Chapter 41 Authorities Get Involved

Chapter 41: The Law Steps In

After Lei Ding made plans with Wu Qiu for a spring outing that day, Wu Qiu had been preoccupied with it ever since. With less than two months remaining before the baby’s due date, this outing would likely be his last chance to enjoy himself outside for several months—making him all the more eager. In his spare time lately, he’d been meticulously planning what clothes to wear and which items to bring.

The night before the trip, Wu Qiu’s mind was even more restless. Since becoming pregnant, Lei Ding had spent increasing amounts of time with him, so Wu Qiu had persistently asked him to continue teaching him to read. Ordinarily, he was far more diligent than the students at school—but tonight, he was unusually distracted. He didn’t even realize his thoughts had drifted from the book to the hair ribbon he planned to wear the next day. When he suddenly snapped back to awareness, he found Lei Ding leaning on the desk, elbow propped up, face cradled in one hand—and smiling gently at him.

Wu Qiu blushed, about to admit he couldn’t concentrate—when Lei Ding stroked his head first. His tone held no reproach, only profound tenderness: “That’s enough for now—it’s late. Don’t strain your eyes. We’ll continue reading next time. Since we’re going out tomorrow, of course Qiu Er would be thinking about it. Let’s rest early tonight.”

Wu Qiu felt even more embarrassed that Lei Ding had so easily read his thoughts. Leaning over the armrest of his chair, he tried to nestle into Lei Ding’s embrace. Lei Ding simply pulled him close and let him sit on his lap. Wu Qiu carried a faint, refreshing scent—not that of soap beans, nor of sachets or incense cakes from the wardrobe, but rather an aroma seemingly emanating from his very flesh and blood. Wu Qiu squirmed away, giggling as Lei Ding playfully sniffed at him.

Only then did Lei Ding ask, “What was Qiu Er thinking about just now? Tomorrow’s snacks? What to wear? Which accessories to match?”

Wu Qiu shook his head. “I was thinking about what *you* should wear. I want us to dress in similar styles, so people can tell from afar that I’m your husband.”

He wrapped his arms around Lei Ding’s neck and leaned against him as he asked, “I talk to you about these things all day—isn’t that too fussy? It’s just that I’m truly looking forward to going out with you this time. I won’t be like this next time.”

Lei Ding knew Wu Qiu feared he’d find it annoying—but in truth, Wu Qiu mostly kept such thoughts to himself and rarely voiced them aloud. Even if he did, Lei Ding wouldn’t mind. Wanting to reassure him, Lei Ding whispered softly, “I love it when Qiu Er talks to me about these things. I’ve also been eagerly anticipating taking you out. It’s better to plan carefully than rush about preparing at the last minute. Qiu Er mentioned earlier you’d like to wear that pea-green outfit tomorrow—should I wear something in a similar color? How about that sky-blue one?”

Wu Qiu smiled. “That’s perfect. So it’s settled?”

Lei Ding lifted him as he stood and carefully placed him on the bed, helping him remove his outer garments. “It’s settled. Qiu Er, wait here a moment—I’ll fetch some water so we can wash up and sleep.”

That night, Wu Qiu fell asleep nestled in Lei Ding’s arms, filled with boundless anticipation.

The next day was meant solely for leisure—a relaxed stroll with no urgent matters demanding attention—so when Lei Ding woke, he didn’t rush to rouse Wu Qiu. Lately, Wu Qiu hadn’t been sleeping well at night. Though their child wasn’t particularly restless, the growing weight left Wu Qiu uncomfortable—even turning over in bed left him exhausted. Since he was finally sleeping soundly, Lei Ding naturally wanted to let him rest a little longer. By the time they were finally ready to leave, it was already mid-morning.

Lei Ding had just placed their belongings by the door and asked Wu Qiu to wait while he went to fetch the carriage—when suddenly, a group of men burst in from outside. Fierce and menacing, they shouted, “Don’t let them leave!” In an instant, they stood right before them.

At that moment, three patients remained inside, and Lei Xun, Cui Nanshan, Lei Li, and Lei Tan were also present. Without explanation, the intruders barged in, grabbing and shoving anyone in sight. Chaos erupted instantly in the main hall.

