Right and wrong will be judged, and justice resides in the hearts of the people.

The next day, Lei Heng didn't wake up until the sun was high in the sky. Although Liu Zhi was anxious, he didn't want to urge Lei Heng.

After waking up, Lei Heng ate and drank some more before heading to Yuncheng County with two soldiers and Liu Zhi and his son. The villagers were secretly pleased to see the village head and his son leave Xixi Village for the county government office, finally able to rest properly without having to worry about their moods. Naturally, no one noticed that another group of people had secretly sneaked into Xixi Village. Normally, if unfamiliar people entered the village, the villagers would find the village head to inform him, in case they were bandits trying to scout the area or wanted thieves passing through!

Unfortunately, the village head of Xixi Village had already been taken to Yuncheng by Lei Heng. In addition, most of the villagers were afraid of the village head, so they would rather avoid him than go looking for him!

At the home of an old man in Xixi Village, the person who had escaped from Xixi Village with Liu Wu was talking to him!

"Liu Xiong, since you have already escaped from Xixi Village, why have you returned today? Aren't you just walking into a trap? Liu Zhi is looking for you very closely, so you should leave at once!" the old man said earnestly.

The young man, Liu Xiong, spoke to the man wearing a straw hat beside him: "This old man is called Liu Jin. He's the most senior person in Xixi Village, and we all call him Fifth Uncle. His family has worked as long-term laborers for the village head for generations. Unfortunately, his son got into an argument with the village head for withholding grain, and was beaten by the villagers. He returned home, vomited blood, and died. Luckily, Fifth Uncle has some prestige in the village, so the village head didn't dare to openly make things difficult for him. Besides, he was indeed in the wrong, so the village head compensated Fifth Uncle with twenty taels of silver to support him in his old age and to see him off in his final days! It's a pity that the old couple only had one son. What can twenty taels of silver do? Now, their line has ended!"

Fifth Uncle Liu Jin smiled sadly and said, "Why bring up these old stories? I'm already old and frail; I'll just live out my remaining years here!"

The man in the straw hat said, "Old man, are you just going to stay here and wait to die? Even if you get old and pass away, the other villagers will still be oppressed. Are you just going to watch your descendants live like this?"

After a moment of silence, Liu Jin asked Liu Xiong, "And this gentleman is?"

Liu Xiong introduced, "This is Chao Gai, the head of Dongxi Village, who has also come to rescue us!"

Liu Jin was taken aback, then exclaimed with delight, "So it's Chief Chao! It seems we're truly saved!" He then changed the subject, continuing, "But I wonder how Chief Chao plans to take care of us?" Chao Gai's reputation was renowned throughout Shandong, and he had naturally heard of him. But how would Chao Gai save them? Would he take them back to Dongxi Village? That was unrealistic. First, Yuncheng County would never agree to that. Second, even if they went to Dongxi Village, what would they eat and drink? It was impossible for Chao Gai to support all those who had escaped there!

Chao Gai nodded and said, "I have my own arrangements for this matter, but it must be kept absolutely secret. All tenants who are willing to leave can wait by the stream near Xixi Village tonight. I will personally escort them. After today, everything will be different tomorrow!"

Liu Jin hesitated for a moment. After all, this matter was no small thing and was far from as simple as it seemed. Just imagine hundreds of people leaving together, not knowing where they were going. It was a gamble. It was only because Chao Gai was generous and had a great reputation that he could do this. If it were anyone else, they would definitely suspect their motives first. Moreover, how could it be so easy to move hundreds of people?

Liu Jin pondered for a long time, then looked at Liu Xiong. Liu Xiong nodded firmly and said, "Fifth Uncle, I risked my life to come back because I didn't want you to be bullied by that beast Liu Zhi anymore. Otherwise, I could have been free and unrestrained outside. Why would I have come here? Besides, why would King Chao come here to deceive you? If you don't trust me, just pretend I was never here!"

Liu Jin gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, I trust you. Just tell me what you need me to do!"

Liu Xiong whispered, "Later, Uncle Wu and Aunt Wu will go to the village entrance together. If anyone asks, just ignore them and laugh it off. When those tenants see Grandpa, they will naturally believe us. Liu Zhi isn't in the village either. In the middle of the night, everyone will leave together and see who dares to stop us!"

Chao Gai said, "We should be careful about this and not let others know! It could cause unnecessary trouble!"

There were people in the village who had a hard life and people who had a good life. Liu Xiong had told Chao Gai and the villagers about the people who were suffering beforehand. As for those who were doing well, he didn't bother them. They were sure they wouldn't leave, and might even tell Liu Zhi, which would only cause trouble!

At first, some villagers didn't believe what the villagers said, but when they saw the old couple Liu Jin walking slowly through the village, they thought that if the old man could walk, why couldn't they? Anyway, they were destitute, so they decided to leave together that night.

