Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 191 - 99: There’s No Such Thing as a Coincidence_2

Chapter 191: Chapter 99: There’s No Such Thing as a Coincidence_2
"...you might have taken your mother’s life with what you’ve done," Lady Gu wept.
Lian Duoduo initially resisted, but then began to weep softly alongside Lady Gu.
Qian Huolang saw all this and bowed his head beside them.
"Where is the abductor?" Lian Shouren asked as he walked in.
"Here, this is him," Erlang pushed Qian Huolang towards Lian Shouren.
Seeing Qian Huolang, Lian Shouren’s eyes turned red, and he slapped Qian Huolang’s face.
"What kind of thief are you, daring to abduct Scholar Lian’s daughter?"
"Scholar Master, I, I was not abducting..." Qian Huolang stumbled from the slap, trying to explain.
"Still denying you’re an abductor?" Lian Shouren raised his foot and kicked Qian Huolang in the chest, knocking him to the ground, then stepped on him.
Qian Huolang coughed while still trying to explain. Lian Manman listened to his version of events, according to which he met Lian Duoduo on the road, looking hurried and fearful as if someone might be chasing her. He asked her what happened. Lian Duoduo told him that her parents had sold her as a child bride and the family treated her poorly, making her labor endlessly without enough food. She had accidentally broken something and the family wanted to beat her to death, but she escaped while they were not paying attention.
"...She pleaded for me to save her. Not to conceal anything from the Scholar Master, my family has been poor since I was young, and I had a sister who was sold as a child bride when she was only a few years old. She was tortured to death within two years. When I saw her, she reminded me of my own sister," he said.
"And no one noticed you two walking to town?" Lian Manman cut in. The day everyone was searching for Lian Duoduo, no one claimed to have seen her. So how did Qian Huolang manage to bring Lian Duoduo into town without being noticed?
"I was carrying goods on a pole. I moved the goods to one side, placed her on the other, and covered her with items before carrying her back to town," Qian Huolang answered.
So that’s how it was. No wonder no one had seen Lian Duoduo.
"You claim you’re not an abductor, you’re a good person. On those days, many people from our village came looking for Lian Duoduo, why didn’t you hand her over?" Lian Manman asked.
Qian Huolang wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, glancing at Lian Duoduo, who was held in Lady Gu’s arms.
"I heard about it, but they were looking for a young lady. I asked her, and she said they weren’t looking for her. She’s a child bride, not called Lian Duoduo, her name is He Xuexue."
"Nonsense!"
Lian Shouren, angered, kicked Qian Huolang again.
Lian Duoduo remained silent in Lady Gu’s embrace.
"Dare to kidnap Scholar Lian’s daughter. I’m going to write a note now. Jizu, Erlang, take this thief to the Yamen, beat him half to death first. Then say it’s my order, this criminal is utterly evil and must be beheaded," Lian Shouren declared loudly.
Qian Huolang’s body shook, "Scholar Master, please spare my life, I did not abduct her. Xuexue, say something."
Lian Duoduo kept her head down, without lifting her eyelids.
If Qian Huolang couldn’t see what was happening by this point, he’d be a fool.
"Scholar Master, please spare my life, consider how respectfully I have treated the young lady these past days, please spare my life," Qian Huolang kowtowed and pleaded with Lian Shouren.
At this point, Lady Gu had already dried her tears. She inspected the two rooms with a dark look on her face and then pulled Lian Duoduo aside to speak in whispers. Later, she called over Lian Shouren and the couple discussed in low voices.
Then, Lady Gu left with Lian Duoduo. She had come by hired carriage as before, leading Lian Duoduo onto the carriage before departing first.
"What an attitude, huh? We find Lian Duoduo for her, and she doesn’t even fart in thanks," Lady He muttered under her breath.
With Lady Gu departing like this, the question was how to deal with Qian Huolang. As Lian Manman pondered this, Lian Shouren beckoned Lian Jizu and Erlang.
"Beat him, beat him until he’s at death’s doorstep," Lian Shouren ordered, pointing at Qian Huolang.
Lian Jizu and Erlang approached and began punching and kicking Qian Huolang. Qian Huolang did not resist, simply covering his head to protect his vital parts, and was soon lying motionless on the ground.
Lian Shouren walked over and kicked Qian Huolang once more.
"Stop playing dead, you little thief. Leave Qingyang Town immediately, no, leave Liaodong Prefecture! Otherwise, I’ll send you to the Yamen to be executed on the spot," Lian Shouren told Qian Huolang.
"Yes, yes, I’ll leave immediately," Qian Huolang replied repeatedly.
Lian Shouren had just said he would definitely send Qian Huolang to the Yamen, but now, after beating him, he was letting him go. This must have been the result of a discussion between Lady Gu and Lian Shouren. Such a resolution was surely made with concern for Lian Duoduo’s reputation. If Qian Huolang were taken to the County Yamen, and the County Magistrate inquired about their several days alone together, Lian Duoduo’s reputation would be ruined.
Watching Qian Huolang struggle to get up and gather his belongings, Lian Manman and the others left through a side door. Lady Gu had already taken Lian Duoduo in the carriage, so the rest had to walk back to the village.
"Erlang, you go back with your uncle and big brother," Lady He said after walking not too far and then stopped.
"Mother, aren’t you coming home?" Erlang asked.
"I have... Manman has something that needs doing, and she asked for my help. You go ahead," Lady He said, waving her hand.
She needed Lady He’s help? How could this be?
*******
The world is so vast, there are wonders everywhere you go.
Weakly asking for some pink love ing. (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to cast your recommendation votes, monthly tickets at Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)