Chapter 262: Chapter 262

The soil was naturally loose, and Xiao Hua the dog randomly dug a few times, quickly revealing a half-buried voodoo doll in the dirt.

On the white cloth, there were bloodstains, and a needle was stuck in the heart of the doll.

However, the doll was not intact; a good portion of it was burnt.

The County Magistrate had solved many cases and immediately knew what was going on.

He broke off a flower twig and fished the doll out from the ground.

"Dad, this doll is so ugly, who made it? And why is it covered with so many needles?" Li Lixing asked curiously.

This morning, after he told his mother about the doll, she was very surprised and upset. She said this matter must not be publicized and told him to put the doll back in place, and then let Xiao Hua dig it out again.

When he brought Xiao Hua to dig the earth, Li Li’an saw it. Fortunately, Li Xing’an did not understand and did not inquire about it.

The County Magistrate’s gaze was very somber. He patted Li Lixing on the shoulder, "Do not speak of this matter to anyone."

"Oh, understood, Dad." Li Lixing nodded.

The County Magistrate glanced at the doll in his hand and, with a gloomy face, strode towards Aunt Hua’s quarters.

At this time, Aunt Hua was no longer in her room.

Her false pregnancy had been exposed, and the buried witchcraft discovered. She reckoned the County Magistrate would not let her off.

Aunt Hua, after a brief thought, wrapped up her valuables and headed to the back door at a trot.

However, her scheme fell through.

She hadn’t run far before she was spotted by her maid and nanny.

Behind her, the two called out, "Auntie, where are you off to? Why not use the main gate and instead go through the side door? The side door is for us servants."

The two ran faster than her and quickly caught up.

Aunt Hua took out two silver coins from her bundle, extended them to them, and smiled, "I’m going out on some business, you go and help me hire a carriage, and keep any extra to buy yourselves some pastries."

The maid glanced at her bundle and smirked, "Auntie, are you planning to run away with this bundle?"

Aunt Hua looked embarrassed, "No...no, I’m...I’m just visiting a relative and will be right back."

The maid sneered, "Auntie, given the situation, you’re still lying? When you need things done, you come to us; now that something has gone wrong, you plan to run away alone. You might escape merrily, but what about us?"

The nanny also said, "If the master and mistress can’t find you, Auntie, they’ll certainly ask us. If we can’t produce you, do we still have lives? Auntie, running away , your heart is too ruthless."

Aunt Hua avoided their gaze, "Your families are in the old house, the master and mistress won’t do anything to you, you worry too much."

"We don’t dare to stake our lives on Auntie’s deception. Auntie, you better not leave. If you’re going, at least say goodbye to the master and mistress." The nanny rushed over and seized Aunt Hua by the arm.

The maid grabbed her bundle from her.

The two of them, one on each side, hemmed her in and pushed her back into the small courtyard.

At that moment, the County Magistrate happened to return.

Seeing this scene, his expression grew even darker.

Afraid of punishment, the maid and nanny said in unison, "Master, Aunt Hua was trying to run away with silver, but we stopped her."

The maid knelt down further, "Master, I must expose one thing about Aunt Hua."

With a gloomy gaze, the County Magistrate said, "Speak."

"She had me bury a doll at the Peony Pavilion in the back garden. I didn’t want to do it, but she threatened to sell me if I didn’t obey." The maid prostrated herself on the ground and confessed Aunt Hua’s instructions truthfully.

The nanny’s face changed dramatically, "Master, witchcraft is an evil curse; has Auntie lost her mind?"

"Hua Yanrong!" The County Magistrate shouted angrily, throwing the thing in his hand to the ground, "Is it this?"

Aunt Hua shivered with fright, "Master...Master..., listen to me, I...I was momentarily possessed, made a mistake, please, on account of my past dedicated service, spare me this once."

She rushed over, clutching the County Magistrate’s leg, wailing bitterly.

This time, however, the County Magistrate showed not a trace of soft-heartedness and instead pushed her away.

He said to the nanny, "Go find Aunt Tian!"

The nanny, afraid of punishment, shivered and complied with a sound, then turned to look for her.

Soon, Aunt Tian, the housekeeper beside the County Magistrate’s wife, arrived.

The County Magistrate pointed at Aunt Hua, "Give her fifty lashes! Then find a human trafficker and sell her off." He pointed to the maid and nanny beside Aunt Hua, "These two colluded with Aunt Hua, but since they exposed her, they won’t be severely punished—just drive them out and sell them!"

