Li Wanming stared steadily at Su Xiaozhu and asked, "Why did you lie? Why didn't you use your real name?"
Although Su Xiaozhu looked flustered, she remained stubborn.
After hearing Li Wanming's question, she bit her lip. While she was still hesitating, Ruier beside her suddenly knelt down with a thud and cried out:
"Miss Cheng, please forgive our young lady! We really didn't do it on purpose. We really had nowhere else to go..."
Xiao Jingnan gave Qinglan a look, signaling her to take the other women away.
After the room was empty, he finally spoke:
"Miss Su, the people from the Magistrate's Office are outside. They claim that your father has accused our Zhaoyu Academy of abducting and luring you. Are you still not going to tell us the truth?"
His voice was gentle and deep, which made people trust him.
Su Xiaozhu's face changed several times. Finally, tears welled up in her eyes and she told the truth.
It turned out that she was the only daughter of Su Dingyao, the prefectural administrator of Yongzhou. Her mother was a well - known talented woman in the area. Since childhood, her mother had taught her to read and write and had loved her dearly.
However, four years ago, her mother died of a sudden illness. After her father remarried, everything changed.
Her stepmother didn't like her. She always found fault with her and often beat and scolded her.
At first, her father would interfere. But after her stepmother gave birth to a younger brother, her father's attention was completely focused on the younger brother, and he no longer bothered to care about her.
Her life took a nosedive. Even the servants in the family could bully her.
Half a year ago, her stepmother wanted to send her to the Marquis of Huaiyang's mansion as a concubine. After saying a few words to Su Dingyao, he actually agreed...
When Su Xiaozhu found out, it felt like the sky had fallen.
The Marquis of Huaiyang was over sixty years old, dissolute and immoral. There were no less than dozens of concubines and maids - in - waiting in his mansion. If she really married into that family, her whole life would be ruined.
In desperation, Su Xiaozhu took her maid Ruier and fled Yongzhou overnight.
Ruier was a refugee who had come to Yongzhou during a disaster in her hometown. Su Xiaozhu had saved her life. Since then, Ruier had served by her side and became her personal maid.
They originally wanted to come to the capital to seek refuge with her mother's aunt. But they found out that the aunt's family had long since moved away and was no longer in the capital.
The two were strangers in the capital and had spent all their money. Just when they were about to become homeless, they happened to catch the opening of Zhaoyu Academy.
Hearing that they could defer the tuition fees and that the academy provided food and accommodation, Ruier quickly urged Su Xiaozhu to sign up.
The master and servant then settled down in Zhaoyu Academy.
However, Su Xiaozhu knew that she had run away from home. Afraid that her father would send people to catch her back, she used a false name.
Unexpectedly, in the end, Su Dingyao still found out and sued them to the Magistrate's Office.
...
After listening, Xiao Jingnan frowned tightly.
Su Xiaozhu looked only sixteen or seventeen years old.
To marry a sixteen - or seventeen - year - old girl, as fresh as a flower, to an old lecher as a concubine, this biological father was simply too cold - hearted.
Would such a man suddenly come to the Magistrate's Office to file a complaint just to find his daughter?
On the surface, it seemed that Zhaoyu only needed to clarify the truth.
The atmosphere in the Dacheng Dynasty was relatively open. In terms of marriage, people never really adhered to the so - called "parental order and matchmaker's word". Otherwise, there wouldn't be the customs of "catching scholars under the imperial list" and "throwing flowers in the long street". Su Xiaozhu leaving home to study was just a bit inappropriate in not informing her family. It wasn't a serious mistake.
But in fact, it was completely different!
There were already many people in the capital who were dissatisfied with Zhaoyu Academy. If they were additionally charged with the crime of abducting the daughter of the prefectural administrator of Yongzhou, rumors would spread like wildfire overnight. All kinds of dirty speculations would instantly engulf the academy.
By then, even if Zhaoyu was innocent, no one would believe it.
The so - called "the innocent will be cleared" was just an empty talk.
Chen Jinde was using this incident to cause trouble. He just wanted to find a sensational excuse!
The disappearance of the prefectural administrator's daughter was enough to attract the attention of the common people.
As for Su Xiaozhu... Su Dingyao probably didn't care about her at all.
