"Moreover, human ghosts canât linger in the mortal world for too long, otherwise wouldnât all those who died unjustly come back for revenge every year? But look at those evildoers, arenât they all still living well?"
"Youâre right indeed, I misunderstood."
Yang Chuxia paused and continued, "But these children are truly pitiable, each so young, unable to find their families. What will happen to them in the future?"
"We can raise them here at our home, and have them stay with the children," Ye Ziâan suggested. These kids were found outside the city; after the new year, a lot of refugees appeared outside the city, and there were many children without parents along the way.
"That works too." Thinking about the two youngest ones inside, only two years old, without parents and knowing nothing, if Ye Ziâan hadnât brought them back, they might have died of hunger.
Itâs said that many of these people fled from Shandong, and thinking about this, Yang Chuxia despised Prince Le even more. If he hadnât caused trouble, how could Shandong have become so chaotic, forcing people to leave their homes, and children losing their parents?
Reflecting on her own children, now sent away, if anything happened to her and Brother An, they might end up the same way. Yang Chuxiaâs heart ached uncontrollably.
"Donât worry, our children wonât end up like that," Ye Ziâan reassured her, understanding her thoughts. "I have sent many people to follow and protect them, left enough money, and with Qingrui and the others, everything will be fine."
"Alright, but youâll have to move quickly."
"Weâve almost finished preparing, just waiting for the right moment. It wonât be long."
"Father, the day after tomorrow is the Luo Familyâs funeral, mother needs to prepare for the ritual."
Lele, noticing their somber expressions, reminded them.
"Got it, little steward," Yang Chuxia tousled his hair and smiled. "Go and rest; going out early must be tiring."
"Iâm not tired at all, mother shouldnât think Iâm that weak," Lele said haughtily, raising his head. "Honestly, I should thank father for pushing me to practice martial arts; otherwise, I wouldnât handle the carriageâs bumpiness."
God knows how painful riding the carriage to the academy was for him before.
After Lele went back, it wasnât long before someone reported that Constable Lu requested an audience.
Yang Chuxia didnât immediately recall who this was until Ye Ziâan reminded her.
"Greetings, Lord Ye, Madam Ye."
"Constable Lu, no need for formalities," Ye Ziâan said, "Is the case involving the Qian family concluded?"
"It is," Constable Lu replied, "Itâs been thoroughly investigated, which is why I came to report to you."
"What was found? Is she involved in any other cases?"
Yang Chuxia was curious whether she had trafficked other children, but unexpectedly uncovered other cases instead.
"Madam Ye, you guessed right; this woman is truly vicious," Constable Lu shuddered at the thought. "This Qian Xiaoqing had been married twice, right?"
"Yes!"
"Thatâs it," Constable Lu continued. "Her two husbands were both killed by her; the first one wasnât sick but poisoned with arsenic, the second was beaten to death with a hammer. To avoid capture, she fled all the way to the Capital City, hooking up with two traffickers, and along the way kidnapped three children, each sold to various places in the Capital City."
Yang Chuxia hadnât expected Qian Xiaoqing to be so cruel; such a person truly deserved to die.
"Whatâs her sentence?"
"Execution by waist chop!" Constable Lu replied. "Two lives were taken."