24. Cesarean Section (End)

Hu Yian looked at Chu Yunli with eyes full of tenderness, though his words were directed at Madam Yang: "In this life, my only beloved is Mei Niang. I will worry about what she worries about and love what she loves. I will never harm her. Anyone who dares to hurt her is my enemy."

Chu Yunli’s eyes crinkled into a smile as she listened.

Madam Yang felt a sting of envy deep down. Although Li Huaping treated her with enough respect, he had never been steady in private. Over the years since their marriage, he had had four confidantes outside, not to mention the many others she didn't know about. Seeing the couple so affectionate made her feel deeply unsettled.

However, any resentment Madam Yang felt was fleeting, as the bailiffs were urging her to board the carriage. Based on the confessions written by the servants, the Li father and son could not escape their fate. The magistrate, well-versed in human nature, asked only a few questions, and everyone present had the distinct feeling that the Li family was finished. Consequently, even those closest to the father and son eventually told the truth.

The doctor had been hired by the elder Li. The men had even consulted with each other regarding the hiring, meaning that the entire Li family knew about the plan to perform the C-section on Li Hualin. Knowing a crime was being committed and failing to report it was as punishable as being a principal offender.

The Li family was doomed!

Seeing the magistrate examining the testimonies and seemingly weighing the sentencing, the elder Li refused to give up, hurriedly saying, "My son will not testify against me."

The magistrate frowned.

Meanwhile, in the Li family's backyard, after the bailiffs and the others had left, the courtyard fell into complete silence. When the elder Li had left, he had indeed instructed the elder Madam Li to find a way to persuade their son to let go of his anger. He argued that even if he remained angry, it was a family matter and shouldn't be made public to be laughed at. If the family members were sent to prison again, the Li family’s business—already severely damaged—would likely never recover. In short, he wanted Li Hualin to consider the bigger picture.

Looking at her pale youngest son, the elder Madam Li struggled to speak, but she knew that if she didn't, both her husband and her eldest son would be trapped. As she tucked the quilt around him, preparing to speak, Li Hualin said, "Mother, I’m in so much pain. I want to sleep for a while."

This was hardly the time for sleep. The elder Madam Li urged hurriedly, "Your father and brother were truly forced by Mei Niang; otherwise, they would never have laid a hand on you. Now that they have been taken to the magistrate’s office, the outcome is uncertain. You cannot testify against them..."

Li Hualin simply closed his eyes, as if he hadn't heard a word. The elder Madam Li refused to accept the reality that father and son had turned into enemies, and she continued to persuade him on her own. Li Hualin, suffering from agonizing pain and boiling with resentment, found himself unable to speak.

On the other side, no matter how the Li father and son argued, the magistrate had already determined the fact that they had deliberately cut open Li Hualin’s abdomen. As for whether Li Hualin would testify… that would have to wait until he could be asked. But since he was severely injured, it was not the time for questioning. As the magistrate considered postponing the matter, Luo Meiniang knelt down.

"My Lord, I am guilty," Chu Yunli confessed honestly. "I said more than once that I would not forgive Li Hualin unless he suffered the same pain I endured. If the Li family refused, I would take revenge. I meant those words when I said them, but I hadn't yet decided how to act when the Li family... My Lord, my words caused the Li family to misunderstand and subsequently injure Li Hualin. I am willing to plead guilty!"

The magistrate frowned. Luo Meiniang was the aggrieved party, and a deeply wronged one at that. After all, her husband of several years had suddenly turned on her with a lethal strike, while she was ten months pregnant with his child. To put it bluntly, Li Hualin was worse than an animal. Li Huaping and his wife had then taken advantage of the situation to administer blood-activating drugs to their severely injured brother, which was yet another act of cruelty. This had to be punished severely. Yet, it had to be admitted that Luo Meiniang's words were indeed the true reason the Li father and son had acted. If one were to be strict, she could be implicated.

But the charge was minor. After all, she had only made a few threats; she hadn't attacked the Li family's shops, she hadn't intervened in the surgery, and she had even proactively pointed out when the medication for Li Hualin was wrong. If she hadn't, would Li Hualin still be alive? It was no exaggeration to say she had saved his life. In fact, this life-saving grace could easily offset her previous threats.

