Insights Chapter 157: State Laws

Chapter 157: State Laws

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

In the evening, at the interrogation room of Changxi Police Station, Lin Yujiao was still crying and talking.

“My husband is also an accomplice. He said he didn’t mind, saying that as long as it’s the Zhao family’s bloodline, whose child it is doesn’t matter.”

“They made my younger sister and mother-in-law get close to me, observe the trash cans at home, inquire about my menstrual cycle, and secretly feed me water mixed with ovulation-inducing drugs.”

“When it was near the time, I was guarded by three men and forced to be with Zhao Yihao…”

She choked up and couldn’t continue. It was her husband, parents-in-law, elders, all conspiring to offer her up like a sacrifice.

“Because of the ovulation-inducing drugs, I became pregnant with twins. They laughed and said it’s just right to have one for each… Throughout the entire pregnancy, I was monitored by their people. They made me quit my job, watched me every day, preventing me from committing suicide. Even the obstetrician in the hospital has the surname Zhao.”

In the past, Lin Yujiao didn’t dare to speak up about these things because of face-saving and fear of retaliation. She didn’t even dare to tell her own biological parents.

She originally thought that enduring that period would allow her to continue living. But after the breastfeeding period, her husband actually started sending her back to Zhao Yihao.

Zhao Yihao had already developed a taste for it and couldn’t let her go.

She became the shared wife of two men.

And this was tacitly approved by those elders of the Zhao family.

But what could she do?

Report to the police? There are also people from the Zhao family in the police.

Run back home? Her family accepted the betrothal gifts and also feared the many people from the Zhao family. Her mother often told her that they had climbed up to the Zhao family and had to bear more responsibility if something happened.

No one would stand up for her.

And that’s not all, because her daughter is the same age as Zhao Xiaoyin, those distant relatives who don’t know will compare the two children.

Every praise for Zhao Xiaoyin is a cruel torture for her, making her biological mother feel disgusted.

At times like this, Zhao Yihao would also add fuel to the fire, saying a few words about how he educates children, how he has painstakingly raised them, then looking at her with lustful eyes.

Recently, her husband even urged her to have a second child…

This request pushed her to the edge of the cliff. She often had nightmares, feeling on the verge of collapse. She felt dirty and couldn’t clean herself no matter how much she washed.

She often washed her face with tears, feeling that all of this was a great shame. That old man with wrinkled skin, missing teeth, bald head, and so many age spots, even his breath carried a strange smell.

Just thinking of that old man made her sick. What’s even more disgusting is that her daughter has to call such a person grandpa.

If she expressed dissatisfaction, it would only lead to beatings from the men.

Her husband would say, “What are you dissatisfied with? Hasn’t the Zhao family been good to you? You have an average education and appearance. If it weren’t for me, you might be suffering in some remote village.”

Zhao Yihao threatened her, “You’re not allowed to talk to Zhao Xiaoyin. If you dare to say a word to her, believe me, I’ll throw you into the river and no one will dare to investigate.”

There’s been a serial killer in the county, she also heard about it, and heard that the person killed were all young girls.

Yesterday, she took the opportunity while Zhao Xiaoyin was at the convenience store to buy a notebook, wanting to remind her to be careful. Zhao Xiaoyin said, “My grandpa said, only those girls who make mistakes and don’t listen to their families will be killed. Instead of worrying about me, you’d better be careful with your own daughter.”

She grabbed her and asked, “Is this what Zhao Yihao taught you?”

Zhao Xiaoyin pushed her hand away, flicked off the dust on her body, gave her a cold look, then turned and walked away.

Her gaze fell on Zhao Xiaoyin’s back.

It must be what Zhao Yihao said. Zhao Xiaoyin and Zhao Yihao are very close, calling each other grandpa every day.

Zhao Jianghai also likes Zhao Xiaoyin very much, saying she is the smartest of this generation.

She was raised by clan education, often coming to the convenience store, raising her head and asking her to get things, proudly saying, “We Zhao family members are like this and that.”

She imitated others, looking down on her own biological sister, and also looking down on her.

Last night, past ten o’clock, Lin Yujiao didn’t climb over by herself at all. Zhao Yihao called her husband and had her brought over by a man to sleep with Zhao Yihao.

