At the entrance of the capital magistrate's office, the woman beating the drum was once again stopped by a bailiff.
Many passersby had stopped to watch from the side of the street. They pointed at the woman not far away and whispered to each other.
"I saw her beating the drum here early in the morning. I wonder what kind of injustice she has suffered?"
"I heard that it's because of her sister's death. I also heard the bailiff say that she's a criminal. I'm afraid it's not because of the case at the Wonderful Sound Pavilion two days ago."
"That evil thief's wanted poster is posted all over the street. What's she doing here? Could it be that there's more to this case?"
As the crowd discussed animatedly, a bailiff walked out from inside and looked at the woman. He waved his hand and said, "Take her down!"
"This is the capital magistrate's office. Is this a place for you to mess around?" The bailiff looked at her indifferently and turned his head to say, "Sir has ordered that this woman has repeatedly challenged the magistrate's authority and obstructed official business. Take her in and give her twenty strokes …"
Then he walked forward and dispersed the crowd on the street. He loudly said, "There's nothing to see here. Disperse, disperse …"
Although the drum at the entrance of the yamen was used by the people to seek justice, it was not allowed to be beaten randomly and disrupt the yamen's normal order. However, even though there was such a rule, the woman had just lost a loved one. It was understandable that she was grieving. To punish her like this was somewhat unreasonable in the eyes of the crowd …
However, this was not something they could discuss. They could only shake their heads and disperse as they watched the woman being taken in.
"Boss, are we really going to give her twenty strokes?" A bailiff looked at the thin woman and said hesitantly, "What if she dies after twenty strokes?"
"You pig-brain!" The bailiff fiercely knocked on the man's head and said angrily, "Sir has said to pay attention to propriety. If she dies, you'll pay with your life …"
The bailiff who was knocked on the head put on a long face and asked, "What propriety …"
The bailiff waved his hand. "It's enough. After beating her, take her to jail and lock her up first. Don't let her come out and cause trouble again."
A moment later, the constable came to the pale-faced woman who was pressed on the stool. The scene of the woman's death that night appeared in his mind, and a trace of pity appeared on his face. He shook his head slightly and waved his hand, "Give me the board, I'll do it myself …"
When the two bailiffs escorted the woman into the prison, they felt that today was an eye-opener. After working in the yamen for so long, this was the first time they saw someone who could walk to the prison on her own after being flogged …
…
"I don't want it anymore. I don't want the sachet anymore. I don't want the lantern anymore. I don't want the poem anymore …"
Li Yi covered his butt and limped out of Miss.Liu's room. He turned around and said, "Take it if you like it. What else do you like? Just take it, it's all yours …"
Miss.Liu glanced at him and said faintly, "Who told you not to make it clear …"
Li Yi didn't want to explain anymore. Wasn't it clear enough just now? She owed him. The thing that a woman wore close to her chest, and someone had given it to him before. Other than the sachet, what else was there?
A bellyband?
She didn't even think about it. He was a dignified county marquis, a man of indomitable spirit. How could he be so perverted?
Miss.Liu looked at him again and said, "I owe you the sachet. I'll return it to you in the future."
"Forget it, not in the future. I don't want it anymore …" Li Yi rubbed his butt that was still faintly aching. When did she develop this bad habit? Couldn't she find another place to start?
"You have to take it even if you don't want it." After saying this, Miss.Liu flipped her hair and left him a cool view of her back.
Although she said it directly, it was already two months later that he received the sachet from Miss.Liu.
If it was a simple sachet, he could just buy one on the street. However, Miss.Liu was so picky about his gift. She even asked him to make a new copy of the poem. Of course, she wouldn't be so careless with her gift.
The cloth used for the sachet was carefully selected from her collection of cloth, she heard from Xiao Huan that Second Miss took a full three days to choose the spices, and then to embroider something on it, sewing the broken pieces of cloth together, in this period of time, she did not know how much was wasted, that was why it dragged until now.
