Chapter 422: Coincidence or Calculation?

fend for herself. Our Li family will just pretend our daughter-in-law is dead. You just hate our family, I don't care anymore."Jia Yi immediately knelt down and kowtowed, "Thank you, grandmother. Just...Li Laoer had already changed into an official robe in Mr. Wen's courtyard. Now, he was wearing a padded long robe the color of duck egg blue, with a jade pendant hanging from his waist. He couldn't be said to be rich and powerful, but at least he didn't look shabby.

The beggars and hooligans on the street want to find someone to bully, but they wouldn't dare provoke someone like him.

So, suddenly being knocked down, Li Lao Er sat heavily on the ground, his tailbone aching and numb, unable to get up for a long time.

He angrily raised his head, just about to yell, when he bumped into a pair of frightened eyes.

The eyes belonged to a girl of eighteen or nineteen. Her hair was disheveled, her face smeared with dirt, and her expression was one of extreme terror.

She was also holding the hand of a boy, eight or nine years old, sallow and thin, who seemed to be dazed from the fall. He looked like he wanted to cry but couldn't, quite pitiful.

"You" Old Second Li didn't know what to say. He insisted on standing up, enduring the pain with all his might, and asked, "Who are you The street is so crowded, how can you run around like this"

The woman struggled to her feet, glancing back over her shoulder while hastily apologizing, "I'm so sorry, sir. It was an accident!"

As she spoke, she helped the boy up again. Unfortunately, he couldn't stand steady and almost fell over again.

Li Laoer only then discovered that the boy's legs were oddly limp, lacking strength, and his pants leg was missing half of it, revealing a swollen section of calf that looked most unnatural, clearly…broken.

He didn't want to pursue it, but seeing that these two people seemed anxious, he let them pass.

"You go, be careful."

The woman quickly thanked them, but before they could take a step, four or five farmhands suddenly darted out from the street corner nearby. Each held ropes and bricks in their hands, and upon seeing the woman and the boy, they rushed over with menacing expressions.

The woman was terrified, she was trying to run with the little boy, but he was quickly pulled back.

That man, ignoring Li Lao Er completely, raised the brick in his hand and smashed it towards the woman.

"Bitch, you ran away from me I'll kill you!"

The boy on the woman's back screamed and stood up, shielding her.

That blue brick smashed straight onto his head, blood gushing out instantly!

"Brother!" The woman disregarded everything, pulled the unconscious boy down, and cried out loudly, "Brother, brother!"

Several men, instead of stopping, charged forward and continued to beat the woman with their fists and feet.

The leading man clutched the blood-stained brick, still cursing, "Kick him to death, you insolent thing!"

“I’ve arranged good paths for you, as if I've wronged you. After raising you for three years, such beasts should be killed!”

That woman bent over, trying her best to shield her younger brother beneath her body. She endured the rain of punches and kicks landing on her with no attempt to dodge them whatsoever.

The passersby were all stunned by this sudden turn of events. Even in broad daylight, not even a household servant would dare to be so reckless as to strike someone to death!

Someone wanted to help, but the few people looking at them seemed so menacing that they hesitated for a moment.

Li Lao'er was so shocked that he didn't react for a long time. After all, when they fled during the famine, there wasn't this much bloodshed.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of caution in his heart.

Such a large city like this, yet something just happened right before his eyes...

He wanted to observe the situation, but unfortunately, the woman was beaten badly and couldn't protect her brother. She lay on the ground, her son’s head and one arm were exposed.

A man let out a cruel laugh and stomped on the boy's hand, driving him to the ground.

The boy woke up in pain, his eyes bloodshot and filled with despair and anguish.

This is just an ignorant child, about the same size as a kitten.

Meow Meow was studying at the academy. He had his older brothers protecting him and his uncles and aunts spoiling him.

But this child was so bullied, beaten so viciously!

Li Laer closed his eyes tightly, then when he opened them again, he roared, "Stop!"

Several burly men were startled, and turned to look at Li La Er. Perhaps seeing that he was well-dressed, they didn't dare scold him, but just asked coldly, "Who are you Mind your own business!"

"I'm nobody!" Li La Er strode forward, pushing aside several men and shielding the woman and child behind him. He shouted angrily, "I'm just an ordinary passerby. In broad daylight, you act so recklessly, beating a woman and child. Do you even have any regard for the law"

The other passersby, seeing someone speak up, also chimed in, "That's right, what's wrong with talking things out properly Why resort to violence! The child is so young, there's so much blood on his head, will he even survive"

Several burly men looked grim, and the leader shouted, "What does it have to do with you deadbeats! I'm their uncle. Their parents are dead, and I'm their heaven. What can you do even if you kill me"

Uncle

Everyone frowned.

Tianwu ruled the country with filial piety. Not to mention ordinary people, even within the palace, the Empress Dowager was not the emperor's biological mother, and the emperor still showed her three parts of respect.

For so many years, the Empress Dowager has meddled in state affairs, and it can be said that Emperor Tianwu's retreat to Jiangnan is at least half her responsibility. However, the Emperor still cannot do anything about the Empress Dowager.

If both their parents were dead, they should indeed listen to their uncle, even if he beat and scolded them, they shouldn't resist...

But the woman propped herself up, still shielding her younger brother with her arm. She gave a bitter laugh and retorted, “You’re lying! You're only my uncle! My parents and grandmother are dead, but I still have my brother! You beat us to death just to take our yard and land!”

"Today, you're even going to send us to the flower building! Let me be a flower girl and my brother a turtle master! We'll sell ourselves and pay off your debts! You're worse than a pig or a dog! You're the animal!"

Having said that, she seemed to be very angry. She spat out a mouthful of blood onto the ground, clearly showing that she had been severely beaten and injured her internal organs.

Everyone upon hearing this, felt pity for the two siblings and clamoringly cried out.

"This is just too much! Are they trying to drive me into bankruptcy!"

"What kind of massacre is this I still have children! This is clearly an attempt to kill and rob!"

"That's too much, no one deserves to be treated like this!"

Those few men heard this and felt a little guilty, gritting their teeth and stepping forward to pull the siblings apart.

"Alright, I was wrong just now. I got carried away and went too far in my anger. Come on, let's go home and talk this over."

But the siblings were surprisingly in sync, they both tugged at Li Lao Er's pants leg, "No, you want to sell us, even if we die, we won't go back with you!"

The leader was getting impatient, his hand poised to swing the brick again, when Old Li pushed him aside.

"If you dare to touch me again, I'll report you to the authorities! I'll accuse you of murder for financial gain! Under Heavenly Martial Law, even servants are protected. They cannot be subjected to arbitrary corporal punishment, let alone by family members!"

Having said that, he took a silver coin from his pocket and asked the crowd, "Which of you brothers is willing to run to the yamen and hurry up and call an official"

"I!"

"I'm going!"

"I know the way!"

Immediately, three or four people raised their hands to take on the task.s a set to try on. Let's see how they fit."The old woman quickly thanked her, "Jinerou, thank you so much. These three children usually wear bright colors, and it's really difficult at this time. They...