As usual, Zhao Yihao let her out, then walked back home by himself. This kind of thing has happened too many times. They weren’t even afraid that she would run away.

She walked into the yard and suddenly saw Zhao Xiaoyin in the next room wearing pajamas and sticking her head out.

The girl’s face was tender, cute, with a hint of baby fat on her small face, but the look she gave her was icy.

Lin Yujiao’s heart sank, her daughter had already seen it!

At around ten years old, it was the time when girls started to understand matters between men and women, she might have misunderstood.

She was just about to explain.

Zhao Xiaoyin spat disdainfully on the ground and said in her childish voice, “Despicable woman, so disgusting.”

Children’s words are often the most hurtful.

It was like a needle puncturing a balloon, like a spark igniting a fuse.

At that moment, she collapsed.

She realized that the girl in front of her was no longer her daughter. She was the evidence of her rape, the offspring of that old beast, a member of the Zhao family.

No matter how good her academic performance was, she wouldn’t become a good child as she grew up. She would become an accomplice, standing by Zhao Yihao and Zhao Jianghai.

Lin Yujiao held her breath in her chest, her vision blurred, she didn’t leave quietly as usual, but went to the kitchen to get a knife…

She pressed the girl onto the bed, covered her face with a pillow, and crazily scratched herself, blood splattering everywhere.

Her eyes turned red, she kept attacking, and then killed Zhao Yihao who came after hearing the noise.

She used all her strength to cover him with a blanket, feeling him struggling fiercely until he stopped moving completely.

She returned home, hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should also kill her other daughter, kill her husband. But that girl had been with her for many years, and she might not be able to beat a strong man.

She looked at her daughter’s sleeping face, cried bitterly, then washed the blood off herself with cold water, changed her blood-stained clothes, and lay down next to her husband, praying not to be found out.

But soon, the Zhao family came looking for her…

During the interrogation today, she had concealed something, didn’t tell the truth. Now, under Gu Yanchen’s questioning, she tore off the last fig leaf, revealing all the truth.

Listening to this, Shen Junci coughed softly, feeling a chill running through his body.

Gu Yanchen frowned, silent.

They finally learned of Lin Yujiao’s murderous intent, but the truth was so cruel.

These words indeed crossed what they thought was the bottom line of humanity.

Lin Yujiao kept crying, rubbing her hands in front of her chest, a gesture of frustration and regret.

“I was wrong, I shouldn’t have vented my anger on the child. I’ve been regretting it calmly. The child is innocent… She just had bad luck. Can she… still be saved?”

She felt scared and regretful for her impulse last night.

But with so many things piled on her, so many hurtful words thrown at her, on that cold night, Zhao Xiaoyin’s disgusting remark became the final straw that broke her.

Looking at the woman’s haggard face, Gu Yanchen said, “She survived.”

The hospital just sent a message, Zhao Xiaoyin has already survived the life-threatening situation, but she hasn’t woken up yet.

Lin Yujiao cried, saying, “Thank you. Thank you for telling me all this.”

As if the girl being alive would lessen her guilt.

But Shen Junci was somewhat worried. What kind of life would a girl who had been indoctrinated by the clan for years and was injured by her own birth mother face, even if she survived?

—

Night, Changxi County.

Zhao Jianghai walked into the Zhao family ancestral hall, the largest ancient building in Changxi. Originally, this was a garden owned by a salt merchant, but later it was converted into the family ancestral hall by the Zhao family and even expanded.

They walked to the innermost row of rooms, where ancient-style curtains hung on carved beams and painted pillars. In the spacious hall, Zhao Jianghai lit several lotus lamps, then lit some incense and respectfully worshiped the ancestors’ tablets on the altar.

Zhao Jianghai’s son hurriedly walked in, “Dad, I was supposed to poison Lin Yujiao’s food with rat poison, but she didn’t eat it.”

Zhao Jianghai gave his son a disdainful look, blaming him for interrupting his worship. After placing several sticks of incense, he snorted, “I knew it. You’re still too impulsive in your actions. More often than not, you cause more harm than good. I’ve already made arrangements. Someone will bring her over soon.”

His son hesitated, “But Dad, the officers from the City Bureau are still there. Do we really have to… kill Lin Yujiao at this moment?”

