Chapter 287: Chapter 287: Atonement by Death
With Qi Quanli’s words, all the other members of the Qi Family rushed forward.
How could Liu Qinghe possibly block so many people alone? Instead, he was knocked back and forth, swaying.
At this moment, Qi Quanjin shouted loudly, "Stop everyone!"
His words were like pressing a pause button, making all the Qi Family members who were about to rush forward and kill Chen Xiaomei stop in their tracks and look towards Qi Quanjin in unison.
Qi Quanjin slowly stood up with Qi Manman in his arms, tears still on his face, but he was no longer crying.
He exuded a chill that made everyone feel the cold of winter amidst the autumn heat.
Qi Quanjin walked step by step towards Chen Xiaomei, and the crowd subconsciously made way for him.
He stopped more than a meter away from Chen Xiaomei.
Holding his daughter in his arms with her face against his chest, he said coldly, "Send this person to the government. If the government can’t punish this person, I, Qi Quanjin, will personally cut her to pieces."
These words were to tell the others not to use private punishment and not to cause any deaths.
Similarly, it was a reminder to Liu Qinghe that if he didn’t get the result he wanted, he would act himself.
Everyone understood this.
Liu Qinghe clasped his fists and said to Qi Quanjin, "Brother Quanjin, I will definitely report this matter truthfully. This woman intended to kidnap innocent children, and Lord County Magistrate will definitely make a fair judgment! If it’s not settled, you won’t need to do anything; I, as an uncle, will personally avenge my niece!"
This was also Liu Qinghe expressing his stance.
Even if it meant offending the County Magistrate, he would stand up for the Qi Family and Qi Manman.
"Thank you."
Qi Quanjin nodded and looked back at Qi Dafu, "Big Brother, go get the carriage ready."
"Old Geda, take Xiao Shi home."
After giving his instructions, Qi Quanjin walked towards the front yard with the child in his arms.
Yin Cheng was already too tired to move and was slower than the villagers.
By the time Qi Quanjin reached the front yard, Yin Cheng had just arrived at the Chen Family’s gate.
Seeing Yin Cheng, Qi Quanjin said, "Mr. Yin, please check on the two children."
"Of course, of course."
Yin Cheng, now too worried to blame the two mischievous children for making him furious, couldn’t even wait to take the children back to the Qi Family and directly started checking their pulses.
He first checked Qi Manman’s pulse, then Qi Shilang’s.
Finally, Yin Cheng said, "They were drugged. Fortunately, the effect isn’t strong and won’t leave any lasting harm. Let’s go home; I’ll prepare the medicine for them immediately and personally decoct it."
At this moment, Yin Cheng was filled with regret.
If he had known his anger would lead to these consequences, he would never have let the two children take such risks, even if it meant dying of anger himself.
Upon returning home, as soon as they entered the gate, they saw Wang Daya helping Mrs. Qi, who was unsteady on her feet, rush out.
Mrs. Qi was crying and calling out for Manbao as she walked.
The old lady’s voice was hoarse to the point of almost being inaudible, nearly speaking in whispers.
"Mother, don’t worry, we’ve found the child."
Qi Quanjin quickly stepped forward, holding the child, and approached Mrs. Qi.
Seeing her precious granddaughter with eyes closed tightly, Mrs. Qi felt a dizzy spell, biting her tongue fiercely to awaken herself with the pain and taste of blood.
"What’s wrong with Manbao? Is...is it serious?"
Mrs. Qi was now only concerned about the child.
Qi Quanjin shook his head, "It’s nothing serious, Mr. Yin checked her, she was just drugged."
"Mr. Yin?"
Upon hearing this title, Mrs. Qi flared up, shouting in a voice like a cracked bell, "We don’t need him! He’s not a good person! If it weren’t for him, my Manbao wouldn’t have suffered this calamity!"
These words startled the entire Qi Family, and they all neatly turned to look at Yin Cheng, who was being supported by Qi Balang and Qi Jiulang.
Yin Cheng’s old face flushed red with embarrassment, and he gestured for the two children to release him, then clasped his fists and bowed deeply towards Mrs. Qi, "Regarding today’s events, I indeed bear responsibility. But the two children still need my antidote, so I ask the esteemed Mrs. Qi to wait a little longer. Once the children fully recover, or when my junior returns, whatever punishment you wish for me, I will have no objections."
Qi Quanjin frowned slightly, but quickly returned to a blank expression, "We’ll discuss Mr. Yin’s matter later, let’s focus on the children first."
Saying this, Qi Quanjin immediately carried his daughter to Yin Cheng’s room.
Qi Quanli gave Yin Cheng a stern glare and hurried to follow his fourth brother.
Although Xiao Shi wasn’t the most spoiled child in the family, he was still a son of the Qi Family, and his plight concerned everyone deeply.
Qi Balang and Qi Jiulang exchanged a glance, both tacitly helping Yin Cheng into the house.
Yin Cheng and Qin Minglang stayed across from each other, and the house next door was set up as a pharmacy.
Originally it wasn’t there, but as the two teachers taught more about herbs, especially when Qin Minglang began taking the children to the mountains to dig herbs, the family’s stock of medicinal ingredients increased.
After processing, the herbal ingredients weren’t sent to town for sale, so the Qi Family set up a room specifically as a pharmacy.
Yin Cheng washed his hands, dried them, and began to personally prepare the medicine.
As he said, he personally decocted the medicine for the two children.
Qi Balang and Qi Jiulang wanted to help, but were refused by Yin Cheng.
The decocted medicinal soup was placed in bowls, then in a basin filled with well water to cool down.
When the soup was drinkable, he personally carried the medicine bowl into the room.
Feeding the medicine was not Yin Cheng’s task.
Qi Quanjin and Qi Quanli carefully fed the medicine to the two children.
Although the children were drugged, they could still swallow.
"In fact, using needles could wake the two children, but waking them this way might cause convulsions, so it’s better to let them drink the medicine first and naturally wake up after the drug is expelled,"
Yin Cheng explained.
Qi Quanjin nodded without speaking.
After feeding Xiao Shi the medicine, Qi Quanli then asked, "Mr. Yin, what exactly happened? Why were my Manbao and Xiao Shi drugged?"
Upon bringing this up, Yin Cheng was filled with remorse but didn’t conceal or avoid the issue, explaining the sequence of events straightforwardly.
But he also admitted that it was his momentary anger that led to this incident.
"Quanjin, this matter is due to me. Once Minglang returns, I’ll leave the village and find a secluded place to end myself."
While decocting the medicine earlier, Yin Cheng thought of many ways to atone, but ultimately only thought of death as atonement.
When he said this, Qi Quanli instead didn’t know how to further pursue accountability.
Yet Qi Quanjin merely looked at Yin Cheng calmly, "There’s no need for such measures, sir. But today’s incident almost harmed the children and frightened the whole family."
"Xiao Shi’s parents are still in town, I’ll have them and my wife come back, and we can discuss how to resolve this matter and then inform you, sir."
After saying this, Qi Quanjin wrapped his daughter tightly in a quilt and took her to his parents’ room.