Chu Yunli bowed deeply and said sincerely, "I am willing to donate half of my family's assets and 40 percent of the future profits from my business to help all women in this world who are abused and humiliated by their husbands, so they may have a roof over their heads and food to eat! If the business does not do well, I will donate three thousand taels every year! With the Luo family's foundation, I can donate for at least ten years!"

The crowd was in an uproar. A thousand taels was not a small sum. To put it another way, if used entirely to buy grain, it could feed tens of thousands of people—coarse grain, of course.

The magistrate’s expression shifted slightly. "You need not do this."

Chu Yunli had intended to help those in need, but she also wanted to set a precedent: anyone who wanted to follow her example and take revenge on evildoers would have to bear the consequence of paying a large sum to provide relief to the people. Seeing that Chu Yunli was determined, the magistrate stopped trying to persuade her. He mused for a moment and said, "The victim is currently unable to move; this matter must be postponed..."

The elder Li became anxious. In the eyes of the magistrate, his family was guilty. Guilty people had to go to jail, and he was unwilling to go. The only way to escape was to have his son forgive them and not pursue the matter. He urged eagerly, "My Lord, Hualin knows our plight and will definitely not blame us. If you go and ask him, you will see."

The magistrate looked serious. "And what about the switching of the medication?"

Li Huaping immediately said, "My second brother won't blame me either."

The magistrate looked skeptical. "He is severely injured and cannot be moved. We will discuss this in a few days."

"My Lord, he can speak," the elder Li said quickly. "Please, bother yourself to visit him."

Hearing this, the magistrate looked disapproving. "He is so severely injured, he shouldn't be taxed..."

"But he will certainly forgive us. If he learns that our whole family is in jail because of this, he will surely worry, and his condition will worsen," the elder Li argued persuasively. "If he doesn't survive, we will truly become sinners." This was an implicit threat: if the magistrate did not go to inquire, and Li Hualin later died, it would be because he was worried about them. The so-called "sinners" would be the magistrate who had thrown them in jail and caused Li Hualin such distress that he couldn't heal properly.

The magistrate felt threatened, but he could also understand the Li father and son. After all, Li Hualin was so badly hurt that he might not survive. If he died without forgiving them, then the Li father and son would certainly be charged with causing a death. Thus, the magistrate took his assistants and went to visit personally, bringing two scribes to record Li Hualin’s testimony.

The elder Madam Li ushered the magistrate in, though her heart was sinking. As expected, her fears were not unfounded; the first thing Li Hualin said was, "They tried to kill me; they are all guilty!"

His words were concise, and while his tone was weak, his speech was clear. The elder Madam Li felt the world go dark and rushed forward, crying, "Hualin, he is your father, your brother!"

Li Hualin couldn't be bothered to say more. What was the use of considering them family? Had they ever considered him a son or a brother?

They had been so impatient to act, unwilling to wait or reconcile with Luo Meiniang—wasn't it just for fear that he would hinder the family business? In their eyes, there was only silver; there was no family.

"My Lord!" Li Hualin felt himself growing colder. He must be running a high fever. When Luo Meiniang was injured, he had seen many doctors and knew how dangerous this was. Some said that if a high fever set in, one’s life was at risk. One doctor had even bluntly said to prepare for the funeral. Back then, he had wished for Luo Meiniang to die, but now that it was his turn, he truly hoped he could survive.

But… he didn't think he could.

His heart felt like it was burning with matches; his whole body ached, and every breath was agony. Was it this painful for Luo Meiniang when she lay there? Like him, she had been betrayed by her closest kin; no wonder she wouldn't forgive. Now that it was his turn, he also wanted to tear the culprits to pieces. Forgiveness… that was a pipe dream.

The magistrate asked two more times, and under the anxious gaze of the elder Madam Li, Li Hualin gave the same answer. Thus, the magistrate returned to the courtroom and immediately sentenced them.

The heaviest sentence went to Li Huaping. In the testimonies, Li Huaping had more than once hinted that his father should act sooner, and the couple had later specifically switched the medicine—were they afraid Li Hualin wouldn't die? As a result, both husband and wife received the death penalty!

