wu and the others to go catch the criminals.

Gu Dexing only wanted revenge for Gu Yumei. He found Qin Er Lang, pleading with him, "Qin Er, if you find the escaped criminals, leave no survivors, kill them all!"

He added, "You share responsibility for Sister Mei’s death!"

Qin Er Lang squinted at Gu Dexing for a moment, then flung him off without rejecting him outright.

Gu Dexing understood, Qin Er Lang had taken it to heart.

Gu Dexing wasn’t foolish; he asked Qin Er, not Qin San, because he knew Qin Er was ruthless, he was the kind to strike decisively.

The Government Officials had prepared pine oil torches, and holding them, Qin San Lang and Qin Er Lang tracked the criminals’ escape traces while pursuing them.

Before long, Elder Qin and Han Liu, upon seeing smoke, also arrived. Upon learning of Gu Yumei’s death, they sighed with regret. Several neighboring families’ men were in tears. Gu Yumei was someone they watched grow up; though she was spoiled and showed little respect for her elders, she had not committed any evil acts, yet ended up dying this way.

Elder Qin sighed and instructed Han Liu and his group to make two simple frames, one to carry Gu Dafu, the other to bear Gu Yumei’s body down the mountain.

Mrs. Chen requested rations from everyone present, then led the way, crumbling the food as she walked, sprinkling it along the path, calling out, "Sister Mei, don’t be afraid, follow this path to Second Aunt’s house, stick close, don’t get lost."

If she couldn’t make it home, she would become a wandering spirit in the mountains.

By the time they returned to the village, it was already late at night, yet no one in the village was asleep. They were wildly searching around the village. It turned out that Lu Shuiwa and his sister from the Lu family were missing.

He Dasu wiped the sweat off his forehead and said, "The night you went up the mountain, the Lu Haozi family’s son and daughter went missing. Lu Haozi was working odd jobs outside and wasn’t home, his wife had returned to her mother’s house, and the old couple at home weren’t very sharp, they didn’t pay much attention. It wasn’t until breakfast this morning that they realized the two kids hadn’t returned. They’ve been searching frantically all day, and the Government Officials left in the village have been helping to look, but they’ve found nothing."

Gu Jinli immediately thought of the Wan family and quickly shared her earlier musings.

The Government Officials left in the village frowned and asked, "Gu Family’s daughter, do you have any evidence for your claims?"

Gu Jinli shook her head, "No, it’s just a guess."

The Government Officials were troubled, without evidence they couldn’t go to the Wan family to seek people.

Upon learning that Gu Yumei and Luo Huiniang had been found, Village Chief He came over immediately. After hearing this, he clenched his teeth and said, "Honorable Lords, do not worry. Leave this matter to us villagers to handle."

The Government Officials couldn’t intervene, but the villagers could go to the Wan family to find people. In these rural villages and towns, if anything seemed possible, the villagers could gather and go to inquire.

Lu Haozi’s family had lost a son and a daughter, and with the Wan family as suspects, it was feasible for the village to seek answers.

The Government Officials still felt it was inappropriate, but He Jinseng suddenly said, "Honorable Lords, my son Tongsheng said that recently Lu Shuiwa mentioned to other village children that he helped Wan Lifang pass several messages to Uncle Dafu’s daughter, and even bragged that Wan Lifang was stupid enough to be tricked out of ten copper coins by him."

Upon hearing this, Village Chief He immediately declared, "It is indeed related to Wan Lifang, so what are we waiting for? Let’s storm the Wan family and rescue them!"

The village couldn’t afford any more incidents. If something else happened, he wouldn’t need to be the village chief anymore.