Ger, So Proud

Chapter 105

Three constables entered the village, attracting curious glances from the villagers, who gathered in small groups to point and whisper. When they reached He Ze’s new courtyard, the leader knocked loudly twice, causing Wang Fu, the family dog, to start barking.

Wang Fu had grown into a large dog, perfect for guarding the house. Because Lin Yu was pregnant, the dog had been tied under the pomegranate tree at the entrance for safety.

As He Ze opened the door, Wang Fu suddenly rushed forward, startling the constables.

“Are you He Ze?”

He Ze scolded Wang Fu and turned to the constables. “Yes, what business do you have with me?”

“A few days ago, did you sell a batch of medicinal herbs to Tongchun Hall in the county town?”

“Yes, is there a problem?”

“You’re the one. You’re suspected of being involved in a poisoning murder case. Come with us.” As soon as the leader finished speaking, two constables stepped forward to put shackles on He Ze.

“Poisoning… murder case? Officer, there must be a mistake! My son could never do such a heinous thing! You… you…”

Dad Li came out from inside just in time to hear this, and he nearly fainted from shock. He Ze moved to support him, but Lin Yu was faster.

“Could you please explain more clearly, Officer? What exactly am I accused of?” He Ze gave Lin Yu a reassuring look before turning to the constables, frowning.

“We’re just here to arrest you. As for what you did, the county magistrate will explain in court. Now, put on the shackles.”

At the leader’s signal, the constables began to shackle He Ze. Although unhappy, he did not resist.

“Officer, you must be mistaken. We’ve watched the He boy grow up; he could never do such a thing!” A voice from the crowd called out. It was the village head, He Hong, who had rushed over with some elderly clan members, leaning on canes and trembling.

“Yes, yes, the He boy is outstanding—polite and filial. There must be some mistake, Officer!”

“His wife, Xiao Yu, just got pregnant recently; how could he do something so foolish?”

With the village head speaking first, the villagers began to speak up in support of He Ze.

Dad Li, clutching his chest as if in pain, nodded vigorously, holding onto He Hong’s arm. “Third Uncle, how could Xiao Ze commit a crime? Please, speak up for him; he’s innocent!”

Seeing the situation getting out of hand and worried about Dad Li’s health, He Ze turned to the constables. “Officers, I’ve put on the shackles and won’t run. May I speak with my family before leaving?”

“Fine, but just a few words and be quick about it.” The leader, seeing He Ze’s cooperation, decided not to make things difficult.

He Ze moved aside, with Lin Yu supporting Dad Li. Before they could even settle, Lin Yu couldn’t hold back, “What’s going on? Why are constables suddenly here to arrest you?”

“No worries, calm down first, don’t panic,” He Ze said, trying to lift his hand to pat Lin Yu’s head, but he had to stop because of the shackles. “You know I won’t be harmed. No one can hurt me.”

He Ze hinted at something.

Lin Yu then recalled his husband’s special abilities, which eased his anxiety a bit. “So, about this matter…”

“I’m not sure either. Even if I did such a thing, no one could have evidence against me. This must be a setup. And the only one I’ve truly offended who has the capability to frame me is—”

“You mean?” The Wang family?

“That’s possible.” But since he wasn’t sure what had happened, he couldn’t jump to conclusions.

However, if it really was the Wang family…

He hadn’t struck hard before because he was worried about Wang Fucheng’s influential uncle. A murder case could cause a huge uproar, and he had been hesitant. Now, letting the snake live had brought trouble; kindness and leniency were indeed mistakes.

“Go to town later and find Luo Zhanming; he might know something. We can’t just remain in the dark. Once we figure out what’s going on, there will be a way to resolve it. Dad, don’t worry. Lord Zhou is a good official, perceptive and fair. If it’s not one’s doing, he’ll clear his name.”

“Really? But…”

“Dad, trust Ze. Lord Zhou even invited him to take care of flowers before; they know each other. If someone is innocent, Lord Zhou will find the truth.” Lin Yu also comforted him.

“That’s right, DD. Don’t worry about me. It’s the household you need to care for now. Xiao Yu is carrying your grandchild; he needs you to take good care of him while I’m away.”

“Yes, yes, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of everything,” Dad Li agreed quickly, feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. “You take care too; prison is tough. I’ll make good food and bring it to you every day…”

Dad Li was finally beginning to calm down, but tears threatened to fall again as he spoke. He Ze and Lin Yu exchanged a helpless glance, finding all the courage, comfort, and strength in each other’s eyes.

He Ze was taken away, and after some comforting words from village head He Hong, the villagers gradually dispersed.

“Youcai’s wife, don’t worry. He Ze is a lucky young man; nothing bad will happen to him. During this time, we’ll have the villagers look after your fields. I’ve also arranged for my eldest son to wait at the village head’s ox cart for you. Since Xiao Yu is pregnant, driving the cart might be inconvenient for you two. If you need any help, just come to me.”

He Hong was thoughtful. After seeing him and the elders off, Dad Li and Lin Yu boarded the ox cart to the town.