Madam Yang felt she was being wrongly accused; she had only said a few words, she hadn't bought the medicine, nor had she ordered the switch. She cried out in injustice, but she was still dragged away.

As for the elder Li, considering his "fatherly love"—yes, he did have a measure of affection for his son, but for the sake of the family business, he had still struck without mercy. The magistrate sentenced him to twenty years. The elder Li was no longer young; even if he were free, he might not live twenty more years, so being locked in prison meant he was unlikely ever to walk out.

The elder Madam Li had known the truth but had tried to stop them several times. Seeing that Li Hualin was severely injured and needed someone to care for him, the magistrate did not pursue charges against her.

Unfortunately, Li Hualin’s willpower was not strong enough. He ultimately failed the magistrate’s good intentions. After the magistrate left, he began to run a high fever, which climbed higher and higher. An hour later, he was unconscious and began to deliriously mutter.

Li Hualin felt the fire in his chest consume his whole body. Then, the fear of death crept into his heart, and he felt a genuine, deep regret.

It was too late!

The elder Madam Li grew increasingly terrified, and in her agitation, she coughed up blood and fainted to the ground!

As it happened, the cell where the elder Li was kept was separated from Yao Qiushan by only a railing. Father and son met, both with complex emotions. The elder Li politely sent away the guard, then turned back with an awkward smile. "Qiushan, how have you been lately?"

Yao Qiushan: "..." How could anyone be well in here?

He had just learned from the guard about the elder Li’s sentence, so he pretended not to hear. The elder Li immediately noticed that this "son" no longer had his former warmth and frowned. "I am talking to you. Is this how you treat an elder?"

"What elder?" Yao Qiushan mocked. "Do you really think you are my father?"

The elder Li: "..." He had truly believed it all these years. He found out the truth was different, but for so many years, he had truly treated Yao Qiushan as his own son. Even if not biological, those feelings were not fake, and his care for the Yao family had not been fake!

"Qiushan, you..." The elder Li was annoyed. He suddenly thought of something and asked, "Then who is your father? I am already in such a wretched state; I certainly can't take revenge on your mother, and I can no longer protect you. I only hope that, for the sake of all these years of affection, you will tell me the truth and let me die a man who knows the truth."

Yao Qiushan sneered, "Of course I am my father's son." He was still of the Yao bloodline!

The elder Li had been deceived for years, and hearing Yao Qiushan admit it, he trembled with rage. "You lied to me!"

Yao Qiushan snorted coldly.

The elder Li clenched his fists, forcing himself to calm down, and asked, "Then how many men has your mother been with?"

By now, the elder Li was a prisoner, and Yao Qiushan had been stifled for days, so he spilled things that shouldn't have been said: "Twenty or thirty, I suppose."

The elder Li: "..." He was truly a fool! He demanded, "You lied to me like this—doesn't your conscience hurt?"

Yao Qiushan scoffed, "You were the easiest to fool. If I didn't lie to you, who would I lie to? Those other men talked of love with my mother, but turned around and cast her aside. Only you actually believed my mother's words."

The elder Li wiped his face. "Your mother made vows of eternal love to me. Is she not afraid of retribution?"

Yao Qiushan said with an amused expression, "Master Li, let me tell you: as long as a woman in a flower house is given enough silver, she is willing to kowtow and bow to a guest as her husband. Do you think any of that is real? To be honest, I have already 'bowed to heaven and earth' three times. They are just words—don't take it too seriously!"

The elder Li: "..."

No man could accept being played in the palm of a woman’s hand. He was no exception. He dug his fingernails into his palms until they bled. He hated them to the core and stopped talking to Yao Qiushan, instead leaning against the wall, pondering how to deal with Aicao.

He didn't need to do it himself. Two days later, Aicao was thrown into prison. She had swindled a great deal of money; one man’s wife was critically ill, and she had swindled the money meant for the woman’s medicine, causing the poor woman to die of her illness. The man had returned home and lied, saying the money was stolen; his son refused to forgive him and hadn't spoken to his father for years. When Chu Yunli learned of this, she specifically had someone inform the poor woman’s son.