Lei Ding had no time to hesitate—he rushed forward to shield Wu Qiu. Fortunately, Wu Qiu had been sitting quietly in a corner chair, unnoticed by the intruders thus far. Lei Ding swiftly wrapped his arms around him and guided him into the small medicine-brewing room, closing the door behind them. The commotion had broken out in the blink of an eye; Wu Qiu hadn’t even had time to react. Only now did fear settle in—belated, sharp, and overwhelming. He clutched Lei Ding’s hand, speechless.

Afraid the shock might harm the baby, Lei Ding bent low, holding Wu Qiu tightly, and hurriedly reassured him: “Qiu Er, don’t be afraid. I’m here—nothing will happen. You know how things are at the clinic—troublemakers like this aren’t uncommon. It’s probably another baseless accusation. I’ll go out and see what’s happening. These people are truly rude. Stay here and hide—don’t get hurt. In a moment, I’ll send Father in to stay with you. Qiu Er, don’t go out on your own.”

Wu Qiu still clung to Lei Ding’s hand, heart pounding with unease. For some reason, he didn’t want Lei Ding to step out of that room—but he also knew that if Lei Ding refused to go, Lei Xun was no longer young and strong, Cui Nanshan’s health was already frail, and Lei Li and Lei Tan were mere children—something terrible would surely happen. Tears brimming in his eyes, he reluctantly let go. “Brother, don’t worry—I’m fine, and the baby is safe too. Please be careful—don’t confront them head-on. I… I’ll wait here for you to return. I won’t leave this room until I see you.”

Lei Ding kissed him lightly on the lips, then stepped out—and closed the door behind him. When he looked again, the main hall was even more crowded. Besides the initial few men dressed in the Liu family’s servant uniforms, the rest were government officers. Lei Xun stood at the front, several men gripping him roughly. Lei Li lay sprawled on the floor, while Cui Nanshan knelt beside him, cradling Lei Li in his arms and shielding Lei Tan with one hand.

In just moments, things had deteriorated to this point.

The moment Lei Ding stepped forward, two officers approached and seized his arms from both sides. Lei Ding considered resisting—but thought of his family behind him. If he truly provoked these men, matters could only worsen. So he yielded, allowing them to bind his hands behind his back—yet he stood tall and unyielding. Reasoning that most were government officers, he believed they wouldn’t go too far. Raising his voice, he demanded, “Your Honors—what is the charge against us?”

No one in the room answered—but from outside came shouting and wailing. Four men carried someone in on a chair—it was Liu Yu, whose broken leg had been treated at the clinic over ten days ago. His eyes were swollen from crying. Scanning the room, he pointed straight at Lei Xun and Lei Ding. “Arrest those two!”

But Lei Ding didn’t hear his words—his gaze locked onto one person before him. Among the four men carrying Liu Yu’s chair, the man standing at the front, smiling directly at him, was none other than Xue Hu—Wu Qiu’s fellow villager, the same man who had repeatedly attempted impropriety in the past and caused trouble in the mountains!

No wonder they’d never been able to find him—but how had he ended up colluding with Liu Yu?

Seeing Xue Hu dressed in the Liu family’s servant uniform, Lei Ding’s heart sank. Sure enough, the officers surged forward, restraining him and Lei Xun, pulling out coarse hemp ropes to bind them tightly. A man who appeared to be in charge stepped forward and declared, “You have practiced medicine without virtue, causing Young Master Liu’s leg injury to relapse. The Liu family has filed a formal complaint with the authorities. Both of you—come with me.”

Liu Yu sat there, sobbing and cursing incessantly: “These vile scoundrels—black-hearted and despicable! That day, they treated me roughly and disrespectfully, and I endured it. Who would have imagined they harbored ill intent? They charged exorbitant fees for treatment—yet applied the splints crookedly, failed to secure them properly, and prescribed the wrong medicine! The imperial physician examined me yesterday—the bone has already grown crooked! I’ll be crippled for life!”