The three of them shivered in fear and weakly collapsed to the ground.

Aunt Tian lightly curled her lips into a smile, bowed with a salute, "Yes, Master."

As for the County Magistrate, he didn’t spare Aunt Hua a glance, flicked his sleeves, and turned around to leave with a cold snort.

Aunt Hua came to her senses and clambered up from the ground to chase after the County Magistrate.

"Master, I was wrong. I don’t want to leave you, please punish me by making me a maid, I don’t want to leave this place."

Aunt Tian pulled her back, pushed her into a small room, and locked her in.

She patted her sleeves, stood outside the window, and sneered, "Aunt Hua, you caused other trouble, and the master indulged you without holding you accountable. But this witchcraft, you’ve hit the master’s taboo! If he doesn’t deal with you, someone will deal with him! According to the law of this dynasty, no one is allowed to practice witchcraft! Haven’t you heard?"

Aunt Hua’s body went limp, and she collapsed to the floor.

It’s over, it’s completely over for her.

After instructing someone to find a human trafficker, Aunt Tian went back to ask the county magistrate’s wife how to sell Aunt Hua.

The county magistrate’s wife was lying on the bed resting, preparing to undergo surgery by Li Yuzhu.

She opened her eyes, her gaze cold, and said, "Of course, the farther the better, and the cheaper the place sold, the better. As for the price, don’t worry about it; take what the trafficker gives."

Aunt Tian smiled and replied, "Yes."

Li Yuzhu was sitting in the outer room, eating.

It was still early for lunch; she was eating in advance.

The upcoming surgery would require at least two to three hours and could not be stopped midway. Since she would be performing it alone, she needed to eat well to ensure she had enough stamina.

With her keen hearing, she heard the entire conversation between the county magistrate’s wife and her maid.

She shook her head; this Aunt Hua brought this upon herself and couldn’t escape her fate. Discover more novels at novelꜰire.net

Unaware of her status, she caused trouble and ended up in a miserable situation.

Aunt Tian left the main room of the county magistrate’s wife and immediately sent someone to call a human trafficker.

She only accepted ten taels of silver from the other party, with the condition that Aunt Hua should be sold as far away as possible. If found within this state mansion, the trafficker would face the consequences.

This was the county magistrate’s family selling someone; how could the trafficker dare to play tricks?

Besides, ten taels of silver for this business was a deal you couldn’t find even with a lantem.

In their past dealings in human trade, a young woman of such beauty would fetch at least twenty taels. Today it was half-price.

He would even laugh in his dreams.

The trafficker repeatedly promised to comply, took the deed of sale, and took the weeping Aunt Hua away.

Of course, all the jewelry and fine clothes on Aunt Hua were stripped by Aunt Tian, leaving her only in a common woman’s coarse cloth attire.

Aunt Hua had never been so poorly dressed; her heart was full of grievances. Thinking of her future fate, she cried even harder.

The trafficker sarcastically remarked, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, if you knew it would come to this, why did you act that way earlier? Didn’t you offend the mistress of the household, leading to being sold?"

"In a year, I sell over a dozen young women like you, with some beauty, who are all restless. They rely on their looks and the master’s favor to act arrogantly in the mansion, wanting to be the mistress but ending up being sold instead."

"Ha, and why is it that the lady can become the mistress? Haven’t you looked into it? She was married properly with a matching family background! People like you just can’t fit in! Those without self-awareness always meet a tragic end! You better remember this."

These words were harsh, causing Aunt Hua to cry even louder.

Annoyed by her crying, the trafficker stuffed a rag in her mouth and tied her up.

Aunt Hua finally quieted down.

The son was now obedient, and the troublesome Aunt Hua was driven away.

When the county magistrate’s wife was being treated, the county magistrate even postponed official duties to stay in the bedroom.

He would occasionally ask Li Yuzhu if her condition would relapse after treatment.

Li Yuzhu explained in detail.

The county magistrate nodded in satisfaction, "As long as it doesn’t relapse, that’s good."

He also advised the county magistrate’s wife not to worry about the trivial matters in the backyard and to focus on healing, assuring her that he would handle everything.

Everything made the county magistrate’s wife very satisfied.

She held the county magistrate’s hand, smiled gently, and said, "With your concern, I am at ease."

The county magistrate looked at her gently smiling face, feeling deeply guilty in his heart.

It wasn’t that he deliberately neglected his wife, but...

Inwardly, he sighed; he didn’t know how to begin telling this matter to his wife.

Well, one son is enough, some people have no sons all their lives.