Chapter 20: Lingering Heart Does Not Die

  Now with Wen Meng and Yin Wu helping each other, Hua Lang feels confident that even if he can't defeat Zhou Si Ping, he will definitely be able to rescue his sister Hua Wan Er.

  After some thought, Hua Lang felt that Zhou Si Ping wouldn't dare to hide Hua Rong Er in the county government office. The only possibility was that he had sent someone to keep an eye on her. Therefore, Hua Lang asked Wen Meng to send out his friends from the jianghu to investigate and see where Zhou Si Ping had hidden Hua Rong Er.

  In addition, Hualang also asked Yin Wuchuo to probe the county government, to see if there were any clues, perhaps from the county government they could find out where Huawan was.

  Wen Meng went to invite friends from the rivers and lakes, Yin Wu tried to probe the county government office without error, Hua Lang guarded the entrance of the county government office, paying attention to the movements of the county government at all times.

  After such an arrangement, the three of them immediately took action.

  After Wen Meng left, Yin Wuchang and Hualang rushed to the county government office. After arriving at the county government office, Yin Wuchang jumped in from behind the county government office. Hualang saw that Yin Wuchang's lightness skill was so good, and he couldn't help but feel envious in his heart. However, he just thought about it casually, then hid in front of the county government office gate, watching everything inside.

  At this time, the county government seemed to be trying a case, with stern voices and the sound of cudgels faintly coming from inside, interspersed with mournful cries. Hua Lang saw this and smiled slightly in his heart, thinking that it was probably another miscarriage of justice.

  If it were in the past, Hua Lang would not have understood Zhou Si Ping very well and naturally would not have thought that this was a miscarriage of justice. However, now that Zhou Si Ping can even hire hitmen and kidnap people, how could he possibly uphold the law impartially?

  A person's character can be judged by their actions. If a person's character is not good, it is difficult for others to have a good impression of them.

  It was almost noon, the weather was scorching hot, and Hualang couldn't stop wiping his sweat, feeling like he was about to dry out completely. But for the sake of his sister, he had to have a thorough understanding of the county government's movements.

  The wailing inside had stopped, and before long, two bailiffs supported a limp person out of the county government office. The two bailiffs smiled coldly and unceremoniously threw the severely injured person to the ground. The man lay on the ground, glaring fiercely at the two bailiffs from the county government office, then gritted his teeth in pain and stood up. But as soon as he got up, he suddenly fell to the ground again. Seeing this, the two bailiffs couldn't help but burst out laughing loudly, without a hint of compassion.

  The young man saw that the person was pitiful and wanted to go forward to support him, but thinking of his own danger at the moment, he could only hold back in the end.

  That man got up and fell down, crawling and walking, finally disappearing from the sight of those bailiffs. Hualang didn't dare to go over until then, but as soon as he ran over, that man suddenly fell to the ground again, looking at Hualang with great vigilance and asked: "Who are you?"

  At this time, the two of them were close together, so Hua Lang took a good look at the man. He looked like a scholar too, but at this moment, his mouth was bleeding and his buttocks had been beaten until they were oozing blood, giving off an extremely pitiful and weak impression.

  Seeing that man on guard, Hua Lang hastily cupped his hands and said: "I am Hua Lang, also a scholar. Seeing you being beaten badly by Zhou Si Ping, I came to see if there's anything I can help with."

  The man's appearance was also that of a scholar, and he had heard Hualang address the county magistrate by name, so he thought it unlikely that he meant harm and relaxed his guard. The man also bowed and said: "I am Wu Jun, also a scholar; I don't know why Brother Hua is here."

  The young man looked around and said, "It's not convenient to talk here, may I borrow a step to speak?"

  It's indeed a bit inconvenient here, Wu Jun nodded slightly and then Hualang came forward to support him, slowly leaving the county government area.

  After they arrived at a safe place, Hua Lang spoke up and said: "I have a younger sister who was kidnapped by bad people. I wanted to go find Zhou Si Ping to report the case, but seeing you being beaten into this state, my heart is filled with doubts. As the ancient saying goes, 'A clean official does not casually beat people, and an official who casually beats people is not a clean official!'"

  After hearing Hua Lang's words, Wu Jun, despite his physical pain, couldn't help but burst out laughing and said: "Brother Hua is really joking, who among the ancients said that phrase? I don't know about it." Wu Jun knew that Hua Lang only casually mentioned those words, so he didn't take them to heart. Instead, he continued: "Although it's not an ancient saying, it's also very relevant. After Zhou Si Ping listened to my confession on Thursday, he beat me up without hesitation and then drove me out. He definitely isn't a clean official. Brother Hua wants to report him, but I'm afraid it won't have a good outcome."

  Hualang's face was hesitant, and after a long time, he said: "It seems that I have no choice but to find another way to rescue my sister. But why did Brother Wu want to go to the county government?"

  Hualang mentioned Wu Jun's heart-wrenching story, and he sighed, saying: "To be honest, I went to accuse the main bookkeeper Bai Bu Tong. He is a neighbor of my family, and yesterday our clothes were blown into his house by the wind. My old father went to retrieve them, but Bai Bu Tong insisted that those clothes belonged to him. Not only did he refuse to return them, but he also kicked my old father. My father is elderly and has always been in poor health, how could he withstand a kick from Bai Bu Tong? As a result... as a result, after my father returned home, he passed away. I am filled with grief and determination to seek justice for my father."

  After listening to Wu Jun's words, Hua Lang suddenly felt that Bai was very detestable. For a piece of clothing, they had such a big fight and even took a life. It was too barbaric. But thinking this way, Hua Lang also couldn't help but feel worried about Wu Jun's fate. Since ancient times, ordinary people have never fought against officials. This county clerk, no matter what, was still a ninth-rank official of the imperial court, and the right-hand man of the county magistrate. If Wu Jun were to sue the county clerk, wouldn't that be like cutting off his own right arm?

  In this way, how could Zhou Ping accept Wu Jun's case on Thursday? From the fact that Zhou Ping didn't ask much and drove Wu Jun out, it can be seen in general.

  Hualang thought that Wu Jun's case was not urgent, and it had to be done slowly, so he comforted him by saying: "Brother Wu, I can understand your desire for revenge and justice for your father. However, this Zhou Ping is not a clean official, and the chief clerk is an imperial court official. As the saying goes, 'officials protect each other', and if you sue like this, it's unlikely to have any results. I advise Brother Wu to wait first, and make plans when the time is ripe."

  But who would have thought that Hua Lang's kind words were overheard by Wu Jun, who took them to mean that he was being advised not to accuse Bai Wutong. He let out a cold snort and said, "The great injustice has not been redressed, my heart will not rest, you want me not to accuse Bai Wutong? Don't even think about it!"

  After hearing Wu Jun's words, Hua Lang was stirred in his heart and said: "What a great injustice has not been redressed! As long as I am alive, for the sake of this sentence, I will definitely help you."

  Wu Jun saw that Hua Lang was not joking, and thinking about what Hua Lang had said earlier, it seemed that he didn't mean to refuse his confession either. Realizing that he had misunderstood, Wu Jun hurriedly apologized: "It was my mistake for misunderstanding you, Brother Hua, please forgive me."