She was very good at fighting with others, but when it came to cooking or needlework, it would greatly lower the level of most women. Li Yi held the sachet sewn by Miss.Liu. He was very sure that if he wore it out, he would definitely be laughed at by others.
However, looking at the eyes of Miss.Liu, he could only ignore his conscience and nodded, "Very good, I like it very much."
Miss.Liu's somewhat nervous expression finally eased, she said, "It's my first time sewing, there are many places that are not done well, just make do with it."
Li Yi nodded and said, "There are indeed many places that are not done well. For example, there are some marks in the stitching of the cloth, the color matching is not very good, the stitches are thin and dense, the choice of spices seems to be …"
Miss.Liu looked at him calmly, "Also what?"
Li Yi hung the sachet on his waist with satisfaction and said, "It seems … there is nothing to be picky about."
No matter how ugly the sachet sewn by Miss.Liu was, it was still unique in this world. He either insisted on this truth, or beat her and tell her what was wrong with the choice of spices and the matching.
Today, Li Yi did not have the time to fight with her for 300 rounds to correct her mistakes, because today was the day that Lin Wanru and Lin Yong set off to return to the Qi Kingdom.
The caravan of merchants from the Qi Kingdom who came along with them had left the capital city long after the Lantern Festival. They had stayed for more than two months. If they did not return soon, the Lin family's business in the Qi Kingdom would most likely have an unforeseen event.
He had discussed all the details of the cooperation with her a month ago. This time, he would also send a caravan of merchants and guards to escort them to the Qi Kingdom.
The caravan arrived at the city gate. Ruyi and Lin Wanru were talking. Ruyi came down from the carriage and patted her hand, saying, "It's a long journey from here to the Qi Kingdom. Sister Lin, be careful on the way."
Lin Wanru smiled and said, "Although it's a long journey, we've gone back and forth several times. With these guards escorting us all the way, you don't have to worry, Sister."
Then, she walked to Li Yi's side, looked at him, smiled, and stretched out her hand, saying, "Goodbye …"
Li Yi was stunned, then he also stretched out his hand, and the two of them shook hands.
Lin Wanru turned her head, looked at Ruyi, and explained, "This is a kind of etiquette in our hometown, called the 'handshake ceremony'. It's used to greet friends who have not seen each other for a long time, or to bid farewell to friends who are about to be separated …"
Lin Yong looked at this scene in astonishment. After scratching his head, he also stretched out his hand to Li Yi, and said with a sad face, "Li Brothers, goodbye!"
Li Yi punched him hard on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Why are you pulling a long face? It's not like you won't see each other. In less than half a year, I'm afraid you'll have to come back to the capital again …"
Lin Yong smiled honestly and said embarrassedly, "It's not that I can't bear to part with you, Li Brothers …"
Li Yi smiled and said, "Two men, don't be so sentimental …"
"… I can't bear to part with the food cooked by Li Brothers!"
After Lin Yong finished speaking, Li Yi was stunned, then he waved his hand and said, "Let's go, let's go …"
He watched Lin Yong get into the carriage with a big smile, leaning against the carriage and waving at him. When Lin Wanru bent down to lift the curtain, she looked back and disappeared behind the thick curtain in the next moment.
The convoy slowly drove out, and when the last carriage could not be seen, Li Yi turned his head and said, "Let's go back."
"Mother …"
The city gate was crowded with people and it was noisy, but he and Ru Yi both had extraordinary hearing. How could they not hear this childish and somewhat muffled voice?
Ruyi looked down at the little fellow in the swaddling clothes, and a happy expression appeared on her face. She suddenly looked at Li Yi and asked, "Husband, did you hear that just now?"
Although the six-month-old child could not understand language yet, under the deliberate guidance of his mother, he was already able to spit out words one by one. Li Yi sighed and said, "As expected, my wife still won …"
Li Duan also seemed to feel Ruyi's joy. He curled up in the swaddling clothes and smiled. He opened his mouth again and made a vague sound.
"Little … mother …"
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