Lei Heng led Liu Zhi and his son to Yuncheng County, deliberately slowing down. Along the way, he and Liu Zhi chatted and laughed, while Liu Zhi was somewhat uneasy. He could only say that if you have a clear conscience, you have nothing to fear. Otherwise, you could deceive heaven and earth, but you could not deceive your own conscience!

What should have been a three-hour journey took Lei Heng six or seven hours. By the time they arrived in Yuncheng, it was already dark and windy. Lei Heng looked at Liu Zhi and said with a smile, "Chief, it's late today. Your husband must be resting by now. He must be quite hungry after a long day's travel. Why don't we find a place to have a drink and a meal, and then rest for the night? I'll take you to the county government tomorrow!"

Seeing that things had come to this point, Liu Zhi had no choice but to agree.

The five men walked toward a restaurant in Yuncheng. Once inside, Lei Heng, who was already hungry and thirsty from walking all the way, called over the waiter and ordered a few pounds of meat, twenty steamed buns, and two pounds of wine before sitting down.

Liu Zhi was extremely anxious. It wasn't that he was being paranoid, but he had a vague feeling that something was wrong, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He just wanted to get back to Xixi Village as soon as possible, because only when he was on his own land could he finally relax!

The wine and meat were served quickly, and after another half an hour, the group finished eating. Liu Zhi took out two taels of silver and placed them on the table, then prepared to leave with the others!

Just then, a man entered the restaurant. Lei Heng looked at the man and exclaimed happily, "Clerk!"

Liu Zhi looked and saw that it was Song Jiang. The two had met a few times before, but they had not had much in-depth interaction. The reason was that Liu Zhi both hated and feared Chao Gai, while Song Jiang and Chao Gai were sworn brothers!

Song Jiang walked over and said with a smile, "So it's Liu Baozheng and Lei Dutou! It's been a long time since I've seen you, Baozheng; you're still as dashing as ever! What brings you to Yuncheng County today?"

Liu Zhi smiled wryly and said, "Sir, please don't tease me. I came here with Chief Lei on the orders of the Prime Minister!"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "I already know about the matter of the village head; why don't you come with me!"

Liu Zhi hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "In that case, I'll go with the clerk!"

The group arrived at an inn. Lei Heng took out three taels of silver and handed it to two soldiers, telling them to leave. Liu Zhi asked his son to book another room for them to rest first. Then the three of them went to a room and sat down.

"The clerk is one of us, so the headman doesn't need to hide anything. Just say what you want to say!" Lei Heng reminded Liu Zhi when he saw him hesitate.

Song Jiang laughed and said, "This is not a big deal, why is the village head so alarmed?"

Liu Zhi said in a muffled voice, "Everyone knows that Lord Shi is upright and honest. I am heartbroken right now, and I'm afraid I'll never be able to return to Xixi Village!"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "Why is the village head so flustered? I understand the matter. This person first came to my Song Family Village to find me, and then came to Yuncheng County. But without any evidence, how can you be sure of the village head's death?"

Liu Zhi asked, "Clerk, you?"

Song Jiang nodded and said, "Although I brought him to the county government office, if I really wanted to harm you, why would I be sitting here telling you so much? That man just wants some money!" The fact that Song Jiang brought Liu Wu to the county government office couldn't be hidden any longer, so he might as well tell him the truth!

Liu Zhi shook his head and said, "That may not be the case! Although I didn't kill his parents, they died because of me. He hates me so much he'd want to eat their bones and flesh. If we can just give him money to settle things, that would be bad. There might be something fishy going on!"

Song Jiang laughed heartily and said, "Since the village head doesn't believe me, then let's wait and see tomorrow!" After saying that, he bowed and left the room!

Liu Zhi looked at Lei Heng with suspicion and asked, "Is the clerk really doing this for my own good?"

Lei Heng laughed, "It can't be fake. If the magistrate doesn't believe me, he'll know tomorrow!"

At this moment, at the entrance of Xixi Village, hundreds of villagers were heading towards the stream outside the village, with about a hundred farmhands protecting them to prevent any mishaps.

Apart from the faint footsteps and barely audible breathing, there was no other sound in the quiet village. At this time, many people had already fallen asleep. How could they know that a large-scale migration was taking place in the village in the dead of night!

Chao Gai was already waiting for the villagers by the stream, where fifty or sixty boats were lined up in rows, waiting for them! Seeing the shivering villagers, Chao Gai whispered, "After tonight, everything will be different tomorrow!" After saying that, he waved his hand and, according to the pre-arranged plan, let them board the boats in an orderly manner!

Once everyone was on board, Ruan Xiaoer called out, "Let's go!" All the small boats neatly left the stream and headed towards the lake! In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, all the boats disappeared into the night and could no longer be seen!

Chao Gai said to the remaining twenty farmhands, "Thank you all for your hard work. Here's one tael of silver for each of you. Rest for the night, and come to my farm tomorrow for a feast!" These farmhands were Chao Gai's confidants, and having them around would make things much easier. The other farmhands went up Liangshan with the villagers.