Maybe he had known for a long time that she was in Zhaoyu Academy, or maybe he didn't know at all, or maybe he had just discovered it recently... It didn't matter. Su Xiaozhu was just a perfect scapegoat, an arrow shot at Zhaoyu Academy.
"Sir, don't drive me away. I can't go back!"
Su Xiaozhu also thought of this.
If Zhaoyu didn't want to get into this kind of trouble, the best thing to do would be to hand her over.
But if she went back, she would still end up as a concubine.
Thinking of her future, this usually proud girl knelt down directly. Her cold face was full of tears.
"Get up quickly."
Li Wanming quickly reached out to help her up. "You came here to sign up and study openly and independently. How could we drive you away?"
At this time, she didn't realize the seriousness of the problem yet. "Even your father can't stop you from going to school. It's okay. We'll just explain it clearly..."
Before she could finish her sentence, she saw Qinglan running in in a hurry. "Cousin, Cousin - in - law, it's bad! Our academy has been surrounded!"
——————
Outside the Zhaoyu Academy, more than a dozen hooligans had gathered, making a racket and looking extremely excited.
"This academy is not a good place!"
"Let my daughter out quickly!"
"I heard they even abducted the daughter of an official. They're really lawless!"
It was morning, and more than twenty girls were having a cultural class in the main hall.
Hearing the commotion outside, they also came out.
As soon as they showed up, one of the girls was grabbed by a middle - aged man below. "Come home with me quickly! You don't even wash the clothes or cook. Do you want to starve your father to death?"
The girl struggled. "I left some food for you this morning before I came out..."
The man slapped her across the face. "How dare you feed your father leftovers? Is this what you've learned from the classics?"
Li Wanming was furious. Regardless of the onlookers, she stepped forward and grabbed the man's collar. "How dare you beat someone in public? Come with me to see the official!"
She grabbed his collar and dragged him in front of the two yamen runners at the door. "You two are yamen runners from the Magistrate's Office. You saw him beat someone. Why don't you arrest him?"
The two yamen runners glanced at each other and both looked a bit panicked.
They were yamen runners from the Magistrate's Office. They had just come to inform Zhaoyu Academy that someone had accused them of abduction.
However, the newly appointed magistrate, Huang Muchen, was a slippery character. As soon as he heard about this incident, he knew that someone was trying to cause trouble for Zhaoyu Academy.
But who was the owner of Zhaoyu Academy?
It was Li Wanming!
She was a fiery - tempered woman who dared to beat the drum of grievances and send wine into the imperial palace!
The previous magistrate had been involved in her affairs and had ended up in prison with his family's property confiscated.
This time, if they wanted the Magistrate's Office to take the lead, there was no way.
He thought it very clearly. This matter was very complicated, and the Magistrate's Office must not get involved.
But since the incident happened in the capital, he couldn't just ignore it. So he told these two yamen runners that they just needed to quietly deliver the summons. They must not arrest anyone or get involved.
They must make sure to run away quickly!
After hearing this, the two yamen runners came over to deliver the message in a low - key manner.
After they finished speaking, they originally wanted to leave, but Qinglan had someone serve them tea. They smelled the fragrance and took a couple of sips. When they came out, they happened to catch Zhaoyu Academy being surrounded...
"Miss Cheng, for the matter of beating someone, the victim has to file a complaint..." the yamen runner said helplessly.
Help.
They really didn't want to get involved. They just wanted to leave.
Li Wanming pointed at the beaten girl and said angrily, "I'm her teacher. I'll file a complaint on her behalf!"
Unexpectedly, the girl was startled and just covered her face and cried. "No... no, I don't want to file a complaint... I don't want to file a complaint..."
The man who had beaten her got cocky. He broke free from Li Wanming and glared at her. "Did you hear that? She doesn't want to file a complaint! It's only natural for a father to discipline his daughter. So what if you're a teacher? Can you still control me?"
After saying that, he grabbed the girl's arm and dragged her away swaggeringly.
Li Wanming was so angry that her face turned white. She turned around and glared at the two useless yamen runners.
The two yamen runners didn't dare to look at her. They just lowered their heads and whispered, "Miss Cheng, we only came to inquire about Miss Su Xiaozhu's matter. We've delivered the message, so we'll take our leave first..."
After saying that, they actually ran away in a hurry.