The old Wang Family ran a barbershop. They probably wouldn't give out any huge rewards.
Maybe the reward would be barbering skills?
Free was better than nothing!
Most importantly, if he didn't save the child now, she might really get beaten to death.
She had a father, yet he couldn't protect her. The thought made the orphaned Luo Zhou's heart ache.
Luo Zhou carried the child to the Medical Hall in the marketplace.
Outside the marketplace, a row of shops lined the street. One of them was a medical hall called the Hall of Returning Spring.
Luo Zhou entered the Hall of Returning Spring and headed straight for the physician on duty.
"Doctor, sorry for the trouble, but could you take a look at this child?"
Doctor Liu, who was on duty, glanced at her and said, "The Wang family barber's child from the neighborhood? Beaten again?"
It seemed the child was a regular here.
"Yes. She was beaten pretty badly. Please take a look, Doctor."
"We don't extend credit here. Last time, this child was beaten until she stopped breathing, and the Wang family barber still owes us eighty copper coins."
"It's all right, Doctor. I have money. Treat her, and I'll pay whatever it costs!"
Doctor Liu nodded and began treating her.
Bald Wang had beaten the child viciously, but Luo Zhou had brought her in time. She wasn't in danger of dying.
Doctor Liu circulated his energy and massaged her a few times, gave her pills to take, and applied some medicine to her external wounds. Then he said:
"It's nothing serious. The child has plenty of blood and energy. She should recover in three to five days."
The child was very obedient. No matter how much the treatment hurt, she didn't cry out. Her big eyes were bright and clear.
Luo Zhou waited nearby. When the treatment was over, he took out some money.
There was no need to use Broken Spirit here; copper coins and silver would do.
The total came to five hundred copper coins, or half a tael of silver. That was a small matter for him!
The gossipy neighborhood women who had watched the commotion also gathered here, chattering among themselves.
Suddenly, someone shouted, "The authorities are here! The authorities are here!"
"Luo boy, you've gotten yourself into trouble! Hurry and run! The old Wang family reported you!"
Constables were approaching from the other side.
Bald Wang had really reported him to the authorities!
"Sir, this is the boy who beat me and stole my child!"
"He broke into my home, assaulted me, and abducted a child. This boy is a bandit, guilty of every evil under the sun.
"He's an orphan with no parents, a little bastard! Arrest him! Throw him in jail!"
Two constables arrived alongside Bald Wang.
Luo Zhou glanced at the one in the lead, and his eyes twitched.
It was Constable Li Haitian, the man who had handled Gu Shanhe's case last time.
Li Haitian looked every inch an enforcer of the authorities. He had a square face with sharply defined lines, prominent angles, and a solid, steady bearing, as hard as a boulder.
Even without saying a word, he radiated an overwhelming authority.
Why had the constable come in person over such a minor brawl?
How had the other side summoned the authorities so quickly? Did they have some special connection, perhaps a family tie?
Luo Zhou stepped forward, took out his Dao Academy student token, and presented it solemnly.
"Greetings, Constable. I am Luo Zhou, a student of Class Three, Immortal Sprouts, at the Heaven and Earth Dao Academy. My teacher is Zhao Bochen, the academy's principal!"
He was neither servile nor arrogant, and he made his case clearly!
The Heaven and Earth Dao Academy held a lofty position in this city. The old principal, Zhao Bochen, was one of the three most powerful people in town. Even the city lord had to bow when he saw him.
The two constables, who had arrived in a threatening manner, immediately paused. Their aggression vanished, and they became courteous.
Luo Zhou continued, "I was on my way home from school today when I passed by and saw a crowd gathered around, arguing.
"I saw this uncle from the Wang family beating the child with all his might.
"She was already foaming at the mouth, while his new wives stood to the side, twisting the truth and egging him on. If things had continued, she would certainly have been beaten to death.
"I had no choice but to step in and bring her here for treatment.
"Her parents tried to stop me, so I had to push them aside.
"The neighbors all saw what happened. Would you aunts, uncles, and elders be willing to testify for me?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the gossipy women watching nearby called out at once.
"I can testify! That barber, old Wang, is a monster. He married another wife and then beat the child for all he was worth."
"I can testify! If it weren't for the Luo family's second boy, little Ya would have been beaten to death."
"Stepmothers are cruel! They beat the child every day."
The crowd erupted in arguments, and everyone was worked up.
They all testified on Luo Zhou's behalf.
The power of the people was formidable.
Bald Wang tried to argue back, but the moment he opened his mouth, the crowd cursed him so thoroughly that he couldn't get a word out. His face turned ashen.
Constable Li Haitian looked around and spoke slowly:
"I understand. Everyone, that's enough.
"Don't worry. The law is a blazing furnace: it won't wrong an innocent person, nor let a guilty one escape!"
His voice was quiet, yet it carried an irresistible force.
His official authority bore down on everyone, leaving them unable to speak.
He was helping the Wang family!
At that moment, Doctor Liu spoke slowly:
"This child has been brought here for treatment four times now.
"The first three times, she was beaten unconscious. If she'd arrived even a little later this time, she might not have made it."