Lei Xun’s expression hardened. “That day, we clearly—”

Lei Tan rushed forward, clinging desperately to Lei Xun and refusing to let go, shouting, “How can you behave so unjustly? Arresting people without any clear explanation! Who knows how *your* leg ended up like this? Everyone knows the doctors at our clinic are skilled and virtuous! How can you arrest people based solely on your word?”

The child’s voice rang sharp and clear—and the crowd gathered outside heard every word, immediately erupting into murmurs. Seeing this, the officer grabbed Lei Tan by the collar and prepared to shove him hard to the ground. Lei Tan struggled fiercely—but couldn’t break free. Lei Ding, standing nearby, feared serious injury and broke free from the two men restraining him, rushing forward. Lei Tan collided with Lei Ding’s leg, preventing his fall and sparing him harm.

But this gave the officer his opening. He pointed at Lei Ding and shouted, “He’s resisting arrest!” Instantly, several armed officers pinned Lei Ding to the ground. Cui Nanshan moved to intervene—but at that moment, Lei Ding strained to meet his gaze, first shaking his head slightly, then glancing toward the small room with its closed door. After that, he was hauled upright and shoved out the door.

Within half an hour, the main hall lay in utter disarray—and both Lei Xun and Lei Ding had been taken away.

Cui Nanshan had no time to weep. Recalling the look Lei Ding had given him before leaving, he understood Wu Qiu had been safely secured. He quickly asked Madam Liu to watch over Lei Li and Lei Tan while he and Yang Shu hurried to find Wu Qiu. The moment they opened the door, they saw Wu Qiu—pale-faced, tear-streaked, sobbing as he cried, “Mother! Father! What’s happening? What’s going on? Where’s my husband?”

Lei Ding and Lei Xun were swiftly escorted to the yamen, where they knelt before the tribunal hall. On the opposing side stood not Liu Yu himself, but several of his attendants—including Xue Hu, who had carried Liu Yu’s chair that day.

The prefect picked up a written complaint, stating that Liu Yu accused them of practicing medicine without virtue and intentionally harming a patient—claiming both witnesses and evidence were present and would be examined.

The witnesses were two of Liu Yu’s attendants and an imperial physician from his household who had taken leave earlier. They testified that Lei Ding and Lei Xun had improperly set Liu Yu’s leg—hastily binding it with wooden splints, worsening the injury and leaving him permanently disabled—all while demanding an exorbitant fee. The evidence consisted of the clinic’s account book, recently seized, and the two wooden splints used to immobilize Liu Yu’s leg. The clinic always used high-quality bamboo and cedar boards—but for some reason, these boards bore a noticeable curve. Yet they were clearly engraved with the character “雷”—a common practice at the clinic—and the engraving unmistakably matched Lei Ding’s hand.

Lei Xun and Lei Ding knew that if the Liu family had filed a complaint, they must have already bribed their way through the yamen officials. Sure enough, the prefect granted them almost no opportunity to defend themselves—merely declaring they would undergo detailed interrogation the following day before adjourning the session and sending father and son to separate prison cells to await sentencing.

At this point, Lei Ding’s mind grew calm—though he remained deeply anxious about Wu Qiu. He had no idea whether Wu Qiu, having suffered such a shock, remained safe and unharmed. He’d sustained minor injuries while protecting Lei Tan and resisting the officers. Lei Xun was locked in the cell adjacent to his—so they couldn’t even speak. Lei Ding quietly sat against the wall, closed his eyes, and rested—gathering his strength.

Though his eyes were closed, he remained acutely aware of his surroundings. After some time, he suddenly heard footsteps approaching from outside—stopping directly before his cell. He opened his eyes—and saw a man standing before the door. Lei Ding studied him carefully—it was a stranger—so he remained silent, staring coldly.

The man smiled, gently stroking the wooden bars of the cell. Though speaking to Lei Ding, his gaze never met his. “Don’t you recognize me? Well, of course not. You’re the great benefactor beloved by the people. Lord Lei naturally wouldn’t know an insignificant person like me.”

He slowly crouched down, bringing his eyes level with Lei Ding’s, and smiled—enunciating each word with deliberate clarity: “I am Wu Peng. Lord Lei—long time no see?”

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