The next day, in the Yuncheng County government office, Magistrate Shi Wenbin sat upright in the main hall, looked at the two people below, and slammed his gavel, asking, "Who are the two kneeling men?"

Liu Zhi said, "I am Liu Zhi, the head of Xixi Village!"

The other man said, "I am Liu Wu, a tenant farmer from Xixi Village!"

Shi Wenbin asked, "What are you reporting?"

Liu Wu said, "I sue the village head Liu Zhi for oppressing the villagers, defiling my wife, and driving my parents to their deaths!"

Liu Zhi shouted, "Nonsense! You scoundrel, don't try to frame me!"

Shi Wenbin slammed his gavel and shouted, "Silence!"

The constables beside them also banged their sticks and shouted, "Majestic!"

Shi Wenbin glanced at Liu Wu, then looked at Liu Zhi and said, "Liu Zhi, do you know him? Is what he said true? Do you have anything to say today?"

Liu Zhi shouted loudly, "Your Honor, no, really no! This is completely fabricated! Don't listen to Liu Wu's one-sided story!"

Shi Wenbin asked Liu Wu, "Liu Wu, do you have any witnesses or physical evidence to support your lawsuit against the village head?"

Liu Wu was taken aback, then replied, "I didn't!"

Liu Zhi said smugly, "Even if it's not true, it's still a false accusation. I can countersue you for slander!"

Shi Wenbin shouted, "Quiet!" Then he said to Liu Wu, "Without evidence or proof, how can I make a judgment?"

Liu Zhi, now confident, said smugly, "You must be trying to extort money from me because you see me doing well. You're making up lies to deceive you, sir!"

Shi Wenbin slammed his gavel down and roared, "Insolence! When did it become your turn to speak in court!"

Liu Zhi was so frightened that he quickly lay down on the ground and dared not say another word!

Shi Wenbin frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Let's adjourn the court for now and proceed with the trial later. Please follow me to the back room!"

Inside the back hall, there were only Shi Wenbin, Song Jiang, Zhu Tong, Lei Heng, and the two parties involved, Liu Zhi and Liu Wu!

With his enemy right beside him, Liu Wu gritted his teeth, his face contorted with resentment, his hands clenched, and his eyes brimming with tears. Liu Zhi, on the other hand, looked at Liu Wu with disdain and a cold smile on his lips.

Shi Wenbin said to Liu Zhi, "I have heard much about your deeds in Xixi Village, but I never imagined you would rape a respectable woman and drive a tenant to his death. Such actions are truly ruthless!"

Liu Zhi quickly flattered him, saying, "What outsiders say is not worth mentioning; I absolutely did not do such a thing!"

Liu Wu could no longer hold back and shouted, "I'll beat you to death, you beast!" He stood up and punched Liu Zhi.

With a thud, Liu Zhi was knocked back three or four steps. Liu Wu was about to strike again when Lei Heng stepped forward and stopped him, scolding, "Don't be disrespectful in front of the adults!"

Liu Wu felt a sharp pain in his chest. After a long while, he stood up and angrily said, "If you ever return to Xixi Village, I'll make sure you're dead, or I'll die a horrible death!" In his rage, he completely forgot that Shi Wenbin and Song Jiang were right next to him!

As soon as he finished speaking, he realized something was wrong and looked at Shi Wenbin. Sure enough, several people were staring at him intently, especially Song Jiang, who was looking at him with a very amused expression!

Seeing the matter escalate into a farce, Song Jiang looked at Liu Wu, then at Liu Zhi, and said, "This constant commotion is unbecoming!"

Shi Wenbin asked, "What insightful opinion does Clerk Song have?"

Song Jiang laughed and said, "This matter is quite simple. Liu Wu has no evidence and cannot accuse Liu Zhi, but Liu Zhi, as the head of Xixi Village, has acted improperly!"

Liu Zhi hurriedly protested, "Clerk, I didn't..."

Before he could finish speaking, Song Jiang continued, "Actually, everyone here knows that if this matter isn't handled well, it will only escalate and make things worse, which will be bad for everyone, especially the prefect. If he finds out that such a thing happened within his jurisdiction, it won't look good. None of you here want to leave a deep impression on the prefect, do you?"

After being intimidated, Liu Zhi said, "I was also in the wrong in this matter. Since the clerk has spoken, I'll back down. You can return to Xixi Village, and I'll give you a house and an acre of land. Just stop making trouble!"

Liu Wu smiled sadly and said, "I have no way to take revenge. How can I face returning to Xixi Village!"

Song Jiang promptly spoke up, "Since he's unwilling, the village head will give him twenty taels of silver as a token of our kinship!"

"This..." Liu Zhi was unwilling from the bottom of his heart, but he had no other choice at the moment!