Chapter 105: The “Fierce Bandit” Wei Hai

As dawn broke, the streets and alleys of Jiangling Prefecture started bustling with activity. Street vendors selling breakfast were enthusiastically shouting to attract customers.

Returning from the riverside with a growling stomach, Wei Hai stopped at a bun shop across from his own store and bought a few large meat buns.

Gulp!

He was so hungry that he ate one before even paying. When the vendor asked for money, it dawned on Wei Hai that he had left all his money for his wife and children the night before when he had planned to end his life.

At the moment, he didn’t have a single coin on him!

“Uh… young man, don’t glare at me. I forgot to bring money with me,” Wei Hai said sincerely. “Let me borrow some from a friend. Just wait for me—I’ll be back in the time it takes to burn an incense stick. How about that?”

While speaking, Wei Hai fumbled through his belongings, hoping to find something of value to offer as collateral.

To his surprise, as he searched, he pulled out a coil of rope in his left hand and a dagger in his right.

With his disheveled hair, open shirt, a rope in one hand, and a knife in the other, all while claiming he had no money, he looked every bit the image of a fierce bandit!

The vendor shouted at the top of his lungs, “Help! A bandit is robbing me of my buns!”

Whoosh!

The bustling street instantly erupted in chaos!

Some people scattered in fear of getting caught up in trouble, while the braver ones picked up hoes and tools to surround Wei Hai. Others ran around shouting and searching for constables.

In no time, the quiet Jiangling Prefecture, which had been peaceful all night, turned lively with the commotion—a proper scene of “chickens flying and dogs jumping.”

Bang!

The sound of the gavel hitting the bench resounded through the court.

Court officers pounded the floor with their water and fire staffs, shouting, “Might ~ y!” [The fire and water staff was a staff used by officials in ancient China. It is painted in black and red, which represents water(justice) and fire(punishment). And yes, in China’s 5 Elements, water is represented as black, not blue.]

“Bring the accused forward!” commanded Wen Songmo, the magistrate. Two officers then escorted Wei Hai into the courtroom.

Wen Songmo looked at the bun vendor below the bench and asked, “Identify him. Is this the man?”

The vendor took a closer look and solemnly replied, “Your Honor, it is him! This scoundrel ate my buns without paying and even tried to rob me with a knife!”

Disheveled and frustrated, Wei Hai cursed, “I robbed your mother! I just didn’t have any money on me. The knife and rope weren’t for robbing you!”

Terrified, the vendor trembled and said, “Your Honor, this scoundrel is incredibly audacious. Even here in court, he dares to threaten me, claiming he wants to rob my mother!”

Hearing this, Wei Hai was so furious his nose twisted in anger. He began cursing fluently, unleashing a colorful torrent of words that left the crowd convinced he was a master of verbal abuse.

Bang!

“Silence!” Wen Songmo shouted, glaring at Wei Hai. “Wei Hai, do you admit to your crime?”

“Wen Songmo? Damn it, it’s you!” Wei Hai shrugged and said, “At least it’s you presiding over this case!”

“Come on, lend me three copper coins to pay for the buns!”

Wen Songmo maintained a stern expression and replied coldly, “Insolent! This is a court of law! Don’t think that just because you know me, I will show you favoritism!”

“Oh, come on!” Wei Hai laughed angrily. “Let me say it again—I didn’t try to rob this vendor!”

“If I were short on money, I’d just ask that kid Li for some, wouldn’t I? My knife and rope weren’t for robbing anyone!”

“This bun vendor is just being overly dramatic, which is how I ended up here!”

Hearing this, Wen Songmo turned to the officers and asked, “Did this man resist arrest?”

The officers clasped their hands and replied, “Your Honor, he has a sharp tongue but did not resist arrest.”

“Hmm.” Wen Songmo nodded, then turned to the bun vendor. “Did he swing or stab you with the knife?”

The vendor hesitated before answering, “No, but he ate one of my buns without paying and pulled out a knife, so I assumed he was going to rob me!”

Wen Songmo pondered for a moment before saying calmly, “Judging from the situation, this seems to be a misunderstanding. However, Wei Hai, you still need to pay for the buns.”

Wei Hai sighed helplessly, “Lend me three coins, and I’ll return them as soon as I’m out.”

“I have no money,” Wen Songmo replied, shaking his head.

“Wen ~ Song ~ Mo!” Wei Hai roared, dragging out his words in frustration. “You’re the magistrate of this prefecture, and you won’t even lend me three coins?”

Standing up, Wen Songmo patted himself down and said, “I’ve just taken office. This month’s salary hasn’t been issued yet…”

“Fine! Fine! Fine!” Wei Hai laughed in exasperation. “Then help me borrow it from kid Li—surely, that’s not too much to ask?”

Before Wen Songmo could respond, a constable suddenly rushed into the court, knelt, and shouted, “Your Honor! A woman outside the court claims to be Wei Hai’s family member and says she’s here to bring him money!”

Upon hearing this, Wen Songmo waved his hand. “Let her in!”

“No! She can’t come in!” Wei Hai immediately shouted, his voice full of panic. The last thing he wanted was to face his wife under such circumstances.

However, Wen Songmo ignored him, and the constable quickly brought the woman inside.

“Your Honor, I am Liu Fang, a humble woman paying respects to the magistrate,” she said, preparing to kneel.

“Don’t! No need to kneel!” Wen Songmo quickly stopped her. “Are you Wei Hai’s wife?”

Liu Fang nodded. “Yes, I am.”

Wen Songmo continued, “How did you know he was arrested and needed money?”

Liu Fang furrowed her brows slightly, unsure of how this related to the case, but she answered truthfully, “A gentleman informed me, telling me to come here at this time with three coins to bring Wei Hai home.”

This revelation startled both Wen Songmo and Wei Hai.

For Wen Songmo, it suggested that this “farce” was deliberately orchestrated by Mr. Gu to facilitate their reunion.

For Wei Hai, it raised a question: Hadn’t Mr. Gu left last night? Could he have come back upon hearing of Wei Hai’s trouble?

If that were true, then Mr. Gu was truly a loyal and righteous man!

“Here are the three coins.” Liu Fang handed the money to the bun vendor and asked, “Can I take him home now?”

Wen Songmo looked at the vendor and asked calmly, “Do you still wish to accuse Wei Hai of robbing you?”

“No, no, no! If I’d known earlier that he was Mrs. Liu’s husband, I’d have given him the buns for free.”

“We’re all neighbors, after all. No need for such fuss!”

The vendor, upon seeing Liu Fang, immediately realized this was all a huge misunderstanding. Liu Fang was well-known for her kindness to the street vendors. Surely, someone like her couldn’t possibly be married to a bandit.

“In that case, the case is closed!” Wen Songmo struck the gavel, and the two constables released Wei Hai.

Wei Hai stood up, hanging his head in silence.

Liu Fang walked to his side and said in a calm but detached tone, “You couldn’t recognize my voice when reflecting at the Ren family’s house, and now you’re still pretending not to know me?”

Hearing this, Wei Hai snapped his head up and met his wife’s weathered yet resolute gaze.

“You recognized me all along?” he asked in a trembling voice.

Liu Fang nodded. “I’d recognize you even if you turned to ash.”

Wei Hai hesitated. “Then why did you…”

Liu Fang waved her hand dismissively. “Let’s talk at home. Chao’er is waiting for us to have dinner.”