Chapter 6: Interrogating Niu Er

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Jiang Yi used straw to plug the other end of the slender bamboo tube, preventing the intoxicating incense from drifting into the house.

Outside, Niu Er waited, but the incense’s scent was drawn to him.

In an instant, Niu Er was overcome by the incense and fainted.

Jiang Yi stepped outside, held his breath, and approached Niu Er.

He quickly extinguished the incense by sticking it into the snow, then dragged Niu Er to the doorway.

Using hemp rope, he tied him up securely before dragging him into the main room.

At dawn, they would hand Niu Er over to the village head for punishment.

Typically, minor village offenses were handled by the village chief or local officials.

Though not government officers, village heads and township officials were respected and feared by the rural folk.

Niu Er had committed theft—a crime usually not serious enough to involve the authorities.

If it had involved murder or serious harm, then the case would be escalated to the magistrate.

Jiang Yi sketched a three-eyed gun on paper with charcoal, planning to take the blueprint to the blacksmith in Hanyang City the next day.

To outsiders, it would look like a large iron rod, carried for self-defense.

He also planned to buy saltpeter and sulfur from the pharmacy and personally concoct gunpowder.

After securing Niu Er, Jiang Yi went to check on Shen Rong in the inner room.

“Husband, I heard noises outside. Could it be thieves trying to steal our money?” Shen Rong, a light sleeper, clutched the money pouch tightly, always fearful of thieves.

She was ready to fight anyone who dared touch their money.

“It was Niu Er trying to steal from us. He tried to use the incense to drug us, but he ended up getting knocked out himself. I’ve tied him up.”

Shen Rong got out of bed and walked to the main room, where tied-up Niu Er lay on the floor.

Cold fury shone in her eyes as she grabbed a wooden stick from behind the door, ready to strike him.

“Don’t hit him yet. Let’s wait until dawn and hand him over to the village chief. I want to see the punishment he receives.”

If Niu Er were seriously injured, Shen Rong could face imprisonment.

Accidental manslaughter could mean execution or exile.

“Such a scoundrel only brings harm. Better for him to die sooner rather than later,” Shen Rong fumed.

“Evil deeds will be repaid with evil. Tomorrow, he’ll receive several lashes and compensate us for our losses.”

Jiang Yi currently had no power or influence and could not punish others on his own.

“If he’s not punished harshly, he’ll return to steal or even harm us.”

Shen Rong's anger was deadly, ready to exchange one life for another.

“Don’t act rashly. Niu Er intended to kill for gain. The authorities won’t be lenient.”

Jiang Yi knew killing meant paying with one’s life. If the magistrate’s verdict was unsatisfactory, he planned to find a chance to throw Niu Er into the deep mountains to be devoured by wild beasts.

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At this moment, the couple lay awake, holding each other and waiting for dawn.

When the rooster crowed, daylight had arrived and Niu Er had regained consciousness.

Shen Rong brought Zhao Shengkui over and recounted Niu Er’s attempted theft the previous night.

Local villagers gathered, eager to see Niu Er severely punished.

“Niu Er, you’ve got some nerve trying to break in and steal in the dead of night.”

Niu Er and his disreputable friends had repeatedly stolen chickens and other livestock in nearby villages and had been punished multiple times.

The villagers of Funiu Village glared at Niu Er with resentment. They had lost chickens, ducks, geese, and dogs in recent days.

Niu Er begged Zhao Shengkui for mercy. “I know I was wrong. Please spare me this once.”

“No mercy! He stole from our chickens, ducks, and geese. He must be punished severely!”

“Exactly! He’s a menace to Shuangma Township. Kick him out of Shuangma and Hanyang!”

The villagers were furious; they would not tolerate Niu Er staying in Shuangma.

“Please spare me this once. I swear I’ll change my ways.”

Niu Er’s pitiful pleas were attempts to escape this ordeal.

The villagers would not relent; people like him never learn.