Zhao Jianghai said, “If we don’t resolve this matter, how will people view our Zhao family in the future? We’ll lose face, and others will step all over us.”

His son remained silent. He knew in his father’s eyes, the family’s reputation was more important than anything else.

Zhao Jianghai continued, “What are you afraid of? This is our Zhao family’s territory. There’s safety in numbers. Tonight, get more people here. Even the mighty dragon can’t beat the local snake. Are we afraid of a few police officers?”

He paused and said, “At worst, let Zhao Zhixin take care of them too!”

His son looked at his father, “Killing police officers is a big deal.”

Zhao Jianghai chuckled at his son’s naivety, “Even if the authorities come down, what can they find? It’s just a mental illness, killing a few police officers. By then, we’ll hand Zhao Zhixin over. Without us, he would’ve been caught long ago. He’s been living a few extra years because of us. None of these things can shake the foundation of our Zhao family.”

After some thought, Zhao Jianghai instructed, “Remember, tell everyone outside that Lin Yujiao ran away on her own, she encountered Zhao Zhixin, and it has nothing to do with us.”

After finalizing the details, the two of them walked into an excavated basement.

Zhao Jianghai looked down at the man locked in there, who was tapping the iron pipes on the wall with a knife in his hand. The iron pipes made a clunking sound that could be heard far in the quiet of the night.

Sensing someone entering, the man raised his pale face and looked towards the direction illuminated by the light.

His name was Zhao Zhixin. His father used to be Zhao Jianghai’s right-hand man, a very strict man who often punished him with a belt or whip, making him kneel as punishment. He grew up under such strict demands.

Five years ago, when he was about to graduate from college, he dated a wealthy girlfriend. People in the clan had high hopes for their marriage, and Zhao Jianghai agreed to it.

But later, his girlfriend had many complaints about him.

“What’s wrong with you? Do you have to ask your father and grandfather about everything? Do you have no opinions of your own?”

“I don’t want to go back to Changxi with you. Isn’t life good for us in the big city?”

“I loved you, but marriage involves two families. We’re not suitable. Let’s break up.”

At that time, he was suspicious and felt he had lost face, suspecting his girlfriend had cuckolded him. He dreamed that his father made him kneel in the ancestral hall and cut him with a knife.

After waking up, he carried a knife and went to his girlfriend’s house, killing her family.

Then he hid back in Changxi County. Zhao Jianghai and his father hid him in the secret room of this ancestral hall. Zhao Jianghai held his hand and said, “You’re a descendant of our Zhao family. Even if you make mistakes, we won’t abandon you. Don’t worry about things outside. We won’t ignore you.”

It was a long imprisonment, but he thought it was better than death.

Occasionally, he would be granted freedom to go out, for example, to see a doctor or get a haircut, but people in the town pretended not to see him. In the end, he could only return here and become a caged beast.

Sometimes, he was too lonely, so he carved cross-shaped scars on his hands, body, and even his face.

The walls of the ancestral hall were also covered with cross symbols, a sight of devastation.

Then one day, Zhao Jianghai found him and gave him a lecture, telling him to kill Jian Yunxi.

Later, they made him push Mu Bin into the river.

A few days ago, they found him again and told him to kill Wen Qiaoqiao.

Today, they came again, and Zhao Zhixin knew someone else was going to die.

He was a person who should have died long ago, not supposed to exist in this world anymore. He had lost his identity long ago. He was the executioner of the Zhao family, a cruel executioner. The Zhao family sheltered him, and he killed people according to their requests.

“Zhao Zhixin.” Zhao Jianghai’s face looked distorted in the glare, “Tonight, your task is to kill that woman. She killed someone from our Zhao family and must die!”

Zhao Zhixin stood up, like a walking corpse, and followed them out of the secret room…

.

Late at night in Changxi County, the prison vehicle parked downstairs at the police station.

Lin Yujiao, handcuffed, sat in the car, escorted by several people.

Gu Yanchen instructed, “After you bring her in, send me a message.”

Director Zhang reassured, “Don’t worry, the escorts are all experienced from the prison.”

Lin Yujiao sat with her head down, never having been to a prison before, feeling nervous and scared. Her whole body was tense, fearing that the Zhao family wouldn’t let her off.

Changxi County wasn’t large, and after a while, the car changed direction.

