In the government office, no matter what Wang Qiao'er said, the few surviving bandits were terrified of being dragged down with her again, so they confessed everything down to the last detail.
It turned out that Deng Fugui had not, as Wang Qiao'er claimed, murdered Ba Deshun and fled.
After they left the capital, they had been separated from Deng Fugui on the road due to the snowstorms.
When Ba Deshun fell into poverty, Wang Qiao'er stole his belongings and fled.
On the road, she happened upon some bandits robbing travelers. She figured it was a way to make a living, and perhaps even live better than the common people suffering through the disaster.
So, she threw in her lot with the bandit chief and became his woman.
After the snowstorms passed, the imperial court began funding the government to suppress the troublesome bandits.
The chief was killed during that time, and Wang Qiao'er led the remaining bandits on the run.