“We can’t let him go. He stole from us just two nights ago and now tries to kill us for money. It’s impossible to live in peace!”

Shen Rong, clutching a short stick, was nearly driven to strike Niu Er several times.

“He stole from my house last time, but now he’s trying to kill me. He must be handed over to the authorities for severe punishment.”

Jiang Yi had no intention of sparing Niu Er; he wanted this threat eliminated.

The villagers shouted in righteous anger, “Beat him! Beat him hard!”

Zhao Shengkui tried to calm them. “Everyone, calm down. The country has laws and the village has rules. Let’s hand him over to the township official.”

If Niu Er’s crimes were serious, he would be sent to the Hanyang Prefectural Office for trial.

Jiang Yi held up a white porcelain bottle. “I found this on him; it contains poison.”

The crowd whispered among themselves, curious and alarmed.

“What grudge does Niu Er have against him to resort to poison?”

“Such a vicious man deserves to go straight to hell.”

Though the villagers disliked Jiang Yi, they found Niu Er far more detestable.

This was Niu Er’s second attempt to kill Jiang Yi. The first time, he succeeded, which is how Jiang Yi, once a soldier king from the twenty-first century, had a chance to travel through time to this place.

“Intoxicating incense and high-grade poison—you can’t even afford these, much less easily acquire them. Tell us, who sent you to kill me?”

Jiang Yi knew who wanted him dead and deliberately asked Niu Er in front of everyone.

Once strong enough, he vowed to personally avenge himself.

Zhao Shengkui felt this was no trivial matter—this was beyond the township official’s authority.

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They decided to send Niu Er to the Hanyang Prefectural Court for trial, to give Jiang Yi justice.

“I only wanted to steal some money. I didn’t mean to kill him.”

“Are you confessing? The court will find out soon enough. Even powerless people like you will face the noose for attempted murder during theft.”

Jiang Yi wanted Niu Er dead. He believed in exacting retribution and repaying kindness.

Niu Er heard the deadly resolve in Jiang Yi’s words and truly feared for his life.

He regretted accepting money from someone else to use the incense to drug Jiang Yi and then try to kill him.

“If you tell the truth, you’ll at most be exiled,” Zhao Shengkui urged him to confess honestly for leniency.

“I say it was someone who paid me fifty taels of silver. They gave me the incense and the poison. After I drugged him, I was to give him the poison in the bottle.”

Niu Er revealed all he knew. The person who gave him the incense and poison wore a mask.

He didn’t know what they looked like or their name.

“How did you contact them?” Zhao Shengkui asked.

“They contacted me first. If it succeeds, they promised to pay me another fifty taels.”

Jiang Yi smiled bitterly. He doubted Niu Er would ever see that money.

Once the deed was done, the mastermind would kill him to cover their tracks.

“Niu Er, you’re hopelessly foolish. You tried to kill me for a mere few dozen taels. Whether or not you succeed, they’ll kill you.”

Jiang Yi knew capturing that person wouldn’t be easy.

That person must be from Gaojing. Killing Jiang Yi would remove a rival for the current crown prince.

“Though I’ve been reduced to a commoner, some still want me dead. When I’m strong enough, I’ll settle the score with them myself.”

Jiang Yi vowed silently to kill all who sought his life.

Zhao Shengkui sensed the situation was complicated and suspected Jiang Yi’s identity was no ordinary one.

Currently, it was only known that Jiang Yi was an exiled criminal under close watch by the Hanzhou magistrate.

Few knew Jiang Yi’s true identity, and it was kept secret.

“If we don’t catch that person soon, they’ll keep trying to kill me. Who can guarantee my safety?”

“As long as you stay in Funiu Village, I promise nothing like this will happen again.”

If Jiang Yi stayed home, he would be safer.

Jiang Yi smiled wryly. Even at home, those who want him dead would find ways.

He didn’t argue, giving Zhao Shengkui some face.

The onlookers were curious about Jiang Yi’s identity—who could be willing to spend so much money to kill him?