Thus, Aicao was brought to court on the charge of deliberately swindling money and indirectly causing a death. Aicao had swindled more than just this one man; many men who had secret dealings with her didn't dare tell their wives, and when they suffered losses, they had to recoup the money from elsewhere. Once this door was opened, everything Aicao had done in the past was brought to light. Not to mention how the various masters would explain things to their wives when they returned, Aicao was locked in prison, never to come out again.

She lived in the cell next to Madam Yang, and the two spent their days cursing each other—a spectacle of the prison.

Zhang Yingying was still in a standoff with her husband’s family, watching her child every second for fear the child would be harmed. Zhou Ning threatened her daily, and Zhang Yingying was on the verge of a breakdown. She had thought that after the Li family cleared this hurdle, they would treat her and her son well… No matter how much Luo Meiniang hated Li Hualin, they had a child together, so she couldn't possibly push Li Hualin to his death. As long as Li Hualin was alive, she still had hope for a comeback.

Unfortunately, Zhou Ning was acting like a madman. Unable to endure it any longer, she took the child and left. After rushing to the city, she learned that Li Hualin was severely injured and had only one breath left. Everyone else had been imprisoned for life. Hearing this, Zhang Yingying’s mind went blank, and only when she regained her senses did she realize she had dropped the child. She rushed to pick him up; the child wailed, and she wept along with him.

Chu Yunli did not pursue Li Hualin for harming her, so naturally, she let Zhang Yingying go. Zhang Yingying wanted to find another way out, but many people knew she was a fickle woman who hadn't behaved herself even after marriage… She wanted to remarry, but no good family was willing to take her. Being too anxious, she couldn't find a good husband. As expected, someone played matchmaker, but it was for a marriage in the mountains. That family didn't care about her purity or her temper; all they wanted was for her to have children.

Zhang Yingying was desperate to leave the Zhou family, so she agreed.

By the time Chu Yunli learned of this, half a month had passed. Zhang Yingying had been tormented until she was unrecognizable, the child had been sent away by that family, and she had lost her wits. Chu Yunli discovered that Zhou Ning was behind it all. Zhang Yingying’s husband’s family had been chosen by Zhou Ning, who had specifically asked a matchmaker to propose it to her, and the child’s placement was also arranged by Zhou Ning—he had given the child a way to survive. This was the evil fruit of Zhang Yingying’s own planting, and Chu Yunli only saved her but didn't intervene further. Since then, Zhang Yingying had been raving and mad, often running outside the charity hall, until eventually, her fate became unknown.

Just as Chu Yunli set her wedding date, Yao Qiushan was also sentenced. He hadn't just bullied Hu Yian; besides the laborer who broke his leg, others who helped him move goods had previously vomited blood from exhaustion and died within days of returning home. At that time, Yao Qiushan had claimed the men were already sick and not "worked to death," refusing to pay compensation and even beating the victims' families. Chu Yunli found those families and helped them seek justice against the Yao family.

Yao Qiushan had to pay out a lot of money. In fact, after returning the money Aicao had swindled, the Yao family was left with only their ancestral home, and later, to compensate the victims, even that was sold. He himself was sentenced to many years in prison. The Yao family was finished!

Hu Yian also received his compensation. He was quite happy; he gave every cent of that money to his mother.

Soon, the day of their wedding arrived. Hu Yian, dressed in bright red, brought his mother to the Luo residence. They didn't hold a traditional procession or groom-led ceremony; they simply held the grand ceremony at the Luo manor. By then, the charity hall Chu Yunli had funded was already taking shape; she was also distributing porridge everywhere and sponsoring many scholars… She was practically scattering money, and many praised her kindness. Those who had benefited from her kindness flocked to watch the excitement on her wedding day.

Many had heard about how Luo Meiniang had forced the Li family to take action against Li Hualin. People simultaneously marveled at her generosity and kindness in donating her wealth, while also feeling that Li Hualin wasn't worth her paying so much to atone for her sins—that scoundrel wasn't worth the effort!

