I bring bad luck to my husband, you bring bad luck to your wife.

Yang Tongchuan did not return home all night, and Xiangxi did not sleep all night either.

The sun rises early in June.

As dawn broke, Zhen Laifu suddenly cried out in the courtyard.

Xiangxi suddenly tensed up, standing at the door of the west wing, her feet feeling as if they were filled with molten lead.

At this moment, Yang Tongshan, who was in the east wing across the way, came out dressed. He saw Xiangxi standing at the door of the west wing and gestured for him to calm down so he could open the door himself.

Xiangxi took two steps back.

Yang Tongshan opened the door, and a yamen runner was standing outside.

"I'm sorry to come at this hour. Officer Yang asked me to let him know I'm safe and sound, and to bring him some clean clothes to take back to the yamen. He'll be staying there for the next few days until the case is closed."

Yang Tongshan knew this servant.

"What happened?" Yang Tongshan first invited the person in, served tea, and treated them well.

"I don't know either. I'm just a gatekeeper on night duty. I only know that Officer Yang took his men out yesterday and just came back." The servant was flattered that the Yang family would entertain him.

"Xiangxi, hurry up and pack the clothes for the second son. Yanzi, Yanzi, get up quickly and go to the kitchen to see if there is any food ready. Heat it up and send it over to the second master. This official is coming in to rest for a while, and the house will be ready soon." Yang Tongshan's calmness played a crucial role at this moment.

When Xiangxi was packing clothes for Yang Tongchuan, her mind went blank, and she even forgot whether she should take thick or thin clothes.

"Just these few items, plus shoes and socks." At this crucial moment, Yang Tongshan reminded him from outside the door.

Mr. and Mrs. Yang also got up and sat in the main hall with the yamen runner, hoping to find out if there was any more news.

Xiangxi finally finished packing the package and handed it to Yang Tongshan, who was waiting at the door.

"I'll go to the yamen with the constables. You and Mingle stay home with your parents. Don't go out before I get back, and keep the gate closed."

This was the first time Xiangxi had seen Yang Tongshan's face so serious.

He's even scarier than Yang Tongchuan when he's angry.

With Mingle's help, Yanzi quickly stir-fried two dishes, heated up some steamed buns, and boiled several eggs and salted duck eggs.

Everything was packed up and put into the basket.

Yang Tongshan carried a bundle on his back, and the yamen runner carried a basket; they went out like this.

"Don't be afraid. Second Brother is a head constable now. He's under a lot of pressure with such a big case. Your eldest brother is just going over to see if there's anything he can do to help. Everything will be alright," Mingle comforted Xiangxi.

Since marrying into the Yang family, Xiangxi has watched Yang Tongchuan handle so many cases, but this is the first time it has been so serious that he has to stay at the yamen.

----------

Yesterday, after Yang Tongchuan reported the case to the county magistrate...

With permission, they led a team to Hougezhuang Village, and under the leadership of the village chief, they directly forced the carpenter Lao and his family into their home.

The carpenter's family had no idea what they had done wrong; all they knew was to kneel down and beg for forgiveness.

The constables searched Lao the carpenter's house from top to bottom, but they couldn't find the special set of chisels.

"Where did the set of horse-head chisels you made for your son go?" Yang Tongchuan sat down on the bench in the yard with an air of arrogance, giving off a real sense of bullying.

It has a strong deterrent effect.

"Your Honor, that was stolen long ago." Carpenter Lao had worked diligently all his life, so how could he have offended the officials in the yamen?

"What a coincidence, even if we hadn't come, the chisel wouldn't have been lost."

"Sir, I'm not lying. It really is lost. It was stolen by that scoundrel from the village."

"Seven Rascals?" Yang Tongchuan wondered, who is this?

"What I'm saying is true. This Qi Laizi has been stealing chickens and dogs since he was a child. He likes to steal things." Carpenter Lao looked at the village chief for help, hoping that the village chief could help explain.

"Sir, this scoundrel is the youngest son of Scholar Wu in the village. He has six older sisters and is the only son. He's been spoiled rotten since he was little. When Scholar Wu was alive, he could still give him a beating, but since Scholar Wu died, no one in the Wu family can control him," the village chief kindly confirmed.

Go to the Wu family's house.

The Wu family's house was actually considered one of the better ones in the village.

Wu Xiucai was a poor scholar who only knew how to study. He was very arrogant and never lifted a finger to do any housework. His wife took care of all the chores at home.

Where did all that money come from to repair the house?

When Yang Tongchuan led his men in, Aunt Wu was washing clothes in the yard. When she saw the group of people come in, she was not panicked, but even a little excited.

"What are you doing here?"

"Where is your youngest son?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen him in a long time." Aunt Wu stood up, already used to Qi Laizi's lack of homecoming.

"Your son is missing, aren't you worried at all?"

"It would be good if that debt collector died out there. If he died out there, I'll go buy firecrackers right now to celebrate, to celebrate that God has opened his eyes." After saying that, Aunt Wu actually laughed.

The accompanying constables searched the Wu family's house thoroughly, even looking through the cellar, but they couldn't find any trace of Qi Laizi.

Yang Tongchuan was puzzled by Wu Da Niang's attitude toward her youngest son.

Aunt Wu and the Lao carpenter's family were temporarily placed under guard.

To follow this line, you must first find Qi Laizi.

The village chief hosted Yang Tongchuan and his party at his home.

"Village chief, doesn't the Wu family dote on their youngest son? Then why does Aunt Wu grit her teeth whenever she mentions him?"

"I dare not deceive you, sir, but this scoundrel might not be Wu's biological son."

More than 30 years ago, when Aunt Wu was pregnant with her seventh child, Wu Xiucai boasted to the villagers that he had dreamt of a deity who told him that this one would definitely be a son.

Sure enough, when the appointed day arrived, the Wu family had a new baby boy.

Villagers love to join in the fun, and since Wu Xiucai's family finally had a son, everyone naturally wanted to bring something to visit.

"My wife went too. When she came back, she told me that it was indeed a boy, but it was obviously not a newborn boy. The wrinkles on his face were all gone, so he was probably more than a month old."

"You mean, the Wu family bought a boy from outside?"

"This? Sigh, it's true that Madam Wu was pregnant and gave birth, but no one saw what happened after that." The village chief hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Yang Tongchuan suppressed his anger, but not wanting to offend the village chief, he interrogated Aunt Wu.

"Tell me, what's wrong with your youngest son?"

"What trouble has he gotten into outside?"

"Now I'm asking you a question. Don't you wish he were dead? If you tell the truth honestly, maybe your wish will come true."

"Haha, God, you've finally opened your eyes!" Aunt Wu was almost driven mad by the secret she was carrying.

More than 30 years ago, when she was pregnant with her seventh child, Wu Xiucai told her that if this child was not a son, he would go out and find other women to have sons with.

Madam Wu was weak her whole life, daring to be angry but not daring to speak out.

When she gave birth, it was indeed another daughter.

When Wu Xiucai saw this, he wasn't angry at all, as if he had known this would happen. He picked up the child and went out.

When I came home that evening, my daughter had turned into a son.