When they arrived at the flower shop, He Youcai had gone out for deliveries and wasn’t there. However, his apprentices were running between the two shops, anxious about another incident like the last one. Upon seeing them, He An quickly approached. The constables had gone to the flower shop first, but since Lin Yu was pregnant, He Ze had been frequently going home, so they missed him.

In just over an hour, a lot had happened, and He An was extremely worried.

“Dad, Brother Lin, what’s going on? Where’s my brother?” He had a bad feeling.

Dad Li was in a state of panic, but Lin Yu managed to calm his nerves and explained the situation to He An, offering some reassurance. They then gave the flower shop staff a temporary break and hung a “Closed” sign on the door.

The shop’s employees were all trusted villagers. Liu San and He Dalang had a close relationship with He Ze, and Cai Xing also had a deep connection with the He family. The three apprentices had all performed the apprenticeship tea ceremony for He Youcai. After Lin Yu’s explanation, none of them wanted to leave. It took a lot of convincing from Lin Yu to get them to go home.

Given the current situation, having more people around wouldn’t help.

With the flower shop’s door closed, the sunlight was blocked out, making the interior dim.

Only the three of them remained. He An couldn’t hold back his tears, “Brother Lin, my brother, he’ll be okay, right?”

“Yes, I promise you, he will be fine,” Lin Yu said firmly. Remembering He Ze’s words before he left, he asked, “Has Luo Zhanming been here these past few days?”

“No, he hasn’t. He told me his family’s pharmacy is busy lately, so he might not be able to come often. Why do you ask?” He An replied, wiping his red eyes with his sleeve and sniffling.

“Then we’ll have to go find him.” Although Lin Yu hadn’t interacted much with Luo Zhanming, he trusted He Ze’s judgment.

Just as Lin Yu finished speaking, there was a knock on the door. Opening it revealed Luo Zhanming.

“We were just planning to look for you.”

“Young Master Luo, what’s happening with my son Xiao Ze?” Dad Li, having heard He Ze’s words earlier, saw Luo Zhanming as a savior.

“I came here because of this matter.”

Luo Zhanming’s face was slightly flushed. He hadn’t brought his usual folding fan, and Ah Mu, who was always by his side, was also absent, indicating his hurried arrival. “Uncle Li, please don’t worry, let me explain. This matter involves our pharmacy. Last time, when I collaborated with He Ze, we accepted a batch of baizhi from your family.

Baizhi reduces swelling, expels pus, relieves pain, and boosts energy and blood. A few days ago, our Tongchun Hall distributed free medicine, including a significant amount of baizhi. This morning, a report came in that a refugee who received the medicine allegedly died from poisoning. The constables found baizhi in the residue of his drink, mixed with a plant called Chaiwu.”

Seeing their puzzled expressions, Luo Zhanming explained, “Chaiwu is not a medicinal herb but a poisonous plant. It grows in shady, damp places. When dried and cut, its pieces look very similar to baizhi. Consuming it can cause paralysis and high fever, and in severe cases, it can be fatal.”

“Human lives are at stake. Our Tongchun Hall has also shut down, and the shopkeeper has been taken by the constables. However, the truth of the matter is not yet clear, and they are only being held for questioning, with no danger to their lives. I trust Brother He, and the shopkeeper assured me that he carefully inspected the goods when he received them and found no issues. This case is full of suspicious points.”

Chaiwu, despite being just a poison, is much more valuable than baizhi. Who would be foolish enough to mix Chaiwu with baizhi for sale? If He Ze really wanted to kill someone, what would his motive be? And why choose such a stupid and complicated method?

The doubts are overwhelming.

“Everyone, don’t worry. My brother-in-law is an excellent investigator; he will find out the truth.”

Luo Zhanming looked at He An’s tear-streaked face. He raised his hand halfway, then lowered it, saying again, “Now that Brother He is imprisoned, you must take good care of yourselves.”

Dad Li was still crying and didn’t notice his gesture. Lin Yu, deep in thought, bowed deeply to him. “Thank you.”

This gratitude was for not distancing himself from the incident but instead coming to notify them first.

“Brother-in-law, there’s no need to thank me. It’s what I should do,” Luo Zhanming sighed lightly and added, “This case hasn’t been concluded yet, and visiting is relatively easy. We should get in touch with Brother He as soon as possible.”

“I’ll go with you.” Lin Yu touched his still flat belly, his eyes resolute.

He An gripped his hand tightly and looked pleadingly at Luo Zhanming. “I want to go with you.”

“Dad, Father hasn’t come back yet. If we all leave, he will be worried when he returns. Please stay at the shop to explain the situation to him and put his mind at ease.” Lin Yu spoke up before Dad Li could.

He feared that seeing He Ze in prison would only make Dad Li more upset.

“Well… fine. That old fool! How could he still be out at a time like this? You go ahead, I’ll wait here at the shop.”

Dad Li understood that this was not the time to be solely focused on his grief. He couldn’t add to their troubles.

Luo Zhanming led Lin Yu and He An to the county jail. With his connections, the guard was easily persuaded to let them in after a few reminders.

When Lin Yu saw He Ze, the latter had already had his shackles removed and was lying on a straw-covered bed with his hands behind his head.

“You seem pretty comfortable!” Lin Yu almost laughed in exasperation.