The street where the Luo family lived was packed. When the two performed their wedding bows, the elder Luo’s eyes turned red. A few months ago, his daughter had suffered such an ordeal. He thought she would die, but she had lived. Then he discovered that the son-in-law he thought was devoted to her was a monster. Most women would have collapsed and died of grief, but his daughter had carried it all. Now, she had found a good man… as long as his daughter was happy, that was all that mattered.

The elder Luo quietly wiped the corner of his eye and urged, "You must live well from now on."

"Yian is the only person in this world, besides you, who has been good to me," Chu Yunli said softly. "Father, there are many days ahead. If you don't believe it, just watch."

Hu Yian also expressed his devotion. When it was finally time for the ceremony, the matchmaker was singing the wedding blessings. Hearing the commotion outside, he chuckled softly, "Those outside are all your 'family'; I wouldn't dare let you suffer any grievances in the future. Otherwise, I fear I wouldn't be left with a whole corpse."

Under the bridal veil, Chu Yunli scoffed, "So you’re saying you only treat me well because you don't dare to do otherwise?"

"It’s because I can't bear to!" Hu Yian threw aside the ceremonial silk and took her hand. "Are you willing to marry me?"

Chu Yunli: "…Isn't it a bit too late to ask that now?"

"It’s not late," Hu Yian gripped her hand tightly. "I hope to ask you a thousand or ten thousand more times in the future. Yunli, don't worry. I will remember everything as soon as possible, and then I will come find you and marry you!"

Li Hualin, drifting in and out of consciousness, seemed to hear the sound of wedding music outside. As he moved, the elder Madam Li immediately rushed forward. "Hualin, how are you feeling?"

Li Hualin hadn't spoken for a long time. As for how he felt… it was truly terrible. He felt pain all over, especially the wound on his abdomen, which felt as if something was searing his flesh, vaguely accompanied by an itch. At such a time, one naturally couldn't scratch it and had to just endure it.

He raised his eyes and saw his gaunt mother. Over the past few days, he had learned that his father and brother had been convicted and would never leave prison. He knew his mother resented his ruthlessness, but he didn't regret it. If he could do it all over again, he still wouldn't let those who hurt him go.

"Outside… what is that sound…"

His voice was hoarse and grating. The elder Madam Li burst into tears. Her son’s wound had already festered, and the doctor had told her yesterday to prepare for the end. The elder Madam Li had been so terrified she hadn't slept a wink. Hearing her son speak, her whole body trembled. Someone who hadn't been able to speak for days suddenly opening their mouth—it looked like the final flicker of a candle.

"It’s nothing!" The elder Madam Li couldn't tell him that Luo Meiniang was getting married, could she?

Li Hualin listened intently for a long time, then asked, "Is it Luo Meiniang?"

He said the three words without a stutter, and his complexion grew increasingly rosy, as if he were a healthy man. The elder Madam Li moved her lips but couldn't say a word. Li Hualin knew the answer from his mother’s expression and stubbornly pursued the question: "Is it her?"

The elder Madam Li covered her mouth and choked out, "Yes!"

In a daze, Li Hualin’s mind went blank. He tried to remember, but all that surfaced was the image of Luo Meiniang’s dainty beauty on their wedding day, dressed in bright red. He had truly loved her once. Looking back, he didn't know when his feelings had turned sour, nor how he could have struck such a lethal blow. The wedding music seemed to ring in his ears, then gradually drifted away.

Further and further away, until he couldn't hear anything at all. It seemed as if that beautiful girl was also moving further and further away, finally disappearing into the horizon. Li Hualin reached out, wanting to grasp it, but grabbed only empty air.

His hand fell limply, and his chest stopped rising and falling. The elder Madam Li wailed.

Long before this, the Yang family had sent people to take the two children and had even changed their surnames. The elder Madam Li knew that was best for the children, but she still couldn't accept it, yet she was powerless to stop it. Now that her youngest son was gone, she was truly left all alone.

In fact, the elder Madam Li didn't last long either. The repeated blows had worn her down to skin and bone. After Li Hualin’s funeral, she fell ill, and her condition worsened. After half a month of suffering, she ultimately didn't make it.

The massive Li mansion was now empty, becoming ownerless property. The magistrate sent the deed to the Luo residence, but it was eventually returned.