He wasn't afraid of Li Haitian's authority. As a physician with a Qi Refining cultivation, his words were enough to establish what had happened!
Sweat beaded on Bald Wang's forehead. He stammered, unable to speak.
Constable Li Haitian nodded slightly and said:
"Given that, this matter was still Luo..."
He hadn't remembered Luo Zhou's name!
"Luo Zhou!"
"The Dao Academy student Luo Zhou encountered a family dispute at the Wang household. Unable to bear seeing a child beaten, he heroically stepped in to save her.
"He was acting on youthful conviction. He certainly didn't break in to rob the Wang family or forcibly abduct their child, as they claimed."
The crowd broke into cheers.
But Li Haitian changed tack.
"However, Luo Zhou did indeed break into the house, take the child away, and knock down the Wang couple.
"The Wang family weren't entirely making a false accusation; their actions were understandable. But those are the facts.
"The law has always held that filial piety comes first among all virtues. Parents may discipline their children, and as long as they don't kill them, they haven't done wrong.
"Because Luo Zhou intervened, the Wang couple were indeed injured.
"Luo Zhou, I fine you three taels of silver. Do you accept the punishment?"
The constable was definitely connected to the Wang family. He knew he couldn't go against the will of the crowd, but he still let the Wang family off the hook for false accusation and child abuse, delivering this verdict instead.
He had seen Luo Zhou willing to pay for the Wang family's child to be treated. He figured the boy wasn't short on money.
Luo Zhou didn't want the matter to escalate. He nodded and said, "I accept the punishment."
He took out three taels of silver and handed them to Li Haitian.
Li Haitian passed the silver to Bald Wang.
After the fine was paid to the Wang family, they saw the money and let the matter drop.
Old Wang's face immediately lit up, and he was overjoyed.
"Wang Dong, Luo Zhou, neighbors, does anyone have any objections?"
His hawklike eyes swept across the crowd. Wherever his gaze fell, people lowered their heads, not daring to disagree.
"Good. Since no one has any objections, I hereby issue my ruling as constable!"
And with that, the matter was settled.
Then he turned to Bald Wang and spoke coldly.
"Wang Dong, listen carefully. If you don't want to raise this child, I'll find someone to sell her off.
"If you beat her to death in secret, I'll make sure you're dragged into court, stripped of everything, and made to pay with your life. Do you understand?"
His words were ice-cold, and Wang Dong hurriedly replied, frightened:
"I understand, I understand. I won't hit her again!"
With the matter settled, Constable Li Haitian smiled and left with his men.
Just after leaving the medical hall, he saw a man walking toward him at an unhurried pace.
The man was dignified and imposing, unmistakably a powerful and upright figure.
He knew Li Haitian. They exchanged greetings and a few pleasantries as they passed each other.
Li Haitian muttered to himself, "Isn't that Cheng Wanli of the Dragon Fang Troop? What is he doing here?"
His subordinate recognized him too and said, "The Dragon Fang Troop has caught several Crocodile Dragons over the past two months. They've made a killing."
Li Haitian gave him a look. His subordinate immediately understood and stayed behind to watch discreetly.
The matter was over, and the child had been treated, but she still had to go home with her father.
Luo Zhou looked at Bald Wang and spoke quietly, in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Old Wang, listen carefully."
"When you get home, if you dare hit the child again, I'll hit you every time you do.
"Next time, there might be no crowd watching. Maybe someone will simply disappear, dead for no apparent reason!
"Do you believe I could wipe you out?"
If Old Wang hit the child again, Luo Zhou could intervene, punish him, and earn another reward.
But he would rather go without that reward than see the little child beaten again.
Bald Wang snorted as if he didn't care. But he was probably afraid deep down, because he stopped cursing.
He didn't dare hit the child again either. He carried her away.
As she was carried off, the child kept looking at Luo Zhou, her eyes full of gratitude.
Old Wang left, and the onlookers dispersed too. Luo Zhou was about to head home.
At a glance, he spotted Cheng Wanli, the captain of the Dragon Fang Troop.
He immediately trotted over like an eager lackey and called out, "Greetings, Captain!"
Cheng Wanli glanced at him and said loudly, "Luo Zhou, I came especially to notify you.
"Tomorrow at the hour of Chen, meet us at the north gate. We're going dragon hunting, so be ready to lend a hand!"
"Sure thing, no problem!"
"I still have to notify Zhang Chuan and the others. Be late, and we won't take you. Don't be even one breath late!
"And work harder. The troop is giving you, a reserve member, this opportunity. Remember to treasure it!"
"Don't worry, Captain. Absolutely no problem!"
Cheng Wanli turned and left to summon the next member of his troop. They were going out to hunt dragons tomorrow.
The constables returned and reported what had happened, along with what they had learned about Luo Zhou.
Li Haitian nodded repeatedly and said:
"A half-grown boy joining the Dragon Fang Troop to hunt dragons? He's so young, yet he's already daring to risk his life like this. That's rare.
"Luo the Hero? He's a bit of an idiot.
"Still just a boy. He doesn't know how dangerous this world is.
"Heroes are either black-hearted or dead!"
Before you continue