After some time, Lin Yujiao began to sweat coldly on her back. She realized that they weren’t heading to the prison. She trembled as she asked, “This isn’t the right way… Where are you taking me?”

No one answered her; they all looked at her coldly.

Panicked, Lin Yujiao attempted to stand up but was forcefully pulled back into her seat by the person beside her.

Her heart sank; either these people were surnamed Zhao or had connections to the Zhao family. They deliberately delayed the transfer until nighttime to tamper with her.

There weren’t many surveillance cameras in the county, and the few might have been shut off by them.

She wouldn’t make it to the prison.

The car drove on and stopped outside the Zhao family ancestral hall. Someone opened the car door and dragged her out.

Looking up, Lin Yujiao saw red lanterns hanging in front of her, and lights were on. The mansion in the night looked well-lit.

Above the building hung a plaque with bold characters: Zhao Family Ancestral Hall.

A cold wind blew, making Lin Yujiao shiver.

She recognized this place; she had seen it from afar when she got married.

Her husband had told her that it was a place for ancestor worship and family discussions. Inside, ancestral tablets were enshrined, accessible only to men. She had asked curiously, “So women can’t go in?”

Her husband replied, “There’s an exception. Women who violate clan rules come here for punishment.”

Tonight, she was pushed in. Inside, she saw many familiar faces, uncles, uncles she usually saw, grandfathers, her husband, and father-in-law. She saw a person with cross scars on his body and hands standing beside them.

In the center of these people stood Zhao Jianghai.

Lin Yujiao remembered countless women who had been unjustly punished by clan laws in the past, buried alive, married off as ghost brides, immersed in pig cages, made into human skin lanterns… She trembled with fear.

Facing Lin Yujiao, Zhao Jianghai commanded, “Kneel!”

Lin Yujiao gritted her teeth, refusing to kneel. She lunged at the men near her, shouting, “I have committed a crime; let the law punish me! You heartless Zhao family! Aren’t you afraid of the police? Have you forgotten the law?”

Zhao Jianghai snorted, “Tomorrow, your corpse will be found in the wilderness. There will be evidence. You ran out of the prison yourself, what does that have to do with us?”

Two men grabbed Lin Yujiao’s shoulders, kicked her knees from behind, forcing her to kneel. Lin Yujiao let out a piercing scream, “Help! Murder!”

At that moment, the closing gate of the Zhao Family Ancestral Hall was kicked open from outside. Several policemen entered, led by Gu Yanchen, followed by Shen Junci and several detectives.

Seeing them, Lin Yujiao burst into tears of joy; she knew she was saved.

The two men holding her retreated nervously. Gu Yanchen pulled her behind him.

The culprits behind the case were not caught, so the policemen remained vigilant.

When transporting Lin Yujiao, Gu Yanchen had already arranged for several policemen to monitor discreetly. He and Shen Junci guarded outside the Zhao Family Ancestral Hall.

Eventually, both groups converged here and witnessed the scene.

Caught red-handed.

Zhao Jianghai’s face changed, “Officer Gu, what… what are you doing here?”

According to the information they received, the officers from the City Bureau should have gone back to rest long ago.

Facing dozens of Zhao family men, the officers showed no fear.

Gu Yanchen said sternly, “I’m here to apprehend fugitives! I received a tip-off that someone brought Lin Yujiao here, and someone saw the wanted criminal Zhao Zhixin in the Zhao Family Ancestral Hall.”

Shen Junci stepped forward and stood beside Gu Yanchen. His voice was hoarse but composed, “Mr. Zhao, harboring criminals carries a sentence of more than three years. Also, did you report this illegal assembly?”

Zhao Jianghai hammered his cane on the ground, “This is our Zhao family’s business. I warn you not to interfere!”

People around him prepared to act, tension rising.

“Calling the lawful enforcement of officers an interference?” Gu Yanchen retorted.

The Zhao family members were intimidated by his demeanor, and for a moment, no one spoke.

Gu Yanchen stepped forward, handsome and determined, with a fiery anger in his eyes, suppressed and restrained.

“You disregard the law, engage in brawls, establish illegal courts, insult women, attempt to assault officers, and use violence to obstruct law enforcement. You speak of family rules but don’t know national law! National rights always trump your pathetic clan! Today, I’ll teach you what justice means!”